October 2nd edition of The Merciad

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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

W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 2 , 2 01 9

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VOL. 93 NO. 4

MU Celebrates Homecoming

Online poll results We asked: What is your favorite board game?

4: Hurst Responders do service

11: Sedaris to perform in PAC 14: Volleyball wins two games

Monopoly (43%) Trivial Pursuit (26%) Candy Land (22%) Trouble (9%)

This week’s

POLL

What is your favorite scary movie?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

PAGE 2

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

‘Voices of Transgender Children’ heard loud and clear at lecture

By Alexandra Long

Staff writer

On Sept. 25, Ashley Sullivan, Ph. D., assistant professor of Early Childhood Education at Penn State Behrend, and Laurie Urraro, Ph. D., assistant teaching professor of Spanish, Languages at Penn State Behrend, presented the findings from their recent publication, “Voices of Transgender Children in Early Childhood Education: Reflections on Resistance and Resilience” to Mercyhurst students and faculty members in Zurn 114.

Sullivan and Urraro have spent the past decade studying the lived realities of transgender individuals and the educational systems and policies that shaped their experiences.

Sullivan’s research focuses on a variety of topics including social justice and equity in early childhood education, LGBTQ children and families, poverty studies and literacy development in toddlerhood. Prior to her position at Behrend, Sullivan worked as a kindergarten teacher, curriculum writer and professional development facilitator in Connecticut.

Urraro is currently a lecturer in Spanish at Penn State Behrend.

Her areas of expertise and interest include modern peninsular languages and cultures, women’s studies, contemporary Spanish film, studies of gender and sexuality and contemporary Spanish theater. Prior to her current position, Urraro held teaching positions at Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, Kent State University, Ohio State University and Gannon University.

The presentation covered many topics regarding sex, gender, sexual orientation and gender roles and the effects these have on the lives of transgender individuals.

Data was represented in a variety

Alexandra Long photo

Ashley Sullivan, Ph. D., (left) assistant professor of Early Childhood Education at Penn State Behrend, and Laurie Urraro, Ph. D., (right) Assistant Teaching Professor of Spanish, Languages at Penn State Behrend, presented the findings from their recent publication, “Voices of Transgender Children in Early Childhood Education: Reflection on Resistance and Resilience.”

of ways including charts, videos and personal stories from individuals interviewed for the book.

The audience, which consisted mainly of education majors and minors, was also encouraged to participate and engage with the material by answering questions and reading provided statements out loud.

Sullivan began the presentation by defining transgender kids as, “kids whose gender identity and biological sex are not in correlation with one another.”

According to Sullivan, starting around age two, when gender identity begins to develop, these children start to notice and outwardly express that their biological sex does not match the gender identity they are being raised with.

The two researchers then went

on to explain the difficulties in studying transgender individuals as there are no clear answers pointing to the reasons behind transgender identity. Alhough it is estimated that about three-quarters of a million school-age children are transgender, there is no completely accurate population size of the transgender community. They emphasized that this is due to a lack of overall support and a heightened sense of fear that the community faces every day in our society.

In discussing their research findings, Sullivan and Urraro highlighted three categories that transcended racial and socioeconomic background for their participants, who they referred to as “research partners:” social interaction, physical space and gender normalization.

The research question Sullivan and Urarro studied was how early childhood environments impacted their participants’ experiences in the transgender community.

A variety of social interactions, both positive and negative, were cited as deeply influential by participants. Friend and peer relationships as well as supportive teachers and parents had positive impacts of individuals. However, every individual spoke of experiencing some degree of bullying and violence in their school environments.

The physical spaces in which these interactions occurred often correlated with positive and negative experiences as well. For example, while many individuals expressed feelings of safety and acceptance in the library or within art and music classrooms,

they often felt a great deal of fear and discomfort other areas of school life. Many faced disciplinary problems in highly populated areas such as the gym or cafeteria, on the playground or in bathrooms and locker rooms.

Finally, body normalization played a huge role in the lives of those interviewed as many discussed their experiences with gender segregation, which takes the form of separate boy and girl lines or “boys against girls” class activities.

Additionally, the demand for “gender performativity,” in which individuals are expected to act as their assigned gender in the eyes of society, caused confusion and discomfort for students whose gender did not match their biological sex.

Each of these factors can have drastic effects on transgender individuals. According to Sullivan and Urraro, these negative experiences can contribute to mental health problems later in life.

These problems include depression, stress related anxiety, selfharm, drug and alcohol abuse and poor self-image.

The two researchers ended their presentation with suggestions on how educators can normalize differences in gender and sexuality while also creating a more positive environment for transgender children. Some of these included abandoning assumptions, showing support, eliminating gender segregation in the classroom, involving parents and providing protection and safe spaces to students.

After the formal presentation, Sullivan and Urraro opened up the floor for questions from the audience and stayed behind to answer individual questions from students after everyone else had dispersed from the lecture hall.

Have you been on the life-changing Carpe Diem Retreat hosted by Campus Ministry?

What are you waiting for?

The Carpe Diem Retreat is a three-day getaway at Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Center in Villa Maria, PA. It is a weekend to learn about yourself and others. Enjoy lots of friends, food and fun!

Time is running out to sign up for Carpe Diem 13. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 9 before leaving for Fall Break.

Email Michelle Scully, Mercyhurst Campus Minister, at mscully@mercyhurst. edu, talk to one of the CD13 leaders or stop by Campus Ministry for an application form!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

NEWS

PAGE 3

New group committed to service

By Gillian Mazur Staff writer

One of the newest student-led initiatives on campus, Hurst Responders, was proposed this past summer to Bethany Woods (formerly Bethany Brun), Assistant Director of Community Engagement, and Colin Hurley, Director of Community Engagement to increase student connection to service in the Erie Community.

The idea was concived by senior Biology major and Theater minor, Jacob Tretinik.

“This is one of the first times where I have seen students rise up as leaders and say that they wanted to form a service leadership initiative,” Hurley said.

Tretinik provided a lengthy proposal to Woods and Hurley that said some students feel that there is a disconnect between the students and the Community Engagement department.

Tretinik saw that in past years, students have wanted to help get involved in the community by volunteering but might not have known how, been scared off by making appointments with the office or feared asking for help.

Hurst Responders was the solution as a way to try and narrow the disconnect between the office and the students. The group aims to eventually act kind of like a volunteer hub for the Mercyhurst community and act as an intersection between the students and the Community Engagement office. With time and growth, students in the future could follow the Hurst Responders and get a notification or alert about a service opportunity that pertains to each individual’s interest.

“We want to call upon volunteers for our own events, but to also help magnify the needs of other clubs and their events,” Hurley said.

A play on “first responders,” Hurst Responders is a response to the mission of the Sisters of Mercy as ambassadors of service. The Hurst Responders aim to be the response mechanism to the needs of the campus and community as well as give students a more active roll in their service opportunities.

“It’s driven by student energy, which makes one’s service and time more meaningful,” Hurley said.

Most recently, the Hurst Responders volunteered at the Erie Marathon at water stop nine serving all of the Erie Marathon runners. The next event that the Hurst Responders are set to volunteer will be at the Belle Valley Elementary school gardening event.

Based out of the Community Engagement department, Hurst Responders is similar to any other department-sponsored ministry such as weekly Bible Study or the Carpe Diem retreats where the administrators and staff work with the students to steer and advise capacity to ensure continuity.

“We’re not a club, and because of this the student leaders and advisors decided as a group that if we want it to be sustainable, we need a team of leaders rather than officers,” Hurley said.

With a student leadership team, not only are responsibilities split between a group, but they also have the capacity to act as a group of equal mentors as opposed to a hierarchy of individual leaders.

“Currently, Jacob [Tretinik]

Contributed photo

Members of the Hurst Responders passed out water at the Erie Marathon in September. The student group hopes to be an outlet for others who want to be more involved in community service in Erie.

more or less hand-picked the leaders because they wanted to help. Regarding future leadership positions, we hope to have a nomination form and interview process where anyone could apply to be a student leader,” Hurley said.

One of the leaders is sophomore Social Work major Mary Bauer who enthusiastically joined after being told about the idea from Tretinik over the summer.

“I thought it was a super cool idea,” Bauer said. “A few days

after we all moved back onto campus, we had our first meeting.”

Hurst Responders is not entirely open to the whole campus yet, since they are still working out the details of their current model of communication. Currently, the group has an administrator-approved chat model, but are trying to work out the details so that it continues to be helpful and productive rather than cumbersome.

However, students who are interested in joining can talk to

one of the student leaders or advisors. Interested students should talk to Woods, Hurley, Tretinik or Bauer, as well as the other student leaders on the team: Qadry Ismail, Mitchell Marsh, Raejonna Pascarella, John Reddinger, or Nick Rugelis.

“It’s going to take some time for us to find our footing, but people have been really responsive to the group we have,” Hurley said.

Cyber Security major welcomes large inaugural cohort for 19-20 school year

By Alex Trabold Staff writer

This year, Mercyhurst University added the new Cyber Security major with much success. As the use of the internet has become more widespread, internet crime has led to defensive measures needing to be taken against it, hence the need for the Cyber Security major.

M. Afzal Upal Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Computing and Information Science, sees great importance in teaching students how to handle these growing problems in the digital age.

“Our Cyber Security major is designed to provide our students the hands-on training they need to protect their own assets as well as the assets of their employers

from cyber criminals,” Upal said.

“This involves being able to assess the vulnerabilities of computer systems, monitor threats and take measures to overcome those vulnerabilities.”

Students are noticing the strong opportunities available with the Cyber Security major, as 45 freshmen and 18 upperclassmen have chosen to focus their degrees in this newly debuted major. Upal is very happy to see this turnout, having high hopes for the future of this program.

“Our students and faculty are extremely excited to have made history by becoming part of the largest debut of a new program ever at Mercyhurst,” Upal said.

“We’re proud of our accomplishments and are looking forward to having another large cohort of

students to join us in Fall 2020.”

Upal sees a hands-on experience in learning about Cyber Security as a critical part of the Mercyhurst curriculum. The Cyber Security program attempts to put students in the shoes of the cyber criminals themselves.

“Our multimillion-dollar stateof-the-art cyberlab is the only one in the region to have the capability to allow the students to design and spread computer viruses, hack into computer systems and take malware apart and analyze it,” Upal said.

With all this in mind, the University has a unique benefit that makes it a leading front against preparing the next generation for the growing threats of the digital age.

Upal himself sees even com-

mercial benefit for the students attending, giving them a good idea of the secure financial futures they can have with this major.

“Mercyhurst is the only university in the country to have a fully functioning commercial Cyber Security Network Operating Center/Security Operating Center (NOC/SOC) on campus which allows our students to get real-world cyber experience and get paid for their work,” Upal said.

He sees the efforts to teach students as an important initiative to the public, citing a shortage of proper experts who can defend people not only on business fronts, but also on international fronts.

“The major is needed be-

cause our nation faces an acute shortage of Cyber Security professionals who can protect our public as well as private infrastructure from domestic as well as foreign threats,” Upal said.

“Mercyhurst has a long tradition of training professionals to meet national security challenges.”

This tradition, as noted by Upal, was initiated by the large increase in interest for Intelligence Studies at the undergraduate level after the events of 9/11.

Upal and the other professors are happy to continue this tradition in the domain of Cyber Security. With their efforts, Mercyhurst has a very strong future in leading the charge against cyber-crime.

NEWS

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Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Merciad IN A MINUTE Free Erie Phil Tickets On Friday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m., the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing Shastakovich 5 in concert at the Warner Theatre in downtown Erie.

Mercyhurst students can pick up FREE tickets from from Dr. Hess in D’Angelo 14, Dr. Johnson in PAC Office 105 before Friday, or in the Campus Involvement Center on the second floor of the Student Union.

For more information visit eriephil.org or call 814-455-1375.

Western PA Job Fair

On Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Western Pennsylvania Career Services Association (WestPAC) is hosting their annual fall internship fair at the Monroeville Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

This fair is for students interested in networking for jobs, internships and graduate schools.

Register by Monday Oct. 7 at 11:59 p.m. at www.westpacs.org.

There will be a $10 cash fee at the door for day-of registration.

Fall Break Worship Schedule

Daily mass is suspended after Wednesday, Oct. 9 and will resume on Oct. 14.

There will be no Wednesday Confessions on Oct. 9 and no 7 p.m. mass on Sunday, Oct. 13.

The 11 a.m. Sunday mass will continue during the break.

Plug for your club or group Have a tip for Merciad in a Minute? Want to tell others about your club’s events? Email us at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Eva Philips photo

The Writing and Tutoring Centers are located on the first floor of the Hammermill Library. The Writing Center helped roughly 450 students last year while the Tutoring Center typically sees between 700 and 900 students each year.

Writing and Tutoring Centers ready for another busy year

By Eva Philips Staff writer

As exams and essays threaten to overwhelm Mercyhurst students during these weeks before fall break, the Writing Center and Tutoring Center, both located in Hammermill Library, are ready to offer academic support in a variety of forms.

The Writing Center, staffed by trained writing consultants, provides assistance to students with writing projects of any kind, from academic papers to personal statements for graduate school applications.

Justin Ross, Ph. D., Director of the Writing Center and University Honors Program, explained that the main goal of the Writing Center is not to proofread or edit papers, but to empower students to learn those skills for themselves.

“We hope that you will improve as a writer,” Ross said.

“Our goal in the Writing Center is to help the student be a better writer so that their written products are better.”

Ross encourages students to utilize the Writing Center multiple times throughout the semester in order to significantly improve writing skills.

Roughly 450 students visited the Writing Center last year,

with the busiest times being before midterms and before finals.

This year, the Writing Center will begin offering evening writing workshops to develop students’ writing skills in a variety of areas, including grammar, punctuation and more.

The Tutoring Center is also currently overseen by Ross while Lori Krause, Director of Academic Engagement and Director of the Tutoring Center, is on maternity leave. Ross states that this is also a great resource for students who need guidance in specific classes.

Trained peer tutors, recommended by their professors on the basis of high performance in a certain course, staff the Tutoring Center. The benefit of a peer-tutor model, according to Ross, is in the name.

“The power behind tutoring, the peer model, is that you’re peers,” Ross said, “you both speak the same language.”

The lack of pressure between students makes peer tutoring effective and even enjoyable according to Ross.

Most classes, especially in notoriously tricky subjects such as economics and the sciences, have at least one tutor available.

However, if there is no tutor for a certain class, students can fill out a Tutor Request Form

through the Hub. The request will then be communicated to the professor of the class, who can recommend high-achieving students to the Tutoring Center.

Like the Writing Center, the Tutoring Center sees its busiest times before midterms and finals, although some students recognize from the start of the semester which classes they may need extra guidance in and begin visiting the Tutoring Center early.

Many students utilize the Tutoring Center just once or twice a semester to prepare for an exam or understand a specific concept, but as Ross explains, students attain long-term mastery of a subject by attending a tutoring session once a week for several weeks. Ross states that this is the ideal scenario.

“What we’ve found is that the most effective tutoring happens when students go seven or more times throughout the semester,” Ross said. “So that kind of consistency is what we try to promote.”

The Tutoring Center typically sees between 700 and 900 students each year, with the capacity to assist up to 800 students each semester.

Ross emphasized that tutoring and writing assistance is not remedial.

“I think that’s one of the big misconceptions,” he said. “If I’m not good at math, getting assistance is not trying to catch me up with anything. It’s helping me as I’m taking the class.”

For students who wish to become either a writing consultant or peer tutor, the process is fairly straightforward.

The Writing Center typically hires students at the beginning of each semester. The application is available on the Writing Center page on the Hub. If selected, students will attend training as a consultant.

The Tutoring Center hires throughout the year. Students can either be recommended by a professor after a request for a tutor is placed, or they can contact the Tutoring Center via email or in person to declare their interest in becoming a tutor. Tutors also attend training and have the opportunity to become certified as a basic tutor by the College Reading and Learning Association.

To make an appointment at either the Writing or Tutoring Center, students can use TutorTrac, found under the Academic Resources page on the Hub, or drop by the Tutoring Center desk in Hammermill Library on the first floor.

Come show off your performance skills at the Roost! There will be free Karaoke every Tuesday night from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Bring your friends for an evening of good food and quality entertainment!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

NEWS

Flu Shot Clinics offered this fall

PAGE 5

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

This weekend’s campus events

By Hannah Maloney

Contributing writer

October marks the beginning of the dreaded flu season.

Although it starts in the fall, the flu virus is often passed around all the way through April. The Mercyhurst Cohen Health Center will have two flu clinics open to both students, faculty and staff this fall.

The first flu shot clinic will be on Oct. 2 in the Student Union Great Room from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The second will be on Oct. 17 in the Faculty Dining Room from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

All students, faculty, staff, administrators and their spouses are welcome to attend with no need for an appointment.

The clinics are free to all Mercyhurst University students on the Erie campus, and to employees and spouses covered by Mercyhurst’s health insurance. Students do not need to bring anything with them and Mercyhurst faculty and staff with university health insurance just need to bring their insurance cards to the clinic.

Judy Smith, Ph.D., Executive Director of Wellness, urges students to attend the clinics to be sure that what may appear as a common cold is not something more serious.

“On Oct. 17, we’ll be over at the Faculty Dining Room, which makes it really easy for students who are coming for dinner to just slide on in,” Smith said. “That time is very easy for faculty and staff who are maybe getting ready to go home for the night.”

The vaccines will be administered by the Cohen Health Center nurses and CVS pharmacists will vaccinate Mercyhurst employees.

“It’s not an effort to scare people about the flu, but to be aware that it is more than a cold,” Smith said.

Smith wants people to be aware of the signs of a flu that can appear quickly, especially on a close community like a college campus. The more people that get vaccinated, the less likely the flu is to take hold of the campus.

Sneezing and having a sore throat are more common in a cold than the flu, in which a fever is a more common symptom. The onset of symptoms is quicker for the flu and those with it are likely to be very achy.

“The flu is an upper respiratory viral illness so it can share some common characteristics with a cold,” Smith said.

“However, when you get a cold, you usually get it gradual-

Got game? On Friday, Oct. 4 in Walker Recital Hall, comedian Derrick Knopsnyder will host an audience-invovled game show beginning at 8 p.m. Compete in games such as Plinko, trivia and more for cash prizes!

ly. You wake up and your nose is a little bit stuffy. By the end of the day or the next day your nose is starting to run. You know, it’s gradual.”

Once a person has the flu, they can be infectious for about three to four days, after coming down with the symptoms. Some people can even be infectious for a day before the symptoms begin and not be aware they have the flu. It can be spread before symptoms even begin to appear.

“With a cold, it would be very rare to end up in the hospital, but with the flu, not so much,” Smith said. “There’s going to be a chunk of people that end up in the hospital and there is also going to be deaths from it.”

While practicing good hygiene and preventative health methods are always positive measures to take, nothing can replace the vaccine itself, according to Smith.

“The number one best way is to get the flu vaccine,” said Smith. “Aside from the flu shot, there are a few other ways you can prevent it. One of the very first things that we talk about with that is if you’re sick, stay away from people.”

Many people are wary about the side effects of the flu shot or its effectiveness in general.

“The vaccine can’t really give you the flu,” Smith said. “They use a common technique where they use one gene from the flu virus so it’s enough for your body to form antibodies

against it, but not enough to get you sick.”

Smith stated that the biggest complaint she has heard is that the arm that got the shot may be red, feel tender and sore, or that the patient may feel a bit unwell at the time.

Students protect not only their health, but the health of everyone in the campus community by attending the free clinics.

“When you get the flu shot, not only do you protect you, but you potentially protect other people that sit in the classroom with you, that sit in the dining hall with you,” Smith said.

There will also be flu clinics on the North East campus this fall, with details to follow soon. For more information about the North East flu clinics, contact Deborah Krause MSN, RN, CCM, at dkrause@ mercyhurst.edu.

For more information on the flu virus, the October clinics this year or for questions about flu-like symptoms, contact the Cohen Health Center at 814824-2431 or email health@ mercyhurst.edu.

“You can always call over to the Health Center and let people know what the symptoms are,” Smith said. “Make an appointment, come on over.”

Enjoy corn mazes, hayrides and the beautiful Erie countryside this Saturday, Oct. 5 with MAC/SAC! Reserve your free ticket and transportation on social media at @msglakers. Rides will depart from the Student Union at 4:15 p.m. and from Port Farms at 7 p.m.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Sept. 23: Threats made in Grotto Commons.

Sept. 28: Possession of controlled substance in Ryan Hall.

Sept. 28: Theft on 600 block of E. 38th St. Sept. 29: Liquor law violation on 3800 block of Lewis Ave.

FEATURES

PAGE 6

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Fashion department hosts ‘Fall Back into Fashion’

By Sarah Klein

Staff writer

It’s once again Autumn, and for Fashion Merchandising students taking the Visual Merchandising class at Mercyhurst this means that it’s time for the annual Fall Back into Fashion event.

Fall Back into Fashion is scheduled for Oct. 24 from 6 p.m– 7:30 p.m. at Lollie Boutique in the Colony Plaza. The Visual Merchandising students will be displaying their projects (displays, often found in store windows, that help advertise for retail goods) for voting, and there will be raffle baskets from local vendors as well as refreshments. In addition, there will be a discount on all purchases made at Lollie during the event.

This event is completely organized by the Visual Merchandising students, under the supervision

of a Project Manager chosen by the students, and their Professor, Erin Magorien.

Fall Back into Fashion gives the students real-world experience and allows them to show off what they have been learning in a fun and public setting.

It also allows the Mercyhurst community and greater Erie community to get involved and get a glimpse into the Fashion Department’s work.

“Working on displays in a physical store setting allows us to apply the skills we learned about in class all semester long as well as showcase our creativity to the public,” said Junior Fashion Merchandising major, Chloe Speranza, who also designed this year’s Fall Back into Fashion t-shirts.

The annual t-shirts started as a way for the students to differentiate themselves the night of the

event. However, they now also serve as a fundraiser and are sold to the Mercyhurst community.

The Visual Merchandising class voted on Chloe Speranza’s design ideas, and then fellow Junior Fashion Merchandising Major, Katy Vaccariello, helped decide on logistics, such as vendor, purchase information and price.

“It was a unique project and event that allowed everyone to be involved,” said Junior Fashion Merchandising major Casey Phillips who participated in the Visual Merchandising class last year. “I enjoyed being a part of a team creation of a window display.”

So head out to Lollie on Oct. 24 and check it out!

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst hosts re-entry panelists

By Jillian Marcellin Staff Writer

On Sept. 26, the Mercyhurst University Criminal Justice Department presented a panel about the Errol Daniels’ photography exhibit “Coming Home: Reentry After Incarceration.”

This photography exhibit is now open to view in the Cummings Art Gallery.

The panelists were five people that were featured in Daniels’ exhibit about reentry into society after imprisonment.

Each panelist spoke of their personal experience in and out of prison to relay the exertions that imprisonment put on them as individuals.

Every year, over 650,000 people are released from state and federal prisons. While these individuals are released back into the communities, they are labeled as ex-cons and dangerous.

The story that Daniels and the other panelists are trying to convey is that these people are “fathers, mothers, students, mentors, husbands, wives and neighbors.”

They are not just criminals.

Each felt like nobody had compassion for them while they were

in prison. When they went to jail there were no social workers.

“The guards were more viscious more than the prisoners… I had a concealer who was overworked and underpaid,” Jesse Tate, one of the panelists said.

“I felt like because I was a criminal at the time that nobody cared about me but other convicts.”

Now there are social workers that attempt to help the prisoners but the panel continued to discuss the issues with the system in which they were placed.

Following their time in prison, the panelists spoke of the struggles that they had finding employment afterward.

They did not have the skills that they needed to find a job, since they had not had the opportunity to acquire them.

“I had many skills because, once again I agree with my cohorts, that you must be smart to survive the gang,” panelist, Royal Patrece Johnson said.

“With that being said, I did just what I knew how to do, lie, steal cheat and manipulate… Because I hadn’t known anything else.”

Each panelist spoke of how they were never taught how to build a resume, fill out an applica-

tion or go to an interview.

Eventually, all panelists went back to school to obtain a degree because without it employment was difficult to obtain.

The United States is one of the leading countries in incarceration but there are very few programs in place to improve and educate the people that are released every year.

“Most people think that when you come out that confetti is supposed to fall…they’d have religious groups come in and push whatever religion they were about but they never taught us the skills that we needed to survive after,” panelist, Fred Williams said.

The panelists can be seen photographed in the exhibit Coming Home: Reentry After Incarceration by Daniels.

The exhibit will be opened from Sept. 23 and continues through Oct. 26.

A review article for the exhibit can be seen in the Arts and Entertainment section.

FO L LOW T H E M E R C I A D O N FAC E B O O K , I N STAG R A M & T W I T T E R AT @ T H E M E R C I A D

EVENTS PLANNED FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH Mercyhurst Empowerment and Prevention Project has teamed up with SafeNet for Domestic Violence Awareness month. They planned serveral activites for the week of Oct. 21-27. All of these events recognize those who have been victims of domestic violence. The week’s events are as follows.

On Oct. 21, the display, Silent Witness will be held in the library. This display will honor those who have died from acts of domestic violence.

There will be educational materials on these issues.

On Oct. 24, the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event will take place. This event will be a walk that begins in front of the Student Union at 12:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. The walk symbolizes taking a stand on sexualized violence. Email Michael Madonia at mmadonia@mercyhurst.edu for more information.

On Oct. 27, SafeNet will sponsor the Boo Run. The event will begin at Rotary Pavilion at Beach 7 on Presque Isle at 9 a.m. It is a Halloween 5k run.

There will be music, refreshments and a bonfire.

This will also raise awareness for domestic violence.

There are several resources available on campus that can help with these issues. Visit the Health & Counseling Center, Title IX Coordinator, Mercyhurst Empowerment & Prevention Project Coordinator, or Police & Safety if you need assistance.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

NEW AT HURST

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Hurst recognizes Sister Lisa Mary’s hardwork

By Ashley Carr

Staff writer

Contributed photo

Mohan joins as a new professor of Biology.

By Louie Ravanelli

Contributing writer

Mercyhurst was searching to fill a new position in the Biology department this past summer. They were fortunate enough to employ assistant professor, Rajinikanth Mohan, Ph.D. Mohan joins Mercyhurst with an extensive background in the field of biology. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge in his field of study.

Mohan is a research specialist in the area of plants. He has completed extensive amounts of research on plants and their specific mechanisms in response to disease.

Mohan most recently gave a captivating seminar on “Cell Suicide in Plants as a Mechanism of Disease Resistance.” He grew up in Chennai, India.

He completed his undergraduate degree at Osmania University in Hyderabad, India.

When asked why he decided to go there, he said, “They were strong in the sciences” His past jobs include being a postdoctoral research associate at Duke University, former professor of Biology at Hamilton College and most recently an assistant professor of Biology at Colgate University.

Mohan has enjoyed Mercyhurst so far. He especially liked Hurst Day. “I really like the student diversity on the campus and the amount of people returning to get their degrees,” Mohan said.

His advice to incoming freshman, “You must graduate. We are always here to help you.”

Mohan’s hobbies include playing cricket and traveling.

Mohan shares a motto with Mercyhurst, “Carpe Diem.”

Mohan encourages you to visit him during his office hours. He’s always happy to help you.

Mohan has a strong passion for his students. He wants each student to succeed and grasp the material.

Mohan has high expectations for each student and will help guide you in the learning process.

He makes dull material entertaining through his classroom activities. Mercyhurst is very lucky to have him on staff.

Welcome to Mercyhurst!

Sister Lisa Mary McCartney works in Mercyhurst’s Mission Office, which is a division of many Catholic schools’ administration that works to maintain Catholic values in the school system as the founding members, priests and Sisters become less involved in the institutions.

She founded Mercyhurst’s Mission Office in 2008, and has been integral to its success ever since.

Sister Lisa Mary held the position of Mission Associate for ten years, but decided to step down to pass the torch to the next generation.

Now, she advises Gregory Baker Ph.D, who took over her position, and works on more creative endeavors now that her time is not as consumed by administrative work.

Before working in the Mission Office, however, she was a student, teacher and professor at Mercyhurst.

As an undergraduate student at Mercyhurst, she heard the call to become a Sister of Mercy in the midst of the turbulent Civil Rights Movement, as her personal counter-cultural contribution.

The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the nation’s first Catholic President, left an impact on Sister Lisa Mary, motivating her to combine activism and her Catholic identity to jump start her vocation as a Sister.“I always felt, you know, there’s got to

Contributed photo

Sister Lisa Mary has been an important member of Mercyhurst for many years.

be more to life… I saw what people were trying to do to make a positive impact on society, and feeling like ‘what am I going to do?” Sister Lisa Mary said.

She taught English for several years at Mercyhurst Preparatory School,

and later received her Master’s and Doctorate degrees.

She then returned Mercyhurst College and taught English for 28 years.

Sister Lisa Mary worked in the administration of the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse for four years after her teaching career, and returned to Mercyhurst to start the Mission Office.

The Mission Office provides the Mercy Emissary program for faculty and staff, which hosts meetings once a month to discuss Catholic identity, values and practice in a university setting for employees who are interested in the values and history of the Sisters of Mercy and their legacy on campus. The program came out of the concern that the Mercy values could not continue on campus without a strong presence of the Sisters.

“There are so many people here who get the mission, who have the values, who have a love of the institution, and have the understanding that a Mercyhurst education contains a strong component of service,” Sister Lisa Mary said.

“If I were a student now and I was trying to get my bearings in the political realm, I would certainly want to take a course in Philosophy or Catholic social teaching. I think those help in understanding the common good, which I think is getting lost.”

LAKER MOMENT

Bella Lee photo

Senior Intelligence Studies major, John Chorman and senior Intelligence Studies major, Casey Farrell, enjoy Dog Days with their dog, Luna.

Campus Ministry hosts Dog Days On Sept. 26, Campus Ministry hosted their annual Dog Days at Trinity Green. Students and community brought their dogs to the park to provide a stress free moment for busy students.

FEATURES

PAGE 8

RSCO FEATURE FASHION LAW CLUB

Hurst hosts Cecilia Gonzalez-Andrieu

By Kali Beutler

Contributing writer

Katy Vaccariello photo

Board members, sophomore Fashion Merchandising Major Sarah Fertal, sophomore Fashion Merchandising and Political Science double major, Shannon Gotham, junior Fashion Merchandising major, Abby Boras, junior Fashion Merchandising major, Hannah Bill, senior Marketing and Accounting double minor, Abigail Widger.

By Katy Vaccariello Staff writer

There’s a new club on the block this 2019-2020 school year and that is Fashion Law Club. What started out as piqued interest in a fashion class, turned into a great opportunity for students all across campus to learn the ins and outs of the legal field in a unique way.

The club was kickstarted by its president Shannon Gotham, a sophomore Fashion and Political Science double major.

When asked why she started the club Gotham said, “everyone [in Intro to Fashion class] seemed really interested in fashion law and I approached Amy about how much I enjoyed fashion law. I pitched the idea of a club to her and talked to several people to see if there was interest in it both in the fashion major and across campus. We decided it was big enough that it shouldn’t be a subset of Fashion Council but needed to be its own club to do it justice.”

Once the club was official, several students stepped in to get the club off the ground. Five women filled the positions of the board. Abby Boras, a sophomore Fashion Merchandising major, became vice president position. Sarah Fertal, a sophomore Fashion Merchandising major, took on the treasurer position.

Hannah Bill, a junior Fashion Merchandising major, filled the secretary position. Abigail Widger, a senior Marketing and Accounting double major, signed up for the Social Media Coordinator position. Overseeing the entire operation is Amy Weaver-Kaulis, the Fashion Merchandising Department Chair and assistant professor.

Many may question what Fashion Law Club is all about. It is a chance to learn the ins and outs of law, that can be applied to the fashion world or other industries. The club provides a platform for students of any major to share a personal experience or topic of interest with other attendees.

The excitement continues through great fundraising and activities the club is shooting for. A few of those include the chance to travel to a law firm in Toronto, a fundraiser with Moe’s, and bringing in speakers from the industry.

The meetings for Fashion Law are held once or twice a month. Each meeting will have a new topic to appeal to a variety of members. Different elements will be incorporated at each meeting from hands-on activities to videos to case studies to keep meetings unique.

There may even be a chance to win prizes through Kahoot.

The pressure of the words “fashion law” are not meant to scare anyone away. This community was created for everyone to feel welcome.

For more information follow them on Instagram @mufashion, where all the updates will be posted.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

On Sept. 26, Mercyhurst brought Cecilia Gonzalez-Andrieu, Ph.D. of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles to speak on “Wounded Grace and the Vulnerable Among Us.” Gonzalez-Andrieu used grueling imagery and first hand testimonials to hit home with the audience the concepts of love, truth, reality, vulnerability and grace, while also touching upon negative things such as pain, woundedness, struggle and strict immigration laws.

Gonzalez-Andrieu remembered the exact moment when she began thinking about grace, on Jan. 4, 2017, just a few weeks before president Trump was set to be inaugurated with the promise of building a wall.

This issue affected her personally, as she works with many students and coworkers at her university who are immigrants, all fearing what the next few years may bring them as if they were walking across a rickety suspension bridge.

She highlighted that fear allows grace to be present in immigrants lives.

Now what exactly is grace, and how do we speak of it in the face of suffering? Gonzalez-Andrieu highlighted that grace is not a

concept, yet an experience that occurs when we open ourselves up to suffering, God, reality and the nature of creation.

A connection was drawn between immigrants whose lives could change in a moment, and the chemotherapy patients of which Gonzalez-Andrieu was exposed to within her chemotherapy ward: that there was a shared humanity through woundedness.

During her talk, Gonzalez-Andrieu pulled quotes and imagery from CELAM, a Latin American conference, and quotes from Saint Teresa and many others to explain that humans need to have a critical eye about the wide attitude of “the Other,” and bring openness, acceptance, and kindness to ourselves, others and our attitudes about God. She begged that we must engage in participatory democracy, celebrate our diversity and embrace both our grace and sin.

She claimed that the assault on the vulnerability of “the Other” involves lies, and we must accept the nature of objective reality rather than attempting to create them ourselves, and that courage and resilience flourish in the face of this assault.

Gonzalez-Andrieu closed her speech with an eye-opening image known as The Bleeding Border.

This image depicts a scene at the Southern border: two children run

through a gleaming door toward the viewer, and in the background the border wall shines with graffiti and blood. In other areas of the painting, caution border crossing signs and others running through the border attract the eyes of the viewer.

The words on the border of the painting read: “Illusion and deception. One door opens, another one closes before their eyes. In the silence of the night, “mojaditos” crying as they cross the line.

The “coyote” is on the run. They don’t understand why. Dream and reality is their wonderland in disguise. Someone’s children, anonymous shadows to the rest of us. Thousands of unspoken and ignored inconveniences. One bleeding border, one more night.”

Miranda Chen, a sophomore Intelligence Studies major attended the event, and offered comment upon the talk.

“I think it’s very eye-opening to go to a Catholic university and be shown by Gonzalez-Andrieu how the main values of the university and the Sisters of Mercy really connect to real world events and people,” Chen commented after the talk. “A lot of the imagery that she used really helped to hit the issue home for a lot of people in the room.”

Kali Beutler photo

Gonzalez- Andrieu speaking on “Wonunded Grace and the Vulnerable Among Us.” She stood with the painted border words projected behind her.

FEATURES

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

PAGE 9

Hurst celebrates Homecoming

Victoria McGinty photo

Stanfds were full of students, parents, alum and the Erie community during the big Homecoming football game against IUP on Sept. 28.

Victoria McGinty photo

Victoria McGinty photo

John Thomas rocks out at the Homecomung game’s half-time show.

Mercyhurst cheerleaders root for the Lakers and rev up the crowd during the big game.

Contributed photo

(Left to right) Daniella Osorio, Quinn Cooley, Madison Dorey, Ashley McWilliams, Braeden Barnett, Faith Harris , Grace Siwinski, Katy Vaccariello and Kali Beutler enjoy Homecoming activities.

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst celebrates Homecoming with their annual bonfire on Sept. 27.

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Poetry ‘lands’ at student union straight from their phones and Writing on any topic and any laptops, and some shared their fa- style was welcomed, from creative vorites from last year’s edition of free verse about fireworks and humorous jibes about port-a-potThe evening of Sept. 30 saw a Lumen.

Listeners snapped and clapped ty horrors, to more serious works few loyal patrons of the arts kicking off the first Lumen Poetry encouragingly at the end of each about the perils of alcoholism and reading. an artistic callout on systemic racReading of the fall semester.

Students and professors alike gathered at Luke’s Landing on the lower floor of the Student Union at 5:30 p.m. to read, listen and just talk to one another.

The event had a very open atmosphere, free-form to the needs of readers and listeners alike.

The unobtrusive daylight pouring in from the big windows imbued the scene with a relaxed, lowkey vibe.

“We don’t judge the work, it’s an open space filled with encouragement and positivity,” said one of the three chief editors for this year’s edition of Lumen, Catherine Messina.

People could read from wherever they were comfortable, the table serving as a podium or even from their seats on the couch.

The poems that were shared came from a variety of sources.

Some read their own work Students listen to a reading of a poem at Luke’s Landing.

By Abigail Stevens

Staff writer

ism.

No topic was too serious or trivial for a good poetry reading.

Everyone is welcome at these poetry readings.

You do not have to be a member of Lumen or even an English

Photo by Abigail Stevens

major to participate.

Enthusiasts and beginners from all disciplines are welcome to join in on the fun.

Reading in front of the group is not a requirement, and people are welcome to stop by to listen to those reading and talk to other poetry-lovers.

This was just the first of many poetry readings that the Lumen team plans to host this year up through the magazine’s release this spring.

Lumen is the annual Mercyhurst fine arts magazine that incudes undergraduate poetry and short stories as well as art, photography and even other mediums such as music and dance.

Submissions for this year’s magazine will be collected in the fall semester, so keep an eye on your email for the annual call for submissions.

Keep an eye out on campus too for flyers advertising the next poetry reading and other Lumen-hosted events.

The next poetry reading is projected to happen the week following fall break.

Choir heading to NE ‘Reentry’ exhibit campus for fall concert worth a viewing CAG REVIEW

By Victoria McGinty

Staff writer

For many years, the Mercyhurst Concert Choir has been bringing together a variety of singers from numerous walks of life, majors and musical abilities to perform choral pieces.

On Oct. 23 at 7 p.m., the Mercyhurst Concert Choir is set to journey to the Mercyhurst North East campus to showcase a variety of pieces the choir has been working on since late August.

This concert will take place in St. Mary’s Chapel.

This concert, “Music for an Autumn Evening” will be the first choir concert of the 2019-2020 year, although the choir did provide music as the prelude to the Mass of the Holy Spirit.

Combining sacred and secular selections, the concert choir ultimately hopes to instill a blend of faith and culture to the Mercy-

hurst community.

Under the direction of C. Thomas Brooks, the group now includes 50 singers.

Brooks first directed the choir back in 1972, embarked on other opportunities in 1974 and later returned to Mercyhurst in 2017.

When discussing the present state of the choir, Brooks heavily stressed the importance of having a balance of both sacred and secular pieces on the program.

He wants to challenge his students to establish personal and musical growth.

“When it comes to music, my goal is to go deeper into the text of the pieces and be able to identify the deeper symbols enrooted in the music,” said Brooks.

To start off the concert choir’s two-act performance, the choir will sing “Hodie Christus Natus Est” by Giovanni Bassano, a 16th-century Italian composer.

The sacred half of the per-

formance will include “Cantate Domino” by Giovanni Croce and “Heilig” by Felix Mendelssohn.

Audience members who were in attendance at the Mass of the Holy Spirit will recognize René Clausen’s “Set Me As a Seal” and a setting of “The Prayer of Saint Francis,” as well as John Leavitt’s “Festival Sanctus.”

Following the sacred half of the concert, Mercyhurst’s Chamber Choir will perform pieces including “You Are the New Day” as performed by The King’s Singers and “The Blue Bird” by Charles Villiers Stanford.

The Concert Choir will then finish the performance with selections including “This Little Light of Mine.”

The concert is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Patti Sullivan at psullivan@mercyhurst.edu or 814-725-6277.

Like writing?

How about the arts?

We are still looking for writers and photographers for the Merciad!

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

You can also email merciad@mercyhurst.edu for more information.

You’ll be paid $10 per article!

By Jillian Marcellin

Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Art Department presented the newest exhibit in the Cummings Art Gallery, “Coming Home: Reentry After Incarceration.”

This exhibit documents formerly incarcerated people as they return to society.

“We present this exhibit not only for the quality of the photography itself, but because we believe this project and its content supports the University’s Mercy mission,” said Cummings Gallery director Jessica Stadtmueller.

This mission “calls us to be socially merciful, compassionately hospitable and reflectively aware,” Stadtmueller said.

The project displays portraits by photographer Errol Daniels and essays by writer Katherine Russell, in a collaborative effort to humanize criminal justice statistics and portray the challenges of post-incarceration life.

The photographs showed the subjects in their homes, places of employment and other day-to-day environments.

Each subject showed a certain vulnerability in each photograph.

The collection borrowed the Arnold Newman aesthetic of environmental portraiture.

Illuminating the subjects’ environments helped create a sense that the audience knew these people personally.

Each person’s photographs were accompanied by an essay

written by Russell.

These further shed light on the person’s life, experiences and desires.

This information included quotes from the ex-prisoners, the age they went to prison and the experience that they had while in prison.

The essays gave light into the individual’s past, while the photographs peered into their present and futures.

“Chuck was a death row prisoner with a unique case; he was given a death penalty without having killed anyone or having had the intent to kill,” wrote Russell in one piece.

Every case was different from the others, but all were successfully captured and written by Daniels and Russell.

The team worked with people throughout the Pennsylvania and New York State Area.

By telling the stories of parolees who do not want to return to prison, they hope that spectators will recalibrate their attitudes to “embrace the humanity and familial love; the hope, earnestness and grit; and the abrupt realities of reentry” said Daniels.

“Coming Home: Reentry After Incarceration” opened on Sept.

23.

It will be housed in the Cummings Art Gallery until Oct. 26.

The Gallery is open Mon. to Fri. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat. from noon to 3 p.m.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

‘Dech’ them out

By Victoria McGinty Staff writer

The Decho Trio

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst University will present its second Roche Concert on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall.

The Decho Ensemble is a jazz trio featuring Jacob Swanson, M.M., on alto saxophone, Sara Marchitelli, M.M., on tenor saxophone and Jared Yackiw, Ph.D., on baritone saxophone.

As a group, the Decho Ensemble performed in concert series, on television and on the radio throughout North America and Europe.

In 2016, the Decho Ensemble was in residence with the Ny Musikks Komponistgruppe in Oslo, Norway as part of their inaugural PULS Festival.

The group has collaborated with poets, dance companies, chamber orchestras and other instrumentalists to present unique and varied programs.

The Decho Ensemble performs with vintage Buescher saxophones.

Swanson received his Performer’s Certificate from the State University of New York at Fredonia, where he studied with sax-

ophonist Wildy Zumwalt D.M.A. He has also studied with Carina Raschèr.

Marchitelli is an active saxophonist on today’s classical music scene.

She has performed in concerts in New York City, Cleveland, Buffalo, Rochester, Erie, Boston, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Germany and Norway.

She has also performed on live radio in Cleveland, Rochester and Jamestown.

Marchitelli studied at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

In addition, Marchitelli has been part of many summer workshops and given individual instruction in the United States and Europe.

Marchitelli’s involvement in chamber music has taken her around the United States and Europe.

In 2008, she won the State University of New York at Fredonia’s Concerto Competition as a member of the Erie Saxophone Quartet.

Yackiw is a passionate baritone saxophone player in today’s jazz scene.

He studied Music Theory and

Composition at the State University of New York at Fredonia, and received his Ph.D. in Music Theory from the University of Buffalo.

Yackiw holds music and the saxophone in high regard.

In recent years, Yackiw has held positions such as Operation Manager for the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and a teaching assistantship at the University of Buffalo.

He has played all over the world.

Swanson’s debut album, “Invisible Cities,” received praise from the Cleveland Classical publication as a 2016 highlight.

Swanson released his second album entitled “wired.” in 2017.

It features works for soprano saxophone and electronics.

This concert will feature music for saxophone trio, including arrangements of pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Jansen, Mozart, Glaser and Moe. The Decho Ensemble will also present a masterclass for D’Angelo Department of Music students on Oct. 8 from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall.

Both events are free and open to the public.

Sedaris at PAC

By Erin Almeter

Staff writer

David Sedaris will be performing at Mercyhurst’s Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

This performance will include a reading of new and unpublished material as well as a Q&A and book signing afterwards.

Sedaris is considered one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers.

As a master of satire and an observant writer, he has the skill to cut through cultural euphemisms and political correctness.

Much of Sedaris’ humor centers around his life, including his middle-class upbringing, family, jobs, education and behaviors.

It can be described as autobiographical humor.

Sedaris is the best-selling author of “Barrel Fever,” “Holidays on Ice,” “Naked,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” “When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls,” “Theft By Finding Diaries (1977-2002)” and his newest book, “Calypso.”

His audio version of “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls” is a 56th Annual Grammy Awards Nominee for Best Spoken Word Album.

Sedaris’ pieces have also been included in “The Best American Essays” as well as over 40 essays in The New Yorker.

In addition to his writings, Sedaris and his sister have worked

under the name “The Talent Family.”

Together they have written half a dozen plays that have been produced in various New York City theaters.

Additionally, he has appeared on his public radio show “This American Life,” which has also earned him Grammy Award nominations for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album.

His works have been translated into 25 different languages and there are more than 10 million copies of his books in print.

His other accomplishments include being awarded the Terry Southern Prize for Humor in 2018 as well as the Medal for Spoken Language from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Just this year, Sedaris was inducted as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Tickets are free for Mercyhurst students with their I.D.s.

They start at $36 for adults, $31 for seniors, and $26 for students and youth.

This is a show that you will not want to miss.

Tickets can be purchased at miac.mercyhurst.edu or by calling the box office at 814-824-3000.

This performance is sponsored

by Scott Kern and Amy Cuzzola-Kern, Ph.D.; Lynn and Dale McBrier; and the Erie Reader.

The 2019-2020 MIAC Live series is made possible through the generosity of Scott Enterprises, Dr. & Mrs. Robert Guelcher, Aetna and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority.

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD Only one week remains until our mid-semester break!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

How to prepare for your midterms because even if you do poorly on those, a good midterm grade can usually balance out your grades.

Trabold So obviously a lot is banking Staff writer on making sure these tests go well, especially during your senior Midterms are almost never a year as you’re trying to figure out happy time for students here at your career and find a job after Mercyhurst University. finishing school.

Almost every year they take But to anybody who’s worrying you by surprise. about whether they’ll end up Why is that? failing, don’t be too hard on We usually have them written yourself. down in our planners, so why do Don’t think if you can do it, we often feel unprepared for the think about how you can do it. middle of the semester?

Keep calm and make sure From my own personal that you go to sleep on time, experience, I would say it’s especially on the day before the because the year almost happens test. too fast.

It never hurts to get up a little As you get used to your early to review the material one everyday routine and start dozing last time before taking the test. off through class, you almost Often times it reminds me of forget what’s coming. stuff that I missed in previous And if it’s a class you are not reviews. having the easiest time with, then Some students have also it can be especially stressful. gotten help from the Learning This is because whether we Differences office. like it or not, midterms usually Others have received help with determine whether the second just regular note-taking. half of the semester is an uphill Others benefited from being battle. provided with a testing space As a senior, all I can say is that outside of the classroom so as I have to keep myself organized not to overwhelm them at a highand prepared for all of the many stress time. tests.

It also helps to contact both Act like they are the finals our professors and classmates.

By Alex

BAD The Homecoming fire singed some surrounding greenery.

INTERESTING The fire alarm went off in Zurn and the PAC last week because of a fog machine.

The Merciad NEWSPAPER STAFF Lauren Abbott ..........................Editor in Chief Marina Boyle ........................Managing Editor Kristian Biega ...............................News Editor Maria Williams .......................Features Editor Bernard Garwig ..........................Sports Editor Lauren Ganger ..............................A&E Editor Anthony Miller ..........................Opinion Editor Rebecca Dunphy ...........................Copy Editor Megan Stubbs ............................ Ad Manager Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110.

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 merciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Visiting your professor during their office hours can do wonders to help you understand material that you may be currently struggling to understand.

Asking your classmates to study along with you is also a good strategy.

This is because some of them may understand the material even better than you.

Don’t be afraid to give assistance yourself either, it feels very gratifying to help others pass the test.

All of these ways to handle the midterms also benefit from being done early.

Waiting until the last minute to prepare for midterms is never a good idea, despite having done that several times myself.

Give yourself at least three days in advance to start studying.

By that point you’ll have a good grasp of any notes or lessons that you may have missed or forgotten.

You can do it.

And once you do, you’ll be halfway done with the semester and onto Fall Break.

As I’m very stressed out about my own midterms, I can only imagine that every other student and teacher here on campus feels the same.

Where to dine at MU

Seeing that one of the day’s flavors is Graham Canyon or, better yet, Chocolate Panda Paws, Philips instantly destroys every bit of my Staff writer willpower.

I don’t know how you could Five weeks into my first year at see those and not want to eat all Mercyhurst, and I have only one of it. thing to say.

I suppose that’s why we have It would be really hard to beat the REC Center just down the the dining options here at the road, right?

Hurst!

Next is Ryan’s 501 Grille, Let’s start with the Grotto a relatively new addition to Commons, I mean, it’s pretty Mercyhurst. great, right?

I’ll be honest -- I have yet to There’s a giant wall of cereal, a eat here, but I’ve heard good well-stocked dessert table, a mini- things. waffle maker and a fancy chef Honestly, the fact that this station! dining facility is located in a Who could forget about Darcie residence hall earns points for and Rhonda, who greet you by convenience. name at the cashier station when It must be really easy to wake you walk in? up and have a delicious dining They’re the real stars of the hall right down the hall from you.

Hurst Dining program.

Now we come to the Laker And don’t even get me started Inn and the Roost, the final on the ice cream. destination on this tour of I, a humble Pittsburgher, have Mercyhurst’s dining. had very limited access to the Both of these are located in delicacy that is Perry’s Ice Cream the Student Union.

— until now.

The Laker Inn is another I don’t know how I got by success. without it.

Not only can you use up your

By Eva

Bonus Bucks, you have a variety of options, from Mexican food to smoothies.

I personally recommend the frozen hot chocolate more than anything else.

I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Finally, there is the matter of The Roost.

The Roost caused a lot of controversy when it was first announced.

Now that it’s here, I only have two solitary words to say: giant pretzel.

If you haven’t eaten at The Roost, I humbly recommend that you reevaluate your life choices and give it a try.

So there you have it, all of the dining options avaliable to us as students.

Here at Mercyhurst, we really got lucky in terms of dining options.

Now, if you will excuse me, I really have to go and raid the dessert station in the Grotto Commons.

Writing this made me really hungry!

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 merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

OPINION

PAGE 13

Using a OneCard HURST STUDENTS outside of campus SPEAK UP

By Erin Almeter Staff writer

I first heard about the possibility of college students spending their Bonus Bucks, Dining Dollars or the equivalent at non-campus stores when my sister ended up going to Gannon last year.

She can spend her GU Gold at surrounding restaurants and fast food chains.

Additionally, she can use her money at places like CVS and grocery stores.

She can also choose just how much she puts on her card to use for non-campus goods.

I wish Mercyhurst students were able to do something similar.

Last year, they kind of alluded to making that happen if students were to download the GET app.

I had heard that and yet, nothing else occurred despite numerous students getting the app.

The app is helpful in and of itself though.

I like knowing how much Dining Dollars I have left as well as the history of where I spent them.

I just wish it had gone further like I originally heard.

It would be interesting to add different options to our meal plans.

Sometimes it gets almost boring to eat on campus.

Don’t get me wrong, the food on campus is good, but it gets predictable too.

Plus, I often am too tired to make something myself.

Sometimes you need a good old-fashioned cheeseburger off campus.

I am not saying that it would be a good idea to expand this to any and all of the surrounding restaurants and every single food option in Erie.

However, I would really like to advocate for Chick-Fil-A to be a part of this if it were to happen.

There would have to be set rules regarding students being able to spend their OneCard money outside of the school.

Like, rules about what can and cannot be bought with the card, that sort of thing.

It would be similar to the fact that we cannot currently use our OneCard money on alcohol at the Roost.

It just makes sense, you don’t want students spending school money on things like alcohol or cigarettes.

It goes beyond just the food though.

If we can open up our OneCard to use at CVS and other grocery stores, it would make it a lot easier for students to get necessities.

This is especially true during the months that almost every student is getting sick and they need cold medicine or cough drops.

I’m certain that we’ve all had experiences getting sick at the exact wrong time here at

Mercyhurst.

Additionally, grocery stores offer healthy options that students can buy, helping students watch their weight.

Alternatively, it can help students become more independent by having to shop for themselves.

I believe it would be beneficial to open up the OneCard offcampus use.

With this change, students would not have to worry about having cash on hand or money in their bank accounts.

I don’t think this would place an undue burden on students either.

We already have to remember our OneCard and key so I believe it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

There is a stipulation here though.

I think if students were able to put money on their card, they should also be able to get the unused money back later or have their money roll into the following semester.

I understand that it would take a lot of work to get this up and running.

But if the effort was put in, I think the students would see a lot of benefit from it.

If other schools in Erie, such as Gannon can do it, I am hoping Mercyhurst will be able to at some point.

Even though I am graduating this year, I hope that future Lakers can see the benefits of a system such as this.

We asked: How do you plan to study for midterms?

Lilly Smith, Freshman Public History major: “One study skill that I’ll be using for midterms is that I’ll be going to the library to study in quietness, as well as going to the tutoring center to make sure I understand all the materials for my classes.”

Evan Medvec, Freshman Intelligence Studies major: “When it comes to studying, I plan to use the white board rooms to my advantage. I plan to write everything down as thoroughly as possible.”

Danielle Schoenfeldt, Freshman History major: “I plan to study for midterms by reading through my notes, making flashcards, and making study groups with friends to quiz each other.”

Matthew Gildone, Freshman Intelligence Studies Major: “When it comes to studying, I tend to use all of my free time and a little time out of every day to study to avoid cramming and procrastination.”

Compiled by Victoria McGinty

Excited for the Emmy’s It’s Halloween

writing.

“Game of Thrones”

By Bella took home the award for Lee “Outstanding Drama Series,” Staff writer beating out “Killing Eve,” “Pose” and “This Is Us.” On Sept. 22, the 71st Despite its harsh critical Primetime Emmy Awards reception, it’s clear that the last premiered on FOX. season of “Game of Thrones” I personally loved it, and found did resonate with some if it was it very exciting. able to win so many awards.

The night was filled with In lead performances, Bill celebrities donning beautiful and Hader won a well-deserved unique outfits, as well as growing “Outstanding Lead Actor in a excitement for who would win Comedy Series” for his role as the awards. the title character in “Barry,” “Game of Thrones” led while Phoebe Waller-Bridge won the pack in nominations, with “Outstanding Lead Actress in a a whopping 14, followed by Comedy Series” for her role as “When They See Us” with 11 the title character in “Fleabag.” and “Barry” with nine.

Billy Porter won “Outstanding This award was controversial, Actor in a Drama Series” for his as the reception of the last role in “Pose,” making history as season of “Game of Thrones” the first gay black man to win this was hotly contested. category.

For those who don’t know, In the supporting there were five main categories in performances category, Peter the awards ceremony: programs, Dinklage surprised nobody lead performances, supporting when he secured his fourth win performances, directing and of “Outstanding Supporting

Actor in a Drama Series” for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones.”

In the directing category, “Chernobyl’s” Johan Renck took the award for “Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special.”

If “Game of Thrones” was the big winner this night, then “Chernobyl” was the welldeserved runner-up.

Craig Mazin gave “Chernobyl” its second of the three awards, winning for “Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special.”

“Chernobyl” deserves this praise for its well executed, gripping and historical narrative.

Overall, “Fleabag” dominated the ceremony, winning four awards out of six nominations.

This year’s Emmys were very exciting, and I can’t wait to see who’s nominated and who wins next year.

But I’ve never found someone who hates Halloween.

By Anthony I’ve found people who hate Miller Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Opinion Editor New Years and even Christmas, but I’ve never found someone It’s officially October, or, as who dislikes Halloween. some others have named it, Halloween, with its focus on Halloween. horror and fun, is a very hard Now, with the holiday still holiday to hate. around thirty days away, some Then there is the matter of may wonder if it’s too early to get how the season adds to the into the Halloween spirit. holiday.

Those people lack vision.

The season itself, with its chilly The month of October is atmosphere and constant deluge deeply linked to Halloween, and of orange leaves, lends itself well has been for as long as I can to the Halloween spirit. remember.

I can’t imagine Halloween in Everyone puts up their holiday the summer. decorations as soon as possible, The aesthetic of the season is people start holding their various linked to Halloween in the same 31 Days of Halloween traditions way that the endless snowstorm and candy goes on sale all over of December is linked to the nation.

Christmas.

The only other holiday that In short, it is entirely gets this treatment is Christmas understandable that people itself. celebrate every day of October Admittedly, I would be like it is Halloween. annoyed by this if I was annoyed So no, it is not too early to get

by Halloween. exited for Halloween.

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Volleyball wins two straight

By Erin Almeter Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Lakers volleyball team was victorious at their first home game versus Bloomsburg University on Sept. 26, winning the match 3-0.

The match, held at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, consisted of set scores of 25-21, 25-14 and 25-23.

In addition to being the first two home contests of the season for the Lakers, the wins were also significant for being the teams’ first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) games of the season While Bloomsburg fought back in the sets and were able to reduce the leads that the Lakers had, Mercyhurst was able to overcome with the team’s spirit and determination.

Leading the Lakers on the court was senior Tess Ganich, with a 12kill performance.

Meanwhile, seniors Alyssa Zirnheld and Kaite Baird were able to collectively get 15 kills, 12 digs and two blocks to further bolster the Lakers’ tally.

Junior Hannah Vuylsteke had a pair of aces during the match, and freshman Alexa Mitchell, junior

Claire Kenny and senior Mary Marusza all had double-digit assists.

Coming off of their victory, the Lakers next won against Lock Haven University in a Sept. 28 homecoming weekend contest.

With a final match score of 3-0, the Lakers once again kept their opponents from picking up a game.

The match consisted of set scores of 25-13, 25-9 and 25-13.

Lock Haven did not stand a chance, with sophomore Madison Kasper leading the way for Mercyhurst with ten kills, and Zirnheld with nine.

Marusza and Kenny assisted the team with 11 set assists, each while Vuylsteke aided with 15 digs.

Assistant coach Jenell Patton really appreciated how the team stuck to their motto: “Culture Over Everything.”

The Lakers employ eight precepts: “Don’t Walk Past Problems, Earn the Right, Every Play Every Day, Excellence Without Arrogance, Fail Better Learn Better, Make Love a Verb, No Energy Vampires and We Before Me” in hopes of continued improvement.

The Lakers (10-3, 2-0) are set to

Victoria McGinty photo

The Lakers huddle at the end of their set against Lock Haven University Saturday. With two 3-0 victories, the Lakers now have ten wins on the season.

For their next home contest, play at East Stroudsburg Univerthe Lakers face off against West sity Saturday.

The following day, the Lakers Chester University of Pennsylvatravel to Kutztown University for nia on Oct. 11.

“The season is going well. We another away game.

have players making good decisions on and off the court,” Patton said. “They are buying into our team culture and seeing the results from their efforts.”

MU field hockey shut HURST RESULTS out by No. 1 Millersville

Sept. 28: Women’s soccer vs. Seton Hill University: 1-0, Lakers (4-2-1, 3-20)

By Gillian Mazur Staff writer

In its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference home opener, Mercyhurst field hockey once again stared down Millersville University.

Only six days after losing 5-0 to the Marauders, the No. 1-ranked team in the country, the Lakers (26, 0-1) faced an uphill battle.

The Lakers fared little better Friday, losing 6-0.

Currently, the Marauders are 7-0 in their season total and 1-0 in the PSAC rankings.

Less than three minutes in, the Lakers were scored on by the Marauders’ Emma Boutcher.

A little after the five-minute mark and the Lakers were scored on again turning the score to 2-0.

In the second quarter, Mercyhurst came out strong. Multiple shots were taken from senior Clare Ahern and junior Hayley Skidmore but all shots were sent wide.

After a competitive second quarter, the Lakers locked down on defense and no shots were taken by the Mauraders.

In the opening minute of the third quarter, sophomore goalie Libby Jones shut down a shot by Maurader Hannah Brown.

After a failed penalty corner,

Sept. 28: Men’s soccer vs. University of Findlay: 1-4, Findlay (Lakers are now 2-2-1) Gillian Mazur photo

Clare Ahern, right, swipes the ball away from players from Millersville University. Teammate Mia D’Amato (No. 3) watches in the foreground.

the Marauders eventually found the opportunity for another shot around the 40-minute mark, making the score 3-0.

With momentum of scoring a third goal, the Marauders came out strong.

The Marauders scored again at 46:51 to make it 4-0.

In the 49th minute, Ahern took Mercyhurst’s only shot for the quarter, but the Marauder’s goalie turned it away.

The Marauders then scored two more times in the fourth quarter, making the final score 6-0.

The Lakers return to Saxon Stadium for their second PSAC game of the season to face Mansfield University (6-2) Wednesday at 3 p.m.

“This was our second time within a week, playing them this time around we did exceptionally better even though the score didn’t reflect that,” said sophomore

Lizzy Laird. “After the game we talked about how much better we played and how we had more opportunities and chances for goals.

We just weren’t able to finish on those opportunities. Although we did lose, we came out of that game with a better attitude about it, but in the practices leading up to our next game on Wednesday we are still going to be growing as a team and working on finishing for this week’s games.”

Sept. 28: Men’s water polo vs.

Connecticut College: 18-12, Lakers Sept. 29: Men’s water polo vs.

Washington and Jefferson College: 22-9, Lakers (4-10)

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

SPORTS

PAGE 15

Football drops homecoming game

By Will Zytnick

Staff writer

The Mercyhurst University football team had high hopes coming into its important game against Indiana University of Pennsylvania, especially since Mercyhurst was celebrating homecoming Saturday.

The Lakers knew this game was going to be tightly contested the whole way through, as IUP came into the game ranked No. 21 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) DII poll.

Mercyhurst stuck with IUP, but the Crimson Hawks pulled away for a 56-24 win.

The game began with IUP scoring first on a six-yard touchdown pass to put the Hawks up 7-0.

Soon after, the Lakers responded, with quarterback Doug Altavilla completing an 18-yard pass to Cortez Watson.

The touchdown, and the extra point that followed, tied the game 7-7.

However, IUP scored two more touchdowns making the score 21-7 and bringing misery to the Laker faithful in the stands and on top of Alumni Hill.

In an dramatic turnaround, Garrett Owens brought hope back to Laker fans when he took a 12-yard touchdown pass from Altavilla into the end zone, bringing the game to a manageable one-

Victoria McGinty photo

Doug Altavilla searches for a target in the end zone on Saturday’s homecoming game against Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The Lakers fell 24-56 after IUP dominated the game’s second half.

score difference.

Closing out the first quarter, the Lakers’ kicker Mark Shafer Jr. converted on a 21-yard field goal, making the score 21-17 in favor of IUP. In the second quarter, the Lakers showed heart and determination and took their first lead of the game when Altavilla threw an

11-yard touchdown pass to Jason Armstrong, making the score 2421, Lakers.

But IUP would not go quietly and responded by scoring a touchdown of its own its to make the halftime score 28-24.

The second half for the Lakers was not at all pretty, as IUP took complete control and scored four

PHOTO FINISH

more touchdowns.

These scores went unanswered, bringing the Lakers to their knees and ultimately shattering their hopes and dreams of a victory with the final score 56-24.

“I felt as if the offense executed at a high level in the first half,” Altavilla said.

“As a unit, we were making

plays, completing a high percentage of passes, blocking the correct guys, and running the football effectively. We were unable to put two complete halves together, which was needed to beat a team like that. I know our team is learning from our mistakes and preparing to put our best performance out there when this Saturday rolls around.”

The top performers of the game on offense were Watson, who finished with three catches for 50 yards receiving, and Owens who finished with 45 yards rushing, five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown reception.

As quarterback, Altavilla put in work, with 13 completions for 192 yards while recording three touchdowns for the Lakers’ final tally.

On defense, leading the charge were Joseph Scro, Jake Tarasovitch and Alex Zacharyasz, who each recorded eight tackles in the game.

The next game for the Lakers will be Saturday against Slippery Rock University, once again with the Lakers hosting the visitors at Saxon Stadium.

Slippery Rock is currently 4-0, and is ranked No. 10 in the AFCA poll.

The Lakers are well aware, just like in the IUP game, this will be a tough one.

LET’S GO,

LAKERS! Oct. 2, Saxon Stadium @ 3 p.m.: Field hockey vs. Mansfield University Oct. 2, Saxon Stadium @ 8 p.m.: Men’s soccer vs. Seton Hill University Oct. 5, Saxon Stadium @ 12 p.m.: Football vs. Slippery Rock University Victoria McGinty photo

Saturday’s football game also saw the dedication of Saxon Stadium’s press box as the P. Barry McAndrew Press Box. (from left to right: President Michael Victor, P. Barry McAndrew, Ph.D., his son Marc McAndrew, and athletic director Brad Davis.) McAndrew served as Mercyhurst’s home announcer for football and both men’s and women’s basketball. The donation was made by his son Marc.

Oct. 5, Indiana University of Pennsylvania @ 1:30 p.m.: Women’s soccer vs. Indiana University of Pennsylvania

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by the Chuckler