November 7th Edition of The Merciad

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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W E D N E S DAY, N OV E M B E R 7 , 2 01 8

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

VOL. 92 NO. 7

Mercyhurst honors veterans PAGE 3

Online poll results We asked: What is your favorite social media platform?

2: Mercyhurst students vote in midterm elections

8: Bulletin boards showcased around campus 14: Cross Country race in PSAC championships

“Snapchat” (44%) “Tumblr” (31%) “Instagram” (18%) “Facebook” (7%)

This week’s

POLL

What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

PAGE 2

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

HURST VOTES

Lauren Abbott photo

Contributed photo

ABOVE: Junior Nick Woll, a double major in Religious Studies and Psychology, takes a photo at his polling place, JoAnna Connell Elementary School, with poll workers Joan Preuzenski, left, and Deborah Jones, a 2002 Mercyhurst alumna.

AT TOP: Mercyhurst students gather to watch the midterm election results on TV in Ryan Hall on Election Night. The gathering was sponsored by the Political Science Club.

The nation’s attention Nov. 6 was captured by the midterm elections, and the Mercyhurst campus was no different.

Students, faculty and staff members all showed their civic pride by turning out to vote.

“I believe it is of utmost importance for everyone to exercise their right to vote because it is the most effective way to have your voice heard,” said sophomore Admir Baručija, a Political Science major. “Myself and my fellow Americans must vote to put in office those candidates that will best represent our collective interests. It is a sad reality that many choose not to vote because they believe it will not make a difference. Laziness and apathy will bring about the end of our republic.”

In Erie County, voters were asked to choose between incumbent Democrat Tom Wolf and Republican challenger Scott Wagner for Pennsylvania governor; between incumbent Democrat Bob Casey and Republican challenger Lou Barletta for U.S. Senate; and between Democratic challenger Ron DiNicola and Republican incumbent Mike Kelly for Pennsylvania’s 16th District U.S. House seat.

Erie voters in the state’s 2nd Legislative District, which includes the Mercyhurst campus, voters also faced a choice between Democrat Bob Merski and Republican Tim Kuzma for the Pennsylvania House.

Contributed photo

ABOVE: Alexandra Long, a junior Political Science major, wears her enthusiasm for Election Day. She voted by absentee ballot in the Nov. 6 midterm elections. Long said she thinks it is important for her and for all college students to vote and to be informed about our nation’s political system.

“College students are the future leaders of America,” she said.

BOTTOM, FAR LEFT: A Mercyhurst student shows off the sticker she received after voting in the midterm elections on Nov. 6.

Contributed photo

Contributed photo

BOTTOM, AT RIGHT: Junior Alexandra Long sent her absentee ballot to her home voting office in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

NEWS

PAGE 3

Campus copes without water “

By Kristian Biega

News editor

On Oct. 28, Mercyhurst experienced a large water main break at McAuley and Baldwin Halls, causing many buildings across campus to lose water for most of the day.

Water main breaks are not uncommon and can happen because of a variety of reasons.

David Myron, Mercyhurst vice president for Finance and Administration, speculated that the Oct. 28 break could have resulted from a city increase in water pressure, freezing, ground swell, groundwater saturation putting pressure on weakened pipes or corrosion of pipes simply because of their age.

Myron said he believes that the corrosion of pipes was most likely what happened at McAuley and

Baldwin. After calling in professional plumbers used to dealing with large commercial plumbing, Mercyhurst officials had to determine where the cause of the leak was located.

“Obviously the pipes are underground, which can make pinpointing the issue challenging,” Myron said. “However, once the leak location has been determined, we decide where and which shutoff valve we can use to shut off the water with as little effect to the rest of campus as possible.”

They found that the first leak was directly east of the entrance to McAuley Hall and the second was directly east of Baldwin Hall.

The first leak was a main water line, so it affected the entire interior of campus. Buildings including Egan Hall, Preston Hall, Zurn Hall and Old Main were out of water service. The second leak,

Once the leak location has been determined, we decide where and which shutoff valve we can use to shut off the water with as little effect to the rest of campus as possible.”

David Myron, vice president for Finance and Administration, on water main break at Baldwin, only affected Baldwin and the Ice Center.

This caused issues for several different on-campus activities during the day.

The Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra Concert that had been scheduled for the afternoon of Oct. 28 had to be canceled and rescheduled for Nov. 4.

Students’ only option for on-campus dining during the pe-

riod without water service was Ryan Hall.

However, the show still went on for “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” with the audience informed that there were no available restrooms during the show.

Myron said that moving forward, the process the university currently has in place is the only preparation the school can have

for situations like these.

“Because of the age of the pipes and the fact that we can’t physically inspect them without digging up the entire campus really puts us in a tough situation,” Myron said. “We are looking into possibly bringing in a second water feed source that we could valve and redirect water to buildings that have been shut down because of water line breaks. This wouldn’t prevent future breaks, but it could possibly lessen the impact the breaks have on campus buildings.”

Myron was grateful for the hard work of all involved in the cleanup process.

“The excavating and plumbing was performed by Wm. T. Spaeder Company,” Myron said. “The cleanup and reseed was done in house by our amazing ground crew.”

MU gets Purple Heart distinction

By Erin Almeter

Staff writer

Mercyhurst University has been given the distinction of being named a Purple Heart University.

Mercyhurst and St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia are the only two colleges in Pennsylvania to be awarded this title. Mercyhurst is the first in the region to receive the honor from the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart is a national organization that aims to create a safe environment filled with good will and welcoming spirit among combat-wounded veterans. The group also promotes loyalty, support essential lawmaking action and support necessary services to all veterans and their families.

The Purple Heart designation recognizes Mercyhurst’s efforts in providing services for veterans, especially those who were wounded when serving the country and their families. The designation of the Purple Heart University is specifically for vet-

erans who are now pursuing a higher education at Mercyhurst.

A Purple Heart University signifies the efforts put into honoring and recognizing the veterans that are a part of the university’s community.

First introduced as the Badge of Military Merit by General George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart is the nation’s oldest military award. It is granted to members of the U.S. armed forces who have been wounded during actions from enemy combatants during military operations. It can also be awarded to family members of fallen service members.

Mercyhurst has welcomed one Purple Heart recipient so far, U.S. Army First Sergeant Cody Harrington, who has been accepted to the Physician Assistant Program.

The Purple Heart distinction does not just affect the student body, though. Amy Burniston, Ph.D., assistant professor of Biology and Education at Mercyhurst, holds this esteem near to her heart as her husband, U.S. Marine Sgt.

Ryan Burniston, is a three-time combat veteran and recipient of the Purple Heart.

Burniston expressed how important it is for the student body as a whole to participate in Veterans Week events.

“It is necessary to support veteran peers and reach out to students that have served,” Burniston said.

In addition to this new recognition, Mercyhurst has been known as a military friendly university. It is home to 54 student-veterans as well as a very active ROTC program.

Mercyhurst offers a veterans’ service office and resource center on campus, provides a support liaison and offers veterans priority registration for classes, as well as other resources.

Michael Szumigala, Veterans Outreach & Admissions coordinator, believes that this commitment to serving Veterans is part of the university’s Mercy heritage.

“For traditional students, it is a reminder of the importance

of our mission at Mercyhurst University in the commitment to serving others,” Szumigala said.

On the Mercyhurst University website, there is a specific page dedicated to explaining the schools commitment to veteran students. The website states that Mercyhurst “strives to go beyond ‘veteran friendly’ toward providing a truly supportive and engaging experience for all our veterans, service members and dependents.” Mercyhurst creates these opportunities for undergraduate opportunities, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees.

If anyone would like more information for veteran students, you can contact either Szumigala or Ronald Swift, assistant Veterans Services coordinator.

“We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to honor our veteran students and those who sacrificed so much for us to enjoy our freedoms and want them to know that they are respected and appreciated,” Szumigala said.

Burniston shares similar sen-

Mercyhurst Dance: Symphony in Motion 40 free tickets are being offered to support your

fellow students in their fall production.

Tickets are at the PAC box office, noon to 5 p.m., until gone. #SymphonyinMotion #LakerPride

timents when asked what she would say to the veteran student population at Mercyhurst.

“Thank you for all that you have sacrificed and allowing us to enjoy the freedoms that we have,” Burniston said.

Mercyhurst is joining 91 other colleges and universities worldwide to be awarded the Purple Heart University designation by the MOPH. This Purple Heart designation will become official at a ceremony Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room. There will be 15 recipients recognized at the ceremony. Erie Mayor Joe Schember is among the officials expected to attend.

This ceremony kicks off a series of events in early celebration of Veterans Day on Nov. 11.

There will also be a Celebration of Valor on Nov. 8, a Military Cadence Run and Military Themed Mess Hall Dinner on Nov. 9 and a pre-game tailgate party, national anthem tribute and football game with reserved seating for veterans and their families on Nov. 10.

NEWS

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Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Dance’s Hunter honored with Merciad IN A MINUTE Lifetime Achievement Award Christmas Bar Crawl

The Senior Class Gift Committee is hosting a Christmas Bar Crawl on Dec. 8. Tickets will be $20 each (cash or credit).

The bar crawl will start at 8 p.m. and go until 2 a.m. Students must be 21

by Dec. 8 to participate.

Sign-ups will be held at the tabling sessions on Nov. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Grotto Commons and Nov. 8 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Mercyhurst Bookstore.

A portion of all proceeds benefit the 2019 Senior Class Gift.

Post-Grad Service Fair Meryhurst Service Learning will be hosting a Post-Grad Service Fair on Nov. 14 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Ryan Hall.

This is a great opportunity for students who are considering a year of service after graduation.

There will be many organizations there such as Mercy Volunteer Corps, PULSE, Lalanne and Jesuit Volunteer Corps.

Email Bethany Brun at bbrun@mercyhurst.edu for more information.

CJ Panel on Re-Entry The Merychurst Student Alliance for Prison Reform is hosting a Panel discussion on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Great Room.

The topic of discussion will be “Building for the Future: Criminal Justice Panel on Re-Entry.”

Students can meet professionals in the Criminal Justice world during a reception following the event.

Email mheyde88@lakers. mercyhurst.edu.

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

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

To say that dance professor Tauna Hunter has had a successful career would be an understatement.

With a 20-year performance career, 25 years leading the Mercyhurst Dance department and involvement in numerous other arts organizations, Hunter has distinguished herself as a leader in the artistic community, earning her a Lifetime Achievement Award from Erie Arts & Culture.

“She is unquestionably an outstanding educator that has positively impacted our community on many levels,” said Solveig Santillano, associate professor of Dance.

Junior Dance major Megan Carnuche added to the praise of Hunter.

“I understand first-hand why Ms. Tauna Hunter is deserving of this Lifetime Achievement Award,” Carnuche said. “Under her direction in the Mercyhurst University Dance department, I have grown tremendously as a dancer, student and person.”

Hunter will be accepting her award at the 2018 Fall for Arts & Culture event on Nov. 7 at the Erie Playhouse. The Arts & Culture Appreciation Awards are part of a 30-year tradition recognizing both businesses and individuals who have contributed to the larger artistic community as volunteers, leaders, arts and educators, which Hunter has certainly done at Mercyhurst and beyond.

She came to the school with an arsenal of experience in the professional dance industry. A University of Utah graduate, she has certainly made her way around the country, performing with Ballet West as one of their leading ballerinas and nationally/internationally as a guest artist with various other regional companies.

Hunter said that her years of performance and being a principal dancer are some of the greatest accomplishments of her career.

Another accomplishment is the creation of DANSOURCE, a national networking service for dancers that she founded with her husband, Michael Gleason.

Hunter believes that Gleason is also deserving of this award.

“He and I are a team, and always have been,” Hunter said.

In addition to connecting dancer with companies, DANSOURCE also granted Hunter the connection that later led her to Mercyhurst. In 1994, Hunter took charge of the dance pro-

Contributed photo

Tauna Hunter will be accepting the 2018 Lifetime Acheivement Award from Erie Arts & Culture at the Fall for Arts & Culture Event.

gram, and in years following exponentially increased the size, reputation and caliber of the department.

“It’s more than doubled in size, and the quality of the program is much more competitive,” Hunter said. “We have new facilities, two studios and are no longer in the library. We also are nationally accredited, which is a huge stamp of approval by our peers in higher education.”

This growth within the program would not be possible without Gleason, Hunter said.

“He has been a major faculty member that has contributed to the technique of the dancers, the mentoring of male dancers, and a huge contribution of his is being the technical director and resident designer for 22 years,” Hunter said. “We would not have the quality of pro-

ductions with regards to sets and costumes and lighting if it hadn’t been for him.”

Beyond their work on the department itself, Hunter is also proud to have generated leaders who have used their skills far beyond the gates of Mercyhurst.

“My mission has always been generating leadership, and I feel very successful with that based on the enormous amount of impact our alums have made in the field as dancers, teachers, choreographers, scholars, administrators,” Hunter said.

“They are also working in related fields that support our field like the medical field, physical therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors; also people who are serving on boards, and even on national boards. I’m very, very proud of that.”

According to Santillano,

Hunter has instilled leadership within her students through the addition of numerous classes and other educational opportunities.

“By creating foundation to summative courses and curriculum design from Dance Essentials (a course that provides students with step-by-step practical guidance for success through organization, positive self-talk, imagery and more) to résumé, portfolio, website building, thesis capstone projects/performances (Senior Seminar and Senior Pro Seminar), students are provided the opportunity to find and focus their career goals and share unique skill sets within the community,” Santillano said.

Carnuche explained that Hunter also leads by example, showing students what it truly means to be a leader and modeling skills to emulate.

“Through all that I’ve learned and observed, Ms. Hunter remains the epitome of a true leader in the dance world and beyond,” Carnuche said.

“Throughout her career she has dedicated herself to all of her students, and has provided each of us with the necessary tools to succeed in the real world.”

More recently, Hunter has stepped down as the chair of the department, continuing to work as a professor before her retirement in the spring of 2019.

In what she calls her “third spring,” Hunter hopes this time in her life will be filled with creativity, less administrative work and stress, and more time enjoying life with her husband.

She hopes to remain involved with Mercyhurst and other dance programs, staging works, teaching, choreographing and continuing to leave her mark on the artistic community.

“Her dedication extends far past the realm of her job at Mercyhurst,” senior Dance major Meg Rebuzzini said. “She has incorporated her love for dance as a lifestyle and spends her free time not only educating the dance majors at Mercyhurst but traveling across the country to pass on her knowledge to others. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to train with her everyday.”

Carnuche shared similar sentiments about the impact Hunter has had on her life and the lives of all of her students.

“She inspires me more than she knows, in dance, but moreso in life,” said Carnuche. “I am honored to be a student of Ms. Hunter’s, and I will cherish my time learning from her forever.”

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

NEWS

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

PAGE 5

Roberts discusses first Th i s weekend’s year as MU provost campus events STUDENT GOVERNMENT

By Kristian Biega News editor

Beginning at the start of the 2018-19 school year, Leanne Roberts, Ph.D., was officially made the provost and vice president for academic affairs of Mercyhurst University.

Roberts has been a dedicated member of the Mercyhurst staff since 2001, when she began as an assistant professor of Education.

She only intended to stay at the university for a few years while finishing a doctoral program, and returning to a career in corporate education, but ended up staying a bit longer.

“Something unexpected happened to me when I came on this campus,” Roberts said. “I just completely fell in love with the hospitality. It is a place that is unique and unlike any other organization that I have been in or worked for. It turned out to be a surprisingly good fit for me.”

Over the next 18 years, Roberts held positions of associate professor, department chair, associate dean, full professor and dean of Hafenmaier College, culminating now in her role as provost and vice president for academics.

Roberts said she feels that her time as associate dean and dean of Hafenmaier College left her well-prepared for the challenge of provost.

“I was certainly very honored to be asked to move into this role as provost, but I was just feeling settled into my third year as dean of Hafenmaier,” Roberts said.

“That job prepared me quite well because the Hafenmaier College is such a significant part of the university community with over 60 faculty members.”

Roberts has wasted no time in setting her priorities for the university for the year, focusing on keeping the forward-momentum that she sees Mercyhurst already having from the time of President Victor arriving four years ago.

In three years, there has been a calendar change, a new core

Contributed photo

Leanne Roberts, Ph.D.,

curriculum implemented, a reorganization of the university into colleges and much more.

Cleaning refers to the processes, many of which will not be readily visible to students, staff and faculty, but will support development in operational efficiency within the area of academics. A few examples will include forms for students changing majors, registration concerns and the organization of the offices involved. Much has been done since Roberts started in May, already including a revamp of the Career Development Center.

Roberts wants to focus on the fact that Mercyhurst has been fortunate enough to survive as a small private liberal arts college amid many other schools closing or merging. She hopes that calibration in terms of becoming more current with some of the processes of the school will help to maintain that.

The priority that is perhaps the most important to Roberts is capitalizing on what Mercyhurst already has as a university.

“Academically, as a liberal arts institution with a variety of professional programs, we need to capitalize on what we already have,” Roberts said.

“With employers seeking candidates, regardless of discipline or industry, who can communicate well, think critically and solve problems, work with a team and think globally we are well positioned because, simply

put, we prepare students well in all of these areas and more. We are going to intentionally attend to articulating how we meld the professional programs and the liberal arts programming in a way that helps our students position themselves as the best candidate interviewing for the job they are seeking after graduation.”

Roberts sees this combination of skills as something that makes Mercyhurst graduates stand out as they enter the workforce, having been provided with a strong liberal arts education.

“We have professional programs and majors and programming in the liberal arts that oftentimes are viewed as separate and not likely to come together well.

In reality, it is the best combination we can offer someone entering the workforce in the 21st century” Roberts said. “Those aren’t skills that are necessarily taught in a major, but the basic skill sets come from this beautiful interplay we have from this strong liberal arts core and the professional discipline.”

Even though the role as new provost comes with its challenges, Roberts is excited to face them in the new year.

“I don’t get bored easily, but I often look for new challenges.

I don’t shy away from those.,” Roberts said. “I like working with new things, creating teams that support successful outcomes, I like being able to accomplish what may be perceived as not likely possible and helping other people to accomplish things they didn’t necessarily know were within their reach. That to me has really been exciting.”

She looks to the future of Mercyhurst as provost with a positive feeling for the rest of the school year and beyond.

“I am excited for Mercyhurst’s future. I anticipate that we are going to be one of the fortunate smaller private institutions that weathers the storm that we have in our country with higher education,” Roberts said. “It is going to be because of the people at the core of this special place.”

Join SAC/MAC on Nov. 9 for Records and Retro Night! There will be record crafts, desserts, music bingo and more, as well as chances to win vinyl record albums, CDs and record players!

Come enjoy some fashion from around the world at the International Fashion Show. It’s Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Oct. 30: Possession of drug paraphernalia on Lewis Avenue.

Oct. 31: Physical assault in Egan Hall.

Nov. 1: Possession of controlled substance in Warde Hall.

Nov. 4: Criminal mischief, 3900 block of Lewis Avenue.

FEATURES

PAGE 6

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

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

Ask for Mia’s advice at: askmia.merciad@gmail.com ******************* Dear Mia, I am registering for all my classes and am stressed already about getting into what I want and making sure I fit in all my credits before I graduate. Any tips? It seems like there is so much to take and so little time.

Sincerely, Stressed Sally

Contributed photo

Students get ready to take the Polar Plunge at Presque Isle State Park in 2017. This year’s event is Nov. 17, with participants each raising funds for Special Olympics of Pennsylvania.

Dear Stressed Sally, Scheduling can be a bit of a crazy and hectic time, but don’t let it get to you!

Make sure you talk to your major adviser and counselor and let them know your concerns. They’ll be able to sort anything out.

Mapping out a plan for required major and REACH classes with your advisers is also helpful.

If you don’t have early registration when planning your schedule, make sure you have a couple of backup classes just in case seats start to fill up.

Ask your friends, peers and classmates about any fun courses they’ve taken.

Talking to upperclassmen major is a good idea too — been through the classes about to take, and they extremely knowledgeable subject.

in your they’ve you’re can be on the

If you need anything or have any questions, don’t be afraid to talk.

Staff, students and professors are there to help you!

Good luck with your classes!

Sincerely,

Mia

Lakers are ready to be ‘freezin’ for a reason’

By Paul Cohen Staff writer

It may be starting to get colder, but that is not deterring a few outdoor events.

On Nov. 17, a fundraiser for the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania will be taking place at Presque Isle State Park. The Polar Plunge involves running into the ice-cold waters of Lake Erie after participating groups raise money for Special Olympics.

Multiple RSCOs and other organizations at Mercyhurst are participating. Mercyhurst also competes against local schools like Penn State Behrend and Gannon, to see which school can recruit the most volunteers.

“The Polar Plunge is a fundraising activity primarily,” Mitchell Marsh, a junior Hospitality Management major who will be taking part, said. “I’m looking forward to the impact it will have. It’s called ‘Freezin’ For a Reason,’ and that’s what we’ll do to raise money for Special Olympics of Pennsylvania on Nov. 17.”

Marsh serves as a member of the MSG Student Senate, which is one of the participating teams.

Even a few academic departments are participating this year, including the Education department, one of the larger departments on campus.

Hailey Keating, Education

Studies graduate assistant, is looking forward to the impact the department’s involvement will have.

“We have an Education team and we just raise money for our team, but we’re still part of Mercyhurst, which is nice. The money goes to Special Olympics,” Keating said.

One of the benefits of the Polar Plunge is that it brings the campus together because everyone participating in this event has the same agenda.

“We built a team and right now there are six of us signed up so far,” Hannah Buncher, a sophomore Pre-Med student, who is on the chair of the Public Health Club, said.

“We’re all really excited for it. We had a lot of fun last year and it’s an important cause for many of the people in our club,” Buncher said.

Many students passionately value the Polar Plunge. For them, the event gives them a chance to do something that is important and to express how much they value Special Olympics.

In addition to those groups, the Laker Leaders are also participating. Their team already has many people signed up.

Brenna Nelson, Laker Leader chair, will be team captain for this group.

“A couple of weeks ago I got a hold of some the Laker Lead-

ers and asked if we could start a team,” Nelson said. “And so from there I think we got probably 10 to 12 people. The day of the event, we usually meet up to get our t-shirts. We take pictures and then we walk over to the beach together before we plunge.”

Many of those who have participated in the past have no regrets and are going again.

“I did the Polar Plunge last year with Laker Leaders, and I loved it. It was cold but well worth it,” Grace Simpson, a junior Music Therapy major, said.

Sophomore Grace Siwinski, a fellow Music Therapy major, is plunging as part of the Senate team.

“I think that it’s an amazing event, and we’re jumping in freezing water for a reason. Everyone should come and support whether they’re jumping or not,” she said.

Even those who are not plunging love to volunteer at Special Olympics in general.

“I’m really excited to participate for the third year in a row,” said Taylor Cavaretta, a senior in the Education department. “The Polar Plunge raises money for Special Olympics, which I love to volunteer for.”

This year’s event hopes to raise funds for the nearly 20,000 athletes that participate in Special Olympics activities across the state of Pennsylvania.

FEATURES

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

PAGE 7

Erin Almeter photo

This board showcases the many locations students can travel to on faculty-led study abroad trips or with Mercyhurst-affiliated programs, which provide options around the globe.

MU promotes studying abroad

By Gillian Mazur Staff writer

On Oct. 31, Mercyhurst hosted the annual Study Abroad Fair in the Student Union Great Room.

The goal of this yearly fair is to give students an opportunity to learn about the extensive variety of study abroad options in college.

This informative fair consisted of six different tables with Mercyhurst and Mercyhurst-affiliated programs each explaining their options.

Altogether, these programs offered dozens of countries for students to explore, learn about and travel to. For many, this fair fosters excitement and potential opportunity.

Heidi Hosey-McGurk, Ph.D., oversees the fair as dean of Global Programs and Experiential Learning at Mercyhurst. She is the head of all faculty-led study abroad options. Programs totally independent of Mercyhurst are also available as other options for students.

One of the most well-known study abroad programs on campus is Mercyhurst’s single term of study in Dungarvan, Ireland. On this trip, students enroll as full-time scholars in courses that are offered by Mercyhurst’s sister school, St. Augustine College, in Waterford, Ireland.

Pete Stadtmueller, Graphic Design professor, will also be leading a unique study abroad experience to Japan.

Mercyhurst’s GoPro Adventures will be one of his study abroad classes, where students will learn to use a GoPro

camera and shoot their own travel adventures into a modern-day diary.

Trips with faculty this year include locations such as Peru, Paris, Argentina and Ireland.

Meghan Gallagher, sophomore Communication major, will be traveling to Ireland in January on this trip.

“When I attended the fair last year, it was very helpful as it gave me a wide range of options I could take.

Mercyhurst does a great job of presenting various options that make it possible to study abroad, no matter what year you want to go and what your major is,” Gallagher said. “I chose to go to Ireland this year. We are going to Dublin, Galway and Belfast for 10 days. I chose Ireland because I have dual citizenship there, and it’s the place where I feel most at home.”

Outside of these, one of Mercyhurst’s affiliated programs present at the fair was Athena Study Abroad.

With this program, a student has the option to visit one of 11 countries, or 20 cities, with more than 2,000 course options. Athena’s program focuses on smaller and more personalized overseas immersion experiences.

Another global program is the ever-popular Semester At Sea. This voyage provides students the chance to study in classrooms on a cruise ship that travels the world.

Established in 1963, this program is perfect for the wanderlust adventurer who cannot make up his or her mind on where to study abroad. Students take classes while the ship is at sea, and when it docks at port they have the op-

portunity to explore the area freely, seeing at least 11 countries during the trip.

An alternative option provided in association with United Planet is Mercyhurst’s 10 Day Ecuador Group Quest.

This trip provides students with different project opportunities such as social, environmental, health care and art therapy service learning.

Lastly, the U.S. Brig Niagara program allows students to live and study the Maritime History and Monuments of the Great Lakes.

Students travel as part of the crew on board the U.S. Brig Niagara, a reconstructed War of 1812 relief flagship for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry.

With the exception of Antarctica, the programs at Mercyhurst offer Lakers choices on every continent. With these programs, students can choose to study, intern or volunteer during yearly, semester long, quarterly or shortterm trips.

Indeed, the fair is not only open to those exploring their options, but is also very beneficial for students who have already decided to study abroad.

Junior Social Work major Jeannette Casiano attended the Study Abroad Fair and took a lot away from it.

“I’m planning to go to the American Business School in Paris this spring,” Casiano said. “The fair was informative and shed light on opportunities that I wasn’t aware of, such as the Semester at Sea and Mercyhurst’s 10-day quest to Ecuador.”

Hurst Fashion brightens Millcreek Mall

By Carlena Bressanelli

Staff writer

When you are at the mall, you might window shop.

Now when you go to the Millcreek Mall, you can see that the Mercyhurst Visual Merchandising class has decorated some of the display windows throughout various stores.

The students created the window displays using different products from local merchandisers. The designs will be up for three weeks and feature items hand-picked by our Lakers.

The class is taught by Erin Magorien and includes the annual assignment where the students get to experience being the visual merchandiser. This class has been

working on this project for the whole semester.

Every student is assigned a special group, such as catering, donations or marketing, and then is given instructions and contacts for working with a relevant store.

The stores that teamed up with the class this year were Windsor, Charming Charlie’s and Tilly’s.

Each group pulled three outfits and accessories to create a detailed, themed display case.

The displays were part of a larger contest called “Faces of Fall,” in which the public was able to vote on their favorite window display.

The Pumpkin Spice display in the Charming Charlie’s store took first place in the contest. This was a Mercyhurst design that focused on fall-themed foods and how

they relate to fashion. The students used clothing, shoes and jewelry from Charming Charlie’s for the window, which they painted using white paint.

For many students, the beauty of this class is how true it is to the real-world job experiences they will have.

Jenna Cavuoto, a junior Fashion Merchandising major and a member of the winning team, spoke about the work that went into her special section.

“You have to be very persistent and direct while working with different types of food vendors and coordinating with other groups to have the best outcome for the entire event,” Cavuoto said. “I learned so much real life knowledge from the experience.”

Contributed photo

Students from the Visual Merchandising class represented Mercyhurst in the “Faces of Fall” window display contest.

FEATURES

PAGE 8

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

The Public Health department bulletin board, pictured at left, is on the upper level of Hirt, and the FAFSA preparation board is in Egan Hall.

Bulletin boards bring joy to campus

By Erin Almeter

Staff writer

Bulletin boards on college campuses — you’ve seen them, heard of some fun ones or maybe even created some yourself.

They are used to display college advice and department information, as well as build community across campus.

Most are seen in residence halls around campus like the ones in Baldwin, McAuley and Warde halls.

While students are used to seeing their RAs’ boards, many students may miss some of the other bulletin boards around campus in different departments, put together for the students’ benefit.

A lot of hard work is put into creating these for students, and every department and their corresponding hallways take great care and effort to make them look appealing.

Karen Morahan, Ph.D., associate professor in the Public Health department, is an advocate of bulletin boards and what they add to campus life.

“Creativity is something that should be appreciated across campus, including the

planning and implementation of the bulletin boards,” Morahan said.

The Public Health bulletin boards are very prominent on Hirt’s upper level, where students Sydney Fitch and Katie Reisinger worked on them until 2 a.m. before the recent Public Health Open House.

In addition to Hirt, bulletin boards are found primarily in Zurn Hall, parts of Old Main and Egan Hall.

Heather Balas, director of the Career Development Center, puts work into creating eye-catching and bright displays for the students who pass through the hallways.

“If you are going to do it, do it well and do it right,” so it benefits the students that need them, Balas said.

She had created an Incredibles-themed Career Development board in Egan, telling students that they can have an incredible career if they utilize the people and services available to them.

Most professors and faculty do not know if students actually use the boards or take the time to look at them. However, when the question was posed to a few students on campus, they had plenty of positive things to say.

Michelle Benedetti, sophomore Intelligence Studies major, enjoys looking at each board.

“The boards in Egan are ones I normally look at on my way to or from classes because they are colorful and useful. You can tell that a lot of work goes into them,” Benedetti said.

However, students also felt that they need to be simple to be genuinely looked at by students.

Cormac McCooey, junior Business major, shared a similar mindset.

“I notice them, but I do not stop to read them often,” he said. The exception for him was seeing some event or opportunity that pertained to his major.

Rachel Sallach, sophomore Human Resource Management major, said that she notices them, but does not always actively read them.

“They always catch my attention, but they don’t always get me to act unless I get a follow-up email about them,” Sallach said.

Many students often spend their time in certain buildings and only are subjected to the boards that they see every day. That is

a downside to the bulletin boards, because not everyone can appreciate them.

The bulletin boards are meant to be eye catching and centered on what students might be interested in with worthwhile content.

RAs generally use them to give useful information to residents about events, safety or campus activities, and these boards are often highly personalized for student life.

Most creators keep the boards consistent with the time of year, and they are always student centered. Most recently, they have been showcasing new faculty additions to the Mercyhurst community.

They are considered an important feature on campus.

As Morahan explained, the boards mean something to many people.

“They are a piece of our campus life.

The walls speak, and students can listen,” Morahan said.

If you take a walk around campus and observe the bulletin boards that you have never seen before, it is true that they might have some valuable information that could pertain to you.

LAKER MOMENT

Hurst celebrates friends from around the world

Contributed photo

World Learning scholars, from left, Pedro Valdez-Castro, Kit Zhen Kong, Anastasia Kosivets and Tuan Nguyen celebrate their time at Mercyhurst.

Mercyhurst honored this year’s World Learning students for their engagement with the rest of the student body this week, as the four exchange students reach the mid-way point of their time at Mercyhurst.

These World Learning scholars are exchange students who come to the U.S. for one semester to attend classes at an American school.

This year, the students arrived from Russia, Malaysia, the Dominican Republic and Vietnam.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

FEATURES

PAGE 9

Professor creates reading group on privilege and race

By Marina Boyle Features editor

A new book club has been established on campus to explore the topics of race and privilege in the educational experience.

The reading group has been organized by Janelle Newman, Ph.D., an English professor and program director of the Teaching English Language Learners certification program.

The idea came to Newman when she saw a gap in how the topic of race is discussed on campus and in general.

“Personally, I found that I wanted more time to really discuss the issues of equity in education beyond classroom and office conversations,” Newman said.

“Even though my class, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners, has room for that, I found myself and some students wanting more space for discussion. Considering national, local and campus situations, it is obvious that we need more spaces and practice in talking about equity, particularly that of racial inequity in American society and education.”

As the first book, the group has chosen “The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys.” The book reading is followed by a discussion on how race is likely to affect someone’s educational experience and how staff and students can improve that.

“Some people don’t like to talk about it because it can be

difficult, speaking as a white person,” Newman said. “But you can’t get comfortable talking about something unless you talk about it.”

So far the group is still small with approximately 10 members, although it is growing. It is open to all faculty, staff and students. This past week, the group even had an interested member of the Erie community attend.

As the leader of this group, Newman has many hopes for the book club.

“I would love to see it grow and maybe branch off into various groups reading different books about equity in education, or in society as a whole. Though this isn’t an official club or group on campus, I would love it to be,” Newman said.

“I am not an adviser and do not even consider myself the official leader. I hope this group takes on a life of its own. I’m happy to loosely facilitate it, but I would also be happy to simply attend every week.”

The group meets in the Honors classroom, Hirt M-200, each Thursday at 7 p.m.

The current book, “The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys,” was picked because one of the editors, Eddie Moore Jr., spoke on campus last year during diversity week.

Moore is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational speakers and educators and currently serves as Director of The Privilege Institute and The National White Privilege Conference. Last year, he was brought to campus

by Tyler Brentley, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator.

“I was personally challenged by his message,” Newman said. “After his talk, I asked him about what I could do to encourage more people of color into the teaching profession. He responded that even if we were able to change teacher demographics now, it wouldn’t affect the current students for years to come. He challenged me to use my own white privilege to better educate the white students that I work with.”

Newman said that reading this book is part of a personal journey for her, and she hopes that with her reading group she might find others who are interested in the journey from an academic or personal standpoint.

She also says that the title of this book is misleading because the content can apply to anyone. It focuses on the student experience and the teacher experience, but it also addresses the issue of white privilege and how it drives and dominates our educational culture and society as a whole.

Education majors Lauren Rogus and Nathan Myers are two of the students currently involved in and enjoying this group. They said their favorite aspects are the lively discussions and lots of “aha” moments.

In terms of plans, Newman has a list of books that could be next, but also wants input from what the group wants.

All are welcome at future meetings and can attend at any time, or contact Newman for more details.

MAC/SAC plans spring semester events

By Marina Boyle

Features editor

The event programming branch of MSG, Mercyhurst’s Multicultural and Student Activities Council (MAC/ SAC), has begun planning for another semester of student-run events in the spring.

The programmers have come up with a full schedule for next semester that features campus favorites such as Target After Hours, new events such as Trivia Night and on-campus performances from acts who are well known across the country.

In October, the MAC/SAC team attended the Conference for Campus Activities in Buffalo, where they watched events and decided which would be worth bringing to Mercyhurst.

The conference was a three-day event that showcases everything from music, dance, drama, comedy and crafts to ideas for DIY events.

A programmer favorite was the Evasons, a psychic duo with extraordinary mind-reading capabilities who will visit Mercyhurst in January for a show in the Taylor Little Theatre.

Similar to this event, the spring semester will feature many more comedians, musicians and on-stage acts, as well as a Talent Show solely for Mercyhurst students wishing to exhibit their unique abilities.

Some annual events that always draw a crowd are planned once again. These include Springfest, Unity Day, St. Patrick’s Day and an off-campus trip. Food for Finals is set as the last event of the year.

With the success of the recent Pittsburgh trip, MAC/SAC is considering an off-campus trip to the farther-away location of Washington, D.C. This would be planned for April and would not be an overnight trip, but instead a jampacked day in the capital.

Smaller off-campus trips hope to take students skiing, ice skating or tubing as a way to enjoy the winter Erie weather.

Another exciting event is Trivia Night, a quiz-style event in which students form teams to answer questions relating to diversity and have the chance to win gift cards, food and Mercyhurst Bookstore gifts.

Dave Markley, Activities & Spirit coordinator, and Tyler Brentley, Diversity and Inclusion coordinator, oversee the MAC/SAC student staff together.

“We are really looking forward to this upcoming semester,” Markley said.

“Fall 2018 has seen a significant increase in program attendance and we hope to carry this into the spring semester.”

One of the larger events that has not happened for the past few years is Cuts for Cancer, a hair donation event to aid cancer victims. MAC/SAC will collaborate with Colleges for Cancer for this event, and will invite students to pledge to take part.

This event is planned for early February, and students can start growing their hair now if they wish to donate. For those evading a haircut, the event will also have food, crafts and the opportunity to write letters to cancer patients.

“Our events are a great way to enjoy yourself throughout the year. We hope to see you there,” Markley said.

Contributed photo

The MAC/SAC team of programmers, here with their chairs and advisers at the Conference for Campus Activities in Buffalo, brought back ideas for spring events at Mercyhurst.

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Dance to see ‘Symphony in Motion’

By Erin Almeter

Staff writer

Mercyhurst dancers take to the stage again in their fall production, “Symphony in Motion.”

Seventy dancers will perform Nov. 9-11.

The Nov. 9 show will be at 7p.m., the Nov. 10 shows will be at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and the Nov. 11 show is at 2 p.m.

All performances will be held in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

It is important to note that before the show on Nov. 9, there will be a pre-performance reception to benefit the Jenni-Lynn Watson Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Mercyhurst Empowerment and Prevention project.

This project is made possible by a combination of efforts from Mercyhurst University, the Crime Victim Center of Erie County and SafeNet. There are many different dance sets that go into the show.

It will begin with a ballet piece set to Michael Gleason’s “Symphonie Italianne” and Mendel-

sohn’s “Italian Symphony.”

The audience will see new sets and costumes within this first performance.

The second part of the fall concert was choreographed by the Cleveland-based guest choreographer Catherine Meredith.

She has created a piece called “Aftermath.”

This dance is meant to represent the #MeToo movement and was inspired by Reese Witherspoon’s quote, “We’re finally hearing each other, and seeing each other, and now locking arms in solidarity with each other, and in solidarity for every woman who doesn’t feel seen, to finally be heard.”

It is sure to be a powerful experience.

The third performance in the show is called “Influence.”

This work was created by Maria Caruso, an artistic director of Pittsburgh’s Bodiography.

It is meant to show the impact that other people have on our lives through their practices, experiences and methods.

These impacts that other people have on us shape who we are and

that is what this abstract, whimsical piece is meant to express.

The final part to fall concert will include choreography by assistant Dance professor Mark Santillano.

It is called “On Broadway” and will include well-known dances from “Grease,” “The Pajama Game,” “The Lion King” and “The Tap Dance Kid.” The show is highly recommended for families with children and those who appreciate the art of dance.

Just short of two hours, it is sure to be a grand experience for all.

The dancers taking part in the show encourage everyone to attend.

Micayla Frank, a junior who appears in the “On Broadway” performance, said her favorite part is the opening dance because “it is dramatic and fun to dance.”

All of the different pieces on the program will come together to showcase the beauty of dance and the elegance of the dancers in this fall concert.

Contributed photo Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students Alexis Snedeker poses in costume for the upcoming ‘Symphony in Motion’ Dance Department performance. and youths.

You’ll want to ‘Cat’ch this show ‘The Medium’ opera D ’ A N G E LO O P E R A T H E AT R E R E V I E W

By Sarah Klein

Staff writer

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” part of the National Theatre Live series, will be screened in the Taylor Little Theatre on Nov. 11 at 12:55 p.m.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $12 for students/ youths and free for MU students with ID. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” written by Tennessee Williams, debuted in 1955 in New York City.

The play tells the story of a Southern family in crisis, focusing on a man named Brick and his wife, Margaret (referred to as Maggie or Maggie the Cat) over the course of one evening at the family estate in Mississippi.

Brick and Margaret have gathered with Brick’s family to celebrate the birthday of the patriarch, Big Daddy Pollitt, and his return from the hospital.

However, only Big Daddy and his wife, Big Mama, do not know that he is actually dying from can-

cer, as the rest of the family members have lied to them in order to save them pain during the celebration.

Another piece of the family drama is that beautiful and determined Margaret, who escaped childhood poverty in order to marry into the wealthy Pollitt family, is unhappy and unfulfilled in her marriage.

Brick, an alcoholic and aging football hero, infuriates Margaret by ignoring his brother Gooper’s attempts to gain control of the family fortune; Margaret wants to inherit Big Daddy’s estate following his death.

Margaret is also jealous of Brick’s close relationship with his professional football buddy, Skipper, which Margaret believes is romantic.

These secrets and sexual tensions threaten to destroy Brick and Margaret’s marriage.

As the Pollitts layer lie upon lie, they must navigate the truth in order to hold the family together.

TICKETS TO ALL MIAC PERFORMANCES (NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE, METROPOLITAN OPERA SIMULCASTS, MIAC LIVE SERIES AND CHARLENE M. TANNER SERIES) ARE FREE FOR MU STUDENTS WITH THEIR IDS

was a Halloween treat

By Jenny Sabliov

Staff writer

On Halloween night, the Mary D’ Angelo Opera Theatre scared the audience with the presentation of “The Medium,” a short opera by Gian Carlo Menotti.

Before the show, a little Halloween party took place in the lobby of Hirt, where attendees showed off their costumes and indulged in spooky treats, tarot readings and had their future told to them by a hired psychic.

There was much controversy surrounding the opera before the performance, but in retrospect it was completely unwarranted.

“The Medium” is about a con artist named Madame Flora who is mainly referred to as Baba.

In Romanian, and any language with slavic roots, “babă” means “old woman.”

Baba pretends to be a clairvoyant who can channel the spirits of dead children, swindling money from their grieving parents.

The “séance” that some were worried about was not even close to a real séance.

Baba was a fake in the opera, so she was obviously not going to perform a real séance; the concern about this was unfounded.

To be honest, though, I was a little disappointed that real spooky things did not happen in the Walker Recital Hall.

Katherine Soroka, adjunct voice

faculty, played the role of Baba.

Soroka’s command over the dissonant tones throughout the opera was only a small portion of her skill. She truly brought the character to life in the hour that the opera took place.

In the opera, Baba has a daughter named Monica (performed by soprano Maria Dombrowski, senior, contract major) who assists Baba with the con and voices the dead children.

Toby is an adopted Romani boy who is tacet throughout the entire opera; he was played by Gabriel Grey (junior, Music).

Toby was abused by Baba and was Monica’s love interest.

The characters Mr. and Mrs. Gobineau were played by Royce Strider, instructor of voice, and Abigail Wise (freshman, Performance).

They were grieving parents who were mourning the loss of their 2-year-old son, who passed away after falling into a fountain and drowning while Mrs. Gobineau was picking flowers.

At the point of introduction, the couple had been visiting Baba for two years just to hear their “son” giggle.

Mrs. Nolan, the final character in the opera, was played by Michelle Elleman-Cali, ’16.

Nolan had recently lost her 16-year-old daughter whom Monica pretends to be during the séance.

After the Gobineaus hear their “son” during the séance, Baba feels a phantom hand clutching her throat.

She panics and screams at her guests to leave her home.

She comes to the conclusion that it was Toby who grabbed her even though he was in a separate room.

As Monica sang “The Black Swan,” a lullaby, Baba heard another voice and again presumed it was Toby.

Baba believes that she was being terrorized due to conning grief-stricken families over the years so decides to make amends.

However, her attempt failed when her guests do not believe her when she tells them the truth.

Once she drives the guests out of her home, she throws Toby out into the streets against Monica’s protests.

As Baba becomes increasingly intoxicated, Toby sneaks back into the home to find Monica.

When he makes a sound, Baba believes it is the ghost so she grabs her revolver and shoots Toby.

As he dies, she asks if it was him all along.

Stay tuned for future performances by the music department’s Opera Theatre which includes “Amahl and the Night Visitors” by Menotti and “Don Pasquale” by Gaetono Donizetti.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

MIAC LIVE CONCERT REVIEW

Broadway star comes to MU

By Kristian Biega

News editor

Broadway superstar Norm Lewis entertained a packed house with a moving concert on Nov. 2 in the Walker Recital Hall.

This intimate concert showcased both Lewis’ amazing vocal ability and his down-to-earth nature.

On Nov. 1, Lewis gave a master class for Mercyhurst students as well.

It featured Erin Fink (senior, Biochemistry), Jillian Johannes (2nd year graduate student, Intelligence Studies), Alexis Webb (senior, Music), Jacob Tretinik (junior, Biology), Abby Larimore (senior, English and Theatre contract major) and Aaron Holman (freshman, Music Performance).

Each of these students had the opportunity to sing for Lewis and gain constructive feedback.

Lewis was warm and down to earth as he met with the students and both taught and learned from them.

During the concert he gave the following evening, he recognized and interacted with some of those students in the audience.

The audience was incredibly responsive and excited for Lewis throughout the entire concert on Friday.

When he first walked onto the stage he was met with thunderous applause, to which he responded with surprise and appreciation for the lively crowd.

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst students who participated in the masterclass pose with Lewis (center).

L to R: Fink, Johannes, Webb, Tretinik, Larimore and Holman.

He was accompanied by his “friend and brother,” Joseph Joubert, on piano.

The two had great chemistry as they joked around and created a comfortable mood for the night.

Throughout the evening, Lewis showed off his experimental side by singing his own renditions of songs that were made popular by roles he never performed.

Lewis recounted being in “My Fair Lady” as a member of the

quartet during the song “Oh Wouldn’t it be Loverly,” which is traditionally sung by the female lead, Eliza Doolittle.

He said that he had always wanted to sing that song, so he was excited that was able to finally put his own spin on it in concerts like this.

Lewis showed his more playful side with his rendition of “Before the Parade Passes By” from “Hello Dolly!”

This song was important to him

because it landed him a role in a show.

However, he noted that it was a risky choice to perform it in an audition while he was still a novice on the Broadway scene.

Lewis was recently in a revival of George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” with Audra McDonald.

He recalled that during this process some people, including composer Stephen Sondheim, did not like the way the revival made the

classic songs more modern and experimental.

Lewis expertly combined both operatic and belting styles as he sang one of the show’s most popular songs, “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin,” alternating between the two vocal styles for the verses.

Lewis is most well known for his powerful roles as Javert in “Les Misérables” and the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Both were dream roles for him and he showed sincere gratitude for having performed both during his career.

Lewis showed Javert’s resolve and passion as he sang “Stars,” and gave his own rendition of Jean ValJean’s moving song, “Bring Him Home,” both of which are from the musical “Les Misérables.”

He ended the concert with “Music of the Night” from “The Phantom of the Opera” to a long standing ovation that led into two encores by Lewis.

These songs were the most powerful and beautiful of the night and ended in a standing ovation from the crowd.

His first encore, “No One is Alone,” was dedicated to friend of his who loved “Into the Woods.”

Lewis showed himself to be a down-to-earth person in addition to being a wonderful performer.

He met and took pictures with several excited students after the concert and easily charmed the audience with his humility and humor.

CIVIC ORCHESTRA CONCERT REVIEW

Concert was out of this world

By Bernard Garwig

Sports editor

Prior to this Sunday, I had never been to an orchestral concert outside of a field trip in elementary school.

On Nov. 4, I attended the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra’s first concert of the semester, which was rescheduled from the previous Sunday due to the water main break.

It featured Jean Sibelius’s Finlandia, Op. 26, Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 1 and Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Op. 32, an ambitious program for the orchestra to perform.

For some context, the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra is a group made up of community members, professional musicians and Mercyhurst students.

Under the direction of Professor Jonathan Moser, the orchestra is in its second year as a more community-focused group.

Many of the Mercyhurst students who perform in this ensem-

ble are majors, but the group is open to nonmajors and members of the wider Erie community as well.

The concert began with Finlandia, a piece by Finnish composer Sibelius.

The piece was described by Moser as the honorary national anthem of Finland, similar to the way “America the Beautiful” is viewed by Americans.

The strings were quite prominent throughout the work, with strong chords and sweeping melodies.

The Erie Junior Philharmonic joined the Civic Orchestra to perform the piece, which may have been why it sounded the fullest of the pieces.

The second piece on the first half of the program featured D’Angelo School of Music department chair Nathan Hess, D.M.A., as the soloist for Grieg’s Piano Concerto.

Grieg is perhaps best known today for his “Peer Gynt Suite,” which includes the iconic “Morn-

ing Mood” and “In the Hall of the Mountain King.”

I was familiar with the piece concerto, or at least the first movement, which is often classified as a pops series piece.

A three movement work, the concerto took up the remainder of the first half of the concert before the intermission.

This part of the concert was quite engaging, with Hess’s performance complementing the orchestra.

We were told by Moser at the start of the piece that the G major chord would signify the end of the concerto.

I have perfect pitch, and as a result was listening for the chord to appear.

However, there were many points at which Hess, or rather, Grieg, teased the ending, only to sweep into another dramatic chord.

That is how the piece is constructed, but I did eventually hear the G chord near the end.

After the orchestra finished, the intermission period began.

At this point, the concert wasn’t even an hour in.

After the intermission was the piece I was really looking forward to hearing.

I had been drawn to this concert after learning that the orchestra was going to play Holst’s “The Planets.”

As a brass player, I am quite familiar with “The Planets,” and I was interested in hearing a live performance of it.

As someone who was a big fan of John Williams, I gained an appreciation for Holst after realizing how much Williams was inspired by this landmark work when creating his score for Star Wars Just listen to the “Mars” movement in particular and compare it to the opening scene score of the original “Star Wars.”

From the foreboding, percussive strings in the beginning to the sirenlike calls of the choir at the end, “The Planets” stretched almost an hour in length.

The chorus was directed by Thomas Brooks and was com-

posed of the women in the Mercyhurst Concert Choir.

This piece was a chance for the percussion to be featured more prominently in the concert after two wind and strings heavy pieces, and there were some great moments for timpani and snare throughout the work.

While there definitely isn’t flyover territory within Holst’s work, it is hard to argue that “Mars” and “Jupiter” are not the clear standouts of the seven movement work.

I will say that I do like the depth and texture of “Uranus” and “Saturn.”

By the time “The Planets” wrapped up, two hours had passed from the start of the concert.

Two hours for a classical concert may seem like a bit too much of a time commitment, but there are many worse ways to spend that time.

The next concert the orchestra will be performing will be a Christmas concert on Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. This is a concert that I won’t be missing.

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD There is only around a month’s worth of classes left!

Lumen a valuable experience for all

By Anthony

Miller

Opinion Editor

BAD We’re going to start getting snow either this week or next.

INTERESTING There was a power outage for a short time on Monday.

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.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

The Lumen is Mercyhurst University’s student arts magazine.

It is an annual magazine, with only a single edition coming out early every year.

Right now, the Lumen is in the phase of accepting applications for art to put into the next edition.

As someone who worked on the Lumen last year, I can say that it is an incredible good for campus.

A large part of this comes down to the fact that the Lumen is a mostly student-run project.

Everything from the art contained in the Lumen to the design of the book itself is done by students.

Students vote on which work goes where in the final magazine, students do most of the editing and so on.

While Mercyhurst’s faculty and staff still play a strong role in making the Lumen a reality, it is undeniably the sum product of talented and motivated students coming together to make something special.

This, as you would expect, makes the Lumen a great place for students to express themselves and put their art out there.

This goes for all students, even those who have never published their work before.

So, with all that preamble out of the way, I think its time to discuss why I think all students who are able should submit their work to the Lumen.

For one, it is a great growing experience.

For most of us, it will be the first time that we have submitted something of our own to a magazine.

It will be, for some, the first time they have had to actively communicate and work with an editor in order to make their product better.

For those editing the Lumen, it will likely be their first time that they get professional editing experience that will help them score internships and jobs down the line.

Basically, every part of the process of interacting with the Lumen helps you grow, both as an artist and as a person.

The next reason you should submit is that it allows you to get feedback on your work.

We live in a world where it is easy, even encouraged, to never show your work to anybody.

But if you never show your work to others for feedback, you will never improve.

While you can be a good critic of your own work, you will always miss things.

When you’re in the thick of writing something, the flaws of what you are creating aren’t going to be apparent.

Someone else independent of yourself has the vantage point from which to see these flaws.

Because they will spot these flaws, you’ll be able to correct them, creating a stronger work in the end.

There are countless little things about your own writing that you never realize until someone points them out to you.

You’ll grow to realize all the little ticks and phrases that you use to the point of annoyance in your work.

This feedback can help you grow as both an artist, and as an individual.

The final reason why you should submit to the Lumen is that it helps you build connections here on campus.

By submitting to the Lumen, and by working with the editors of your work, you get to know other students and staff.

I know that by working with the Lumen, I’ve come to know many of my fellow classmates better.

There are also some worries I’ve heard from students about submitting to the Lumen.

Many people are afraid of putting their own work out there.

I understand that putting your own work out there can be a scary experience.

Many of us are used to working and creating in isolation, keeping our creations to ourselves.

Showing them to other people opens up the terrifying possibility of rejection.

What if you submit your work to be judged by other people, and people don’t like what you’ve made?

But I believe that the fear of rejection goes deeper than that, at least for me.

Art is something deeply, intractably, personal.

It’s a part of yourself that you have removed from your being, and have committed to the page.

As a result, rejection of your art can feel like a rejection of yourself.

To be honest, it’s that fear from the possibility of rejection that

has kept me from submitting to the Lumen until this year, despite the fact that I’ve always wanted to submit something.

Of course, this fear is ultimately a little silly, when you actually sit back and think about it.

Rejection of your art is not rejection of yourself.

People can dislike what you’ve written and still like you.

It can be sometimes difficult to see that through the weeds, but it’s true.

The second big worry that I often come across is that it will take too long to create something.

Truth is, once you get into creating art, things go by rather quickly.

Plenty of good things have been written quickly.

Not everything good has been written over the course of 30 or so years, especially when it comes to first works.

In fact, most first works are written just like a submission to the Lumen, quickly and passionately.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t take your time when writing.

But what I am saying is that the nine or so days between the publication of this article and the deadline for submissions to the Lumen is more than enough time to write something you can be proud of.

Want some undeniable proof of that?

Ray Bradbury wrote the first draft of his classic novel, “Fahrenheit 451,” over the course of around nine days.

And I can guarantee that that draft was much longer than anything that will be submitted to the Lumen this year.

Don’t be afraid of rejection, or of not having spent enough time on your creation.

If you write and complete something, then you will have still created something.

And that is more than many people are able to say.

In all, I think that every student who is able should submit to the Lumen.

It’s a great experience for everyone involved.

It helps builds connections between the student body, and helps participants grow as both artists and people.

While there are undoubtedly reasons to be nervous about submitting to the Lumen, those fears should not hold you back from expressing yourself in the form of art.

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, November 7, 2018

OPINION

My experience with scheduling

By Samuel Peterson Staff writer

Scheduling is a time of the year that students anticipate and fear with equal measure.

My scheduling experience this semester was a tense one, and I think it reflects some of the issues that students have with the current scheduling system.

I walked briskly out of my Accounting course the moment it ended.

Glancing down at my watch, I read with dread that it was 8:55 a.m.

I still had 11 whole minutes before my registration time at 9:06 a.m.

As I strode toward the nearest lounge with my trusty laptop, my head spun with suffocating thoughts.

What if the classes I planned were actually at Mercyhurst North East, and I just hadn’t noticed when signing up?

What if I needed a hidden prerequisite class?

What if students randomly decided to switch to the six available seats in the specific class I want?

I knew, deep down, that these thoughts were silly.

The odds of six students joining the class I wanted to take at the same time was incredibly unlikely.

But still, I was incredibly worried despite that.

I slammed my coffee down

next to the available couch in the lounge and whipped open my laptop.

As it booted up, I had one final thought: “What if my schedule is too demanding?”

My meticulously built schedule suddenly seemed ripe with many flaws.

What would I do in the massive four-hour gap between my classes?

Would I really end up having to drive home two whole times in one day?

For perspective, the trip takes me 20 entire minutes as a commuter.

Going back and forth twice every day would total up to 80 minutes of travel time in a single day.

And if I start at 8 AM every day, I’ll perpetually have to get up extremely early and be tired while also supporting work, a social life and homework.

With my mind suddenly changing its view to create a brighter future, I made last-minute major changes to my schedule.

There were mere minutes left as I added my last new section, when suddenly Self Service communicated to me there was an error.

My heart jumped as I thought to myself, terrified, “Why now?”

However, I didn’t let this menial, insignificant error hamper me.

With the clock ticking, I reset the service and got the same error.

My mind was racing again.

Is this going to keep happening?

What if this error was happening to everyone else?

If it is happening to everyone else, then what is it that I should do?

I determined that there wasn’t time to ask the registrar.

Sweating bullets, I made the incredibly difficult and costly decision to restart my trusty laptop.

It booted back up instantly with no problems, to my great relief.

I quickly navigated back to Self Service.

The time read 9:05 a.m., and I gulped heavily as the page slowly loaded.

A sigh of relief escaped my mouth as I saw all the changes I made were still intact, and confidently refreshed my page to register.

I was left with a schedule that fit my commuter availability, while still keeping 18 credits.

However, registering for classes remains stressful, and the strange error still exists.

Overall, my biggest issue with registering was the error.

I think that registering for classes is such an important time for students that there shouldn’t be any errors like this.

Anything, even a small error like this, can be the difference between a student getting the class they want, and having to rethink their entire schedule.

Overall, scheduling was an interesting experience, but it has its flaws.

PAGE 13

HURST STUDENTS

SPEAK UP We asked: How did class registration go?

Catherine Messina, junior English major: “My class registration went really smoothly. I got all the classes I wanted.

All I had to do was press a button!”

Nate Myers, junior Childhood Education Special Education major: “I think that overall, class registration went well for me.”

Alexandra Edmonds, junior English major: “It went well, got all of my classes! In the past few years, it’s been hard to get into my classes.”

Dominique Edmonds, sophomore English major: “My scheduling went surprisingly well. I managed to snag all of the classes I wanted.”

Compiled by Anthony Miller

Freshman student gives her thoughts on her first semester midterm exams

By Gillian

Mazur

Staff writer

As a freshman, I recently got to experience my first encounter with college midterms.

My midterm exam took place in and throughout the middle of October.

Unlike finals week, when one takes their midterms all depends on the individual classes in question.

Some classes have midterms at the beginning of October, and others wait all the way until November to drop the exams.

There are perhaps only two other major events in any semester that students of Mercyhurst dread more than midterms.

Those events are finals week

and registration day.

Out of the six courses that I am taking this year, I only had to take one midterm.

That midterm was for my Energy and Environmental Justice class.

The midterm was not exceedingly arduous, but it was challenging enough that my peers and I really had to study in order to be successful.

I took this difficult midterm on Oct. 16.

About a week before fall break, my classmates and I all received study guides for the midterm.

This hefty study guide included 116 questions in total.

Instead of going home for fall break, I opted to stay on campus.

At the time I felt that I could get more work accomplished at Mercyhurst as opposed to at home.

During fall break, another girl

in my class and I got together and filled out most of the study guide.

It took the two of us quite a long time to do, which isn’t surprising considering the number of questions on the guide.

Along the way, we quizzed each other and I made the study guide into a Quizlet.

Quizlet, for those who don’t know, is an online tool that lets you create your own flashcards and quizzes.

After creating the Quizlet, I studied every morning at breakfast on my phone for 10 minutes with 10 to 12 cards at a time up until the day of the midterm.

This, as you imagine, took a lot of time out my morning, but I felt that the gains outweighed the costs.

I elected to share my Quizlet with my classmates so they could study using the tool as well.

Four of my classmates and I also formed a study group, which I felt was key to our success with the midterm.

We met on the Sunday before the exam in order to cram before the big test.

Although I only had to take one midterm, it taught me a lot about how midterms work at Mercyhurst.

One lesson I learned this year is to not under any circumstances put off studying.

I believe that my studying daily in short increments was incredibly beneficial in my success with this difficult midterm.

I was able to finish the 50 question test in around 20 minutes.

Additionally, I learned that study groups are very helpful in cementing what you know.

This is because if you can

explain information and teach others, then it helps you to comprehend and really nail down the material.

I can safely say that my dedication to the study group helped me do well on this midterm.

Lastly, I learned that although midterms and grades are important, one’s health is more important.

This includes physical, mental and emotional health.

If one’s health is not a top priority during this time of year, then the success rate of that individual will drop incredibly fast.

Studying will become twice as ineffective because of one’s inability to focus and comprehend ideas and concepts.

As a freshman, my experience taking this year’s midterm exams was not quite terrible by any means.

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

XC battles mud at PSACs

By Lauren Abbott Editor-in-Chief

On Nov. 3, both the men and women’s cross country teams participated in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championships.

The event was hosted at Edinboro University.

The Mercyhurst women placed ninth out of 17 teams at the championships.

“If one word was to describe the championships, it would be muddy,” Molly Kennedy, a junior on the women’s cross country team said.

Despite the mud, Kennedy led the Mercyhurst women, crossing the finish line in 20th at 24:52. Following her was Rebecca King in 26th at 25:12.

Senior Chloe Tyillian came in 43rd with a time of 25:58, followed by senior Anna Warner in 63rd with a time of 26:32.

Rounding out the top seven were freshman Margaret Sutherland in 71st at 26:50, junior Claire Miller in 73rd at 26:53 and

sophomore Henley Spracklen in 97th with a time of 27:51.

Kennedy and King also earned All-PSAC Second Team honors.

Even though the weeklong rain had made the course more than a little muddy, the Lakers were up for the challenge.

“The conditions for the race were the worst I have ever experienced. However, we were able to finish ninth as a team, which was a goal from the start of the season,” Kennedy said.

With a top 10 finish at the championships, the women round out their season on a high note.

“This year’s PSAC Conference was a test of endurance and determination, and I think we stepped up to the challenge,” Kennedy said.

Alongside the women, the Mercyhurst men’s cross country team also competed, placing 14th out of 15 teams at the championships.

“Although there was a ton of mud and terrible conditions, we managed to come in

“

This year’s PSAC Conference was a test of endurance and determination, and I think we stepped up to the challenge.”

Molly Kennedy, junior, women’s cross country

14th place and beat our pre-season ranking, given to us by the PSAC,” sophomore Maxx Palisin said.

Freshman Benjamin Barnes led the Mercyhurst men, coming in 29th at 28:22.

Barnes also earned a spot on the All-PSAC Second Team.

Following Barnes for the Mercyhurst men was senior Danny Dmuchowski in 64th place at 29:36. They were followed

by Palisin in 87th at 31:19, freshman Col-

in Dunn in 90th at 31:34 and sophomore Dylan Bemiss in 97th at 32:19.

Rounding out the top seven were freshman Dennis Whalen coming in at 99th at 34:07 and freshman Alex Schick at 102nd in 35:18.

“The season overall was pretty good. We had a few minor road bumps along the way, but we have worked hard all semester long and are ready to finish out the year with one more race on November 17,” Palisin said.

As the season wraps up, cross country returners are already looking toward next year’s season.

“Next year, I am looking forward to the same family bond we have now, and hopefully all of us can work together to push ourselves to be the best we can be,” Palisin said.

While the PSAC championships wraps up the regular cross country season for the teams, there is still the NCAA regional championships and qualifiers on Nov. 17 at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh.

MU women’s basketball HURST RESULTS to build on past season

By Marco Cicchino Staff writer

When Natalie Piaggesi and Angela Heintz received their Mercyhurst diplomas in May 2017, the rest of the PSAC immediately took notice.

With the two most prolific players in program history moving on from the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, the media were not kind to the returning players.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, they lost 12 of 17 after the new year to finish 10-18 overall and 8-14 in conference play.

This year, however, they come into the season seventh in the poll, exacting their finish from last season and just two games out of the final playoff spot in the West.

Returning all five starters from 2017, this team is young and optimistic to build off last season and turn it around.

“I would say that last year overall was a learning year, so last year we didn’t have much experience (and) thus it was hard to compete at (that) level due to the fact that we were competing against teams who had the players that had experience,” junior Amber Renz said. “We definitely have the talent. It’s just a different pace from high school to college, so I definitely think just we take it how it is and improve the next following years.”

Edinboro University — despite the retirement of longtime head coach Stan Swank and new alma-mater coach Callie Wheeler — begins their PSAC title defense on top of the West preseason poll.

On the Meryhurst team, the loss of Piaggesi and Heintz, along with Defensive Player of the Year Alex Artise, was apparent from the very beginning in 2017, as the team fell by 21 to West Liberty in the PSAC/Mountain East Challenge in the second game of the season before reaching a season-high one game under .500 on Dec. 3 in Mansfield and again Dec. 18 in Wheeling.

But after a contest with Shippensburg on

Dec. 30 was postponed, Renz fell victim to an ankle injury after averaging 17.8 points per game before the new year.

Looking to improve on their 5-7 record, the Lakers were promptly demolished by 51

by IUP at the Kovalchick Complex on Jan. 8.

The game marked IUP coach Tom McConnell’s 100th career victory with the then-No. 3 Crimson Hawks and the Lakers’ largest margin of defeat since a 53-point loss at Kovalchick in January 2013.

The Lakers rebounded to finish January at 9-12 and 6-10 in the conference to remain within striking distance of a playoff spot after upsetting No. 14 Cal on Jan. 20 and the sixth-ranked Hawks.

That Jan. 27 game in Erie ended on a three-pointer by Emily Shopene with 24 seconds left in regulation, sending the Mercyhurst Athletic Center into pandemonium after a roller-coaster second half.

By the beginning of February, the Lakers were just a half-game behind Slippery Rock for the sixth spot in the West going into a crucial contest with Slippery Rock on Feb. 7 There was “a huge difference, they were just really hooked up, playing very well especially on the defensive end,” McConnell said.

“They made us work for everything we got tonight, and every shot was challenged. I give them a lot of credit.”

But Renz, who had been injured, was missed too much by Deanna Richard’s squad, as they lost their first five games in February, each of the first four by less than 10 points.

They were mathematically eliminated in the final game of that losing streak, a 16-point loss on Feb. 17 in the second Pride of Erie Game that allowed Gannon to clinch a playoff spot and lock Slippery Rock into the sixseed.

But all was not lost for the Lakers last season.

They managed to finish third in the PSAC with a 34.6 percent clip from downtown and fifth at 42.3 percent overall while finishing

third with a +3 rebounding margin.

Renz and Maria Lapertosa both finished with 12.8 points per game despite Lapertosa playing in just 21 contests.

Emilee Norris, one of two Lakers to start every game last year, was seventh in the West with 7.1 rebounds per game and fourth in the PSAC with 1.7 blocks, including a season-high five on Feb. 10 against Seton Hill and four other games with four.

Lapertosa led the team in scoring while finishing 10th in the West in free-throw percentage (.784) and seventh in the division in three-point makes per games (1.8).

Furthermore, Shopene was immediately thrust into Richard’s system in lieu of Heintz after a 20-4 senior season at Mercyhurst Prep and a trip to the District 10 title game and immediately made an impact, starting all 28 contests last year and finishing seventh in the PSAC and fourth in the West with 3.6 assists per game — a mark that ranked seventh nationally among freshmen — and 10th with a 1.3 assist/turnover ratio while playing the second-most minutes of any player in the West at 34.7.

Renz personally believes Shopene vastly improved during the season and expects her to be a major cog in Richard’s system.

Meanwhile, fellow sophomore Eliza Oswalt contributed nicely off the bench as a freshman, recording 8.1 points per game in 14 contests, including a season-high 22 on Feb. 21 against Pitt-Johnstown.

Looking ahead to this season for the Lakers, six players start the year injured, including two incoming freshmen — Emily Bauer and Alyssa Eyth.

Meanwhile, Mercyhurst’s Abbey Larkin was selected to play in April’s 6A Roundball Classic in Beaver Falls, while Nicolete Newman won state titles in 2014 and 2016 before averaging 3 and 5.6 points per game in her first two years at Cleveland State before transferring to Robert Morris but did not play last season.

Nov. 3: Football vs. Clarion University: 14-7, Lakers (4-6) Nov. 2-3: Men’s ice hockey vs. Rochester Institute of Technology: 4-3, Lakers, 2-2 tie (2-5-2) Nov. 3-4: Women’s ice hockey vs.

Lindenwood University: 1-4, Lindenwood and 5-0, Lakers (6-6) Poll: Men’s basketball fourth in PSAC

SPORTS

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Men’s water polo finishes

PAGE 15

MU SPORTS SNAP

By Bernard Garwig

Sports editor

The Mercyhurst men’s water polo team lost to Gannon University in the third place game at the Collegiate Water Polo Association Championships.

The Lakers fell 4-14 in the consolation game of the tournament, held at Cathedral Prep in Erie.

“It is always a great atmosphere playing against Gannon,” senior Philip Jenny said. “No matter the location, we always have a good crowd behind us and so do they.

It really helps to bring a lot of energy in the atmosphere.”

While the Lakers won the first game of the tournament against Connecticut College (13-7), they lost 12-13 to Salem University in a close series that put them out of contention for the top spot.

“The season went pretty well, I had high hopes coming into the season but unfortunately we didn’t make it as far as I would have hoped,” Jenny said. “Which is to Easterns, the next conference championship. We have made it all of my last three years besides this one, that is due to the competition in our conference progressively becoming more competitive since I have gotten here.”

Overall, the Lakers finished 1311 on the season and 4-2 in the Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference.

“My favorite part of this season would have to be playing with eight of the 10 seniors I started with at Mercyhurst,” Jenny said. “It is really phenomenal to have nine of us stay the entire four years. It has been quite a run with all of them the past four years. I also loved being able to travel to two new pools and cities this past season. It has always been my favorite part of college athletics to travel to new cities with teammates.”

Editor-in-Chief Lauren Abbott contributed to this report

Like sports?

How about writing?

Maybe you should write for the Sports section!

Join us at our reporters’ meetings Mondays at 7 p.m. in Hirt 305, or email sportsmerciad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Amelia Kanonczyk photo

The women’s rowing team races in a four-crew boat at the Cornell Autumn Classic, hosted by Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., on Nov. 3.

Volleyball season ends with Boro, SRU

By Josh Slawatycki Contributing writer

While fighting hard to maintain momentum, Mercyhurst’s volleyball team struggled to hold on.

The two contests this past weekend that wrapped up the season both saw the Lakers finish short with 3-2 final scores.

In the last five games of the season, the Lakers were able to pull out one win against Bloomsburg University, with a score of 3-1.

Despite having this win behind them, the final four games proved to be losses for the Lakers.

The Lakers fought fiercely against Gannon University but to no avail, losing 3-0.

Gannon finished as the No. 1 school for the Northwest division in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

“Our last few games were really tough matches. We all really came together and

played our best game,” junior Mary Marusza said. “Even though we lost, I’m really proud of this team and all of our hard work. Our season definitely did not go the way we were expecting, but we are really looking forward to next year. Our record of 10-21 definitely does not accurately depict this team.”

The first of the last games was at Edinboro University, where the Lakers took on the Fighting Scots.

The Scots, who finished the season at 1414, managed to beat the Lakers in the first two sets 25-18 and 25-15.

It was during the third game that the Lakers would turn it around and deliver 25-16 and 27-25 challenges to the Fighting Scots.

The fifth set, though, ended in a 15-11 final for the Fighting Scots, who took the match as a result.

The final game of the season saw the Lakers travel to Slippery Rock University (11-16).

In this contest, it was the Lakers who were

on the cusp of victory after the first two sets of the match.

With 25-16 and 25-17 scores over Slippery Rock, the Lakers led 2-0.

Unfortunately, Slippery Rock came back and delivered back-to-back 25-18 victories over the Lakers, culminating in a 15-9 fifth set to win the match.

To sum up their season, the Lakers fought hard, trained and always maintained a winning spirit.

The Lakers end the season with a final record of 10-21.

“We had a lot of close games that could have gone either way. I think we’re all really motivated to make playoffs next year, and I know we are capable of it,” Marusza said.

“We are all ready to work hard this spring season and do whatever it takes to get better.

We have a strong senior class for next year and a lot of younger talent that will help us a lot next year.”

LET’S GO, LAKERS!

Nov. 9, Mercyhurst Athletic Center @ 7 p.m.: Men’s basketball vs. Fredonia University

Nov. 10-11, Mercyhurst Ice Center @ 6 and 1 p.m.: Women’s ice hockey vs. Cornell University Nov. 10, St. Lawrence University at 7:05 p.m.: Men’s ice hockey vs. St. Lawrence Nov. 11, Tullio Field @ 12 p.m.: Football vs. Millersville University (final game and veterans tribute) Nov. 11, Case Western Reserve University @ 9:30 a.m.: Wrestling @ Ohio Collegiate Open

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by Periwinkle