Sept. 21 Edition of The Merciad by The Merciad

:Features On Page 3:

Arts & Entertainment On Page 5:

Sports On Page 7:

Erie Irish festival

Robin Hasenpflug

Marching band

proves to be

to perform cello

makes marvelous

recital

a grand time

debut

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Mercyhurst university

Est. 1929 Vol. 90 No. 2

Wednesday, septeMber 21, 2016

Students give a ‘thumbs up’ to second annual Hurst Day By Melanie Todd Satff writer

On Monday, Sept. 12, students awoke to the sweet sound of bagpipes indicating Hurst Day. President Michael T. Victor’s email reached inboxes just before 6 a.m. Upperclassmen knew what the day would hold, but freshmen were stepping into new territory. “I knew a little bit about it, but only somewhat, because my ambassador mentioned it when I had my tour,” freshman Brent Pestotnick said. Even then, it was difficult for the incoming freshmen to fathom that there was a day at the university completely dedicated to simply having fun. “I actually slept through it,” Tucker Reddington said. Hurst Day could not have come at a better time for Reddington because he said he was very sick and because it was Hurst Day, he did not have to miss any class work. Unfortunately, he did miss the festivities. Thankfully, he did

Mercyhurst University photo

Senior Trang Nguyen enjoys a wild ride on the mechanical bull during Hurst Day festivities.

Students play a real-life game of “Hungry, Hungry Hippo” on one of many giant inflatables set up across campus.

not spread his germs. “I loved it. I think it’s an amazing idea,” Pestotnick said. Upperclassmen had the pleasure of experiencing the very first Hurst Day last year. No one knew what to expect for the day, but this year they

“I especially loved the one blow-up activity with the spinning middle part that was like Wipe-Out a lot,” Anderson said. Other new activities included a zip line, a money air tunnel with prizes, Hungry, Hungry Hippo and a Candy

hoped it would be just as impressive. “I enjoyed this year better because it seemed that there were more activities and blow-up things,” junior Natalie Anderson said. This year featured new games and activities.

Land booth. Candy Land served over 90 pounds of candy this year. This Hurst Day still featured some returning favorites including bull riding, rock climbing and a blow-up obstacle course. “This year seemed more

interactive,” senior Tyler Ennis said. The scavenger hunt had over 100 teams this year, which is almost double the number of teams as last year. “The scavenger hunt was less historical this year. Some of the questions were just a picture and your team had to go there,” senior Cailey DeWaine said. Last year’s Hurst Day was on Oct. 7, so students were surprised to have it in September. “I think having it when it was ok, but it was a little early,” said Anderson. “I would have preferred it maybe if it were a little colder outside, like maybe a few weeks later.” Classes have just begun, so many did not need the surprise break from classes so early. However, students are rarely disappointed when classes are canceled, especially when they are replaced with Hurst Day.

@TheMerciad

AIM continues to exceed expectations By Phoebe Nguyen Staff writer

The Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) has made some positive changes for the year. According to AIM Director Brad McGarry, there are 56 students enrolled in the program this year. With drastic growth over a short amount of time, the visibility of the program has increased across campus. The program has been evolving since it began in 2009. The board has hired fifth and sixth positions for the program, including Holly Deitrick as the AIM Administrative Assistant and Marcia Anderson as the AIM Support Coordinator. “Our biggest objective is to continue to offer an innovative, effective and world renowned program. We will continue to build collaborations to enhance access to vocational training and meaningful employment for AIM students,” McGarry said.

Merciad Index

In addition, the AIM program has transitioned staff positions into a pillar structure, which assists the staff in serving students in their areas of expertise such as Career Path, Academic Support and AIM Housing Coordinators.

“

Our biggest objective is to continue to offer an innovative, effective and world-renowned program.

”

- Brad McGarry Not only does the AIM program hire new faculty, but they also actively recruit for the Peer Mentor Program. Students from all majors are eligible to apply for a position, where they will help the students on the Autism Spectrum balance the social, emotional and academic struggles of college life. Volunteering for the AIM

Chart Title

Trang Nguyen photo

AIM Director Brad McGarry, above, and the rest of the AIM staff are working to match student mentors with their peers in the AIM program.

program, which is one of the top programs in the country, brings credibility and opportunity to students’ resumes in any field.

“We need 45 to 60 mentors. We have already had our initial informational meeting, and as we identify mentors, we assign them to students,” McGarry

said. For more information about the AIM or PMP programs, visit the offices 301307 in Egan Hall, or call the

Online Poll Results

How excited is everyone for Mass of the Holy Spirit?

News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living

1-2 3-4 5 6 7 8

Yes! I love Mass! (27%) No morning classes? (22%) I’m not religious (31%) Catching up on homework (20%)

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: 1

How pumped are you for fall? merciad.mercyhurst.edu

AIM office at 814-824-2319 and ask for an application and interview. @TheMerciad

September 21, 2016

The Merciad

Page 2

News

Lakers prepare to take the Plunge By Cailey Dewaine Contributing writer

Get your winter swimsuits ready because the Polar Plunge returns to Erie on Nov. 12. The Polar Plunge raises money for local Special Olympics participants to train and compete at the international level. The funds are raised by individuals pledging to jump in the frigid Lake Erie, and others sponsoring the “plunger.” Mercyhurst University competed last year, and many students plunged into the lake in late November. Last year, Mercyhurst was the top college in the region, but competition is tougher than ever now that other local colleges such as Gannon University, Penn State Behrend and Edinboro University are competing and have already stated “Mercyhurst is going down.” This year’s goal is for the school to raise $5,000, and have 100 Mercyhurst students, staff and faculty members participate in the plunge. Steven Martz, junior Hospitality Major, participated in the event last year. “I think it’s an interesting fundraiser because it’s not a bake sale, but it’s something you do as a team. It’s completely different than anything

Contributed photo

Members of last year’s Mercyhurst Student Government Polar Plunge team bear their claws for the frigid water to raise money for the Special Olympics.

that’s done,” he said. Mercyhurst Student Government encourages students to create a team for others to join, as internal Mercyhurst teams are competing against

one another to see who can raise the most money for the cause. The internal winning team is awarded prizes from MSG. Additionally, the individ-

ual plunger who raises the most money for the cause is awarded with the “Plunger of the Year Award,” which is then displayed on the Polar Plunge plaque in the Student

Union Great Room. It is important to note that while teams from Mercyhurst compete against one another internally, on the day of the plunge, the teams go out and

plunge as one Mercyhurst family. “It was really fun last year doing the Plunge with MSG. It’s just fun to do with friends, and not many people jump in freezing water together,” Martz said. Polar Plunge T-shirts will be distributed to participating students so that all contestants can be uniform and emphasize collaboration and school spirit. For those looking to jump in, but concerned about the cold water, Martz gives comforting advice. “Don’t be nervous. It’s really fun. You get all hyped up so you don’t notice the cold,” said Martz. “Most jump right out and wrap up in a towel, so it’s not bad.” The contacts for any Polar Plunge related questions or comments are Sam Lioi (msgvp@mercyhurst.edu) and Lindsey Rowe (lrowe87@ lakers.mercyhurst.edu), who both plunged last year as well. “It puts the ice bucket challenge to shame,” Lioi said. Rowe called her experience last year “incredible” and said she believes “the best part was that Mercyhurst stepped up and raised the most money of all the colleges in the Erie area.” To register, visit plungepa. org.

Hurst Crime Log Incident

Date

Location

Theft

Sept. 4

Lacrosse Locker Room

Criminal mischief

Sept. 8

Lot 8

Liquor law

Sept. 9

Lewis Ave.

Criminal mischief

Sept. 12

742 E. 40th

Controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, liquor law

Sept. 17

McAuley Hall

Liquor law

Sept. 18

Warde Hall

Liquor law

Sept. 18

Lewis Ave.

Public drunkenness

Sept. 18

745 E. 40th

September 21, 2016

Page 3

The Merciad

Features

Little piece of Irish heritage in Erie

Amber Matha photo

One of the bands of the day playing on the stage that Mercyhurst University sponsored.

By Amber Matha Opinion Editor

On Sept. 18, the neighborhood around Fourth and French streets finished a weekend- long event celebrating Irish heritage. Despite the weather, thousands of people turned up to drink and eat Irish food and to celebrate all things Ireland. The event took place right outside St. Patrick’s Church and spanned the whole block with vendors and food tents.

The main stage at the event was sponsored by Mercyhurst University and had Celtic bands such as Corned Beef and Curry and The Bangerzz. Gary Johnson and his wife ,Becky, were the chair people for the event. They were very pleased with how the event turned out. Although only a quarter Irish himself, Gary loves what being Irish means to the community. “We brought this festival back to this neighborhood three years ago,” said Gary. “Since 1837 this has been the

Amber Matha photo

Cheyanne Crum photo

“St. Patrick pictured with the St. Patrick Parish bell outside of St. Patrick’s Church on Fourth and French streets.

One of the food options at the Irish Festival: Shephard’s pie. There was also Irish stew, and homemade soda bread.

Irish neighborhood in Erie.” Before three years ago the Irish Festival had been held at Rainbow Gardens at Waldameer Park. “It means so much to us to be back in this traditional Irish neighborhood with this Irish Festival, and a lot of the people here are full Irish and really enjoy being down here,” Gary said. Johnson said that in the past couple of years the event has brought in upwards of 7,000 patrons. With the heavy rain on Sept. 17, people were stuck

Irish food that was served. “I had the Irish stew with soda bread,” said Rachel Dunmire, junior Athletic Training major. “I have never had authentic Irish food before and the acoustic entertainment during the meal just set the mood.” Students with Irish heritage were happy to see a piece of home away from the homeland. “I like being Irish because they have a friendly culture, like to have a good time and the history of Ireland and Irish

at the festival and instead of running to their cars, stayed to drink and eat while the rain came down. This family atmosphere is what brings families back to the festival year after year. “All of the other festivals have great food, great music and great camaraderie but everyone loves Irish food, and everyone loves Irish music,” Gary said. “That is what makes this festival so great.” Mercyhurst students who attended the festival were surprised with the traditional

culture is so interesting,” said Nora Wagner, junior Environmental Science major. “St. Patrick” made a guest appearance at the event. He was a very cheerful man, and he was willing to talk about how much he loves his culture. “You see everyone getting to know each other a little better. There is a lot of smiles and there is great music. That is why I love being Irish,” St. Patrick said. @ambermatha

Third annual trauma conference at Edinboro By Kristian Biega Contributing writer

The number of children in the world today that have suffered a traumatic incident is on the rise. People do not realize how close these issues truly are to the communities across America. It is for this reason that the Crawford and Erie County Human Services along with Edinboro University and Peace4Crawford began working together to educate members of the community. Monday, Sept. 26, will mark the Third Annual Trauma Informed & Resilient Communities Conference. This year’s conference will be held at Edinboro University. The goal of the conference is to raise awareness and education for members of northwestern Pennsylvania communities about projects and advocacies for victims

Contributed photo

One of the panels of personnel that train the communities on understanding trauma from last year’s conference.

of trauma. This year’s title is “Building and Sustaining Trauma Informed Communities.” It will feature Matthew Sandusky, founder and executive director of peaceful hearts foundation, as its keynote speaker. Sandusky is the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky as he speaks on his own childhood trauma. The day will also include

Tonier Cain discussing her experience of addiction, incarcerations and 20 years of being homeless at last year’s conference.

childhood trauma and risks such as mental illness, addiction, criminal justice involvement and even physical health. “The study in California was performed over the course of two years on adults who filled out confidential surveys on their childhood experiences during routine physicals,” Joe Barnhart, program manager for Crawford County Human Services, said.

The ACES test is made up of 10 questions that deal with topics such as parents’ divorce, abuse and incarcerated family members. Scores of four or more “yes’s” indicate high risk for problems later in life. “These tests and data are what got our interest, because it affects social services and the whole community,” said Barnhart. “This gave us a way to identify trauma, now we

Creative Corner

By Anonymous

The fire was intense. It stung my eyes and singed my hair. I thought I was going to die, locked in a school I never wanted to be a part of, but will make me a part of it forever. I can feel the flames creeping up my legs, burning, melting, killing. My feet, my ugly broken dancer’s feet, black, gone. My hands touch a wall. My hands will never play piano or paint again. I was gone. Then, I wasn’t. Something heavy was thrown on me. I was grabbed. A mask, hands, there was a stomping of boots. I passed out as blurry flames danced in front of me. “Will she be OK?” “… Severely burned, lucky to be..”

many breakout sessions and lectures from members of the Crawford County area as well as professors, project directors and mental health specialists to lead discussion on the topics at hand. A few years ago, Crawford County became aware of the Adverse Childhood Experience Study (ACES), which began in California. ACES shows a correlation between

Contributed photo

need to educate communities and professionals, so that they understand how someone has been affected by trauma and how to understand their secondary trauma.” As much as Barnhart and his team want the conference to be successful, the venue has posed a few problems. Edinboro University can only accommodate about 300 people, making it difficult to have everyone necessary in attendance. After just a few hours, all available reservations were full and the conference was effectively “sold out.” While a problem for this year’s conference, this is a successful step for the program because it shows an increase in interest and willingness to be informed about childhood trauma. “I hope the program will continue to grow, but as it does, they will have to move it to another location in the future,” Barnhart said.

Red, white and blue flames dance with the orange to the sound of mechanical screams. I’m laying down, floating, stinging, still burning. My eyes open. Two people leaning over me. Masks on, mask on me. Breathing ragged. “She’s awake! Hit the gas, gotta get there before she starts feeling this!” Pounding, more screams, my own. Muscles stiff and sluggish. So much burning. No more dancing. Time passed, screams stopped. Pain receded, still burning. “Sweetie, I’m Doctor Hopkins, I’m going to take care of you. Don’t try to speak. There’s going to be a lot more pain before it

gets better, but you have to trust me. Blink once if you understand.” I blinked. “Get her to the ICU, don’t try to take her clothes off unless they are still loose from the skin. I’ll be up in one minute.” I want to thank him, I want my mom. The nurse took my shirt and bra off easily, only getting stuck on my hands. My shoes were gone. My pants were stuck, she tried not to show her distress. My stomach was black with soot, red with melted skin, Dr. Hopkins arrived. “Remember what I said, this is going to hurt but we have to clean your burns. This is only water.” They left my jeans on. The water hit my skin, cool and comforting before turning into sharp,

clear bullets slicing my skin. I ground my teeth until I couldn’t. Screams and bullets and steam filled the air. Screams and bullets. Screams. I open my eyes, disoriented, I didn’t see my lime green wall, an off white one with windows in its place. My photo wall and old ballet shoes were also nowhere in sight. I feel exhausted, but as I close my eyes to sleep, the door opens. “Officer, I know you have questions for her, but she is barely four hours out of a horrible experience and needs all the rest she can get if she’s to heal properly.” “Doctor, may I remind you someone burned down the

school? We need answers and she is a witness.” “She can’t even speak!” Two voices, one was familiar, the one addressed as Doctor. I’m in the hospital. I was in the school when it caught on fire. I was on fire. Images rush, the flames, the bath, screams. The doctor talking to me. I’m alive. “I want to talk,” a gravelly voice said, was that me? Both men look up, as if just seeing I’m awake. The doctor looks concerned. The policeman looked pleased, thin and bony, showing a pointy-toothed grin. He gestured into the hall. A short chubby man with a kind face appeared in the door, he smiled in a sympathetic way.

“Well, first things first,” the doctor began. “What is your name? I’m going to contact your parents, I bet they are worried sick.” “Kristen Piper” I rasped. “My mom is Maddison Piper,” I gave him her cell phone number. “If I can’t get in touch with her, is your father available to call?” I shook my head no. “OK, if you need anything, press the call button.” I was left with the scary man and his sweet counterpart. **************************** If you have anything you would like to have published, please submit it to: featuremerciad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Page 4

September 21, 2016

The Merciad

Features

College suicide: Exploring faith in a post-9/11 world Help is out there By Alexandria Albano Staff writer

By Carlena Bressanelli Contributing writer

“One conversation can change a life,” is the National Alliance of Mental Illness’ slogan for Suicide Prevention Month. “Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background (and it) is the third leading cause of death among young people and is often the result of mental health conditions that affect people when they are most vulnerable,” according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness. September is Suicide Prevention month. Schools and universities are promoting activities and other opportunities to help educate people about suicide. Mercyhurst’s Counseling Center has a number of licensed and experienced staff who work well with students who may be at risk for suicide. Aside from the counseling staff, they train the RAs and countless faculty members on how to protect students. These skills include, but are not limited to, knowing the signs of depression and suicidal thoughts and who to contact should an emergency arise and how to stay with the student until help arrives. The Counseling Center also has random depression screenings about twice a year. No one is forced to take it, but they do approach students in the cafeteria. It usually takes five minutes to complete a screening, which is then read by a counselor in a separate location. At the end of these screenings, the counselor scores it and will share the results with the student. From there, depending if the score was too high, the staff offers appointments and some material on depression that is always available at the counseling center. The staff will follow up by phone to any student who scored high or who was not in the “normal range.” The staff looks at times of the season where students might be most susceptible. Mercyhurst has an on-call system, so there is always a

counselor on campus evenings and weekends, except during holidays. Each counselor at the Counseling Center is on-call about one week out of each month and will be available during the evening hours and weekends if residence life or police and safety call them. They will talk to the student or faculty member by phone, go to campus, or even to the hospital if necessary. They will discuss any issues like harming themselves or others, a loss of a family member, a case of sexual assault, dating violence and other crisis situations. No one really wants to talk about the dark thoughts they sometimes have because they may feel embarrassed. No matter what the thoughts are about, you should not feel alone. “Most students that are thinking of suicide are not thinking of it because death is what they crave; most see it as the way to escape the pain they are living in. That pain has become overwhelming; it colors and shadows their day, and makes it harder and harder to see the whole picture,” Judy Smith, Ph.D., licensed psychologist and director of the Counseling Center, said. It is important to recognize emotions. Emotions are personal, and not to be dictated by a third party. When experiencing a negative emotion such as sadness, it is important to reach out. Smith said that depression can cause lack of pleasure for regular life, appetite, sleep, motivation and concentration, even doing small things might seem like a hassle. Suicide can be present when you feel hopelessness, internal pain, giving up or thoughts of death. Even stress is intertwined with tons of self criticism and whatever is happening in the person’s life. This topic is important yearround, but Suicide Prevention Month and World Suicide Prevention Day remind everyone to pay attention to their mental health.

Richard Rodriguez will be speaking on “Professing Faith in a Post 9/11 World” at Mercyhurst on Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. This talk is being sponsored by the William C. Sennett Institute for Mercy and Catholic Studies. Mary Hembrow Snyder, Ph.D., is a professor in the Religious Studies depart-

ment and the Director of the William C. Sennett Institute since 2010. “I would imagine Mr. Rodriguez will be provocative in his presentation, challenging his audience to both live and think more deeply,” Snyder said. Rodriguez received the National Humanities Medal in 1993. This medal is the highest honor the United States gives to recognize work done in the humanities. Rodriguez is also known

for being a famous journalist and television essayist. He has written several books dealing with many relevant social issues including cultural issues, racial issues, sexuality, spirituality and politics. In 2013, Rodriguez published “Darling: A Spiritual Autobiography.” It was dedicated to the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, who had previously educated him.

Sending messages of hope with hair By Kay Mattena

Contributing writer

10,000 adolescent and young adults ages 15 through 30 die from cancer each year. That is one death every hour. The Multicultural Activities Council alongside the Student Activities Council are presenting an event unlike any other: Cuts for Cancer. On Nov. 18, at 8 p.m., students can donate their hair or shave their head to raise awareness for cancer. “There was no way I could have cancer,” 21-year-old Brittany Alvarado said. Alvarado had just finished her junior year of college when she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She was an athlete and a student when suddenly she was too exhausted to get out of bed. “I am a college student. I am an athlete. I am a cancer survivor. More people identify this way than you might think,” Alvarado said. Statistics show that cancer is the no. 1 killer disease among young adults. A few of the most common cancers found among young adults include breast, lym-

phatic, skin, thyroid, ovarian and testicular. Sadly, cancer rates in this age group have increased while the survival rate has decreased. “I was in complete denial and truly thought that I was just out of shape,” Brittany said in regards to her senior year in athletics. “(An athlete) was my identity, so no matter how much pain I was in, I could never walk away.” Sometimes, as human nature, we often think of ourselves as being invincible like we could take on the world and win. Sadly, as much as we might want it to be, this is not the case. Such is the case of Glenna Kohl, who frequented tanning beds since age 16. Kohl worked hard to stay healthy. In April 2005, she found a baseball-sized lump in her groin that she attributed to a sports injury. In May, she was diagnosed with stage three melanoma. Kohl had had a mole removed for testing when she was 18, and it had come back as benign. However, the lab had made a mistake. Kohl was the victim of delayed cancer diagnosis,

which is disproportionately higher in young adults. The high commonality of misdiagnosises in this age group makes treatable cancers much harder to fight and it is a cause for such high mortality rates. At stage one melanoma, the cancer is removed and the patient receives chemotherapy or radiation in order to keep the cancer from growing. This is a fairly easy procedure, and it usually removes the cancer completely. At stage three, only half of those diagnosed will survive the next 10 years, and those 10 years will not necessarily be lived cancer-free. After fighting hard for four long years, Kohl began to grow lesions in her brain. In her weakened state, she fell and hit her head. A month later, she passed away at home surrounded by friends and family. Not all the cancer stories are of death and despair, though; many are filled with hope. Alvarado endured a six -hour surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, and she came out 100 percent cancer-free. Her cancer has not returned for over two years. She now

Staff writer

Sept. 17 is more than just the 260th day of the year. The man who saved the city of Gotham is commemorated on Batman Day. This year is the 77th anniversary of the first appearance of everyone’s favorite mammalian superhero. Batman first appeared in Detective Comics number 27 in May 1939. By the following spring, Batman had his own comic book series and even a sidekick, Robin. Dubbed The Boy Wonder, Robin battled villains such as the Mad Hatter and the Killer Moth alongside his mentor, Batman. Since then, characters such as BatGirl have joined the Dynamic Duo in saving the day from a growing cabal of vile villains. A number of corporations participate in the annual event, including Warner Brothers, Scholastic and Penguin Random House. DC Entertainment celebrates Batman Day with free giveaways and

works as a content manager for Orlando City Soccer Club and Orlando City Pride, and she plans on living a long, happy life. Breast cancer survivor Rowena Kincaid recalls how losing her hair affected her. “At night, I’d dream that I still had my long hair and I’d be tying it up in a ponytail-then I’d wake up and realize I was bald,” Kincaid said. Her confidence was fleeting, but her hope for survival never faltered. MAC and SAC are excited to spearhead this event and facilitate hope. A month from now, Lakers will have the opportunity to donate their hair to cancer survivors like Kohl and Kincaid. Lakers can stop by and write a message of hope to someone in need if they cannot donate their hair due to bleach or dye, or if they have personal reasons for not cutting their hair. The MAC programmers for this event are pledging to give their hair to cancer survivors. Save the date: Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.

LAKER MOMENT By Cheyanne Crum

@TheMerciad

promotions. Even Erie is full of Batman fanatics. Books Galore had several discounts store-wide on back issues of the comics and other Batman merchandise. Batman himself made a special appearance at Plano’s My Possibilities, a school for those with cognitive disabilities. He brought countless books and graphic novels to help begin the school’s library. Several nonprofit agencies are also helping bring in books to build up the collection. Maybe Batman is a real-life hero after all. This year marks the third annual celebration of Batman Day. The tradition began on the 75th anniversary of the release of the Batman comic, and it has held strong ever since. The celebrating is not over. On Oct. 14, the original Batman and Robin are set to return to the Irving Convention Center for Dallas Fan Days. The fan-favorite hero is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Richard Rodriguez, author of “Darling: a Spiritual Autobiograpy.”

@TheMerciad

BATMAN DAY By Mackenzie Burns

Contributed photo

Rae Pollock photo

The turnout was more than anyone could have hoped for on Sept. 16 for “Inked,” event sponsored by the Multicultural Activities Counsel (MAC). Tattoo artists from all over Erie such as Midtown Tattoo, Zink Tattoos and Ink Assassins came to show off their portfolio. Instead of real tattoos, henna and airbrush were the only things added to the human canvas that night. The MAC had a tattoo artist talk about the history of tattoos and explain how to feel about the artist someone chooses to use. He explained that it is important for people to be comfortable with the artist.

September 21, 2016

The Merciad

Page 5

Arts &

Entertainment Up next in the series: the cello By Jeanette Fournier Staff writer

Robin Hasenpflug, the adjunct instructor of cello at Mercyhurst University, will be performing a cello recital accompanied on piano by Sarah Kahl, D.M.A. Hasenpflug received her Master of Music degree in Performance from the University of Cincinnati CollegConservatory and Bachelor’s degree in Performance from the Baldwin-Wallace University Conservatory. As a cellist, Hasenpflug has performed in various locations across the United States, as well as in Germany and Italy. Her recital program, second in the Faculty Recital series, is an exciting and varied sampling of music from the Romantic and 20th century periods of classical music. The composers Hasenpflug chose to represent in her recital are a mix of French, German and Spanish composers, including Manuel de

Falla, Robert Schumann and César Franck. Each of these three notable composers has brought his own national flair and style to his work. Hasenpflug will be performing the “Suite Populaire Espagnole” (1914) by the 20th century Spanish composer de Falla. This suite was transcribed for cello by the cellist Maurice Maréchal from de Falla´s original composition, “Siete Canciones Populares Españolas,” written for mezzo-soprano and piano. “Siete Canciones Populares Españolas” is a set of original traditional Spanish songs arranged by de Falla, taken from various regions of Spain as diverse as Asturias in the north and Murcia the southeast. The cycle has since become one of the most popular sets of Spanish art song. “To me, the cello is the closest instrument to the human voice and Maréchal’s transcription from voice to cello stays very close to the vocal version,” Hasenpflug said.

“I really feel like I’m singing. The poetry used for each song is so intense and loaded with romance and double meaning. I will be sure to include a translation in my program notes.” The next piece on Hasenpflug’s program is the “Adagio and Allegro” (1849) by the German Romantic composer Schumann. This work was originally composed for the French horn. Hasenpflug will be playing the transcription written for cello. Schumann struggled with hereditary mental illness throughout his short life, and much of his music such as two of his most popular works, the miniatures for piano “Florestan” and “Eusebius,” expresses his strong and often conflicting emotions. Hasenpflug is eager to explore Schumann’s fascinating personality through his music and share it with the audience. “What I love about this piece is the juxtaposition of sadness (the “Adagio” move-

Alisa Garin Photography

Robin Hasenpflug is next in the Faculty Recital Series.

ment), joy (the “Allegro” movement) and then the harkening back to sad within happy,” Hasenpflug said. “The piece is a very good look inside Schumann’s soul with his own internal struggles between the highs and lows of both emotions.” Lastly, Hasenpflug will be

By Rachel Sobina Staff writer

Amber Matha

From left to right: Jonathan Nolan, Jonathan Moser, Louisa Jonason, Rebecca Wunch, James Bobick, Sarah Elizabeth Lee, Nathan Hess, D.M.A., and Hilary Philipp gave the first performance of the season for the Faculty Recital series.

Faculty Recital Series is off to a great start Opinion Editor

Online

This was the first music department event of the school year, and I was super excited to start writing reviews of the events again. I opened up the program and I was greeted with a wonderful blank page for my peanut gallery of notes. I believe every program should have a blank page on the inside cover because I think the Music in Society students would really benefit from such a page for note taking. The first piece, “Largo al factotum” by Gioacchino Rossini, performed by James Bobick, had me transported back in time to watching the television show, Tom and Jerry after school. He made some very intense eye contact with the audience and I loved how he got into character as he sang.

The second piece was arguably my favorite, but I am biased because my favorite instrument is violin. Jonathan Moser is a new addition to the Music Department, and the length of his beard is quite a feat. The piece he played, called “Ferdinand the Bull,” with Professor Louisa Jonason taught me something that I already knew: that bees really do try to ruin lives. I do not believe I have ever heard solo oboe, so that was an experience. Nathan Hess, D.M.A., was not wearing the velvety jacket that he was predicted to wear so that was a mild letdown, but his accompaniment to the oboe was phenomenal. I am easily awestruck by all things music, so when Professor Jonathan Nolan played “Usher Waltz” by Nikita Koshkin without a pick, I was pretty impressed. I would think his fingers probably got pretty sore after

Full list of events can be found on the MU website

@TheMerciad

It’s all one big ‘Sausage Party’

REVIEW

By Amber Matha

performing “Sonata in A Major” (1886) by the French Romantic composer Franck. “Yet another transcription,” Hasenpflug said. “This was originally written for violin but so beloved by cellists that a version was composed for us. Cellist Jules Delsart was

apparently so taken with the composition that he begged Franck for permission to transcribe it for cello. I am so glad he did.” The Sonata was written by Franck as a wedding present for the violinist Eugène Ysaÿe, and it has since become one of Franck’s best known works. “This four movement work is a tapestry of lush themes interwoven throughout the overall work,” Hasenpflug said. “It is a gratifying piece to play and to hear. It is a work that should be in every cellist’s repertoire and I am excited to finally add it to mine,” she said. “I am thrilled to be collaborating on this program with D’Angelo Department of Music’s staff pianist, Sarah Kahl,” said Hasenpflug. The recital will take place on Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall. It is free and open to the public.

a while. Unless there are no nerve endings left there. I was very confused over the name of the piece titled “Trio” by Gordon Jacob. I thought it was weird because although it was called “Trio,” there were four movements. Granted, I had just had one of the longest days of my life, it should not have taken me as long as it did to figure out it was so named because there were three musicians playing said piece. The musicians were Hilary Philipp, Sarah Elizabeth Lee and Rebecca Wunch. I got to see faces I had not seen perform last year at this year’s Faculty Collage, and I was very impressed with all of the performances. I am looking forward to future events and cannot wait to write some more amusing reviews over the course of the year.

Every day is a good day in the supermarket, especially with the promise of being taken to the Great Beyond. All of the goods in the store try to look their best every day with the hope of a better life outside of the store. Two items in particular, Frank the Sausage and Brenda the Hot Dog Bun, are two friends who constantly try to get each other’s attention. One day, the unthinkable happens. All of the supermarket items are informed that there is nothing good in the Great Beyond, in fact, the Great Beyond is worse than the supermarket. When a daring escape ensues, and chaos follows, Frank and Brenda find themselves in an unfamiliar aisle. On their journey back to the correct aisle, they meet some interesting characters along the way, including some out-

of-control alcohol and rioting vegetables. Together, Frank, Brenda and their new friends spread words for a new plan to defeat the humans. When my brother invited me to see this movie, I read the summary and reviews and watched a trailer. Even after previewing it, I still had my doubts. How can a movie that is about supermarket foods who plan to escape from the store be interesting? With low expectations, I headed to the movie theater. Within the first 10 minutes, I was already trying to make sense of the film. It was different, but still not an attention grabber. After about 30 minutes, I was fully engaged. Between the lewd comments and adult humor, the movie was entertaining enough to keep my attention for the 90 minute duration. I would caution that you have to enjoy adult humor and situations for this movie.

The creativity of the characters and the idea behind the movie is very out of the ordinary, which is why I felt the movie was interesting. Taking an ordinary place such as a supermarket, and the items in it, and turning it into a captivating movie takes some talent. The fact that it was a cartoon was also a bit different, but added to the effect and mood of the movie. Even though this movie is goofy and silly, it was a solid movie. I would recommend that if you have nothing better to do on a Friday evening, head to the Cinemark Tinseltown movie theater and check out “Sausage Party.” It may make you look at food in a supermarket in a different way.

@TheMerciad

MIAC offers free events Tickets to the following Mercyhurst Institute of Arts and Culture events are now free of charge to Mercyhurst students with ID: • MIAC Live • National Theatre Live • The Met: Live in HD Make sure to bring your ID along with your ticket to the performance in order to receive entry into the event.

View upcoming performances: www.mercyhurst.edu/events

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/category/arts_ entertainment/

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September 21, 2016

The Merciad

Opinion

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

Grotto Commons changes not as mind-blowing as they seem By Mathew Jury Staff writer

This past summer, the school carried out a $3 million remodeling of Egan Dining Hall, with its grand opening on Aug. 20. Upon viewing the new Grotto Commons Dining Hall, many upperclassmen were shocked at how things had changed. There are now more places to serve food and they are more spread out. Additionally, there are more electrical outlets for our electronic needs. To say that reception has been mixed is an understatement. One thing that we have praised is the expanded allergy-friendly section, Clean Dish. Before this year, the allergy-friendly section was a table with a few warm foods, gluten free cereal, lactose- free dairy products and other allergy-friendly snacks. The actual design has been viewed with criticism from several of my peers, with complaints ranging from the seating arrangements to the locations of everything. I honestly cannot see what there is to complain about

with the new layout. I like how everything is spread out and expanded upon so that we, theoretically, should not have to worry about long, confusing clusters of lines like when everything was together before. People have also complained about the random piece of lime green wall that does not match the rest of the facility. Frankly, I feel colors are the least of a dining facility’s concerns. Overall, I feel the new layout and design is a great service to us and if I had to rank it on a five-star scale,with five being perfect, I would have to give it a 4.5. However, the point of dining services is to feed the students and with the tuition we are paying to go here, we would expect the food in the new state-of-the-art dining hall to be top notch in quality. That falls flat here. The food is not much better than before. In the few times I have been there, none of the food looked extraordinarily appetizing. Like before, the chances of being served undercooked meats are still too high. The ice cream bar has also been halved from last year, leaving us only with chocolate, vanilla, and any

two flavors that will likely run out shortly after being served. Previously, many of us found that if nothing looked good, pizza would satisfy since it was always offered from lunch to close. In the few times I have gone this year, only one of those times was there pizza, lending toward my biggest complaint. In the past, picky eaters could always rely on pizza. Does Parkhurst not care about some of us anymore? I know many people who would come to Egan only for pizza. With that gone, why should they come now? Now the reason why I have not been frequenting the Grotto Commons is also the straw that broke the camel’s back. This year, I have decided to switch from a Board Plan to the Laker Dining Club with a straight 1000 Dining Dollars per semester, plus 20 percent student discount. I mistakenly presumed that a meal at the Grotto Commons would not exceed $6.50, the cost of a typical meal at the Laker last year. I was mortified when I went to grab dinner at the grand opening and was charged $11 (before discount) for what turned out to be a very lack-

luster menu. Overall, I would have to give the food a two out of five. According to an interview with a Parkhurst employee, the breakfast price remains unchanged from last year at $6.75. However, lunch and dinner were previously $8.75 and $10.25, respectively, with lunch being raised to $9.50 and dinner being increased to $11.00. I will be first to admit that I should have done my research beforehand since being on a Board plan previously only charged me one Board per entry. With a greatly improved interior to the dining hall, I expect improved food. I feel the remodeling of the dining hall was a step in the right direction as stated by my colleagues in the Sept. 14 issue of the Merciad. I understand the need to raise prices with the renovations. However, the food’s quality should reflect this rise in prices, or at the very least, for pizza to be available like before. Otherwise, you won’t see me much outside of Sunday brunch, which has been the only consistently good meal this year. That would be too bad, since I know most of our employees work hard to support us through food service.

Good Mercyhurst University was ranked among the best Regional Universities in the North by U.S. News. Not only that, but also Mercyhurst was ranked as one of the “Best Value” schools of 2017.

Bad Many onlookers left the Saturday football game against East Stroudsburg University before witnessing the debut of the marching band, which gave a stellar performance.

Weird Just in time for the cold weather and the snow, the grounds-keeping staff will be mulching around trees and shrubbery, blessing the campus with a very pleasant aroma.

Hurst Day is great for school spirit By Phoebe Nguyen Staff writer

Hurst Day, one the most favorite traditions of all Mercyhurst students, took place on Sept. 12, with the excitement of the entire community. After a thrilling success last year, the students hold a lot of expectations for Hurst Day and none were disappointed. Hospitality Management major Jacki Miller had very positive feedback about the scavenger hunt compared to last year. “It is much more organized with the scavenger hunt. The clues make more sense. Because I joined the Hurst

Day last year, now I know what to expect and how to prepare. We are all excited for the activities and I think many more people attended Hurst Day this year than last year.” Similar to Miller’s opinion, junior Sports Medicine major Rachel McKenna, said she had a lot more fun this year. There were more games; the bounce houses were spread out decently. The infrastructure was bigger, and the food was amazing. “The steak dinner was the same but it is still amazing. Last year Egan was packed and the line was started all the way from Preston. This year, they also opened the Laker for dinner and everything is much more organized,” said McKenna.

Not only did the upperclassmen enjoy Hurst Day, but also the freshmen shared many terrific experiences about this tradition. Many shared that Hurst Day is a great opportunity to connect faculties and students. Lincoln Ogden, a Sports Management major, said, “The best part of Hurst Day to me is gathering around and hanging out with professors and friends.” “It’s great to join the new tradition and seeing president Michael T. Victor also hanging out with us and getting all classes canceled,” Ogden’s classmate, Brett Conrad, Public Health major, said. However, not all classes were canceled on Hurst Day and some teams still had

practice. Brandon Hagerdon said he could not enjoy Hurst Day entirely because he had a meeting and football practice afterward. Most of the iMU class that I have interviewed really enjoyed Hurst Day and they do not want to change anything about this amazing tradition. I personally feel the same way as these students. Hurst Day was a great event to bring the community together, tighten our friendships and make some new ones. I can feel the Laker spirit run through my chest the entire time and I believe Hurst Day means a lot more than just a day off. It is definitely a tradition that can unite and fire up the school spirit in every Mercyhurst student.

JonBenét Ramsey case discussed By Amber Matha Opinion editor

Online

Twenty years ago, 6-yearold JonBenét Ramsey was murdered in the Ramsey family home in Boulder, Colorado. Her case has never been solved despite high media coverage, even after all of this time. On Sept. 18, the two-part documentary “The Case of: JonBenét Ramsey” premiered on CBS. The show brought together forensics experts Henry Lee, Jim Clemente, Laura Richards, Jim Fitzgerald, Stan Burke, James Kolar

and Werner Spitz, who investigated the case from scratch to try to shed light on what the original detectives might have missed. There are a couple of aspects of the case that I found mildly disturbing, if not preposterous. First of all, the three-page “ransom note” was gone over in excruciating detail by the investigators in the first installment of the documentary. They determined that it would take the intruder at least 20 minutes to write the note. This is excluding the time it would take to write the drafts that were found in the trash. It is highly improbable that it was an

intruder who wrote the note just based on this information. I found it very fishy that the 911 dispatcher who had been on the phone with Patsy Ramsey, JonBenét’s mother, was never asked to appear before the grand jury. When they played back the tape and enhanced the audio it was clear to everyone that it sounds like Patsy says “What did you do?” after she thinks she has hung up the phone. What I found most terrifying was the way JonBenét’s older brother Burke acted based on tapes of his interviews with investigators that were shown during the second installment on Monday night.