Features

Fashion Department makes a STATEMENT with their fall magazine

By Victoria McGinty Managing editor

On Oct. 3rd, the Mercyhurst Fashion Department released the fall edition of “STATEMENT.”

“STATEMENT” has become a beloved magazine to Fashion students and has evolved into a fun tradition for the department and all involved.

This magazine features a variety of fashion-related topics and current trends in the industry.

This year, the magazine is headed by Lead Editor Annie Markle, junior fashion major, and co-editors Alayna Mooorhead, junior fashion major and Mackenzie “Kenzie” Cahl, sophomore fashion major.

This bi-annual magazine has grown into an elaborate spread of information and fun articles representing and within the fashion industry; this semester is no different.

This publication features pieces about current trends and how current fashion students can improve their professional development skills.

“This process was fairly short. We had a lot to get done in a matter of a month. Amy Weaver, our department chair, came to us with the idea of an issue centered around the idea of professional development. This was because many prospective students come to “day in fashion” and want to know what they can do with a degree in fashion merchandising.

This magazine feels elevated more than past issues. For every issue, we try to top ourselves and level up. Whether this means formatting, concepts, colors or just making the magazine better as a whole.” said Markle.

This edition also highlights various students both here on campus, afar at FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York as well as alumni who have gone even further.

Articles include pieces by students: Sarah Beck, Carissa Budday, Natalie Cirjek, Mackenzie Cahl, Alayna Moorehead, Rebeca McGwin, Kamryn Moore, and Maddi Schoenle.

“I think this magazine is a success because with three people on the editing team this year we are able to incorporate new ideas and themes into one magazine.” said Cahl.

One of the most exciting things about each edition is its cover model and their story. This semester the editors chose senior fashion major Samantha “Sam” Kosinski as their cover model.

With a background in both fashion and history Sam manages to combine both of her academic interests into her daily wardrobe and future career.

Sam is known for her love of antiquing and thrifting vintage clothing and the editors were determined to make these interests come alive in the photographs.

The editing staff rented a vintage ensemble for Kosinski from the Dollhouse at Pointe Foure Boutique, a local vintage clothing store on State Street and were granted approval to shoot some photogrpahs in the lobby of President Getz’s office which highlighted the vintage vibes of Kosinski’s featured article in the magazine.

For the other half of the session the group ventured down to State Street to shoot Kosinski in a black blazer ensemble to represent modern feminism in the professional sphere which is where most of the magazine’s photographs and cover are featured promoting the theme of professional development the magazine aimed for.

“We were between many people to model but Sam Kosinski was stuck in our minds and finally we said we have to have her as our cover girl. She was very excited and totally on board.” We were also lucky to have Victoria McGinty as our photographer again and this magazine would not be as amazing without her,” said Markle.

Upon the release of the magazine the editors hosted a launch party for the publication on Oct. 3rd in the fashion loft (Old Main 312).

Both fashion and non-fashion majors were welcome to attend. Snacks were provided and dressing up in black and white attire was encouraged.

At the launch the editing staff spoke about their experience with this edition and discussed the possibilities for next semester’s magazine.

Markle, Moorehead, Cahl, and Kosinski are collectively proud of the turnout for this edition and encourage everyone to read it.

If you are interested in getting involved with “STATEMENT” as a student writer or any other role be sure to email fashion professor Katie Summers and follow Mercyhurst Fashion on Instagram to get updates!

Both fashion and non-fashion majors are encouraged to join. Be sure to check out this semester’s edition of the magazine!

You can access this magazine through the Mercyhurst Fashion Instagram’s linktr.ee or at issuu.com or stop by the Fashion department to pick up a copy for five dollars.

the cover for this semester’s issue of STATEMENT.

Mercyhurst Fashion photo Mercyhurst fashion photo

The STATEMENT staff (left to right): Kenzie Cahl, Alanya Moorehead, Annie Markle, Victoria McGinty, and Sam Kosinski.

LAKER MOMENT

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered at the Homecoming Tailgate Saturday afternoon before the Mercyhurst vs. Edinboro football game. Admission to the tailgate tent could be purchased for a low cost that included food and Mercyhurst swag. The tailgate drew a large turnout and featured a performance by the Laker Pride marching band. It was a great way to celebrate Homecoming Weekend with plenty of Laker spirit.

RSCO FEATURE

FANTASY SPORTS

By Mackenzie Zent Opinion editor

The logo for Fantasy Sports Club.

Contributed photo

Looking for a fun group of people to hang out with who love all things sports related? Fantasy Sports club always welcomes new members! The club meets often to watch and discuss sporting events and go against each other in various fantasy sports competitions.

The club originally started in the 2020-2021 school year, however it died off later that year due to the COVID safety guidelines complicating things. The club took another hit once again when almost all of the executive board members graduated that year. The club was left dismantled for nearly a year until the Spring of 2022, when the now President of the club took the first step to starting it up again. Colby Leandro realized something was missing from his college experience, and that was having a group of people to participate in fantasy sports with. He wanted a community of people centered around sports where they could escape the stress of school and work and have a good time. With the amount of stress that comes with school, it is so important to have an outlet to relax and do something you enjoy.

Through the end of the Spring semester and the past Summer, Leandro was able to get a group of people together to help get the club back on its feet. With the help of David Rathburn, the club’s vice president, and Abigail Kane, the Social Media and Marketing coordinator, they were able to get the word out about the club starting up again. Finally, the Fantasy Sports Club became approved by MSG, making them an official club once again. The Fantasy Sports Club participated in the involvement fair at the beginning of this semester and gained many new members.

So far, the club has hosted a Fantasy Football draft, and welcomed 31 new members in the process. Their next event is planned for Sun, Oct. 16th at 4:15 p.m. They will be hosting a watch party of the Buffalo Bills football game against the Kansas City Chiefs. This will be an exciting event as the last time the two teams faced each other it was in the Divisional Round at the playoffs in January, so the club is looking at it as a rematch of that game. The club will be providing pizza and other snacks, so come hungry!

Other events the club has planned for the future are more fantasy sports competitions and watch parties, gaming tournaments and even trivia nights. They also plan on having a Fantasy Basketball Draft party where members of the club can draft their teams, enjoy refreshments and just have a fun time.

For anyone looking to join, the club can be found online at Laker Launchpad. All students have to do is click the join button under the Fantasy Sports club section. New members are always welcome, and ideas for club activities are always appreciated as well. The club is a great space to make friends, enjoy sports, and burn off stress from school work.

Intergroup dialogues start culturally conscious conversations

By Eva Mihelich News editor

Today’s world is divided by different opinions, passionate debates, and polarized groups of people. Learning how to live in unity despite these differences is an important quality of Mercyhurst University which is being implemented through a new activity titled “Intergroup Dialogues.”

In these discussions, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate in order to grow in communication skills, especially with difficult or sensitive subject matter.

Mercyhurst prides itself on being a welcoming university that emphasizes openness in expression and respect for differences.

Greg Baker, D.Min. vice president for Mission, shares his outlook on the importance of these discussions. “Mercyhurst has room to grow in its DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) sensitivities, especially as a predominantly white institution. We have continued to hear this in recent years, especially from students and employees of color. Courageous dialogues like these are one of the most effective ways to learn and grow as a campus community how to be more inclusive and equitable in our daily interactions, policies, and so forth. Most students at MU state that they care about DEIJ issues. This is an excellent opportunity to grow and challenge ourselves as a campus community,” said Baker.

Many students have voiced concerns with Mercyhurst’s lack of diversity and efforts to fight for anti-racism in the community, so this is a highly important event that deserves attention and participation from students.

Change is not going to happen on its own; everyone needs to come forward and fight for justice in a healthy, collaborative way.

Intergroup Dialogues give students a platform to open up about the prejudices they face in everyday life, and it allows them to tell other students what they can do to help these prejudices.

Whether you are a part of a minority or not, these dialogues are a great opportunity to learn about social change and the part that we all have in it.

Jessica Hubert, Multicultural and Inclusion coordinator, is passionate about beauty in diversity and the importance of embracing this beauty.

“Mercyhurst students should care about engaging in these important conversations because, as was stated at the Mercy March, not knowing injustice is happening is not going to cut it anymore. While we are all constantly bombarded with commitments and activities that burn us out or make us tired, we can’t lose sight of engaging in conversations or workshops that will benefit us in the short or long term and help combat the injustices in the world. Starting small with just talking about them and understanding differing identities and experiences is the bare minimum to get involved and help with the problem (which I know Mercyhurst students want to do, but often say they don’t know how to). We are providing opportunities to do something,” Hubert said.

It is not only students who may feel a deep connection to the importance of these dialogues. Hubert is someone who has faced issues of prejudice before, which is why she finds such importance in this issue.

“I feel very connected to these topics because as a woman, as someone who identifies as queer, as someone who identifies as biracial, I understand how my identities can affect how the world perceives me and how I interact with the world. As someone who also struggles with anxiety and depression daily, I have to intentionally challenge my thoughts that tell me I’m not good enough to do something or this problem is too big so I’m just not going to do anything about it,” said Hubert.

The topics discussed in Intergroup Dialogues may not be ones that students are comfortable or familiar with, but they should be practiced while still in college so that graduates are able to go out into the world and be socially aware of different prejudices that exist and what can be done to break barriers.

The promotional flyer for the intergroup dialogs.

Contributed photo

JOIN THE MERCIAD

Write articles, get paid. Reporters meetings Mondays at 7 p.m. in Hirt L103.

Be sure to stop by the Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to learn more about all the possible study abroad opportunities for students!

CJ major class explores ‘Serial Murder and Extreme Violence’

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Every year, Mercyhurst offers a variety of Study Abroad trips which have accompanying courses during Mini A or B prior to the trip. Sometimes these classes become so popular that they transform into a semester course that is more readily available to students.

“Serial Murder and Extreme Violence,” a Criminal Justice course, is an example of this.

Taught by Dr. EmmaLeigh Kirchner, Chair of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department, this course was originally part of a Study Abroad trip that took students to London to study the case of Jack the Ripper.

“Students asked if it could be taught again, and we succeeded in offering it,” Kirchner said.

This is a class that is currently only open to Criminal Justice majors or minors.

This course studies cases of extreme violence with an emphasis on serial murder.

“Utilizing case studies students will examine the evolution and typologies of serial killers,” reads the course syllabus. “The course will also examine the role myths and fear of crime have played in the prevalence of serial murder as well as its effect on American culture.”

Over the semester, students complete objectives such as identifying the different types of serial killers, identifying prevention strategies for extreme violence and discussing the role of the victim in cases of extreme violence.

“We learn about specific cases of serial killers and will transition to more extreme cases of violence like mass murders, sex crimes, cult activity, school violence, etc. as the semester moves on,” said Kirchner. “We have an emphasis on why individuals participate in these crimes but also why they play such a large role in American pop culture.”

Kirchner enjoys teaching this course because it is a topic that is not discussed often in the criminal justice world.

“To have a whole course dedicated to it gives students a chance to express their feelings and thoughts on these ‘hot topics’ and also to think more critically about the role violence plays in our everyday life and our entertainment,” Kirchner said.

Kirchner notes that the topics may make students uncomfortable at times, but that is part of the intention behind the course.

“I love the ‘shock and awe’ and teaching students things that make them uncomfortable. I know every student who has had me in a course knows I want them to become ‘comfortable being uncomfortable’ because it will prepare many of them for all different types of jobs in the criminal justice realm and beyond,” she said.

The students in this class equally enjoy this topic that is not often covered.

“I am taking this class because the content is extremely insightful, and I hope to one day be in the criminal justice field so the things I am learning will pertain to my future,” said Allison Abruzzino, a senior Cyber Security major with a Criminology minor.

“My favorite part of the class is learning about the back stories of serial killers and extremely violent individuals. I enjoy learning about their ‘why’ and being able to recognize what led them to a life of crime,” said Abruzzino.

Mari DeTota, a senior Criminal Justice major, agrees.

“This class allows me to learn about topics that are not often covered in other criminal justice courses,” DeTota said. “From various paraphernalia to victims’ rights, this class helps me to better understand the criminal mind in regard to murder and extreme violence. My favorite part of this class is the open discussion amongst my classmates and myself regarding the often jaw dropping class material.”

Criminal Justice majors and minors, be sure to look out for this class in the future.

Contributed photo Promotional flyer for Netflix’s Jeffrey Dahmer docu-series. Students in this course have to watch a few episodes and discuss in class.

Student rocks the runway at New York Fashion Week

By Sarah Beck Staff writer

“It was a pretty cool experience because everyone was dressed up. It was my happy place, the perfect place to be,” said Yiorgos Maragkos, a sophomore Fashion Merchandising student when interviewed about his experience walking in New York Fashion Week. Maragkos is a foreign exchange student from Greece who chose Mercyhurst because it is a school that combines his talent as an athletic rower and satisfies his interests in fashion. Maragkos said, “I am just trying to live life,” and he certainly is!

Back in Greece, Maragkos was signed to a modeling agency but had to terminate his contract when he came to America. Ever since Maragkos came to the states he has been looking for an agency to represent him because modeling is something that he loves to do.

Over Christmas break of last year, 2021, he met with a few talent agencies in New York City, but ultimately decided that they were not the right fit. After some research, he ended up coming across “The Model Experience,” he applied and the agency liked him. Ultimately, Maragkos created his own opportunities with his persistence, confidence and faith in his abilities.

Due to his involvement with “The Model Experience,” he had the chance to walk in New York Fashion Week with a small black independent designer called DAI, “Dope Ass Individual.”

Despite the brand not being his style due to its large logos and streetwear appearance, he was incredibly grateful for this opportunity to walk the runway during New York Fashion Week.

Because of his previous experience as a model, walking the runway came naturally to him and he said, “Every single day that I could do it, I would do it. The energy walking down the runway made me super focused and I loved every single moment of it.”

Maragkos’s truly got the whole experience when in New York City. Because he was traveling solo, he had to get creative with things such as getting to the city, navigating the public transportation systems and finding a place to stay.

Nonetheless, Maragkos made it work, even if the solutions weren’t ideal. He ended up staying an hour and a half away from the city but made the best of this situation stating, “The energy to wake up and go to the city is an all-time high. Every day I was waking up ready to go.”

Not only did he make use of the trip as an opportunity to grow his experience as a model but he also used it as a cultural experience through sightseeing throughout the city, even through the rain. Maragkos stated “I just loved everything there, you could tell that everyone was motivated and focused. You could feel the artistic vibe all over the place. New York all the way!”

His advice to himself and to everyone is to put yourself out there, get involved and make your own opportunities. Maragkos said, “Next year, I think that I have to be more social in a way. I’m not afraid to start asking questions, because it is for the better. But, I was a little bit overwhelmed by how many people looked more successful, more beautiful and more wealthy than me. I was the outsider there in a way, but that’s because I didn’t know anybody, it just took me a couple of hours to get into it.”

Maragkos proves that no matter what, as long as you remain focused and motivated towards your goals and believe, invest and take chances for yourself, you can achieve what you desire.

Contributed photo

Yiorgos Maragkos poses on the red carpet prior to walking the runway.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Contributed photo

Picture of Yosemite National Park.

Historical Event: October 1, 1890

“On October 1, 1890, Yosemite National Park was established thanks to an act of Congress. Yosemite is the home of wonders such as the Half Dome and the giant sequoia trees. Environmental trailblazer John Muir (1838-1914) and his colleagues campaigned for the congressional action, which was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison and paved the way for generations of hikers, campers and nature lovers, along with countless “Don’t Feed the Bears” signs.” (History.com)

Top 3 Songs This Week: According to Spotify’s Global Charts 1. Unholy by Sam Smith and Kim Petras 2. As It Was: Harry Styles 3. Tití Me Preguntó by Bad Bunny

On the Charts This Week 40 Years Ago: According to Billboards Charts 1. Eye of the Tiger: Survivor 2. Abracadabra: Steve Miller Band 3. Hard to Say I’m Sorry: Chicago

Top Artists Today Male: Harry Styles Female: Taylor Swift

Top Artists 10 Years Ago Male: Bruno Mars Female: Rihanna

Top 3 Podcasts This Week According to Spotify: 1. Call Her Daddy by Alex Cooper 2. The Joe Rogan Experience by Joe Rogan 3. Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Top Grossing Films: This Week: Don’t Worry Darling Fifty Years Ago: The Godfather

Top 3 TV Shows on Netflix This Week: 1. DAHMER- Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story 2. Fate: The Winx Saga 3. Cobra Kai

Top 3 TV Shows 60 Years Ago 1. Lost in Space 2. The Andy Griffith Show 3. General Hospital

In the News: 1. North Korea fires a ballistic missile over Japan