The Merciad October 6 Issue

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

| W E D N E S D AY, O C T O B E R 6 , 2 0 2 1

| VOL. 95 NO. 4

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Presidential Inauguration for President Getz PAGE 2

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Photo Credits: Mikayla Tupek

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8: Mercy March for Anti-Racism

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10: Martin Short performs at Mercyhurst 14: Women’s soccer defeats IUP

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NEWS

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

MU President “Getz” Inaugurated Inside the Inauguration with Mercyhurst Student Government

By Joey Franz

Contributing writer

History has been made! Well, Mercyhurst history. This past weekend, Kathleen A. Getz, Ph. D. was inaugurated as the 13th President of Mercyhurst University.

After a long presidential search in the spring of last year we have officially welcomed her into our Mercyhurst community.

As a member of the Mercyhurst Student Government Executive Board, I was given the opportunity to attend all of the inauguration festivities.

To kick off the weekend on Thursday, there was a movie night in the Preforming Arts Center showing the 1996 film “That Thing You Do!” starring Tom Hanks. The reason the film was shown is because part of the film was set in 1960s-Mercyhurst College and the surrounding Erie area. Attendees were given cowbells to ring whenever Mercyhurst was mentioned.

On Friday, there was an Inaugural Mass for all to enjoy. The Mass was beautiful with song, dance and even a surprise performance from President Getz

herself.

Saturday was the big day. The day began with the Inauguration Ceremony in the Performing Arts Center.

To start the ceremony, all of the professors and dignitaries of the university processed in. The ceremony then continued with speeches from university officials and President Getz’s friends and family.

Later that night was Campus Celebration Experience. The event began with the Emerging Artist Showcase with features from the dance, music and theater departments.

“It was a fun time and I was really grateful they included all of the arts departments. It was also special to play for the new President and I’m glad we can share our love of the arts with her,” said senior Music Therapy major, Mikayla Tupek.

The evening continued with a historic Mercyhurst museum in the Mercy Heritage Room. This space featured memorabilia from the archives of all things Mercyhurst, from our founding in 1926 all the way up to today in 2021.

Afterwards was the Piano and Jazz Experience in the Walk-

er Recital Hall. This space was transformed into a jazz club. In the center of the stage was a piano and everyone was gathered around. While we mingled, we were also able to celebrate with one another.

The last stop of the night was the Grand Dessert and Champaign Reception. This was held in the Weber Hall Great Room.

The space was magnificent; it looked like a wedding reception.

There was food, drink, a small band and people dancing.

During this I got the chance to speak with President Getz. When I asked her how she felt now that she is officially president, she smiled, laughed and said she is just so happy and so excited to Contributed photo be here and for what is to come MSG Executive Board poses with the new president. From left to it the future. right: Joey Franz, Kailey Pisani, Doug Wilsch, Carissa Budday, PresiAn inauguration is a new start dent Getz, Janiece Withers, Nick Brodfuehrer, and Megan Krull. for everyone. President Getz’s theme for her presidency is a quote from Catharine McAuley’ pledging to be “good today, but better tomorrow.”

Now that we all as students, staff and faculty have finally accepted her into our Mercyhurst community, we can all be Good Today and Better Tomorrow.

Contributed photo

Contributed photo

The inauguration ceremony ran smoothly and Mercyhurst officially has a new president!

President Getz prepares for her Inauguration Ceremony in the PAC.

Eight ROTC Cadets receive scholarships

By Mackenzie Zent

Staff writer

On Aug. 28, the Pride of Pennsylvania Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) accepted eight new cadets from Mercyhurst University into the program.

This exciting accomplishment means that these cadets are now fully contracted into the program and will begin earning commissions for the United States Army.

Along with this, the students also received two-year national scholarships for school through the ROTC Board.

Mercyhurst University joined the “Pride of Pennsylvania” Battalion during the 1990s in order to offer support for students

who are interested in a military career. The mission of the ROTC program is “to recruit, retain, develop and commission the future officer leadership of the United States Army and motivate young people to be better citizens through support of local JROTC programs.”

The ROTC program at Mercyhurst is very demanding and time consuming, yet very rewarding.

Not all students who participate in the program are required to serve in the army, but those who decide to contract plan on furthering their military careers after graduation.

The number of students contracted into the army is now 38 at Mercyhurst, which does include the addition of the eight new ca-

dets.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to serve my country and represent those who have served- past and present,” said Lilly English, one of the eight cadets that recently contracted.

English is a sophomore criminal justice major here at Mercyhurst and has been involved in the ROTC program since the beginning of her freshman year.

She knew she wanted to be in the ROTC program when she was in high school, so finally contracting was an important moment for her.

With ROTC comes a large amount of responsibility and a lot of hard work. The program is physically demanding and pushes students to be their very best.

Cadets are required to attend physical training in the morning three times a week and take part in physical fitness labs. All of this training is to help them pass their physical fitness test to be allowed to contract.

Not only is being physically fit important, being academically fit for the program is a requirement as well. This means that keeping up a GPA of 2.5 or higher is extremely important.

After commissioning, the cadets will be going straight into the army as leaders, so this is an important aspect of the program.

They will go on to become officers in the US army, commissioning initially as second lieutenants.

Along with leadership, military skills are also built as well as ca-

reer preparation. This is useful for their time in the army and continuing their careers in the degree they graduated with after they retire from the military.

“I am learning a lot about becoming a better leader and overall a better person, and I hope this will continue throughout my ROTC career,” said English.

Contracting into the army is a huge milestone in the military careers of these eight students, and a big accomplishment. The eight newest contracted cadets should be very proud of themselves.

If you are interested in joining the ROTC program at Mercyhurst or have any questions, reach out to Captain Sergio Franco at sfranco@mercyhurst.edu.

NEWS

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

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MU helps keep Erie’s coasts clean

By Abby Eyler

a part of Erie’s coastline were also cleaned up.

The Erie County Planning The International CoastDepartment partners with al Cleanup was a success as multiple organizations to Mercyhurst students helped ensure the cleanliness of the to clean two coastal areas in beaches, Mercyhurst being one Erie. The International Coastal of them. For many of these Cleanup originally started over projects, the Planning Depart30 years ago in Texas when its ment recruits site managers founders noticed the amount and volunteers to take on the of trash on the beaches. This coastal cleanup. project now hits home as local The coastal cleanup and college students and residents county statistics are utilized to work to make sure Erie’s coast- support local nature preservaline stays clean. tion and increased funding for Students picked up at least the projects. Some of the data 185 pounds of trash at the that is used includes how many East Avenue Boat Launch and bags of trash were collected, Shades Beach, collecting a vari- how many miles of coastline ety of objects such as cigarette were cleared and the types of butts, tires and plastics. particles collected.

While the Mercyhurst Colin Hurley, Executive community focused primariDirector of Community ly on Shades Beach and East Engagement and SustainabilAve, many other areas that are Staff writer

ity Manager noted that the cleanup is representative of Mercyhurst due to the project also having been started by a group of women. Mercyhurst also adopted Beach 10 at Presque Isle in the last 10 years to encourage coastal cleanup.

The student body was represented by a variety of people with different majors and backgrounds.

“Some of the students who came to volunteer needed hours for programs,” Hurley said. “The PA program and the honors program were well represented.”

While it was a group of 23 volunteers, Hurley stated that the work was evenly spread out and the areas were cleaned of their trash. It also allowed the students to recognize what types of plastics are found at

different coastal access points.

One important thing that was noted at the coastal cleanup was the appreciation of the community. At the East Avenue Boat Launch, fishermen said thank you to the volunteers. The local bait shop also gave the volunteers trash grabbers to make collect trash easier.

“This showed the symbiosis between the environment and the economy,” Hurley said.

Hurley provided students with questions to reflect on as they did the beach cleanup. He hoped that they take notice of topics such as seeing the life cycle of single use plastics and how this might affect their own usage of single use plastics. He encouraged them to then think beyond their own usage and question how these practic-

Contributed photo

The trash cleanup had a wonderful turnout this year.

es can be changed for larger institutions.

Hurley was confident that the beach cleanup will cause students to take a closer look at their own behaviors and how we can be more sustainable.

He challenged them to think about hoe they can change others’ behaviors and/or policies about single use plastics and the coastline and how can students be more informed of what’s occurring in their environment.

Hurley hopes that next years event brings in a similar crowd. “We hope for another strong year in 2022,” Hurley said.

Be sure to check out the Office of Community Engagement to find other volunteer opportunities this year!

Contributed photo

Students who participated in the International Coastal Cleanup came from many different clubs and organizations, including the PA program and the honors program.

Become a published author: Lumen is now accepting creative submissions

By Sarah Beck

Staff writer

Attention all creative individuals, submissions to the Lumen are officially open!

Mercyhurst is a campus that is not only enriched in the arts, but is also focused on the creative perspective that students exhibit.

Lumen is a completely student-run arts magazine that showcases student talent through a physical and digital magazine for all to see and share.

Originally, Lumen began in 1995 as a journal for creative writing pieces only, but it has since expanded to feature all

of the talents that the student body has to offer. This is done by showcasing multimedia such as photography, dance and music in addition to creative writing pieces.

If you are interested in submitting an original piece of work to be considered for Lumen, literary submissions can be placed on the Mercyhurst HUB page where you can search “Lumen Submission Manager.”

Each individual is allowed to submit up to three poems and two short stories starting now until the deadline of Nov. 30.

Ashley Carr, a junior double major in English and Religious Studies, is co-editor-in-chief for Lumen this year.

“Anyone wanting to submit pieces might consider letting trusted friends read over their work before submitting,” Carr said. “It’s really difficult to put yourself out there and be vulnerable, so starting with people you are close to is a great way to learn how to accept compassionate commentary on your work and gain confidence.”

Every year there is a grand revealing of Lumen in the final event at the Literary Festival.

Oftentimes, the featured artists read their accepted submissions at an open mic night. It is truly a celebration of individuality, creativity and art.

“My favorite part of Lumen is the unveiling at the very end.

It’s so exciting to have everyone marvel at the design and content. The English faculty also announces awards for creative writing and literary criticism,” Carr said.

Lumen offers a wonderful opportunity for anyone interested in writing, photography, music or dance to have the chance to be published in a magazine.

One of the amazing parts about writing and creating art in general is that it is subjective. Each creation may mean something different to each and every person who witnesses the original piece.

This is one of many reasons why Lumen is an great way to cultivate and appreciate the arts

as well as the originality of students on this Mercyhurst campus.

Any questions regarding Lumen can be emailed to Dr. Gregory Brown, Ashley Carr, or Emma Coppolo.

Don’t hesitate to submit to the Lumen Submission Manager on the HUB if you are at all interested in being part of the literary journal.

Be sure to keep your eye out for the Lumen when it is published this coming spring!

NEWS

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Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Students stand together Merciad IN A MINUTE Study Abroad applications due Study Abroad application deadline approaching for Spring 2022 FSAT programs in Dungarvan, Ireland, Greece and Costa Rica.

Submit your application now if interested.

Visit Student HUBAcademics - Study Abroad for an application.

Email: studyabroad@ mercyhurst.edu

Walk for Suicide Prevention Awareness In honor of September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, the Mercyhurst Social Work and Applied Sociology clubs will host a walk tomorrow for Suicide Prevention Awareness.

The walk will begin at 3 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the Student Union Great Room. It will last for two hours, ending at 5 p.m.

“In the Heights” watch party National Hispanic Heritage Month will continue on with the movie showing of “In the Heights.”

The movie will play in Zurn 114 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Oct. 8.

“In the Heights” is directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Lin ManuelMiranda.

Stop by for a movie night to celebrate!

Adoration in the Chapel Every second Tuesday of the Month is adoration night in Christ the King Chapel.

Adoration begins at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. The chapel is open for everyone to attend.

The Tuesday Night Catholic Devotions group always attends Eucharistic adoration, so if you are interested in joining, you can stop by!

Have a tip for Merciad in a Minute? Want to tell others about your club’s events?

Email us at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu

against human trafficking

By Hannah Brooks Contributing writer

According to the FBI, human trafficking is defined as “the illegal exploitation of a person.”

Under its human trafficking program, the FBI investigates sex trafficking, labor trafficking and domestic servitude.

Human trafficking is an increasing issue that the FBI states “can occur in any U.S. community.”

Because human trafficking is such a widespread issue in the United States, it requires awareness and efforts towards combating it at local levels.

Mercyhurst University is leading its own efforts in fighting against human trafficking, including the offerings of classes and an anti-human trafficking club and coalition.

There is one class that solely focuses on the topic of human trafficking - the Human Trafficking course, which is a Sociology course offered by Nicole John-Danzell, Ph.D. Other classes, such as anti-money laundering courses and the Capstone Ethics course, also cover the subject of human trafficking.

Mercyhurst is also home to the Student Anti-Human Trafficking

club, which is overseen by Professor Deborah Davies.

A few things that the club does is operate programs to bring awareness and coordinate a community organization known as the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition Task Force.

One of many community projects that the club participates includes the SOAP project, which stands for Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution, founded by human trafficking survivor, author and activist Theresa Flores.

Per the website for the SOAP project, their mission is to “end human trafficking by mobilizing communities, provide prevention education, and advocacy, and facilitate restorative experiences for survivors.”

Trained volunteers deliver bars of soap with a red band printed with the National Human Trafficking Hotline phone number to high-risk motels and offer training to staff on how to spot the signs of human trafficking. Club members were recently trained to participate in this program.

Other projects that the club is involved with include work with the 211 service, with which the coalition works to include human trafficking responses.

The club and coalition are also involved in the High School

Awareness Pilot project, which will deliver the message of human trafficking to high school students in order to spread awareness.

Another aspect of the club is known as the analysis portion.

This portion of the club works with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to write reports on human trafficking in areas of interest, which have included country studies on Colombia, Brazil, India, Thailand, Nigeria, Niger and Libya.

“Last semester we wrote three country reports, one of which examined human trafficking in Brazil,” said Elizabeth Reese, senior Intelligence Studies and World Languages and Cultures dual major, as well as Student Coordinator for the Anti-Human Trafficking Club. “This report was given to 20,000 police officers in Brazil to help them identify what human trafficking may look like in the country and how they can help combat it. The reports take about a semester to research and edit and take many hours to compile.”

These reports are used to give actionable information to law enforcement agencies and NGOs. The reports include information such as identifying factors of what human trafficking looks like in

different regions, ways that they can combat it, and trends that are likely to persist.

“While the work can be incredibly taxing, finding out how our reports can help people on such a large scale makes all the hours spent researching, writing, and editing more than worth it,” Reese said.

Students who are interested in joining the analysis portion of the club can either reach out via email to Professor Deborah Davies at ddavies@mercyhurst.edu or Elizabeth Reese ereese70@lakers.mercyhurst.edu.

Analyst positions are typically available to upperclassmen and grad students in the Intelligence Studies program.

Students interested in joining the operations portion can reach out to Professor Davies, Elizabeth Reese or to Brennan Perrycannon at bperry99@lakers.mercyhurst. edu, who leads operations.

“This work is the most fulfilling work I have done in my time at Mercyhurst,” Reese said. “It has greatly contributed to my career aspirations, as I will be working in a full-time capacity to combat money laundering and human trafficking at a financial institution following graduation.”

Annual Alumni Golf Outing held on Homecoming Weekend

By Libby Bullinger Copy editor

On Friday, Sept. 24, the alumni office hosted the annual Alumni Golf Outing. This is a time-honored tradition that has occurred for many years and raises money for an incredible cause.

The proceeds from the event go toward the James McKeever Memorial Scholarship, named after 1989 Mercyhurst graduate James “Jim” McKeever. Following his graduation, McKeever returned to his alma mater to work as an admissions officer, becoming a well-known face and figure on campus.

After McKeever sadly developed cancer, the friends of McKeever put together the annual Alumni Golf Outing, with proceeds going toward the James R. McKeever scholarship fund.

The financial impact of this event has been substantial, totaling over $300,000 over the past 26 years. The money from the scholarship goes toward help-

ing prospective students become Lakers.

Each year, McKeever’s parents, Don and Linda McKeever, choose the scholarship recipients and meet them at the golf event.

At this year’s event there were nearly 70 total players on the golf course at Lake View Country Club.

Registration for this event cost golfers $110 individually but included the game itself, a golf cart, lunch, dinner and drinks on the course.

Alumni, sponsors and friends of McKeever were able to register with a fee that included golfing, lunch, dinner and drinks.

A wide range of alumni typically attend, ranging from the class of 1977 all the way through the most recent 2020 and 2021 graduates.

“Some alumni who attend the golf outing every year are actually recipients of the Jim McKeever Memorial Scholarship and come back to support the event,” said Meaghan Hubert,

Director of Donor Relations.

As is typical with many Mercyhurst events, the alumni golf outing received some help from the Ambassadors organization.

Student ambassadors made their way out to the course to drive golf carts, sell raffle tickets and represent the face of Mercyhurst even in an off-campus location.

“It was interesting to see all the alumni and where they are now in their lives post graduation all taking a trip back to Erie to support this event,” Anika Pearson, senior Early Childhood and Special Education major and student ambassador said.

Another ambassador who worked the event was Mason McCaslin, a junior Intelligence Studies major. McCaslin said that while working the event he was able to have some friendly conversation with the attendees who asked him about his major, Mercyhurst experience and plans after graduation.

The annual golf outing always

falls on the Friday of Homecoming weekend, ensuring that alumni are able to return back to campus and attend multiple activities throughout the weekend.

Following the golf event, the attendees are invited to a sitdown dinner at the country club.

There are several silent auctions with items that are donated from local businesses and Mercyhurst departments alike.

The golf outing is just one of the many ways that alumni were able to connect over the Homecoming weekend. It is not only a way to connect, but also a fantastic cause to support.

To sum it up, when asked if he would consider attending as a future alumnus, McCaslin responded, “if and when I get better at golf, absolutely!”

If you are an alum of Mercyhurst, and this sounds like it would be something that you are interested in participating in, be sure to keep your eye out for the golf outing next year during Homecoming Weekend!

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

NEWS

PAGE 5

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Mercyhurst ranks among This weekend’s Best Value colleges campus events

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Students, faculty and alumni have many reasons to call Mercyhurst home. The academics are stellar, you have the opportunity to make lifelong friendships, there are traditions such as Hurst Day that no other school can match; the list can go on and on.

Now Mercyhurst has another item to add to the list, it has been ranked by US News & World Report as one of the Best Value Schools as well as one of the Best Colleges for Veterans.

This is a list that includes major colleges and universities, ranging from UCLA and Princeton to the University of Florida and University of Texas. It is a major deal that Mercyhurst has made it onto this list.

When choosing schools for the list, U.S. News considers 17 metrics when ranking schools for academic excellence, placing the largest emphasis on a col-

lege’s ability to retain and graduate its students.

Other factors include class size, undergraduate academic reputation, how much a school spends per student on instruction and other related educational expenses.

Additionally, schools ranked among the “Best Colleges for Veterans” must achieve separate criteria, according to U.S. News & World Report. The following must be achieved to rank: Be certified for the GI Bill, participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, enroll a minimum of 20 veterans and active service members and be in the top half of its U.S. News ranking category.

For the 2022 list, Mercyhurst’s overall ranking was #50 out of 136 institutions in the top tier of Regional Universities in the North, as well as #71 in the Best Value category and #15 among Best Schools for Veterans.

“Our continued recognition as one of the best regional universities in the North is a reflection

of Mercyhurst University’s commitment to academic excellence and student success,” said President Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D. in a press release issued by the university. “This acknowledgment is a result of the hard work by our faculty, staff and students who every day serve as champions of our mission.”

To add on to these accolades, Mercyhurst is one of only two schools in Pennsylvania to be named a “Purple Heart University” for its services and programming for veterans and their families.

Furthermore, Mercyhurst is one of only three schools in Pennsylvania to be a host school for the “Troops to Teachers” program, which was established in 1993 to assist transitioning service members and veterans in beginning new careers as K-12 teachers.

Congratulations to Mercyhurst on these accomplishments!

Fr. Boyle discusses ministry with gangs at Mass, lecture

By Samantha Weber Managing editor

On Thursday, Sept. 23, Mercyhurst University held its annual Mass of the Holy Spirit.

The Mass of the Holy Spirit dates back to 1548 when Jesuit academic institutions wanted to gather and thank God for all that he does for everyone. It invites the Holy Spirit to watch over the students during the academic year.

The tradition here at Mercyhurst dates back to the early 1990s when Joe Gower, Academic Dean at the time, thought it would be a nice tradition to kick off the new school year.

“My favorite part of the mass is twofold: First the attendance of the Mercyhurst community is probably the largest of any liturgy during the academic year. Secondly, we have had some remarkable presiders over the years,” said Father Jim Piszker, Chaplain at Mercyhurst.

Mass was held at 12:15 p.m. and classes that interfere with the mass were automatically canceled to allow all students the opportunity to attend the mass if they so desired.

The Mass occurs once in the fall semester and acts as a kickoff to the school year. At Mercyhurst, there is always a guest priest who comes and says the special mass.

This year’s guest was Fr. Gregory Boyle, SJ. Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles, California.

Homeboy Industries is the largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program. Boyle even stayed to speak at the William C. Sennett Institute for Mercy and Catholic Studies Fall Lecture later in the evening. At the lecture, Boyle talked more about what Homeboy Industries does and how important it is to remember that everyone is human.

In addition to Boyle’s lecture, he brought with him two former gang-members all the way from Homeboy Industries headquarters in Los Angeles. The two men, Isaiah and Derek, shared stories about their lives and how they ended up with Boyle and Homeboy Industries.

“I hope that all students who attended, regardless of their personal faith background, were able to hear what Fr. Boyle had to say about radical compassion and kinship, and that they are able to extend that practice of radical compassion to all those that they encounter in our university community,” said Michelle Scully, Mercyhurst Campus Minister.

Mercyhurst has been very fortunate to have had so many great guests who have come to campus to celebrate Mass over the years such as Fr. Dan Horan, OFM;

theologian and author Fr. Andrew Greeley; sociologist and author, Fr. John Foley, SJ, founder of the Cristo Rey schools; and probably most notably Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras who is now a major advisor to Pope Francis.

With a beautiful ceremony, the event has a great turn out. Christ the King Chapel was expected to be so overflowing with people that they opened up the chapel into the lobby of Old Main prior to the mass. This year there were approximately 500 people in attendance.

Last year the mass was held virtually, so with this year’s being held in person, lots of people on campus wanted to go back and physically attend the mass.

People from all areas of campus attended from several different athletic teams to professors and faculty along with everyone else from campus.

Students and faculty alike are already looking forward to the next Mass of the Holy Spirit and the Sennet Institute lecture.

Looking to get more involved at the Hurst?

Scan this code to join clubs and find more events happening on campus!

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Sept. 30: Drug violation in Baldwin Oct. 1: Terroristic threats in Sullivan Oct. 2: Unwanted guest on E. 40th

FEATURES

PAGE 6

NEW AT HURST

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Fashion Department students publish Fall Magazine

By Sarah Beck

Staff writer

Contributed photo

By Bella Lee Staff writer The D’Angelo Performing Arts Center has become a home for many artistically inclined students on campus. For almost thirty years, the D’Angelo has housed various students with many talents in music, dance, and theater and of the many students who have come and gone over the years, Mercyhurst is thrilled to welcome back one of D’Angelo’s recent alumni Abigail Whitman.

Whitman currently works on campus as the Front of House Manager, helping with public safety and organization for the events happening on campus. Her time away from campus has not been long, as she is a graduate of the Class of 2020.

Graduating with a B.M in Music Therapy, Whitman is no stranger to the performing arts. “My music concentrations were in piano and voice and I also had theatre and art therapy minors,” said Whitman.

During her undergraduate experience, Whitman was a music therapy intern at Harborcreek Youth Services in trauma-based work using songwriting and music lessons to reach the emotional and behavioral goals of the clients.

Whitman is currently juggling higher education studies while doing her work on campus. Other than her job on campus, she is currently a graduate student at Goddard College which is based in Plainfield, Vermont. At Goddard, Whitman is pursuing an M.A in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Expressive Art Therapy.

“The arts have been an essential part of my life and I want to use the arts to empower my clients in my work focusing on trauma care, social justice, and equality,” said Whitman.

Students can usually find Whitman in the Performing Arts Center, where she helps take care of MIAC events and most recently the Presidential Inauguration. This is also a space where she frequently came to as a student.

“As a student, I was involved in the theatre program,” Whitman said, “I made my lifelong friends in the theatre department and developed pivotal skills that shaped me as an individual and therapist. Being a part of the productions was the most rewarding and fun part of my life. I came back to Mercyhurst because I wanted to work promoting the arts in the Erie community,” Whitman said.

“It feels like coming back home when I come to work. My favorite part about working at Mercyhurst is the community.” Whitman is more than happy to meet students, both old and new, so be sure to visit her office in the PAC office suite if you want to say hello!.

The Mercyhurst Fashion Merchandising Department has officially published their fall edition of “Statement”- the department’s official magazine.

“Statement” is a student-run magazine produced by the Fashion Merchandising department.

The magazine is released twice a year, once per semester.

This magazine features talented student writers who talk all about recent fashion-related topics such as an article about TikTok makeup trends, written by Kenzi Cahl, a Freshman Fashion Merchandising major.

“I loved being able to contribute to “Statement” and meet new people who are involved in the magazine,” said Cahl.

The Fall 2021 publication of “Statement” took a modern take on fashion this fall.

“We didn’t want to do a preppy fall theme like past years; we wanted it to be more street-wear and bold,” said Annie Markel, sophomore Fashion Merchandising major and Co-editor.

This publication features a wide variety of fashion-related topics for readers to enjoy such as fall trends, small business plugs and faculty features.

The general process for the production of the magazine starts with the overall feature of the edition, which is the main focus for what the publication is going to be.

For “Statement” Fall 2021, you will find Janiece Withers, a senior Fashion Merchandising major, gracing the cover of this edition.

“What I am super excited for is our feature article which is with Janiece Withers. She is an amazing person, she has done so much for this school and so we really wanted to feature her for everything that she has done for Mercyhurst.

We had a whole photoshoot and everything. The pictures are so cool,” said Chloe Sanfrantello, a senior Fashion Merchandising major with a minor in Communi-

Mercyhurst Fashion Department photo

The cover of this fall’s publication of STATEMENT.

cations and Editor of Statement.

“My favorite part of this publication are the images. Victoria McGinty graciously agreed to take the photos and they turned out like a dream. I’m also kind of a photography nerd so I really was thrilled with Victoria’s work,” said Markel.

The process of putting together the magazine gives real experience into a true publication process.

The publication process that was used by Markel and Sanfratello was not a one-step process.

“We first take super random notes on themes, potential models, color schemes and article ideas. Then we begin to build our list and solidify a foundation.

Next, we start to contact people about modeling and writing. Once we have all the written articles and final photos, we begin formatting which is the most fun part but also the most time consuming and bam, we have a magazine,” said Markel.

If students are interested in writing for “Statement,” in the future, especially if a Fashion Merchandising major or minor, one can contact the Fashion Merchandising Department Chair Amy

Weaver at aweaver@mercyhurst. edu.

The field of fashion journalism this is a fantastic opportunity.

“Getting to actually see the process and put it together is super confidence building,” said Sanfratello.

While physical copies were only printed for potential students attending Admission’s Day In Fashion event, digital copies of “Statement” are available. To read the digital version of the magazine, go to issuu.com and search “Mercyhurst Statement Fall 2021” or check out “mercyhurstfashion” on Instagram to find the link to the magazine.

LAKER MOMENT

Contributed photo

Every Tuesday at 9 a.m., the Sip & Stitch knitting group meets in the Campus Ministry lounge. Those belonging to the group can drink coffee or tea and learn to knit or crochet. Campus Minister Michelle Scully is a knitting genius, so if you want to join but don’t know how to knit, that’s okay. The environment is relaxing and peaceful so that everyone has a chance to wake up.

Campus Ministry is always a welcoming and inclusive community for everyone.

FEATURES

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

RSCO FEATURE HISTORY CLUB

Laker Side Hustles: Mask Chains by Genevieve Rose B.

By Raylynn Chraston Staff writer

HurstHistory26 photo

History club meeting for their first trivia night of the semester.

By Abigail Eyler Staff writer

Do you like learning about the world around you? Do you like knowing the local history of Mercyhurst and the Erie area? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, look no further than the History Club.

The History Club is one of the clubs on campus interested in learning about world history, local history and understanding major world events as they happen. Through a variety of means such as watching films, trivia in their general meetings and trips throughout Erie, the history club allows members to gain a better understanding of the past.

The general meeting consists of either trivia or a film. If one happens to attend a trivia night, the questions are often based on the history of that month. An example of this is in the month of September, the theme of trivia was Hispanic Heritage. Throughout the year, the history club is excited to have more trivia in meetings. However, for their next meeting, they will be deciding and viewing a World War II film to determine how film impacts historical events.

Throughout the semester, there will also be larger events planned. These include a trip to the Erie Cemetery and the Hagen History Center. Aside from the bigger trips the club is planning, the group is also working on planning other local trips to the Erie Community as well.

For the Erie Cemetery trip, Dr. Magoc will be doing a walking tour of the cemetery. This event will occur on Monday, Oct. 11.

“The walking tour will be connected with the African American Heritage Trail,” said History Club President Lily Smith, junior Public History and Museum Studies and Political Science double major.

This is also the second year that the History Club has taken this trip with 2020 being the first year. This year there will be more of a focus on the African American Heritage Trail due to its strong ties with Erie.

The other trip will be to the Hagen History Center, which will be sometime in November.

Finally, a large event that the History Club will be doing is the Mocktail Event. The club will have a table at the Campus Involvement Center sponsored event on Wednesday, Oct. 20 during Alcohol Awareness Week.

Some of the goals of the club in the future are growth, outreach, and learning more about the Erie area, along with showing inclusion.

“You don’t have to be a history nerd to join,” said Smith. Whether super passionate about history, or just want to see what the club is all about, all are welcome to join. With a focus on growth, The club values student involvement. The club is open to any event ideas that students may have, so please feel free to suggest any ideas.

Learning more about the Erie area would involve taking more trips in Erie and continuing to get involved in understanding the history through museums and the Historical Society.

While unsure about outreach opportunities, Smith mentioned this as a larger goal. No events are currently scheduled, but as new members join, opportunities will arise.

If interested you can contact Smith at lsmith37@lakers.mercyhurst.edu, or you can DM their Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat @ hursthistory26.

PAGE 7

The COVID-19 pandemic has nonetheless impacted everything we’ve known for almost two years now. Wearing masks has become a part of our everyday fashion and many have gotten creative when it comes to personalizing the masks.

While there have been various patterns and colors for masks, mask chains are one of the more creative accessories created in order to improve how we wear masks.

Genevieve Burgess, a senior Psychology major with a creative writing minor, has created her own business of mask chains to make it easier for people to carry their masks around with them in a fashionable way.

Mask Chains by Genevieve Rose B, was inspired by the events of the pandemic in order to make wearing mask more fashionable. Talking about her inspiration, Burgess said, “I don’t think there’s just one area that inspired me. I bought a mask chain at a little boutique over the summer and became obsessed with the convenience and look of it.”

“As a kid I used to bead and make jewelry a lot and I knew that I could replicate the one I had purchased, so I bought the supplies and honestly, it’s become such a therapeutic activity for me,” said Burgess.

Burgess also included that her mask chains are made with little colorful beads, which are chosen based on the customer’s preference. The mask chains also have clips on the ends to attach to the ear loops.

One thing that is very conve-

nient about these mask chains is that they are able to attach to the ear loops of any style mask, therefore these chains are suitable for anyone and everyone.

“I’m experimenting with different designs and now can put little daisies as an added touch on the chains. They’re super convenient, especially when walking in between classes outside. I don’t have to worry about accidentally dropping my mask or having it get crumpled up in my pockets,” said Burgess.

Burgess’ chains are the perfect fashionable way to enhance and add to your style and spice up just an everyday mask. Burgess’ products are very innovative and can help lessen the struggle of losing your mask and or ruining them, whether that be from dropping them or causing them to wrinkle.

Burgess is a very innovative person. Outside of making these creative mask chains, Burgess likes to journal, write poetry and watch movies with her cat while sipping on a glass of wine. A very down-to-earth and charismatic person, Burgess is very driven in making peoples’ everyday lives more convenient. Burgess has a niche in diving into her creative and imaginative mind, and by doing so she is able to show off her artistic side by bringing back her love of bead-work with these mask chains.

Currently, Burgess’ products are priced at $10 a chain, or $13 if you would like to add the daises for a nice added touch to the mask chains as noted above.

If interested in purchasing one of these creative products, you can reach out to Burgess on her Instagram @genevieveroseb.

With multiple product styles that she has to offer, check out her work. Do not be afraid to support a fellow Laker in their journey as an entrepreneur.

If you have a small business or know a friend who has one and want to have it featured in The Merciad “Laker Side Hustle” section, email merciad@ mercyhurst.edu or message @ merciadmu on Instagram to have your business featured.

Alternatively, one can also email the current Features section editor, Victoria McGinty, at vmcgin82@lakers.mercyhurst.edu for the chance to be featured.

Be sure to check out our last issue where we featured Hearts and Crafts by Han, a handmade jewelry company!

Contributed photo

Mask Chains by Genevieve Rose B logo

Contributed photo

A sample of a few of many styles of mask chains made and sold by Genevieve Rose B.

JOIN THE MERCIAD Write articles, get paid. Reporters meetings Mondays at 7pm in Hirt L103.

PAGE 8

HURST CLASS CATALOG

FEATURES

Second Mercy March for the BLM movement is a success

By Eva Mihelich

Contributing writer

By Maiya Harding Staff writer

Calling all forensics majors, whether concentrating in biology, chemistry or anthropology, consider taking FRSC-320: Indoor Crime Scene Investigations as a major elective.

Professor Donovan is a retired Pennsylvania State Police Sergeant with almost 40 years of experience on the force. He is currently a part of the Applied Forensic Science Department at Mercyhurst where he also teaches a graduate-level course on indoor crime scene recovery. Who better to teach the class than someone who has real experience in the field and who is so passionate about teaching that he came out of retirement?

Indoor Crime Scene Investigations is a 300-level mini offered every Fall to forensics majors. It is a contentpacked course, so interested students must first complete FRSC-340 Physical Evidence and Law, FRSC150 Intro to Forensic Science, BIO-146 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, MATH-170 Calculus 1, and CHEM121 General Chemistry 1. These are already required of forensics majors, so most students choose to take this as a major elective in their third or fourth years.

Only one book is required of students, Crime Scene Investigation and Reconstruction by Robert Ogle. This is a helpful book for forensics students and since it is required reading in other forensics classes, students can hang on to it and save money in the future.

Many topics are covered in Indoor Crime Scene Investigations. These include the legal aspects of forensic investigative techniques including search and seizure, warrants, exceptions and boundaries and security of the crime scene. In addition, students will cover the importance of forensic techs as expert witnesses in a court of law. Students will also go over steps of processing physical evidence including types, classification, purpose, preservation and chain of custody.

A variety of types of indoor crime scenes will be explored as well. These are arson or explosion, burglary, robbery, sexual assault and death investigations. While many people think burglary and robbery are the same offense, there are distinct differences as students will learn. Burglary is breaking and entering with the intent to commit a crime inside, while robbery involves theft through forceful or threatening actions towards someone.

Students will learn not only the textbook differences, but also how to identify these crimes from a forensics standpoint at a crime scene. The final week of the class covers crime scene reconstruction, which is fascinating to many students since it has evolved so much over the years from drawings or acting or creative dummy recreations to the present day where the top of the line virtual reality technology is frequently used. At this point in the semester students are expected to know what to do when they set foot on a crime scene from start to finish including any hazards and security issues they may encounter.

Upon completion of this course, students will fulfill the learning outcome of critically analyzing and interpreting past and current research in the forensic sciences. They will also be eligible now to take Death Investigation, a popular elective for forensics majors, which will dive deeper into what they learned in Indoor Crime Scene Investigations.

This course is a critical preview for students considering a career as a CSI.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

On Sept. 20, Mercyhurst University students and faculty gathered in front of Old Main for the second annual Mercy March.

Last year’s Mercy March for Black Lives set the path for this new event at Mercyhurst University, forming this year’s “Mercy March for Anti-Racism” hosted by Black Students for Unity (BSU), MAC and Campus Ministry.

The turnout was large, showing a hopeful sense of community on campus that is needed in cases of racism and division, which is still relevant in the country today.

The event was entirely student-run, exhibiting that Mercyhurst University students are proactive in their passions and missions for social justice.

At 7 p.m., everyone gathered in front of Old Main to begin the march around campus. A few beginning remarks were made by senior BSU President, Janiece Withers, and a beautiful poem was read by a student member from Black Students for Unity about the various struggles of living as a black girl today.

Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D, and President of Mercyhurst University, gave a brief speech about her stance on the importance of the march.

Getz shared that it is not enough to simply not be racist; she wants the entire Mercyhurst University campus to be actively anti-racist, and to get rid of the

holds that race has on people’s minds.

After telling the crowd about how race is a social construct and an unnecessary barrier, Getz wrapped up her speech and students got ready to start walking.

As President of BSU, Withers, a senior Fashion Merchandising major, led the crowd boisterously and passionately through some chants. She encouraged everyone to use their voices for change, and to chant loudly so that everyone in their dorms could hear the crowd yelling – a brief disturbance in studying, but a reminder of the even larger disturbance that racism has caused.

Michelle Scully, Campus Minister for Mercyhurst University, said that they [the school] didn’t want this event [the march] to be a reactionary measure, but rather something that is ingrained in how the University approaches its Mission.

The Sisters of Mercy, who founded Mercyhurst, have racism listed as one of their five concerns that they center their lives around. Scully said that, for this reason, the Mercy March is placed during Mercy Week, where the Sisters of Mercy and their mission are celebrated each year.

When asked about what struck her the most about the Mercy March for Anti-Racism, Scully said that the leadership of the students inspired her the most.

“It is an event that is not imposed by those who work at the university, but is something that showcases the voices, needs and

desires of the students, while the University works to support that.

I would definitely encourage others to attend in the future to gain perspective and knowledge that you may have not considered before,” said Scully.

The crowd was led down the sidewalk lining East 38th Street, back up on Briggs Avenue, past the Audrey Hirt Academic Center, wrapped around the fountain in Munson Plaza and then finished with a candlelight vigil by the Grotto.

“We always end in prayer. This year the candles didn’t stay lit because of the wind, but our mind and hearts were lifted up in prayer to remember all those who live on the margins, all those that are treated with disrespect, and all those who find life unbearable,” said Sister Natalie Rossi, officer for equity, justice and inclusion.

Mercyhurst University is committed to forming a community that is accepting and welcoming to everyone, and the Mercy March is a new annual event that is meant to build solidarity and unity among the community.

Fighting racism is not a oncea-year event, however; we should all live each day actively combating racism and the various divisions that our nation faces.

In Memoriam: Coach Curtis Robinette

By Victoria McGinty Features editor

Earlier this year the Mercyhurst community lost a revered staff member: Coach Curtis Robinette.

Robinette was the long-time water polo coach for both the men’s and women’s teams. The players that were fortunate enough to know him all miss him dearly.

While Robinette’s life sadly ended way too soon, we celebrate him and all of his accomplishments he made.

Robinette is an Ohio native born in Maumee, Ohio just outside of Toledo. He went on to graduate from Slippery Rock University in 2002. While at Slippery Rock, Robinette was an honored member of the water polo team.

He was a four-year varsity player and a two-year captain. Right after graduation, Mercyhurst was fortunate to gain Robinette as the water polo coach.

In his time at Mercyhurst, Robinette had experienced over 200 matches across both teams since 2002, when Robinette started coaching here at Mercyhurst.

Contributed photo

The late coach Curtis Robinette

Robinette strived to make an honorable reputation for waterpolo at Mercyhurst. After going 1-48 in his first two seasons, he worked in record time to regain his record. In 2003, Robinette took over the women’s team and posted a 204-237-1 mark.

Following many wonderful season’s Robinette was honored with the title of the CWPA Western Division Coach of the year award in 2008.

Robinette’s years of dedication to water polo and Mercyhurst, the

Lakers became the first Division II team to qualify for the Eastern Championship for the first time since 2004.

Then, in 2006, Robinette led the Lakers to their first Division II Eastern Championship.

The Mercyhurst community is incredible proud of all of Robinette’s accomplishments and he is dearly missed by many.

On Sept. 17, there was a celebration of life for Robinette and countless alumni and students attended to honor him.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

FEATURES

PAGE 9

The Honors Program gears up for another exciting year

By Libby Bullinger

Copy editor

After dealing with many months of virtual events and online learning, Mercyhurst’s Honors Program is ready for a more normal yet improved semester.

The Mercyhurst Honors Program offers students an enriched intellectual collegiate experience, both in and out of the classroom.

The program is centered around service, developing leadership and communication skills and engaging in challenging coursework.

One of the biggest advantages of participating in the Honors Program is the smaller class sizes.

Although Mercyhurst as a whole prides itself on small class sizes, the Honors Program offers even further individualized attention to aid in student achievement.

Other advantages include gaining experience in presentation skills, meeting with faculty mentors, portfolio development and of course graduating with honors chords.

Doug Wilsch, a senior majoring in Intelligence Studies and Political Science, is also the Honors Program President. He describes what he believes to be the biggest advantage to the program is joining a group of like-minded, dedicated scholars who are all determined to succeed.

In order to become a member of the Honors Program, students must receive an invitation from program Director Dr. Justin Ross before they begin their first year at

the university. If students do not receive an invitation, they are also able to fill out an application to obtain admittance into the program.

Throughout their time on campus, members will participate in honors events, service learning and professional development in addition to registering for honors classes.

Honor students are required to partake in 30 hours of community service, 25 honors events and 16 honors workshops, but all of this is split into the student’s entire university experience, meaning that it can accommodate even the busiest of student schedules.

Honors Program seniors complete an honors thesis that they present in a large academic setting such as a conference or in front of their peers on campus.

This year, the Honors Program is excited to be returning to in-person events. Like every other aspect of campus, the program was hit during the pandemic. Senior Biology major and this year’s Honors Program Vice President, Avery Corriero, recognizes that COVID put a strain on the program as a whole in terms of not being allowed to host in-person events. “Many of those restrictions are either lifted or loosening this semester and we’re very excited to get back to a sense of normalcy with our students,” said Corriero.

Some of the upcoming events for the program include Dinner and Discourse with Professor Da-

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

vies, a workshop about leadership qualities and self-awareness and a pumpkin carving contest.

Aside from all of these events, the Honors Council is always hosting pop-up events and workshops. According to the latest edition of The HOWL- the Honors program’s weekly newsletter, the program is hosting a variety of speakers and workshops within the next few weeks.

On Oct. 13, students are encouraged to attend a guest workshop with Jenell Patton. On Oct. 19 and Nov. 10, two more workshops surrounding leadership are being offered.

In addition to returning to in-person events, the Honors Council is also making some changes to help facilitate the process of going through the program.

Honors Program Secretary Lauren Tone, a senior majoring in Intelligence Studies, is helping to aid the rest of the executive board to make the program easier to navigate.

“As a freshman, I felt it was very difficult to find key information or to see where I was at with my requirements. The e-board has had a few meetings and it [reorganizing the program] is going to be one of our biggest pushes for this year,” said Tone.

For questions about the Honors Program please feel free to email honstaff@mercyhurst.edu or stop by the Honors wing located in the Hirt Academic Center.

By Maiya Harding Staff writer

Historical Event: Oct. 3, 1995

O.J. Simpson was found not guilty in the 1994 murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. The trial lasted 252 days. This is where the famous saying “the glove didn’t fit” is from. A glove was found outside Simpson’s house, matching one at the crime scene, with his and the victims’ blood on it. He tried it on for the jury, showing it was too big, creating reasonable doubt that let him go free. Nobody was ever convicted for Brown Simpson and Goldman’s murder.

Top 3 Songs This Week: According to Spotify’s Global Charts 1. INDUSTRY BABY: Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow 2. STAY: Justin Bieber, Kid LAROI 3. THATS WHAT I WANT: Lil Nas X On the Charts This Week Fifty Years Ago: According to Billboards Charts 1. Maggie May/Reason to Believe: Rod Stewart 2. Go Away Little Girl: Danny Osmond 3. Superstar: The Carpenters On the Charts Ten Years Ago: According to the Billboard Charts 1. Own the Night: Lady Antebellum 2. 21: Adele 3. Tha Carter IV: Lil Wayne Top Grossing Films: This week: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Ten years ago: Dolphin Tale

Mercyhurst Made: One Year Later

By Libby Bullinger

Copy editor

With the rising popularity of podcasts, Mercyhurst decided to join the fun last fall with the launch of the school’s official podcast, Mercyhurst Made.

The podcast is focused on exploring the legacy of Mercyhurst through interviews with students, staff, alumni and others who have been impacted by the culture of Mercyhurst.

Mercyhurst Made features a wide variety of guests and topics, but each episode is connected with the love and passion for Mercyhurst and our core values.

In Fall of 2020, then Associate Vice President for Advancement, Ryan Palm, developed the concept of the podcast that eventually developed into the interview style format we have today.

Although Palm began hosting the podcast, he moved on from Mercyhurst and left the show in good hands. Now, Mitchell Marsh of the Division of Advancement hosts the show.

Marsh, graduated from Mercyhurst in 2020, is now the voice of

each new episode where he can be heard diving deep into stories from different areas of the Mercyhurst community.

When asked how guests are selected to be featured on the show, Marsh commented that any Mercyhurst community member can be selected, and the show often receives suggestions from listeners about what they want to hear.

Although Marsh is currently the host of Mercyhurst Made, he revealed that there may be more hosts down the line as the podcast expands, giving more Lakers an opportunity to be involved in the growing project.

Marsh discussed one of his favorite episodes was when he got the chance to chat with Hazel Jennings and talk about her career at Instagram over the past several years following her graduation from the ‘Hurst.

Like most episodes, Marsh asked a variety of questions about the guest’s experience and involvement at Mercyhurst, where they are today and how the Laker life has impacted them. Listening to the show allows students to learn about the many different areas that a Mercyhurst degree

Contributed photo

The official logo for Mercyhurst Made

can take them and provides inspiration about post-graduation options.

Another recent guest on the Mercyhurst Made podcast was Marina Boyle, a former international student who graduated this past spring as the Carpe Diem Award Recipient. This particular episode opens with the speech

that Boyle delivered at the Class of 2021 graduation and then dives into her experience on campus within different clubs, the contract major she constructed and her future plans.

Marsh also asked Boyle about her experience as the Editor in Chief of the Merciad, so this episode certainly hits close to home

for the paper.

Other episodes feature guests including the past VP for Enrollment, Joe Howard; recipient of the Sister Carolyn Herrmann Service Award, Lucy Belleau; the previous Athletic Director now Assistant Vice President for Athletics, Brad Davis; artistic director of the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Culture (MIAC), Brett Johnson; Assistant Director of Community Engagement, Bethany Woods and the alumni founders of Exit 44 and Boho_Basement businesses.

Marsh revealed that the podcast hopes to be launching season two soon, but in the meantime there are 19 episodes available to listen to.

Mercyhurst Made can be streamed on your favorite podcast platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Make sure to give it a listen and contact Marsh if you would like to be featured on a future episode to share your love for Mercyhurst.

“We look forward to hearing the next set of guests and what they have to share about the Laker community,” said Marsh.

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Martin Short kicks off Fall MIAC programming season

By Bella Lee Staff writer

After the spring half of the 201920 season and the entire 2020-21 season were robbed of in-person performances due to the COVID pandemic, MIAC was finally able to return to the stage — instead of the screen, with their performances over the summer.

The summer performances included Mike Super, Bryan Stokes Mitchell, Matthew Morrison and Betty Buckley.

This year marks 25 years since the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture, or MIAC, was first established. To celebrate, a very exciting lineup that includes Ana Gasteyer, Leslie Odom Jr. and David Sedaris was announced for the 2021-22 season.

On Sept. 23, Mercyhurst and MIAC welcomed Martin Short to the D’Angelo Performing Arts Center to kick off the season.

Throughout his entire performance, Short proved to the soldout crowd that he is a jack of all trades.

He began his performance with a musical and comedy sketch discussing his early life and his relationships with other celebrities.

The next part consisted of Short discussing his time in the movie “Three Amigos,” his film debut.

He proved that he could still hold the high note for the approximately 30 seconds that the theme song lasts in the movie, then proceeded to bring in three members

Contributed photo

Martin Short in Three Amigos!

of the crowd and teach them the salute that the Three Amigos perform throughout the movie.

The next skit that Short performed was reprising his role as Franck Eggelhoffer, a foreign and extremely flamboyant wedding planner in “Father of the Bride,” also starring Steve Martin and Diane Keaton.

While in character, Short poked fun at certain celebrities and their looks.

He jabbed at Kim Kardashian’s

excessive use of makeup and when asked to show her without makeup, he showed an image of Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler.

Similarly, when showing what Bernie Sanders would look like with makeup, Short produced an image of Steve Martin as a way to joke about his co-star and friend.

Following a time of hysterics, Short launched into another skit that had him performing as perhaps one of his most famous characters, Jiminy Glick.

This character, most prominent in the late 90s and early 2000s, was a satirical celebrity interviewer who would chat with other celebrities, often asking them embarrassing questions that would send them and the audience rolling in laughter.

This time was no exception, as Short brought in yet another member of the audience and engaged in a hilarious interview with him.

The final part of Short’s per-

formance had him poking fun at some of the Saturday Night Live skits he had the privilege of taking part in over the years. It was a night that had audience members laughing until their insides hurt.

Whether you know him as Jack Frost from “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause,” Franck Eggelhoffer from “Father of the Bride” or Ned Nederlander from “Three Amigos!” Short is guaranteed to make anyone laugh.

Short was able to fill the D’Angelo Performing Arts Center with people of all different ages, proving that the MIAC performances are perfect for anyone.

If you were not able to attend this show, be sure to check out future performances. Mercyhurst students are eligible for one free ticket per show, so go to the box office and claim your ticket while you can. The box office is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, tickets can be bought last minute as the box office will open up 90 minutes before any ticketed event.

MIAC is excited to welcome the Wind Ensemble on Oct. 10 and Vanessa Williams on Oct. 22 for the upcoming performances!

First masterclass in Roche series develops student performers

By Ashley Barletta News Editor

The Roche Guest Artist Series is a collection of numerous events that celebrate music. The organization is celebrating it’s 32nd season this year.

Since the Roche series was founded in 1988, it continues to be made possible by the Terry and Margaret M. Roche family.

There are many exciting events within the Roche series this year, including a voice masterclass that happened on Sept. 21.

This event was free as well as open to the public.

Those who participated in the masterclass performed a song to compliment their vocal abilities for Ms. Xiu-ru Liu, who provided them with feedback.

According to Abby Eyler, a senior Music and English double major, “The general idea of the

class is to perform a piece of music and to gain a sense of what was done well and constructive criticism of what can be done better.”

“It allows guest artists to notice different things the performer needs to work on or reiterate what was already said by the performer’s private lesson teacher.”

Students who attended the masterclass were able to learn what they did well in their performance and what can be improved upon.

Eyler said, “Overall, from a performer’s perspective, I sang the aria “Kiss Me Not Goodbye” from The Mighty Casey by William Schuman, and I got constructive criticism on performing with more than just the voice (acting the song through gestures), not looking down so I can focus on the audience and learning stage presence such as how to bow.”

Constructive criticism was given to those who participated in

the masterclass so that they will know what to work on in future performances.

“Another thing that the masterclass helped me recognize was that my diction could be better, especially since consonants are needed to understand the English language. It felt good to hear that I could increase the storytelling through basic fixes that all singers can achieve,” Eyler said.

Other events within the Roche series included the Guest Artist Series, which happened on Sept.

20 in the Walker Recital Hall.

This was the first performance in over a year for the Roche series due to the COVID pandemic.

Guest artists included Xiu-ru Liu, a mezzo-soprano, Guenko Guechev, a bass-baritone, and David Allen Wehr, who played the piano.

There will also be a performance

by George Burton, who will play

the piano, on Oct. 11 in the Walker Recital Hall.

He will hold a masterclass for the piano on Oct. 12, which will not be live streamed like other events, so be sure to attend in person if you are interested in the piano masterclass.

Performances offered by the D’Angelo Department of Music take place in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center, Taylor Little Theater and Walker Recital Hall.

The Roche Guest Artist events all take place in Walker Recital Hall in Hirt.

Due to COVID, capacity is at fifty percent for all of these venues. For this reason, free events are live streamed.

However, events that are ticketed will not be live streamed, so be sure to get your tickets while you still can.

The Roche Guest Artist series

gives those in the Erie community access to performances by many different artists for free.

The opportunity to see these artists won’t be around forever, so be sure to check out the Roche series if you can.

The events are always open to the public and always free for everyone due to the continuous generosity of the Terry and Margaret M. Roche family.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

Contributed photo

Chicago-based dance group, Bomba con Buya.

Bomba con Buya brings dance and culture to campus

By Francesca Divincenzo Contributing Writer

Have you ever heard of the “bomba” dance style or wondered where it came from? Or maybe even why people perform it?

In colonial Spain, West African slaves and their descendants developed bomba.

The towns of San Juan, Mayagüez, Ponce and Loíza, and others along Puerto Rico’s coast had sugar plantations where these people

worked and subsequently created this dance style.

Bomba was a way that cane workers in the area would be able to decompress and get all the bad feelings out.

Bomba was also a way to communicate and celebrate events such as baptisms and marriages.

Bomba is definitely an important dance to teach because it is more than just a dance; it is a history that others need to understand.

Bomba is a crucial piece in un-

derstanding the life and traditions of this culture to cultivate an understanding and appreciation.

There is more to learn than just the steps; the dance teaches about culture and how the ancestors survived. Now that you know about bomba, you can learn how to do it.

A Chicago-based Puerto Rican music and dance group, Bomba con Buya, will give a workshop on Oct. 7 at 7p.m.

The workshop aims to relate

this piece of history to people of all levels of dance experience and truly embody what bomba is all about.

Bomba con Buya will also be performing at the Martin Luther King Center at 312 Chestnut Street in Erie on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

Whether you are interested in deep-diving into history, dancing with talented people or learning something new, Bomba con Buya is the perfect way to have fun

while celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

There are many other types of dances that are associated wit Hispanic culture and they all give great insight into that specific culture.

Be sure to keep an eye out for more activities to attend during the rest of National Hispanic Heritage Month until its conclusion on Oct. 15.

Hurst Hot Take: Requiem for a Dream

By Hannah Brooks Contributing Writer

***Spoiler Alert*** “Requiem for a Dream,” a 2000 film directed by Darren Aronofsky, is a psychological thriller about the devastation of drug addiction.

Based on the 1978 book by the same name written by Hubert Selby Jr., this movie illustrates drug addiction in a very dramatic and heart-wrenching way.

The movie follows its four main characters through their descent: Sara Goldfarb (Ellen Burstyn), a lonely retired widow who loves nothing more than her television set and troubled son; Harry Goldfarb (Jared Leto), a simple person who truly loves his girlfriend and mother despite his rampant addiction; Marion Silver (Jennifer Connelly), Harry’s girlfriend who comes from money but has ambitions to open a clothing store one day; and Tyrone C. Love (Marlon Wayans), Harry’s best friend who wants “peace and happiness” and to make his late mother proud of him.

The movie begins with Sara hiding in her closet as her son steals her television set (again) to pawn it for drugs.

Harry and Tyrone take the set

to the pawn shop and then get high. Sara goes back to get it from the pawn shop (again), then goes home to watch television.

Suddenly, she receives a phone call: she was selected to appear on television!

Though it is nothing more than a scam, Sara does not realize this and very excitedly scrambles to get ready for her appearance, including losing weight so she can fit into her favorite red dress.

She eventually ends up seeing a doctor who prescribes her amphetamines to lose weight.

Meanwhile, Harry and Tyrone are addicted to drugs, which they pay for mostly through petty thefts (such as pawning Harry’s mother’s television set).

They suddenly have the idea to not only foot the bill for their addictions, but also “make it big” by selling drugs themselves.

The movie continues as they do well with their new professions and live quite comfortably through the summer.

Harry and Marion come up with a goal of using some of the money to follow her dream of opening a clothing store.

Harry is also very excited about having the ability to buy his mother a brand new television set.

The three seem to be living comfortable lives during the sum-

mer, but things suddenly begin to shift along with the seasons once fall comes.

Tyrone is arrested and charged with a crime, which he did not commit. Harry is able to bail him out, but is forced to use a majority of the cash that they made over the summer.

With less money, things become much more strained between the group.

They suddenly find themselves without the necessary money to purchase drugs.

Pushed by her now-desperate boyfriend, Marion goes against her own morals and sleeps with her sleazy therapist for money that Harry and Tyrone can use to buy more drugs.

The drug deal goes wrong, as they end up with no drugs at all, and Marion finds herself infuriated and degraded.

As a last-ditch effort, Harry and Tyrone leave for Florida in hopes of purchasing more drugs.

Meanwhile, Sara continues to lose weight at home, but is dealing with a plethora of side effects as a result of the pills.

She eventually ends up voicing her concerns to the doctor, who simply brushes her off and refills her prescription.

She continues to descend down this hole, having delusions includ-

ing her refrigerator chasing her through the house and the characters on her television coming out of the screen and walking through her apartment, laughing at the state of it.

Her delusions continue to become more and more powerful until she suddenly finds herself roaming the streets in a severe state of confusion trying to find out “when she is supposed to appear on the show.”

The movie ends with a tragic, heart-breaking and powerful montage scene that can only be experienced through watching the movie for yourself.

As the spiral continues, we watch as their actions and addictions throughout the movie drag each to their own “rock bottom”, respectively.

This film is classified by some as a “psychological thriller” and by others as a “modern-day tragedy”.

It truly is both.

While the movie can be seen as dramatic and scary, the sad truth is that it is nothing more than a harsh reality that Aronofsky presents in a very illustrative way.

The events that each character endures in this movie are events that happen to people every day as the drug epidemic continues.

I highly recommend watching this movie at least once, if not

many times more. It is one of my all-time favorite movies because of the powerful message and portrayal of the message. Alongside the directing skills by the very talented Aronofsky, the acting is absolutely phenomenal, with each actor putting on a stellar portrayal of their characters.

The movie was released in October of 2020 and is an oldie but a goodie as some might say.

Be sure to watch the trailer on YouTube before watching the whole movie. But if the trailer is to your liking, be sure to watch the whole movie. It is not on any of the main streaming services, however it can be bought on YouTube or through an HBO Max subscription.

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD Mini courses are ending.

A new perspective on American policy

By Doug Wilsch

Staff writer

BAD We’re already almost halfway through the semester.

HAPPY Halloween is coming up!

The Merciad STUDENT EDITORS Gillian Mazur ........................... Editor in Chief Samantha Weber ................ Managing Editor Ashley Barletta ............................News Editor Victoria McGinty .................... Features Editor Sydney Dietz ..............................Sports Editor Emma Coppolo ............................. A&E Editor Zach Dumais ........................... Opinion Editor Libby Bullinger ..............................Copy Editor Kristian Biega.......................................Advisor Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

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

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor.

All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit.

Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters via email at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The United States, in preparing for a multi-polar future, should embrace an updated, practical version of the liberal order created in the post Second World War environment. In an increased word of competition, non-state actors, and international challenges, it is better to have allies on point so we can govern our sphere in tandem and jointly. I should note the concept of this idea was first made

by David Kilcullen in his book “The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West,” which he refers to as the Byzantium option, based on the long-lasting Byzantine Empire of CE 330-1453.

As I am an American citizen and interested in international affairs, being a liberal internationalist comes naturally to me. We as Americans and as prominent members of the international community must help mitigate the worst and alleviate humanity from desperate situations. By fostering cooperation, alliances and institutions over depraved amoral geopolitics the U.S. is working toward a better world. Now these

concepts sound positive but what is the result of such continual progress? Mass vaccination campaigns, the overall decreasing frequency of inter and intra state violence, increasing women’s legal and educational rights across the developed world, developing shared international legal structures through treaties like the ICJ and ICC, and life expectancy to just name a few. Structures provide growth and require constant continual updates. Gains of the past cannot be lost due to disruptions at home. That is why I am proud to call myself a liberal internationalist; it is a calling to do the best for my fellow human being. COVID-19 is an excellent example where we could lead other states in a joint plan of action against a virus which does not care about the borders humans make.

Building new international legal structures or treaties is hard but necessary work in a world where change seems to be the only constant. We as an international community must adapt to fast technologies like cyber-space, evolving science-based question, trans-national crime (e.g., human and drug trafficking), intrastate development issues, which manifests into violence, and gender-based discrimination issues just to name a few. To paraphrase

Hans J. Morgenthau, a country should never give up advantages and never do anything that would decrease their influence. So why would we relinquish control over a system which has benefited us? Of course, these issues are inherently disjointed, complex, and opaque.

It is easy to understand why Americans are frustrated with U.S. foreign policy practitioners – years of missteps like the Iraq War and NATO expansion have led to lives lost and value prestige gone.

With the Byzantium option, domestic concerns and foreign concerns are not spared at each other’s expense. The United States can chew gum (needed domestic infrastructure) and walk (provide foreign aid programs) at the same time. These liberal institutions are set up so problems can be mitigated straight from the source, as Sec. Albright says “We are the indispensable nation.

We stand tall. We see further into the future.” As much as the cost might seem in continual involvement at a mitigated Byzantium level; the cost of no intervention far outweighs it, especially with the only alternative war as a realistic option when crisis reach a fever pitch. Best to send in the dedicated civil servants first before we set a course for calamity.

Clubs need more participation

and the History Club. I’ve been involved in the Merciad every year

By Bella Lee with the exception of one semester.

Staff Writer My first semester as a Mercyhurst student, I saw many people attend Merciad meetings. However, beginning my sophomore year, the number of participants declined, There are over 80 clubs and mainly due to the meetings being organizations that students can join at Mercyhurst. Whether it’s an held over Zoom.

This semester was the first in a academic club that aligns with your year and a half that we were able to major or a recreational club that’s meet in person, but when I entered perfect for your hobbies, there’s the room, the first thing I noticed a club for almost every interest. was how few people were there.

And even if there isn’t you have The same thing goes with History the opportunity to create or revive Club.

I’ve also been involved every a club with help from Campus single year.

When I was a freshman, Involvement. participation was at an all-time However, in the time of COVID, high. how much participation is there Sophomore year, all the meetings in clubs nowadays? The Campus were over Zoom, and the ones I Involvement Fair that occurred attended didn’t have many people at at the beginning of the semester all.

Junior year we’re back in person, seemed to attract throes of students, but we don’t have many students but when I look at the Student Hub that are as enthusiastic as my class for meetings, I generally only see and the classes before me. meetings for around 5-10 clubs.

However, this was the opposite When I look at the four main case in the other two clubs I’m in: clubs I’m involved in, the amount Tabletop Games Club and Anime of participation in them is wildly Club.

These are clubs I’ve gotten different. involved with more recently. My The two clubs that I’ve seen boyfriend is the Vice President steady decline in participation since of Tabletop Games Club and the I first joined them are the Merciad

Treasurer of Anime Club, so I thought I would join as a way to be more supportive. I only attended one full meeting of each club last year, but I noticed both times that there were less than 10 students in each meeting.

This year, however, I learned that both of these clubs had among the highest interest at the Campus Involvement Fair, and each time I’ve attended meetings, there’s between 25-30 students without fail. My boyfriend, a founding member of the Tabletop Games Club, is beyond thrilled at the attendance in that club, and so are the members of the e-board in the Anime Club.

However, I am still concerned about how most of the other clubs on campus are doing. I don’t hear about many of them, although I know that they exist. I have friends involved in other clubs that say they’re doing well, but I feel that COVID has really derailed chances of socialization and participation for these clubs.

I’m forever grateful that I have the chance to join these clubs, and I can only hope that participation will increase again as we continue to push back against COVID.

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

OPINION

PAGE 13

All of the best fall events in Erie I go to the Gorge, I find myself stopping constantly to take pictures because it is just such a Contributing writer beautiful place to me. Another perk of going during the fall is that the temperatures will be Fall is the perfect time for much more comfortable for a pumpkin spice lattes, cute walk without being drenched scarves and Insta selfies in front in your own sweat. Even if you of colorful foliage. Wait, no are not much up for a walk it is actually the perfect time but want a little “getaway”, the for beer, football and Buffalo Gorge is a perfect place to come chicken dip or is it actually the with a hammock, or even just prime time for horror movies, a blanket to sit on the ground haunted houses and Halloween and read a book. Relaxing with a costumes? Also, what is the crisp breeze and the views of fall flavor of fall? Is it pumpkin spice around you? It doesn’t get much or apple cider (it’s definitely better than that. apple cider)?

Erie also offers a ton of fall While not everybody’s version activities through churches, of fall looks the exact same, there organizations, bars/clubs and are many things to do right here other businesses - and while in Erie that will fit your needs, this may be a very wide variety, regardless of what your ideal hear me out - there is always definition of fall looks like. something going on every The Wintergreen Gorge is weekend during Oct. and Nov. arguably my favorite place to Another one of my favorite go year-round, however, there places to be in Erie during the is something about it in the fall fall months is at a good fall fest. that appeals to me even more.

Fall fests are one of my favorite There is already something things, because who doesn’t like about the views you get to a Chinese auction, plates of food experience while walking here - sometimes even including fall without the colorful foliage favorite desserts like pumpkin now add that in and you see rolls and pies, crafts and more? what I mean. On a warmer fall There are so many offered in day - and let’s be honest, the Erie during the fall months that temperatures are starting to it can be a little bit hard to keep cool but I wouldn’t be surprised track, but, honestly, Google “fall if Erie manages to squeeze in fests in Erie” and sift through a few more 70-degree days - I the overwhelming amounts of will walk along the creek. If it’s suggestions. Specifically, Peek cooler or you aren’t in the mood ‘n Peak has a really popular for wet feet, the trails are already and outstanding fall fest and is divine on their own. Whenever

By Hannah Brooks

HURST STUDENTS

SPEAK UP

only a 33-minute drive from Mercyhurst and there will be one happening in downtown Erie on the 24th this year that I am looking forward to checking out.

Now, while I talk about fall fests and how it can’t get much better than crafts or Chinese auctions - it actually can. Handsdown, my absolute favorite event to go to during Fall is “Dogtober Fest” which is hosted at the Erie Brewing Co. I have been going since 2018 and it is probably one of the things I look forward to most. Featuring Halloween costumes, Chinese auctions, food, beer and dogs (most of which are also wearing Halloween costumes), the event is so much fun. Unfortunately, it has already occurred this year.

However, if you need your “dogs in Halloween” costume fix and you need it this year, there is a “Bark’N Treat” event going on Oct. 22 at Lucky Dog Stay ‘N Play or a “Bark & Brew” event on Nov. 12 at the Concourse at Union Station.

While one might say that Erie is only fun during the summer, I would argue that fall is one of the times when Erie thrives the most.

There are so many fun fallthemed events to attend full of festivities and crafts, as well as awesome places to explore to get your fall foliage fix. Regardless of what you like to do the most, you will always be able to find something in Erie.

We asked: What is your favorite Halloween movie?

Derek Kagen, junior Cybersecurity major: “The Shining because it’s a trip. Glues your eyes to the screen throughout, and makes you question your own sanity by the time it’s over.”

Alana Lewis, junior Psychology and Criminal Justice Major: “The Haunted Mansion is definitely one of my Halloween favorites. It was always in the background on ABC family and thats how I knew fall was really starting.”

Jacob Yetzer, junior Business and Competitive Intelligence Studies Major: “I would say my favorite Halloween movie is Ghostbusters, because it’s simply a classic.”

Zach Dumais, senior Intelligence Studies major: “My favorite Halloween movie has to be The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Compiled by RayLynn Chraston

Homecoming could be improved The same thing can be said

By Emma Coppolo for the athletes that had to miss

festivities due to their Friday night games. While the alumni games are fun for both teams, that also means that those Last weekend, Mercyhurst players don’t get to attend the hosted its annual Homecoming bonfire. celebration. Faculty, staff, Saturday was Homecoming, students and alumni gathered and the tent at the game was together to celebrate our school super nice. The walking tacos and its heritage. and drinks with the sitting area My favorite part of the made it a fun spot to stop before weekend had to be the bonfire heading into the game. on Friday night, especially the However, it felt kind of weird girl trying to roast marshmallows that students weren’t allowed in it (you’re a legend). into many of the tents because The hot chocolate and apple they were for alumni and faculty cider stations were perfect that paid for VIP Access. additions, especially now that I understand that fall weather has come to campus. Homecoming is about the The snacks were a nice touch, alumni returning to campus too. I had a great time, but I and such, but it felt a bit felt bad for the band and MSG disconnected for me. We are members that had to work it. It supposed to show unity and feels a little bit unfair that these school spirit shared between students don’t get to celebrate the current students and those Homecoming like the rest of us from years past, but we were due to schedule conflicts. physically separated.

A&E Editor

I personally think that the student organizations involved with making the day work did a really great job. As I mentioned previously, it would be difficult to watch all of your classmates enjoying the festivities that you put so much effort into preparing while you work.

Throughout the game, the cheerleaders, band and dance teams did a great job performing, keeping the crowd enthused and cheering on the players.

I think that my favorite part of

being at the game was the dance team’s half-time performance.

They did a really great job, and it was a great way to enter the second half in the rain.

Homecoming court was different this year as two people of any gender were able to be Homecoming royalty, which is traditionally one woman and one man. I was a huge fan of this decision, especially because seniors Kali Beutler and Hannah O’Brien proved that the binary system is flawed in their twowoman-win.

FOLLOW US!

When this occurred, I heard some parents behind me complaining about this choice and saying what a shame it was.

I’m glad that our school can be progressive and make more inclusive choices when so many people feel this way.

Overall, I personally thought Homecoming weekend was great. I hope that next year this weekend will be even more inclusive to students than it was this time.

Twitter: @TheMerciad Instagram: @mumerciad Facebook: The Merciad

Tag us in your newsworthy Hurst moments!

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Hurst homecoming game ends in loss

By Zach Dumais Opinion editor

One of the best Homecoming Weekend traditions is the Mercyhurst football game. There are always numerous activities such as the annual tailgate that lead up to the game. There are also a large number of alumni, faculty/staff and of course, students who attend.

For the 2021 homecoming game on Sept. 25, the Mercyhurst Lakers took on the Indiana University of PA (IUP) Crimson Hawks. IUP and the Lakers have a long history as there have been 12 total games between the two schools. IUP leads the all-time series with a 10-2 record. Mercyhurst has not won against IUP since Oct. 9, 2010.

Only time would tell whether this would be the matchup that could break the streak.

Mercyhurst was 1-2 heading into this matchup while IUP was 1-1. The game kicked off at 1:00 p.m. and the game did not start out as the Lakers had hoped.

IUP scored their first points of the game when they blocked a punt and returned it for 6 with a touchdown. Mercyhurst came right back with a 70-yard drive however, when freshmen Ayron Rodriguez caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from junior Michael Lowery with 10 minutes left in the first quarter. The 7 points that Mercyhurst

Mercyhurst was unable to get any sort of offense going in the second half while the Crimson Hawks added two more scores.

The Crimson Hawks scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass and a 3-yard run. The final score resulted in a 48-13 win for the IUP Crimson Hawks.

It was a disappointing game for the Lakers given that it was Homecoming Weekend. The Mercyhurst Lakers fell to a 1-3 start to the season while the IUP Crimson Hawks moved to 2-1.

The Lakers also took on the #25 ranked Cal (PA) when they traveled to California, PA on Oct. 2. The Lakers attempted to shake off a three-game losing streak, but it was ultimately not in the cards for them.

The Lakers were held to just 106 total yards of offense with only 7 rushing yards. They were unfortunately shutout against a tough opponent and the game ended with a final score of 37-0.

Hurst Athletics photo The first quarter looked promising for the Lakers since it was only a 3-0 Cal lead.

Lakers linebacker, Jacob Holl, senior, looks for the ball admist teammates and IUP opoAfter the first however, it was all downnents while playing in the Homecoming game. hill as Cal scored 34 unanswered points throughout the game, resulting in 359 total received from this play were unfortunately score by this point was now a 28-7 Crim- yards of offense.

The Lakers fell to a disappointing 1-4 the only points that they would get in the son Hawk lead. start and they hope to break this streak Brian Alsobrooks, junior, played well for first quarter. when they go against Seton Hill on Oct. 9.

The Crimson Hawks went on to score 21 the Lakers, hitting two field goals to make unanswered points in the late first quarter the game 35-13 going into the second half. and early second. They scored on a 7-yard The field goals were from 39 and 30 yards pass, 13-yard pass and a 1-yard run. The respectively.

Women’s soccer pulls out a win against IUP

By Samantha Weber Managing editor

The ball bounced back and forth between multiple players before credit officially went to Mijares for her second goal of the game.

This was Mijares’s third goal of the season.

The Lakers were not done yet as two freshmen, Teagan Melhalko and Karah Van Horn, ran the ball up the field passing back and forth to each other until Melhalko was one-on-one with the opposing team goalie and shot the ball and it sailed right past the Hawks keeper in the 85th minute. This was Mehalko’s first goal of the season.

The Lakers were able to hold off the Hawks for the remaining five minutes until the final whistle blew indicating the end of anoth-

er victory for the Lakers. This is Mercyhurst’s fourth PSAC West win during the season.

The Lakers were able to keep the Hawks from taking any corner kicks throughout the game while they had nine for their team. Mercyhurst outshot the IUP 25-7 with 10-4 of them being shots on goal.

Mercyhurst goalkeeper, Maddie Elbro, sophomore, had a good game with three saves on four shots. This is Elbro’s fifth win of the season.

The Lakers will hit the field again on Oct. 6 at 5 p.m. at California, Pennsylvania when they take on the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans.

The Mercyhurst women’s soccer team played Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) on Oct. 2.

The Lakers were victorious over the Crimson Hawks with a final score of 3-1. The match was the first between the two teams since Nov. 6 of 2019, where the Lakers defeated the Crimson Hawks with a final score of 5-0.

In their last 10 games against each other, the Lakers have won five, lost four and tied two matches. The Lakers were also coming off of a 4-0 win against Clarion, so they were on a winners high.

The Lakers were the first on the scoreboard during the 32 minute of the first half. Dani Hartman, junior, passed the ball through the defenders and sophomore, Emily Mijares was able to get the ball and send it past the IUP goalie. That was the only goal scored during the first half.

Entering halftime, the Lakers, outshot the Crimson Hawks 143. After only three minutes into the second half, IUP scored their first and only goal of the game.

IUP sophomore, Chloe Thoericht, helped the Hawks get on the scoreboard.

In the 59 minutes, the Lakers Hurst Athletics photo gained the lead back after Madison Hoover, junior, played a cor- Hurst midfielder, Teagan Mehalko, freshman, faces up against a ner kick perfectly into the box. player from IUP.

Be sure to check out all of the Fitness Classes available! If you’re a certified fitness instructor for any type of class, reach out to Joe Schoenleber at jschoenleber@mercyhurst.edu. They are always looking to add more classes and options

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

SPORTS

PAGE 15

Two-game series for women’s hockey

By Zach Dumais Opnion editor

The Mercyhurst women’s hockey team traveled to Hamilton, NY over the weekend to take on the Colgate Raiders for a two-game matchup for the Lakers.

The first game was on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, and the Lakers put up a hard-fought effort. They were a bit outmatched in terms of shots in the first period as they were at an 8-2 disadvantage. The Lakers goalie, Ena Nystrom, junior, only let in one shot.

The matchup proved to be up to the hype as it was still a 1-0 effort going into the third period.

The game truly opened up for both teams in the third period.

Mercyhurst was able to tie the game at 1-1 with Emily Pinto, senior, assisting Vanessa Upson, freshman.

Unfortunately, Colgate was able to go on an unanswered streak of three goals within 2:30. The score was now 4-1, but all hope was not lost as Mercyhurst forward, Liliane Perrault, senior, was able to score an unassisted goal at the 13:58 point.

The score was now 4-2 until

LET’S GO, LAKERS!

Oct. 8, Minneapolis, MN @ 8:00 p.m.: Men’s hockey vs Minnesota Oct. 8, Erie, PA @ 6:00 p.m.: Women’s hockey vs Franklin Pierce University Oct. 9, Lebanon, IL @ 10:30 p.m.: Men’s water polo vs Gannon University Oct. 9, Erie, PA @ 4:05 p.m.: Women’s volleyball vs Edinboro University

Hurst Athletics photo

Forward, Emily Pinto, senior, hits the puck closer to the net.

the last minute when the Raiders scored an empty net goal.

Mercyhurst was outmatched in terms of total shots as the final total was 32-21. Nystrom had a

respectable effort in net, saving 27/31 shots. In the second game, it was also extremely competitive.

Mercyhurst got off to a hot start, as they scored four minutes into

the game on a powerplay from a tripping penalty. Jersey Phillips, sophomore, scored the goal with Grace Nelles, sophomore, and Perreault getting credit for the as-

sists. The Raiders were able to tie the game at 1-1 at the 13:57 mark in the first period.

Mercyhurst was unable to take advantage of a later power play in the first quarter. The second period was once again quiet in terms of scoring. Mercyhurst had eight shots on net, but none of them were able to find the back of it.

The Raiders gained their first lead of the game with a score at the 5:35 mark. Colgate once again opened up the scoring in the third period with another goal which increased their lead to 3-1.

There was hope again for the Lakers when Kristy Pidgeon, grad student, was able to score the second goal for Mercyhurst which made the game 3-2. Perreault and Sara Boucher, sophomore, were both credited with assists. The comeback came up short, as Mercyhurst unfortunately was not able to score any other goals.

Colgate made the final score 42 with a late empty net goal. Jenna Silvonen made a valiant effort in net for the Lakers as she saved 24/27 shots.

The Lakers are now 3-2 on the season and hope to get back on track against Franklin Pierce University in a two-game series that starts on Friday.

Lightweight rowing heads to Findley Lake

By Gillian Mazur Editor-in-Chief

While students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrated with different Homecoming festivities back on campus, on Sept. 26, the Mercyhurst rowing team headed to Findley Lake, NY for one of their four regattas of the year.

A regatta is a series of boat races and typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed watercrafts but can also include powerboat race series.

Hosted by Mercyhurst at the Gillard Rowing Center at Findley Lake, the MU teams raced in the Findley Lake Autumn Classic.

This regatta celebrated Mercyhurst’s 50th year of rowing at the Hurst during Homecoming Weekend. “This regatta was a great success not only with the quality of the racing and results, but for the alumni that had returned for the 50th anniversary celebration. It was especially great to see the members of the first ever crew come home and cheer on the current team,” said Mercyhurst’s Director of Rowing, Adrian Spracklen.

Both Mercyhurst Men’s heavyweight and lightweight rowing teams competed along with the Mercyhurst Women’s rowing team.

The Mercyhurst University Lakers competed against schools such as the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers, the Penn State Behrend Nittany Lions and the Marietta College Pioneers.

Hurst Athletics photo

Women’s rowing team participating in the regatta at Findley Lake.

The Lakers came out strong at the regatta with the men’s eight races winning with a final time of 22:19.67. With two boats in the race, the Lakers’ second boat came in third with 23:17.02 for a final time.

After the race, the women’s team, the NCAA Division II National Runners Up, got to go in the water for the first time in the 2021 season. The women’s eight won first place with a final time of 25:43.39. With this time, the Lakers defeated two RIT boats and a Marietta and Penn State boat.

Men’s varsity then completed four races and finished with a final time of 25:34.58 defeating both the Pioneers and the Tigers to take the first-place title. In the M1X race, the Lakers closed out the first flight to take second place.

The Mercyhurst men’s freshmen fours then raced and once again got the Lakers back to their

winning streak. The men’s first boat finished with a final time of 25:52.25 with the second boat taking fifth with a final time of 27:16.42.

In the men’s twos race, the Lakers took the win over the Pioneers and Lions with a time of 26:56.39. The Lakers also took first, third and fourth respectively in the second men’s duo race with times of 27:06.35, 29:40.52, and 21:16.59.

The women then raced again in the fours race and were able to beat two Marietta boats and two Penn State Behrend teams with a total time of 32:09.66. The Laker’s second team finished over a little over a minute after the first team, earning themselves second place.

The Lakers also came in first for the women’s twos race at 29:39.96 defeating two Marietta boats.

The Men’s singles race was the last race of the day. The Lak-

ers’ first teams placed second at 28:56.06 and fourth at 30:30.68.

“The racing was fun, competitive and an overall success. A big thank you to Marietta, RIT and Penn State for making the trip and for such a great experience for all. We had many wins including all the varsity sweep events which pleased the home crowd,” said Spracklen Mercyhurst was supposed to race on Oct. 9 at Howard, PA for the Nittany Lion Chase regatta, but it now shows that it has been canceled on the HurstAthletics. com website as of Oct. 5.

The Lakers’ next race is set to be another all-day regatta on Oct. 24 in Boston, MA for the Head of Charles Regatta.

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Someone from your past could arrive with welcome news concerning your future. Meanwhile, avoid taking sides in a workplace confrontation until you have more facts to go on.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A decision about a relationship could have longer-lasting consequences than you might imagine, so be sure of your facts before you act. A trusted friend can help.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A strained relationship could be restored with more personal contact between the two of you. Letting others act as your go-between only adds to the ongoing estrangement.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Fresh facts could mean taking a new path toward a goal you’ve been hoping to reach. However, be sure all your questions are answered before you undertake to shift directions.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) This is a good week for all you fine Felines to turn your attention to some important considerations, such as your health, your job situation and the status of important relationships.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Avoid making a quick decision about a matter that needs more study.

Keep your mind open for possibilities, even if they don’t seem plausible — at least not yet.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021 LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might welcome the emphasis on openness in relationships that mark this period. But it’s a good idea to avoid sharing personal secrets with people you hardly know.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) There are still some questions that need to be asked and answered before you can feel confident enough to make a potentially life-changing decision.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Some lingering effects from a now largely resolved workplace confrontation could make things difficult for you. Act on this before it becomes serious.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You feel you’re finally in control of your own life after months of making compromises and concessions you never felt comfortable with.

Congratulations.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) No sooner do you decide to pass on one job offer than another suddenly turns up. This one might not have everything you’re looking for, but it’s worth checking out.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Congratulations. With Jupiter’s strong influence dominating this week, don’t be surprised to get some good news about a troubling financial matter.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are usually kind and loving. But you can be highly critical of those who don’t measure up to your high standards. © 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by the Martian