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MU President “Getz” Inaugurated
Inside the Inauguration with Mercyhurst Student Government
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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 Walker 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 be here and for what is to come it the future.
An inauguration is a new start 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
MSG Executive Board poses with the new president. From left to right: Joey Franz, Kailey Pisani, Doug Wilsch, Carissa Budday, President Getz, Janiece Withers, Nick Brodfuehrer, and Megan Krull.
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 cadets.
“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 career 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.
MU helps keep Erie’s coasts clean
By Abby Eyler Staff writer
The International Coastal Cleanup was a success as Mercyhurst students helped to clean two coastal areas in Erie. The International Coastal Cleanup originally started over 30 years ago in Texas when its founders noticed the amount of trash on the beaches. This project now hits home as local college students and residents work to make sure Erie’s coastline stays clean. Students picked up at least 185 pounds of trash at the East Avenue Boat Launch and Shades Beach, collecting a variety of objects such as cigarette butts, tires and plastics. While the Mercyhurst community focused primarily on Shades Beach and East Ave, many other areas that are a part of Erie’s coastline were also cleaned up. The Erie County Planning Department partners with multiple organizations to ensure the cleanliness of the beaches, Mercyhurst being one of them. For many of these projects, the Planning Department recruits site managers and volunteers to take on the coastal cleanup. The coastal cleanup and county statistics are utilized to support local nature preservation and increased funding for the projects. Some of the data that is used includes how many bags of trash were collected, how many miles of coastline were cleared and the types of particles collected. Colin Hurley, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Sustainability 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 practices 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
The trash cleanup had a wonderful turnout 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!
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 HUB- Academics - 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.
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!
Students stand together 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 helping 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!
Mercyhurst ranks among Best Value colleges
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 college’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. STUDENT GOVERNMENT
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