Oct. 25 Edition of The Merciad

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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News ................2-5 Features...........6-8 A&E ............... 9-11 Opinion........ 12-13 Sports ......... 14-15 Laker Living ......16

W E D N E S DAY, O C T O B E R 2 5 , 2 017

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VOL. 91 NO. 5

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3rd Annual Hurst Day

Online poll results What are you doing for fall break?

3: Panel tackles opioid epidemic 10: Music, Dance and Theater collide in “Guys and Dolls” 15: Men’s ice hockey splits Snowtown Throwdown Photo by Lauren Abbott

Going home for a few days (56%) Doing homework and studying (22%) Catching up on sleep (11%) Wait, we get a break? (11%)

This week’s

POLL

What did you do for Halloween?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

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Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Contributed photo

The U.S. Brig Niagara is the ship that students spent three week on while taking the “Waves of the Past, Leaders of the Future” history course during the summer of 2017.

Seas the day aboard the Brig

By Lauren Ganger Staff writer

Over the summer of 2017, seven Mercyhurst University students spent three weeks aboard the U.S. Brig Niagara on Lake Erie. Part of an immersive history class, this experience taught them skills that they never would have learned in a classroom.

In a ceremony on Oct. 23, President Michael T. Victor honored the students — Alex Feasly, senior History major; William Riva, sophomore History major; Cedrick Chan, junior Exercise Science major; Donald Bryant, sophomore Communication major; Ella Santillano, sophomore Applied Forensic Science major; Logan Ford, sophomore Intelligence and Political Science double major; and James Wallace, senior Intelligence major — with a pin ceremony for having taken part in the program.

Benjamin Scharff, Ph.D., who in his introductory speech was described as the “spark to a quickly lit, fast-burning fire,” was the driving force behind this program. In keeping with the Mercyhurst mission to provide real-life learning experience for every major, he and the Erie Maritime Museum worked together to develop this program for students interested in nautical history.

“Waves of the Past, Leaders of the Future,” offered at the 200 level, fulfills REACH and elective requirements. After its success last summer, the program will be offered again in the spring as a Mini

Contributed photos

LEFT: Sophomore Logan Ford climbs on the U.S. Brig Niagara’s mast. RIGHT: The ship sailed with 11 students, stopping in five cities.

4 and the summer as a Mini 5.

The course is unique in that it offers a variety of different learning opportunities to students. While Scharff said that the course’s “emphasis was always on the sailing experience,” students also learned about the region’s current and future states, visited five cities, seven vessels of historical relevance and four museums

and developed strong friendships both with fellow classmates and the crew members who trained them.

A typical day began with wakeup at 7 a.m. Breakfast was served at 7:30 a.m., and muster was at 8 a.m. At this time, the students would break up into “watches.”

When a group of students was on duty, they were stationed on the

main deck, doing jobs such as acting as lookout or steering the ship.

When off duty, students worked on required readings and relaxed.

Riva said that in addition to learning how to sail, the main takeaway from the program was teamwork.

He also said that an interesting aspect of this course for him was learning about what life was like in

the 1800s aboard a ship.

“There is a lot of history to be learned and a lot of connections and friendships to be made with fellow students and trainers,” Riva said.

Riva described the program as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something he would do again if he was given the opportunity, and he urged students to try it out.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

NEWS

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Contributed photo

David Dausey, Ph.D., Mercyhurst University provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, makes remarks at the start of an Erie Times-News community forum on the opioid epidemic in Walker Recital Hall on Oct. 2. The event featured Erie Times-News staffers as well as professionals from the Erie community.

Erie takes on opioids

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

Currently, America is experiencing a dangerous, deadly trend unseen before. The number of opioid overdoses seen throughout the country is increasing at a devastating rate of 200 percent, costing an estimated 91 people their lives daily and totaling 47,000 annually.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half a million people have lost their lives between the years 2000 and 2014 because of opioid addiction. This number is comparable to losing the entire population of Wyoming.

Numerous factors have contributed to the creation of what the National Institute on Drug Abuse describes as the “environmental availability” that allows for this epidemic to exist.

A rapid increase in the number of prescriptions written coupled with the societal acceptance of medication creates a dangerous setting for drug abuse to exist.

From 2000 to 2010, the number of prescription opioids — such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone — sold to pharmacies, hospitals and doctor’s offices have quadrupled, despite the fact that Americans do not report an increase in the amount of pain they experience.

This overprescribing of medication makes both legal and illegal opioids — like heroin — more accessible than ever before.

It is much simpler for Americans to get their hands on these highly addictive and, oftentimes, dangerous medications.

As of 2012, an estimated 467,000 Americans are addicted to heroin alone, and this number is only rising.

“This is something I don’t expect to see change in the near future,” said Thomas Cook, Ph.D.,chair of the department of Public Health. “The epidemic doesn’t have any racial, social or ethnic boundaries. It can affect anyone and everyone.”

Although the effects that the opioid epidemic have on the country are irreversible, efforts can be made to ameliorate the situation, help those who are struggling with addiction and lower the number of opioid related deaths.

To heal a society that has grown accustomed to opioid prescriptions, understanding of the dangers of these drugs and the detriments they may cause is crucial. This allows for people to better recognize the warning signs of addictions in those they know and seek help sooner.

On Oct. 2, Mercyhurst Uni-

versity and the Erie Times-News joined the initiative to help educate the Erie community on treatment resources, the criminal justice system’s response to the epidemic and hear family’s first-hand experiences.

“It is important for our community to be knowledgeable about the risks of abuse of opioids – whether in the form of pain medications or in street drugs,” said Judy Smith, Ph.D., director of the Health and Counseling Center. “Education is the first part of prevention. This epidemic may touch someone we know and love, and being aware of how to help, refer and assist allows us to move people towards help.”

For those who are interested in being a direct part of the change, resources on campus are available.

“Students interested in get-

ting involved in prevention and recovery initiatives may want to talk with their faculty members about opportunities for internship or practicum experiences in agencies dedicated to these efforts,” said Smith. “These organizations often welcome the efforts and enthusiasm that our students can bring.”

Cook recommends that students take a mental health first aid course — offered on campus — to recognize signs of addiction, the underlying causes and what can be done to help those in a dangerous situation.

“This education can last a lifetime and definitely help those who need it,” Cook said.

While the future is unclear, student, faculty and community commitment to societal change may be the difference between continued overdose deaths and a healthier, brighter future.

AIM travels to Big Apple

By Claire Eichner

Staff writer

Over the mid semester break, 11 students from the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) program traveled to New York City.

AIM provides many great opportunities such as this one for their students year after year. The students that go on these trips are the students that are part of AIM’s Career Path program.

Brad McGarry, director of the AIM program, is one of the people who made this trip, and other trips alike, possible.

McGarry explained that this trip was “a vocational exposure experience” and “it is where the students meet with top executives, participate in vocational training and collaborate with autism advocacy groups.”

There are many reasons that trips such as these take place, but

the primary reason is “to build internship and vocational resources for our students and to raise awareness to encourage more business to promote autism employment initiatives,” McGarry said.

Some of the opportunities the students had on the trip include visiting the American Museum of Natural History, attending Autism Speaks, and meeting with officials from Google, Ernst & Young and many more successful business people.

Rachel Wilson, a sophomore English major who is part of the AIM program, was one of the students who went on the trip. She spoke about the program and also gave some of her favorite highlights from NYC. “AIM is so wonderful because everyone is the program is so helpful. The autism unemployment rate is so high, and they really take the time to work with all of

us to make sure that we have great employment opportunities,” said Wilson. “My favorite parts were going and visiting with people at Autism Speaks, visiting the United Nations and getting a tour of the American Museum of Natural History.”

As if going to New York City and having all of these great experiences was not enough, the group was followed around by a camera crew during their trip as well. Their experiences and the Mercyhurst AIM program is to be a part of a Netflix documentary.

“The program has positioned itself nationally in the discussion pertaining to autism employment.

Due to this we were connected with a film company in San Francisco that is producing the documentary ‘The Business of Autism,’” McGarry said.

The documentary is set to air sometime in April 2018.

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Merciad IN A MINUTE Dean’s list reception On Oct. 10, more than 575 students were honored for qualifying for the Dean’s List during the 2016-17 school year.

In order to attend the Dean’s List reception, a student must earn a GPA of 3.6 or higher for both semesters of the previous year.

Party with the English department The English department’s Sigma Tau Delta will be hosting a Halloween party this Thursday in the Student Union Great Room at 7 p.m.

Students are invited to come dressed as their favorite literary character. A prize will be given to the person with the best costume.

Knitting at night with MSG

Mercyhurst Student Government’s Mission and Sustainability Committee is going to be in Baldwin lobby from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Participants will be knitting mats for the homeless out of plastic bags. Students are welcome to attend.

Halloween Dinner On Friday from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Parkhurst will host its annual Halloween dinner in the Grotto Commons.

Have a news tip for Merciad In a Minute? Send an email to newsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Experience the past

By Jordan Pendel

Staff writer

Portal to the Past Cave at the Experience Erie Children’s Museum may be a recent creation, but it is full of thousands of years of history. It came about almost by accident with a little help from Allison Byrnes, M.A., Lithic Technology Specialist and Director of the Lithic Analysis Laboratory.

Byrnes has always done public outreach with different organizations around Erie. She had future plans to set up a project with the Children’s Museum, but her ideas came to life early when she proposed that she had an opportunity for a crowdfunding project to the museum’s assistant director. The assistant director was hoping to turn the museum’s old cave into something more educationally focused.

“What archaeologist is gonna turn down a cave?” Byrnes said.

Byrnes has a positive relationship with the Children’s Museum, and she has been helping with various events at the museum for a while now. Super Science Day on Oct. 14 was her second year volunteering for the event where she helped children create their own stenciled Paleolithic cave art.

In past events, Byrnes has done flintknapping demonstrations and “excavations” where kids got to pick and brush their way through clay to find various artifacts. The museum tends to call her in for a number of different things.

“It’s nice to maintain that relationship,” Byrnes said.

Last September when raising

Contributed photo

Children at Experience Children’s Museum got to make hand artwork that resembled cave drawings.

money for the portal began, they specifically reserved money for supplies needed for periodic outreach events. It is a way to keep Mercyhurst University involved with the Children’s Museum.

When dealing with children between the ages of 2 and 6, which is the most common age group Byrnes has been involved with, she wants them to understand what archaeology is.

“One thing I did to subliminally get across the message of what archaeology is, is that when we did the Portal to the Past cave I made everything on the right side of the wall archaeology, and I made

everything on the left side paleontology,” said Byrnes. “They can maybe subliminally separate those in their minds.”

When she did the flintknapping for the children, she wanted to show them that people lived a very different way from the one we do now. Finding fun ways to introduce basic archaeological concepts to the children can help them in case they cannot get the content. Byrnes wants them to remember the experience as it can be the first step in being interested in the discipline.

Byrnes and the Children’s Museum do not want the Portal to the

Past Cave to be too stagnant, but the size of the custom-built cases in the cave may give them limitations in what they can do in the future with the cave. The plan is to keep the artifacts in their current location for approximately a year, and with the creation of a year loan artifacts can be switched out if need be.

Occasionally when Byrnes does maintenance on the cave, parents will talk to her about how great the cave looks. She thinks the parents enjoy it just as much as the kids do.

“I’m so proud of the way it (the cave) turned out,” Byrnes said.

Understanding Islam in the U.S.

By Kristian Biega

Staff writer

In American society today, there are many strong opinions and beliefs about the religion of Islam. With the fear of terrorism constantly being a driving factor in American’s understanding of what Islam is about, Muslim author, advocate and practicing attorney Qasim Rashid hopes to give a clearer picture of what his faith means to him and also in the wider scale of the United States.

Rashid’s lecture, “Islam and America: What Media Won’t Discuss,” was held Oct. 23 in Walker Recital Hall as part of the Charlene M. Tanner Speaker Series.

Rashid’s main point in his lecture was to create a better understanding of what Islam is and how it has been distorted in the past and in recent years. He began with a discussion on what privilege means and how to build a better understanding of how it permeates our culture.

He recalled the first time he was blatantly discriminated against in a workplace because of the color or his skin and his religion. After

having a successful internship and hopes of a job, he was rejected by the company.

“I was heartbroken,” he said.

“Not having to censor your faith because you are the majority faith, that is what we call privilege.”

Rashid’s desire for wanting to become a lawyer stemmed from the need to celebrate diversity and represent those who are marginalized.

Rashid used America’s turbulent history to put different forms of discrimination and bigotry in the context of Muslims today. He stated that he is a proud American citizen, but this pride also comes in recognizing our history and learning from it.

The solution Rashid urges is for the media and the average American to fight this history with education and understanding. He referenced the religious beliefs of Islam and the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad as example for how Americans can turn the tide of bigotry, supremacy and misunderstanding.

RISE — Re-educating, Identifying, Serving and Elevating — became Rashid’s acronym to rep-

resent four ways Americans can better foster understanding.

Re-educating people with real life situations and conversations teaches the realities that are often skewed by the media. Rashid urged the audience to read about and have conversations with people who have views that are different that your own so that they may be better understood.

With the connotation of “jihad” as being a terrorist ideal, Muslims are constantly having to re-educate about the true meaning of the “struggle against evil” and that the actions of one do not represent the whole. Rashid helped to create a website that he encouraged the audience to visit that demonstrates credible information on Islamic culture, religion and history, called TrueIslam.com.

Identifying the issues and comfort zones we possess is the hardest step in this process to Rashid.

Once people recognize what they comfort zone is and how to step out of it, change can be made.

By serving others and treating them how we would wish to be treated, the door is opened to the fourth and most important step in

Rashid’s process.

Elevating those who are marginalized helps all people find that common human ground.

This does not mean to speak for these people as if one knows more than their subject area or personal background, but to open and encourage a platform for conversation, education and understanding.

Rashid ultimately took on a subject of which he is extremely knowledgeable, in the context of America today, making his experiences raw, informative, humorous and eye-opening on a personal and global scale.

This lecture by Rashid was organized by the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force Committee on Employee Awareness. The task force seeks to increase awareness of diversity and create a conversation about how to celebrate and incorporate all types of diversity.

“We were very happy with Qasim’s visit,” said Ryan Palm, associate vice president for Advancement. “Student feedback was extremely positive and many members of the local community also stayed behind to thank Qasim for his wonderful lecture.”

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

NEWS

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STUDENT GOVERNMENT

This weekend’s campus events

MU crowdfunding boosts 4 projects

By Kristian Biega Staff writer

Fundraising can often be a daunting and lengthy process.

However, for the second year in a row, the Mercyhurst community has utilized the popular fundraising technique of crowdfunding.

The basic idea behind crowdfunding is to have a large number of people contribute a smaller amount of money at a time in order to make bigger projects a reality.

“Crowdfunding is an exciting way to raise money,” said Jeffrey Roessner, Ph.D. associate professor of English. “It gets the message out there that you are attempting to fund these worthwhile things.”

This year’s project began last spring as Ryan Palm, associate vice president for Advancement, and members of the Advancement team reached out to all faculty, clubs, athletic teams and athletic clubs to ask for unique ideas to be a part of the 2017 Crowdfunding.

“We look for projects that will enhance the day-to-day life of our students,” said Palm. “We don’t want to replace carpet or paint walls; we want to do fun, exciting things that will also help the students. That’s where we challenge faculty to come up with those projects.”

Other aspects that Mercyhurst Advancement looks for in a good project is an attainable monetary goal of around $2,500 to $7,500 and a large base of interest and connection to a particular department, team or objective. These projects span across various aspects of the Mercyhurst campus from academic to athletic and cross-generational.

The university came up with 10 to 15 initial suggestions that were eventually whittled down to the current four: a wine lab for the Hospitality department, a new golf cart and shed for the Athletic Training department, an endowment of the Literary Festival in the name of Ken Schiff, Ph.D., and recovery equipment for the Mercyhurst Baseball team.

“A lot of people are impacted by these projects,” said Palm. “We have seen hundred of donors come out to support them — alumni, parents, students, friends and relatives — and we know that that support will only continue as we go forward.”

Hospitality Uncorked

Robert Green, instructor of Hospitality Management, is excited to see the wine lab become a reality for the Hospitality Management Department through Crowdfunding. The current area the hospitality management students and faculty use is more primitive, lacking the resources and space needed for the lengthy process.

The students of Mercyhurst Hospitality Management Program make their own wine each year to give away for free with their various dinners.

“We seek to create the best possible programs and experience we can for our students,” said Green.

“It is a way for the students to apply their skills to serve wine and answer questions about it. By being involved in the entire process, they are given practical experience of what we teach in class.”

Training Wheels

The Athletic Training golf cart is more than 20 years old and in much need of replacement. Many student athletes face the difficulty of not fitting properly on the short bed of the cart. The cart also needs a permanent housing facility other than its current “shed” in the Athletic Training room in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

This is why, with the help of crowdfunding, a new cart can be purchased with a longer extended bed and have a separate shed to keep it in good condition as well.

Literary Festival

Each year, the English department hosts a Literary Festival that unveils the Lumen magazine, presents awards and scholarships and brings in speakers and programs that encompass the creative spirit of the event. Schiff and Roessner started this program in 2002 to celebrate creative and influential literature within the Mercyhurst community.

Schiff, a longtime member of the English department and director of the Creative Writing program, passed away this past May. The English department decided to create an endowment in his name for the Literary Festival that Schiff began and looked forward to each year.

“We are proud and very pleased to have reached our initial goal of $5,000,” said Roessner. “This campaign really marks the beginning of our fundraising attempts.

We want to find a more substantial gift that will allows us to keep producing a festival at this impressive level to help ensure the legacy of Dr. Schiff.”

Schiff is continued to be missed as a dear friend of Roessner’s and a large influence in the English department and Mercyhurst as a whole. His wife has already expressed her thanks for all of the university’s support.

Rehab Assignment

The Mercyhurst baseball team continues to have incredible success over the years, and as they continue this success, staying healthy and in shape is imperative.

This crowdfunding project is to fund a possible pitching machine, ARPwave technology, weight training equipment and an on-site ice machine.

There have been a large number of supporters for the program as baseball has a wide range of alumni, families, friends and staff that want the team to prosper. Dan Altavilla, ’15, is now a pitcher for the Seattle Mariners and has made a donation to the team’s recovery equipment fund.

Three out of four projects have been funded past their original goals, and the fourth is anticipated to be fulfilled shortly.

“These projects are very tangible in nature,” said Palm. “We can show the donors the impact they have made. It is important for us to connect donors with what they are supporting, which is a really neat part of crowdfunding projects.”

Palm stressed that these projects could not have been completed without the help of so many people at the university, and he is very excited to see them come to fruition with the generous donations of even some faculty as well.

“The coaches and faculty members that we have been working with have been absolutely wonderful in helping to spread the word of projects, coming up with ideas, and making sure that the constituencies find out about the project and show their support,” said Palm. “The Marketing department has also been wonderful at putting together videos and social media graphics, because this is an entirely digital campaign.”

Overall, the Fall 2017 crowdfunding campaign has been a success. The team will begin the planning process once again this spring in hopes of another successful program in Fall 2018.

MSG will be showing the movie “Confirmation” followed by a discussion led by Mercyhurst professors. The movie starts at 8 p.m. this Friday.

The Mercyhurst tradition of Haunted Hurst is back again this year. The tours will run from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. this Saturday. If scaring is a little too much, there will also be Halloween movies with Tim Horton’s donuts and hot chocolate to enjoy as well.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Oct. 20: Controlled substances at Duval.

Oct. 21: Liquor law violation in Warde Hall.

Oct. 21: Theft in Warde Hall.

Oct. 22: Criminal mischief at Lot #11.

FEATURES

PAGE 6

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

Ask for Mia’s advice at: askmia.merciad@gmail.com *******************

Dear Mia, I hate to say this, but I do not like my best friend’s new boyfriend. He seems like a distraction to her schoolwork and isn’t very friendly to us.

He seems like a bad influence to my friend. Ever since she started dating him, it seems like she is hanging out with us less. Should I tell her how I feel about him or let it go?

Sincerely, Helpless Friend

Dear Helpless Friend, You are in a tough position right now. On the one hand, you can tell your friend how you feel, and risk ruining your friendship, or lay low and try to forget it. I think you should weigh the pros and cons for both decisions. If you truly think he is distracting her from getting good grades in class, then you should definitely tell her. In what ways is he not nice to you?

Does he not have conversations with you or is he rude in the way he speaks to you? It’s possible that he’s just unsure of what to talk about with you. However, if he says mean things to you then you should definitely let your friend know.

You’re just looking out for her. On the other hand, if he does make her happy it will be hard to tell her how you feel about him. You don’t want to ruin something good for her.

It’s a sticky situation that you should think hard about before making any decisions.

Sincerely,

Mia

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Victor supports Hurst community

By Daniel Leonard

Staff writer

During challenging times, whether environmental or political, Mercyhurst University maintains its reputation as an accepting and supportive community for all, continuing to help those in need.

University President Michael T. Victor has sent out campuswide emails to reassure staff and students after several political and environmental events. His emails have also provided information on ways to help through collections on campus and online efforts.

Over the past few months, numerous collections have taken place, both by students and organizations on campus, to provide support for the victims of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Maria and various other natural disasters.

Colin Hurley, director of Community Engagement, commented on the efforts to help those left without water and electricity in the wake of natural disasters.

“Central to all efforts seems to be our common foundation of the Mercy Mission and reaching out compassionately toward those who are vulnerable and in need,” Hurley said.

The actions of leaders in the

Education department, Athletic department, Mercyhurst International Students Organization and Mercy Emissaries, among many others, have made a global difference while continuing to uphold the Mercyhurst legacy.

Many of the major issues over the past year have been the federal government’s changes in policies, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the executive order on immigration.

Faith Ehidiamhen, senior Political Science major, disagrees with many of President Donald Trump’s decisions.

“A lot of immigrants have made America their home,” said Ehidiamhen. “Removing them from this country will end up affecting us economically and culturally.”

Displaced immigrants are put into makeshift warehouses that are bought by the government with taxpayer money. When an immigrant is deported, the costs of deportation also come out of the taxpayers’ pockets.

“We need to tighten the loopholes in our system and fix the problems, not just the symptoms,” Ehidiamhen said.

Victor’s emails of support have been a successful tactic used to

combat the policy changes. The emails clearly state Mercyhurst’s choice to stand behind all members of the community while also urging staff and students to seek long-term remedies.

“The motivation behind the emails is to remind everyone of our Mercy Mission and the core critical concerns,” said Victor.

“We want to remind people what we stand for and lead by example.”

Mitchell Marsh, a sophomore Business Marketing and Hospitality Management double major, appreciates the emails and what is represented by their message.

“It’s a sign of reassurance that (Victor) is there for us and understands what we are going through,” Marsh said.

While sending an email to the Mercyhurst community is a simple action, many students share Marsh’s view that Victor is taking a stance and supporting the students.

“Mercyhurst must be and will continue to be, under my leadership and our team, a beacon of hope, a beacon of welcome, someone who stands for the rights of those who can’t necessarily speak for themselves. Those that need help, we will be there to help,” Victor said.

Former chief of staff to share experience

By Rebecca Dunphy

Staff writer

Some of the country’s greatest minds will gather in Erie next month for the Jefferson Educational Society’s Global Summit IX from Nov. 2 through 17.

As a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the Jefferson Educational Society strives to educate the local community on the topics of today by hosting public forums, seminars and debates, as well as producing research and analysis. The Global Summit aligns with these values. Various speakers will be presenting at the Jefferson and at Mercyhurst University’s Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

Described by Ben Speggen, program director of Jefferson Educational Society, as a longer version of Ted Talks, each of the nightly events will follow a traditional presentation format followed by an audience-driven question-and-answer forum.

“Usually to have exposure to something of this caliber, you may have to travel to somewhere like New York City,” said Speg-

gen. “We want people to have this in their own backyard. We want it to be accessible for the community.”

With the expectation that most attendees will be members of the Erie community, the institute determined several topics that would be beneficial for locals to learn about.

“Broadly speaking, we are trying to reach everybody,” said Speggen. “We think these are important conversations that will better communities, so they can make better decisions and have insight into conversations that are happening on a national level.”

Areas of discussion will include challenges and opportunities facing Erie, feeding the world in the 21st century and citizen participation in science, leadership development and intelligence issues.

Recently announced, one of the most well-recognized speakers who will be attending the event is Andrew Card, former chief of staff for George W. Bush. Card will share stories from his experiences working with former presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush

on Nov. 14 at the Jefferson.

As a whole, the Global Summit promises to provide audiences with a more informed understanding of important topics, and hopes to continue to promote productive and intellectual conversations throughout the community.

“You see that the conversation doesn’t stop here,” said Speggen.

“We see people want to discuss these ideas going forward, and we see people don’t just talk about this for one night in November, but continue in the future.”

Those interested in attending the event are invited to contact the Jefferson Educational Society for more information and to reserve a seat at one of the nine events taking place. Global Summit events will be held at Mercyhurst on Nov. 9, 10 and 17. Students are invited to attend those events taking place on campus, as well as those held at the Jefferson, 3207 State St. in Erie.

With valid Mercyhurst ID, students will be granted free admission to this opportunity to learn more about contemporary issues and to diversify their education.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Lauren Abbott photo

From left, Ian Emerick, David DiFrangia, Kyle Weber and Jordan Murray, all junior Intelligence Studies majors, get into the spirit for Hurst Day on Oct. 4.

Hurst Day excitement

By Nicholas Mathur

Contributing writer

Mercyhurst University’s third annual Hurst Day was highly anticipated and, naturally, a roaring success.

Hurst Day took place Oct. 4 after weeks of President Michael T. Victor’s tweets and emails intentionally misleading the Mercyhurst community.

The day began at 6:45 a.m. with the sound of bagpipes and a mass email to the student body to announce the arrival of the long-awaited day.

“The bagpipers and the cabinet members went around campus to wake everyone up,” said Megan McKenna, director of Residence Life. “Residence Life staff accompanied them to make sure everything was easily accessible to them.”

Activities began with the scavenger hunt at 10 a.m. For this event, students created teams online, complete with themes and costumes. In a campus-wide competition, 141 teams raced to follow clues and advance.

“We had much more scavenger hunt teams this year than in years past,” said McKenna. “That level of student involvement is exciting.”

The top 25 teams moved on to the second round, where participants were required to follow pictures to specific locations on campus and take a team selfie there. The top three teams then advanced to the final round — trivia — for the chance to win a prize.

Members of the team that placed second overall, including Morgan Wangler, senior Education major, and Lynne Gillot, senior Sports Medicine major, were thrilled with their accomplishment.

Mitchell Marsh photo

The table of candy, accompanied by an ice cream cart, was a favorite Hurst Day feature for students.

“When we made it to the third round, we were genuinely surprised, because none of us had made it to that round before,” said Wangler. “It was fun to represent the school in that sort of way.”

The prizes included pocket projectors for the first-place winners, Bose Wireless Speakers for the second-place winners and Amazon Fire Tablets for the thirdplace winners.

“To anyone questioning whether to do the scavenger hunt or not, you definitely should. You’ll only get to do it four times in your college career,” said Gillot. “What do you have to lose? Plus, the costumes are fun to make.”

This was also the first year that Mercyhurst North East (MNE) held a Hurst Day scavenger hunt.

In years past, Mercyhurst North East students had participated in the Erie campus scavenger hunt.

“We used to bus students to the Erie campus to participate in the scavenger hunt. However, we realized that they weren’t able to participate in the scavenger hunt fairly since they didn’t go to the Erie campus,” said Michelle Simpson, director of Student Life at MNE. “So we finally got them to do it at North East, and it was a successful and great time.”

Following the scavenger hunt, the day’s events continued with games, inflatables, music and food. Uniquely, each food stand had a movie-related theme, including specific cosplay characters, music from the movie and

theme-appropriate dishes.

“The goal this year was to make the food stations more interactive,” said Katie Boyd, outside administrator for Parkhurst. “So we decided on a movie theme, with characters and music at each stand.”

Featured movies included “Indiana Jones,” “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

“I was worried about the idea at first, because you never know how people are going to react or respond,” said Boyd. “But I felt that choosing movies that people recognized would help the idea get positive feedback.”

MNE students rode buses to the main campus to participate in the afternoon activities. The buses

arrived at 11:30 a.m. and departed at 3:30 p.m.

“It was great to see the North East students participate with the Erie campus students,” said Simpson. “Combining the two student bodies has always been a concern.

But the Erie students were very embracing of the North East students.”

The afternoon activities ended at 4 p.m., giving students an hour before the steak dinner concluded Hurst Day at 5 p.m. The steak dinner took place in both the Grotto Commons and the Laker Inn. The menu included steak, baked potato, salad, various desserts and more.

“The steak dinner is a great treat and a great way to end the day,” Boyd said.

This was also the first year that MNE held a steak dinner. As with the scavenger hunt, they had participated in the main campus steak dinner in years past.

“It’s nice to know that the students have this one day of the year to look forward to,” Simpson said.

Hurst Day is a popular event among both students and staff, giving a fun and needed break.

“This is a special event for the students that doesn’t happen everywhere, so they should participate in it and have fun with it,” McKenna said.

The goal is to improve Hurst Day each year.

“As per the president’s request, Hurst Day needs to be bigger and better each year, and I think we’ve stood true to that this year, not only with employee involvement but also with student involvement,” said Courtney Olevnik, director of donor relations. “We’re going to debrief about this Hurst Day soon and how we can make it even bigger and better for next year.”

FEATURES

PAGE 8

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

NEW AT

HURST

Lauren Abbott photo

Kathryn Duda, Ph.D., is a new addition to Mercyhurst.

Kathryn Duda This year, Kathryn Duda, Ph.D., joined the Mercyhurst family as an instructor of Russian Studies.

Before coming to Mercyhurst, Duda was a professor at DePaul University and the University of Chicago.

Duda made a joke about how she decided to study Russian. “(It was) a series of bad life decisions,” Duda said.

Duda started learning Russian at age 14 and moved to Moscow, where her father was the military attaché for the U.S. Embassy. After college, she taught English overseas and combined her passion for teaching with Russian.

This semester, Duda facilitated Mercyhurst’s transition into becoming an affiliate institute with New York University’s Jordan Center for Advanced Russian Studies. This allows Mercyhurst to participate via livestream in their public talks throughout the year.

“I think this will be a good opportunity for Mercyhurst, which has a tiny Russian department, to be able to participate in places that have larger Russian departments,” said Duda.

Duda emphasizes the importance of the Russian language.

“I want people to know that Russian as a critical language and a critical culture is a really good complementary fit to a lot of things we have going at Mercyhurst, like the Intelligence program, to be able to host events like the livestream and eventually bring speakers here on campus,” Duda said.

She hopes to eventually bring speakers to campus, and grow the Russian Studies program here.

— Lauren Abbott

Daniel Leonard photo

The student union at Mercyhurst North East was renovated to use natural lighting and incorporate new study spaces.

North East student union a place to gather, study, play

By Daniel Leonard Staff writer

In a stunning resurrection of a hardly used space, the student union at Mercyhurst North East was completely renovated. Located in the lower level of Miller Hall, the new union opened its doors on Oct. 18.

The old student union was described by members of the community as dark and uninspiring. “(The old student union) was there for commuters, but it wasn’t a place where students could actually come together and have fun in,” Jennifer Powell, a second year Nursing student, said.

Throughout the redevelopment of the space, students were able to see sketches and prototypes of what the final outcome was supposed to look like.

“It is even better than the pictures, being able to see it in real life and the different aspects of it,” Powell said.

With its bright colors and playground-like structures, the area has been reconfigured to use natural lighting to its advantage, while also incorporating an array of areas that appeal to different types of people.

Keyman Asefi, instructor of Interior Architecture and Design, divides the large room into five different spaces: the dining area, the refreshment zone, the playground, the study pods and the platforms. There are spaces for everyone, whether introverted or extroverted, and numerous study spots. A student can sit alone in one of the study pods or sit on one of the platforms to meet new people.

“Emotional architecture is architecture that responds to us and creates a very attractive environment for its occupants to hang out in, to study, to play or even

Lauren Alfieri photo

Individual study pods are only one area where students can relax or study at Mercyhurst North East’s student union. There are also platforms, as well as pool tables and TVs.

just take a break from the ordinary classroom,” Asefi said.

Although the revolutionary design is brand new, a number of students, both on campus and commuters, have taken to the space and enjoyed playing pool, watching TV, or simply relaxing in the artistic space.

Michelle Simpson, director of Student Life at Mercyhurst North East, believes that because of the large number of commuters, it is necessary for the university to have a homey feeling.

“It is important that they feel a connection to the school and have a place to feel at home in,” Simpson said.

The new student union creates the opportunity for students to build those connections while also creating a supportive envi-

ronment where they can study if they need to.

While many two-year schools may not prioritize smaller things such as community space or study areas, Mercyhurst North East has put in the extra effort to stand apart from other schools and provide an example of how much their students are cared about.

“I definitely think it was a good use of school resources,” said Powell. “When students come on tours, especially high schoolers, they definitely want to see that community area where they can hang out and have fun.”

The overall hope is that the new healthy environment has a positive impact on the students who Lauren Alfieri photo enjoy the space, while also becoming a new favorite for anyone The new student union creates a relaxing environment on campus. who visits.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 9

Tomlin brings hits, wit

By Eleanor Hein

Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Institute of Arts and Culture’s all-star line-up for the 2017-18 season continues Nov. 7 with the extraordinary and talented Lily Tomlin.

The world-renowned actress will grace the stage in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center that Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.

MIAC director Brett Johnson, Ph.D., promises “An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin” that will include visits by “some of Tomlin’s most beloved characters, including Ernestine, Ms. Beasley, and Edith Ann, witty observations about the human condition and questions from the audience.”

Tomlin is known for a wide range of roles from television shows to Broadway, from movies to Netflix series.

Her career as a nationally acclaimed actress began in 1969 after her part in a comedy television series called “Laugh-In.” She continued to star in a number of other TV comedy specials that she co-wrote with Jane Wagner, who would become her wife.

Johnson first saw Tomlin’s show while pursuing his graduate degree.

Those unfamiliar with titles such as “9 to 5,” “I Heart Huckabees” and “Nashville,” all of which Tomlin is known for, need not fret. Millennials might also recognize the star from her part in “The Magic School Bus” as the eccentric Ms. Frizzle.

While her work as the voice actress for Ms. Frizzle is commendable, you can also watch some of her comedy for some quality laughs (her role as the “political correctness coach” in “The Pink Panther 2” will have you rolling on the floor with laughter).

Like the Bernadette Peters event, Tomlin’s show sold out within hours of tickets having been released – but that is no reason to lose hope.

Additional tickets may go on sale in the event of cancellation or the release of additional tickets.

Ticket availability can be found by contacting the box office at 814-824-3000.

Furthermore, on the night of the show, canceled tickets will be MIAC photo sold to patrons on a first come, first served basis starting at 6:30 Lily Tomlin will grace the stage at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. p.m. (although lines will likely start forming earlier in the day).

After becoming director of After many months of comAs a result, MIAC is pleased Tickets cost $30 for adults, $25 MIAC, he knew that her name munication with Tomlin’s team, to share Tomlin’s show with the for seniors, and $20 for students was one to be featured in the Mary Johnson was able to secure her students of Mercyhurst and the and youths. Mercyhurst student D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. name on the 2017 line-up. community of Erie. tickets are free with a student ID.

Civic Orchestra debuts new season

By Lauren Ganger Staff writer

On Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra will perform a program entitled “A Visit to Eastern Europe.”

Jonathan Moser will conduct Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36 and guest conductor David Tedford, D.M.A., will conduct Dvorak’s Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53 with Moser performing the violin solo.

One of Moser’s goals as the music director of the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra is to feature a professional soloist each year.

He believes that this will benefit the Mercyhurst community greatly for two reasons.

First, learning to accompany a soloist is an important skill for the orchestra members to have, and secondly, it allows Moser to feature Mercyhurst’s own music faculty with the orchestra.

One benefit of Moser taking a turn as soloist is that inviting a guest conductor will expose the students in the orchestra to different conducting styles and rehearsal techniques.

Tedford is a former student of Moser’s and currently works as director of Orchestras at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Moser will perform the Dvorak piece in April with the Bloomsburg University Orchestra under Tedford’s baton, and the two agreed it would be a good opportunity for Moser to perform it with the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra as well.

The performance on Oct. 29 will be the first time Moser performs the piece, debuting the first concerto he has learned from scratch since 2004.

Lauren Ganger photo

The newly named Civic Orchestra represents both the Mercyhurst University community and the Erie community.

Moser says that learning a concerto brings up issues of technical mastery, endurance, artistry and musicality.

In addition, concerti are performed with orchestra, which is on a much larger scale than a one-on-one collaboration or even a performance in a quartet.

The end performance, in Moser’s words, is a “conversation that takes a great deal of thought and sensibility on the parts of both the soloist and orchestra.”

The Tchaikovsky piece was chosen first, and the Dvorak piece was selected because it paired nicely with it.

Both composers were Slavic, lived during roughly the same time period and based the final movements of these works on folk music.

Tchaikovsky’s 4th is a well-known and popular piece, a standard of the orchestral repertoire.

Another of Moser’s goals is to increase the number of such standards that students have performed by the time they graduate because they are likely to perform them again, whether with a professional or community orchestra.

Moser says that the first movement of the Tchaikovsky is incredibly difficult in many ways.

The movement is written in 9/8 and Tchaikovsky uses a lot of hemiola figures.

Moser describes the third movement as a “delightful little scherzo,” which begins with an entirely pizzicato string section, contrasting with the colors of the wood-

winds and brass when they come in.

The piece ends with a frenzied final movement that requires balance from the orchestra above all.

While Tchaikovsky’s 4th is a relatively well-known piece, the Dvorak piece is not played very often.

It was written by Dvorak for the renowned violinist Joseph Joachim, a great proponent of his.

Although the two worked closely while Dvorak was working on it, with Joachim giving feedback throughout the compositional process, the violinist would never perform it; the first movement transitions into the second without the customary pause, something that Joachim objected to but Dvorak refused to change.

Moser feels that this decision on the composer’s part balances the piece.

The third movement is incredibly long while the first two are short by comparison, so by instructing the performers to transition immediately into the second movement Dvorak has essentially divided the piece into two distinct, equal halves.

Student soloists in this concert are: junior Elizabeth Rathburn, oboe, Music and Communication double major; senior Mariana Mathewson, cello, Music Education and Composition major; Sabrina Sosa, piccolo, second year graduate student Organizational Leadership; Isaiah Howard, flute, Music Performance major; and sophomore Chris Wagler, clarinet, Applied Forensic Sciences major with an Anthropology concentration.

Tickets to this performance are $5 for the general public and $2 for Mercyhurst students, faculty and children aged 12 and under.

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Collaborative show SPOTLIGHT ARTIST

By Megan Lay

Contributing writer

This November, Mercyhurst will debut the much-anticipated collaborative musical production of “Guys and Dolls.”

This production will be directed

by Brett D. Johnson, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of the Theatre program, and choreographed by Mark Santillano, assistant professor of Dance.

Not only will the production present dynamic characters to the stage, but they are also using 15 different backdrops from the 1992 Broadway revival of “Guys and Dolls.”

Johnson said, “Bustling with gamblers, gangsters and sassy showgirls, ‘Guys and Dolls’ is a high-energy, crowd-pleasing comedy. It celebrates Broadway’s Golden Age with one of the greatest scores ever written for a musical, a masterfully witty book and lyrics and Damon Runyon’s glorious comic book world of New York City.”

This performance will be a refreshing change, since it is the most recognizable musical to be displayed on the Mercyhurst PAC stage in years.

“We strive to produce great literature, and ‘Guys and Dolls’ is the perfect musical comedy,” Johnson said. “It deserves a place on the shelf next to ‘Death of a Salesman,’ ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night,’ and ‘A Streetcar Named Desire.’ Drop even a single scene, and the entire structure would collapse. It’s that well made.”

“Guys and Dolls” originally premiered on Broadway in 1950, and depicts the high risks at stake when gambling with illegal enterprises as well as love.

SARAH KREMPASKY

Megan Lay photo

“Guys and Dolls” is a collaborative production of the Theatre, Dance and Music departments.

Four main characters, originally conceived by Runyon in his comic book series, grapple with intersecting love stories while using Runyon’s mix of formal language and slang.

Over 50 students will be performing in the musical.

This production will truly be a collaboration across three art programs of Mercyhurst University: Theatre, Dance and Music. “‘Guys and Dolls’ is the perfect collaborative project for Theatre, Dance and Music because of the large cast, extensive use of dance and intricacies of Frank Loesser’s immortal score.

“It provides opportunities for students in each department to showcase their strengths while also learning from each other,” said Johnson.

There will be a 25-piece orchestra playing in the orchestra pit as well as Mercyhurst dancers present on stage throughout the show.

Principal Actors include senior Music major Sarah Krempasky as Adelaide, junior Information

Technology major Owen Hitt as Nathan, first year graduate student Jillian Johannes as Sarah and sophomore Biology major Jacob Tretinik as Sky. Krempasky said her favorite aspect of the show is “finally having a large cast and working in a bigger venue like the PAC.” “It is so exciting to dance and sing again,” she said.

Hitt said that to him, the “collaboration between the Dance students and the Theatre students has been wonderful, and I think that the show as a whole is going to look, sound and feel really great.”

Hitt has been participating in Mercyhurst’s Theatre program since his freshman year.

When asked the most challenging aspect of her role, Johannes said, “Doing justice to the truth and relevance of the character and of the show, for that matter.

“Identifying the actions and telling Sarah’s story within this intricate web of lives has been and continues to be a fun and exciting challenge.”

It is Johannes’ first production at Mercyhurst.

Tretinik said, “it is quite fun to play a character that is sly and always has the right thing to say.”

Tretinik has been participating in Mercyhurst Theatre for two semesters and in theater productions for five or six years.

The production even has junior Dance majors Dominic Fortunato and Carrie VanOsten as dance captains for the production.

They have been responsible for knowing all of the specifics of the choreography for the production, as well as the answering of questions other members of the cast may have.

Not only will this be a high-energy and exciting production, it most definitely promises to be one of professional proportions.

Performances are Nov. 2-4 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.

Single tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and non-Mercyhurst students and $5 for Mercyhurst students with their I.D.

My name is Sarah Krempasky. I am a senior Music major with a minor in Theatre. I will be playing the role of Miss Adelaide in the Theatre department’s fall production of “Guys and Dolls.”

I have mostly been working on crafting my character so that she can be as specific as possible.

I spend a lot of time thinking about her and trying to find a body for her. I want to know what her relationships are, how she behaves and what makes her tick. She’s so much fun, and I hope I can bring her to life in a truthful way!

Photography exhibit ‘Happy Death Day’ to begin Oct. 30 in Cummings Art Gallery MOVIE REVIEW

By Sydney Van Leeuwen

Staff writer

By Carlena Bressanelli

Staff writer

If you are into photography, then the Art department’s next exhibit in the gallery is for you.

It is the Juried Photography Exhibit. The photographers will be local ones, so it will be interesting to see.

The works will be from photographers that live within 100 miles of the area.

The juror will be Fred Scruton, who is actually the photography director and professor of Art for Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Scruton is a writer, photog-

rapher and videographer from Buffalo, New York.

He did works of different art works and architecture as a freelance photographer from the early 1980s to 2003 in New York City and has been largely exhibited at different galleries.

Scruton’s professional work has also been published in various major art magazine covers and art books.

His personal works have been exhibited at OK Harris Gallery four times, and he has had several photographs published in textbooks and monographs.

He has also presented at the Center for Intuitive and Outsid-

er Art in Chicago.

If you want to know more information or see his work, you can check it out on his website, http://fredscruton.com.

The exhibit will be in the Cummings Art Gallery from Oct. 30 to Dec. 15.

There will be a reception on Nov. 2 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a chance to meet the artists.

The Cummings Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. The gallery will be closed during Thanksgiving break, Nov. 22-26.

For questions or more information, call 814-824-2092.

F O L L O W T H E M E R C I A D O N T W I T T E R AT @ T H E M E R C I A D

If you’re looking for a movie to terrify you to your very core this October, Christopher Landon’s “Happy Death Day” is not it.

If you’re looking for a cute and amusing film to get you into the Halloween mood, however, this might fit the bill.

Featuring newer stars such as Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard, the film is essentially a spinoff of the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day.” Protagonist Tree Gelbman must relive the same day (her birthday) over and over again until she determines who her killer is.

She continuously wakes up in the dormitory bedroom of Carter Davis, a boy who she was with at a party the night before.

With his help, she proceeds to go through a list of individuals whom she believes could have had cause to murder her.

Along the way, she experiences a change of heart and turns her life around in the hopes that if she becomes a better person, she will be able to stop the killer from harming her.

The ending is somewhat predictable, with a spin that doesn’t necessarily make sense with the rest of the movie, but the jump scares sprinkled throughout the film makes it one that should be somewhat enjoyable to young people seeking a “scary” movie this season.

Rated PG-13 for crude/inappropriate humor and some language, “Happy Death Day” is honestly more of a darker romantic comedy than a horror movie.

Perhaps if that had been involved in the advertising campaign, it would not have been such of a let-down for horror buffs eager to see a freaky flick.



Wednesday, October 25, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

Refugees’ art tells their story

By Carlena Bressanelli Staff writer

Artwork can be very powerful, especially when it is done by Eritrean refugees.

The Artists in Motion reception on Oct. 5 was a very interesting experience. When you walked in, you could see a lot of people, smell calming incense and taste different foods from the country.

They even had someone making the native coffee of Eritrea.

There was nothing I did not like there.

The exhibit consisted of paintings and photographs of different refugees, and they even had some things they brought over from Eritrea to show people what they use in their everyday life.

The refugees express their stories through painting, whether they are dealing with loss, traumatic events or traveling with family or friends. The community’s art teacher, Mebrahtu, encourages them to create artwork about social change.

Many of the painters ran away from different abuses, so the only option they had was to live in camps for a period of time.

In camps, they were taken care of, but not much is offered to them beyond that.

Many refugees are unsure of their future because there are restrictions with employment and educational opportunities, but a lot of them will travel in order to reach European countries.

Carlena Bressanelli photo

Items were available to purchase at the art gallery reception.

All the artists are different ages, with the youngest being 13 and the oldest being Mebrahtu, 45, who had five works in the show.

Every painting has a different theme, such as love, pain, mourning, migrating and expectations.

Jodi Staniunas-Hopper, Art department chair, introduced the speakers and welcomed everyone.

There were several speakers there and one of the first speakers was from Eritrea.

He came to America in 2006.

He showed a presentation regarding the refugees from his country, along with some pictures.

He talked about how there are about 65 million refugees and how almost 50 per-

cent are unaccompanied minors.

The people in charge of the program wanted to highlight the work of the artists and to show it is not a fundraiser.

The presentation mentioned kids in the country are aware of what is happening over there now.

One of the children drew refugees being beheaded. He also discussed the different horrible things the people had painted.

The paintings include very heavy topics.

It was also mentioned that it cost lots of money to pay to get refugees released.

There were some questions asked during a period of time in the reception.

A student asked, “What can we, as college students, do to help?”

MIAC REVIEW

A dance to remember

By Megan Lay

Contributing writer

Pilobolus Dance Company left everything to the imagination during their performance in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on Oct. 10.

That is the mission of the company, however, since everything they choreograph and present is rooted in imagination, creativity and improvisation.

The program presented was one filled with wonder, magic and introspection.

I am still left questioning the meaning of certain pieces and the intention behind the overall program, since the four pieces of the program did not fit together.

The company started the night with a trio, titled “On the Nature of Things.”

The space was manipulated so that the three dancers undulated and shape-shifted on a small platform, barely larger than my kitchen table.

The dancers alternated supporting one another as they hung over the edge of the platform, making the audience hold their breath.

The minimal costuming, making the dancers look almost nude, allowed the dancers to be viewed as something beyond human.

Even as the dance was coming to a close, the dancers slithered off the platform and retained their almost liquid properties.

This first piece served as an intro-

duction to the physicality and strength needed to perform with the company.

The second piece, titled “Branches,” dramatically shifted the mood of the performance.

The company went from a dark, reflective, confined space to an open, airy and tropical location.

The dancers were obviously representing birds of the wild, each having a mating call that they abstractly pantomimed.

The lifts and partnering presented in this work also displayed the physicality of the dancers.

I found it interesting that this was the newest work presented in the program, yet it seemed to be the most classical interpretation of original Pilobolus style and movement.

After intermission, the company presented a magic act, titled “[esc].”

I am still not sure how this fit into the program.

This number of the show held some uncomfortable moments, such as tying a plastic bag over a woman’s head and duct-taping her to a chair.

For a younger audience, I would not have deemed this appropriate.

I call into question the need for a professional concert dance company to present and explore magic.

I honestly felt that this piece showed off the physicality of the dancers in a campy, or over-the-top way.

The last work of the evening was titled “Rushes.”

This was the oldest work presented, with its premiere in 2007.

There was an interesting story pre-

sented, but the lack of information in the title and the program notes led to many interpretations across the audience.

The range among these interpretations (whimsical to morbid) was what concerned and confused me about the message presented in this piece.

The use of Arvo Part’s “Spiegel im Spiegel” led to a reflective ending to the evening as women glided across the stage and chairs were slid across the stage.

Various technological aspects of the piece were not rehearsed as well as I figured a professional company would have rehearsed them.

The bare lightbulb hanging from the “ceiling” which served as a major focal point for the piece, did not turn on when the chain was pulled. Other projection aspects were also a little rusty.

The costuming led me to question the overall intention of the piece, instead of clarifying some of the questions I had.

The title left me with less of an introduction to the piece, which I found dissatisfying as well.

Overall, the evening’s performance was a great display of the physicality of the dancers in the Pilobolus Dance Company. Even the transitions between pieces seemed choreographed.

It was interesting to see how the limits of the human body and the definition of dance can be pushed.

I truly enjoyed the works presented, and I cannot wait to find another opportunity to see the company in action.

F O L L O W T H E M E R C I A D O N T W I T T E R AT @ T H E M E R C I A D

The response was that we, as humans, need to be more aware of refugees.

There were a lot of good questions asked at the reception such as how to make a difference.

John Stauffer, a guest presenter, was in the Peace Corps, a volunteer and teacher in North Africa from 1966 to 1968. It was mentioned that students could contact agencies and volunteer.

Stauffer got reconnected with the program in 2003 and he helps refugees around the world through the America Team for Displaced Eritreans.

Another speaker was Ed Grode, who organized the whole exhibit and took the photos of the refugees.

“During my week at the camp, I took over 1,500 photos. The photos I chose to exhibit were ones that I hoped would humanize these very special people,” Grode said, regarding why he chose the certain photographs for the exhibit.

When he was a principal at an Erie school, the school would get exchange students that are refugees and he wanted to see where they came from.

“I got involved when I visited the Mai Aini Refugee Camp in northwest Ethiopia.

I saw these works of art in the art teacher’s classroom and told him they should be shared with the world. I picked (the paintings) up a year ago and brought them to my home in Erie,” said Grode.

NTL presents: ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’

By Steven Martz Staff writer

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Not sure?

Well, you and the Mercyhurst University community will find out who’s afraid on Nov. 12.

The Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture is playing an encore version of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

The performance will begin at 12:55 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. Doors will open at 12:30 p.m.

The play was written by Edward Albee.

It was first performed on Broadway in 1962.

Psychological games are at work during this play.

Martha invites a new professor and his wife over for drinks, which irritates Martha’s husband, George, who is not keen to entertain his co-worker.

Martha and George have a very toxic relationship, and the young couple is drawn in and their night is turned upside down.

Come to the performance to learn about the dysfunctional relationship of Martha and George, and how they torment a poor young couple.

The live performance that was filmed to make the encore version was performed in the Harold Pinter Theatre in London.

It was produced by Sonia Friedman Productions and directed by James Macdonalds.

The play has a wonderful cast, including Imelda Staunton, who played the hated Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter films; Conleth Hill, from “Game of Thrones”; Luke Treadaway; and Imogen Poots.

The title is actually a pun. It is a spin off of the song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?” but Albee substituted English author Virginia Woolf.

The crazy couple sing this adapted song throughout the play.

As always, tickets are free for Mercyhurst students, $18 for an adult ticket, $15 for seniors and students of other institutions and $10 for youth.

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD The leaves on the trees are starting to display their beautiful fall colors.

Be sure to go outside and enjoy the cool air and the pretty scenery.

BAD The blacktop by Sullivan is constantly covered in gross runoff from the garbage truck for the Grotto Commons.

UGLY The Laker Inn is now using separate plastic to-go containers if a student gets a side dish from a different entree station.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

‘Blade Runner 2049’ fascinates student makes every frame look like it

Increasingly blockbusters are becoming titanic investments, wall. because even though technology Staff writer I really cannot describe the exists to make anything, it is beauty accurately in this article, outrageously expensive. which speaks volumes to his For instance, “The Hobbit” “Blade Runner 2049” is the amazing work. trilogy cost $745 million dollars movie of the year, and I highly The direction by Dennis to make, according to Forbes doubt the upcoming blockbusters Villeneuve is long winded, but magazine. Therefore, one of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” needs to be. flop could mean death for a and “Justice League” could ever Since the movie deals with production company. surpass this film, and here’s why. larger subject matter in the form “Blade Runner 2049” Some brief background: of “what it means to be human” unfortunately fits perfectly into “Blade Runner 2049” is set 30 and “what we perceive as real,” this mold. years after the original.

Villeneuve realized he could Apparently, audiences are not The main premise of both not just tack on the theme as an buying tickets, possibly due to the films is that humanity is afterthought. run time, or alternatively because manufacturing androids to fuel “Blade Runner 2049” is the it makes no effort to normalize their industrialist interplanetary theme, and that’s the core of why the universe. society.

I’m finding myself enamored Either way, it’s a shame studios These “replicants” look and act with this movie. are getting punished for taking mostly the same as humans, but It is not desperately trying these wonderful risks. they are smarter, stronger and to please you. There is no fan I firmly believe “Blade Runner perceived as far too dangerous. service.

2049” is the full realization of As a result, replicants are banned Villeneuve and his staff had a modern cinema. on Earth. vision, they voiced it and did not It is a high budget movie that is Any illegal holdouts are hunted care if you wanted to listen. as perfect as a Renoir painting. down by special Blade Runner Personally, I think this movie Even if this film is a financial detective units. was a siren song. disappointment, how could “Blade Runner 2049” is the Every frame is mesmerizing, any studio ever be ashamed type of movie you could get lost and the acting is magnificent. I of boasting this modern in. left the theater thinking deeply masterpiece?

The film’s vision of Los about it and still cannot get it out “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and Angeles in 2049 seemed entirely of my head.

“Justice League” will tell a story, natural.

I was never bored, despite but they will also make sure you Despite the flying cars and the run time of 2 hours and 45 get that next ticket. massive pyramids, the city has minutes, which is why it’s so “Blade Runner 2049” has no this disgusting, yet lived in feeling. strange this movie had a simply such shackles on what it’s trying Overall the cinematography, massive budget — $150 million to tell you, and hopefully viewers compliments of Roger Deakins, dollars to be exact. listen to what it says.

By Sam Peterson could be proudly displayed on a

The Merciad Classes posted too late Editors Amber Matha Cheyanne Crum Caitlyn Lear Abigail Rinard Bernard Garwig Jenny Sabliov Lauren Abbott Meghan Maker Chelsea Guida Megan Stubbs Kristin Bowers

Positions Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Features Editor Sports Editor A&E Editor Opinion Editor Copy Editor Photo Editor Ad Manager Adviser

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The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110. Our phone number is (814) 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

not change much year to year, but our schedules change a lot.

Students have jobs, both on News Editor and off campus, internships, clubs, service hours, etc.

Our daily lives depend on our Every year, the school goes class schedule, yet we have to through the same process: classes wait until halfway through the are put online, people scramble semester to try and determine to figure out their schedule what that schedule might be. before meeting with advisers, and Luckily for me, I am in my last then they schedule their courses. semester and I only have four It seems like each year, the classes to schedule, so it is not classes get put up later and later. that hard to figure things out.

That may be just me being But when two of my classes anxious to schedule my last are at the same time, I have to semester of classes, or the fact scramble to try and find that last that the classes are being made class to fill in and make sure I am available later. at 12 credits for the semester.

Now, I do understand that Some people are still trying to scheduling classes so they do not get all their classes in line for the conflict or book the same room REACH curriculum, as well as can be complicated. their major or minor, just in order Plus with the amount of to graduate on time. students increasing, more and And the longer they have more classes are needed, only to wait to find out when the adding to the pile. classes are scheduled, the more At the same time, classes do scrambling they have to do later.

By Caitlyn Lear

As fun as building the puzzle of a schedule can be, trying to do that between a full load of classes and my two jobs can be exhausting.

And when something goes wrong, trying to run around and fix it is even more time spent not on homework.

When you think it can’t get any worse, it does.

This year, the scheduling is now done on Student Planning instead of WebAdvisor.

I learned how it all works last year, so it was pretty easy to navigate, but that might not be true for everyone.

Unless you can make it to one of the meetings where they teach you how to use it or your adviser can show you, that’s just the icing on the worst birthday cake ever.

The only good thing now is that we get a day without classes, where at least some of us will spend catching up on homework anyway.

F O L L O W T H E M E R C I A D O N T W I T T E R AT # T H E M E R C I A D

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

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

OPINION

Halloween is an exciting holiday

By Jordan Pendel Staff writer

Halloween is my absolute favorite holiday.

I may however, be a little biased, since my birthday is less than a week before it.

The entire month of October feels like Halloween, in my opinion.

Everything is spooky, houses are decorated with ghosts and goblins and it’s finally appropriate to watch all of my favorite Halloween-themed movies and TV episodes.

I trick-or-treated every year until I was 18, something that I’m not afraid to reveal because who doesn’t like free candy?

It’s a fun way for all of the neighbors to get to see what or who you are dressed up as.

I went with my dad until I was 14.

My eighth grade year, my friends convinced me to go with them instead. I remember feeling so bad for not going with my dad. I thought I would hurt his feelings for ditching him, but everything was okay because then he got to take my little brother instead.

It is times like this when I wish I didn’t live on campus so I can pass out candy to all the kids in

the neighborhood.

It makes me so happy seeing people decorate their houses with lights and scary decorations.

A lot of people don’t put up special colored lights because they just think that outdoor lights are for Christmas (said by multiple neighbors).

Lights are the perfect way to make sure everyone sees your Halloween skeletons in the yard.

Halloween is the one night of the year where people can be somebody that they’re not.

Can you tell this is roughly influenced by the Cady Heron quote from “Mean Girls”?

I think there’s something poetic about the choice of a person’s costume because it says so much about yourself.

Dressing up as a character from your favorite movie tells everybody about one of your interests.

Making your own costume says even more about your personality.

Halloween is the time where you can show off how creative and artistic you are just by your choice of costume.

It allows us to be a completely different person, even if it is just for one night.

Unless you go out more than one night and in that case you can be someone else for multiple days.

When and where did carving pumpkins become a thing

associated with Halloween?

Especially ones that have faces cut out of them.

It doesn’t bother me any because carving pumpkins is such a huge staple of the holiday.

You’re definitely missing out if you’ve been neglected from this fun, weird tradition.

I’m not sure how I feel about class being canceled on Halloween because of advising day this year.

It’s nice because now I have the opportunity to go home for the day and pass out candy in my neighborhood, which is something I want to do so badly, but if I want to go out on actual Halloween night I have to worry about having class in the morning.

Nobody wants to have to worry about getting up to go to class on time.

Last year was perfect because advising day was the day after Halloween.

I prefer Halloween-themed movies (scary and not scary) over other holiday-themed movies any day.

Luckily the cult classic “Hocus Pocus” will be playing all day on Freeform.

FYI, someone has created a drinking game that goes along with the movie, so all you people who are 21 and obsessed with the movie as much as I am, you should go find it.

PAGE 13

HURST STUDENTS

SPEAK UP We asked:

What was the best thing about Hurst Day? Alexandra Long, sophomore Political Science major: “My favorite thing about Hurst Day this year was the scavenger hunt. I was in a group of Powerpuff Girls.

We came in 21st in the first round.”

Matt Lamb, sophomore Athletic Training major: “Getting the whole student body together. All the food and activities were really fun. The Star Wars noodles were my favorite!”

Lincoln (Ming) Ogden, sophomore Management and Marketing major: “The atmosphere and meeting new people. I really enjoyed the food that was provided!”

Sarah DeCapua, sophomore Integrated Marketing Communication major: “I liked all the food tents. I really liked the Harry Potter shepherd’s pie. I especially enjoyed the butter beer!”

Compiled by Laurel Szymanski

Laker Vapor too slow completely dies.

If you’re trying to download something important, listen to Miller music or if you are just trying to Staff writer play games, you better pray that the Wi-Fi feels like working when Laker Vapor is awful. you need it, or you’re out of luck.

It’s slow, unreliable and often There have been times where borderline unusable.

I have simply wanted to watch I’m not the first student to say an episode on Netflix and have this. You have probably heard been unable to do so because friends complain about it, and the Wi-Fi was so slow that it was even the Merciad has previously impossible. printed opinion pieces about how It’s not just the speed that’s bad the Wi-Fi at Mercyhurst is. the problem, it’s the lack of However, it bears repeating consistent Wi-Fi coverage across that the Wi-Fi at Mercyhurst is campus. truly awful.

Try getting a consistent To start with, the Wi-Fi at internet connection in Garvey Mercyhurst is incredibly slow.

Park, or pretty much any area There are times where you can of campus that’s not one of the get lucky and have an hour or major buildings. two of good internet speeds but It seems that the second you before you know it, the Wi-Fi step outside one of the buildings, slows to a dead crawl, and in your chances of getting a some cases it all but dies. consistent internet connection It makes for an incredibly drops to zero. frustrating experience where the It’s infuriating to never have user is always paranoid, uncertain a consistent connection to the if they’ll be able to finish a simple internet at Mercyhurst. download before the Wi-Fi I believe it is time for

By Anthony

Mercyhurst to improve its Wi-Fi. While I’m certainly not the most tech-savvy millennial out there, I do know enough about how Wi-Fi works to know that there’s no magic way to fix the internet at Mercyhurst overnight.

However it’s something that needs to be done.

Having a slow internet connection can be such a hinderance to students that are working on research projects or just trying to Google sources for a paper.

Mercyhurst is growing at an unprecedented rate, and as the student body gets bigger, this is an issue that’s just going to get worse and worse.

If this is how bad it is now, imagine how bad it will be in two or three years if the student population continues to swell.

President Victor has made renovating the facilities of Mercyhurst one of his top priorities, and I think that he should look into renovating Laker Vapor for the sake and sanity of all students and staff.

F O L L O W T H E M E R C I A D O N S O C I A L M E D I A AT # T H E M E R C I A D

Van Gogh’s art lives on in film

The movie continues the paint-

By Lauren Rogus ed look from the opening to closStaff writer

Most people have heard of the artist Vincent Van Gogh. He is most famous for his intense brush strokes in his painting and is remembered as the artist who cut off his ear.

What most people do not know is that a movie, called “Loving Vincent,” came out in theaters about him and how he died.

It is a unique movie as the scenes in the film are shot with an actor or actress, but then are painted over to create an effect of Van Gogh’s paintings.

The movie consists of 65,000 paintings that were painted by 100 different artists from around the globe.

ing credits.

I doubt people will ever again see a movie like “Loving Vincent” unless they use virtual brush strokes.

The film producers felt that is not how he painted, so to be true to Van Gogh’s style, they did the paintings by hand.

The research for “Loving Vincent” was completed in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Holland.

The museum now is showcasing this movie as an attraction in the museum.

Van Gogh’s paintings come to life as the people he painted are interviewed about his death throughout the movie.

It is fascinating to see the people he painted and how they were woven into his life.

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

2-0 stretch for MU soccer

By Michael Clevenger Contributing writer

The Mercyhurst Lakers men’s soccer team had a successful series for the period of Oct. 18 to 21.

Not only did both games result in victories for the Lakers, neither opponent managed to get on the board in either contest.

Oct. 18 saw the Lakers host the Slippery Rock Pride. The Lakers opened up the scoring with freshman Fjodor van Kippersluis successfully converting on a penalty kick.

Within the last couple minutes of the period, sophomore Connor Wilkinson booted one in to put the Lakers up 2-0. Throughout the period, the Pride was held to just one shot, while the Lakers were able to get off 10.

The Lakers increased their lead by one in the first two minutes of the second period with a goal by freshman Pablo Vela.

Over the next 15 minutes, the two teams traded shots on goal.

The stalemate was broken when

Laker junior Michael Blancato put another in of a van Kippersluis assist.

Five minutes later, junior Franco Soldati Lopez (assisted by van Kippersluis) scored the final tally of the day for the Lakers. The Pride attempted to get a last minute goal in, but the attempt fell through.

On Oct. 21 the Lakers traveled to Shippensburg to face the Shippensburg University Red Raiders.

Neither team managed to break into the scoring for the first period until 43:43, when junior Christopher Makengo kicked one in off of a van Kippersluis assist.

Despite only one goal being scored for the first period, the Lakers spent the next 25 minutes building their lead over the Red Raiders.

The Lakers’ van Kippersluis put in two back to back while Makengo scored his 12th of the season to make the tally 4-0.

“After our loss against Millersville (4-1 away), we were in a tough situation,” said Makengo.

“We are defending together, we

Michael Clevenger photo

Slippery Rock’s Liam Gasparotto prepares to kick the ball as Laker players rush to intervene. The Lakers went on to beat Slippery Rock 5-0 on Oct. 18 and Shippensburg University 4-0 on Oct. 21.

are winning together, we are not just a team but we are friends and that helps on the field.”

Despite only two games left in the regular season, the Lakers sit comfortably in fourth place for

the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

“The season so far is positive because we won lot of games and we learned from each defeat,” said Makengo. “Each player knows

his role on the team, everyone has his moment to shine, and it’s just the beginning. If we are playing our soccer, we can go really far this season but we have to take it game by game.”

The Lakers are 11-4 overall and have a 7-2 PSAC record. Having already clinched a post-season berth, the Lakers are in the hunt to repeat their PSAC championship win from the 2016 season.

Gannon is positioned just above the Lakers with a 7-2-1 conference record, while Millersville and Lock Haven round out the top three in the rankings.

The Lakers return to the turf next on Oct. 25 against California University of Pennsylvania.

California currently sits in 10th place in the PSAC with a 2-7 record for the conference.

“California will be a tough game because every team wants to beat Mercyhurst,” said Makengo. “We have a lot of talent on the team, and we want to show to everyone that we want to win this conference. Tomorrow is a good path to reach this goal.”

Cross country wraps up regular HURST season at PSAC Championships RESULTS

By Lauren Abbott

Opinion editor

On Oct. 21, the men and women’s cross-country teams competed at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Team Championships in California, Pennsylvania.

Overall, the women’s team had a strong finish and placed ninth out of 18 teams, racking up a total of 251 points.

Edinboro won the race with a total of 87 points.

Sophomore Molly Kennedy led the Mercyhurst women, finishing the six-kilometer race in 36th place with a time of 24:38.

This was just over a full minute slower than her other 6K finish of the season at the Westminister Fisher Invitational in September, where she finished first overall with a time of 23:24.

Coming just behind Kennedy in 38th place was senior Mary Jaskowak with a time of 24:40.

Junior Anna Warner finished in 44th with a time of 24:58, and junior Chloe Tyillian came in 50th at 25:11.

Rounding out the top seven were senior Sydney Van Leeuwen in 85th place at 26:03, freshman Henley Spracklen in 115th at 26:50 and senior Kelly Bochnewetch in 133rd with a time of 27:32.

Kennedy is humbled by her success on the course and is thankful for the support she gets from her teammates if she ever has a rough race. “(Finishing first for Mercyhurst) is not my goal, exactly,”

Contributed photo

Lakers senior Mary Jaskowak, left, and sophomore Molly Kennedy, right, run at PSAC Championships in California, Pennsylvania.

said Kennedy. “I love running with the top five. It is really nice because in cross country, because you have five people, if you do not have a good day, and your teammate does, they can pick it up for you. Even if you don’t feel well in the race you know that your teammate, whoever is right next to you, is able to make up the time that you don’t have.”

One fellow runner said that this course for the race was particularly hard and rough to run and thus led to the increased fin-

ish times compared to other 6K paces set this season.

“This course had a lot more hills than Erie has. The guys had to run double the hills. It was definitely an endurance course,” Kennedy said.

The men had a rougher race, finishing 15th out of the 16 teams represented, scoring 444 points. Shippensburg won the men’s contest with a total of 38 points.

Leading the Mercyhurst men was junior Daniel Dmuchowski,

who finished in 101st place with a time of 30:59.

Following Dmuchowski was freshmen Dylan Bemiss in 107th at 31:12.

Finishing the top five for the team were senior Jacob Kramer in 110th at 31:16, senior Ryan Brennen at 119th in 31:49, and senior John Harry in 129th at 32:36.

Topping off the top seven for the men was freshman Richard Titus in 131st at 32:48 and senior Jacob Fuhrman in 136th at 34:12.

This race rounds out the end of their regular season, and both teams will be competing in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Race at Lock Haven University on Nov. 4.

“Our next step is regionals,” Kennedy said. “As a team we want to be in the top 10 because we haven’t been and we think that we can get there.”

Kennedy and the team as a whole are proud of how their season has gone and are optimistic about what the future holds for seasons to come.

Of the top seven girls who ran in the PSAC Team Championships, three of them are seniors and will be graduating this year.

“Overall, our season has been really good. We have a lot of talent on the team,” said Kennedy.

“The seniors this year are really solid runners and we are going to really miss them next year, but we have got some young ones that are definitely going to step up and take their spots. We are a really close-knit team.”

Oct. 21, Football vs. Seton Hill: 35-16, Lakers (4-4) Oct. 21, men’s water polo vs. Iona College: 6-13, Iona (Lakers are 6-9) Oct. 21, women’s ice hockey vs.

Colgate: 1-4, Colgate (Lakers are 1-6-1) Oct. 21, women’s soccer vs.

Shippensburg: 1-2,

Shippensburg (Lakers are now 4-8-4)

Oct. 21-22, men’s and women’s golf PSAC championships: Men placed fourth and women finished third Oct. 22, field hockey vs. St. Aquinas: 6-1, Lakers (7-9)

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

SPORTS

PAGE 15

LET’S GO, LAKERS! Oct. 25, Mercyhurst Soccer Field @ 3:30 p.m.: Men’s soccer vs. California University of Pennsylvania Oct. 25, Tullio Field @ 4 p.m.: Field hockey vs. Seton Hill University Oct. 27, Mercyhurst Athletic Center @ 7:05 p.m.: Volleyball vs. East Stroudsburg University Oct. 28, Mercyhurst Soccer Field @ 1 p.m.: Women’s soccer vs. Mansfield University Breonna Bailey photo

The Lakers get ready for the puck to drop in the second Snowtown Throwdown game against Ferris State.

Snowtown split for men’s hockey

By Marco Cicchino Staff writer

The rather small crowd over the two contests at Erie Insurance Arena did not decrease the morale of Rick Gotkin’s hockey club in search of its first win.

But the fans who did make the trip saw the Lakers play extremely hard.

In one of their most even-sided nonconference performances in some time, the Lakers battled Ferris State to a series draw.

The Bulldogs struck twice in the opening frame on Oct. 20, and held on for a dramatic 3-2 win that nearly saw a buzzer-beater at the end of regulation.

Following this, the Lakers rode a strong power play and a furious attack in a three-goal third period to respond with a 4-1 victory on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (2-4, 0-2 WCHA) got off to a slow start on Friday in the first of a six-game road trip but rebounded quickly in their first meeting with the Lakers since the 2013 season and improved to 7-0-1 all-time against them.

The visitors found the equalizer on their first man advantage on the contest, turning a tripping call on the Lakers’ Nathan Bryer into Mitch Maloney’s third of the season, ripping a hard shot past Laker goalie Brandon Wildung.

Just three and a half minutes later, right-winger Ryker Killins created a rush and went on goal before Wildung stopped the initial shot.

Wildung would go on to have 36 saves for the night.

Dominic Lutz scored on the rebound for his first of the year and the first lead of the series.

It would only be 91 seconds into the second, however, that sophomore Joseph Duszak found Patrick Piacentini for a long wrister and his second of the campaign.

However, Lutz closed the scoring early just four minutes later

and deflected a shot from Nate Kallen off a pass from Jasen Fernsler.

“I think it’s in preparation. We have to come right out first period, right off the opening draw and really bring it to them,” said junior Matthew Whittaker. “I think we kind of sat back and watched hockey for a bit to start the game.”

The Bulldogs outshot their hosts 39-30 and improved to 144-3 since the start of last season.

A last-minute charge from the Lakers off of a faceoff with 5.8 seconds left in regulation appeared to beat a sprawling Bulldog goalie Darren Smith, as it ricocheted in and out of traffic, but the potential goal was ruled no good after review.

“It’s great that we had a good third,” said Whittaker. “Unfortunately that tying goal didn’t fall for us, but I think that we can bring that into tomorrow.”

The Lakers would do just that, seizing control of the Saturday contest.

Starting off the game, the Bulldogs were hit with a slashing call with 2:38 left in the first, leaving Nathan Ferriero to claim the puck in a brief 5-on-3 — after Lutz had been called for hooking at 15:45.

He found Lester Lancaster, before the 2016 Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year cross-iced the puck to Taylor Best as he beat Justin Kapelmaster for the Lakers’ first lead of the series.

In outshooting the Bulldogs 14-4 in the opening frame, the Lakers’ special teams forced the first three penalties of the contest as part of seven in the contest out of nine overall.

A 2-on-1 break saw the Bulldogs’ Mitch Maloney and Andrew Mayer find Zach Yoder for a slow shot that snuck past Wildung at 8:22 of the second.

Meanwhile, the Lakers were able to kill off all three Bulldog advantages in this contest, but succeeded in finding more offen-

sive opportunity off of their own.

It was just 38 seconds after the Bulldogs’ Tyler Andrew was called for tripping at 9:30 of the third that Whittaker doubled the Lakers’ lead off of assists from Best and Joshua Lammon.

The Bulldogs’ Cameron Clarke was booked for tripping at 16:12 of the period, creating momentum that allowed Best and Joseph Dusžak to find Whittaker.

Early in the third period, Jack Riley and Lancaster took advantage of a tripping call against the Bulldogs’ Zach Szajner at 2:28 of the frame.

Just 10 seconds later, Lancaster and Jack Riley found Derek Barach at the top of the point for his second goal of the season and the Lakers’ second power-play goal of the contest.

The club used a 11-5 shot advantage in the third and a 36-24 margin overall to keep the Bulldogs’ defense on their toes after they found a second-period equalizer.

But a defense that had held the Lakers scoreless for the last 38 and a half minutes on Friday were held to 0-3 on the man-advantage.

All three opportunities came in the last 23 minutes of the contest, while being booked on seven different occasions themselves.

The Lakers (1-1-2, 0-0-2 conference) are now 1-3-1 in Throwdown contests dating back to 2015.

The ongoing series marks the first contests for the Lakers at Erie Insurance since the last game before the opening of the Mercyhurst Ice Center in November 1991.

The next time the Lakers take the ice will be in Waltham, Massachusetts. There, the Lakers will take on the Bentley University Falcons in Oct. 27 and 28 contests.

Contributing writer Breonna Bailey contributed to this report.

Oct. 28, California @ 1 p.m.: Football vs. California University of Pennsylvania Oct. 27-28, Bentley, Massachusetts @ 7:05 p.m.: Men’s ice hockey vs. Bentley University

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by Periwinkle