:Features On Page 3:
Arts & Entertainment On Page 5:
Sports On Page 7:
Students prepare
Bobick next in
Men’s water polo
dinner for local
faculty recital
name CWPA
shelters
series
champions
The MERCIAD
Read more inside & online
Est. 1929 Vol. 90 No. 7
Mercyhurst university
Wednesday, noveMber 2, 2016
4th Vow awakens students By Jenny Sabliov
Arts & Entertainment editor
Over the weekend of Oct. 21-23, Mercyhurst students had the chance to step out of their comfort zone on the Fourth Vow retreat. Colin Hurley, director of Community Engagement, and Greg Baker, director of Campus Ministry, were the main organizers of the Fourth Vow retreat. By design, they want to keep elements of surprise with these retreats so a lot of the details are kept confidential. The retreat allowed students to get a sense of charity and mercy and how that works to challenge them. This helps students understand themselves and the “other.” The “other” means the people who are different, which is a cause of fear that people have with one another. “There are is a lot of rhetoric in the news which shows there is a lot of underlying fear,” Hurley said. “When Greg and I met several months in advance to design these experiences, we were hoping to confront some of
Contributed photo
At the Fourth Vow retreat, students reflected with Greg Baker on the events that had transpired earlier that day in the city.
the injustices and a lot of the fears that we see in society.” They paralleled the story of Catherine McAuley to juxtapose their situation on day two when they went into the inner city and stayed in the Benedictine operated facility called “Space to Create.” They did neighborhood surveys on the east side of Erie,
partnering with the House of Mercy in the U.S. The students went out in pairs and did neighborhood canvassing around issues that are present in residents’ lives. “Most students got three or four houses to open the door for them, and I think it was a step toward how do we get the student to ask and knock and
confront others,” Hurley said. That afternoon, the students were given a series of challenges to meet people and give back to the city. All of these students have been on a Carpe Diem retreat. “It was a nice segue because they were taking it up a notch and saying ‘where does my story blend in with the community’s story?’”
Hurley said. “Carpe Diem, to seize the day, is not just about being comfortable with yourself and your story, but that your real happiness is found when you start recognizing the ‘other’ and start encountering other people and you start learning what it means to serve and to love people,” Baker said.
The challenge for the students was leaving them with the question “what is your fourth vow?” It is a critical thinking challenge that they are left with. “We check in with them over time, we don’t just leave them. We continue to cultivate that relationship with them,” Hurley said. The third day they met with Pastor Charles Mock from the Community Baptist Church. Few of the students identified as Baptist, so attending this church was another opportunity for them to experience those with different traditions through conversation and a meal. When deciding the design of the retreat, organizers needed to outline a challenge for the students. “How do we get students uncomfortable by brushing up against and colliding with some of the issues we see in the news? Our students are now wrestling with that in a good way, not a confrontational way,” Hurley said. Overall, according to Hurley, the Fourth Vow retreat was a success and will most likely become an annual affair. @TheMerciad
MU breaks down barriers Winter weather is coming By Melanie Todd Staff writer
Research presented by a Mercyhurst team is looking to break down language barriers for students. “Creative Tutoring with Language Learners,” a paper presented by the Mercyhurst team of Janelle Newman, Ph.D., Justin Ross, Ph.D., Kerrie Findlay and Cole Lowe, details the use of tutors to help engage and work oneon-one with the students. “Our main goal was to show that a language barrier is not an excuse to excluding diverse students from the classroom. It is our responsibility as teachers to reach everyone in our classroom, and here was an idea to do so. With language, the main purpose of learning it is to communicate,” Cole Lowe, a junior Spanish Education major, said. The team’s research was presented at “Languages: The Flagship to Opportunities,” the annual Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association conference in October. “I became involved because I was the first student to really be fully immersed in
Merciad Index
the English as a Second Language Certification Program we have on campus. Janelle Newman is a personal mentor of mine, and we have worked very close together on other projects, and this was a good fit to show some of Mercyhurst’s success,” Lowe said. Lowe was pivotal to this research project because of his personal experience. “My role was to provide personal anecdotes and experiential research of being a tutor and successful ways to reach students. I have worked as a tutor extensively, and being a world language major and specifically an ESL minor, I had the education to have success with our students of other languages,” said Lowe. “I told our audience of stories that I had experienced within the tutoring environment (Spanish and ESL) and how it was relevant to teaching strategies and cultural or linguistic awareness.” The topic of this research project explored the use of tutors but specifically using unique techniques to help students learn languages. “The research we had done was based on our successes with having a tutor in a language setting. This included
foreign languages and learning a second language. We wanted to show secondary teachers and post-secondary teachers the methods of having a supplementary source (a tutor) such as one-to-one or group environments and embedded tutoring. Mercyhurst has a substantial tutoring program with modern and cutting-edge methods,” Lowe said. Lowe also was able to earn credit for his involvement. “Also, the presentation was connected to the Honors Program, for I had used the research as a way to honorize a class to fulfill the eight-class honors class requirement,” Lowe said. The team will continue to share the findings in conferences. The goal is to spread their research so that others can benefit, especially the students. “Janelle Newman and I re-presented the topic at the conference for Western Pennsylvania ESL Teachers (Three-Rivers TESOL Conference). We continue to work with and enrich the tutoring opportunities for our university ESL students,” Lowe said. @TheMerciad
By Lauren Murphy Staff writer
Winter is coming, and it is going to be a rough one. Weather and temperature forecasts all predict a slightly colder winter on the East Coast. What does this mean for the school? Maintenance was unavailable to comment on this issue, but for the students it means bundling up more before heading to class. The cold temperatures, bitter winds and heavy inches of snow seem to not be in favor with many students. “I don’t really like the snow, and if this winter is worse than last winter, I’m not excited,” said senior Erin McGarrity. Of course, winter and the snow give both students and faculty alike a reason to drink hot chocolate from Tim Hortons and partake in the winter holidays. The cold cannot be all that bad. “I like winter, because I get to wear my warm sweaters and the campus looks pretty,” said junior Jane Van Vessem. Weather forecasters are saying that a La Niña is expected to influence winter conditions this year. A La Niña tends to influence the drier
Casey Bleuel, file photo
Icicles hanging from the Herrmann Student Union during the harsh winter in early 2015.
and warmer winters in Southern states, while influencing the wetter and cooler winters in Northern states. This winter, Southern states are expected to experience higher than average warm and dry conditions. Northern states are expected to experience higher than average wet and cool conditions. The National Weather
Service (NWS) states that 70 percent of fatalities related to snow and ice happen in automobiles. About 25 percent of all winter fatalities occur because people are caught off guard. The NWS advises individuals who venture out into the snow to be careful and stay on guard.
Online Poll Results
What do you think about the newly installed anchor?
News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living
1-2 3-4 5 6 7 8
It’s a great new picture spot! (38%) It’s smaller than I was expecting, but still cool. (33%) Meh (21%) What anchor??? (8%)
Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll:
Is it too early to play Christmas music? merciad.mercyhurst.edu
November 2, 2016
The Merciad
Page 2
News
MU has one-of-a-kind dining Strike at EUP By Melanie Todd
By Adrian Monty
Mercyhurst caters specifically to the students’ needs in a number of ways, especially when it comes to dietary concerns. “Parkhurst has been offering allergen-friendly options since 2013. We incorporated a station with a self-serve area for those with less sensitive allergies, but also provided ways to address the needs of students with more severe allergies by meeting with the chef and her team to tailor a program that would meet the students’ needs,” said Dean Schoenfeldt, Parkhurst Dining Senior General Manager. Parkhurst understands how intimidating it can be to have the added stress of food restrictions when coming to live on a college campus. The Grotto Commons allows Parkhurst to offer a better experience for these students. “The changes in the renovations allow us the opportunity to get creative with how we approached this need for these students,” said Schoenfeldt. “As the population with allergies and food sensitivities grow, we need to look for ways to meet those students’ needs. We decided on this station design in order to be ahead of the industry and offer a more confident dining experience for those students.” The renovations also helped encompass a greater number of food allergies that affect a growing number of students. “This area is a self-contained, chef-attended station that addresses seven of the eight major allergens as identified by the FDA (eggs,
After waiting over two years for new contract negotiations, Edinboro University members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) union went on strike on Oct. 19, and picketed for three days. This strike was the first in the 34-year history of the association, coming 477 days without a contract. During those three days, students did not have class and professors, faculty and students alike picketed for fair contracts. If the faculty had stayed on strike for a certain amount of time, the semester would not have counted for Edinboro students. “I was really worried about the strike. I didn’t want my semester to not count if they were to be on strike for a long time,” Lindsey Hein, junior Early Childhood and Special Education major at Edinboro, said. “During the strike, I continued to go to my field site every day and work on my lessons. I’m glad the strike is over and only lasted a few days.” By the end of the strike, negotiations were made and classes resumed on Oct. 24. “I think the strike was necessary in the end to get their contracts figured out after not having one for so long,” Cory Wurst, a senior Education major at Edinboro, said. “While they were on strike, I volunteered my time to go picket with my professors to show that I supported them and their decision to strike. They loved the support from students and they do deserve
Staff writer
Staff writer
Contributed photo
Students are able to order allergen-free food at the Clean Plate in the Grotto Commons dining hall.
dairy, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and milk). The only allergen that is difficult to eliminate is soy, but we do try to meet this need as well. There is also an extensive self-serve area for snacks and drinks,” Schoenfeldt said. Mercyhurst is very innovative in its approach to challenges that students face. “At this time, this is the only school in the area that offers this style of dining for aller-
gen-sensitive students,” said Schoenfeldt. “There are some programs in other universities outside of our region that are doing this successfully. We partnered with our corporate food safety director, Bill Moore, to aid with the design to ensure we could meet the majority of the needs at this station.” The new and improved dining facilities at Mercyhurst are a bonus to incoming stu-
dents looking at the school. However, for a student with dietary concerns, the new facilities could be a tiebreaker when choosing between schools. “It was in partnership with the school to try and create a differentiator in dining that could attract more students to the Mercyhurst campus,” Schoenfeldt said.
the best.” The professors were not only on strike to better themselves, but to ensure the proper education for their students. One sign on the picket line read, “Faculty working conditions are student learning conditions.” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf was angry at the situation, calling out the two sides on Oct. 19 for not reaching an agreement, saying the strike was “detrimental to the system and will have far-reaching effects.” “Everyone’s top priority should be the students and their families who are counting on an agreement to ensure Pennsylvania continues to deliver on its promise to provide a world-class college education,” Wolf said in a statement about the strike. The coaches at other schools are also striking, along with the rest of the faculty. If this were to continue, the sports teams in our division could be affected, in turn affecting the sports seasons at Mercyhurst. In the past, strikes at state schools have led to lower enrollment in those schools in the year or two following, causing a rise in enrollment at private schools. If this were to happen, it could potentially add even more students to growing incoming classes at Mercyhurst. This year is the largest class at Mercyhurst, and next year is projected to be the same size, if not larger.
@TheMerciad
Students dine with Bishop Persico
By Mathew Jury Staff writer
Mercyhurst students had the opportunity to meet the Erie Catholic Diocese Bishop, Lawrence Persico, last Friday at Allegheny College in Meadville. The Bishop’s Dinner is held at different colleges in the Diocese every year. Students enjoyed this opportunity to meet in fellowship with other schools in the area, engage in a formal dinner and ask the bishop several questions, ranging from personal interests to concerns
of the church today. The event began with a prayer service at Ford Memorial Chapel led by the campus ministry team from Gannon University, consisting of a few songs of praise and a reflection on a writing from John Henry Newman. This was followed by a dinner at a nearby reception hall where students had the chance to converse and compare their campus ministries while discussing their faith. The main part of the event was the question and answer session. “The goal for every faithful
Christian should be to grow in holiness and that campus ministries allow students to lead others to the Lord in community,” said Persico. “My favorite aspect is being able to have dialogue with others, while my least favorite aspect is recognizing that the Erie Diocese is heavily understaffed and the changes I have had to make to recognize changing numbers.” One of the biggest topics discussed was the contentious 2016 presidential election. Persico believes that both candidates are disastrous and that Catholic voters need to focus on the concerns of
the sanctity of life. He made reference to the Diocese of Erie’s lawsuit against the U.S. government over the Affordable Care Act. “I am concerned about religious freedom and the Supreme Court. I recommend that voters pray and examine the Catholic Voter’s Guide published by the U.S. bishops before following their conscience in voting,” Persico said. Persico was also asked questions regarding human relationships. A student asked how to respond to others feeling offense toward the teach-
ings of Christianity. “The scripture cannot be changed and social teachings were instituted by Jesus Christ, following natural law. We should not be intimidated by the political correctness movement. Jesus was not politically correct,” said Persico. While Catholics need to accept church teaching regarding sexuality and life, there is still a need to be respectful so that dialogue can occur and people can learn from each other. When asked about the state of the church today, Persico
articulated two main concerns: the transmission of the faith to future generations and for creating a culture of vocations. It is no secret that the number of priests is decreasing and he asks students to contemplate their personal vocation, whether they wish to marry, live celibately, or enter either the religious life or the priesthood. Bishop Persico’s take-home message for all of those in attendance consisted of constant prayer and witnessing to others as a way to demonstrate the Christian’s relationship with Jesus Christ.
Hurst Crime Log Incident
Date
Location
Possession of controlled substance
Oct. 24
Warde Hall
Theft
Oct. 28
Hirt Academic Center
Harassment
Oct. 28
3938 Lewis Ave.
Controlled substance, Paraphernalia
Oct. 29
3938 Lewis Ave.
November 2, 2016
The Merciad
Page 3
Features
Catholic Studies course gives back to Erie By Jordan Pendel Staff writer
Mary Hembrow Snyder, Ph. D., professor of religious studies and director of the William C. Sennett Institute for Mercy & Catholic Studies offers a Catholic Studies course entitled Exploring Catholicism. In her course, students get the opportunity to prepare a service dinner at a community shelter in Erie. “Catholicism is a pathway to God and walking that path necessitates conversion, a metanoia from slavery to freedom, from inauthenticity to authenticity,” Fr. Richard Molloy said. Molloy is the author of one of the books Professor Snyder has her students read. The purpose of this course is to present a balanced view of Catholicism at the dawn of the third millennium. One way this is achieved is by participating in her service learning project. Snyder created this project for her class 20 years ago, and she has three important reasons why she started it. She believed students deserved an opportunity to learn the mission of Mercyhurst, to experience poor, disenfranchised people as human beings rather than stereotypes and to better, more concretely understand the key thinking of Catholic social teaching. “Every time my students participate in a service project, I experience the presence of God in them,” said Snyder. “Their kindness, their hard work, in terms of the preparation they did, their openness, the respect they show the people we serve, they then become, for me; the face of Christ.”
Snyder has two Exploring Catholicism classes this semester, and within these classes the students break up into three groups. These groups either went to the Emergency Shelter on West 17th Street, or the Lodge on Sass on West Ninth Street. Each student in the group contributes a minimum of $5, and then they are able to go around Erie looking for businesses to donate food items or other supplies. The groups come up with and make their own entrees, sides and desserts for the dinner. Before serving the residents at the shelters, the students were given a short tour of the buildings. Junior Anthropology/ Archaeology major Alexandria Albano and her group made green bean casserole, roasted potatoes, chicken and pies. “It was the first time we all made green bean casserole so we were nervous,” said Albano. “It came out really good though, and a lot of people loved it and got seconds of both.” While some students served the meal to the residents, others were able to sit down and talk with them as they ate. This allowed the students to learn more about the people and hear some stories. “I loved it,” said sophomore Exercise Science major Anna Warner. “I thought that the people were really friendly and you couldn’t tell they were living such different lives than us.” Contributions from students’ parents, putting on bake sales and getting donations from local businesses allowed senior English major Marina Coletta and her group to raise enough money to have their dinner catered by Molly
Brannigans. “Our dinner was a success because so many people, both on and off campus, recognized the need in the community this dinner was filling,” Coletta said. Their group was also able to get the County Mayo Irish Band to perform for free. “The individuals staying at the shelter were very appreciative of the dinner,” said Coletta. “It was so moving to see several of them so overcome with emotion that they teared up and hugged us.” Besides preparing and serving the meal, the groups were able to make goodie bags for the residents at these shelters. These included personal dayto-day items like shampoo, conditioner or toothbrushes. The students were only there for two hours, and many of them wished they could have stayed longer. This service learning project is a way for Snyder’s students to apply the Catholic teachings learned in class. It gives them the experience of sharing food and companionship with the poor or those “others” our culture often ignores, demeans and ostracizes. “I thought it was a nice component to the class,” said Amelia Bell, junior Bioarchaeology major. “Everyone involved was grateful and considerate. I only wish we could have stayed longer.” Snyder appreciates this semester’s students and their positive attitudes toward the requirement to do service learning. For the service that the students have done, Snyder believes that the students deserve a lot of credit. @TheMerciad
Contributed photo
One of the dinners took place at the Emergency Shelter where students prepared and served food.
Contributed photo
The students taking Exploring Catholicism course were all excited to participate in these dinners.
Creative Corner By Anonymous
When we made it outside, we were bombarded with camera flashes and microphones. “Are you the girl that was in the school?” “Do you know who did this to you?” “Were you there as a witness, kid?” “Why were you in the school?” Too many questions. Too much noise. “Hey! How did you get back here?” Three security guards came running. “Drop the cameras and get out of here!” All this was happening around me and all I could do was sit and watch. I felt myself rolling backwards, Taylor taking me away from the chaos. Back in my room, the snake-like detective was waiting. “Kristen, we were informed you were feeling better. We thought we could finish that statement.” “Sir,” Taylor started, “we just ran into some reporters outside, she’s pretty shaken …”
“We need to get the official statement for our reports if we are to find out who did this.” “Where’s Detective Jones?” I asked. “He stopped at the cafeteria for some coffee.” “Should we wait for him?” “Probably.” Ten minutes of dead silence later, Jones finally showed up. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting. They ran out of coffee, had to wait for the next pot.” He gave me a big, warm smile.” “Are we ready to begin now?” Smith asked. He really gives me the creeps. “From the beginning.” “I came home from school, ate a snack and started homework.” I swallowed. My voice still sounds bad. “I realized I forgot my notes.” “What notes?” “Science, Biology.” I gave Jones a “can I continue?” look. “I got to school as basketball practice was ending and went right in. I got to my locker and got my notes-.” “Before you said something about a lab.” Smith interrupted.
“Oh, yeah, Mrs. Kelly had kids doing a lab.” “Did you know them?” “Morgan Tanner and Tony Kidd.” Taylor answered for me. “Can you let her answer, please?” “Yeah, sorry, they’re friends of mine, they told me they saw her.” The detectives looked at each other. “Call Mullens and Tibbet, get them to their houses immediately.” Jones told Smith. He left. “OK, continue.” “I got my notes and started out.” “Were they still in the lab?” “I didn’t get that far, I ran into my history teacher. He reminded me about a project due next week so I ran back to my locker. When I got there, the fire was blazing.” “What happened then?” “I .. I didn’t bother with my locker, I tried to find a door but I ended in a class. I don’t know how much time passed, I remember … a fire-fighter? All I saw was the mask but who else would be in there?” “Mr. Danes sent the fire
fighter in. They thought anyone in there wouldn’t survive. You’ll have to thank him when you feel better.” Jones told me. “Is there anything else? Anything weird happen in school?” “Not that I remember. Just another day of school.” “OK, well, if you think of anything else, call me.” Jones got up to leave. “We will find who did this.” Taylor had gotten very quiet through the last bit of my explanation. “What’s wrong?” I asked him. “Knowing what happened to you and actually hearing you say what you went through …” He shuddered, “are two different things. I am so sorry this happened to you. If there was any way to change it I would.” Taylor left around 8. He didn’t know if school was going to be open and had a report that was due the day if the school caught fire. So I was left alone with my thoughts for the rest of the night. I couldn’t help but wonder where Caleb was. My best friend since first grade hasn’t come to see me while I’m in the hospital
recovering from a neardeath experience. I’d ask my mom if she had heard from him tomorrow. **** My mom showed up at 7 the next morning, with bad news. “Caleb ran away? Why?” “I don’t know, sweetie, the police are trying to find him. They are hoping he wasn’t at the school. They are searching the building now. I’m so sorry Kristen.” I cried. The tears that should have come out for me, I now cried for Caleb. I cried for an hour. With my mom holding me, I cried harder; her touch stung. Mom had to leave for work at 9. That’s when I started to calm down but her leaving made me want to cry again. She was only working so much because of me. She either needs money to pay the hospital bills or doesn’t want to sit in the hospital staring at her broken child who held so much promise. I understood. After she was gone, and I stopped sniffling, Kate came in with breakfast and finally some good news. “Your bandages get to come off your hands!” She
was beaming at me. I tried smiling back but it still hurt. I’m sure she understood. “Now remember, they are still going to be tender and blistered so no hand-holding with the cute boy who was here for at least a week, nurse’s orders,” she smiled again. “He likes me. He admitted to liking me.” I tried to smile at her. I think she got what I was doing. “Aw! Yay! Is he coming back today?” “I don’t know. Is there school today?” “I don’t think that the school has been able to organize trailers yet, so no, probably not.” She started smiling while I began to grimace in pain as the air hit my shiny, pink, blistered hands. “It’ll feel better in a few minutes. Maybe when Taylor gets here he can kiss them and make them feel better or take you outside for another attempt at a walk?” She laughed. **************************** If you have anything you would like to have published, please submit it to: featuremerciad@ mercyhurst.edu.
Page 4
Features
Carpe Diem: What it means By Kristian Biega Staff writer
What does it look like to be a Laker? New pictures of current students, historical Mercyhurst and campus shots were put up over the summer throughout the first and second floors of Old Main to answer that very question. Many people love the new decorations in the building, but few actually know where the pictures came from or who initiated this project. Within his first year as president, Michael T. Victor has been the driving force for many new and engaging projects at Mercyhurst. His theme as president is “Renewal Through Mercy: The Next 90 Years.” This project especially embodies that theme because it is a way to reflect on the past, celebrate the present and look toward the future. The pictures were a collaboration by not only the president’s office, but marketing, advancement and the archivist. “It was really a group effort,” said Lindsey Frank, director of Alumni Engagement. The goal of this project was to bring more student life into the halls. The hope is that as alumni and prospective students alike see the pictures, they will be inspired by Mercyhurst’s vivacity and growth throughout its early and current history. The pictures on the first floor of Old Main showcase
Cheyanne Crum photo
Pictures from the beginnings of Mercyhurst line the hallways on the first floor of Old Main, including one of Mother Borgia Egan.
Kristian Biega photo
The walls of the second floor of Old Main are covered in more recent photos and filled with faces most students will recognize.
the beginnings of Mercyhurst and the people that helped form the university we have today. They include pictures of the blessing of the gates, Mother Borgia Egan with the students and even the first basketball game at Mercyhurst. It is with these pictures of our past that we can look to the future.
“It is very important to see and appreciate where we came from and who made us the school we are today,” Frank said. What people may not know is that the second floor of Egan also received new pictures for the halls. Second floor Egan is primarily offices where students do not often
frequent, so those who work there were glad to see the pictures give new life to the floor through the photography of the campus itself. Each person got to choose what picture hangs outside their office, depending on preference or the role they play at the university. Frank loves the picture of the sun shining through the open Mercyhurst gates that she chose for outside her office because it shows the hospitality and welcoming spirit that the school has to the community, students and alumni alike. The second floor of Old Main has become much more student central. Last year student and community artwork hung on this floor, but it was time for a change the space is now filled with pictures of students in classes talking with teachers, competing in athletics or just hanging out on campus. Each one tells a story and means something different to each individual. “Even if you have never been to Mercyhurst or know who we are,” said Frank, “you can see a clear picture of what it means to be a Laker through these pictures.” They show the importance of seizing the day every day, therefore embodying the spirit of what it means to “Carpe Diem.” “It means to enjoy the moment,” said Frank. “That’s what Carpe Diem is all about— enjoying everything around you.” @TheMerciad
Techno Bingo loaded on prizes By Caitlyn Lear Staff writer
This Friday, the House of Mercy is hosting Techno Bingo. The game will be held at 7 p.m. at the Perry Hose Co. Social Hall on Oliver Road. This bingo is only for those 21 years and older and it costs $25 to play if you buy tickets online. Online reservations end Thursday, at 9 a.m. They will cost $30 at the door if there are any spots left. Sixteen games of nine cards
November 2, 2016
The Merciad
each will be played during the night. Prizes such as a new laptop, an Xbox, wireless headphones and speakers, a TV and a GoPro will be given out as prizes. There will also be consolation prizes and raffles. “I can’t wait to go to Techno Bingo and try to win a new laptop. Mine is falling apart,” Anthony Hoffman, senior Chemistry major, said. There are some differing opinions about possible prizes. “I would love a new laptop,
but I’d take an Xbox or a GoPro as a consolation prize though,” Christian Gamboa, senior Chemistry major, said. Snacks, soda and water will be provided, and it is a B.Y.O.B. event. The House of Mercy, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, is a place of welcome hospitality that promotes a strong and healthy neighborhood atmosphere. It provides activities for both adults and children to engage in positive experiences with their peers.
LAKER MOMENT
Cheyanne Crum photos
Students took advantage of the nice weather on Advising Day to hang out outside, doing homework and being with friends. The fall leaves and the warmth make for a great place for students to do their homework.
Children’s activities include self esteem and conflict resolution, arts and crafts, environmental education and theme-based activities. Those offered to adults include neighborhood asset assessment, referrals, ESL home tutoring, educational mentoring, computer assistance and beautification programs. The proceeds from the bingo will go toward the many activities that the House of Mercy provides for the children.
Asking Mia Need advice? Have a problem that needs fixing? Mia is here to help. Email askmia.merciad@ gmail.com for help. ******************* Dear Mia, This time of year is always really hard for me. The weather is miserable. It’s dark and gloomy. It makes it really hard to convince myself to do homework and go to class. I would much rather stay in bed and catch up on all the shows I’m missing on Netflix. Please tell me how I can make it to Thanksgiving Break without failing everything. Sincerely, Netflix-and-chill-y Dear Netflix-and-chill-y, You are not alone and sometimes I wish I could just stay in bed and watch Netflix, but I can’t. Firstly, take a deep breath. You are not alone in your struggles. Many students hit a hump this time of year for any number of reasons. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do, short of dropping out and joining the circus (trapeze, anyone?) is to muddle through it. What you can do to make it better though, is be gentler on yourself while still working toward goals. You can’t let yourself completely wither away on the couch, but if your most ambitious goal this afternoon is to shower, who am I to judge? Try your hardest to get to class, but if class is absolutely not in the cards, get the notes from a classmate or check the PowerPoint on Blackboard. Don’t be afraid to ask the professor for help, either. Keep your eyes on the goal of getting a degree and landing your dream job. Ten years from now, you’ll look back and remember how hard you worked to achieve the happiness you’ll have then.
Sincerely,
Mia
November 2, 2016
The Merciad
Arts &
Page 5
Entertainment
Up next in the Faculty Recital Series: Bobick By Jeanette Fournier Staff writer
From left to right: Devon Meddock, Kathleen Reveille and Alexa Zeremenko.
Contributed photo
Roche Guest Artist Series to host alumnae in concert By Macrina Forrest Contributing writer
On Nov. 14, at 8 p.m., the Roche Guest Artist Series is hosting a concert for three of Mercyhurst’s highly esteemed vocal alumnae. Devon Meddock, soprano, Kathleen Reveille, mezzo– soprano, and Alexa Zeremenko, soprano, have all graduated from Mercyhurst and successfully pursued careers in the music industry. All alumnae performed at least three roles in operas such as “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Madame Butterfly” and “La Cenerentola” while attending
Mercyhurst University. The performance experience and the overall music education provided by Mercyhurst University was quintessential in furthering their musical careers. Meddock continued her studies in 2014 at New York University at the Steinhardt School. In 2016, she was invited to stay at NYU as an adjunct professor. Zeremenko is currently a graduate student at Indiana University, which houses the largest and most prestigious opera program in the world. Reveille is a mezzo-soprano who not only sang numerous
leading roles while obtaining her undergraduate degree at Mercyhurst, but who has also sang with the Erie Philharmonic, in Poland as a guest of the government and at Yale, where she is earning her master’s degree. The alumnae will be singing three groups of German songs, three arias they have used for audition and competitions, and a final trio from “Der Rosenkavalier” by Richard Strauss. The concert is in Walker Recital Hall and is free of charge. @TheMerciad
Concert choir to sing at St. Peter Cathedral By Caitlyn Lear Staff writer
The Mercyhurst University Concert Choir will be singing as a part of the St. Peter Cathedral Concert Series on Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. Last year, the Mercyhurst Concert Choir sang the Rachmaninoff All-Night Vespers in Church Slavonic at St. Peter Cathedral, as part of a larger choir. Since the event was such a success, William Herring, the director of the cathedral, invited the Mercyhurst choir to return. The choir is made up of 45 student voices. The varied repertoire that will be performed includes pieces from the Renaissance up to the present. “The music is sacred in nature with works sung a cappella,” said Rebecca Ryan, director of the choir. Ryan is the Admissions Coordinator and Director of Choirs. Under her direction, the choirs of Mercyhurst have performed with D’Angelo
Chamber Orchestra, the Erie Chamber Orchestra, the Erie Philharmonic, the Young Artists Debut Orchestra and the Hanover Chamber Symphony, and some members of the choir tour internationally. “Mrs. Ryan is a wonderful choir director and teacher. She’s always giving us opportunities to learn and grow and improve our musicianship by always choosing beautiful (and challenging) choir music, by having us sight-read, sing in quartets, conduct, sing in foreign languages, accompany, lead warm-ups and just about anything else she can think of that will help us become the musicians we need to be,” said Jeanette Fournier, a third–year choir member. Students of the choir will be featured in small ensembles, quartets and also as conductors. The Carpe Diem Women ensemble will be featured. This ensemble participated in the Pennsylvania Collegiate Choral Festival. Three of the pieces being performed, Palestrina’s “Adoramus te” and “Choose Something Like a Star” by
Randall Thompson and “A Celtic Blessing” by Dave Riley will be led by student conductors. The three student conductors are Nicholas Nasibyan, a composition major, and Shannon Holley and Bethany Sulecki, both senior Music Education majors. Since the performance was so successful last year, Mercyhurst Concert Choir will be performing a section of the Rachmaninoff All Night Vespers. They will be singing the sixth, “Bogoroditse Devo,” better known as “Ave Maria.” “It is a beloved and favorite moment from that work,” Ryan said. The performance will be held at St. Peter Roman Catholic Cathedral on West 10th Street. It is free and open to the public.
@TheMerciad
Lumen Call For Submissions Mercyhurst’s literary and fine arts magazine is accepting submissions of creative poetry or fiction to appear in the magazine. Each student is permitted to submit up to three poems and one work of short fiction. The deadline is Nov. 18. All submissions must be in a Word document to lumen@mercyhurst.edu.
Online
The last open mic for the semester sponsored by Lumen will take place in Taylor Little Theatre on Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend this free event and share works of creative poetry or fiction. Musicians are also welcome to share their original songs on stage. Come out and support your fellow student writers and enjoy a great night of poetry.
Full list of events can be found on the MU website
James Bobick, baritone, and instructor of Voice, Opera, and Diction for Singers, will be giving a recital accompanied by Nathan Hess, D.M.A., chair of D’Angelo Department of Music and assistant professor of piano. The recital will take place in Walker Recital Hall on Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. Bobick’s recital will consist of three sets: French, German and English. The recital takes an exciting journey through the music of Ibert, Brahms and Vaughan Williams. Bobick’s first set will showcase the French 20th century composer Jacques Ibert (1890-1962), with his famous work for bass, voice and orchestra, “Quatre Chansons de Don Quichotte.” “This work was actually written by Ibert for the 1933 film ‘Don Quixote,’” Bobick said. “Four other composers were also asked to write music for the film, including Maurice Ravel, but Ibert’s works were the ones chosen.” The movie stars the famous Russian bass Feodor Chaliapin as Don Quixote, and it is Chaliapin who sings the four Quixote songs by Ibert as part of the film’s soundtrack. Ibert composed the melodies of the songs specifically for Chaliapin’s voice. “The first song is dedicated to Chaliapin,” said Bobick. “The second song features a pianissimo E-flat, and the third song includes another pianissimo note, an E, written to show off Chaliapin’s voice.” Bobick’s next set will feature “Fünf Lieder” Op. 94, by the German Romantic composer Johannes Brahms (18331897). “The protagonist struggles with the painful realization of his own mortality,” Bobick said. “This 1884 work is one of Brahms’ published groupings that is intended for perfor-
Contributed photo
James Bobick, baritone, is next in the Faculty Recital series.
mance as a whole, as a kind of mini-cycle. “Brahms’s friend, the surgeon Billroth, perceived it as almost equivalent to Schubert’s Winterreise, although he saw the songs as being linked with autumn and not winter.” Bobick’s last set will consist of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ much loved “Songs of Travel.” This popular song cycle by the 20th century English composer (1872-1958) uses nine poems from Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Songs of Travel and Other Verses,” the most famous of which is probably the seventh movement, “Whither Must I Wander.” Vaughan Williams wrote the “Songs of Travel” for baritone voice and piano originally, but he and his assistant, Roy Douglas, later orchestrated the cycle. The last song, “I Have Trod the Upward and the Downward Slope,” includes an interesting note by the composer: that it is only to be performed following a performance of the entire cycle – it can never be performed alone or following an incomplete set of the
songs. It is less often heard because of these special conditions, and Bobick is excited to share it with his audience. “The program for this recital is very personal and almost autobiographical for me,” said Bobick, “especially the Vaughan Williams’ ‘Songs of Travel,’ which carry an incredibly personal significance for me. “Not only do the songs establish a compelling narrative that powerfully illustrates the path of my life, but the cycle was the musical foundation for my wife’s and my first collaborative choreography project; a piece that explored our age difference and the profound likelihood of my dying long before she. “It’s not morose. It follows a man through his life getting older. “Like the other cycles, singing it is like taking a step back and looking at the man I am now.” The recital is free and open to the public.
‘Simple Space’ defies physics By Rachel Sobina Staff writer
“A Simple Space” by Gravity and Other Myths is a performance by seven acrobats who push themselves to their utmost physical limit while showing incredible grace and agility. The cast brings the audience to a unique performing space, one without props, and deliberately shows the other side of performing; the side of weakness and sometimes failure. With the performers showing their own personal narratives through movement, it brings to life the reality behind the acrobats and their own lives. Gravity and Other Myths is an Australian ensemble that was formed in 2009 and has won many awards throughout the years. The group produces and directs its own work, trying to use more acrobatic physical
View upcoming performances: www.mercyhurst.edu/events
MIAC photo
Seven acrobats try to defy the laws of physics at the PAC.
theater rather than the traditional circus and acrobatics model. The acrobats include Triton Tunis-Mitchell, Lachlan Binns, Jascha Boyce, Martin Schreiber, Jacob Randell, Elliot Zoerner, Simon McClure, Joanne Curry and Lachlan Harper. With most of them starting in some forms of gymnastics or acrobatics, they followed their dream and made it to the Gravity and Other Myths crew.
“A Simple Space” by Gravity and Other Myths has won several awards including the Winner of the Best Circus in 2010, 2011 and 2014. They will perform in the Performing Arts Center on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free for Mercyhurst students who show their student ID at the box office. A limited number of tickets are available, as guests will be seated onstage with the performers.
merciad.mercyhurst.edu/category/arts_ entertainment/
Page 6
November 2, 2016
The Merciad
Opinion
The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Relay Life Church. successful Merciad or for the Catholic Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
Grade scales confuse students By Caitlyn Lear Staff writer
On the first day of class the most important paper you will get all semester from your professor is the syllabus. It outlines all the important exams, projects and papers that will be graded throughout the semester. Yet, the part that everyone looks for first is the dreaded grading scale. The relief of seeing that a 90 percent is all you need for an A is the best, as opposed to the sinking feeling you get when you realize you need a 94 percent to get an A in Calculus. I am all for a strict grading policy. It keeps students accountable for their work, attendance and participation in class. The fact that each department and on the occasion, different classes within the
same department, has a separate grading scale can become confusing and annoying. I went to public high school where 93-100 percent was an A, and 86-92 percent was a B. We didn’t have A- or B+; just straightforward letter grades. We all had to work harder to reach that A, but it was well worth it in the end. Plus, I knew that for every single class I was in, that grading scale was the same. Here at Mercyhurst, that is surely not the case. I have five classes, three of which have labs, and trying to keep the grading scales separate is tiresome. When getting tests back and trying to do quick calculations as to my standing grade, I always have to drag out my syllabus just to try and figure out whether or not I passed. With the scales being so different, a decent grade in one class could be almost failing in another.
For example, if I got a 77 percent on my Ethics exam, with a 94 being an A, that grade turns out to be a D+. Yet if I got the same score one of my Chemistry exams, that has a 92 as an A, and it comes out as a high C+. Another issue comes into play when the professor starts to curve the scale to help students out. I have never seen a professor make the grading scale harder, and will always appreciate the extra assistance, but it just adds to the pain of trying to calculate grades. Half of the time, the students are not told until final grades come out whether or not the scale has been curved. If you are like me, calculating grades every week is important because it shows you where you stand and how much time you need to allot for each class. Having to always check the grading scale just adds an extra step in the process. To add to the complication,
certain classes tend to take more time and effort than others. This is not to say that each class is not important, but some classes will just need extra attention. I am a science major, so many of my classes have labs associated with them. So there are times when my lab reports or my exams need extra time, but I also have to worry about my core classes. My core classes almost always seem to have a higher grading scale, yet less work and fewer points associated with the grade. One small slip could send me from an A to a C. I already have enough on my plate between classes, extracurriculars and my job. Having to worry about grading scales and how it affects my grades and GPA is something I should not have to deal with. @TheMerciad
Emotional start for ‘The Walking Dead’ By Leighann Sallick Contributing writer
Get out your tissues. Gather around the television. Hold your friends’ and families’ hands. If you have not watched the premiere of the Season 7 of “The Walking Dead”, then you will understand why after reading this. Warning, there are many spoilers ahead, so beware. This premiere is considered one of the hardest episodes to watch in the show’s history. Emotions were running high, tears were flowing and fans could not comprehend what had happened at the end of it all. Fans knew that this would be a tough episode to watch, but not this tough. The past season finale ended on a cliff-hanger, letting audience members
know that there would be one character death. We were prepared for this, the only thing is that we had no idea who would die, and it left people feeling uneasy. But did anyone expect more than one character to be killed? Definitely not. The episode started with Rick and his flashbacks to the death of someone. Negan, who is now considered the most twisted villain of the series, is about to end one member of the group’s life. He ultimately decides to kill Abraham with his baseball bat, named Lucille, which is covered in barbed wire. Many fans were disappointed to have seen him go, but it didn’t come as a total blow to our hearts. Fans thought this was the end of the killings. Sadly, it was not. Daryl, one of the main characters, attempted to stand up to Negan. Although it was
seen as brave for a moment, it led to a whole other death. Negan decides that instead of killing Daryl for what he has done, he will kill someone else. He turns around and hits Glenn. At this point, every person watching was shocked. This was not expected, two deaths and the second one being Glenn. Negan hits him so hard, his eye even begins to pop out, and continues to do this until there is nothing of his head left. The episode made fans shed many tears and recall memories on both characters. Abraham, the tough leader who we first met along with Eugene and Rosita, was first introduced in Season 4. We will never forget his braveness and crude, humorous language used regularly. Last, but not least, Glenn. Glenn will always be our sweet, funny and lovable character who still lives in our
hearts. He made his appearance in the first episode of the series, when his voice is first heard on the radio in the tank Rick was trapped in. We will never forget how fast he grew up and became a key member of Rick’s group. And who could forget his and Maggie’s love story? How they fell in love, in spite of walkers surrounding them. What breaks our hearts even more is that Maggie is pregnant, and Glenn will no longer be around. Although it is hard to think about the show without these characters being around anymore, we will get over it in time. We are in for an interesting season; to see how everyone will recuperate with the deaths and find out how the show plans to get rid of Negan. Season 7 is now on AMC so tune in next Sunday to watch new episodes.
Reaction to ‘SNL’ presidential debates By Jordan Pendel Staff writer
Online
“Saturday Night Live,” “SNL,” I am sure you’ve heard of it. If you have not, it is a compilation of live comedy sketches. Typically, there’s a famous host for the night that joins in on sketches, and a musical guest that performs. On this season of SNL, they have been opening the show with a sketch based on the presidential debates. Kate McKinnon portrayed Hillary Clinton while Alec Baldwin portrayed Donald Trump. Let me say now, they killed it. The premiere of Season 42 opened with the first debate, and these two were perfect. Right out the gate, their mannerisms of the presidential candidates were spot on. McKinnon sounds, waves
and smiles exactly like Secretary Clinton. It was obvious she did her homework, but Baldwin’s take on Trump may just be better than McKinnon’s Clinton. His facial expressions and squinting are on point, albeit a little exaggerated, but hilarious nonetheless. Baldwin’s “wrong, wrong, wrong” and interrupting McKinnon was perfectly executed and brought many laughs from my living room. Cecily Strong and Alex Moffat opened the debate as Martha Raddatz and Anderson Cooper. After introducing Trump as the Republican candidate, Strong asks Moffat if they can “say this yet?” Moffat nonchalantly replies “probably fine.” Strong introduces President Hilary Clinton. It was so simple but it made me die
of laughter. Each sketch got funnier and funnier with each episode. Remember when Trump made a cameo in “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York”? Baldwin brought it up after being asked a question about being a role model for today’s children. He describes it as a “documentary” where he helped a kid find the hotel lobby. Also, if you are a fan of Ken Bone, the sketch adds a funny dance sequence about him. The most recent “SNL” episode involved the sketch about the last presidential debate, and this one was definitely my favorite. I do not think I stopped laughing the entire nine minutes of the sketch. McKinnon hilariously interrupts Baldwin because she got a Bingo after marking every ridiculous
Read more at
merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion
thing Trump said. Don’t worry, Trump supporters. Even though the sketches favor Secretary Clinton, they do make fun of her as well. Like bringing up her emails and the way she avoided them and changed the subject. McKinnon gives a great pivot gesture and had me copying that part the whole night. The fact that Trump thinks Baldwin’s portrayal is “nasty and mean” is hilarious. He wouldn’t have to act this way if Trump didn’t already do it to himself. McKinnon is so good at portraying Secretary Clinton because of how much respect she has for her. I encourage everyone to go on YouTube and watch these sketches, and after that, you can become addicted like me and watch future “Saturday Night Live” episodes.
Good Mercyhurst got into the Halloween spirit and hosted trick-or-treating on campus for the 20-somethings that wanted to give in to their inner child and dress up for candy.
Amber Matha photo
Bad There was a flood in the Duval apartments this past weekend, causing power outages and temporarily displacing students.
Weird There was a disproportionate number of feline females running around campus on Halloween night all sporting the same make-up. Don’t be afraid to be original, ladies!
The Merciad Editors Karah Hollis Catherine Rainey Cheyanne Crum Diego Himede Jenny Sabliov Amber Matha Miranda L. Miller Chelsea Guida Victoria Kreysar Kristin Bowers
Positions @mercyhurst.edu Editor-in-Chief editormerciad Managing Editor managingmerciad Features Editor featuremerciad Sports Editor sportsmerciad A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Photo Editor photomerciad Ad Manager admerciad Adviser kbowers
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 telephone 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.
Write for The Merciad, email editormerciad@mercyhurst.edu
November 2, 2016
Page 7
The Merciad
Sports
Lakers lose big to No. 1 California By Bernard Garwig Staff writer
On Oct. 29, the ‘Hurst Football team fell in a PSAC West divisional game by the No. 1 ranked California University Vulcans. The loss was the Lakers’ fourth straight, and was the second worst as far as margin of defeat. The Vulcans got up on the Lakers early in the game, scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter on three consecutive drives. In the second quarter, the Vulcans pulled far away from the Lakers, scoring 31 points after Mercyhurst scored their lone touchdown of the half off a 2-yard run by running back Richie Sanders. The half ended with the Lakers down 48-7. California never ceded its lead to the Lakers, adding another touchdown in the third quarter. The Lakers
managed to score again at the 1:59 mark in the fourth with an 8-yard punt return by defensive back Kyle Briggs off of a fumble. The final score was 55-14, Vulcans. The Lakers struggled throughout the day on both sides of the ball. On defense, the Lakers were beaten on the pass by vulcans quarterback Michael Keir, who threw for 343 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Keir was also sacked once. Vulcan wide receiver Garry Brown had 12 receptions for 265 yards and scored three touchdowns. Keir also rushed for 82 yards, adding to the Vulcans’ 265 rushing yards. Mercyhurst linebacker Kazimer Struna had 11 total tackles, followed by defensive back Rocky Owens with nine, and seven for defensive backs Ben Young and Akeel Marsh. On offense, the Lakers failed to cultivate a significant
Sabrina Nabinger
No. 5 running back Richie Sanders scored one touchdown against California University. The game ended 55-14, Vulcans.
ground game, and had a net yardage of -9. Quarterback Doug Altavilla was 15 of 33 for 149 yards,
and was sacked six times throughout the game for a loss of 43 yards. Wide receiver Brad Novak
had two receptions for 48 yards, and tight end Brad Mostoller also had two receptions for 42 yards.
“It was a lopsided game,” said Marsh. “We did not play to the best of our ability.” The Lakers struggled to stop Brown from making important catches. “In the secondary, we didn’t slow him down. He had a big game.” The Vulcans improve to 8-0, while the Lakers fall to 2-7 and 1-5 in the PSAC West conference. The Lakers are currently in last place for the division. “Our character has been tested all season. We continuously battle through adversity,” said Marsh. “Last in the PSAC West isn’t where we want to be. We have two games left, two more opportunities to change that.” The Lakers will travel to Indiana, Pa, to play IUP on Saturday.
@TheMerciad
Mercyhurst men’s water polo Mercyhurst men’s crowned tournament champions soccer outscores Gannon Knights “
By Bernard Garwig Staff writer
Mercyhurst men’s water polo won the collegiate Water Polo Association’s Division II Championships as a result of a technicality. This marks the eigth time that Mercyhurst has won the CWPA championships since the beginning of its existence. The Cathedral Prep Event Center hosted the tournament on Oct. 23. The Lakers faced International University and Gannon University. The Lakers first squared up against the Tigers. Mercyhurst came away with the win, defeating the Tigers 10-5. The Gannon University Golden Knights were the next opponents for the Lakers. The teams were tied, 11-11, going into overtime which ended in the Golden Knights scoring two goals to best the Lakers, 13-11. Prior to playing the Lakers, Gannon fell to the Tigers, 15-12. As a result, all three teams had a record of 1-1 for the tournament. From this, it was determined that the winner would be declared based on goals totals of each team. Mercyhurst ended up walking away the victor as a result,
By Valeria Lopez Staff writer
Hurstathletics
Mercyhurst men’s water polo obtained the tournament due to a goal-differential tie breaker , which gave Mercyhurst the victory.
having allowed 18 goals versus the Tigers’ 22 and the Golden Knights’ 26. Three Lakers additionally made the All-Tournament Team. Laker center Connor Schmitz was named the Tournament MVP, joined by teammates Andrew Too-A-
Foo (goalie) and Jack Howe. Alongside the Tigers’ coach Rob Bullion, who won the outstanding coach award, seven total players were recognized at the end of the tournament. The next time the Lakers compete, they will be at the Cathedral Prep Event Center
for the Western Division Championships. The Tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday. It will be the second to last competition for the team this season. @TheMerciad
On Oct. 25, the men’s soccer team played at home against Gannon University. Mercyhurst won the game 4-1, with all four goals scored in the second half. The first half of the game, Gannon dominated the ball and scored one goal against Mercyhusrst. The Lakers were not able to find the way to play them efficiently. Jorge Gonzales, a Mercyhurst freshman, scored the first goal and made two assists to Thom Derks, who scored the other three winning goals. Gonzalez admitted they were more settled in the second half of the game after figuring out Gannon’s strategy. “I went into the game thinking we were going to win, but I realized they were also putting up a fight in the first half, so it wasn’t going to be easy,” Gonzalez said. The hardest part of the game for the Mercyhurst team was the first half, keeping up with the rhythm of the game and figuring out how the other team played so they could create their own strategy.
I went into the game thinking we were going to win, but realized they were also putting up a fight in the first half, so it was not going to be easy. Jorge Gonzalez
”
“The other team was definitely confident about their game plan and confident in what they were doing. We struggled to keep up at first,” Gonzalez said. The team managed to overcome its initial struggle, which can be attributed to the great team work they use in order to win. “I think teamwork is one of the team’s strongest assets, and I think with good communication we can overcome any struggles like we did in this game,” Gonzalez said.
@TheMerciad
Men’s ice hockey team splits home weekend series By Haleigh Giebel Staff writer
The Mercyhurst men’s ice hockey team split itshome weekend series against Atlantic Hockey Association Opponent American International College with a 5-3 loss on Friday and a 6-3 win on Saturday. Throughout the weekend series, 10 Lakers players recorded points. Six of them had a multi-point night. Sophomore Lester Lancaster led the Lakers in points with two goals and three assists. Sophomore Derek Barach was close behind with one goal and three assists. Junior Nathan Ferriero and sophomore Matthew Whittaker both tallied three points. Juniors Zach Todd and Jonathan Charbonneau both picked up two points. Senior Kyle Dutra, red-shirt junior
Jack Riley, junior Patrick Piacentini and freshman Joey Duszak recorded one point each. During Friday’s game, the Lakers got on the board early in the first period with a power play goal from Todd, assisted by Duszak. AIC tied the game at one before the Lakers picked up two power play goals, both from Whittaker. Barach and Lancaster picked up assists on Whittaker’s first goal and Lancaster and Dutra tallied the assists on his second goal. AIC then scored four unanswered goals to take the first game, 5-3. “It was obviously a disappointing loss. Every loss we have is disappointing, but it’s a long year and we’ll make the adjustements that we need to,” said Head Coach Rick Gotkin. On Saturday night, the Lakers scored three goals
within 1:14 of each other to take an early 3-0 lead. Lancaster, Charbonneau and Todd scored the goals, while assists were credited to Piacentini, Barach and Ferriero. The Lakers took a 4-0 lead into the second period, when Charbonneau found a wideopen Barach in front of a wide open net. Lancaster grabbed the other assist on the goal. “We were all bothered with the way we played collectively on Friday night,” said Gotkin. “Our guys came out determined to try and get a good start on Saturday.” The Lakers then went on to score two more goals to make it a 6-0 game. Riley and Lancaster recorded the goals in the second period. Ferriero Whittaker and Barach tallied the assists. AIC fought back with three unanswered goals but it wasn’t enough. The Lakers took the
Hurstathletics
Mercyhurst men’s ice hockey split their home weekend series against American International College. The Lakers loss 5-3 on Friday and won 6-3 on Saturday.
second game, 6-3. Junior goaltender Brandon Wildung played both contests. He recorded 31 saves on Friday and 28 saves on Saturday. The Lakers head out on
their first road trip of the season on Friday and Saturday to take on Merrimack College and the University of New Hampshire. Puck drops at 7 p.m. They will be back in action
on campus at the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Nov. 11-12, when they host AHA Opponent Holy Cross. Puck drops at 7:05 p.m. @TheMerciad
Page 8
November 2, 2016
The Merciad
Laker
Living
Editor’s pick: A book review Miranda L. Miller Copy editor
What do you really do between Halloween and Thanksgiving? If you keep on celebrating Halloween, people think you’re a serial killer. If you start planning for Thanksgiving, you end up cooking way too much, which may not necessarily be a bad thing, but who really needs 17 kinds of pie? (Me, come to think of it.) If you start planning for Christmas, the same people who would think you were a serial killer for keeping the Halloween Train rolling would become
serial killers themselves. What’s a student to do? I mean, besides wallow in homework. I’m here with a suggestion. The cool, blustery weather, the downtime between the holidays, the really great sherpa blankets available at almost every store, and the recipes for hot chocolate I keep seeing on Pinterest all scream one thing: read a fantastic book! If you aren’t an avid bibliophile like me, here’s a review of one of my all-time favorite books to get you started. I was recommended “The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss my freshman
year, and I didn’t read it until my sophomore year out of spite. The recommender told me it would be my new favorite book, and I don’t like being told what to do. Good thing I gave in, because this book is beautifully crafted, with an opening and a closing unlike any book I have ever read. Rothfuss listens in, a fly on the wall, during a retelling of the adventures of Kvothe, a wonderfully sarcastic wizard-to-be who fights beyond all odds to get into the school of his dreams, but most other people’s nightmares. Tales of fighting, magic wielding, adventures in strange lands,
and incredible characters abound, while still leaving mysteries to come in Rothfuss’s future installments. “The Name of the Wind” is a brilliant example of how phenomenally a frame narrative can be told. “The Name of the Wind” is the first installment in The Kingkiller Chronicles, followed by “The Wise Man’s Fear” and “The Slow Regard of Silent Things,” with short stories in the universe in the anthologies “Rogues” by George R. R. Martin, and “Unfettered,” a book for Shawn Speakman. The third book, “Doors of Stone,” has not yet been released.
Way back When... The Merciad presents articles from yesteryear in their original form, including headlines. This week, our blast from the past is from March 1942.
Frank Sheed Discusses Communism of Today On March 12 and 13 Mercyhurst was honored by a visit from Frank Sheed, the noted co-owner of the famous publishing house of Sheed and Ward, which has main offices in both London and New York City. Mr. Sheed is by no means a stranger here, having visited Mercyhurst on several occasions in the past; these appearances have met with the pleased approval of all who have witnessed them. The main topic of the series of four lectures which Mr. Sheed delivered was: “The Underlying Philosophy of Marxianism.” His main theme was subdivided into four lectures entitled in chronological order:
Game Zone
1. What Hegel Really Taught 2. What Marx Made Of It 3. Why Communism must fail 4. How Catholics can fail The series extended over a two-day period with two lecutres assigned to each day. Mr. Sheed’s former lecture “The Catholic Literary Revival” established his reputation as a good lecturer and this lecture maintained it. —Kay Dineen