News .................... 2-5 Features .............. 6-9 A&E .................. 10-11 Opinion .......... 12-13 Sports.............. 14-15 Laker Living.......16 MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY
| W E D N E S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 2 1
| VOL. 95 NO. 8
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Mercyhurst celebrates Veterans Day
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Online poll results
We asked: Which core value
Photo Credits: Contributed photo
is your favorite? Socially merciful Globally responsible
3: COVID vaccine booster clinic
Compassionately hospitable Intellctually creative
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11: Dance department debuts “Swan Lake” 14:Women’s soccer competes in playoffs
Reflectively aware
This week’s
POLL
Ambassadors of Service
What is your favorite thing about Christmas break?
merciad.mercyhurst.edu
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NEWS
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Mercyhurst observes National Native American Heritage Month By Ashley Barletta and Zach Dumais News editor and Opinion editor
November is National Native American Heritage Month, which is when we come together to recognize the vital role that Native Americans play in the United States. November is the month to spread awareness about the culture and history of Native American people. Not only is there a month to recognize both the strengths and struggles of Native Americans, but there is also a National Native American Heritage Day. It falls on the day after Thanksgiving each year, with this year being Nov. 26. Native American Heritage Day had its beginnings around the year 1912, when Dr. Arthur C. Parker, who was of Seneca descent, protested to have “American Indian Day” observed by the Boy Scouts of America, according to news sources. In 1915, a plan about American Indian Day was approved by Congress. According to nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov, the first state to recognize “American Indian Day” was New York in 1916, when they declared that it would be held on the second Saturday in May. It was not until 1976 when a week was declared by Congress to be “Native American Awareness Week.” Then in 1990, George H. W. Bush signed “American Indian Heritage Day” into legislation. The bill was proposed by Joe Baca, a Congressman at the time, and signed into law on Nov. 28. American Indian Heritage Day was both supported and recognized by the National Indian Gaming Association, or NIGA, as well as 184 federally recognized tribes, according to news sources. Finally in 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Na-
tive American Heritage Day Act, which Barack Obama signed into law on Nov. 30. Obama also declared November to be National Native American Heritage Month, according to news sources. Mercyhurst began its celebration of this month with an event put on by the Evelyn Lincoln Institute for Ethics and Society, also known as ELIES. The first event put on was a film showing, which was followed by a discussion. The movie was called “Mankiller,” and the discussion afterwards was led by Benjamin Scharff, Ph.D. from the Mercyhurst University Department of History. According to PBS, the film is about a woman from the Cherokee Nation named Wilma Mankiller, who was able to overcome “rampant sexism and personal challenges to emerge as the Cherokee Nation’s first woman Principal Chief in 1985.” Dr. Scharff hosted the discussion because, in his own words, he “teaches a course in Native American history and has an interest in such conversations.” Verna Ehret, Ph.D., director of ELIES, said “‘Mankiller’ is a particularly powerful film because of its ability to explore in some detail the experiences of Cherokee women in particular.” She also said that “ELIES is building a film series in honor of Native American Heritage Month.” The film “Lake of Betrayal” was shown two years ago and was hosted by a panel of two Seneca Nation members. The film shown last year was called “Invisible Indians,” and the panel was hosted by Edward Jolie, Ph.D., formerly of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. ELIES plans to show “For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow” next year. Another event that observed National Native American Heri-
tage Month was on Nov. 12. The Multicultural Activities Council and Student Activities Council (MAC/SAC) partnered with the Anthropology Club to host “Native American Cultural Crafting.” Participants were able to make their own corn husk dolls. Lilli Gall, sophomore Archaeology major and co-vice president of the Anthropology Club, said “It’s really exciting to see MAC/SAC creating an event that works to teach students how to respect the complex practices and interests of Natives, so we just took it a step further to show others how cool the histories of these traditions are through origin stories of the crafts.” Catherine Segada photo Corn husk dolls were very popular among Native Americans, Lilli Gall, co-vice president of the Anthropology Club, helps students where each part of the ear of corn in making the corn husk dolls. was used in making them. No material was discarded or set aside. Gall said that “it’s very important to recognize how meaningful and crucial material things are to Native Americans.” The Anthropology Club was also in charge of creating a presentation about numerous Native American crafts and practices, which was shown at the weekend event. Education is another important aspect of celebrating National Native American Heritage Month. “The presentation focuses on Native crafts like the corn husks dolls, but there’s also many indepth looks into traditional crafts Catherine Segada photo like Kachina dolls, talking sticks, wampum belts, and many other Two students work on making their very own dolls. material practices that hold significance in past and present Native societies,” said Gall. To learn more about the history of National Native American Heritage Day/Month, visit https://nationaltoday.com and https://www. nativeamericanheritagemonth. gov/.
Catherine Segada photo
The corn husk doll making proved to be an enjoyable activity.
One student holds up a finished doll.
Catherine Segada photo
Catherine Segada photo Catherine Segada photo
This is what corn husk dolls look like up close.
MAC/SAC programmers Holly O’Donald and Tessa Korchak hold up the corn husks that were used for making the dolls.
NEWS
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
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COVID-19 booster clinic this week By Bella Lee
Staff writer
It has been nearly two years since COVID-19 first entered our world and changed the way we lived our lives. Most of us on campus have been fully vaccinated against COVID. However, with breakthrough cases and variants making their rounds, it is time that we increased our safety. That is why on Nov. 18, Mercyhurst will be offering a booster shot clinic on campus. Time slots are available between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on this date. As of Nov. 12, 380 people have registered. In order to qualify, it must have been at least two months since one received their Johnson & Johnson shot or at
least six months since the second Pfizer or Moderna shot. Students should be prepared with their vaccination card, health insurance card and photo ID. If one is unable to make it to Thursday’s clinic, there is no need to worry. “Students can also utilize clinics in the Erie community to obtain a booster shot, but we are hopeful that many students will take advantage of this opportunity prior to Thanksgiving break,” said Sarah Allen, assistant vice president for Student Life. There has been a strong planning committee that we can thank for being able to pull this off. Laura Zirkle, Ph.D, vice presi-
dent for Student Life; Sue Sweeney, Assistant Athletic Director for Student Athlete Health and Wellness; Kyndra Zacherl, Enrollment Data Scientist and Web Manager; Andrea Barnett, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs; Lisa Frampton, Coordinator of Student Life; and Sean Cuneo, Director of Marketing and Brand Management all worked together to make this possible for students. Mercyhurst is teaming up with LECOM in order to make this vaccination booster clinic happen. In addition to booster shots, students can also receive their first doses of Pfizer or Moderna if they have not been vaccinated yet. In the past week, Zirkle sent
out an email on behalf of Mercyhurst to the entire campus including faculty and staff on the latest COVID-19 vaccination rates of the campus. With excellent COVID-19 vaccination rates, Mercyhurst has granted itself significant protection against severe illness. “Studies show that even with the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines, protection against the virus and the ability to prevent infection with the Delta variant may decrease over time. This reduction in protection has led the CDC to recommend booster shots for certain populations, including those of us in education settings like Mercyhurst,” said Zirkle. As Thanksgiving Break quickly
approaches, it is a good idea for students to register so that they can continue to be protected as they go home to their families. “...we should all be mindful of our travel and interactions with others. A COVID-19 booster provides near-immediate increased immune response, additional protection that may be especially beneficial during this time of year,” said Zirkle. If you have not registered for the on-campus clinic yet, do it as soon as possible! If you are not able to make it, you may be able to find a vaccine booster in the local Erie community to reinforce your protection for the upcoming Thanksgiving and winter breaks.
Green at the Hurst By Ashley Barletta
News editor
Mercyhurst’s Sustainability Club hosted a tiny forest planting on Nov. 13. The planting lasted from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. There were a slew of trees that needed planting in a small amount of space, hence the name “tiny forest.” Gloves, tools, snacks, and service hours were provided to those who took part in the tree planting. Not only was it helpful to students, but it was helpful to the earth as well. The event took place on a cold Saturday morning, with snow in the last hour, but those who participated got the job done well. Although it does not look much like a forest yet, it is something that future Mercyhurst students have to look forward to. The tiny forest is an example of Mercyhurst’s mission to be “globally responsible.” The Sisters of Mercy taught us that we should care about the environment, and this was a great way of showing it. Be sure to check out the tiny forest, located in the yard behind the Center for Academic Engagement at any time.
Contributed photo
Many people showed up on the cold Saturday morning to help out.
Contributed photo
Everyone who participated worked very hard and deserves commendation.
Contributed photo
Various tools were used throughout the morning in order to plant the trees.
Contributed photo
This is the finished tiny forest. Now all of the trees can begin to grow!
NEWS
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Merciad IN A MINUTE Turkey Dinner This Thursday On Nov. 18, the Grotto Commons and the 501 Grille will host their annual Thanksgiving dinner. There will be numerous Thanksgiving dishes served like turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. This is a very popular dinner among students, so be prepared for a crowded dining hall no matter where you go!
Thanksgiving Break Be sure to look at your email for the regulations regarding Thanksgiving Break. The email provides information students need to ensure their rooms are secure during Thanksgiving Break. Remember to lock your doors and windows, take out your trash, and keep your rooms clean!
Christmas Ornaments For Sale Mercyhurst’s 2021 Christmas ornaments are now available! The ornament is of slate material, much like Old Main’s slate roof. It is in the shape of a shamrock and has “Mercyhurst” engraved on it. To receive one, make a $25 or more contribution to the Mercyhurst Annual Fund and Student Scholarship Program.
Merciads Need a New Home If you would like any of the old issues of The Merciad which are currently crowding the studio, email Gillian Mazur at gmazur98@ lakers.mercyhurst.edu or Samantha Weber at sweber47@lakers. mercyhurst.edu. Unused, leftover newspapers will likely be given to the Erie Rabbit Society. Have a tip for Merciad in a Minute? Want to tell others about your club’s events? Email us at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
United Airlines lifts international travel ban By Hannah Brooks
Staff writer
United Airlines is expecting a great influx in air traffic, at the rate of about 50% more international inbound passengers, who are now able to fly into the United States again. The previous international travel restrictions that had been in place have now been lifted as of Nov. 7. Travelers will need to be alert to some concerns, such as long lines, crowding and a potential spike of the COVID-19 virus. The travel restrictions had been in place for nearly two years, first being implemented in early 2020 to address the spread of COVID-19. Now, vaccinated passengers from overseas will once again be able to fly into the United States. According to Delta Airlines Chief Executive, Ed Bastian, travelers need to be aware that lines will likely be long at the beginning of this change. In the six weeks since the U.S. reopening was announced, there has been a 450% increase in international point-of-sales bookings versus the six weeks prior to the announcement, according to Delta Airlines. An official for U.S. Customers and Border Protection also advises travelers to have their documentation ready ahead of time.
The Biden Administration has been taking measures to prepare airlines for the changes that will affect them, especially during the upcoming holiday season. They have held calls with airlines to prepare for additional travelers; they also warned travelers crossing at the Canadian and Mexican borders to prepare for
“
cline by the loss of people crossing from Mexico and Canada. The group estimates nearly $300 billion lost in export income since March 2020. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and United Airlines President Brett Hard held an event at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Monday,
The travel restrictions had been in place for nearly two years, first being implemented in early 2020 to address the spread of COVID-19. Now, vaccinated passengers from overseas will once again be able to fly into the United States.”
-Hannah Brooks, on lifted airline restrictions
longer wait times beginning on Nov. 7. According to news sources, countries that were affected by the restrictions in place included China, India, South Africa, Iran, Brazil, Britain, Ireland and the 26 Schengen countries in Europe. Trade group U.S. Travel says that these countries made up 53% of all overseas travelers to the US in 2019. Border communities also got hit with a hard de-
Nov. 7 to mark the reopening. U.S. officials also did an Instagram live stream on Nov. 9 to share more information to travelers. Between the higher demand for flights as compared to 2020 along with it being the holiday season, costs for flight tickets are also on the path to increasing. Already, flight prices are 78% higher than they were at this point in 2020; and 3.2% above where they were in 2019, ac-
cording to Forbes. Airlines will check vaccination documentation for international travelers. They already have been checking for COVID-19 test results pre-flight. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will ask travelers if they have been vaccinated and spot-check documentation at land border crossings. Children under 18 are exempt from the vaccine requirements. Non-tourist children from nearly 50 countries with nationwide vaccination rates of less than 10% will also be exempt from these requirements. New contract tracing rules were also implemented on Nov. 7, which requires airlines to collect information from international air passengers “to follow up with travelers who have been exposed to COVID-19 variants or other pathogens,” according to news sources. Though Americans were advised to stay at home for the holidays in 2020, Anthony Faucci, Ph.D, says that it is safe to travel during the holidays in 2021 as long as you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you or someone you know is traveling abroad, especially if it will be during the holiday season, take the necessary precautions in order to ensure that you and your loved ones will be safe.
Two Intel seniors receive competitive scholarship By Samantha Weber Managing editor
Two Mercyhurst University seniors, Laren Reesman and Nicholas Brodfuehrer are recipients of the National Military Intelligence Foundation (NMIF) Merit Scholarship. Reesman and Brodfuehrer are just two of the eight people who received the scholarship. Reesman is a double major in intelligence studies and French. Brodfuehrer is a double major in intelligence studies and political science. In order to apply for this scholarship, there are four criteria that must be met. The first is about what grade level the students are. Students who can apply must be at least a junior in college with more than 48 semester credit hours. Seniors and graduate students can also apply, but the seniors must have more than 72 credit hours. This scholarship describes
graduate students as “students who have received a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited post-secondary educational institution and are actively pursuing a Master’s, Doctoral or professional degree.” The second criteria is that the student is considered a full time undergraduate or graduate student. This means the student must be taking at least 12 semester credit hours or 15 quarter credit hours. The third criteria is that the scholarship has to be used in either the fall semester of 2021 or the spring semester of 2022. This means that the scholarship must be used during this academic year. The fourth and final criteria is that the applicant fills out the entirety of the application package. The application process is rigorous and has a lot of parts. Applicants have to complete an application form, a resume, one or
more letters of recommendation, academic transcripts and copies of other relative awards that the applicant has received. The foundation also looks at Academic Excellence and Rigor as well as how relevant the major and minors that the students are in. Additionally, the applicant has to answer four essay questions and the combined responses have to be at most 2500 words. “I actually heard about the scholarship from a Mercyhurst alum, Natalie Anderson. Natalie was an Intel major and NMIF winner as well. She now chairs the scholarship board and selection committee,” said Brodfuehrer. He proceeded to fill out the application when Ridge College sent it out to all students. Many students recognize that it is important for students to take any opportunities given to them and Brodfuehrer is no exception. “First, students should take ad-
vantage of any scholarships that come their way. When this came up and I saw the past connections to Mercyhurst, I thought that I should give this a shot,” Brodfuehrer said. “I took the time to write the essays and put my best effort into the application.” Brodfuehrer had a nice surprise in regard to the award. “Once I submitted it, I actually forgot about it. Then during move-in and New Student Welcome, I got a call from a D.C. phone number and Natalie called to tell me I had won - I was shocked. It was quite a nice surprise,” said Brodfuehrer. If you are a student who is pursuing a career in intelligence, National Security or military intelligence, be sure to keep your eye out for this scholarship for the next school year.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
NEWS
International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women recognized By Francesca Divincenzo Staff writer
In the past few years, the pandemic has brought many challenges upon us, one of them being increased domestic violence against women. According to a United Nations article, since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified. As the cases of COVID-19 have climbed dramatically, domestic violence shelters have started to reach full capacity. Unfortunately, the pandemic caused the domestic violence issue to become secondary in the world. According to the United Nations article, as countries implemented lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, violence against women, especially domestic violence, intensified – in some countries, calls to helplines have increased up to five times. On May 27, 2020, women of the United Nations launched “The Shadow Pandemic Campaign.” According to a United Nations article, “The Shadow Pandemic Campaign” is a sixty second film that shows the horrors of domestic violence that women around the world face every day. The video
displays domestic violence that 14 women around the world are subjected to. The video also highlights the alarming upsurge in domestic violence during COVID-19 and urges people to act if they know or suspect someone is experiencing violence. “This is a critical time for action to put the safety of the women around the world and give them shelter and support. The violence does not stop when women go back to work,” said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women. According to a United Nations article, in New South Wales, Australia, 40 percent of frontline workers in a survey reported increased requests for help with violence that was escalating in intensity and complexity. Emergency calls for domestic violence cases in Argentina have increased by 25 percent since the lockdown began. Helplines in Singapore and Cyprus have registered an increase in calls of more than 30 percent. In the U.S., the National Domestic Violence Hotline reported a rising number of victims who reached out via text or phone. During lockdown, women were trapped with their abusers; they were isolated from people and resources that could help them. The End To Violence Against
Women campaign aims at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls. The campaign is an attempt to bring global action in helping domestic violence survivors and preventing the action of abuse as well. Every year on Nov. 25, the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed. People spread awareness for this cause every year on this day, and every year has a theme. This year’s theme for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”. Much like in years past, this year’s international day begins the 16 days of activism. These 16 days will end Dec. 10, which is International Human Rights Day. People need to take action now and help others while they can because the virus does not last forever, but the pain these women face on a daily basis will stay with them forever. To learn more about the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, visit https://www.un.org/ en/obser vances/ending-violence-against-women-day and https://www.unfpa.org/events/ international-day-elimination-violence-against-women-2021.
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT
This weekend’s campus events
Mercyhurst cheer hosts clinic for young cheerleaders By Libby Bullinger Copy editor
On Nov. 13, the Mercyhurst Cheer team came together to help educate Erie youth in the sport of cheerleading. This clinic is held annually for cheerleaders in grades K-8 and is run completely by the Mercyhurst cheerleaders. This year, the cheer students arrived at 1 p.m. for a meet-andgreet and welcome with the Mercyhurst team. Following check in, the children spent time learning age-appropriate stunts, dances, tumbling passes and cheers followed by choreography of a short halftime routine. After a dinner break, the students in the clinic had the opportunity to perform with the Mercyhurst cheerleaders at the Women’s basketball game halftime show. Advertising for the clinic occurred through a featured page on Mercyhurst’s website as well as the cheerleading social media pages. The team also spent time personally reaching out to local schools in the Erie area that had cheer programs to invite their students to attend. The clinic brought in an exciting turnout following the cancel-
lation of the annual clinics last year due to pandemic concerns. Cheerleading coach Chelsee Cool explained how the cheerleading team were completely in charge of the clinic, running everything from the marketing through the actual day of instruction and interaction with the students. This served as a great opportunity for the cheerleading team to gain leadership skills and interact with others outside of the Mercyhurst community. The majority of the students in the clinic were in elementary and middle school. However, one male student was a high school cheer recruit from Canada. This wide range of age levels and skills forced the cheerleading team to adapt and work with all different kinds of students, a skill that is essential in any kind of teaching or leading position. “It is a wonderful chance to reach out to the community and have an event where the students can build some self-confidence through learning new skills and performing. We love getting to open our doors to promote a positive athletic environment for cheer,” said Cool. As a newer head coach for the
team, Cool mentioned that it was very exciting to see the current team interact with the participants. “...especially together on the basketball court at the women’s game,” said Cool. Senior Captain, Mary Claire Cousins, very much enjoyed running the clinic. “This was a fantastic opportunity to work with children in elementary and middle school. As an Early Childhood Education major, this was especially helpful for me in gearing up for teaching positions post-graduation. I also enjoyed working with the children and seeing their passion for the sport,” said Cousins. It is safe to say that the cheer clinic was a success, and Coach Cool and the rest of the cheerleading team is hoping to gain an even larger turnout at their upcoming clinic in the spring. This first clinic since COVID provided the team with valuable insight about how to improve and what was successful so that they can create even more beneficial learning opportunities for the young athletes of the local Erie community.
MERCYHURST CAMPUS
CRIME LOG Nov. 11: Disorderly conduct in Briggs. Nov. 13: Liquor Law Violation in Warde. Nov. 13: False ID in Warde.
FEATURES
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NEW AT HURST
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
MU honors Veterans with memorial celebrations By Samantha Weber Managing editor
Contributed photo
By Victoria McGinty Features editor “Hurst is Home” reigns as one of the leading mottos that best represent the university. Of the many alumni reintroduced to the Hurst this year is Kristian Biega. Biega graduated from Mercyhurst in 2020. The Pittsburgh native spent her undergraduate career as an English and Marketing double major and was very involved on campus. She was involved in a variety of campus activities which include being the News Editor of The Merciad, a leader in Campus Ministry for Carpe Diem 11/ MYRACLE, President of Sigma Tau Delta and part of the Mercyhurst Concert Choir. “I really liked the fact that I could get to know my professors and classmates so well too,” said Biega. Following graduation, Biega ventured back to Pittsburgh to earn her M.S. in Marketing Science from the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business. Now, the Mercyhurst community has welcomed Biega back to campus as an asset to the Marketing Department as a Marketing Coordinator. Her job keeps her busy as the department is always taking on a new set of projects. “My work as marketing coordinator is very writing-heavy-- I am the editor for The Morning Tide email newsletter, I write for various mailings, emails and articles for the Mercyhurst Magazine, and help in the copy editing process for a lot of different projects,” Biega said. “I also really enjoy working with everyone in the Marketing Department. Our different strengths play well together as a team and we also have fun in the office as a group.” Biega is thrilled to be back on campus. She was drawn to the campus’ sense of community initially and she feels it holds true today. “The community we have here is special. As a former student and now employee, I feel cared for and glad that I work with a community of caring and open-minded individuals who only want the best for the school and its students,” said Biega. While Biega is no longer a student at Mercyhurst, she is still active on campus as one of the Advisors for the Merciad. She enjoys still taking part in campus life such as Hurst Day and attending MIAC shows. In her free time, Biega enjoys a variety of hobbies including theatre, reading, bullet journaling and watching Marvel movies. Mercyhurst is grateful to have Kristian Biega back on campus. If you knew her as a student or have had the opportunity to meet her this year, she is a wonderful asset to the Laker community. She is always willing to talk with current students or just say “hello.” You can find her in the Marketing Department located in Old Main 204.
Veterans Day was celebrated on Nov. 11. Mercyhurst University certainly had a lot of ceremonies to celebrate the holiday. To kick off the day, the ROTC students who are in the Color Guard raised the flag as part of Reveille at 7:45 a.m. Even though this is early in the morning, there was a great turnout to start the day off by honoring the Veterans. Erie News Now was even there capturing the beautiful ceremony. Sophomore ROTC Cadet, Bethany Jentz, is a part of the Color Guard and loves being involved in it. “I enjoy being part of Color Guard because it is another way to show my love and appreciation towards the military and my country. I like the structure and ceremonial aspect of the Color Guard,” Jentz said. The second ceremony of the day was the Ceremony of Valor at 3:30 p.m. “As the person who planned the Veterans Day events here at Mercyhurst, I thought all of the events were equally great! If I had to pick a favorite, though, it has to be the Celebration of Valor,” said Chris Constantine, Mercyhurst’s Veterans Services Coordinator, said. “This yearly event brings our Mercyhurst family together to honor our veterans, past and present, in a moving ceremony. I love how our Army ROTC Cadets run the ceremony and how our students within the Music Department willingly participate, too.” To begin the Celebration of Valor, a local music group called “Music for Veterans” began playing at 3 p.m. for attendees who arrived early. To begin the ceremony, a few of the ROTC Cadets in the Color Guard did the Presentation of Colors. The ceremony consisted of President Getz giving a speech about how veterans and Veterans Day are important to Mercyhurst. ROTC Cadet Ryan Morrissey introduced Mr. Robert Hill, who is a Purple Heart Recipient and
Contributed photo
The Veterans Day observance began with a flag raising at 7:45 a.m.
Commander of the Erie Chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Hill discussed the history of the Purple Heart award and how it all began with George Washington wanting to honor three soldiers in a different way than the other military awards in 1782. “When I asked Mr. Hill if he would be willing to speak, he was very excited for the opportunity! His Chapter of the MOPH is not as large as it once was, and I thought maybe having him as our guest speaker would give the group some good exposure,” Constantine said. “He and his group have been meeting on a monthly basis in our Veterans Lounge here on campus. Mr. Hill was instrumental in having Mercyhurst designated a Purple Heart University in 2018 (at that time, we were the second designated Purple Heart University in PA).” At one point, ROTC Cadets freshman, Alexander Matusiak, and sophomore Theodore Counihan explained the Fallen Soldier’s Table, also known as Missing Man Table. This tradition is meant to honor and remember those who gave their lives to protect their country and its people. To conclude the ceremony, Major Kawlinowski played “Taps” on the bagpipes and then those who attended were able to en-
joy some light refreshments and some cookies. To conclude the day, the Color Guard lowered the flag that they had flown earlier in the day in a ceremony called Retreat. This took place at exactly 4:57 p.m. and it was the final event Mercyhurst did to celebrate Veteran’s Day. Some people might have a personal connection to Veterans Day maybe through family or friends but it is always important to celebrate no matter if you know anyone who has been in combat or not. “I really enjoy celebrating Veterans Day every year. It’s the one day each year that I try to connect with all my friends that were (or still are) in the military & thank them for their service. I also like to take a few moments to reflect on my time in the Air Force,” Constantine said. Jentz agrees with Constantine’s view. “Veterans Day is extremely important to celebrate because we are honoring all of the men and women who have served to protect our rights and freedoms in the United States,” Jentz said. “Anyone who serves in the military makes sacrifices of some capacity for the good of the country and everyone in it, so they deserve to be honored and celebrated.”
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Mercyhurst celebrates Veterans Day by posting flags on the front lawn.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
RSCO FEATURE THE VETERANS ASSOCIATION
FEATURES
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Laker Side Hustle: Quality Chatter By Frankie Divincenzo, Victoria McGinty
Staff writer, Features editor
By Laren Reesman Staff writer
Last week marked the anniversary of Veterans Day on Nov. 11, commemorating all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The civilian campus community may be surprised to know there is an active Veterans Association on campus with upwards of 70 members. The Mercyhurst Veterans Association (MVA) currently accepts full-time undergraduate and graduate activeduty or veteran students. The group seeks to help these students acclimate to university and civilian life in general. The MVA also has a commitment to the Erie community veteran population and hopes to become more involved in volunteer and outreach programs. President of the MVA, Sterling Vahey, says to reach out to him or any other officers to be involved in community outreach activities geared toward veterans. In fact, they are promoting participation with the Veteran’s Service Organization in Erie for the holidays. In collaboration with Wreaths Across America, volunteers will lay wreaths on the graves of over a thousand fallen soldiers across Erie. Each Remembrance Wreath will be placed on a grave while announcing the soldier’s name. Wreaths Across America will visit the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors Home on Dec. 18 and are seeking wreath sponsors and volunteers to help lay the wreaths starting at noon. So far, only 111 have been sponsored for Erie’s 1,332 fallen soldiers. The most common donation is $75 for 5 wreaths with each one priced at $15 per wreath. Vahey says this will be the MVA’s main activity this semester aside from normal meetings, but they hope to increase community-centered opportunities as the pandemic continues to wane. Vahey stresses the MVA’s importance as a place where members can bond as an older student population as well. Many veteran or military students start school after entering the military and serving for a time, meaning they are often older than those who come to the school immediately after graduating high school. Vahey says the MVA’s members are very academically focused and often receive scholarly accolades and other recognition while in school. Veterans are an integral part of the Mercyhurst community as students, faculty and alumni. Even after service, they look for ways to serve those around them, whether it be in teaching, sharing expertise or connecting civilian students to future employers. Civilian students can also do more to recognize and honor those who have fought for them. Vahey says an easy way to honor veterans and active-duty students is to attend campus events like the flag raising and awards ceremony on Veteran’s Day every year or other larger events throughout Erie. He also says that simply stopping to thank a veteran and even asking about their experiences is another way to show interest and honor their service. While civilian students may not be MVA members, pay attention to the Laker Launchpad for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities for everyone, and do not be afraid to thank Mercyhurst veterans for their sacrifices. Honoring those who have served or are serving in the military goes beyond one or two days a year. Remember them during the holidays as many cannot go home and remember the freedoms they fight for to protect Americans.
While the pandemic has been somewhat of a negative experience, one of the many reasons one can be grateful for the experience is due to the allowed free time to tap into our creative mindsets. Like many of us who have taken on a new project over the past year, students at Mercyhurst are always taking on astounding passion projects. From mask chains to keychains our Lakers are hard at work trying to leave a lasting impact on the world even in a pandemic. While many students are starting businesses, some are hard at work publishing meaningful content. Junior history and political science double major Lily Smith dedicates her free time to her new passion project: “Quality Chatter: A Podcast.” Smith is a long-time podcast fanatic and she was first inspired to create her own podcast upon listening to “The Skinny Confidential,” a podcast dedicated to lifestyles and honest conversations. “There is so much value to people’s experiences and I want to share that same perspective with people. Working on this passion project will give insight into things that any person can go through,” said Smith. “Quality Chatter” will be split into episodes with each one featuring a person in Smith’s life. Each episode will highlight her guest and highlight the individualities and experiences of the person. Smith is currently planning to do an introductory episode where she introduces herself and what she plans to highlight over the course of the podcast. In the first “official” episode Smith is planning to interview an old friend of hers who is a first-generation college student with a rich Italian cultural back-
Contributed photo
The official logo for Smith’s podcast “Quality Chatter”
ground. This episode will discuss Smith’s guest’s heritage, her experiences and how her culture impacts her family and the individual on a day-to-day basis. Smith plans to interview her friends and those with different backgrounds and universal perspectives. “My goal of these episodes to highlight well-rounded experiences of those around me,” said Smith. Aside from the personal interviews, Smith plans to discuss a variety of topics over the course of this podcast. As a humanities major, Lily plans to shed light on issues and controversies within the fields of history and political science. She also wants to discuss social issues and “down-to-earth” topics similar to the honest nature of her favorite podcasts. While Smith is currently in the earlier stages of her podcast she is hopeful to turn this project into something bigger than herself. She is currently in the planning and recording stage of the process, but she has big plans for the proj-
ect once the semester settles down. Once established, Smith plans to create her platforms and create a semi-regulated schedule of publication “but it’s all up in the air at the moment” as Smith said. Smith plans to publish her podcast on various streaming services such as Spotify, Overcast and Apple Music. Smith provides some insightful advice for anyone considering a passion project. “Just go for it. Even if you don’t know a lot about what you want to do, life is too short to not express yourself. Remember that everything starts out small but, things happen in time,” said Smith. Be sure to look out for “Quality Chatter” on all of your favorite podcast streaming services. If you have a small business or know a friend who has one and want to have it featured in The Merciad’s “Laker Side Hustle” section, email merciad@mercyhurst. edu or message @merciadmu on Instagram to have your business featured.
LAKER MOMENT On Nov. 16 The Roost hosted a pretzel-eating contest for the first time since the pandemic started. The contest was limited to five entries and was met with a great turnout. With the winter season quickly making an appearance on campus be sure to drop in The Roost for a delicious pretzel. Be on the lookout for any more contests hosted by Parkhurst around campus! Contributed Photo
The normal shareable-sized pretzel that contestants have to finish to win.
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HURST CLASS CATALOG WORLD MUSIC/JAZZ HISTORY
By Sarah Beck Staff writer
Music majors, you are going to want to read this. MUS207 is a world music and jazz music history class that will get you jamming and grooving. This class is taught by Dr. Allen Zurcher Instructor of World Music and Jazz Music History who previously taught at Mercyhurst from 1987-1990 and recently rejoined the faculty in 2006. One of Zurcher’s favorite parts of teaching is interacting with the students. Students’ testimonies indicate that Zurcher seems to be an amazing and interactive professor. Junior music major Willow Lapp said, “What further brought me excitement [to take world music/jazz history] was knowing that Dr. Allen Zurcher would be teaching the course. Dr. Zurcher is an incredibly talented saxophonist and someone I have looked up to throughout my time here at Mercyhurst. It has been a pleasure to be in his class and get to learn from him.” World music and jazz music history is taught every fall semester and is open for any music majors who would like to take this class. The course itself is split into two parts: world music history and jazz music history. The first half of the semester is typically focused on world music history. During this portion of the semester students take time to examine a wide variety of cultures and their different musical forms from all around the globe. Zurcher said that the emphasis for this portion of the course is on, the cultural significance and performance practice of music from specific ethnicities. The lateral half of the semester is focused on jazz music history. During this section of the class, students learn all about the origins as well as the evolution of jazz from the Civil War to the present day. While learning about the evolution of jazz, there is also a large emphasis on specific significant individuals in the world of jazz music that students get to learn all about. “Currently we are in the Jazz History portion of the course, which is something I have definitely been excited to take as a collegiate Jazz musician myself, specifically on saxophone,” said Lapp. Zurcher is a strong believer that historical context is very important, but that students should also be able to develop abilities that allow them to analyze as well as discuss music with a common understanding. “I approach this course from a performance practice perspective,” said Zurcher. This class truly emphasizes the growth of these two skills throughout the entire semester. Hayley Ripple, a senior Music Education Major with a concentration in voice said, “I really enjoy that this class focuses on music other than the culturally accepted styles that our Western Music has to offer. The class has given me plenty of opportunities to partake in the music of other cultures, including creating a muk’yu (pronounced Muyu), which is a Chinese poem or traveling song that was used to communicate stories between migrators to the United States.” All in all this class is an amazing opportunity for music majors to gain a valuable overview of world music and jazz history as well as offering an opportunity to gain a broader understanding of various differing cultures and their music from all over the world.”
FEATURES
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Parkhurst Dining gears up for a festive Thanksgiving Feast By Hannah Brooks Staff writer
In what seems to have all occurred within the blink of an eye – the fall semester is beginning to wrap up, snow is starting to fall in the city of Erie and the holidays are no longer just approaching; the season is now. As the year wraps up and is headed into another cheery season to end what has been a very long year. And what better way to wrap up this year with a festive, themed dinner right here at Mercyhurst? Parkhurst Dining will be hosting its annual Thanksgiving dinner for students on Thursday, Nov. 18. Since it is one of the biggest themed dinners that Parkhurst puts on all year, it is certainly one you won’t want to miss out on. The tradition of Parkhurst’s Thanksgiving is going into its twelfth year. The tradition started back in 2009 when Parkhurst Dining started doing food service at Mercyhurst, according to Arthur Catrow, Parkhurst’s Chef de Cuisine. Catrow says that the dinner has
evolved greatly since it first began back in 2009. The dinner boasts many traditional Thanksgiving staples, such as turkey (arguably the main feature of Thanksgiving), stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, gravy, root vegetables, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls. There will also be a southern focus at one of the stations offered, which will include homestyle favorites such as slowcooked greens, baked macaroni and cheese, bourbon-glazed ham, black-eyed peas, cornbread and deviled eggs. While your mouth is already watering at the mention of these homestyle foods – don’t deny it – the desserts are going to have you in a rush to be first in line as soon as the food starts being served. The food is delicious and lots of hard work goes into planning the meal. According to Catrow, there is a lot of planning involved, as well as ordering the products, preparing and executing the dinner. He says that the entire process takes about three to four weeks total. He adds, however,
that although there is a lot of work that goes into this dinner, it is very rewarding and the end result makes it all worth it. “It is very detailed, time-consuming and logistically challenging, but it is also very rewarding to the soul. What better way to feel accomplished than by providing a delicious, well-planned and well-received meal that brings joy to everyone involved,” said Catrow. Parkhurst’s Thanksgiving Dinner will take place in both the Grotto Commons and Ryan Hall’s 501 Grill. There will be a plethora of stations with a multitude of delicious foods for students to choose from. The Parkhurst staff puts a lot of work into this well-loved and respected Mercyhurst tradition. Make sure you come out to support the staff in their efforts to prepare a delicious meal for the students and faculty of Mercyhurst University. Besides, what better way is there to wrap up a semester than with a hearty meal with your friends?
Social work students conduct research project on AIM program By Mackenzie Zent Staff writer
Each year the senior social work majors are required to complete a senior project. This year the nine seniors are focusing on the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) program. The goal is to get the Mercyhurst community’s thoughts, opinions and feelings on the program. There is a Google survey that Mercyhurst students and faculty can take to see what they know, what they would want to know more about and their overall general attitudes toward the AIM program. With such a small group of nine seniors, each of them will be able to get more involved in their senior project. There is also an Applied Sociology and Social Work club at Mercyhurst, which is very involved in planning advocacy events on campus. The club includes everyone in both social work and sociology majors and is great to be a part of for students who want to make a difference and help other people. “We are still in the works of partnering with a Mercyhurst sports team to plan an AIM advocacy and inclusion game,” said Mary Bauer, senior Social Work major and President of the Applied Sociology and Social Work club. “Our goal is to have this game by the end of the semester,” said Bauer.
The official QR code to access the social work AIM survey
The details of this are still being worked out, but the Mercyhurst Community will definitely be hearing more about this event once everything is finalized. The game will be an exciting and fun way to help advocate for inclusion as well as diversity in the Mercyhurst community. The nine social work seniors are excited about their project and want to encourage everyone at Mercyhurst to take a few minutes to fill out their survey. The survey only takes about two minutes to complete and it is completely anonymous, so everyone is encouraged to fill it out!
Contributed photo
The link to the survey can be found on the Mercyhurst Social Work’s Instagram (@mercyhurst_socialwork). In addition, one can scan the provided QR code to participate. It is important for a large amount of the Mercyhurst community to fill out this survey so that the seniors can understand what needs to be done to help improve the program. With the information gathered from the survey, the seniors will be able to advocate better for both the program and the students who are a part of it.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
FEATURES
PAGE 9
Hurst History Professor to present at Blasco Library By Bella Lee
Staff writer
Mercyhurst has always prided itself with having students, alumni, faculty, staff and everyone in between make names for themselves and influence others through their work outside of Mercyhurst’s campus. Benjamin Scharff, Ph.D., Chair of the History Department, is no exception. On Nov. 17., he will be giving an important presentation at the Blasco Library. Scharff’s presentation is titled “To Pursue Happiness in Their Own Way: Indian Removals and the Failure of the American Promise.” With his specialty being in Native American history, Scharff’s research has been ongoing for years. “I haven’t conducted extensive new research for this presentation, but instead have drawn upon research I’ve conducted for my own works along with that I do for my normal courses, most significantly when I offer my Native American History course and my Early Republican America course,” Scharff
said. The title of the presentation just goes to show just how important the topic Scharff is covering is. “The first part of this title is a quote from Andrew Jackson in support of his Indian Removal policy,” Scharff said. “I see it as a play on the Declaration of Independence’s ‘promise’ of the pursuit of happiness for all Americans, and the corruption of that promise with regards to our nation’s Native American policy.” Scharff believes strongly that this is a crucial topic to cover and discuss. “Jackson claimed that, once removed, native peoples would be free to pursue happiness ‘in their own way’ outside the boundaries of the nation, rather than be included within it,” Scharff said. “I will cover a longer history of removal that predates this seminal event, dating back to prehistory.” Scharff is not just excited to be teaching about such an important topic; he is also very glad to be doing it in person in front of a live audience. “As a public historian, I’m look-
ing forward to engaging the public (my expected audience) in a spirited, if difficult, discussion about our nation’s history,” Scharff said. “I’m also very excited to engage in an in-person event, something that I’ve not been able to enjoy in a long while.” Over the past year, Mercyhurst has had a lot to be proud of in regards to the History Department. Chris Magoc, Ph.D., worked alongside Preservation Erie last year to create the African American Shared Heritage Trail. Averill Earls, Ph.D., was just awarded the Judith R. Walkowitz Prize for the Best Article in the History of Gender and Sexuality by the North American Conference on British Studies. And now, Scharff is here to make history students, faculty and alumni alike proud. This is an extremely important topic to cover and the Mercyhurst community is incredibly proud of Scharff for doing so.
Hurst announces renovations to the Student Union By Hannah Brooks
Staff writer
Over winter break, the Student Union will be receiving updates, including new furniture, new activities and an overall new feel to the entire area. The updates will be completed while students are away from campus, so no interruption in services will be noticable. Some of the many pieces of furniture being added include a large sectional couch; coffee tables; a tall gathering table; shorter cafe-style tables, which will be perfect for studying socializing and playing games; leveled window seats; soft pod style chairs with attached side tables; and small pull-up side tables that are able to be moved around the room if and when needed. “All of the furniture is fairly easy to move around so that the space can still be used for a programming space and so students can rearrange furniture to where it suits their needs,” said Steph Przepiora, Director for Campus Involvement. Additionally, the air hockey table in the great room will be moved to McAuley Hall and the Great Room will be receiving a new foosball table. Przepiora said that there have been many board games ordered specifically for the Great Room, as well as two HDMI cables that can be used with the televisions on the
South Wall. Adirondack chairs and two hammocks were already added to the patio off of the Great Room at the beginning of the semester. “These spots will be great places to hang out when the weather becomes nice again,” said Przepiora. Upstairs in the Half Moon Lounge, new cafe tables; a taller bar-style table; and pod chairs have been added. Campus Ministry will also be receiving some new renovations, such as new chairs for the Prince of Peace chapel to give that area a face-lift. In the Mercyhurst Student Government Chambers, dry erase tables will be coming to replace the old tables that are currently in this area. These will be great for collaborative work for MSG, clubs/organizations and students who simply need a place to study. Additionally, MSG has partnered with the University to receive updated lighting in the Student Union, which will help brighten up this space more. With the new furniture and updates, the Student Union will have a modern-lodge vibe, according to Przepiora. It will be cozy and the cheerful earthy blue and green tones of the furniture will add to this look, as well as playing off of Mercyhurst’s colors. “We want to bring students over to the Union and make it a hub of student activity, as it should be,” said Przepiora. She added that
with more functional, nice-looking, comfortable furniture and a new variety of activities, the Student Union will hopefully attract students to visit and use these spaces more. The Student Union is open Monday-Thursday until 11 p.m., and later on the weekends along with the Roost, which is located downstairs. According to Nick Brodfuehrer, Intelligence Studies & Political Science major and President of the Mercyhurst Student Government, funding for this project came from an excess of leftover money from student activity fees from the 2020-21 school year. The student activity fee is a fee that is included in each student’s tuition every year. And since COVID prevented many activities from being held that year, there was a lot of resources to be utilized this year. Renovating the student union will be beneficial to all students. Students will experience no disruption to utilizing the Student Union unless they stay on campus during Winter Break. The opening date is Jan. 20., 2022. Be sure to check out the Student Union once it is finished for the spring semester and utilize it as the hang-out spot that it is meant to be.
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY By Hannah Brooks Staff writer
Historical Event: Nov. 11 1918
History.com photo
On Nov. 11 1918, also known as Armistice Day, World War I came to an end at 5:00 a.m. Germany was faced with invasion and signed an armistice agreement with the Allies outside of France. According to History.com the war left nine million soldiers dead and 21 million wounded.
Top 3 Songs This Week: According to Spotify’s Global Charts 1. Easy on Me: Adele 2. STAY: Justin Bieber, Kid LAROI 3. Industry Baby: Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow On the Charts This Week 20 Years Ago: According to Billboards Charts 1. Family Affair: Mary J. Bilge 2. I’m Real: Jennifer Lopez 3. Hero: Enrique Iglesias Top Grossing Films: This week: Dune Fifty years ago: Cry Uncle Top Artists Today: Male: Lil Nas X Female: Taylor Swift Top Artists 20 Years Ago: Male: Shaggy Female: Destiny’s Child Top 3 Podcasts This Week: According to Spotify’s Global Charts 1. The Joe Rogan Experience 2. Murder, Mystery & Makeup 3. Strangeland Trending on Netflix: According to Netflix 1. Red Notice 2. Narcos: Mexico
PAGE 10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Mercyhurst Jazz Band dazzles campus with big-band concert By Victoria McGinty Features Editor
One of the many things society has missed during the pandemic is the ability to enjoy a live performance. Live art is one of our campus’ most valuable attractions due our array of incredibly talented students and professors alike. Fortunately, with the slow process of returning to normalcy, concerts and live performances are starting to be held again. Of the many activities slowly making a comeback, Mercyhurst is thrilled to hold live performances yet again, especially in the various departments whose purpose is to perform. On Nov. 13, the Mercyhurst Jazz Ensemble held its fall concert in the Taylor Little Theater at 7:00 p.m. The concert titled, “It Doesn’t Sound Little,” featured a variety of arrangements that the “smallbut-mighty” ensemble was able to showcase their talents with. Associate professor of Music, Scott Meier Ph.D, was incredibly humbled to direct the showcase of
students in front of a live audience yet again. Due to his students’ incredible talents, Meier was able to choose some difficult and impressive pieces. Meier was eager to feature the following students and their musical talents yet again. The saxophone section featured Willow Lapp (alto saxophone), Dennis Whalen (tenor saxophone) and Cooper Hicks (baritone saxophone). The trumpet sections featured Kirk Morrison and Austin Aldrich with Rebecca “Becky” Ferguson on the trombone beside them. A hearty percussion section rounded out the ensemble featuring Jacob Perry (piano), Shawn Preston (drums), Camryn “CC” Smith (percussion) and Emily McGarvey (bass). The ensemble took on an array of selections with the intent of highlighting the musicians both as a group and for their individual strengths and talents. This is a luxury afforded by the individual talents that each performer possesses. The concert began with Rick Stitzel’s arrangement of “Birdland,”
an upbeat, well-known jazzy arrangement that featured Lapp, McGarvey and Perry on their respective instruments. The second piece, “Dat Dere,” was first made famous by Bobby Timmons in 1960. The ensemble chose to play the Mark Taylor arrangement, which highlights the arrangement’s elements of swing and mystery. This piece featured the remarkable talents of Perry on the keyboard. The third piece, “Speak Low,” which was originally made famous by Kurt Weill in 1943, works with sound dynamics. The Chuck Israels arrangement that the ensemble played highlighted these dynamics perfectly and featured Ferguson, Whalen, Morrison and Perry on their respective instruments. The fourth piece, “Sea Breeze,” was the most laid-back of the arrangements in the ensemble’s repertoire. It was a nice change of pace from the rest of the concert, so it felt well-placed. This Douglas/Norman composition featured Morrison on the trumpet and demonstrated the variations of dynamics and mood
that jazz can take on in many forms. The fifth and sixth arrangements, “Afro Blues” and “The Other Brother’s Mother’s Blues,” however, reintroduced the audience to the other side of jazz, known as blues, that also holds a unique place in music’s history. These arrangements featured Perry, Whalen, Morrison and Ferguson. The concert concluded with John Mills’ arrangement of “Two Finger Punch,” which is a lesser-known piece, but nonetheless a fantastic arrangement to conclude a concert. This enthusiastic piece did not feature any students but demonstrated the talents of each student combined as an ensemble. Meier was humbled and excited to interact with his students and the audience. At many points during the performance, he consistently exclaimed to the audience his gratitude to showcase a concert in a live setting again. “My job is music, and I have the profound privilege to make music every day with amazing students and colleagues. I am deeply
enriched by what I get to do and share with others,” wrote Meier on the concert’s playbill. His students also share the same gratitude. Morrison said, “This performance really demonstrates how tight playing can make a jazz combo sound like a full big band and I am thrilled to share that with an audience again.” The concert was successful and was met with a solid turnout and the audience was responsive to the arrangments and the comedic remarks from Meier. If you missed this concert, the Music Department is always hosting something amazing that you can experience. In the near future the deparment has many events to look forward to. The Small Ensembles concert is set for Dec 1. Follwed by a Mercyhurst Christmas Gala on Dec. 5 and a senior voice recital by Senior Voice major Hayley Ripple to close out the semester on Dec. 12. For more information on what is in the future for the department visit the events page on the university website or reach out to Meier at smeier@mercyhurst.edu.
The 814: Give a Crepe La CrepErie By Mackenzie Zent Staff Writer
Located at 2431 Peach Street, Give a Crêpe La CrêpErie is a great place to stop for breakfast, brunch or a quick snack! Not only is their name creative, but they have a great selection of food, too. They offer a variety of delicious crepes on their menu, both sweet and savory. They currently offer seven savory crepes and five sweet crepes, as well as an option to create your own! You can choose your “base” of Nutella, caramel, whipped mousse or fruit du jour, and then decide what other toppings you want such as strawberries or bananas. Each sweet crepe is then topped with powdered sugar to finish it off. Something I was intrigued by is that they make their own homemade cinnamon caramel sauce and homemade lemon curd. A lot of businesses will just buy sauces and things like that pre-made, but knowing they go the extra mile to give their customers the best experience shows that they care. I wanted to try the banana and caramel crepe, but they were out of bananas when I went; so, I had the Nutella and strawberry crepe instead, and I really enjoyed it. When you order, they ask if
Mackenzie Zent photo
Nutella and strawberry crepes from Give a Crepe La CrepErie.
you want them to be vegan or gluten-free, which is great for customers who may have allergies or dietary restrictions. From what I understand, every crepe they serve can be made to be gluten-free or vegan. Unlike most restaurants, they have gluten free and vegan batter available all the time, so this makes Give a Crêpe more unique and more accommodating for people who may struggle eating
out with dietary restrictions. They even take measures to avoid cross contamination, so people with Celiac and similar conditions are still able to get a delicious crepe. The inside is set up so customers can watch the employees make their crepes right in front of them, which is really cool. While customers are waiting for their crepes, they can browse through other items they sell like
shirts and sweatshirts with their logo on them, organic soap, lip balm, lip scrubs, stickers and more. One downside to the restaurant is that there is nowhere to eat inside. Customers have the option to either take their crepes to go, or they can take their crepes to the coffee shop next door, The Tipsy Bean. When you take their crepes to
The Tipsy Bean, they are on disposable plates, which isn’t great for the environment, so that was a little disappointing. Another thing to keep in mind is their hours. They are only open from 10a.m. until 2p.m. (every day except Monday). When I found this out, I thought it was strange that a breakfast place is only open for four hours of the day and not any earlier than 10a.m. All of the employees were really friendly and made me feel welcome. They are excellent with customers and are willing to go above and beyond to make our experience memorable. I noticed that a lot of customers were regulars, as the employees knew their orders already. It was nice to see how much they cared about their customers and how kindly they interacted with them. Give a Crêpe La CrêpErie has something everyone will like! It is a fun experience getting to watch them make your food in front of you, and it is a great breakfast restaurant to try if you are gluten-free or vegan. Make sure you stop in and try it for yourself! For more information about Give a Crêpe La CrêpErie you can visit their website of follow them on social media @giveacrepe.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGE 11
Dance Department debuts production of ‘Swan Lake’
Photo taken by Nadine Fox
Left to right: Kara Hallstrom, Jak Gauker, Gabi Harris, Mia Semieraro, Jillian Pohl and Megan Wade in their Swan Lake costumes.
By Nadine Fox Staff writer
The Dance Department at Mercyhurst University has recently debuted their opening performance of Swan Lake on Friday, Nov. 12. It was a really beautiful experience to see the creative process and watch the ballet come together. To say the least, the show is absolutely thrilling and stunning. It was truly inspiring to watch all of the dancers’ hard work and efforts pay off as they brought the classic ballet to life. The Mercyhurst Dance Department’s production of Swan Lake could not have been done without Noelle Partusch, Chair of the Dance Department, and
Jennifer McNamara and Matthew Christensen, two instructors on the dance department faculty who partnered as Artistic Directors of the production. The ballet was also in collaboration with the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra conducted by Jonathan Moser, which brought a whole new level of liveliness to the theatre. “I am most looking forward to performing on stage again after two years. Due to COVID-19, most of us have not been on a real stage in front of an audience since the pandemic started. Being able to perform in a safe way, with testing and vaccinations, has been very exciting,” said Gabrielle Harris, a freshman dance major who performs as a Lady in Waiting and a Waltz dancer in
the production. The Mercyhurst Dance Department is also in partnership with an organization fundraiser called Safe-Net, which works in raising awareness towards ending domestic violence. The proceeds from the donations given at the shows will go to Safe-Net and the dance department’s Jenni-Lyn Scholarship, which benefits senior dance majors by providing them funds to travel for job auditions. Swan Lake is an iconic, classical work and the ballet still contains all of the recognizable elements of the original choreography, but with a unique, modern twist in an attempt to deconstruct some long-held assumptions about the implications of the original ballet (and the conventional expecta-
tions of classical ballet, as well). For example, the antagonist, Sorcerer Von Rothbart, who is typically played by a male dancer, is danced by a female, Emma Devore. Additionally, the Jester, typically cast as a male dancer, will also be danced by a woman, senior dance major Maya Richards. There is also a male swan in the swan corps who is played by Ramani Rosa. “One of the highlights of Swan Lake is being able to see the gender fluidity of the roles, such as Von Rothbart, the Sorceress of the storyline. Normally played by a male, this lead relies on the idea that men hold the power. However, in this production, this role is played by a female and is used as more of a guide to each of the characters,” Harris said. “Being
in a production with this representation is important to a new age of the dance world, where gender fluidity is more represented. Though putting on a fulllength ballet can be stressful, the Mercyhurst Dance Department has done an amazing job.” If you did not get the chance to make opening weekend, you can buy your tickets for the second weekend of performances taking place Nov. 19-21 at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. “If you did not come see the show just yet, I highly encurage you to do so I promise you won’t regret it,” said Devore. Be sure to come out and support the dancers in their final show of the fall semester!
Hurst Hot Take: ‘Desperate Housewives’ By Victoria McGinty Features Editor
Television has been the center of our society’s entertainment for decades now. There are television shows that have been easily forgotten, but then there are those that have solidified themselves as classics in our society’s cultural vault. Television shows from the early 2000s, for example, have been resurfacing in our culture amid the streaming service phenomenon. Of the many beloved shows that have made a reappearance in our culture (and in our hearts), the one that needs to be discussed more is the 2004 classic, Desperate Housewives. Desperate Housewives is a dramedy (drama and comedy), mystery, soap opera that follows the lives of four women in suburbia following the death of their good friend, Mary Alice Young
(Brenda Strong), who commits suicide in the opening of the pilot episode. The eight seasons follow the lives of her friends: Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Lynette Scavo (Felicity Huffman), Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross), Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria) and the women’s families. The show highlights the lives of these women, their families and their relationships. The show mainly takes place on Wisteria Lane, the fictional street where each character lives. While the story is mainly comedic, there is some element of mystery in the earlier seasons and themes of family, love and death that linger throughout each season. One of the best things about this television show is how it views cliche elements of suburbia and elements of the friendship the women have with one another and as a group.
The show is narrated by the late Mary Alice Young as she watches over the women and the life she has left behind on the Lane; Young’s commentary provides input to what each woman is going through. One of the unique properties of this show is the way it portrays each woman and their individual struggles. Although the show focuses on the four women, it is also skilled at highlighting the relatable struggles of their families, romantic lives and the other neighbors on Wisteria Lane. Another critical element to the show, especially the earlier seasons, is the element of mystery. Following the events of the pilot, the mystery of the first season is devoted to what led to Mary Alice killing herself. The second season raises the question: “How much do we know about our neighbors?” The remainder of the show shifts to focus on the evolution of the wom-
en’s families on the progression of life on Wisteria Lane. Desperate Housewives was created by Marc Cherry, who is a respected writer and producer known for creating theatrical shows. Since this show Cherry is still active in the industry and has since created Why Women Kill, a unique show that is very similar to Desperate Housewives due to its whimsical themes and symbols of suburban life. This 2004 favorite was once raved about by wine moms and critics alike. It first premiered on ABC on Oct. 4, 2004, and reoccurred every Sunday night at 9 p.m. for its entire eight-season, eight year-run on-air. Totaling 180 episodes, Desperate Housewives was a critical success, and its pilot episode pulled in 21.64 million views according to the show’s Wikipedia page. Over the course of the eightyear run, the show would win a
total of 71 awards and would be nominated for various awards a total of 273 times. Today, Desperate Housewives is still heavily respected as a prodigal of classic 2000s television and still has a following to this day. For example, Meryhurst’s organization MIAC hosted a concert by Vanessa Williams who held a starring role on the series in the seventh and eighth seasons. “Wisteria Gays” and “Tales From Wisteria Lane” are two active podcasts that watch and review the show respectively. Numerous Instagram accounts are dedicated to actresses of the show, and the show itself (which can be binged on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu). If you are looking for a show that is light-hearted, mysterious and a great look into early 2000s suburbia, then Desperate Housewives is the perfect match for you!
OPINION
PAGE 12
GOOD Thanksgiving is next week!
Mental health must be taken seriously By Emma Coppolo
A&E Editor
BAD It’s supposed to snow this week.
HAPPY We have days off for Thanksgiving break!
The Merciad STUDENT EDITORS Gillian Mazur ........................... Editor in Chief Samantha Weber ................ Managing Editor Ashley Barletta ............................News Editor Victoria McGinty .................... Features Editor Sydney Dietz ..............................Sports Editor Emma Coppolo ............................. A&E Editor Zach Dumais ........................... Opinion Editor Libby Bullinger ..............................Copy Editor Kristian Biega.......................................Advisor Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu
The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110. The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters via email at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Recently, the general mental health of students at Mercyhurst has been a concern of the administration. In light of this, I’ve encountered varying responses by professors. Some entirely ignore it; some ask what they can do; some apologize but refuse to change the course at all to alleviate some of the stress. By and large, most of them have asked what kind of things have been contributing to the increase in stress and decrease in motivation. The pandemic has desensitized us to being constantly available even while being isolated. There is no break; even if we’re not in class or at work, we’re responding to emails or doing homework. It quite literally never stops. Most of us have gotten into routines that have us working from the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep. This is incredibly exhausting, especially when quarantine has gotten us so used to being alone. When Mercyhurst first went online in 2020, professors
were very understanding of the situation and difficulties that came with it. This is our first entirely in-person semester since fall of 2019. Since this is what used to be normal protocol, it is treated as such. But it’s not normal anymore. I’ve heard from so many friends that have expressed how overwhelmed they’ve been in packed classrooms sitting still for an hour. We’ve all gotten so accustomed to life online that returning to old ways is incredibly anxiety-inducing. All of us are burnt out from nearly two years of a seemingly never-ending pandemic that has changed the entire world as any of us have ever known it. Some of our most crucial formative years have been overshadowed by quarantines and will likely soon be followed by a recession. I understand that we’ve have nearly two years to adapt to the pandemic. But why are we acting like all of this is normal? Why are we acting like working ourselves this hard through an active pandemic is not only normal but expected? The emphasis on mental health in this country has been sorely lacking for a long time, but this is honestly unreal. College is supposed to be
the time of your life; very few of us can actually say that this is turning out to be true in our own lives. We’ve lost so much to the pandemic that our generation especially will never be able to replace. The worst part is we’ll never know what those lost things are or how things could have been different. I’m not saying that everything should be a cake walk and we should just be handed degrees; I am saying the way we’re operating right now is not sustainable. We have to make a change, and our campus is as good a place as any to start. Professors, I understand that you have to give students work, there is no way around it. Just please be conscious of the situation we’re finding ourselves in outside of the classroom. Be mindful of deadlines and unnecessary busywork. If we don’t do something, mental health on campus is going to continue to devolve. We need to address this before it gets past the point of repair. The mental health of our students should be a major concern of the administration, and they should be taking proactive steps to treat it as such.
Are pets necessary on campus? perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Under Title II and Title II of the ADA, a service animal is Editor in Chief any dog that is individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability whether it be physical, Just like the majority of campus, I psychiatric, intellectual or another love animals whether it be my own form of mental disability. Lastly, a pets, my friends’ animals or even comfort/therapy animal, typically the ones found in nature. As an avid a dog, is an animal that works pet lover, however, I have one bone in situations where stress levels to pick with my fellow peers in the are high. They offer a calming Mercyhurst community that goes distraction to those in an active against my nature of wanting to see disaster or emergency and provide fluffy friends around campus- and healing contact, typically in a that is dorm/ apartment pets. clinical setting. These animals go There is and should be a very through extensive training and may clear distinction on the difference interact with all types of people but between an emotional support are not trained to do specific tasks animal, a service animal and a for an individual with a disability. comfort/ therapy animal. According According to the above to the ADA (The Americans with definitions, it is safe to say that the Disabilities Act) National Network, majority of Mercyhurst’s campus there is a stark difference between pets belong to the emotional the three. support animal category if they An emotional support animal are registered with Res Life at all. is any animal that provides While I enjoy the small serotonin companionship, relieves loneliness, boost every time I get to see and and sometimes helps with things pet a dog being walked around such as depression, anxiety and campus or cuddle with a cat in a certain phobias but has no certain friend’s apartment or dorm room, training. Emotional support I know that if I do not enjoy being animals have no special training to trapped in a 10x10 box of space for
By Gillian Mazur
long periods, I know the animals probably do not either. Two weeks ago, I was stuck in my Briggs apartment for a soft quarantine, and I lost my marbles with nowhere to go and nothing to do but homework. I am quite certain being holed up in an apartment is less than favorable in the eyes of our fluffy friends, even more so in a cramped one-room freshman dorm room. Occasional walks between classes and potty breaks in front lawns are no replacement to a grassy yard that our pets deserve. While I believe that trained service dogs who work and perform tasks for humans and their safety are necessary, emotional support pets are not a need in college. Oftentimes, bad behavior and disruptiveness in public from emotional support pets with a fake vest can ruin opportunities for very needed trained service dogs and their humans. Bottom line, keeping an emotional support pet in a 10x10 box with you and three other roommates is inhumane and unfair to the animal. If you need an emotional support pet, try therapy or hitting the gym for your daily serotonin boost.
The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to merciad@mercyhurst.edu
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
OPINION
PAGE 13
Travel restrictions HURST STUDENTS shouldn’t be removed By Ashley Barletta News Editor
The United States recently lifted international travel restrictions on Nov. 8. The countries where this travel ban was lifted include Mexico, Canada, and most of Europe, according to news sources. This could be a major problem for those who are immunocompromised or unvaccinated. Depending on a person’s destination, they will either need to be tested for COVID-19 or quarantine prior to travelling. Of course, it is best for someone who is travelling anywhere to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and masks must be worn over the nose and mouth throughout the duration of the flight. Despite these precautions, there is still no greater precaution against COVID-19 than staying home. I know it has been difficult for people who have family and friends in different countries, but when someone travels anywhere, not even necessarily abroad, they are putting themselves and others in danger, including their
loved ones who they visit. Therefore, if a person is going to travel abroad, then there must be a consensus between that person and whoever they are visiting that it is worth the risk. It seems like there are stories all over the news that people who travel get COVID-19 and are surprised about it. This is a reminder that the vaccine does not make you invincible, it makes you less prone to COVID-19 and less suceptible to severe illness. However, you can still carry the virus and you can still infect others you spend time around. Another reason why this travel restriction lifting should not have happened is because American Airlines had hundreds of flight cancellations the week before. If this continues to happen, there will be crowding in the airports, major discomfort among passengers, and possibly a spike in COVID-19, because there is always someone who won’t follow the mask mandate and won’t listen to the facts that COVID-19 kills. These passengers are also likely to mistreat the flight attendants who simply ask them to follow the rules. News flash, the flight at-
SPEAK UP
tendants didn’t make the rules and certainly don’t deserve to deal with some screaming, fully grown person who decides that they are exempt from the rules that were literally made by the CDC to keep us safe! What’s worse is that some people get violent with the flight attendants. They certainly didn’t sign up for black eyes and broken bones when they accepted the job as a flight attendant, and I am going to assume that nobody wants that in whatever career they choose. Once again, it’s not the fault of the flight attendants that masks are required, so it should not be taken out on them. Some people need to grow up and get a life, because nobody thinks it’s cute when a grown adult throws a temper tantrum, especially over a piece of fabric. So, good job to the United States on making the containment of COVID-19 even harder for everyone so we can shut down all over again, and I can wear a mask for my entire four years of college! Seriously, thank you so much this is definitely not going to go downhill super-fast and screw everything up again.
We asked: What is your favorite Christmas movie?
Ash Wright, freshman Studio Art major: “Honestly, my favorite Christmas movie has got to be a tie between the original “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and the original “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” from 1969.” Hailie Wright, sophomore Hospitality Management major: “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or the “Santa Clause” series because it reminds me of my childhood with my grandparents.”
Nicholas Cousins sophomore Cybersecurity major: “My favorite Christmas movie is the “Polar Express,” I love it because it’s traditional for me and my family and sends a great message: to believe what you believe and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” Matt Schwartz, sophomore Early Childhood/Special Education major: “My favorite Christmas movie is “A Christmas Story” because watching it is the one tradition my family has and it’s also a really funny and enjoyable film.” Compiled by Bella Lee
A message from the student vice president By Doug Wilsch Staff Writer
Hello all! My name is Douglas Wilsch your Mercyhurst Student Government Vice President. I am double majoring in Intelligence Studies and International Relations. We are starting a series here at the Merciad informing you of all the exciting things MSG does for you within our respective roles and making sure your voice is not only heard but acted upon in MSG. So, what do I do in my role for you? One of the most important jobs I have is co-chairing our University Operations Commit-
tee with MSG President Nick Broadfueher, which is the direct voice of the students to improve dayto-day running of Mercyhurst. We meet with all the contracted and offer services on campus such as Parkhurst Dining Services, Maintenance Services, Recreation and Fitness, Mail Room, and Police and Safety to just name a few. Parkhurst has always been such a great collaborator and open to our critical and supportive dialogue. I can honestly say after being on the committee for three years now they go above and beyond what they are contracted to do! It can be the little things
like fixing the soup recipe to putting on full scale events where all of Parkhurst puts on a great show for us. Then Police and Safety, which every semester the Mercyhurst Chief of Police, DJ Fuhrmann, and the President and Vice President do a campus safety check, ensuring that all students feel safe at night going to and fro. Further, I organize and
facilitate senate meetings and act as the point of contact for the senators. They do great work! From giving their time on service projects to working on student government events to completing their most important job, listening to you! They report back to the executive board what is going on within their constituencies and we make a plan of action together of the
FOLLOW US!
best way to address the issue(s) at hand. We at MSG want to have you, the students’, best interests at heart. Please feel free to reach out anytime! Whether it’s your student senators (which can be found on Instagram @msglakers ) or through direct feedback to me at MSGVP@mercyhurst.edu.
Twitter: @TheMerciad Instagram: @mumerciad Facebook: The Merciad
Tag us in your newsworthy Hurst moments!
SPORTS
PAGE 14
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Women’s soccer takes on the playoffs By Sydney Dietz Sports Editor
The Women’s soccer team was back in action on Nov. 9 when they played in their first PSAC playoff game. The Lakers hosted the Edinboro Fighting Scots for the first round of the playoffs. Going into the game, the Lakers were on a six game winning streak. The result of this game once again kept the streak alive and it will now be a seven game streak. The final score was 2-0, with Mercyhurst scoring both goals and Edinboro ending the game with no points. Mercyhurst got their first goal during the 17th minute of the game. Junior midfielder Amber Thomas kicked a penalty shot that allowed the ball to sneak past the goalie and into the back of the net. This goal gave the Lakers the first point of the game, and also gave them the confidence they needed to score again. “I was excited but knew we had to keep working to get another goal,” Thomas said in response to the penalty shot. The Lakers ended the first half of the game outshooting the Fighting Scots 13-1. The second goal was scored in
Hurst Athletics photo
Mercyhurst sophmore goalkeeper, Maddie Elbro making a save against the Edinboro Fighting Scots.
the second half of the game by freshman forward Karah Van Horn. Van Horn’s goal was assisted by sophomore forward Emily Mijares. This goal added another point on the board for the Lakers making the final score for the Lakers 2-0. This is what Thomas had to say about the win against Edinboro, “It felt great to get that first win under our belt and to advance as a program but we know we need to keep working to improve to achieve our overall goals.”
Because of the win against Edinboro, the Lakers would be advancing to the PSAC semi-finals. “I am proud of how we played. We really came together especially at the end to keep winning out and secure our first place spot going into playoffs,“ Thomas said. “We had a rough start to the season but we didn’t let that stop us from reaching our goals as a team.” The Women’s soccer team has not made it to the PSAC semi-finals since 2008, when they won the championship.
The PSAC semi-finals game was played on Nov.12 at 12:30 p.m. in Bloomsburg, PA. Unfortunately for the Lakers, the Bloomsburg Huskies brought home the win, and will play against Millersville in the PSAC championship. “Moving forward we will just keep working hard and taking it day by day,” said Thomas. The final score of the game was 0-2. Before this game, the Lakers have faced the Huskies 19 times. The last time these two teams battled was in 2018, in which the
score resulted in a 0-0 tie. Overall, over this past season the Lady Lakers are 7-2-1 on road games. However, despite the semi-finals loss, Mijares and sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Elbro are being awarded for their accomplishments over this past season. Mijares was named PSAC West Rookie of the Year along with Athlete of the Year. She ended the regular season tied for the most goals, which was 13, and also ended the season with 40 shots on goal. Elbro was named PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year. Elbro played every minute of every game this season and recorded a Western Division-best ten clean sheet. Her save percentage was 82.4, which was in the top five of the conference. Not only were Mijares and Elbro at the PSAC Western Division All-Conference First Team, but they were also accompanied by junior defenceman Taryn Baxter and Amber Thomas. Junior midfielder Madison Hoover received Second Team All-Conference honors also. Mercyhurst has been ranked eighth in the regional rankings that have been released.
Men’s basketball plays opening game By Gillian Mazur Editor-in-chief
With their overall score last season being 12-1, the Mercyhurst Men’s basketball team is back at it again with their winners’ energy. This past weekend on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, the Lakers traveled to Shepherd, West Virginia to play against Bowie State University and Fayetteville State University in the Dave Russell Conference Challenge, which is a tournament hosted by Shepherd University. Both Bowie State University and Fayetteville State University were selected to finish first in their respective conferences for the CIAA Preseason Poll, which makes the Lakers’ performances even more impressive. “We played two good teams. This tournament was a great opportunity to show how great our team chemistry is and the excitement to get back on the floor,” said forward graduate student, Cameron Gross. The Lakers first played the Bowie State University Bulldogs on Nov. 12 and dominated the game, coming out with a 96-56 win. Starting strong, the Lakers put nine points on the board within the first three minutes. Senior guards, Steve Cannady hit a three, MiyKah McIntosh scored four and Nicholas Lang got a layup. With four players who had
Hurst Athletics photo
Mercyhurst senior guard Miykah Mcintosh attempting to make a shot against Shepard University.
scored at least five points, at the end of the half, the Lakers dominated 48-17. Cannady led the team with 15 points, McIntosh had nine, junior guard Michael Bradley had eight and Gross had seven. In the first half, the Lakers shot 57.1% from the paint with 33% on three-pointer attempts. The Lakers doubled their score in the second half, adding another 48 points. The Bulldogs were able to break through the Lakers’ defense and score 39. McIntosh and freshman
Pipeloluwa Ajayi both had eight points. In the second half, the Lakers’ statistics both declined slightly and improved with 56% from the paint and 44.4% from behind the three. Cannady and McIntosh both had game-highs with 17 points each while 14 of the 18 players on the team had points on the board for Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst had 13 steals total for the game along with blocks from redshirt sophomore guard Jeff Planutis, Lang and Bradley.
The following day, the Lakers played the Fayetteville State University Broncos and took home a win with a 17-point deficit for a 77-60 win. In the first half, the Lakers and Broncos fought hard, but Mercyhurst prevailed with a one-point lead for a 32-31 score on the board. McIntosh and Planutis tied to lead the Lakers with seven points each for the half. Two of the Broncos’ players scored the same halftime scoring high. Both the Lakers and the Broncos had a 40%
shot accuracy from the first half. At the start of the second half, the Broncos came out hot from their gate and took the lead within the first five minutes. They scored six points, turning the tide of the game for a 48-42 lead. Mercyhurst was able to take back control for the rest of the game which would lead to the game’s final score. Cannady hit his free throws to score 12 points halfway through the second and Bradley put 11 in the back of the net as well. Cannady finished the game with a team-high of 18 points. Freshman Aidan Reichert scored 12 and got five rebounds along with Lang’s nine points from the freethrow line. Together the Lakers outscored Fayetteville State 28-12 in the final ten. “I am very proud of my team on playing hard, and playing together throughout the weekend especially with guys making clutch plays in Saturday’s game,” McIntosh said. “I feel like I helped impact my team on both ends of the floor, and I am looking forward to doing whatever my team needs to do the rest of the season.” The Lakers’ next game is scheduled for Nov. 18 at the newly renovated Mercyhurst Athletic Center versus Daemen College at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
SPORTS
PAGE 15
Women’s basketball plays at home By Gillian Mazur Editor-in-chief
This past weekend, the Mercyhurst Women’s basketball team started their season in the PSAC vs MEC Challenge hosted by Mercyhurst University. This tournament consisted of four non-conference games, which took place on the newly renovated Owen McCormick Court. The games were all played backto-back on their respective days but allowed each team to get at least one day’s worth of rest. The participating universities were the University of Charleston, West Liberty University, California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U.) and the host and home team, Mercyhurst University. The Lakers’ first game this season was played against the University of Charleston Golden Eagles on Nov. 13 which the Lakers lost by eight points. The game was lost in the first half after being outscored by the Golden Eagles. Despite outscoring them in the second, it was not enough to pull out the win. Redshirt junior guard, Julia Buchman, had 14 for the Lakers’ game high and redshirt freshman forward, Grace Centrulla, came in second with 10. In the first quarter, Centrulla
Hurst Athletics photo
Mercyhurst redshirt sophmore, Carrie Jornlin, goes to shoot the ball against West Liberty University.
put the first two on the board for both teams, but it was not enough as the Golden Eagles hit a shooting streak scoring 12 points. The Lakers and Golden Eagles were both able to score a few more times before the end of the first resulting in a 29-9 score going into the second. In the second quarter, the Lakers were outscored again and the Golden Eagles led with a 17 point deficit. Both teams managed to hold each other’s attempts off in the third until Buchman hit a three around the two minute mark. Finding their energy as a
team, Mercyhurst was able to turn the tide of the game, outscoring Charleston 10-8. Charleston fought hard in the fourth and was able to put 18 points on the board while the Lakers managed to claw their way back to the competition in the last five. The Golden Eagles held possession away from the Lakers after building themselves a seven-point lead. The final game for the evening consisted of West Liberty University versus Cal U. which was played at 7:30 p.m. The next day the winners of
both games played each other, Cal U. versus the University of Charleston at 3:00 p.m. Cal. U came out on top for both games with 76-60 and 63-54 wins respectively. The second game for the Lakers, but the fourth game in total, occurred on Nov. 14 at 5:00 p.m. Mercyhurst University faced the West Liberty University Hilltoppers and lost for a second time in one weekend. Starting the game right, both teams exchanged leads multiple times in the first quarter. By the end of the first buzzer, the Hilltoppers took the lead 2014. The Lakers finished the first half strong just narrowly missing enough to be outscored 20-18. With a 40-32 lead, both teams definitely put up a battle in the second quarter. Coming back from the locker room, the Lakers performed the best once again in the third outscoring their opponents 21-15 and closing in on the score’s gap to two points. Junior guard, Jayde Boyd, scored the final points for the third with a layup, free throw and hit a three which was assisted by redshirt freshman guard, Paige Woodford. West Liberty took a 62-55 lead
early in the fourth, but the Lakers carried on and ended up on a scoring streak to tie up the game. In retaliation, the Hilltoppers took over the lead once more and held off the Lakers’ attempts until the buzzer. “I think the last two games were a great learning experience for our team. Both Charleston and West Liberty challenged us and we learned that we can’t shy away from adversity. As a team we definitely need to grow in confidence offensively and to trust each other,” said Centrulla. The Lakers are taking the losses in stride, “despite the two losses, our program is moving in the right direction, and I’m excited to get after it on Wednesday and bounce back,” said Centrulla. With no PSAC or home games until December, Laker basketball fans can watch some of the team’s upcoming games on livestream. Times, dates and links can be found on hurstathletics.com. The next two games will both be played in Ohio at Notre Dame College (Ohio) on Nov. 17 at 6:00 p.m. and on Nov. 20 at 1:00 p.m. versus Ohio University. The Lakers’ first PSAC game will be played on Dec. 3 at Shippensburg University at 5:30 p.m.
Men’s hockey plays Holy Cross back-to-back By Sydney Dietz Sports editor
The Mercyhurst Men’s hockey team traveled to Worcester Massachusetts to face the Holy Cross Crusaders on Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 7:00 p.m. The Lakers pulled out a win on Friday, but lost in overtime on Saturday. “Winning the first game was definitely exciting, as our goal for that weekend was to sweep Holy Cross on the road,” said sophomore forward Mickey Burns, “Unfortunately, we lost the second game in overtime, but it was still an important 3 points on the line Friday.” Mercyhurst obtained their second Friday night win with a final score of 3-2. Just six minutes into the first period of the game, the Lakers scored their first shorthanded goal of the season. This goal was scored by senior forward, Steven Ipri, and was assisted by junior forward, Rylee St. Onge and senior defenceman, Devon Daniels. Ipri’s goal was the only one scored in the first period, which allowed the Lakers to enter the first intermission with a one point lead. However, the Crusaders had more shots on goal, with the Lakers being outshot 8-9. In the second period, senior defenceman, Owen Norton, got the Lakers’ second goal of the game
Hurst Athletics photo
Mercyhurst graduate student and Captain, Pierce Crawford, prepares for a face off against Holy Cross.
with assists from sophomore forward, Dante Sheriff, and senior center, Geoff Kitt. After 40 minutes of play, the Lakers had two goals and graduate student goalie, Hank Johnson, had 17 saves. During the third period, the Crusaders ended their chance for a shutout and got the puck past the Lakers’ goaltender Johnson. This goal allowed Holy Cross to put a point on the board making the score 2-1 in Mercyhurst’s favor. Holy Cross did not stop the scoring, during the 16:09 mark of the third period, the Crusaders tied the game making the score 2-2. This meant the Lakers had to fight to get one more goal. With just under a minute left in
the third period, junior forward, Gueorigi Feduolov, scored his first goal of the season and won the game for the Lakers. Feduolov’s goal was assisted by sophomore center, Marko Reifenberger, and junior forward, Jonathan Bendrof. The final score for this game was 3-2, with Mercyhurst pulling out a win. The second game of the weekend did not end in the Lakers favor. The scoring started at 6:01 in the second period. Mercyhurst was first to put points on the board with a goal from graduate student forward, Pierce Crawford. This was Crawford’s first goal as a Laker. Defenceman junior, Cade Townend, and Ipri had the assists.
Just two minutes after Crawford’s goal, Holy Cross scored, tying the game. However, Mercyhurst dominated the rest of the second period. Burns scored his first goal as a Laker with an assist from Kitt and junior forward, Paul Maust. “Scoring my first goal felt great. I wish we could have won the game in the end, but it was nice to find my first one with the Lakers,” said Burns. With just under five seconds remaining in the second period, sophomore forward, Austin Heidemann got the puck in the net and scored, giving the Lakers a comfortable lead. The assists went to junior forward, Jonathon Bendrof, and sophomore forward, Dante Sheriff.
Just four minutes into the third period, Holy Cross scored only giving the Lakers a one goal lead. That changed when Maust scored giving the Lakers their two-goal-lead back. This goal was assisted by Daniels. With 5:25 remaining, Holy Cross scored another goal, and then they scored again at the 19:32 mark, which meant the game was tied with each team having scored four goals. The game then went into overtime. Only 24 seconds into the start of overtime, Holy Cross shot the puck past sophomore goaltender, Kyle McClellan, for the game winner. Despite the goal getting past McClellan during overtime, McClellan had made 38 saves. “I feel our team is in a really good position. We have had a lot of games go to overtime/shootouts lately, but not all have gone our way. We have been focused on figuring out how to close out games, and by doing so we feel we will be an extremely difficult team to beat,” said Burns. “Despite these mishaps, we are right up there with the rest of the teams in our league, which puts us in a good spot to hold first place with a few wins moving forward.” The Lakers will next take the ice against Canisius College on Friday Nov. 19 at 7:05 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.
PAGE 16
LAKER LIVING
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) This is a good time to let that intrepid Aries temperament take charge. Your strong leadership will help settle those still-unresolved situations. Support comes from a surprising source. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your problem-solving talents shine as you move to cool down heated emotions. You also inspire trust in all parties when you act with careful consideration of their feelings. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) That long-delayed commitment begins to look better to you. But there’s still a crucial fact or two you need to know about it. A health problem needs to be taken care of. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Don’t waste time trying to learn why someone you relied on is wavering in his or her support of your stand on a workplace issue. Move on with the help of more steadfast allies. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Relationships enter a brighter period, both at home and in the workplace. Prospects also look good for single Leos and Leonas, who can expect a welcome visit from Cupid. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Those mixed signals that were complicating your life are giving way now to clear, definitive guidelines. This makes it easier for you to weigh your options and make decisions.
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Ask your partner for an explanation of what seems to be a sign of strain in your relationship. The sooner you understand the problem, the sooner you can both act to resolve it. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A new challenge in the workplace holds an exciting promise for the future. But be aware of the fact that you haven’t been told about all the demands you might have to meet. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your financial picture brightens as you get into sorting out realistic goals and those that are not reachable at this time. “Caution” remains your fiscal watchword. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You’re deep into your new project, and that’s just fine. But don’t neglect your family and friends. Spending time with people you care for is always a wise investment. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Past feelings are suddenly reawakened. This could make you emotionally vulnerable. Be careful about decisions you might be asked to make at this time. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’ve come to a place where you’ll be facing important decisions that can affect your future. Rely on your strong moral compass to guide you toward making the right choices. BORN THIS WEEK: You’re gifted with both natural wisdom and wit — a good combination for success as a writer or teacher and, most importantly, a parent. © 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.
HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by the Martian
