Features

Daffodil Days fundraiser returns to the Hurst

By Grace Elwood Contributing writer

Spring is the season of rejuvenation, a season where snow melts away and long-awaited flowers begin to bloom. Among these flowers, the daffodil, is one of the first signs that spring has returned. The daffodil has been long-regarded as a symbol of hope, especially for cancer patients and their loved ones.

Since the 1970’s, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has promoted “Daffodil Days” in order to raise money to end the fight against cancer. The campaign brings hope to all affected by cancer and provides funding for new research and patient services.

The way this fundraiser works is that people are able to choose from various items, such as bunches of daffodils or tulips, potted plants and more. The proceeds from the purchases go to the American Cancer Society.

The daffodil is a sign of hope, particularly to cancer patients, as well as their families and caregivers. The flower has served as a symbol of hope and resilience since the 1950s, thus its use in the fundraiser for cancer research.

For many years, individuals, small businesses and large corporations have supported the ACS through the Daffodil Days campaign as they made donations for flowers that have been used to brighten the spirits of loved ones or as a way of saying thank you to friends, family and colleagues.

Daffodil Days will return to Mercyhurst this year to do the same. Products will be available for purchase until Feb. 22.

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The proceeds from Daffodil Days will benefit research for the American Cancer Society.

A few of the offerings include: $10 - Bunch of Daffodils $15 - Potted Mini Daffodils $15 - Bunch of Tulips

In addition to the flowers available, there is also the Daffodil Gift of Hope, a 25-dollar donation that will provide cancer patients in local hospitals with flowers in order to brighten their day.

The fundraiser is being coordinated by Colin Hurley, Executive Director of Community Engagement, with help from Patricia “Trish” Jaskiewicz, receptionist for the university.

“Daffodil Days is an opportunity for the university to join with other local companies and individuals partnering with the American Cancer Society (ACS) so we can bring brightness and hope in times of darkness, past and/or present, where so many lives have been affected by cancer,” said Hurley.

Limited quantities of both green and blue vases are also available, and products purchased will arrive the week of Mach 21, just in time for spring.

“Even if someone doesn’t wish to buy flowers for themselves, they can donate through Gifts of Hope and have the flowers sent to someone in a hospital to have their day brightened,” said Hurley

Cancer is a household name for many, and the fight against the deadly disease hasn’t ended yet. But with fundraisers, such as Daffodil Days, there is increasing hope that one day cancer will become a term of the past.

For a complete list of product offerings available through this fundraiser, please visit the donation page at https://acsdaffodildays.ticketleap.com/ mercyhurst/.

Please consider making a donation to this fundraiser to support cancer research and patients.

Helping others and providing service is one of the staples of Mercyhurst University, which is why the school has been participating in the fundraiser for so many years. Students, and faculty have the opportunity to help others by participating in the fundraiser. Whether you purchase a vase, a pretty bundle of flowers to decorate your home, or a gift for somebody else - please consider participating in this fundraiser.

LAKER MOMENT

Over winter break, the Hermann Student Union Great Room was upgraded with new furniture. The upgrades include some new tables, couches and board games for students to play with.

The Great Room serves as an area where students can do many things, whether they choose to study, eat, hang out with friends, or attend the many events that the university has to offer. With these new upgrades, the Student Union will be given more of a modern feel with the added perks of comfort.

There will be an official reveal to the Mercyhurst community on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m. The event will have a hot chocolate bar and cookies for students to enjoy! Make sure to set aside some time to check it out, you will not want to miss out on this awesome event!

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FIGURE SKATING CLUB

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Members of the Figure Skating Club

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Mercyhurst is lucky to have a variety of club sports that students can be a part of regardless of their level of experience. One option available to students is the Figure Skating Club, which is quickly rising to prominence and has even been featured on national sites.

Like the other club sports offered on campus, anyone can join the figure skating team, regardless of whether they’ve been trained for years or are lacing up their skates for the first time. “We have recreational skaters as well as a competitive team, through USFSA Intercollegiate Competition Program,” said Anna Zelina, the head coach of the team.

The team does skate at different times of the day, so no matter if you’re an early bird or a night owl, you can skate whenever you’re able to. “The team meets a variety of times throughout the rink at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. We try to accommodate different class and work schedules, so we have some early morning practices at 7:15am and later at 5:00pm,” said Zelina. For those that are interested, the club will provide a semester calendar with all skate times listed.

The team fundraises each year to get the opportunity to travel to participate in competitions against other universities with as little out-of-pocket pay possible. Per the Hurst Athletics page, the club is “officially registered under the United States Figure Skating Association’s collegiate sanctions through their Intercollegiate Team Competition Program. This means that the team can compete in up to three competitions per year, as well as a chance to go to the Collegiate Championships, which takes place every Spring. Club members are afforded the opportunity to compete if they choose, though they may also participate in the club to simply skate recreationally and improve their skills.

The team is participating in two competitions this semester. The first one was virtual through Princeton University on Feb. 5-6, while the second will be at Liberty University Feb. 11-13. Additionally, there will be opportunities for bonding events, such as a team dinner in May and a senior send-off.

The team was honored by US Figure Skating with an article about them, discussing how the club grew from one member to 12 in just a few short years. “Sharing time together outside of the rink and away from school work has really helped in creating friendships and relieving stress,” said the article.

“The figure skating program has come far in the past three years, starting out with one passionate member to growing into a team of 12 talented skaters with all different levels and backgrounds. Mercyhurst continues to grow the team through attending local competitions, community involvement, and getting the name out on social media. Even during the challenging times of COVID-19 lock downs and limitations, they participated in U.S. Figure Skating webinars and flash talks for high school skaters and conducted their own Zoom info sessions for prospective students.”

The club’s president, junior psychology major Allison Pfeiffer, joined the team wanting to learn to skate, and quickly made friends and increased her experience. “What you do on the team really depends on you,” Pfeiffer said. “Some members plan to compete and have programs choreographed. Other members are just there to have fun.”

If you are interested in joining the team, keep an eye out for their Instagram @mercyhurstfigureskating to see what they’ve been up to, or reach out to Zelina or Pfeiffer! While the team is small, they’ve got a lot of heart, so all are welcome to skate!

Laker Major Spotlight: Cyber Security Major

By Ryan Davey Contributing writer

It is not a surprise that when you turn on the news, you hear almost daily about cyber breaches, attacks, ransomware, identity theft and many more issues with technology.

From the colonial pipeline affecting gas supplies to other critical infrastructure, cyber threats are never ending and continue to grow every day. Cyber criminals are always out there to target us and our infrastructure no matter what field we are in, from financial services, health care services, government services to retail, manufacturing and education.

All aspects of our lives are a target for cyber criminals to commit high-profile domestic and global cyber-attacks. Our nation’s future prosperity depends on a workforce trained in the art of cyber security. The bottom line is that cyber threats are urgent, the stakes are incredibly high, and there are not enough cyber security professionals to fulfill the rising demand in the workforce.

Responding to this demand, Mercyhurst University rose to the challenge and became one of the first institutions in the country to develop a stand-alone program in cyber security at both the undergraduate and graduate level, awarding a Bachelor’s of Science degree and a Master’s of Science degree in cyber security.

What makes the program unique is that students get their hands dirty from day one by getting to utilize cyber security tools used in the industry to defend and prevent cyber attacks.

Throughout the program, cyber security students will learn different skill-sets that are necessary to protect businesses and infrastructure. The skill-sets vary from networking and hacking skills to data analytic skills and forensics.

Several of the courses that students will be exposed to include Cryptography, Networks Security, Communication Networks, Digital Forensics, Cyber Law and Policy and Systems and Applications Security.

The cyber security program that Mercyhurst offers aligns with guidelines recommended by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and National Security Agencies.

Also, integrated in the program is the body of knowledge that major certifying cyber security organizations recommend.

Undergraduate students at Mercyhurst University take classes and complete projects in the state-of-theart center called the Federal Resources Corporation Cyber Education Center. It is an 8,000-square foot cyber training and mitigation facility providing facility classroom and experiential learning.

Additionally, undergraduate students have the opportunity to pair their cyber security degree with other majors that add a lot of value such as Intelligence Studies or Data Science.

The graduate cyber security program is fully online and it is one of the many 4+1 Graduate Programs that Mercyhurst offers. The program goes further into covering Cloud Security, Web Security, and Ethical Hacking Penetration Testing Skills that match key industry certifications.

Mercyhurst University’s cyber lab and networks operation center, a joint venture with Erie-based firm Federal Resources Corporation, provides experiential learning opportunities for Mercyhurst undergraduate and graduate students to conduct projects on behalf of real-world clients.

Graduates of the cyber security program at Mercyhurst University will be enriched with the necessary skill-sets and will be well positioned to meet the fast growing demand of cyber security jobs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the profession of cyber security is estimated to grow at a 31% rate through 2029, a rate that is over seven times faster than the national average job growth of 4%.

If this program sounds like one that is of interest to you, check out the Cyber Security program web page at https://www.mercyhurst. edu/academics/cyber-security. Or if students are interested in potentially perusing the program, you can also reach out to program director Dr. Chad Redmond at credmond@mercyhurst.edu

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One of Mercyhurst’s Cyber Security classrooms that are located on campus.

HURST CLASS CATALOG

BASIC COMPUTER DESIGN

By Hannah Brooks Features editor

Any student who is interested in learning fundamental basics of graphic design may want to consider putting Computer Design Basics (ART-128) on their schedule for the next time advising comes around.

Per the syllabus, Computer Design Basics is “a 15week, 3 credit entry-level course geared to develop a sense of good design practices for professionals who are not primarily design oriented in their career path.” Over the course of the semester, students will learn several major design concepts such as Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, Color, Contrast and Type through the creation of projects relating to each concept. Students will be introduced to Adobe Creative Cloud 2021, InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.

By the end of the course, the goal is for students to be able to present and critique works of art using appropriate criteria and terminology, create works of art using the methods, tools and skills learned throughout the semester, generate and revise ideas throughout the creative process, and develop works of art and designs that utilize concepts, elements and principles of art and design.

Though we are not far into the semester yet, this semester’s class has gotten to explore Adobe Photoshop, which is a graphic design software that is primarily used to edit photos. The next software that this semester’s students will learn about is Adobe Illustrator and Indesign, which are tools that are essential to the graphic design field.

The projects that students will create over the course of the semester are both engaging and interesting. Some examples of projects that students create throughout the course are fun photoshopped photos, such as “space dog” (which, just as the name suggests, depicts a dog in outer space) and the creation of posters, which includes the next project that students will create this semester: students will reimagine a “Jurassic Park” poster.

“Students will use their Photoshop skills to create their own ‘Jurassic Park’ concept in a moodboard format, then progress to rough sketches, and finally create the finished piece in Photoshop,” said Jade Mitchell, the professor of the course.

In addition to teaching this course, Mitchell is the Creative Director at Erie Arts & Culture. She graduated from Gannon University with a bachelor’s in Theater and Communication Arts, and received a two-year post baccalaureate certification in Graphic and Web Design here at Mercyhurst University.

Though this course is one that is very engaging and fun, it is also one that will give students several skills that will be useful to them for years to come.

“Anyone can take this course,” Mitchell said. “You’ll learn graphic design principles and skills to enhance any visual digital assets you might create in your profession, from resumes, to presentations, to data/info graphics, to social media graphics.”

Though it feels that the Spring semester has just started and classes still feel new, the time to schedule is already looming overhead! Whether you are a graphic design student, or one who has a credit in Expression to fulfill, make sure to add ART-128 to your schedule for the Fall 2022 semester.

Mercyhurst announces sale of North East campus

By Grace Elwood Contributing writer

On Jan. 26, Mercyhurst announced the closure of the North East Campus. Purchased in 1991, the 84-acre property includes buildings previously owned by St. Mary’s Seminary. Known for its historic buildings built over 100 years ago, the campus has offered a wide variety of associate degrees and certificate programs. Additionally, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the North East campus served as quarantine housing for students who tested positive. At the start of COVID-19, institutions of higher education faced many new challenges. Online learning soon became a necessity, and teachers were faced with an extreme level of stress and uncertainty among rising cases and lockdowns. Among this, Mercyhurst found a new need for unity among faculty and students. In 2020, programs from the North East campus began to transition to Erie.

In 2021, Mercyhurst also purchased the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse on East Grandview and began extensive renovations where nursing classrooms, labs and offices are now located. The purchase came with a mutual benefit with an agreement that the Sisters would continue to live in the Motherhouse and that future Sisters of Mercy would always be welcome.

“I feel like both the purchase of the Motherhouse and selling of the North East campus are good investments, and it is definitely very cool to see all of the improvements and changes they’re making to make our main campus as efficient as possible,” sophomore Emily Cummings said.

The campus was sold to Ehrenfeld Companies (eCOS), led by Jonathan Ehrenfeld. Ehrenfeld is also the founder and CEO of Blue Ocean, a real estate investment and asset management firm based in Baltimore, Maryland. Ehrenfeld has been in the real estate industry for over 20 years and is no doubt enthusiastic about his future work with the campus.

The growing interest of eCOS in the service industry and hospitality made for a perfect fit to fuel increasing opportunities for students and the community, as well as the downtown area. Ehrenfeld also said in a recently published article that he was attracted to the unique features, history and location of Mercyhurst North East, but perhaps most noticeable is his interest in the potential positive community impact.

Mercyhurst will continue its affiliation with the Northeast community through its Police Academy, as well as maintain a beneficial relationship with the campus’s new owner, eCOS. Although the plans for the campus are still undecided, it is likely that the new campus will be converted to a multi-functional sports complex, with the historic buildings possibly being used for hosting events.

The announcement is certainly bittersweet as Mercyhurst’s 30year ownership comes to an end, but also comes with much excitement for the Erie community.

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The former Mercyhurst North East campus

Get hyped for Gannon double-header

By Libby Bullinger Copy editor

As many students on campus know, an exciting annual tradition for the Lakers is coming up this week: the Mercyhurst versus Gannon basketball game. On Feb. 9, both the Mercyhurst men’s and women’s basketball teams will take on cross-town rivals from Gannon in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

This event includes much more than just the game such as increased entertainment from the dance team and cheerleaders, games that involve student participation during breaks in the plays, free merchandise for students and most importantly, an increased crowd full of supporters and fans from both schools.

In addition to high attendance from the current Laker student body, the teams can also expect support from a wide range of Mercyhurst alumni.

As an event through the Alumni Office, graduates from all years have the opportunity to attend this basketball game. Not only is this a great chance for alumni to connect with others and make a return to their beloved alma mater campus, but it is also a great chance to support the men’s team.

“Having alumni back on campus just further proves our ‘Hurst is Home’ feeling,” Lindsay Frank, Director of Alumni Engagement said. “Whether they graduated 5 years ago or 65, it’s always exciting for alumni to return home.”

The Lakers will certainly appreciate the extra support, and it is a great chance for current Mercyhurst students to really see the impact alumni have on the school and envision life beyond the gates.

Just like the Mercyhurst versus Gannon match, the annual alumni event surrounding this game is also a longstanding tradition on campus dating back to over ten years ago.

For this year’s event, Laker alumni were able to register via the alumni page of the Mercyhurst website. Those who are attending this event will begin the night with a happy hour at the Roost starting at 5:30 before making their way over to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center to watch the game.

In addition to having access to VIP reserved seats at the game, it will also be the first time that many of these alumni will be setting foot in the recently renovated Athletic Center.

Overall, this event is a huge hit with alumni and brings a fantastic excuse to return back to campus.

Mercyhurst was not able to host this event last year due to the pandemic, so there is even more excitement in the air with this year’s return of the beloved tradition.

“This event was actually the final event that the Alumni Office hosted in 2020 before the pandemic hit,” Frank said. “We have not been able to host it since then, so it’s really exciting to be able to welcome our alumni back to campus again!”

Upcoming: Mosaic of Life Art Show

By Sarah Beck Staff writer

The Mosaic Of Life Art Showcase is back at the Mercyhurst campus for its third annual show. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this event had to be postponed for the last couple of years. It is making its grand return and needs talented creatives to submit their work to help make it possible. The showcase is calling for submissions for the exhibition from March 21-23 so get started on your submissions today in order to be ready for the art show. Any students on campus can submit a piece and there are no limitations to the art form.

All creativity such as drawing, painting, collage, photo, digital art, sculpture, written poem, spoken poem, dance, song, dramatic reading or act and instrumental piece are welcomed to be a part of this exhibition. All featured creative works will embody the common theme of diversity and inclusivity. Some topics that can be present in your submission are race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and any other topic that you feel passionate about.

The first Mosaic of Life Art Showcase took place in 2018 and was the idea of Dr. Judy Smith from the counseling center. The Multicultural and Inclusion coordinator, Art Therapy department and Counseling Center came together to form a committee and develop this idea to create the showcase. Heather Denning is the Art Therapy Program Director and is a member of the showcase’s committee.

Denning said that this event was truly designed “to celebrate diversity and inclusion and to bring attention to that in a fun celebratory manner on campus.” Denning is an active participant in this event as she is able to give her expertise on how to organize an art show, frame or matte art pieces and how to set up the art for the showcase.

Denning wanted to inspire any artists that are hopeful to submit for this inclusive show who may be feeling a little worried to share their art.

She encourages artists not to feel overwhelmed or anxious about the showcase.

“If any one is anxious about it [the showcase] being an art show, look at it differently. It is really a place to give your voice on campus, perhaps about your own cultural background or thoughts and feelings you have about diversity,” said Denning.

The showcase serves as a wonderful opportunity for students to not only express themselves, but also to celebrate their own history and backgrounds, and to share it with others.

“I think it is really meant to give you that platform. You don’t have to be an artist and you might want to do it with a friend on campus,” said Denning.

This is truly an event that gathers the Mercyhurst campus together by celebrating creativity and appreciating all of our similarities and differences. If you have any questions please reach out to Denning at hdenning@mercyhurst.edu or at her extension 2212, and don’t forget to get started on your submission today!

Student’s research published in national newsletter

By Libby Bullinger Copy editor

This past week, Mercyhurst announced a fantastic achievement for an undergraduate student. Junior environmental science major and geology minor Erin Smith was recently awarded recognition by the Geological Society of America.

Smith’s work was specifically highlighted in the most recent issue of the Geology and Health Division Newsletter. This newsletter is a division of the greater Geological Society of America and is concerned with “the intersection of geological conditions, whether natural or anthropogenic in origin, with health.”

The greater Geological Society of America’s mission is to “advance geoscience research and discovery, service to society, stewardship of Earth, and the geosciences profession.” As part of this, they often highlight work done by students of various levels from around the country.

For this most recent issue of the Geology and Health Division Newsletter, Smith was chosen as the focus of the newsletter’s Student Research Spotlight for her work in mitigation of water-borne diseases.

For Smith’s research, she chose to focus on the use of ceramic water filters, which have been proven to remove dangerous bacteria such as coliform and E. coli at high percentage rates. These ceramic filters in particular rely on the principle of gravity as the only source of energy to filter the water, making the filtration system simple yet effective. Smith specifically notes that these filters are dependable and easily accessible, with UNICEF sources estimating the cost at around twenty dollars per filter.

For students like Smith, having their research featured in prominent publications such as those affiliated with the Geological Society of America is a great boost in their education and future careers, and it shows the value of a Mercyhurst education.

Nick Lang, Ph.D., chair of the geology department at Mercyhurst, mentions that Smith is a “once-ina-decade type of student,” citing her drive and confidence as key motivators for her work in the field.

Lang also mentioned that Smith has a wide variety of skills across the academic spectrum, advancing her success in research and allowing her to get to the point of being featured in such a highly recognized publication.

Smith’s work would not have been possible without the resources and faculty that make up the environmental science department at Mercyhurst. Students majoring in this area of study are trained to be aware of the natural environment they live in to address a number of environmental issues across the field both during their time on campus and post-graduation in the job market.

Like many other departments on campus, the environmental science department encourages hands-on learning, helps their students get off campus and go into the Erie community to work in their field and work closely with other majors on campus, such as biology and geology, in order to strengthen their skills and knowledge and create an educational plan that fits their needs as students.

If you see Erin Smith around campus, be sure to congratulate her for her success! Her work is a huge honor to Mercyhurst, as well as a huge asset to the research community!

Contributed photo Erin Smith, junior Environmental Science major and Geology minor.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

By Nick Klein Staff writer

On this day in 1895, William G. Morgan introduced a sport called “Mintonette”, which you may know as “Volleyball” today. It was originally called “Mintonette” because it was derived from the classic game of Badminton. The original rules of the game were to be that the net had to be six and a half feet high, and the court had to have the dimensions of 25 ft. x 50 ft., yet there was no limit on how many people could play at the same time. Morgan is now a part of the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Historical Event: February 9, 1895 Top 3 Songs This Week: According to Spotify’s Global Charts 1. Heat Waves: Glass Animals 2. abcdefu: GAYLE 3. Stay: Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber

On the Charts This Week 50 Years Ago: According to Billboards Charts 1. Family Affair: Sly & the Family Stone 2. Themes From Shaft: Isaac Hayes 3. Baby I’m- A Want You: Bread

Top Artists Today Male: Glass Animals Female: GAYLE

Top Artists Fifteen Years Ago Male: Fall Out Boy Female: Beyonce

Top 3 Podcasts This Week According to Spotify: 1. The Joe Rogan Experience 2. The Deck 3. Call Her Daddy

Top Grossing Films: This week: Spider Man: No Way Home Twenty Five years ago: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Top 3 TV Shows on Netflix This Week: 1. The Woman In The House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window 2. Raising Dion 3. In From the Cold

Top 3 TV Shows 50 Years Ago 1. All in the Family 2. Sanford and Son 3. Hawaii Five-O

In the News:

1. United States’ Nathan Chen sets record at the Beijing Olympics

2. The creator of the COVID-19 vaccine, Maria Elena Bottazzi, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Price

3. Return of the Super Bowl brings significant boost to the economy of Los Angeles