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The Merciad Mercyhurst university

Est. 1929 Vol. 89 No. 10

Wednesday, noveMber 18, 2015

Students inquire about the new calendar, core at forum

By Lauren Murphy Staff writer

Mercyhurst Student Government held its first Town Hall forum on Wednesday, Nov. 11, to talk with students about the changes being made to the academic calendar.

Students were given the opportunity to ask questions to administrators about the new semester system and core changes.

The administrators on the panel were David Dausey, Ph.D., Andrea Barnett, Joseph Howard, Michele Wheaton and Laura Zirkle, Ph.D. “This forum is to get students thoughts and perspectives about the changes being made,” David Dausey, Ph.D., provost and vice president of academic affairs said.

Starting next year, Mercyhurst is getting rid of the their 4-1-4 semester system with a j-term and replacing it with more traditional 16-week semesters. Students will have the option to take a 16-week course, an eight-week mini-semester course, or a combination of both.

“The intent of the new calendar change is to have students take a combination of both mini-semester class and regular semester classes,” Andrea Barnett, assistant vice president for academic affairs said.

The length of classes are changing next year as well.

Catherine Rainey photo

David Dausey, Ph.D., and a panel of faculty addressed questions from students regarding the structural changes that will take effect next fall.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes will now be 50 minutes. Those on the mini-semester classes will be 75 minutes long.

Mini-semesters will allow for more study abroad opportunities and can make the course load lighter for in-sea-

son athletes, according to Dausey.

Residents Assistants who are still looking to study abroad might still have the opportunity without forfeiting their positions.

“We are trying to come up with a schedule that will still

give RAs the opportunity to study abroad if they wish, while still having enough on campus,” said Laura Zirkle, vice president for student life.

Changes being made to the core will allow more choices and greater flexibility for students. It will also give students

a better opportunity to complete a minor or to take free electives that fall outside of their major requirements.

“We also felt we needed to improve and make the core better. We want it to me more inclusive, less restrictive and include less classes,” Dausey

said.

The administration wants to have fewer categories in the core but more options within each category and is working with the faculty body to help with the modifications.

J-term courses, core courses and major classes will be modified to fit as mini semester and if that does not work, then the courses will be revamped all together.

There will still be the 18-credit limit for mini semester classes; however, students are not allowed to take all classes during a mini-semester and take the next semester off.

As of now, it is unclear the maximum amount of classes allotted during mini-semesters, but the consensus on that is around two or three classes.

The new calendar changes will also make taking summer classes easier and more affordable. During the summers, there will also be opportunities for students to study abroad.

Another change being made will be a day off during the time to schedule for classes so students and faculty have an easier time meeting to go over class options.

The new schedule will allow breaks between each minisemester. Winter break will last four weeks and spring term will end earlier in May.

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Mercyhurst forensics team assists in Ohio plane crash

By Kimberly Kuehl Contributing writer

When a plane crashed Nov. 10, 2015, in Akron, Ohio, the Summit County Medical Examiner knew whom to call.

Dennis Dirkmaat, Ph.D., the director of the Mercyhurst Applied Forensic Science program and an expert in victim recovery, led a team of 24 people from Mercyhurst as they assisted at the crash site in Ohio.

“Dr. Koehler, there in Summit County, had been at the scene and realized that we

would be of value,” Dirkmaat said. Twenty graduate students and four faculty members spent five hours on the scene in Akron. Using forensic science skills that they learned at Mercyhurst, the graduate students assisted in the successful recovery of all nine victims.

“The medical examiner was very familiar with what we can do—what I can do—so there was a representative at the scene. I was basically in charge of the recovery and organized it and ran it,” Dirkmaat said.

Being called to such scenes is not uncommon for Dirk-

maat, and he has been the primary anthropologist at many disaster scenes. Following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Dirkmaat was the primary adviser during the recovery and identification of victims on United Flight 93 in Somerset County, Pa. The team from Mercyhurst has helped Dirkmaat at some of these crashes, including the 2009 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 in Buffalo, New York. Using forensic archeology they “collect the evidence, process it like it was an indoor scene, and collect all the information,” Dirkmaat said.

1-2 3-4 5 6 7 8

“

I feel better prepared for the professional world after participating in this ‘real world’ experience.

”

-- Jordan Strange

“I feel better prepared for the professional world after participating in this ‘real world’ situation,” graduate student Jordan Strange, one

of those at the Akron site, said.

Because the graduate students are only at Mercyhurst for two years, there is a high turnover within the group.

Working can be hazardous because of broken glass or sharp pieces of metal.

The group from Mercyhurst removed debris from the crash site before they could begin to extricate the victims.

The team from Mercyhurst will work anywhere from five to 10 such scenes each year.

They use the same principles and practices whether there is one victim or multiple victims.

The Forensic Science program at Mercyhurst is considered one of the best in the country. In 2008, the department was awarded a substantial grant from the National Institute of Justice.

“I am very grateful for the hands on experience that Mercyhurst and specifically the Biological and Forensic Anthropology graduate program offer,” said Strange.

“You can’t get this kind of experience anywhere else.”

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Online Poll Results

Merciad Index News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living

This practical experience is invaluable to students.

What are you doing over Thanksgiving break?

1 2 3 4

Worry about the homework that I am not doing. (39%) Eat until I am fat and beautiful. (35%) Protest the historical mistreatment of Native Americans. (22%) I will be working at my soul sucking retail job all break. (4%)

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: Did you get into all of the classes you wanted for J-term and spring term?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

November 18, 2015

The Merciad

Page 2

News

Senator plans Final J-term filled with visit to North ample travel opportunites East campus

By Adrian Monty

By Melanie Todd Staff writer

Pennsylvania State Senator Sean Wiley, D-Erie, will visit Mercyhurst Northeast’s Oasis Program on Monday, Nov. 23.

Senator Wiley supports House Bill 400, Work Experience for High School Students with Disabilities Act, which seeks to aid individuals with developmental disabilities find employment.

“I saw an article written about this bill he supports.

I emailed his secretary and that’s how it all got started,” James Conroy, Oasis program director said.

Oasis is a one-year vocational training program for adults with developmental disabilities. Currently, the program offers certificate programs in culinary arts, hospitality, and early childhood education.

“The bill he is supporting supports similar programs to Oasis,” Conroy said.

“The bill supports more inclusive employment for people with developmental disabilities. I want to show him [Senator Wiley] that’s exactly what we strive to do,” Conroy said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 percent of individuals with disabilities were employed in

the U.S. in 2014.

“Eighty percent of Oasis graduates are employed. I want to show him [Senator Wiley] we have more and more students taking classes along with degree seeking students without the diagnosis,” Conroy said.

Oasis helps bridge the gap between high school and employment for individuals with developmental disabilities. Oasis strives to teach students skills they will need in life and future employment.

“We help provide internships in the community at local businesses and restaurants,” Conroy said.

The Oasis program continues to grow. Recently, the program received a grant of $60,000 from the Dreams Realized through Educational Aspiration Model Partnership.

This grant allowed Oasis to add a residential component to the program.

“If Senator Wiley knows about it, he can spread the word about this program that is right here in his backyard,” Conroy said.

House Bill 400 seeks to partner the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation under the Department of Labor and Industry, with local education officials and public agencies.

Staff writer

Over the upcoming J-term, 300 students and 14 faculty members will be traveling abroad and learning about their studies on a deeper, more hands-on level than the normal classroom setting allows.

There are 27 different class choices among the six different destinations students can participate in. Some of these include a GoPro class in Peru, a service learning trip to Guyana, Geological foundations of Italy and Greece, Science and Democracy in Germany and Switzerland and Video Production of the Mercy Tradition in Ireland.

Heidi Hosey-McGurk, Ph.D., associate provost and dean of International Programs is taking a class to Peru for two weeks to study Peruvian culture through narrative. The class will be going to Machu Picchu and will take a tour of a rainforest canopy.

The other students going on the Peru trip in Pete Stadtmueller’s class will be filming around the country with GoPros.

Tibor Solymosi, Ph.D., is teaching a class on science and democracy which will take the students to Switzerland and Germany.

“I’m just tickled pink that

we’re going there,” said Solymosi when discussing the CERN laboratory, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Switzerland. “It’s a demonstration of human achievement on many levels of science and democracy.”

Solymosi is especially interested in the balance of the old and the new in European countries.

“We just can’t quite get that here because we’re such a new country,” Solymosi said.

The biggest group of students, a group of 36, will be going to Italy and Greece to study one of two classes: Ethics and Religion or Geological Foundations.

For those who enjoy the J-term because of the ease and structure of travel, there are already plans for how study abroad will work with the new semester system.

There may be even more possibilities to travel than what there are with the existing J-term calendar. Study abroad travel can occur during the first mini-semester of spring term, or within the days between fall and spring semesters.

Nothing is set in stone as of yet, but the new semester system may open up a new range of opportunities in the Study Abroad program, according to Hosey-McGurk.

“We want to reassure stu-

Tranng Nguyen photo

The Study Abroad Program at Mercyhurst offers a variety of travel opportunies all around the world.

dents that all of the programs are moving forward and Ireland goes full steam ahead,” Hosey-McGurk said.

The university will continue to offer a 10-week semester in

Dungarvan, Ireland.

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Mercyhurst remembers Sister Maura Smith, RSM Sister Maura Smith, RSM, died early Friday, Nov. 13, at the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse.

Mercyhurst President Michael T. Victor – noting her immense contributions to the university throughout her career – noted, “We lost a true Mercyhurst legend today.”

A 1948 Mercyhurst graduate, she taught biology and secondary education at Mercyhurst from 1970 to 1977. After moving on to leadership positions at Mercyhurst Preparatory School and with the Sisters of Mercy, she served on the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees from 1980 to 2012. She was named a trustee emerita at that time, but continued to weigh in on matters that would impact the college environment.

Sister Maura is probably best known for her commit-

Mercyhurst University photo

Sister Maura Smith, RSM, who passed away on Nov. 13, made many significant contributions to Mercyhurst over the years.

ment to environmental issues and responsible stewardship of the earth’s resources. She

helped to create the sustainability studies program at Mercyhurst and co-founded

the Green Team in 2000. After she received the Mercyhurst Sustainability Award in 2009,

the university created the Sister Maura Smith Peace Garden behind Warde Hall to honor her. Mercyhurst’s annual Earth Day Lecture Series is also named for her.

As a professor, she was passionate not only about the environment, but also about social justice more broadly and the cause of world peace.

The Department of Religious Studies presented her with its Oscar Romero Award in 2006, an honor that recognizes those “living the call of faith and justice in an extraordinary manner.”

While on the Mercyhurst faculty, she chaired two task forces that introduced new curricula to the college. It was at her urging that Mercyhurst developed its pioneering Learning Differences Program in 1986.

Sister Maura also spear-

headed the development of the Continuum of Lifelong Learning, which joined Mercyhurst College and six other educational programs offered by the Sisters of Mercy into a network of learning experiences for people of all ages from preschoolers to senior citizens.

She lived for many years in the Mercy Campus House, a former farmhouse that used to stand behind Zurn Hall.

Mercyhurst honored her as a Distinguished Alumna in 1996.

Mercyhurst University Pubic Relations Office

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Christmas traditions continue at Mercyhust

By Phuong Nguyen Staff writer

On Monday, Dec. 7, many of Mercyhurt’s organizations will come together to host “Miracle on 38th Street” and give refugee children their first Christmas experience at Mercyhurst.

Two agencies, the House of Mercy and Booker T Washington Center, will transport the kids to Mercyhurst by bus.

Many of those children are refugees and have never experienced Christmas before.

This gives children the opportunity to experience the holiday. The event will be held in the Carolyn Hermann Student

Union from 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Mercyhurst’s Reading Day. Among the groups involved are the Multicultural Activity Council, Service Learning, Campus Ministry and the Campus Involvement Center.

Preston Reilly, activities and spirit coordinator, has been part of the event for the past four years. Before he started at Mercyhurst the event was formerly known as “Christmas on Campus.”

The first year he took over, Campus Involvement Center rebranded it as “Miracle on 38th Street,” but the tradition is the same as it has always been.

“The thing I love the most about this event is the chance for Mercyhurst students to give back to Erie community without leaving the campus.

We bring the community to them, everything will happen right here,” Reilly said.

This year, although the exact number of children remains unknown, the goal is to have 13 children and allow approximately 60 students to sign up for the event. Last year, students filled the spots in half an hour. Two weeks ago, seven academic clubs and service organizations on campus filled up the spots in 48 hours.

“It was filled up really quickly, which is really cool to

see so many students want to give back to the community.

Students look forward to it, which is my favorite part of this Mercyhurst tradition. It will be a lot of fun, especially right before finals week,” Reilly said.

Each child will be matched up with two college students to do arts, crafts and other activities. Each club will have a different craft for the children at their tables. They also have holiday cookie decorating, Christmas carols, a dance performance and Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will visit and read books. The kids will go home with presents and their crafts.

The Campus Involvement Center will send out the

details of the event on The Weekender and students can stop by the Campus Involvement Center Office to sign up.

Mercyhurst Student Government will hold “Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony” on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Union, where professors and students will light the Christmas tree together. During that time, some clubs will have other smaller Christmas trees out to decorate and put lights on.

“We try to get bunch of clubs to collaborate and engage to create a sense of community. We probably have 15 trees and it will be first come, first serve basis,” said Caleb Ohmer, MSG presi-

dent.

MSG vice president Park Bogan contacted club presidents about the Christmas tree decorating contest.

The clubs will decorate their trees beforehand and then students will vote on the day of the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. First, second and third place winners will get gift card prizes. Food, coffee and hot chocolate will be served, along with Alice Edwards, Ph.D., speaking to the crowd on the importance of the year.

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November 18, 2015

Page 3

The Merciad

Features

PRSSA students take on Atlanta

By Noel Blackhall Contributing writer

Mercyhurst’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter attended the National PRSSA conference in Atlanta, GA, on Nov. 6-10.

The theme for the conference held at the Marriott Marquee hotel was “Rethink, Rebuild, Renew,” inspired by the city of Atlanta’s progression, growth and energy. The confenrence also featured the evolution of public relations within many industries and iconic brands. The five students who attended were Jade Gelsimino, Margaret Urso, Trang Nguyen, Vivian Suazo and Allison Hosko, as well as Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Communications Meghan Waskiewicz.

“We went to sessions on topics that interested us, such as social media, event planning and crisis communication,” said Jade Gelsimino, president of the Mercyhurst PRSSA chapter. “They were so diverse that you could not really prepare for the session.”

Each day started with keynote speakers and each individual session lasted for an hour with two or three sessions per day. Speakers at the conference included big brand companies such as Coca-Cola and Porter Novelli, as well as big public relations firms like Ketchum and Edelman.

Most of the company representatives worked in the Atlanta divisions and were looking for interns and future employees in their locations.

There were also speakers from different universities

Contributed photo

The Mercyhurst PRSSA chapter travelled to Atlanta to receive workshops and hear from various keynote speakers from big companies including Coca-Cola and Porter Novelli.

including Drake University, Wayne State University and Kent State University to talk about specific topics in the field of public relations.

In addition to the sessions, professional development workshops took place at the end of the conference.

“It’s all about making yourself marketable and making the connections that are right for you,” Gelsimino said.

The overall experience was great, according those who attended.

“The most beneficial part of the trip was making networking opportunities,” senior communication major, Maggie Urso said.

The trip did not come without its costs. The attendees paid $50 to become a member of PRSSA and paid $310 per person to attend the confer-

Contributed photo

(Left to Right) Jade Gelsimino, Allison Hosko, Trang Nguyen and Vivian Suazo were among the students who attended the event.

ence, plus hotel and airfare.

Mercyhurst’s PRSSA chapter began fundraising for the trip last spring. They began with a murder-mystery event at the Maritime Museum.

Those attending had an hour and a half to figure out clues related to the historical exhibits in the museum. The chapter also received a diversity grant, which helped lower the cost of the trip.

“It accommodated specific fields,” Gelsimino said.

Mercyhurst PRSSA members plan to attend next year’s event with even more members.

Contributed photo

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PRSSA members believe that the most rewarding part of the trip was the networking opportunities. The club hopes to return to Atlanta next year with even more members.

Grad students Service Fair brings go to Honduras post-graduate alternatives

By Brent Clapper Contributing writer

Students who are questioning what they want to do after graduation had a chance to explore service opportunities at the Post-Graduate Service Fair on Thursday Nov. 12, in the Student Union.

Twenty-five organizations, including AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and Mercy Corps were present to offer students opportunities for a year or more of service with their respective organizations.

Formally known as the Year of Service Expo, this is the fourth year the Post-Graduate Service Fair has taken place.

“Last year, we decided to combine university resources,” said Bethany Brun, coordinator of service learning. “We currently have students from Gannon, Penn State Behrend and Mercyhurst who are all attending this fair.”

Brun explained that this was a collaborative effort to bring programs to our campuses as well as share information.

Additional agencies and organizations that were present at the Service Fair were L’Arche Erie, a faith based community where life is shared between individuals with and without intellectual disabilities. The Franciscan Mission Service out of Washington, D.C., and Habitat for Humanity were also included at the event.

“L’Arche Erie was actually the first United States community, which is pretty

special,” said Kevin Forte, director of development for L’Arche Erie. “We have homes here in Erie where we do have adults with disabilities living with some of our large team members.”

Over the past four years, between 50-60 students have taken advantage of the Post-Graduate Service Fair.

Brun estimated that this year’s turn out was over 100.

“It’s collaborative of Gannon, Penn State Behrend and Mercyhurst,” said Brun.

“I believe a majority of them are going to be Mercyhurst students.

“

Maybe you want to pursue grad school afterwards, but you’re not sure what you want to do. This gives you the opportunity to kind of explore those interests and maybe fight poverty while you’re at it.

”

- Bethany Brun

Chris Fox, assistant director of Civic Engagement at Penn State Behrend, believes the event is important for students regardless of whether they are new to college or ready to leave.

“I think it gives them a sense of how service can be applied in the professional world,” said Fox. “It’s an opportunity that they may not have even known about.”

Fox also stated that this one-year post-grad experience

By Brittany Smyth Staff writer

Contributed photo

The Post-Grad Service Fair had various poverty-fighting organizations seeking to recruit students to help their cause.

with an agency could potentially lead to a more longterm career with one of those respective agencies.

Freshman Anthropology and Archaeology major Sarah Kosiorek is getting an early start on the process and thinking about what she should be doing over the next four years.

“I would love to do something like this after I graduate,” said Kosiorek. “My parents are really involved in mission trips abroad and I love to travel.”

Junior Intelligence Studies major Tom Matheson agrees.

To Matheson, the main message that comes from this fair is that students who take advantage of this one year of service are not just providing food, water or other basic necessities to those who do not have those means. They are also providing education.

“You don’t have to go out and get a job just like everybody else,” said Matheson.

“You can go out and do something for others.”

The Post-Grad Service Fair ended with a dinner held in the Student Union. Brun is hopeful that this event will encourage students to learn more about what to do after graduation, as well as travelling somewhere that is not permanent.

“Maybe you want to pursue grad school afterwards but you’re not sure what you want to do,” said Brun.“This gives you the opportunity to kind of explore those interests and maybe fight poverty while you’re at it.”

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On Jan. 4-11, seven Physician Assistant Studies graduate students will receive hands-on experience in the medical field in Zambrano, Honduras.

Catherine Gillespie, director and assistant professor of the Physician Assistant program, will be joining the students to share the Mercyhurst Mission.

The students will participate with International IMPACT through the Medicine Foundation to provide medical care on this mission trip. IMPACT was founded four years ago to provide medical care to underserved areas around the globe.

“The experience in medicine is valuable, but the experience in humanitarianism is invaluable and life changing,” Gillespie said.

The students are running different fundraisers to cover the cost of the trip. An event will take place in Cocktails & Colors Studio on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 6-8 p.m. Tickets will be sold for $45 and those who participate in this event will paint snow globes. Partial proceeds will be used to raise money for the trip. There are only 34 seats left open for this event.

If students want to donate but can not attend the event, they can show their support by donating to the group’s Go Fund Me account at gofundme.com/246syz6h.

The physician assistant studies graduate students set a goal of $5,000.

“

The experience in medicine is valuable, but the experience in humanitarianism is invaluable and life changing - Catherine Gillespie, Ph.D.

”

“Students will be mentored by myself and other physician assistants and will have hands-on experience as they participate in clinics that include three stations: registration/triage, provider, and pharmacy,” said Gillespie.

“This experience is part of an oath a physician assistant takes to ‘give back to the community,’ locally and globally.

Medical missions teach more than just third world medicine, this is an experience in humanitarianism and truly a life changing experience.”

Students can sign up for the Cocktails & Colors event on their webpage before Saturday, Dec. 5 to reserve their seat. For more information about donations, visit gofundme.com/246syz6h or contact Catherine Gillespie at cgillespie@mercyhurst.edu.

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Page 4

The Merciad

Features

Symes revolutionizes forensic anthropology

By Andrew McDermott Contributing writer

Steven Symes, Ph.D, associate professor of forensic anthropology, who has been working in South Africa for the past several months, recently made an incredible discovery in the “Cradle of Humankind.”

Symes who specializes in trauma interpretations, brought his expertise to the field of paleoanthropology.

Through his research, Symes was able to determine how two ancient hominins, from the species Australopithecus sediba, died.

These fossils were found in a cavern system in Malapa, South Africa, which is close to many other paleoanthropology sites.

These hominins, known as Australopithecus sediba, were identified by Symes and his team of researchers to be one adult female and one juvenile male.

The remains, which could possibly be a mother and her child were found in anatomical position buried under sedimentary rocks.

The cause of death of the

who individuals was most likely a fall from a significant height, which caused them to end up in the cavernous area.

Symes was able to determine that the two probably tried to catch themselves as they fell.

“Symes was the first to say, “hold on a second_what if we look at this from a biomechanical point of view? Look at this from the point of view of force, and the biomechanics of the bone and look at things a bit differently. He basically changed the field,” Luis Cabo, the director of the forensic and bioarchaeology labs said.

One particular trauma that aided Symes in identifying what happened to the fossil was a fracture in the humerus.

The compression and tension of the bone and the position of the arm allowed Symes to determine that an impact was sustained by both individuals.

Due to Symes’ impressive forensic techniques, Cabo considers Symes the “father of modern trauma analysis” and his profound discoveries of the fossilized Australopithecus sediba remains will usher in more researchers in the field to use a more inter-

disciplinary approach.

“From a paleoanthropologist’s prospective, talking about broken bones and when they occurred has sort of been a wild conjecture. This is the first time, that I know, that they added a good forensic component. Somebody who is an expert in fracturing patterns and trauma to bone.

This is a good thing. A combination of these disciplines, elevates the status of forensic anthropology and forensic sciences,” Dennis Dirkmaat, Ph.D, director of the applied forensic sciences and anthropology departments said.

“Anybody in the U.S. who has a case with bone trauma is going to think of us because of him,” Cabo said.

Symes already works on about 50 cases a year, but now due to his headway in these fossil discoveries, more opportunities will be open to both him and Mercyhurst.

November 18, 2015

LAKER MOMENT

On Friday, Nov. 13, over 100 students attended the Multicultural Activity Council’s Night Circus Event. The 1920s themed event took place in the Rec Center. Activities included tarot card readings, a juggler, carnival games, a caricature artist, magic mirrors and flappers. Snacks included were cotton candy and corn dogs.

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November 18, 2015

The Merciad

Page 5

Arts &

Entertainment Vienna Boys Choir set to serenade the PAC

The choir will sing holiday songs on November 30

By Jenny Sabliov Staff writer

There are not many choir ensembles as renowned and acclaimed as the Vienna Boys Choir.

Legendary composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Salieri and Anton Bruckner have worked with this choir.

Its past members include Franz Schubert, Jacobus Gallus and Hans Richter.

These boys are divided into four touring choirs, named after the Austrian composers Bruckner, Haydn, Mozart and Schubert.

The choir was established through a letter from Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg on July 7, 1498, which instructed court officials to employ a singing master, two basses and six boys.

This established the Vienna Boys Choir.

Six centuries after its founding, the famed choir continues to amaze and entertain music lovers around the world with its range of tone from soprano to alto, distinct charm and diverse repertoire.

Nothing brings the magic of the Christmas season like the incredible voices of this choir.

Start off the holiday season

with a concert of traditional Christmas carols and popular holiday favorites which are all skillfully-delivered by this choir of young musicians with an extraordinary legacy.

Before the event, there will be a beer tasting for those old enough to participate.

The event will take place Monday, Nov. 30, at 7:30 p.m. and it is one you will not want to miss this holiday season.

Tickets can be bought in advance or the day of the show at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center box office. Mercyhurst Student Rush tickets are $5 on the day of the performance only.

miac photo

The Vienna Boys Choir will perform holiday songs to get PAC audiences in the holiday spirit.

The Little Match Girl in PAC ‘Best of Enemies’ in TLT Rachel Sobina

By Naomi Greenstein

A poor young girl is trying to sell matches on the streets of a city that is full of holiday hustle and bustle.

It is New Year’s Eve evening, everyone has somewhere to be and does not have time to slow down and buy a match from the poor girl.

Unfortunately, the young girl has no other place to go. She has not sold a single match all day, and she cannot return home with matches.

Cold, afraid and hungry, the little girl settles down in a nook.

If there is one thing the little girl has been forbidden to do, it is light a match.

The young girl decides however, on this cold, dark evening, that if she only lights one match, everything will be okay.

The match flares up as the young girl strikes it upon the box. Visions of Christmas trees appear in front of the girl. As she enjoys the warmth for a few more seconds, she

In the summer of 1968, television news changed forever.

Dead last in the ratings, ABC hired two towering public intellectuals to debate each other during the Democratic and Republican national conventions.

William F. Buckley, Jr. was a leading light of the new conservative movement.

A Democrat and cousin to Jackie Onassis, Gore Vidal was a leftist novelist and polemicist. Armed with deep-seated distrust and enmity, Vidal and Buckley believed each other’s political ideologies were dangerous for America.

Like rounds in a heavyweight battle, they pummeled out policy and personal insult—cementing their opposing political positions.

Their explosive exchanges devolved into vitriolic name-calling.

It was unlike anything TV had ever broadcasted, and all the more shocking because it

Staff writer

Staff writer

miac photo

The heartwarming tale The Little Match Girl will show in the PAC from Dec. 4-5.

makes up her mind to light another match.

The second match is lit.

Visions of food and joy come to the little girl as she dreams about the Christmas and holiday season she has never experienced.

Match after match is lit as the young girl tries to keep the visions of warmth and joy alive.

Finally the last match is lit, and the young girl sees her grandma appear.

She is all out of matches, and as the last flame slowly

dies, the young girl dies too.

But in the midst of suffering and pain the young girl found hope in the warmth of the matches she burned, the visions she saw and in the arms of her grandma.

Come and see this heartwarming holiday story and be reminded of the true meaning and reason for the holidays.

The performance will play in the PAC on Dec. 4 at 4:30 and 7 p.m., and Dec. 5 at 11 am and 2 pm.

All tickets are $5.

miac photo

“Best of Enemies,” tells the story of two political candidates as they battle during the Republican and Democratic national conventions, and will be playing in the Taylor Little Theatre.

was live and unscripted. Viewers were riveted.

ABC News’ ratings skyrocketed and a new era in public discourse was born.

Directed with consummate skill by filmmakers Robert Gordon and Academy Award-winning Sundance Film Festival alum Morgan Neville (Twenty Feet From Stardom), Best of Enemies unleashes a highbrow blood sport that marked the dawn of pundit television as we know it today.

In a review of the film,

the Hollywood Reporter said “For American viewers of an intellectual/historical persuasion, there could scarcely be any documentary more enticing, scintillating and downright fascinating than Best of Enemies.”

Best of Enemies will be shown in Taylor Little Theatre on Dec. 6, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, military and students, and $1 for students with their Mercyhurst ID. @TheMerciad

Sinkane to play in PAC Opera ‘Lulu’ to play in PAC

By Naomi Greenstein

By Rachel Sobina

From the mind of singer-guitarist Ahmed Gallab comes Sinkane, and an appealing blend of Afropop and dance club rhythms with R&B, psychedelic pop and Tropicália.

Gallab’s childhood in Sudan brings to his style a Pan-African influence of Sudanese music and haqibah, as well as distinct horn and synth arrangements.

This background merges with the lessons learned from his stints with Caribou, Yeasayer and Of Montreal, not to mention his time as musical director of the supergroup ATOMIC BOMB! The Music of William Onyeabor, brought together guests David Byrne, Damon Albarn, Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem.

With bandmates jaytram on drums, Ish Montgomery on bass and Jonny Lam on guitar, Sinkane’s latest album, Mean Love blends Gallab’s smooth voice with striking hooks and wickedly inventive grooves.

Lulu is an opera that is sung in German. It tells a story of a young woman who lives a very unusual life plagued by seduction and misfortune.

Alban Berg, the composer, started composing the opera in 1929.

Unfortunately, Berg died in 1935 before completeing the third and final act of the opera.

The opera premiered, depite being incomplete in 1937, two years after he died.

Composed of three acts, Lulu begins by showing a young woman having her portrait taken.

As the painter tries to seduce Lulu, her husband staggers into the room and collapses from a heart attack.

Realizing that she is now a young widow, the painter decides to marry her.

Later, Lulu finds a friend of hers, Schön, has recently become engaged.

Schön helped Lulu get an education and start a new life, but he feels that she is a threat

Online

Staff writer

Staff writer

The band Sinkane is performing in the PAC on Nov. 19.

The buzz surrounding a killer turn at NYC’s CMJ Music Marathon in 2012 validates the success of Sinkane’s stylistic restlessness.

With the audience onstage and the PAC morphed into a 1970s nightclub, Sinkane’s slow-burning African funk, pulsating dubstep and infectious R&B will emphatically affirm this group’s cross-cultural origins.

Be sure to arrive early for beer tastings provided by the Lavery Brewing Company.

All those planning on

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

miac photo

attending the tasting must be 21 years of age and provide proper ID. This performance of Sinkane is sponsored by the Erie Reader and the entire 2015-2016 season for the Mercyhurst Institute of Arts and Culture is sponsored by Cumulus Media.

The performance will take place in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for students.

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

miac photo

The opera “Lulu,” a German opera that is also performed in German, tells the story of Lulu, a young girl becomes a widow at a young age and marries a painter by becoming his muse.

to his new relationship.

Schön tells the painter of Lulu’s past in an attempt to get her out of his life, but instead, the painter kills himself.

As the next few acts unfold, Lulu goes through countless admirers.

Schön and Lulu are married, but then Schön’s son confesses his secret love for her when he thinks they are alone.

Unfortunately, his dad, who is also Lulu’s husband, hears

him and forces him out.

Lulu then kills Schön and begs his son, who witnessed it, to help her escape.

The rest of the opera is laid out with a mix of love and tragedy mixed together.

Come and see Lulu at the PAC on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 12:55 p.m.

Tickets are $18. @TheMerciad

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

Page 6

November 18, 2015

The Merciad

Opinion

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

Cell phone use should not be banned from classroom

By Amber Matha Staff writer

A growing issue in today’s classrooms is the use of technology by the student body.

Cell phones have become commonplace on campus, basically everyone owns one.

Students feel the need to be so linked to the world that some tend to use their cell phones during class times.

This is a “distraction” to the student and their peers, often resulting in strict “no cell phone in the classroom” policies.

I do not believe that the current practice of calling a

student out on using their cell phone is an effective way of stopping cell phone use in class. A professor saying, “Is there something you would like to share with the class?” is not likely going to stop the student from using their phone again in later on.

Cell phone use should be kept to a minimum, but if the impulse arises where the student feels the need to use their phone, as long as it does not distract their peers, the use should be allowed. It would then be the student’s choice alone to become disengaged from the lecture, with the risk of falling behind in the material they chose to ignore. A penalty for using a cell phone could be imple-

mented where the student loses a certain number of participation points for every time they check and use their cell phones.

A study by Russell B. Clayton in the Journal of Computer- Mediated Communication on the cognitive ability of students who were separated from their cell phones showed the adverse effects of strict cell phone confiscation policies.

Clayton’s study found “that the inability to answer one’s iPhone while it was ringing activated the aversive motivational system (increases in heart rate and unpleasantness), and also led to a decline in cognitive performance.”

Clayton likewise found that,

in addition, “physiological levels of anxiety (blood pressure) increased in response to iPhone separation.”

I do not believe that cell phones should be banished completely from the classroom, as they have grown to be an integral part of many students’ lives.

According to Clayton’s research, it seems clear that taking students’ phones away from them is not beneficial to the learning environment, so a happy medium must be found. The medium would integrate cell phones into the classroom without making them a distraction from the task. @TheMerciad

Online courses at MU prove to be a student’s dream come true

By Colleen Niebauer Staff writer

Imagine you are in a classroom, only the chairs are much comfier and you aren’t afraid to eat ramen or drink hot tea in the middle of class.

In this classroom, you are unashamedly still in your pajamas, you can attend whenever you want and the learning is always at your own pace. You can even bring and wear a blanket while in class. Sounds like heaven, right? How could all of this be possible? Simple: you are taking an online class.

If given the chance to take an online class, do it. Don’t

hesitate or think that it isn’t a real class, because it can at times be even better than normal classes. Depending on the professor, he or she may upload video lectures and post assignments.

One aspect of the course I took over the summer that I did not like was the fact that we had to answer questions on a discussion board by a certain day.

It was involved and though it was a very good way to get our opinions out there, it was somewhat intimidating, especially when I was afraid I had no idea what I was talking about.

That being said, it was easier to respond to other people and it was fun to read intri-

cate conversations with other classmates whom I had never met in real life.

“

We knew the schedule far in advance and nothing really interfered, so there was no

”

rush to catch up.

Colleen Niebauer There was plenty of time to finish work and do activities, some of which were even fun.

We knew the schedule far in advance and nothing really interfered so there was no

rush to catch up on assignments.

Being able to watch lectures at 11 p.m. and take notes while awake was much better than having to wake up for an 8 a.m. class every day.

The online class was set to my schedule, was relatively easy and ran at a steady pace, as long as I did the work.

Before you all rush to Webadvisor to sign up for an online class, however, remember that it’s still a class to learn from and not necessarily an easy A.

@TheMerciad

Good

A hearty Thanksgiving break is upon us, which means Egan’s much anticipated Thanksgiving meal is on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Make sure to get there early to fight for your right to cheeseball.

Weird Rumors already abounded in Zurn. Tuesday got weird when two science labs (at least) were locked, some classes canceled and a security guard was standing by in the Zurn lobby. Now the rumors are really flying.

Bad

Much like Residence Life, the local CVS Pharmacy has begun treating students as guilty until proven innocent and is requiring them to leave their backpacks up front behind the counter before permitting them to shop.

Large “study” groups have taken over sections of the library as of late, talking loud and unashamedly. Library staff has done little to nothing to stop this unfortunate trend.

As finals approach, here’s hoping the situation corrects itself.

Ugly In a seemingly desperate attempt to persuade students to wipe down exercise equipment after use at the gym, the REC has posted graphic images of the effects of MRSA all around the exercise room for students to admire while working out.

Republican candidate Fiorina has the experience to lead the country The Merciad

By Diego Himede Staff writer

Online

Becoming the president of the United States of America is something that millions of people have dreamed about since they were little kids. In fact, I have had that same dream myself. However, this job is not as fancy as it seems.

With national and global issues on your agenda everyday, the life of a president can be stressful.

Moreover, a president has to have excellent academic and work experience to face these challenges and overcome them. This is why we have to pick carefully who will be next the president. I would vote for Carly Fiorina.

“We know that the only way to reimagine our government is reimagining who is leading it,” Fiorina once stated. These were the first words of hers to capture my attention. Then,

I invested myself in some research. The more I found about Fiorina, the more I thought she was the one who could lead the country.

As mentioned before, having solid work experience is important in this specific job because it demonstrates how effective you can be in the global business world we live in today.

There are solid arguments as to why Fiorina should be president. She previously served as the president of Lucent-Technologies, a multinational telecommunications equipment company, for three years.

Later on, she became the CEO, of Hewlett-Packard, one of the biggest information technology companies on the world, staying on for seven years. She then became the fund chair of One Woman Initiative from 2013 to 2015.

Furthermore, with ambitious ideas and projects such as rebuilding the United States Military, obtaining Zero-Based Budgeting, reforming the VA

to serve veterans better, creating millions of jobs for the American people and more, Carly Fiorina has proven herself to be the right choice.

On the other hand, there is another version of Fiorina that needs to be discussed, her religious side. The woman from Texas has shown throughout the campaign her strong religious side many times.

“I get up every morning, I read my daily scripture, and I pray,” Fiorina states on her official website. “It’s always how I start my day because if I don’t have that time […]

I don’t do well for the rest of day.”

Fiorina later added that she finishes her day the same way.

This is important because even though the United States does not have an established religion, 87 percent of Americans do have one, according to ABC News. Therefore, it’s important to have a president with the faith Fiorina has shown.

However, according to the

Read more at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

latest polls, Fiorina has not been doing well in the eyes of the public. With only 3 percent of voters on her side, she’s behind big competitors like Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Carson and of course, Donald Trump.

Even so, the 61-year-old Fiorina has not shown discouragement in any sense.

Her improvement throughout the campaign has been significant. From not making the cut to the first debate, Fiorina has increased her numbers by winning the hearts of millions.

Personally, I would vote for Carly Fiorina because she wants to implement ideas that the American people truly need. I hope that in the next few month of campaign, we all realize that she is the president we need. We need Carly Fiorina. We need real leadership.

@TheMerciad

Editors Sami Rapp Karah Hollis Catherine Rainey Jose Nufio Carly Contraguerro Megan Pacileo Ryan Kushner Mary Barnes Margaret Urso Victoria Kreysar Bill Welch

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November 18, 2015

Page 7

The Merciad

Sports Men’s hoops victorious in opener

By Marco Cicchino Staff writer

The Mercyhurst men’s basketball team had waited all summer for this moment, and after an impressive season last year, they were able to open this season on a high note.

Senior Damon Jones led all scorers with 22 points, and the Lakers opened the game on a 9-2 run and never looked back en-route to an 88-58 victory over Division III Houghton College last Friday, Nov. 13, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

This is the first time since 2010-11 Head Coach Gary Manchel’s team won its first game, providing a solid warm-up for Wednesday, Nov. 18, conference opener against Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

“We executed today, got the job done,” said Jones. “Coach [Manchel] really harped on defense, and we got the stops that we needed, and we just executed when we needed to.”

The Lakers shot a blistering 59.4 percent from the field, including 20-31 in the second half while holding Houghton to just 33.3 percent from the field and 7-24 from beyond the arc and holding a 24-8 point advantage.

The Lakers controlled the entire contest, leading wire-to-wire and by

Salina Bowe photo

Senior Damon Jones (1) led the Lakers in scoring with 22 points during their season opener 88-58 win over Houghton.

as much as 35 in the second half.

They scored the first seven points in a span of just over two minutes, including five from Jones. They later went on runs of 11-4 in only 2:44 and strung together two separate 13-point spurts in the second half, each in just over four minutes.

Senior Jean Onana had eight points off the bench, including a long three on 4:50 to extend the lead to eight.

Jones then stole a pass and made two free throws to cap the run and the Lakers had a 12-point lead by the second media timeout.

“It feels good basically, the plays that Coach drew up were working,” said Jones. “He’s a great coach, he’s real good with X’s and O’s, so it was good to just go out and execute.”

This execution led to a total of 38 made field goals, including 6-17 from beyond the arc and several runs to open up a permanent double-digit lead just 7½ minutes in.

Senior Sean Beins had 13 points and two blocks off the bench, which outscored the Highlander’s 36-24, and went 6-8 from the floor. The Lakers acquired less rebounds, 38-26, but out-assisted Houghton 19-9 and forced 23 turnovers and 14 steals, including eight from the starters and three from Jones.

Jones went 9-10 from the field and scored 14 of his 22 in the first half

of the game.

The second half was more of the same, with the teams producing the exact same scoreline as the first (4429).

Again, the Lakers did most of their damage in runs, scoring 19 straight points in a span of just 5:22 to open up a 33-point lead on 27 minutes.

Redshirt senior Gerrae Williams only made one bucket in the second half and a three during the early run, but contributed 13 points on a combined 5-9 from the floor and chipped in three rebounds and two steals.

The Highlanders were able to slightly trim the deficit during each half, but never got closer than 27 after the run finished up.

For the Highlanders, Phil Pellegrino led the way with 14 in 25 minutes on 5-13 from the floor, Johnathan Stowe had six and six rebounds, and Dylan Lambert had 8 and five boards off the bench.

Mercyhurst will start PSAC Conference games with their next match against Indiana on Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the MAC at 7:30 p.m.

The team continues their stretch of home games into the weekend playing Friday, Nov. 21, against Shippensburg and Saturday, Nov. 22, against Kutztown, both at 3 p.m. @TheMerciad

Men’s hockey celebrates Movember

By Haleigh Giebel Staff writer

The Mercyhurst men’s hockey team is growing mustaches during the month of November, also known as Movember to support the Movember Foundation.

The goal is to raise money and to help raise awareness and education for men’s mental health, testicular and prostate cancer. All money raised during Movember goes towards The Movember Foundation, to have an everlasting impact on the face of men’s health.

“It’s a silly way of doing it, but it helps get awareness

up and it is fun doing it with all of the guys,” sophomore Tyler Enns said.

Enns is this year’s Movember team captain and was in charge of organizing the fundraiser this season. He has raised $587 on his own so far.

“Cancer has touched almost everyone’s family and it’s definitely touched mine, so my family supports me and it’s something that I really try and build on,” said Enns. “Being the one that organized it a little bit, I had to show my support as well.”

There are a couple ways for the community to get involved as well. Movember t-shirts are available at the Mercyhurst University bookstore for $20

each. Also, the foundation has a website, https://us.movember.com/team/2005769, where people can support the team by either donating to the team as a whole or an individual player.

The team has set a goal of $2,500 and has currently raised $634, not counting the money raised by the t-shirts.

Since its humble start in 2003, The Movember Foundation has raised $650 million and has truly become a global movement inspiring support from more than 5 million men and women.

Men are to grow mustaches and raise money through their efforts, while women are to spread the word and encour-

age the men in their lives to get involved and help raise money as well.

“Some of the older guys have good mustaches going and some of the younger guys are struggling but they all try and chip in,” Enns said.

Movember is halfway over and the team is asking for all the help they can get. Head over to the bookstore and pick up a t-shirt or donate online toward this global movement.

“Movember has always been there in hockey, but it’s definitely more of a team thing in college,” Enns said. @HurstMensHockey photo

@TheMerciad

Men’s hockey is selling t-shirts (pictured above) to raise money in support of the Movember Foundation for men’s health.

Men’s water polo to conquer CWPA championship

By Diego Himede Staff writer

For the third time in four years, Mercyhurst men’s water polo is going out to try to triumph in the Collegiate Water Polo Association championship, better known as CWPA. Under Head Coach Curtis Robinette’s and Assistant Coach Justin Deis’ watches, the Lakers are motivated to overcome the challenge they have ahead.

“It’s going to be us playing as a unit. If we are able to perform offensively and execute

we’re going to do just fine because our defense is pretty solid,” Deis said.

However, according to Deis, it is all about the experience. To him, if the team does not have fun in the pool, they will not be able to perform successfully.

After starting their season with an 0-4 record, the Lakers managed to turn those numbers around. In fact, after these losses, the Lakers started a 10-game winning streak.

With an overall record of 12-8 and 5-0 in the conference, the team has proven they are up to the challenge.

Sport

Beginning the postseason, the Lakers went 2-2 at the Southern Division Championships, which improved them to the CWPA championship.

This year’s team has a small senior class, which allows the 11 freshmen a chance to stand up for their team. For instance utility player, freshmen Ivan Ariza.

“It’s big news. I am a freshman so I know how important it is going to the Eastern Tournament. I am really excited to play. Those who do get to travel are all excited to have made it this far. We have 11 new freshmen, which makes it

interesting,” Ariza said.

According to Ariza, the key to a great performance in the CWPA is playing good defensively.

“Defense comes first always, because if we have a strong defense, our offense gets much better. If we’re able to stop an attack on our side, it’s easier to move forward and attack them effectively,” Ariza said.

Moreover, throughout the season, the Lakers have shown great team chemistry in and out of the pool, which will be vital at the CWPA. This chemistry translates into

a great passing game in the pool, which allows the Lakers to move the ball faster. In reality, to Deis, the team is a family, looking out for each other.

Top goal scorers for the Lakers include senior Dave Matulis with 51 goals, junior Jack Howe with 39 and senior Jordan Hodur with 29. Junior goalkeeper Andrew Too-AFoo has 168 saves on the season.

This weekend the team will show what they are made of when they face St. Francis College Brooklyn, in Cambridge, MA.

Let’s go Lakers!

This will be a tough match as St. Francis College Brooklyn finished third in the Northern Division Championship.

This match up has history as St. Franicis beat Mercyhust three years ago in the final seconds of the semifinals at the CWPA Championship.

The teams will play on Friday, Nov. 20, at 2:00 p.m.

Date

Time

Men’s Basketball

Wednesday, Nov. 18

Women’s Hockey

Friday, Nov. 20

7:30 pm 7:00 pm

Women’s Basketball

Saturday, Nov. 21

1:00 pm

Women’s Hockey

Saturday, Nov. 21

2:00 pm

@TheMerciad

Page 8

The Merciad

Laker

November 18, 2015

Living

The Road to 2016

By Hunter Hoffman Contributing writer

For the fourth time, the GOP Primary candidates matched up to brawl and debate over who will win the GOP nomination. The debate was largely centered around fiscal policy and the economy after the candidates demanded changes from the “gotcha” questions that dominated the third CNBC debate.

Missing from the stage was New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee who were relegated to the “kiddy table” pre-debate. Here are some highlights from the night.

Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson As the new GOP front-runner in some polls, Carson has come under much scrutiny because of the untrue pieces of his backstory. Carson’s campaign has likely been the most impressive of any candidate in the GOP field. He has raised more money in the first quarter of the presidential race than Bush, Rubio, Paul and Kasich combined.

Carson’s message of hardline social conservatism over mass immigrant deportation, ending gay marriage and making abortions a first degree felony come as the GOP tries to attract minority and young voters, making their job exponentially harder and exposing the powerful hold that hardcore conservatives have on the Republican Establishment.

Real-Estate Tycoon Donald Trump Donald Trump got to dive head first into his favorite talking point: immigration.

The billionaire real estate mogul reiterated his plan that “we will build a wall” along the U.S.--Mexico border, and force the Mexican government to pick up the tab.

Much like Carson, Trump is a political outsider running on a campaign of “fixing” Washington. He has shown incredible staying power at the front of the sprawling GOP field with his message of deporting all 11 million illegal immigrants and ending birthright citizenship. This sits very well with hardline conservative voters which account for nearly 70 percent of the Republican Party base.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio After recent weeks of momentum in his campaign, Rubio was slammed by an attack from Rand Paul over the cost of increasing military spending. Paul, a budget hawk believes the U.S. is spending too much on the military.

Rubio is a strong supporter of increased military spending, a deficit increase he would likely neutralize by making cuts to other programs, such as healthcare and education.

Rubio’s campaign has been dogged by his use of a taxpayer-funded credit card used for personal expenses, but subsequently reimbursed.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush If any candidate on stage was in serious trouble, it was Bush. After a humiliating failure to attack Rubio’s inadequate attendance record in the Senate, many campaign donors began closing the door on Bush. He remained quiet

for the first 15 minutes and his aggressive tone was largely seen as a weak pull in the right direction for his struggling campaign.

Fomer HP executive Carly Fiorina

After aggressively commanding the stage for the first three debates, Fiorina slid from the spotlight. Between Rubio’s recent surge in preference polls and Trump slipping from number one to Carson for the first time, Fiorina ended up getting the least amount of on-screen time she has seen since the first pre-debate.

Fiorina’s poll numbers have been dropping since the last debate and supporters are beginning to support candidates they believe to have a more realistic chance at winning the GOP nod, such as Trump or Rubio.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich Kasich essentially shot himself in the foot after stating the GOP will fail in 2016 if it does not abandon their anti-immigrant and antiLGBT rhetoric. He called for a pathway to citizenship for hardworking, non-convicted immigrants. Trump had a field day, stating that “this is the weak response Mexico wants to see from us” regarding Kasich’s views. Kasich’s poll numbers have stagnated at 1 percent since he declared his candidacy, nearly relegating him to the pre-debate.

Historically Tory:

History in the Making

By Victoria Kreysar Ad manager

One of my favorite professors at Mercyhurst has this fantastic trick— whenever I think something is impossibly overwhelming, he has a way of making it all seem manageable. It took me a long time to understand what he was doing, the type of magic that made mountains seem like molehills, and then after a while I figured out the trick: he was giving me perspective.

It is a simple case of a “not seeing the forest through the trees” phenomenon. That’s why you can generally give your friends great advice on something, but when it comes to your own life, you seem so clueless. We tend to have awful tunnel vision with our own lives.

Think about it like this: A class may be horrible, but there are only 15 weeks in a semester, which means only 30 classes of a Tuesday/ Thursday schedule, even less when you count holidays.

The summer is not an endless string of sunny days, it is roughly nine weeks in which

we stress over cramming every adventure we are incapable of accomplishing the rest of the year, and when we don’t get everything done, we feel like we’ve missed something.

That paper due at the end of the term is only five weeks away, so one Friday night should probably be spent staying in and writing. Similarly that means there are four other Fridays you can go out and have fun.

Perspective works with things other than numbers, too. One of the best perks about being a history major is the ability to read about all the dumb things people have done. Of course seeing them through the 20/20 of hindsight, we are able to tell why they were so idiotic, but I started using that perspective with my own life and realized however badly you think you’ve messed up, it could be worse.

Applying that historical perspective makes things seem harmless. For example I may have accidentally crashed my car last year, but I am not Johnson during the Vietnam War. I may have forgotten to write that paper worth 40 per-

cent of my grade, but at least I didn’t publish a pamphlet describing my extramarital affair in an attempt to clear my name like Alexander Hamilton did.

It works with family too: over a few weekends ago while I was visiting home, I spilled wine on the carpet and when my mom got mad, I simply told her to be happy I hadn’t accidentally on purpose given smallpox to an entire population.

You can use this trick when you’re home for Thanksgiving this upcoming week. If a nosy uncle or aunt is pestering you about your plans after graduation, simply tell them you are not entirely sure the direction you want to go in, but you know enough not to invade Russia in the winter, which Napoleon did twice, so really you’re miles ahead of him.

You may have forgotten to get your sibling a Christmas gift, but you also did not give them their son-in-law and frienemies severed head in a basket like Cleopatra’s brother did to Julius Caesar. Remind your grandparents that while you may be single, you could also be Anne Boleyn, destroy-

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz Seen as one of the winners of the GOP debates, Ted Cruz did a great job of tapping into the discontent of voters with Washington politics, even though he is U.S. Senator. Cruz has plateaued at around 6-8 percent preference polls throughout the primary season, as his voter base is currently on board for Trump or Carson. This has pushed his ideological ideals into the spotlight and his recent rallies have set him up to try taking primary voters from Carson and Trump.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul Per usual, Paul received less airtime than any other candidate during the Primetime debate, minus his brief brawl with Rubio over military spending. As a Senate budget hawk, Paul has constructed his campaign around voters angered over the national debt and budget deficit, narrowing on military spending, which accounts for nearly 50 percent of the entire U.S. annual budget.

Paul’s campaign has sat at 1 percent since the summer, spiking only for the week of his campaign announcement, where he was at 5 percent.

Many political experts believe this is due to conservative disinterest in libertarian views, especially with both primary front-runners being strong social conservatives.

The fourth GOP debate was largely seen as maintaining the status quo, which for some candidates is detrimental, as the next debate is not until December and Iowa primary is less than 90 days away.

Trump has become desperate to take back his lead in Iowa against Carson, and Bush and Rubio could suffer crippling defeats if they cannot pick up their poll numbers before the Iowa caucus.

Game Zone

ing a marriage, encouraging your adulterer to split from the church, get excommunicated and eventually literally lose your head over a man.

On a scale of one to Watergate, you probably haven’t even reached Taft getting stuck in a bathtub. You may have given a stupid toast at Thanksgiving dinner, but you’re also not President Harrison who gave the longest inaugural speech while refusing to wear a coat and died from pneumonia a month later. The economics of the U.S. were so awful during the Great Depression it took a world war to pull it out and fix things so really your student loans...No, no, that one might be fairly accurate. But you get the idea.

The point of all this, really is to encourage you the next time you mess up. Create a list of historical mishaps, or any mishaps really, because gaining perspective is the easiest and one of the most useful party tricks you can use in the game of life.

@tory_krey