The Merciad February 22 Issue

Earthquake devastates Turkey and Syria

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

On Monday, Feb. 6, a historic 7.8 earthquake struck parts of Syria and Turkey. As a result, an estimated 400,000 people from Turkey and Syria are left homeless, and that number is expected to grow.

According to the president of Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Agency, Yunus Sezer, approximately 40,000 people in Turkey died as a result of the earthquake as of Saturday, Feb. 18, and that number is expected to grow as rescue efforts continue.

According to unofficial reports, approximately 4,330 people have died in Syria, but the final death toll has yet to be determined.

On Saturday morning, 31-yearold International Ghanaian soccer player, Christian Atsu’s body was recovered from the rubble from a luxury 12-story building.

At the time of his death, Atsu was a member of the Turkish Super Lig Club Hatayspor. “We will not forget you,” the soccer club said in a recent statement. “There are no words to describe our sadness.”

Almost two weeks have passed since the devastating earthquake. Remarkably, rescue crews are still pulling survivors from the rubble.

In the same city Atsu passed, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported that a Kyrgyzstan search team rescued Samir Muhammed Accar, 49, and his wife Ragda, 40, from rubble of their apartment building.

Anadolu published photos on Twitter of former Pennsylvania Senate Candidate and Turkish-American TV Personality Mehmet Oz visiting Accar in the hospital after his rescue. According to Anadolu, Accar reportedly told Oz he survived the 296 hours trapped under the rubble by drinking his own urine.

Accar added that for the first few days he could hear his children’s voices, but after that could no longer.

Two of their childrens’ bodies were recovered from the rubble.

The couple’s 12-year-old son was rescued, but passed away in the hospital a few hours later.

In response to the earthquakes, companies and organizations in Erie are assisting where they can by sending money and resources to the impacted nations. “We have a huge office in Turkey in many different locations, including in the affected area,” said Yuriy Ostapyak, C.O.O. of Logistics Plus to Erie News Now.

All employees affected, according to Ostapyak, are safe. “We are just shipping the bare necessities from our European offices,” said Ostapyak. “We are also purchasing stuff in other parts of Turkey and Istanbul and other regions and then taking it directly to the affected areas. We’re also working on purchasing containers that are going to repurpose into homes. It’s terrible to see what has happened.”

Currently, Logistics Plus is holding a fundraiser for disaster relief efforts and have said they will match every cent donated (Turkey Relief Fund - Logistics Plus).

Other Erie based organizations are offering help for those displaced by the disaster. “We have some Syrian refugees that are coming here since all that erupted in Syria,” said Senada Alihodzic, Field Office Director for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants – Erie, to Erie News Now.

Greg Baker, Mercyhurst vice president for Mission, encouraged the university in an email to keep those affected in their prayers. The email also listed two charities, Yeryuzu Cocuklari and Catholic Relief Services as sources for folks to donate. He encouraged the university with a quote from Catherine McAuley, “The poor need help today, not next week.”

Another earthquake, this one 6.3 magnitude, struck the area on Monday, Feb. 20.

If you are interesting in supporting relief efforts, your support will be appreciated.

Hospitality Dining Series returns

By Bella Lee Staff writer

One of the most important and cultivating parts of a Hospitality Management student’s time at Mercyhurst is the Hospitality Dining Series.

For many seniors, this is a chance to showcase the skills that they have learned over the past four years and present them to the public.

The Dining Series kicks off on Feb. 23, where Kelly Lupton will present an Afternoon Tea-themed meal, which will also be served on March 30. Additionally, on March 2 and April 13, Patrick Rooney will present a meal titled “The Steaks Are High Here!”

JJ Valle-Smith will present a Florida Fiesta on March 16 and April 20, and Laura Kunz will pres-

ent Family Memories on March 23 and April 27.

The final culminating meal, presented by the Advanced Food and Baking classes, will be Star Warsthemed and served on May 4.

“The dining series to me is just showing what skills you have even if you’ve never done this before,” said Rooney, a senior Hospitality Management major.

“It’s so important because it’s not just for school credit; this is something you can do for your lifetime like cooking food on a regular basis.”

Since Hospitality Management covers a wide range of careers, from restaurants to hotel management, the Hospitality Dining Series is a great way to show off how these skills can be used in multiple sectors.

“The skills I’ve been learning through one of the courses teaches you what’s it like to work in the food service industry,” said Rooney.

“What I enjoy about this department is the people I meet and know that the department is here to help when you feel stuck. With the dining series, I just enjoy learning something that I never thought I had the skills for— cooking.”

The Dining Series is open to anyone that wants to explore different palettes. Each meal is served promptly at noon, with doors opening at 11:50 am, and pricing ranges between $11 and $15 per guest, depending on which meal you attend.

This is a great way to support the Hospitality Management Department, so mark your calendars if you are interested in attending any

one of these.

If you are currently an Undecided major, consider studying Hospitality Management.

This requires a positive attitude, great personable skills, and a desire to serve others.

Through the Hospitality Management program, you will have the opportunity to practice your customer service skills through activities such as this Dining Series.

Additionally, last semester the Hospitality Management students had the opportunity to serve the Mercyhurst Community in Grotto Commons by serving the food and walking around making sure that everyone was having a positive dining experience.

The program has great instructors who have real-world experience in the Hospitality industry,

such as Pete Zohos who has served people such as Billy Joel and Jennifer Lopez.

Students interested in this program can reach out to Zohos at his email, pzohos@mercyhurst. edu. Even if you just want to talk about what the program offers or what courses are offered, consider emailing him.

After all, the program is built on making sure people feel welcomed, so the professors love to practice this with their students!

Or, if you are not too interested in the program for you but want to support the students who are a part of such a popular program, then consider attending this dining series event to have some good food, good company, and the best hosts!

Rami al-Sayed/AFP/Getty

A man is photographed walking past some of the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. A building is seen falling apart.

Yahoo News

First responders and medical personnel are photographed sorting through the rubble.

Christian campaign crashes the Super Bowl

By Hailey Steidle Staff Writer

An astounding 113.06 million people tuned in this past Sunday for the Super Bowl LVII and the long-awaited commercials that come with it.

It is logical that with these numbers companies would fight over the commercial spots as a way for them to advertise.

There are the classic commercials that people see every year such as the Budweiser ads and then there are the new ones that seem to appear every year.

However, this year one of these new commercials took center stage as an ominous message came across the world’s screens.

The ads were part of the “He Gets Us” campaign that has been aiming to promote both Jesus and Christianity since they began launching ads nationally in 2022 as a part of a $100 million campaign.

These campaigns have shown a portrayal of Christianity in many forms; a few of these ads were showing a portrayal of an immigrant, a refugee, a radical and an activist for women’s rights.

The campaign ran two separate ads during their minute and a half of total commercial space. The first one aired after the first quarter ended and lasted for a total of 30 seconds.

It showed images and videos of children embracing and playing with each other and closed out with a message of “Jesus didn’t want us to act like adults.” The estimated cost of this one ad alone was roughly $7 million. The second ad aired during the fourth quarter and lasted for 60 seconds.

It showed another series of photographs, this time of people arguing and confronting one another.

At the end of the ad a message appeared on the screen that stated “Jesus Loved the People We Hate.”

The estimated final cost for the two commercials came out to be $20 million, which means that this second ad came in at a whopping $13 million.

The ads began to gain criticism shortly after the Super Bowl aired from both Christians and non-Christians as individuals

questioned the reasoning and effectiveness of these ads. Christians have openly criticized the campaign for being vague in their messaging and de-emphasizing biblical teachings and the holiness of Jesus.

Many other individuals are criticizing the campaign regarding the cost of the ads, the question of where else could this $20 million could have gone is rapidly circulating for many people.

Jason Vanderground, the spokesperson for the “He Gets Us” campaign spoke out about where the campaign is getting

their funding.

He shared that the “funding for the campaign comes from a diverse group of individuals and entities with a common goal of sharing Jesus’ story authentically.”

While most of the donors choose to remain anonymous, a few individuals and companies have openly shared their support such as David Green, the co-owner of Hobby Lobby, who has shared that he is a major contributor.

Many of the other donors have ties to conservative political aims

that seem to appear in a different perspective with the campaign’s inclusive messaging.

This campaign, despite some of the criticisms that Christians and Jews have been giving it, has been painting Jesus in a more socially aware light.

Many times, people are prejudiced against Christianity due to misconstrued ideas about the faith.

However, this campaign is painting Jesus to be someone who stands by the oppressed and who does not exclude anyone for any reason.

The campaign is bold because it is going against what a lot of people know about Jesus, who even if not believed in by some people, is a notable historical figure who has had an enormous impact on religion as we know it.

By showing his relevance to many social justice issues in a positive way, the ‘He Gets Us’ campaign is showing that their religion is still needed today to support those social justice movements rather than opposing them as many people see Christians doing.

Even if viewers do not believe in Christianity, it was an effective marketing strategy that got the campaign’s name out in a way that stood out against other commercials.

Consider looking up this campaign to see what all the hype is about.

The Washington Post

The ‘He Gets Us’ campaign has purchased several different ad placements across major cities’ buildings, as seen in the photo above.

An ad for the campaign is pictured above that shows an overall basis of what they are trying to accomplish, by identifying Jesus with certain groups that have been ostracized.

Merciad IN A MINUTE

Women’s Basketball wins Laker Showdown

Laker Showdown

took place on Thursday, February 16.

The football team is known for their winning streak at this annual event, but this year, the women’s basketball team took home the trophy.

The women’s basketball team based their performance on the hit Disney movie series, “Camp Rock.” They also brought on their coach, giving another winning factor.

Coming in second and third place was the wrestling team and the volleyball team.

New Campus Ministry Times

Although most times remain the same, there are a few time changes to keep in mind for this semester regarding campus ministry events. Catholic devotions have moved from Tuesday evenings to Thursday evenings at 5 p.m.

There is also a time change for masses on Sunday. The previous 7 p.m. mass time has been updated to 4 p.m.

Consider taking part in some of campus ministry’s weekly events! Stay updated by following @hurstcampusmin on Instagram.

Blind Date with a movie

Support the Hammermill Library’s fundraiser, ‘Blind Date with a Movie.’

Choose from over 150 mystery DVDs in genres such as action, comedy, documentary, fantasy, and drama—there’s something for everyone!

The cost is $2 for one DVD or $5 for three.

Meet your mystery movie on the main level of Hammermill Library, this week while supplies last. This is something different so consider stopping by the library and finding something for you to watch with your friends or by yourself!

Have a tip for Merciad in a Minute? Want to tell others about your club’s events?

Email us at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu

Senior award nominations now open

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Graduation is now a little less than three months away. For seniors, this is a time when they are beginning to wrap up their last set of classes and say goodbye to friends who still have a couple of years to go.

However, one exciting aspect of graduation is nominating our fellow peers for senior awards.

There are several awards that are offered for graduation at the associates, baccalaureate and graduate level.

They are all great honors to be bestowed upon graduating students.

The Carpe Diem award is the highest award that an undergraduate student can receive.

The student who wins this award also serves as the student speaker at graduation.

It is given in recognition of

intellectual competency, personal integrity and most importantly, leadership impact.

It is presented to the outstanding senior who has made the most positive impact on the life of the Mercyhurst community and who best exemplifies the university motto, “Carpe Diem” or “Seize the Day.”

Another award that is given to graduating seniors is the Sister Carolyn Herrmann Service Award, given to a student who has given selfless time, energy, loyalty and talent in the spirit of the award’s namesake.

The Bishop’s Award for Academic Excellence is presented to the senior that is considered to be the top scholar of their graduating class. Based on criteria such as GPA, program demands and if applicants have double majors or minors, the Registrar’s Office will present to the President’s Selection Committee the stu-

dents with the top five GPAs.

Then a winner of the award will be picked from there who will receive a cash award from the Catholic Diocese of Erie.

The Frank Barry Leadership Award, named for one of the first male student government presidents, is given to a traditional graduating senior who has exemplified superior student leadership and campus involvement during their time at Mercyhurst.

Those are the main overarching awards that are given to students at the baccalaureate level, but there are others given for honors students within each college and beyond.

This includes the Mother Borgia Egan Honors Award, which recognizes the model honors student who fully embodies the spirit of a liberal arts education, and the President’s Award for Excellence, given to student with

high GPA and the biggest contribution to each academic college.

Other awards given at graduation beyond the baccalaureate level include the McAuley Award for Excellence in the Academic Colleges, given to the top scholars for each associate degree level, the Sister Eustace Taylor Graduate Student Award in the Academic Colleges, given to the top scholars for each graduate degree level and the Catherine McAuley Adult Student Award, given to who is considered to be the most outstanding adult student in their graduating class.

If you are interested in nominating one of your peers for one of these awards, or are even interested in nominating yourself, the nomination form is available on the Student Hub right now!

This is a great way for students to be commended for all their hard work and dedication.

SoMar Dance Works - a great success

By Nadine Fox Staff Writer

SoMar Dance Works: “Slice of Life” performed on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall.

SoMar Dance Company’s Artistic Directors are Associate Dance Professor, Solveig Santillano and Assistant Professor Mark Santillano, at Mercyhurst University.

Solveig and Mark are greatly experienced and have both danced all over the world.

Their choreography is heavily influenced by their association with their former companies: Pilobolus Dance Theatre and Momix.

In 1999 SoMar Dance Works made their first premiere at the Missouri Fine Arts Academy and have performed at numerous universities and dance festivals as well as presenting multiple concerts for the community. SoMar has collaborated in partnership with different companies including Erie Dance Conservatory, Lake Erie Ballet and Dafmark Dance Theater.

The company includes eight dancers: Katie Bazala, Katie Bleu-Barley Matalski, Rebecca Jones, Katherine Kilbourn, Meggie Peterson, Madeleine Plourde, Sophie Satoh and Mia Semiearo.

The performance was a mixed repertoire concert including both live performances and different dance films featuring eleven different works created and choreographed by the Santillanos.

Mia Semiearo, a current Sophomore dance major and new company member said, “I watched SoMar perform last year during the Spring Concert and once I saw the performance, I knew I wanted to audition and be a part of the group.

It was all I expected and more, I was able to learn and explore new movement styles and became more comfortable with expression. There were lots of twists and turns full of fun and funky movement. Even though we are a small group, it was a powerful performance and something I hope people had a chance to attend.”

Madeleine Plourde and Katherine Kilbourn, both junior dance majors said, “There truly is something for everyone whether as an audience member or a dancer, you’ll never know what to expect.”

Katie Bleu, a senior dance major said, “Freshman year I remember wanting to be a part of SoMar. I was like a little kid with eyes glimmering watching all of the really unique, athletic, and fun things they did as a company.

That year I didn’t get in, but the next time I auditioned I was accepted into the company. That was so exciting for me and I am so glad to be a part of the SoMar experience for a second year.”

The rehearsal process for SoMar starts with experimenting with material, deciding what old pieces to bring back, and just getting to know one another through working together as a company. The Santillanos are amazing directors.

Bleu said, “They care so much about what they are doing and are always so passionate about the work they do. Although the whole dance department here at Mercyhurst is like a family, SoMar is a family within a family.

We are all so supportive of one another and love to dance with each other. For this specific performance SoMar pulled out a

huge mix of entertaining, beautiful and crazy fun pieces. You never knew what to expect next. We have been working hard to bring to the stage a show everyone will love.”

If you missed the performance this year, rest assured that this has been a returning program, so expect to see it in the future!

The dance program at Mercyhurst is one of the most popular programs and it has a great reputation, and this performance was a perfect exhibition of that.

The SoMar Dance Works was a dance concert that was portrayed as “full of life, any way you slice it.”

Mark Santillano

The 8 featured dancers are photographed above, all Mercyhurst dancers.

Lakers travel to border and abroad

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

During winter break, students had opportunities to study abroad in Spain and Portugal, in addition to traveling to the Mexican border in Texas.

Ally Burrington, a senior Psychology major with a Spanish minor, studied abroad in Spain and Portugal.

Burrington found out after their Psychology professor who co-led the trip mentioned it in class and helped Burrington sign up.

“I traveled abroad because it was the perfect opportunity to experience both Psychology and Spanish in one trip,” Burrington said. “I had always wanted to go abroad and it was amazing to have my first time be with a group of fairly experienced travelers.”

As part of the study abroad experience, Burrington had to take a class during the fall semester related to the trip. “The class we took, which was basically a Spanish sport psychology, was super interesting! We watched many documentaries on different Spanish sports, including surfing, bullfighting and soccer (football in Europe). We also did a few presentations which were super fun,” said Burrington.

Studying abroad provides students with new experiences and opportunities to learn as Burr-

ington experienced. “My experience in Spain and Portugal was fantastic! I learned so many new things, experienced culture that I had only read about, and even was adventurous with what I ate—the octopus was pretty crazy! Overall, it was the best thing I have ever done!” said Burrington.

There are some challenges when it comes to studying abroad as Burrington found out, such as not being able to drink tap water due to different filtration systems and ensuring that your credit/debit card works properly—“I had some crazy ATM fees in Portugal because I made the mistake of not researching enough,” Burrington said.

When asked if they would recommend studying abroad to other students, Burrington responded, “I would absolutely recommend traveling abroad! There are so many exciting new experiences that you will never get in normal classes, and even if you travel alone you may not get the same experiences of learning the in-depth culture of each place you visit.”

Allison Siegmann, a senior double majoring in Spanish and Intelligence Studies, and Sabrina Pizzarelli, a senior double majoring in Applied Sociology and Spanish, both traveled to Texas over winter break to visit the U.S.-Mexican border.

Both Siegmann and Pizzarelli both found out about the trip to

the border from Alice Edwards, Ph.D., head of the World Languages and Cultures Department. Seigmann and Pizzarelli had different reasons for traveling to the border.

“I decided to attend this trip because I wanted to learn more about the immigration process and the current immigration crisis that people are facing at the U.S.-Mexico border,” said Siegmann. “I was hoping to practice my Spanish (and I did!) with the community members in McAllen. I was also quite excited just to travel anywhere, especially somewhere new. I was curious but very nervous about what we would encounter at the border,” said Pizzarelli.

Prior to heading down to the border, attendees met several times to discuss expectations and hopes. Traveling to the border, provided attendees with new insight. Traveling to the border also offered students new experiences. “I’ve never experienced hospitality quite like I did on our trip. The women at ARISE, the organization that graciously ran the program for us, cooked for us daily and treated us like family. By the end of the week, I felt like I was sitting at the dinner table with a bunch of my tías y primos. I felt so welcomed there, and it really helped us become comfortable with asking questions and engaging,” said Pizzarelli.

When asked if they would recommend students travel to the border, both Siegmann and Pizzarelli said yes.

“If there is one thing I would like to share with others about my experience, it would be that migrants do not receive handouts from the government. They face extreme difficulties to find and maintain stability in their new lives in the United States, and it is important that they are given more assistance so that they can live and thrive here in the United States, after facing whatever diffi-

culty they may have escaped from their home country. I thought this was a very important takeaway from my experience that I think not everyone realizes and is very important for others to understand,” Siegmann said.

If anyone is interested in attending, the trip to the border is set to become an annual trip. Additionally, anyone interested in studying abroad can reach out to the Study Abroad Office with any questions.

LAKER MOMENT

MAC/SAC hosted the “Painting, Popcorn, and Pottery” event on Friday, Feb. 17, and it was a significant success! Everyone in attendance got creative with clay and paint. Some chose to make unique sculptures, small dishes, or abstract figurines. Others opted to paint a variety of creative scenes on canvas. Those who felt extra creative made both a pottery piece and a painting! Besides all the creative endeavors, there was also freshly popped popcorn with various toppings such as pretzels, chocolate, movie theatre butter and more. It was a great evening of painting, popcorn, and pottery.

Sarah Beck photo

Students enjoying painting, popcorn and pottery.

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst students and faculty traveled to Spain and Portugal this winter break with a university-led FSAT trip.

VP for Mission Greg Baker, Ph.D. traveled with nine students to the U.S.-Mexico border this past January.

RSCO FEATURE PUZZLE CLUB

CEC and Education students help out at Special Olympics

By Isabella Lee Staff writer

One of Mercyhurst’s core values is being Ambassadors of Service and we pride ourselves on reaching out to the community to assist in any way we can.

By Madeleine Plourde Staff writer

Last September, Nadia Stronkowsky and Jakquelyn Gauker founded Mercyhurst’s very first puzzle club. Stronkowsky and Gauker are both sophomore Dance with a love of puzzles. They wanted to share this interest with others in the Mercyhurst community.

“We created Puzzle Club last semester sort of spontaneously,” Stronkowsky said. “We thought it’d be fun for us and a lot of other people who enjoy puzzles.”

Stronkowsky and Gauker now serve as co-presidents of the club. As co-presidents, they hope to bring people together through a shared love of puzzles, Gauker said. Typically, Puzzle Club meets once a month on Sundays. However, the exact Sunday is subject to change based on the academic calendar. Puzzles are the focus of the club, but the meetings consist of a lot more than that.

“At our meetings, we do puzzles of course, eat snacks, watch movies, and just hang out for a couple hours,” Gauker said.

The club can also be a healthy way for students to enjoy themselves and take care of their mental health. “One of our main goals is to create a low-key and fun environment to distract from the stresses of being a student,” Stronkowsky said.

Around holiday seasons, the club likes to give their meetings a specific theme to make it more festive. They have hosted both a Halloween and a Valentine’s Day themed-meetings. Their Spooky Shenanigans meeting had everyone attending dress up for Halloween.

The club only started a few months ago but there are many plans on the horizon for its future. “We are currently working on having a puzzle trivia night that will have prizes for our next meeting in March,” Gauker said.

The co-presidents also intend to have friendly puzzle competitions and to do more community outreach to help their club grow, Stronkowsky said. The club also likes to focus beyond the community here on campus.

“In the next few months, our plan is to donate the puzzles that we have completed to local community programs,” said Stronkowsky. The club is open to all Mercyhurst students whether avid puzzle lovers or not.

“If you enjoy doing puzzles you should absolutely join but even if they aren’t your favorite, coming to a meeting is a great way to de-stress and just chill for a couple hours,” Gauker said.

But for those who love puzzles it is a great way to hang out with others and it’s fun to share a hobby with so many other people, Stronkowsky said. Best of all for busy college students, it’s easy and low stress to get involved.

“As a member, you can be as involved as you want and there really isn’t much commitment required to be a part of it,” she said.

Gabrielle Harris, a faithful member of the club loves the social aspect of Puzzle Club. “Puzzle Club is a great community as well as a good way to de-stress with friends at the end of the month,” she stated.

Those interested in getting involved can do so by contacting either Nadia Stronkowsky or Jakquelyn Gauker directly, in person or via email. Otherwise, you can join on Laker Launchpad on the Student Hub. This is a new club, so they are actively welcoming new members!

On Thursday, Feb. 9, members of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and Early Childhood/Special Education majors put these values into action by helping athletes in the Special Olympics.

“Special Olympics is an organization for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities to participate in sports and activities all around the world,” said Ava Gebhardt, senior Early Childhood/ Special Education major and President of CEC.

“This Special Olympics was a winter sports meet that had athletes competing in cross country skiing, snowshoeing, alpine skiing, snowboarding, and downhill skiing,” she said.

Taking place at Peek’n Peak Resort, the Special Olympics was a great way for athletes to showcase their talents.

“Volunteers held a number of roles at the event including keeping time, running the scores from each race inside so the prizes could be made up, etc,” said Brady Esham, sophomore Early

Childhood/Special Education major and Vice President of CEC.

“One of the main jobs Mercyhurst Education students was to buddy up with an athlete, these buddies stayed with their athlete all day and cheered them on at the Individual races as well as helped make sure they had everything which they needed,” Esham said.

The Special Olympics are not all that known in public, so events like this help to raise awareness.

“In terms of why It is important to know about Special Olympics, I would definitely say that for Education majors it is a great opportunity to support these athletes while also learning skills which benefit one’s success in the future class-

room,” said Esham.

Gebhardt agrees with this.

“It is important to know about Special Olympics because it is a wonderful organization that is helping individuals feel included and gives them a chance to compete in activities they enjoy,” she said. “Special Olympics does events all throughout the year to further fund and support these individuals.”

The Education Department does a lot to help future generations grow and succeed in their lives, so them being able to participate in something such as the Special Olympics is something that is extremely important and amazing of them to do.

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst students helping with snow activities at the Special Olympics.

Contributed photo CEC vice president, Brady Esham, helping a girl ski.

CLASS CATALOG: FILM APPRECIATION

By Vydalia Weatherly

Do you like watching movies? COM-160 Film Appreciation taught by Communication Department Chair Brian R. Sheridan, M.A, who has been teaching at Mercyhurst for approximately 18 years.

Film Appreciation focuses on the history of American film, which is an area of interest for Sheridan. While some students may want to study films from other countries, time constraints does create a hindrance. However, Sheridan says that the course discusses foreign films’ influence on American film. The course highlights American classics, including “Chaplin and Keaton,” “The Great Train Robbery,” “Bringing up Baby,” “Citizen Kane,” “The Graduate” and “Singing in the Rain.” At the end of the semester, Sheridan will pick a film “just for fun,” such as “Airplane.”

Topics covered in the course include the founding of film, the creation of silent film, the establishment of Hollywood, the golden age, the Red Scare, the production code, the impact of television, cable and VCRs.

The course provides students with the opportunity to watch American Classics, an opportunity students may have not been afforded in the past due to them being hard to find on streaming services, outside of HBO Max. All movies are watched during class time.

“Movies are a group activity. They’re made for big screens and for multiple people to have reaction to,” Sheridan explained to why movies are not watched outside of class time. Class discussion and test questions are based on the films watched in class.

“I try to approach the class from the perspective that you’re not learning to be a film maker, so that’s not the important part, it is kind of the media literacy part of you know a little bit about the history, you know a little bit about how things are produced, what changes have happened, so when you do watch a new movie you recognize or know where all of that came from, because it is a continual. There is a through line in history of show business or film business I should say,” said Sheridan.

Film Appreciation is typically taught every other year in the spring semester. This semester the course is being held during Mini B Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Anyone can take the course. However, this class is high in demand and fills up quickly. There is often a wait list, so if you want to take the course, you must be proactive in scheduling. “I wish I could accommodate more students” added Sheridan.

Students do not only find the class enjoyable, but so does Sheridan. One of Sheridan’s favorite parts of teaching the course are the students that enjoy silent movies.

“I love silent movies! Most people don’t want to watch them, because they don’t understand how to watch them. So, they are usually blown away by the quality and the sheer talent of these silent film makers,” said Sheridan.

Another favorite part of teaching the course is “the students who come back later and say I was talking to my grandfather and he remembers going to the movies to see the move we watched in class and I could talk to him about the movie because I saw it too. So, that’s always a good feeling,” added Sheridan. While the class is well received, Sheridan did admit that some students may struggle with the earlier movies, “but once we get into things that are in color and more contemporary, there’s more of a connection.”

For students who have taken Film Appreciation and enjoyed it, Sheridan recommends taking a media literacy course that is offered every few years in addition to COM-101: Communication in Society, which discusses the history of mass media.

Students should keep in mind that the Communication Department is not the only department to have film related courses. Students should also research courses such as the History and World Language Departments has to offer. Mercyhurst used to offer a film studies minor that incorporated different departments, but that minor is no longer available. Students with questions about the course, you can contact Brian Sheridan directly.

Kelli O’Hara to perform at the PAC

By Bella Lee Staff writer

As part of the spectacular Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC) Live series, Broadway superstar Kelli O’Hara is coming to Mercyhurst on Thursday, March 2. Originally slated to come to Mercyhurst last May, MIAC is more than thrilled to have her grace the stage this spring.

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of O’Hara’s first professional roles was in the U.S. National Tour of “Jekyll and Hyde.” Her other Broadway roles include “Follies,” “The Light in the Piazza,” “South Pacific,” “The Bridges of Madison County,” “The King and I” and “Kiss Me, Kate.”

O’Hara has been nominated for a Tony Award seven times, winning Best Actress in a Musical in 2015 for “The King and I” for her portrayal of Anna Leonowens.

Additionally, O’Hara has had a successful career in opera, performing in “The Merry Widow,” “Dido and Aeneas,” “Così fan tutte” and “The Hours.”

Besides the Tonys, she has also been nominated for a variety of Drama Desk Awards, Emmy Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards, Drama League Awards, Evening Standard Theatre Awards, and Laurence Olivier Awards, becoming an honoree for the Drama League Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre in 2019.

Outside of the stage, O’Hara has had an impressive career in film and TV.

Her movies credits include “The Dying Gaul,” “Sex and the City 2” and “All the Bright Places,” while some of her TV credits include “Blue Bloods” and “13 Reasons Why.”

O’Hara received an Emmy

nomination for her portrayal of Katie Bonner in Topic’s hit web series, “The Accidental Wolf,” and can currently be seen as Aurora Fane on HBO’s critically acclaimed series, “The Gilded Age.”

Her concerts have gained international acclaim, spanning from Carnegie Hall to Tokyo. She is a frequent performer on PBS’s live telecasts and The Kennedy Center Honors and performs often alongside The New York Philharmonic and The New York Pops.

O’Hara also has two solo albums released by Ghostlight Records called “Always,” and “Wonder in the World.”

O’Hara and her husband, Greg Naughton, have two children who have an amazing role model of a mother to look up to.

Students are able to attend this

show for free if they go to the Box Office between noon and 5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.

O’Hara is a giant in the Broadway world, so this is a performance you would not want to miss!

Tickets are free for Mercyhurst

Students with their student I.D.s. Tickets for non-students range from $40-$55 for adults, $35-$50 for seniors, $30-$45 got non-Mercyhurst students and $30-$45 for youth.

You will not want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see an amazing performer sing live right here on campus.

Be sure to grab your ticket before they sell out and check out the rest of the MIAC lineup for the rest of the Spring 2023 season!

photo

O’Hara winning a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical in 2015 for her performance in “The King and I.”

Staff writer

IMDb photo

O’Hara will perform at Mercyhurst on Thursday, March 2, in the PAC

Mercyhurst celebrated Black History Month

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

February is always seen as being a very important month in American culture and history. That is because it is Black History Month.

In a time where Black history and culture is still very much underappreciated and misunderstood, Black History Month allows for our community to become more educated.

Black History Month finds its origins in 1915, when Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded what is now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

In 1926, the group proposed a Black History Week in the second week of February, to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

In the late 1960s, thanks to the push of students at Kent State University, Black History Week expanded into Black History Month, and was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976.

Since 1976, each Black History Month has had a special theme. The theme for 2023 is “Black Resistance,” which explores how African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings since the beginnings of the United States.

In honor of Black History Month, Multicultural Student Services and Mercyhust Student Government spon -

FROM THE ARCHIVES

By Eva Philips Staff writer

sored a series of events and activities for all in the Mercyhurst community to partake in.

This began on Feb. 1, when Terrence Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, spoke in front of hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and community members about his brother’s life, the work he has done since his death and why young individuals should continue to speak out against police brutality and systemic racism.

This was followed by a Black Resistance Dialogue on Feb. 2, where the Black Students for Unity (BSU) hosted a debriefing conversation to discuss what Floyd had taught the audience and their takeaways.

Other events for Black History Month at Mercyhurst included a screening of the documentary film “13th” and a discussion on Feb. 14, a MAC/SAC event with comedian LeClerc Andre that

included decorating cookies and trivia, and a soul food festival coming up on Feb. 28, where students will have the opportunity to try out food from local restaurants in Erie.

Additionally, there are a selection of Black History Month events that occurreing off campus, including a fashion show at Penn State Behrend on March 25 and a “Black Ice Night” with the Erie Otters, presented by Erie’s Black Wall Street, on Feb. 28.

Mercyhurst always has great events for students to partake in for Black History Month, so these were all wonderful chances to get involved and learn more about why it is so important to learn about African American heritage.

Be sure to keep an eye out for what upcoming events are going on and/or follow BSU on social media to stay in the loop!

This week in Mercyhurst history takes us back to the 1950s, when February’s weather was far more wintry much to the delight of students. Around this time of year approximately seventy years ago, Mercyhurst’s all-female student body took part in the annual Winter Carnival festivities.

The event spanned an entire weekend, with activities that included a hayride, bonfire, a formal dinner, and plenty of dancing.

It was also an exciting opportunity for Mercyhurst women to socialize with potential male suitors, since at that time Mercyhurst had no male students. The weekend culminated with the crowning of a Winter Carnival queen and ended with a Sunday brunch and Mass service.

Sadly, Mercyhurst no longer holds a Winter Carnival, but for the years that it lasted, this tradition brought joy to campus and gave students something to look forward to during the long Erie winter.

BSU Instagram

Terrence Floyd addressing Mercyhurst students and the Erie community about racial inequality on Feb. 1.

CNET photo

The promotional image that was circulating promoting Black History Month.

Mercyhurst Archives photo

Students take a break from sledding to warm their hands up after trip with Old Dobbin.

Mercyhurst Archives photo

Students transporting a toboggan up the back hill of campus using a car so their legs do not get as tired.

Hurst Hot Take: ‘Picard’ spin off reminisces on past ‘Star Trek’ stories

By Eva Philips Staff writer

“Star Trek” may not be as famous these days as its rival franchise “Star Wars,” which has gotten increased attention since the success of shows like “The Mandalorian” took pop culture by storm.

But its recent spate of releases on Paramount+ has revamped the “Star Trek” franchise for the twenty-first century and offers something for everyone.

Most recently, the show “Picard” premiered the first episode of its third and final season.

You do not have to be a “Star Trek” fan to enjoy this series, which is packed with action, drama, humor and emotion as its characters travel the galaxy to prevent disasters of world-ending proportions.

The “Star Trek” franchise first appeared in the 1960s, becoming culturally iconic as it took viewers alongside Captain Kirk and Commander Spock to explore strange planets and alien civilizations, incorporating social commentary and political messages within its episodes.

Over the years, the world of “Star Trek” was expanded through television and movies that followed crew members of ships other than Kirk’s original Enterprise.

The most popular and influential of those spin off shows was “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which followed Captain Jean-Luc Picard, played by Sir Patrick Stewart, as he captained the Enterprise years after Kirk’s tenure.

Like Kirk, Picard became an iconic and beloved captain among audiences, and the range of fascinating characters—like android Data, Will Riker, and Geordi LaForge—were fan favorites.

As you might have guessed, the show “Picard” follows Captain Picard years after he retires from Starfleet, the intergalactic organization for space exploration and scientific discovery in the futuristic Federation of Planets, which Earth is a founding member.

It is set at the end of the 24th century, which is 18 years after the end of “Star Trek: Nemesis.”

In its first season, “Picard” brings the captain out of a peaceful retirement to dive into a conflict over the rights of synthetic humans, whose creation was previously outlawed after a group of synths attacked an outpost on Mars.

Picard’s advocacy for the right of these ‘synths’ had caused Starfleet to force him into retirement, and in the show’s first season, he picks up the cause once more and brings together famil-

iar characters and new faces to join the effort.

The second season is even more compelling. It brings back the classic “Star Trek” villain Q, who was Picard’s archenemy in “The Next Generation.”

Q is a chilling adversary whose motives seem a mystery when he first sends Picard and his companions to an alternate reality where a totalitarian government controls the galaxy.

To reverse this course of history, the group travels back to a fictionalized 2021, an exciting twist that provides sharp social commentary on our modern society.

Even moreso than season one, the second season brings back

elements of “Star Trek” history, like the Borg Collective and the character of Data, while adding new aspects to appeal to newer fans of the franchise, like a romance between “Star Trek: Voyager”’s Seven of Nine and her new crew mate Raffi. Season three will be the final installment for “Picard,” but from the promotional material released so far and the first episode, which premiered Feb. 16, it is shaping up to be the best yet. Bringing back fan-favorite characters from “The Next Generation” and setting up new villains and challenges for Picard and his crew promises an entertaining run for long-time “Star Trek” fans, those who have only recently discovered the fran-

chise, and those who are beginning with “Picard” itself.

New episodes come out on Thursdays on Paramount+. You will not want to miss it!

The first two seasons only have 10 episodes each that are between 45 minutes to an hour long.

And there are only two episodes out of the latest season, so there is plenty of time to catch up on what you missed.

The show has a wonderful cast including Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Jeri Ryan, Orla Brady, Michelle Hurd, Jonathan Frakes and many other talented individuals who do a fantastic job bringing this show to life.

The show has a budget of

$8-9 million dollars per episode of this latest spin off and they make each episode worth it to the devoted fans of the cinematic master piece.

The series has been highly successful with the “Original Series,” “The Animated Series,” “The Next Generation,” “Deep Space Nine,” “Voyager,” “Enterprise” and “Discovery.”

The Star Trek canon consists of the original series, seven spinoff television series, three animated series and 13 films.

If you have not given this franchise a try, it is highly recommended because there is a lot of content and you will likely fall in love with the characters.

TV Insider photo

The cover poster of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

TV Insider photo

The cover poster of “Star Trek: Picard.” Picard is pictured in the front center.

Controversy at the 2023 Brit Awards

Following a quick turnaround from the Grammy’s, the 43rd Brit Awards took place in London.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) presented the ceremony, which was held on Saturday, Feb. 11, to recognize the best in British and international music.

This year’s Brit Awards drew the biggest audience in three years, with 3.9 million viewers watching the show.

The show was televised on ITV and was reported to have had a million more viewers than last year’s ceremony.

This year the show was held on a weekend for the first time, with a positive turnout.

The show even had a 53% audience share of 16-34-year-

olds almost doubled since the prior year. This is a tremendous accomplishment for the U.K.’s biggest award show, as it has begun to found traction.

Harry Styles, Stormzy and Sam Smith & Kim Petras were among the group of artists who featured live performances.

Ahead of the awards, Harry Styles and Wet Leg were the most-nominated artists, with four each.

To nobody’s surprise, Styles emerged as the night’s big winner, winning in all four categories he was nominated for, with Wet Leg and Beyoncé also winning multiple awards.

The winners were decided via public vote for the genres, music professionals for the rising star award, and the British Committee for the remaining honorary.

The most significant men -

tion of the night was for British Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Artist of the Year, which all went to Harry Styles. Styles also took home Best Pop Act of the Year. Styles’ triumph continued throughout the night as he performed the song of the year, “As It Was.”

After the show, Styles commented, “I feel so lucky to go around the world and play music, representing Britain, and to come back and have tonight be so special feels nice. I will remember these times for the rest of my life, so thank you so much!”

Styles even took to the stage to dedicate his award victory to all the female artists who had not been nominated.

There has been controversy over the lack of female artists, as none were nominated for Artist of the Year.

Unfortunately, many high-profile female artists have not had significant releases recently. Other winners of the night included Wet Leg, who won Group of the Year and New Artist.

Becky Hill won best Dance Act and Beyoncé won International Artist, which is significant in her recent return to the music industry.

Artist Flo won the Rising Star award, which is a great honor for incoming singers.

Styles was not the only show-stopping performer as Wet Leg took the stage with “Chaise Lounge,” Lewis Capaldi sang “Forever Me,” followed by Lizzo and Sam Smith.

However, more controversy was sparked from a certain performance. After the show, the Office of Communications received hundreds of complaints,

specifically about Kim Petras and Sam Smith. The duo received complaints related to Smith’s performance of “Unholy.”

It is not exactly clear what sparked the mass of complaints, but Smith used offensive language during the ceremony, and there was excessive alcohol consumed at the event, which makes sense due to the vast amount of younger fans watching.

Despite criticism, Smith and Petras recently won the Grammy Award for pop duo/group performance, making Petras the first transgender woman to win an award in that category.

Fans around the world mourn the death of TV legend Richard Belzer

By Francesca Divincenzo A&E editor

On Sunday, Feb. 19, the world lost a vital part of the “Law & Order: Special Crimes Unit” cast—Mr. Richard Belzer also known to fans as Detective Munch.

Belzer did not get his start working on “Law & Order;” he actually got his start way earlier.

According to sources, “In 1971, Mr. Belzer answered an ad in ‘The Village Voice for auditions for a sketch show, and soon enough he found himself performing stand-up.”

That sketch show turned out to be “Saturday Night Live,” where he was the opener for the comedy sketches.

His career took off when he started appearing in episodes of the show “Homicide” as Detective Munch.

According to sources, “Mr. Belzer was often described as the actor with the longest run playing the same character on television, as well as the actor who had played the same character on the largest number of different shows” many of the cast members from “Law & Order” have spoken about the loss of their fellow cast member.

According to “Law & Order: Special Crimes Unit” counterpart, Mariska Hargitay speaks highly of Belzer saying, “I will miss you, your unique light, and your singular take on this strange world. I feel blessed to have known you and adored you and worked with you, side by side, for so many years. How lucky the angels are to have you. I can hear them laughing already. I love you so very much, now and forever.”

According to sources, “Prolif-

ic TV producer Dick Wolf, who created “SVU,” remembered Belzer as a ‘consummate professional’ who “brought humor and joy into all our lives.”

Not only the cast of “Law & Order” are mourning the loss of their beloved cast mate, Billy Crystal tweeted of Belzer calling him, “simply hilarious,” “A genius at handling a crowd. So sad he’s passed away.”

Richard Belzer was born Aug. 4, 1944, in Bridgeport Connecticut.

His father Charles Belzer was a candy and tobacco distributor while his mother Frances was a homemaker.

Belzer grew up in a housing project in the city.

Belzer died from circulatory and respiratory issues at his home in France, he was 79 years old. Belzer will be missed by his family, his two step daughters

and his wife of 38 years, Harlee McBride. Richard Belzer had been on

“Law & Order” for 17 years.

Megan McKay

Staff writer

Photo of Richard Belzer at The Paley Center for Media in NYC.

Huff Post UK photo

The stars were out on the Red Carpet at this year’s Brit Awards. Lizzo, Maya Jama, Harry Styles, Sam Smith and AJ Odudu (from left to right).

The ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ mid-season premier is on Thursday!

Franklin Jonas: no longer just the “bonus Jonas”

By Samantha Weber Editor in chief

Perhaps you have heard of the Jonas Brothers, but did you know there are actually four of them and not just three?

Franklin Jonas, the youngest of the four, has recently announced that he will be rebranding, and releasing music too.

The death toll from the earthquake in Turkey is still climbing.

GOOD BAD HOPEFUL

There might be a new breakthrough in the Madeleine McCann case.

The Merciad

STUDENT EDITORS

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110.

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

Earlier this month, he released his debut single, “Cocaine,” along with his very first music video.

Jonas stated that writing and releasing this song is the most vulnerable thing he has ever done. I can appreciate people being real and vulnerable when releasing songs that get personal, but this one was not my favorite.

It had a nice rhythm to it and pretty instrumentals in the background; however, the type of music was not for me.

It was very slow and sounded almost nostalgic, like it should have been released decades ago. I definitely think that type of music is cool, it is just not my

thing.

Franklin Jonas, sometimes known as the ‘bonus Jonas,’ or the ‘forgotten Jonas,’ has attempted to shake those labels with the release of “Cocaine.”

Now that he is writing and releasing music of his own, he is hoping to jump out of the shadows of his older brothers and become more of his own person.

I am sure people will want to compare his music to that of his older brothers though, who have almost two decades of music experience on him, so that really would not be fair.

Fans online have been loving Franklin Jonas for years as he has been making TikToks for a while now.

Some have called him the “slayest of them all” and are wholeheartedly ready to support him in his music career.

While I am biased, I do think being a part of Gen Z automatically makes him cooler, so that could also be a reason young people on TikTok love him too.

Personally, I love his outfits and aesthetic, which is why I was really excited for the release of his song because I thought it would

be really cool.

Looking back, it does make sense for “Cocaine” to sound the way it does because it totally fits with his vibe; smooth and aesthetic, just like him.

While I commend Jonas for being so open and vulnerable, especially with this being his first song released, I prefer the older Jonas Brothers better.

Their music is upbeat and energetic, and really fun to sing along to.

It is nostalgic for me to listen to their music too because I remember it from when I was little, and I get to enjoy their new music as they release it currently.

The next album by the Jonas Brothers will be released on May 5, and I am really excited to listen to it.

I think it is a good thing that Franklin Jonas’ sound is so different from his older brothers because it will help keep them separate, without being compared too much.

I am looking forward to watching Franklin Jonas’ music career take off, I know he has good things coming in the future.

Sam Smith releases “Gloria,” a testament to self discovery

By Christina Judy Staff writer

After the release of “Unholy” (featuring Kim Petras) stole the No. 2 position on the Billboard Hot 100, fans knew they would be excited for English singer and songwriter Sam Smith’s newest album release, “Gloria.” The enchanting album dropped on Jan. 27, with remarks from Smith. He stated that “‘Gloria’ got me through some dark times and was a beacon for me in my life. I hope it can be that for you.”

‘Gloria’ is their fourth album and consists of 13 tracks with special artists coming on to feature for a few songs including, Ed Sheeran, Koffee, Calvin Harris and Jessie Reyez. Smith’s albums have been a testament to their journey into self-discovery and the search for authentic love.

“The Lonely Hour” (2014) was an album that gave witness to their experience of unrequited love.

“Love Goes” (2020) sought to explore more profoundly their relational feelings but

had trouble fully expressing the depth of their experiences, feelings, and ambitions for their audience.

“Gloria” came in as a full and open rendition of Smith’s genuine self and explained their self-discovery journey in a beautiful way.

The order of songs on his track list are brilliantly arranged. Beginning the album with “Love Me More,” it is a beautiful summary of the challenging road taken to attaining self-love and self-acceptance regardless of the judgments stemming from their external environment.

The first interlude that Smith put in their album, “Hurting Interlude,” was a tearjerker retrieved from a news interview from the 1970 New York Gay Pride march.

The interviewee expressed his sorrow and pain of losing love but not being able to turn to his family to be comforted because his kind of love was widely unaccepted.

Directly following that interlude was Smith’s “Lose You,” which is an ballad to holding onto a failing relationship because of the fear of the agony that would result from the ending of that relationship.

This duo gave a hopeful lifeline to those who have had

a hard time sharing a love that is unaccepted and unrecognized by others.

Although most of Smith’s songs within “Gloria” have an up-beat rhythm and feel to them, there are a handful that revisit the old-style Sam Smith vocalization that we are all familiar with.

“How To Cry” is built from a strumming guitar and Smith’s powerful voice, a truly organic combination.

Their voice is filled with emotion as they tell the story of two clashing personalities going through a relationship.

This song is a soul-wrenching sing-a-long that fits one of the themes of “Gloria,” which is complexity.

This is an overarching theme that runs through every song on this album, but is captured perfectly in the last song, “Who We Love” (featuring Ed Sheeran). This is the perfect ending to Smith’s delightfully genuine piece of art because it carries a message of freedom throughout the chorus.

Now, I will not give away the lyrics because it is a song worth listening to for yourself.

However, the purpose is to encourage listeners to become their truest selves by following their hearts.

Goodbye to Meredith Grey after 19 seasons

By Megan McKay Staff writer

“Grey’s Anatomy” could finally be coming to an end with Season 20.

The decision to end a longrunning series can be a difficult one, especially for one as popular as the medical drama, and needs to be a carefullyweighed choice that considers the characters and the show’s narrative potential.

In the case of “Grey’s Anatomy”—given just how much change the show has experienced since its start—in a way it has already become a fully new story that needs to conclude.

The news of a possible conclusion to the show comes after the star actor Ellen Pompeo announced that she will be leaving midway through Season 19 and will only return for the season finale.

Season 20 has not been announced, but it is likely that it will, giving the show a proper conclusion.

Ellen Pompeo, who is currently 53, has played the same role of Dr. Meredith Grey for 19 years. To be expected, playing the same character for almost two decades can be quite tiring.

Pompeo and show creator Shonda Rhimes stated that they expected the show to end when the actress departed.

For the narrative it would make proper sense that the main actress and the show both go out together.

The show is in fact named after Pompeo’s character and that she has largely been the main point of view character. If the show were to continue with Pompeo it would feel as if there was a narrative dissonance.

I believe it is best for the show to end with Pompeo especially to mark a tribute to her tenure and exceptional acting.

Since “Grey’s Anatomy” first premiered, it has become the longest-running scripted primetime show and the longest-scripted primetime series carried by ABC.

In the trailer for the midseason premiere of “Grey’s Anatomy,” Meredith Grey seems wistful.

“This is where I learned to be a doctor. This is the place where I found my family. The place where I fell in love,” the surgeon says.

She goes on to say, “Sometimes change is good. Sometimes change is everything.”

Speaking straight from the character change seems like the best decision for the long running show which has recently lost many loyal fans since the departure of many

HURST STUDENTS SPEAK UP

original characters.

In a post, Pompeo stated, “I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have all shown me, Meredith GREY and the show for 19 seasons!” Pompeo wrote via Instagram at the time, “Through it all … none of it … would have been possible without the best fans in the world. You all are RIDERS and you all have made the ride so fun and ICONIC!!”

She continued: “I love you madly and appreciate you right back. This isn’t your first time on the rollercoaster… you know the show must go on and I’ll definitely be back to visit.”

In conclusion, “Grey’s Anatomy” has revolved around Pompeo.

The show has slowed down significantly and has struggled to find consistently enjoyable content.

Many viewers are happy with the beginning seasons of the show and I think that has been the bread and butter for the fandom.

I believe there is no more that needs to be accomplished with the series besides a proper goodbye for the historically loyal and exceptional acting done by Pompeo.

Keep an eye out for an announcement regarding a potential upcoming final season of the iconic show “Grey’s Anatomy.”

We asked: What was your favorite Disney movie or TV show?

Maiya Harding, senior Criminal Justice major: “My favorite Disney movie growing up was either ‘Beauty and the Beast’ or ‘Mulan’.”

Jackson Fieock, junior Intelligence major: “My favorite Disney movie was ‘Up.’”

Bethany Jentz, junior Intelligence major: “My favorite Disney show growing up was ‘Good Luck Charlie’.”

Lilly English, junior Criminal Justice major: “My favorite Disney show was the ‘Suite Life of Zach and Cody.’”

‘Dance Moms’ ALDC closes its doors for good

By Mackenzie Zent Opinion editor

As an avid “Dance Moms” fan, I was disappointed to hear the news about the Abby Lee Dance Company (ALDC) building in Pittsburgh being sold.

Owner Abby Lee Miller started the company in 1980, and has been teaching successful dancers ever since.

Her studio quickly became popular because her elite competition team was the stars of the show “Dance Moms.”

People loved not only the drama between the moms and Miller, but also fell in love with the girls on the team.

Full of talent, these young girls competed a group dance and sometimes solos or duets every single weekend of the dance competition season.

Each week viewers would watch to see which girl made it to the top of the pyramid, a ranking system Miller came up with to keep her dancers on their toes.

The show was funny, entertaining and watching the girls perform was always magical at the end of each episode. They really knew how to keep viewers coming back for more.

Years after the show ended, Miller announced that the studio would be closing, and the building has been bought by someone else.

I was sad to hear about this because I have always wanted to go to the ALDC to see it in person. Even though they did not let people into the actual dance studio, there was a gift shop fans were allowed into and I think it would have been cool to go there.

I do have a sweatshirt from the ALDC though. My dad went to Pittsburgh a few summers

ago and I asked him to stop by the ALDC to get a picture for me and he brought me back a sweatshirt too.

However, I was hoping I would get to see the studio in person one day.

They recently auctioned off a lot of props and random things around the studio fans of the show would recognize.

People had a chance at getting the infamous chair that Miller threw towards Paige Hyland, or the bench that Jill Vertes bought to bribe Miller during the show.

The only thing that comes to mind that I would want from the studio is Chloe Lukasiak’s hat that fell off during the Pink Lemonade dance, but they did not have that on the website.

The ALDC building being sold marks the end of an era for the hundreds of dancers who were taught there and fans of “Dance Moms.”

Miller made a statement saying that the building was bought by a daycare, and that she was happy about this because of her passion for teaching and helping kids learn

and grow.

She said that the building will be filled with kids laughing and playing, which is a perfect way to pass down her iconic building.

Abby Lee Miller’s phrase has always been “everyone’s replaceable,” and I guess what comes around goes around because it has finally caught up to her as well.

As the building gets replaced by a new daycare, the memories of the dance studio will live on in memories.

Compiled by Hailey Steidle

A weekend for the NHL: playing like all-stars

By Megan McKay Staff writer

The NHL All-Star Weekend has officially come to a close after an exciting weekend of competitions and fun.

The NHL All-Star Weekend is an exhibition tournament that occurs every year.

The NHL brings together the top players in their league from every team and division in order to promote each individual’s talents and grow the sport as a whole.

The weekend is made up of various competitions on the ice and recently in this year, there were events off the ice.

This year’s All-Star Weekend was held in Sunrise, Florida, which is home to the Florida Panthers.

It is held during the regular season so many players could not resist a vacation down into the sun.

In 2003 the Panthers last held the All-Star Weekend and were supposed to host it back in 2021, but it was not held due to the pandemic. On Feb. 3 the All-Star Weekend kicked off with the Skills Competition.

Fans were most excited for the skills portion of the weekend because they have the chance to cheer on their team’s players.

Every year the fastest skater competition is held and this year Andrei Svechnikov from the Carolina Hurricanes took

home the win with a time of 13.699 seconds.

The record in the competition was set by Detroit Red Wing forward Dylan Larkin, his time was 13.172.

The next competition was the hardest shot, which is another fan favorite as fans jaws drop at the sheer strength of many of the league’s best.

Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks surprisingly won the competition with a shot of 103.2mph.

It is not very often a forward, especially a smaller guy like Pettersson, beats out a big defenseman outright.

The current record for the hardest shot is held by AHL star and former St. Louis Blue, Martin Frk who set the record of 109.2 in the 2020 AHL Skills Competition. The Hardest Shot was then followed by the Breakaway Challenge.

The challenge allows players the chance to show off their creativity in shootout style.

The winners were Sydney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and his son Sergei.

Sergei was the star of the show as he was out on the ice with his dad through the event showing off his skills at just four years old.

The Captains Crosby and Ovechkin along with Sergei got some of the biggest roars as Ser -

gei put the puck behind goalie legend Roberto Luongo during the challenge.

The on ice skills competition then ended with the Accuracy Shooting Competition. The goal of the event is to hit down four targets placed in each corner of the net as fast as possible.

The winner was New York Islander Brock Nelson with a time of 12.419 seconds.

Many stars have gone 4/4 in the competition, but the record is held by former Vancouver Canuck Daniel Sedin who had an incredible time of 7.3 seconds.

There was no other way to cap off the Skills series of the week -

end than with competitions off the ice in sunny Florida.

Splash Shot and Pitch ‘n Puck were the two events that were held outside.

Splash Shot took place on Fort Lauderdale’s beach and featured players shooting pucks at giant surfboards until they hit the last target which would send their opponent into the dunk tank.

The winners of the special Florida edition challenge were Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche.

Finally, the Pitch ‘n Puck took place at Plantation Reserve Golf Course where the event had

players on a par 4 attempting to sink a putt with hockey sticks.

Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Candaiens won with a birdie.

The Skills Competition was more than just fun and games as each winner went home with $30,000.

The money does not stop there however, as the winners of the All-Star Game split a cash prize of $1 million dollars.

This is a nice break from the regular stress of a season and it is always enjoyable to see the players having fun while still competing against some of their rivals in a more casual setting.

MLB rule changes: what to expect this season

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

Three new changes are coming to the Major League Baseball world during the 2023 season.

The changes were originally submitted to the Joint Competition Committee last year after they were tested in the Minor League for a season.

The Joint Competition Committee, which is a voting body that is made up of four active MLB players, six members that have been appointed by the MLB and finally one umpire, was created as a part of the 2022-26 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The committee then voted in favor of implementing the changes that were aimed at improving the pace of the game, action, as well as safety on the Major League level.

The first and most noticeable of the rule changes will be the pitch timer which was made in an effort to create a faster pace of game. The pitch timer is a 30-second timer between the batters, a 15-second timer between each pitch when the bases are empty and finally a 20-sec-

ond timer between each pitch when the runners are on the base.

The rule was broken down into further section which include pitchers being limited to two disengagements per appearance on plates, when a runner is on base the timer will reset if the pitcher attempts a pickoff or steps off the rubber and if a third

pickoff attempt is made and not successful then the runner will automatically advance.

Along with these the pitcher must also start his motion to deliver before the pitch time runs out, if they violate this, they will be charged with an automatic ball.

The second of these rule changes is a defensive shift lim-

it, which was made in hopes of increasing the batting average on the balls in play and create a traditional outcome on batted balls. For this rule change the defensive team must have at least four players on the infield and at least two infielders on either side of second base. The infielders are not allowed to switch sides and prohibits four-outfielder align-

ments. If the infielders are not properly aligned when the pitch is made then the offense can choose either an automatic or the plays result. This rule, however, does not stop a team from positioning an outfielder in the infield or in the outfield’s shallow grass in specific situations.

The third and final rule change for this upcoming Major League Baseball season is the size of the bases.

The traditional baseball base is 15 square inches. However, with the rule change they will all be growing to a new size of 18 square inches, leaving home plate unchanged.

This rule was changed in an effort to give players more space to operate on the plates and to avoid collisions during plays. The rule change is the most important at first base, which is where fielders will now have an additional 3-inches to stay away from the potential harm of baserunner when receiving throws.

In the end, it will encourage more stolen base attempts and reduce the space between first, second and third base by 4 ½ inches.

The logo for the 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend, held in Sunrise, Florida.

MLB annouces changes to rules entering 2023 baseball season

Hurst Softball: Laker Ladies Compete in Cactus Classic in Arizona

By Christina Judy Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Lakers softball team opened their 2023 season on the road as they traveled to Tucson, Arizona to play in the DII Cactus Classic, the first of the series of six games was a double header.

The Lakers played on Thursday Feb. 16 at noon and 2:00 p.m. against Franklin Pierce University. The Lakers fell to the Ravens by one run in both games.

The first game was an adjustment period for the Lakers as they were still getting a feel for their sun-filled environment. In the opening three innings of the first game, Mercyhurst struggled to get on base and the Ravens capitalized putting 2 more runs on the scoreboard.

Senior Brianne Egelston and graduate student Cheyenne Hindman put in the work in the fourth inning as their bats tied the score at 2-2. The Lakers began gaining momentum in the fifth inning as Egelston scored again, this time senior Madison Fry joined her and put a run on the board for the Lakers as well, this advanced Mer -

cyhurst to a 4-2 lead. However, Franklin Pierce fought back in the bottom of the frame as they scored four runs to put them ahead.

The game resulted in an 8-7 victory for the Ravens. Although Mercyhurst made a solid effort to reclaim the lead as they scored three runs in the seventh.

The Lakers had another chance to take on the Ravens in that same day just a few hours later. There was a similar playout in the second game as Franklin Pierce took on an early 4-0 lead in the opening four innings. However, the Lakers regrouped and changed the trajectory of the game in the sixth as Hindman, Egelston, Fry and senior Allison Dejidas hit well and made their way around the diamond to even the score at 4-4.

Despite their efforts the Lakers fell short to the Ravens in the end as Franklin Pierce scored once more to finish the second game with a 5-4 score. Player highlights include Hindman having three base hits and a pair of singles in one game. Additionally, she had a double in game two and walked once in

each game. In the first game Fry had a trio of hits and a base on balls in game two to close the day. Anna O’Geen had multiple hits throughout the day that gave her a pair of singles in game two. Even though the Lakers did not have the start to their season as they would have imagined, they did not get discouraged. Instead they

came back the next day with a mission to win and that is just what they did. They beat Simon Fraser University (B.C.) with a score of 4-3. They persisted and notched their second win later that day over Georgian Court University with a score of 8-6. The conclusion of their appearance in the DII Cactus Classic is a faceoff between Western Ore -

NFL Awards: Mahomes Snags League MVP

By Bella Lee Staff writer

The Super Bowl has come and gone, which means the NFL season is officially over. In a thriller of a game, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35, causing fans on both sides to feel a wide range of emotions. While we now have to wait until September for the regular season to start up again, we can at least revel at the awards that were given out this year.

The NFL MVP, who also turned out to be the Super Bowl MVP, was Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. This shattered a long-lasting drought, where the NFL MVP had not also won the Super Bowl since 1999, when that year’s MVP, Kurt Warner, went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV with the then-St. Louis Rams. Additionally, this snapped an eight-year streak where the winner of the coin toss at the beginning of the Super Bowl ultimately lost the game.

Offensive Player of the Year was given to Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who led the league in receptions (128), yards (1,809), and first downs (80) while scoring eight touchdowns, with his receiving yards record being the sixth most in a single NFL season. Defensive Player of the Year went to San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, who previously won Defensive Rookie of the Year

and led the NFL this year in sacks, with 18.5 in 16 games.

Coach of the Year went to New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who helped take the Giants all the way to the Divisional Round in the playoffs when they had not previously seen a playoff run since 2016. Assistant Coach of the Year went to 49ers Defensive Coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who assisted the 49ers into ranking number one in points and yards on defense for the first time ever.

Comeback Player of the Year went to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, where it all finally clicked, Geno spent 4 years with the New York Jets, 1 with

the New York Giants, and 1 with the Los Angeles Chargers before his 2 years behind Russell Wilson with the Seahawks. Following Wilson’s trade to the Denver Broncos, Smith went on to put together a season that saw him lead the NFL in completion percentage (69.8), fourth in touchdown passes (30), and fifth in passer rating (100.9), earning his first Pro Bowl selection in his 10-year career. Additionally, Smith’s league-leading completion percentage also set a franchise record, as did his 399 completions, 572 attempts, and 4,282 passing yards.

Offensive Rookie of the Year was awarded to New York Jets wide

receiver Garrett Wilson, who was the 10th overall pick in this past year’s NFL draft and had 83 receptions for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games played. Defensive Rookie of the Year was awarded to Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who was the 4th overall pick in the draft and put up 40 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, three interceptions, and four pass deflections. Dak Prescott won Walter Payton Man of the Year, who has been open about mental health causes and ways to raise awareness for them.

The official 2023-2024 NFL season starts on Sept. 8. We cannot wait to see what happens then!

gon University and the University of Minnesota Crookston. After that, the Lakers look forward to competing on the road as they will play in North Carolina for their next couple of games. In addition to traveling to play in a tournament, two members of the softball team were names Atheltes of the Week by PSAC!

Wednesday Feb 22, Greensburg PA, 5:30 p.m. Women’s Basketball vs. Seton Hill

Friday, Feb 24, Erie , 7:05 p.m. Men’s Hockey vs. Niagara University

Saturday, Feb 25, Erie, 12 p.m. Women’s Lacrosse vs. Walsh University

The Highest Honor: Patrick Mahomes Posing with His League MVP Trophy.

Outfielder Allison Dejidas and Pitcher Mikaela Schramski Earn Athletes of the Week.

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SALOME’S STARS #12345_20230220

FOR RELEASE FEB. 20, 2023

EDITORS: These horoscopes are for use the week of Feb. 27, 2023.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

Sometimes a setback gives you a chance to get a sharper perspective on the situation at hand. Your cheerful nature will help you override this temporary disappointment. What you learn from this pays off soon.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Be careful not to charge into something you don’t fully understand. Being asked to act on trust might be all right, as long as you can trust the one who asks.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A chance for romance beckons from someone you thought was far out of reach. But Cupid can always come up with a shortcut. How you respond to the situation determines how the relationship develops.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A career move seems more likely now than when you first considered it. Some of your plans will need readjusting as new facts emerge. Be careful that you don’t allow jealousy to create an unnecessary obstacle.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your love for beautiful things is part of what makes you the fine feline you are. But a little caution is advisable for a while. Resist the urge to splurge until your money signs look a little better.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A co-worker could be trying to undermine you. Resist the temptation to retaliate. Instead, keep careful records of what you do so that you’ll be ready to present a strong position when the time comes.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Family problems have been sim-

mering for a while and could soon boil over. Avoid taking sides. There are many facts you don’t know yet. Meanwhile, a business decision proves to be more complicated than you expected.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Cupid’s arrow can pierce hearts, but it can’t open tight lips. Only you can do that. That special someone you’ve been silently pining for all this time would love to hear you express those feelings.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Well-meaning friends might try to persuade you to give up on that project that seems to have hit a dead end. Someone will take notice, and your persistence will pay off.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s one thing to make a difficult decision, but you also have to stick with it, despite any pressures to get you to change your mind. You need to reassure someone you care for that you can keep your commitments.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) This is a good time for you to remember to be good to yourself. A trip to a place that was once very special in your life reawakens many precious memories, and soon leads to making new ones.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) An old health problem flares up and needs attention. Also, a chilly reaction from a once-warm friend needs to be confronted. Set the record straight before it’s too late to save the friendship.

BORN THIS WEEK: You enjoy helping others. You have a taste for life’s luxuries and will take risks to get what you want. In matters of amour, you love deeply, and you expect your amorous intensity to be returned in kind.

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