The Merciad February 24 Issue

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

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News ................2-5 Features...........6-9 A&E ............. 10-11 Opinion........ 12-13 Sports ......... 14-15 Laker Living.......16

WEDNE SDAY, FEBRUARY 24 , 2021

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VOL. 94 NO. 12

To reduce the spread of germs, please take this copy with you or recycle after reading.

Laker basketball winning weekend PAGE 15

Online poll results

We asked: What is your favorite streaming site?

Photo Credits: Ed Mailliard

Netflix

3: MU Dance Team takes the court to perform virtual halftime shows

6: MU celebrates Ash Wednesday with various COVID-friendly ceremonies 10: A Broadway family legacy at MU

Hulu

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Amazon Prime

This week’s

POLL

Where is your favorite place to get coffee?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

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Wednesday, February 24, 2021

MAC/SAC celebrates Mardi Gras with Carnaval activities

By Madeleine Plourde

“My personal [opinion] on this event is it is a fantastic idea and I am very excited to be planning this for the students here at Mercyhurst,” said Maynard. “Regardless of the current extra precaution stage we are in, Darby and I have done our best so that we can make this a fun, diverse and safe event for everyone to be able to participate in, either in person or from peoples’ homes or dorms.”

With so much of the world online now, multiple attendees remarked that they appreciated being able to go somewhere and see people in real life during the

Contributing writer

A week rarely goes by at Mercyhurst without something going on around campus and, in a large part, this is thanks to the Multicultural Activities Council and Student Activities Council, better known as MAC/SAC. On Feb. 20, students participated in the Carnaval event. Always eager to find new ways to get people involved around campus, MAC/SAC programmers, Eden Maynard and Darby Shafron worked together to plan this event.

Maynard says it was inspired by Mardi Gras which happened on Feb. 16, as well as by the movie “Rio.” In the movie there is a holiday similar to Mardi Gras.

“It’s a very colorful and exciting holiday with a lot of street food, singing, dancing and other traditional events,” Maynard said.

Seeking to combine these ideas with Mardi Gras and “Rio,” the event kicked off with a Brazilian themed dinner at Grotto Commons at 6 p.m.

The dinner menu consisted of multiple unique dishes including, but not limited to, coconut rice, a tropical pasta bake, island style fruit salad and cheese filled torte.

In addition, students were offered feijoada, a black bean and pork stew, and kibe, Brazilian-style rice and beef patties.

Meanwhile, at the dessert station one could find delicious treats following the Brazilian

event. It adds a much-needed element, yet as Maynard explained, in order to make it comfortable and accessible for all people there was not only an in-person option, but also a Zoom option for the Carnaval.

Overall, the night was a success, bringing students together for some good cultural food, a fun activity, an enjoyable movie and simply another opportunity to see and talk to one another.

Madeleine Plourde photo

(Left to right) Chris Streibech, Ethan Nannen, Adam Schlereth and Riley Heeden create Carnaval masks while at the Grotto Commons.

theme such as sweet rice pudding and rich chocolate truffles.

Combined, these dishes provided students with a filling and delicious meal while allowing them to get a taste of another culture.

At the entrance to the Grotto dining hall students could pick up colorful necklaces and craft supplies for Mardi Gras-type masks, each individually packaged for convenience and safety reasons.

After the dinner, students headed over to the Student Union where they enjoyed the movie “Rio”, set in Rio de Janeiro, about the life and adventures of the vibrantly blue macaw, Blu, whose biggest flaw is his humiliating in-

ability to fly.

During the movie, students were able to assemble the masks, complete with bright colors, feathers and shiny stickers.

During this time, students were also able to converse a bit and get to know each other, even just briefly.

Of course, with the persistent coronavirus circulating our world, students were socially distanced and wearing masks throughout the event. With all the precautions related to COVID-19 such Madeleine Plourde photo as contact tracing, social distancing and other obstacles, in-person Programmers Tyler Cox (left) and Eden Maynard (right) handed out events have required a bit of out- craft supplies for attendees to make their own Carnaval masks. of-the-box thinking

AfroLatinidad events highlight fusion of African and Latinx cultures for BHM

By Samantha Weber Staff writer

For the third week of Black History Month, there were many opportunities to learn something about the AfroLatinidad culture though numerous events and opportunities on campus.

Throughout the week, students were able to explore the African roots of Hispanic culture through events sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures and the Hafenmaier College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, in collaboration with Black Students for Unity.

AfroLatinidad refers to the culture of someone who has roots in both Latin America and Africa, without having to choose between the two. Another common definition is a person of Af-

rican descent who is a native or inhabitant of Latin America.

People may not want to only identify in one way if there are multiple backgrounds that make them who they are.

AfroLatinidad also celebrates the cultural similarities between African Latinos in those in Africa and Latin America.

Assistant professor of Spanish, Sherez Mohamed, Ph.D., explained the importance of recognizing AfroLatinidad.

“By celebrating AfroLatinidad, we are helping to bring awareness to not only the culture, but also the struggles faced by those who identify as Afro-Latinos,” Mohamed said.

On Feb. 15, there was a panel discussion via Zoom facilitated

by Mohamed about Black experiences in the Americas. There were four panelists including

two African American students currently at Mercyhurst and two Dominican professionals, one of which was an alum of Mercyhurst.

At this discussion, they talked about many topics including identity, race and perceptions of race both in the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Each panelist was able to comment on these questions, so the attendees were able to get different viewpoints on each topic.

Attendees were able to submit questions through the chat and they were answered at the end of the discussion.

On Feb. 17, there was a viewing of the 2014 film “Pelo Malo” facilitated by Spanish professor, Alice Edwards, Ph.D. This was an in-person event and was limited to 28 students in the specific classroom.

“Pelo Malo” is a Venezuelan film about a boy who is constantly straightening his hair and this leads to fights between him and his mom; especially when his mom then starts to question his sexuality.

On Feb. 18, there was a lecture entitled “Sangre Negra: Language, Race and the Global Telling of Black Stories” via Zoom with Eva Michelle Wheeler, an associate professor of Spanish in the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Oakwood University.

Wheeler’s research includes Sociocultural Linguistics, Latinx Studies, Translation Studies and Spanish Linguistics.

The lecture included discussion about how translated works can lead to misrepresentation in certain situations where it should be made clear what is go-

ing on.

Unlike the English language which has variations of the word ‘black,’ ranging from words used as cultural identifiers to racist slurs, in Spanish the dominant word is ‘negro,’ which can impact nuances in translation.

The word AfroLatinidad is not yet recognized by either Merriam Webster or Dictionary.com as an official word, so there is a petition to try and get the word to be officially recognized.

“We decided to celebrate AfroLatinidad as an attempt to combine what we do in the Department of World Languages and Cultures with Black History Month,” said Mohamed. “We believe it is important to show that all of these spaces are intertwined and connected.”

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

NEWS

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MU Dance Team takes the court to perform virtual halftime shows

By Annie Markel Contributing writer

To many, halftime shows are one of the best parts of sporting events. Seeing a show of dancers and singers provides an entertaining break during a heated match.

The Mercyhurst University Dance Team is the staple halftime show for all basketball and football games. However, due to COVID-19, the university is not having sporting events open to spectators. To cope with this loss, the university is providing livestreams of all games.

Now in addition to the broadcasted game, the Dance Team is recording their halftime performance to be shown along with the match.

“We traditionally perform at basketball and football halftime shows but are unable to due to COVID,” said co-captain, Mia Burns. “Once we filmed the first piece, they had the idea of showing our pieces in live-streams of other sports games at Mercy-

hurst.”

The idea for the virtual shows was spearheaded by the athletics administration and director of Club Sports and Administrative Services, Allison Brace. Once they got the green light from Brace and coach Danielle Kaiser, the team began recording their prepared dances.

Wanting the Dance Team to still have a season no matter what, the team is bringing fan favorites to the screen such as Eye of the Tiger and Sax. The team is also bringing back old dances from previous years to keep the halftime show fresh.

“So far we have about four dances cleaned and ready to be broadcasted, including Sax, Guaya, September and Eye of the Tiger,” said co-captain, Alexandra Pietragallo. “We are also working on a few more dances so we have a variety to be shown at games.”

In a regular season, the Dance Team would only perform at football and basketball games.

However, since the games are being live-streamed, the prere-

corded shows will also be a part of more sports. This is exciting because Mercyhurst hockey has never had a halftime show.

“I like the idea of recording and being together as a team,” said Dance Team member Olivia Schrantz. “I am excited to be a part of both hockey and basketball games.”

Nevertheless, there have been some bumps in the road along the way. One challenge the team faced at the top of the practice season was to maintain social distancing.

To accomplish this, the team had to practice in two pods. This is undeniably a challenge for a group, especially in dance. Practicing separately only adds to the number of obstacles COVID has already caused.

“We had to make sure that both groups were on the same page with choreography and counts so that once we could all start to practice as a team, the transition would be easier,” co-captain, Heather Toncich said.

Contributed photo

All in all, the Dance Team is very excited to showcase their long-awaited performances via live-stream. Keep an eye out for more surprises from the Dance Team on their website and Instagram, @mercyhurst_dance_ team.

Schrantz joins the Dance Team on the court for one of their recorded half-time performances that will be shown during the semester.

Apply to become a Laker Leader: help freshmen transition to campus

By Alexis Lovewell

Staff writer

As we are now a little more than a month into the 2021 spring semester, Mercyhurst is already getting prepared for the 2021-2022 academic year. One thing that the school is looking to get a jump on is finding new Laker Leaders.

The job of a Laker Leader is to welcome in the new incoming

freshman class and help them become acquainted with life on campus.

Laker Leaders play a crucial role at Mercyhurst in providing student advice on how to navigate your first year in college.

Laker Leaders assist with summer orientations, Welcome Week activities and also help facilitate iMU courses during the fall and spring semesters of that academic year.

Laker Leader and senior Caroline Schroer, explained that their main goal is to help guide new students on campus through the transition process. “Since most Laker Leaders have already had a minimum of one year of experience on campus, they know all the tiny tricks and hints that make college life a little easier and less stressful,” Schroer said.

Some benefits of becoming a Laker Leader are strengthening your leadership skills, meeting new people and getting a small stipend each semester to help pay for your college expenses.

“The benefits of being a Laker Leader include growing your leadership skills by gaining firsthand experience leading college students,” said Laker Leader and senior Elizabeth Becker. “You get the opportunity to meet the new freshman and help them along the way, as well as making lasting friendships with fellow Laker Leaders. It is so rewarding to watch the freshman you get to meet grow and stay in touch with them over your years at Mercyhurst.”

Schroer has similar beliefs as Becker and thinks being a Laker Leader is a lot of fun that allows you to connect with lots of great people.

“Personally, I enjoy helping

people out by answering questions and sharing my experiences. It also provides great leadership experience, which is always good to have in a practical sense, as well as on a resume,” Schroer said.

In order to become a Laker Leader, you must be a full-time traditional student and have a GPA of at least 2.75. You must also be in good standing with the student conduct code and have a passion for leading others.

A general knowledge of Mercyhurst is also a good thing when applying so you can help students with almost anything.

Once you apply to become a Laker Leader, your application will be reviewed and you may be selected to go through the interview process. Usually this is done in a group setting in order to see your leadership skills in action.

This year, due to COVID, it will be done via FlipGrid.

Although COVID-19 has put a damper on many things on campus this past year, Laker Leaders were still able to connect with the students. Becker explained that this semester iMU has been taught completely remotely, and during the summer training was mostly remote also.

Laker Leaders were still able to meet their fellow Laker Leaders

and lead freshman in pods during the beginning of the semester.

Schroer believes the biggest challenge due to COVID this year was Welcome Week and the Day of Service since the new students were not able to interact with the other students in their pod before classes began.

“I think our role as Laker Leaders was particularly important this year, just because COVID policies and concerns can cause a lot of stress and confusion, so it helps to have students like us in a position to answer specific questions,” Schroer said.

Despite the challenges COVID brought, both Schroer and Becker say that being a Laker Leader is truly rewarding and a lot of fun.

Though the job can be tough during the pandemic, finding something that you are passionate about and enjoy doing can make it a lot more fun.

If you are interested in applying to become a Laker Leader, the applications are available now on the Student HUB. All you need to do is fill out that application and get two Mercyhurst references, like professors, club advisors, coaches or other staff at Mercyhurst who will recommend you for the role.

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Merciad IN A MINUTE Service for Carrubba Students, faculty, staff and all other members of the Mercyhurst community are invited to a memorial service for beloved Physics professor, Simona Carrubba, Ph.D. The service well be held in the Christ the King Chapel on March 1 at 3:30 p.m. The service will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

Ridge career expo On Feb. 25 a career fair will be hosted for anyone who is a major in one of the Ridge College fields. This event will be entirely virtual and provide students with the opportunity to meet and speak with professionals in their field. For more information contact Emma Kovacs or see events on Handshake.

Event phase update RSCOs are now operating under the Phase 2 model for events, meaning that some in-person events are allowed to occur.

Keep in mind that social distancing practices should still be continued.

For further details on how this may effect your club or organization, visit the RSCO page on the HUB.

Service fair FlipGrids live The Post-Graduate Service Fair is live on the HUB! If you are thinking about committing yourself to service after graduation, consider checking out the available FlipGrids to learn more about different organizations that could gladly use your help.

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

Email us at newsmerciad@ mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Intro to Social Change workshops coming soon

By Ashley Barletta Staff writer

Beginning in March, the Mercyhurst University Social Work Department is hosting the “Intro to Social Change Workshop Series.”

There will be four total workshops which will each be one hour long and take place over Zoom.

However, it is not required that you attend each workshop; you can pick and choose the ones you are interested in attending.

Monday, March 8 will hold the “Advocacy: How To Make Change” workshop from 4-5 p.m.

Students will learn advocacy by using the three-step process of educating, organizing and lobbying.

March 11 will be “Organizing: How To Bring People Along With You.” This workshop will focus on building strategic relationships and coalitions, as well as planning events.

The workshop taking place on March 22 is entitled “Lobbying: How To Influence Laws.” During this workshop, students will learn policy, politics and process, which will help them to carry out efficient strategies and lobby visits.

The final workshop will held on April 8 and will be entitled “Transformative Conversations: How To Talk About Tough Social Issues.” This workshop will dis-

cuss how to have difficult conversations while advocating for social change. Students will learn about the psychological aspects that make these conversations difficult and how to work with people who have different views than themselves.

Each workshop will be interactive, featuring presentations, large group discussions, breakout rooms and activities.

NETWORK Lobby Staff will be leading the workshops. This organization was founded by Catholic Sisters and inspired by the Second Vatican Council. Their mission is to educate, organize and lobby for economic and social change, which is exactly the purpose of the workshops.

The history of NETWORK began in 1971, when a group of Catholic sisters got together “to create a nationwide ‘network’ of women religious who would engage in political activism at the federal level for social justice,” according to their website.

The original 47 sisters, who came from different ministries, met in Washington DC while the Church was under reform from Vatican II. Many of these women were also involved in the Civil Rights movement, the Feminist movement and anti-war activism. Together, they developed “The Network,”

which officially became an organization in 1972, and is now called NETWORK. Today, NETWORK continues to advocate for Catholic Social Justice, especially in their response to the coronavirus pandemic.

NETWORK Lobby Staff host many other events which advocate for social transformation and the organization can be contacted using their website: https://networklobby.org/staff/.

All you must do is go under “Invite Us” and submit the type of event that you would like them to lead.

The reason that these workshops can happen is thanks to

the Equity, Inclusion and Justice Initiative, the Black Students for Unity, Applied Sociology and Social Work Department, the Campus Involvement Center, Campus Ministry and the Community Engagement Office all collaborating to bring NETWORK sessions to campus. The support from these groups of people is much appreciated.

There is no registration required to attend these workshops, so just tune in using the Zoom link found on the HUB. If you have any questions, email social work professor, Laura Lewis, Ph.D., at llewis@mercyhurst.edu.

Anti-racism check-in recognizes campus efforts to make change

By Christa Knipes

Arts and entertainment editor

A great strength of Mercyhurst is that, as an institution, it is always looking to improve itself.

During Black History Month, this became especially apparent through many of the virtual events that have been held by students and staff, including an anti-racism check in.

Hosted on Feb. 15 by assistant professor of History, Averill Earls, Ph.D., and instructor of Social Work, Adrienne Riegle, Ph.D., this Zoom event was held to brainstorm ways in which Mercyhurst can move forward and improve as an anti-racist institution.

Between students, faculty and staff, approximately 50 people attended this event.

Attendees were split into breakout rooms to discuss the challenges they have experienced in their efforts to make Mercyhurst become a more welcoming place for all students. Group members also shared their successes over the past month, as well as their plans for the immediate future.

After everyone finished sharing, the group as a whole rejoined to reflect.

During this meeting, the winners of the anti-racism mini-grants were announced by vice president for Mission, Greg Baker, D.Min. These winners included associate professor of psychology, Matthew Weaver, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, Rajinikanth Mohan, Ph.D. and assistant professor of English, Joanne Hosey-McGurk, Ph.D., among other members of Mercyhurst’s faculty.

Each of these projects has a unique way of providing historical context and new perspectives to the conversation around race.

One of the grant projects is an essay competition that will include essays being published beyond Mercyhurst, hopefully creating an even wider ripple effect in terms of discussing race.

Another element of this Zoom event was that senior Social Work students presented their senior projects.

Over the last semester, this group of seniors contrived some ideas of how Mercyhurst could

become involved in anti-racism efforts.

They created the Facebook page “Mercyhurst Anti-Racism Initiative” (MARI) on which to post their thoughts and ideas. Further, they engaged themselves in a campaign where they wrote letters to senators to pass Senate Bill 3912.

This bill is the Justice in Policing Act and calls for police reform, aiming to eradicate excessive use of force, police misconduct and bias against races in policing.

Sending personal letters to officials is known to have an impact on social issues and the senior social work students even sent out templates for other members of the Mercyhurst community to join in their campaign, accompanied by a fact sheet.

Though the bill has yet to be passed, there is no doubt that the dedication and diligence of these students has had an impact on the proceedings.

After the anti-racism check in, a follow up email was sent out that outlined the next steps that had been taken.

In summation, the actions

brainstormed by members of the Mercyhurst community were shared both with the Mercyhurst administration, and the presidential search committee where applicable. Each step and action has been further documented to be shared with the new Mercyhurst president when they are instated.

Additionally, any ideas that were geared towards a specific department or facet of Mercyhurst have been passed along to the appropriate constituencies for consideration.

In an institutional setting, it is hard to have everyone’s voices heard. Petitions can be signed and letters can be written, but often their intended results do not come to fruition. With this anti-racism check in, it is clear that voices are being heard at Mercyhurst and these voices are speaking about some of the largest issues an institution can face.

As a community, we look forward to seeing what initiatives take place to end racism on our campus.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

NEWS

Welcome back to Ambassador tours

By Grace Smrcka Staff writer

Our Mercyhurst University Ambassadors have been hard at work as tours have resumed in person for the spring. There are now in-person tours as well as virtual tours being offered for prospective students each week.

Associate director of Admissions, Andrea Grady, provided a run-down of what an in-person tour entails.

“We are continuing to adapt to the changes necessitated by COVID-19, but are confident that we can safely welcome students and families to Mercyhurst while preserving the sense of hospitality and spirit of community that animate life on campus,” Grady said.

During a one-on-one visit, the student and their family will have the option to tour campus with a student Ambassador and meet with an admissions counselor. Campus visits are available throughout the day, Monday through Friday.

While a virtual tour is not quite the same as experiencing our beautiful campus in person, prospective students are still offered ample time for socializing and learning what Mercyhurst is all about.

“Virtual events allow prospec-

tive students and families an opportunity to chat with current students, faculty, admissions representatives and members of the Mercyhurst community in a causal setting,” Grady said.

No matter where you are, our virtual events and visits allow you engage with the Mercyhurst community, get answers to your questions and experience what it is like to be a Laker. The prospective student might not tour campus, but they do get to meet an Ambassador virtually and can watch videos of campus.

Ambassador President, Victoria Altsman, shared her excitement about tours resuming, and a new initiative the organization is trying out.

“We are looking to start live virtual tours where two ambassadors and admissions counselors will go to the tour locations on campus and take prospective students through the tour route in real time, while being able to cut the time between buildings by having two ambassadors switching off at the different locations,” said Altsman. “We are still testing these out, but we have gotten positive responses so far.”

Grady agrees that these have been incredibly successful and adds that they will likely continue even after the pandemic ends.

As the University is still work-

ing to fight against COVID-19, the Ambassadors are taking every possible precaution, and then some, to ensure that families feel both welcomed and safe here at Mercyhurst.

Such changes include an updated tour route that follows the directional flow arrows found around campus. The number of tours that the University is offering is limited at this time. Guests are also required to complete the visitor screening upon arrival to Mercyhurst.

“There is a limit to the amount of guests that can attend each in-person tour,” said Grady. “As in the fall, classroom experiences and faculty meetings will not be offered for the time being. Students can connect with faculty through virtual visits.”

Maddie Boorse, junior Intelligence Studies major and Ambassador, is missing having as many prospective students on campus, but has integrated her own special touches into tours to ensure that families get the real Mercyhurst experience.

“The community truly feels like home, which can be hard to tell on a virtual tour,” said Boorse.

“Because of this I make it a point to connect with each student based on their interests to really personalize the experience.”

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STUDENT GOVERNMENT

This weekend’s campus events

HR certification renewal

By Samantha Weber Staff writer

Careers within the human resource (HR) field, whether it be as a manager or specialist, have grown rapidly over the past few years and likely will continue to grow.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that jobs within the HR field are going to grow by seven to nine percent each year over the next nine years.

Kimberly Zacherl, Program Director of the Human Resource Management major, is proud to announce that the HR program at Mercyhurst was approved to be realigned with the Society for Human Resource Management through 2025.

Mercyhurst University is the only school in Erie are that offers a bachelor’s degree program in Human Resource Management.

“A Human Resource Management degree qualifies students to work in virtually every industry since every business needs strong human resource leaders,” said Zacherl. “The people best poised to land these jobs are college graduates, especially those with a bachelor’s degree in Human Re-

source Management.”

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has been providing education, certification and networking opportunities to its members, all while lobbying Congress for issues related to labor management. Being recognized by SHRM guarantees that the Human Resource Program at Mercyhurst is up to date with the latest changes in the field and have access to beneficial resources.

Another advantage of SHRM’s endorsement is that students are able to apply to the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) exam earlier than students who attend a school that has an HR program not endorsed by SHRM. SHRM has over 300,000 HR and business executive members in 165 countries. Their large scale allows them to impact the lives of more than 115 million workers and families globally.

The SHRM certification is one of the top Human Resource credentials recognized in the market today.

Since students whose school is aligned with SHRM have access to the exam earlier, those students who pass the exam and re-

ceive their certification are ahead of their competition right out of college.

Nowadays, more and more companies are looking to hire HR professionals who are certified onto their staff. Over 5,000 employers are seeking SHRM credential holders every month.

Additionally, SHRM has represented 140 million employees worldwide and supported 100,000 employers.

To be eligible to take the exam, students must meet some requirements. They should be in their last year of school and have at least 500 hours of HR relevant experience.

Qualified hours can be found in these areas: internships in HR, HR work-study assignments, directed HR work-related projects, directed HR research-related projects, supervised independent student in HR or part-time or fulltime work in HR. The HR field is an important piece of the workforce and it is very diverse in terms of what industries you can enter. Students interested in the program can reach out to Zacherl at kzacherl@mercyhurst. edu or 814-824- 3042.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Feb. 14: Liquor law violation at McAuley Hall.

Feb. 15: Harassment at Warde Hall.

Feb. 17: Possession at Warde Hall.

Feb. 17: Drug and liquor law violation on Briggs

FEATURES

PAGE 6

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

CREATE Program seeks junior counselors

By Marina Boyle Editor-in-chief

For anyone, the transition to college can be hard. However, for those on the autism spectrum, it can be even harder.

For students on the spectrum who are considering going to college, Mercyhurst’s CREATE Program is a nationally-acclaimed summer experience designed to help potential students determine whether they are ready for the demands of college life.

Students live in a typical residence hall, eat in the college cafeteria, enroll in a three-credit college course and interact with fellow students in a variety of social activities and settings. In the end, students receive a formal written assessment of their readiness for the rigors of college life. Along the way, they will also hopefully make a lot of new friends and feel more prepared for what the future holds.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic, unfortunately, prevent-

ed the CREATE Program from going ahead in the summer of 2020, the 2021 CREATE session is scheduled to take place from July 10 to July 31, 2021.

For students already at Mercyhurst, neurotypical or not, the AIM Program is actively recruiting junior counselors to help run the CREATE program.

Not only is this a fantastic resume builder for any students hoping to get involved, but it is also a fun and rewarding summer job that promises to be meaningful and beneficial for all involved.

Students act as junior counselors and live on campus for the month of July. As well as receiving payment in the form of a $900 stipend, junior counselors receive free room and board for the duration of the experience.

All workers will be given an extensive orientation to ensure they have the skills needed for the job.

Staff also arrive early and remain on campus for a few days after the CREATE students have left to help complete assessments for

the students. “The philosophy of CREATE is to make students on the spectrum feel like they belong in college through a college transition program. We are looking for Lakers who want to be a part of that,” director of AIM, Brad McGarry, said.

Staff members will be needed from Wednesday, July 7 until Wednesday, Aug. 4. From Monday to Friday, staff members work 5.5-hour shifts, covering either the morning, afternoon or evening shift of the camp. Each junior counselor is specifically responsible for monitoring the progress of four to six CREATE campers.

There will be a total of 34 students in the program, and this year the program does intend to run fully in-person and face-toface, hopefully with all students and staff being able to show proof of vaccination.

Students who attend CREATE take a three-credit college course and also participate in the “College 101 Series” and the “Mini Lecture Series” of CREATE. These exist to

familiarize students with college departments and resources and to expose the participants to different lecture styles, whether these are PowerPoint presentations, lab work, or lecture-based discussion.

The Mini-Series lectures are not graded but exist to give students exposure.

“Guest speakers and connection to resources can help students identify services they need and navigate college life,” McGarry said.

Social skills training takes place in the afternoons. A functioning scale is used to monitor the progress of students, which is essentially an “AIM GPA.” CREATE students also get to take part in a variety of recreational events on the weekends, and staff are able to join the fun.

“Our off-campus activities are usually going to the beach, taking part in activities in downtown Erie and taking a trip to Niagara Falls,” said McGarry. “We also have opening and closing ceremonies which staff will take part in.”

After completing the program, all students will receive a formal written assessment documenting their performance throughout CREATE. The report will highlight their strengths and/or weaknesses and make recommendations to support their transition to residential college life as full-time students.

“We are actively looking for junior counselors who will assist our other staff in running the program. Counselors will be supported by three graduate assistants, a behavioral specialist, a member of Res Life staff and the wider AIM staff. Counselors should model appropriate behavior to show what it is like to be a good college student and to help with the assessment of college readiness for all those who come to CREATE,” McGarry said.

Anyone hoping to apply can email McGarry or talk to a member of AIM staff for more information.

Hurst Class Catalog: Sports Journalism

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Do you like to follow local, state, or national sports? Do you already write sports articles for the Merciad and want to expand on those skills? Do you think you have what it takes to become a sports journalist? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then the Sports Journalism class might just be for you.

As outlined in the class syllabus, the Sports Journalism course “will explore the ever-changing world

of sports journalism and broadcasting. The course will examine how technology continues to revolutionize the sports media industry and the numerous outlets carrying that information.” Over the course of this class, students are able to learn about current events, ranging from local news, such as Mercyhurst Athletics and Erie News Now, to national news such as ESPN and NBC Sports. Students in this course also have the opportunity to complete a variety of assignments, from game reports and radio promos to sports fea-

tures and social media posts.

“Students are encouraged to read and learn about the various sports stories occurring on Mercyhurst’s campus, locally in the Erie region, nationally and internationally. Students will not discover how print, radio, television and social media differ in sports journalism, but how they are intertwined” reads the class syllabus.

This course is taught by Jay Puskar, the sports director at YourErie.com. An Erie native, Puskar graduated from Mercyhurst in 2002 with a degree in Journalism

and Communication. During his junior and senior years at Mercyhurst, Puskar worked as the playby-play announcer at WMCE for football, basketball and hockey.

He got his TV start working for Image Sports as a color commentator for high school and college games.

Puskar has spent 13 years in local sports coverage, ranging from high school events to Erie’s minor league franchises. On the national level he has done his fair share of regular season games for the NFL, NHL and MLB, but in addition,

he has reported from four Super Bowls, the 2007 US Open, 2012 Kentucky Derby and 2012 Belmont Stakes. Puskar has now been working as an adjunct professor for Mercyhurst since 2018, teaching the Sports Journalism course every other spring.

From local news such as Mercyhurst’s recent win over Gannon in Men’s basketball to national news such as Carson Wentz leaving the Philadelphia Eagles and joining the Indianapolis Colts, Puskar is more than qualified to teach this class to aspiring journalists.

LAKER MOMENT The Mercyhurst Women’s soccer team has collaborated with Open Field, a non-profit organization which facilitates donations and the creation of positive youth programs in areas of need. Through the organization, Mercyhurst was able to donate soccer jerseys, shorts and equipment to young people in Cameroon.

Contributed photo

Locals in Cameroon sporting the donations provided by the Mercyhurst Women’s soccer team.

“It was so rewarding to see these items being worn in the photographs we posted to our social media, and we intend on doing so again in the near future,” says Head Coach John Arlet.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Res Life conducts room checks

By Ashley Barletta

Staff writer

Throughout this past week, the Residence Life Office has conducted Health and Safety checks in residential dorms. Between COVID policies and the general upkeep of dorms, room checks happen periodically in order to ensure the safety of all Mercyhurst students.

If one has not had a room check yet, here’s what can be expected: a pair of RAs will knock on your door and announce themselves.

If you answer the door, the RAs will come in and conduct their brief check. If the residents are not there, they will simply knock

again before they use a master key to gain access to the room for the check.

It is crucial to make sure as a resident that you have your room key with you when you leave your dorm because the RA will lock the door when they are finished inspecting your room.

The RA will leave you a note telling you whether you passed or failed the room inspection.

If you are there when the RAs come, you may need to stand out in the hallway while the RA checks your room to ensure proper social distancing. The traditional room check only takes roughly three minutes, but it is vital that you cooperate with your RA in or-

der for the whole process to go as smoothly as possible.

Willow Lapp, a sophomore Music Therapy major and RA in Baldwin Hall, says “I will say that room checks, which are specifically Health and Safety checks right now, are to check for the well-being of all of you. We check for illegal/illicit things to have on campus and in Baldwin Hall of course, but our main concern is that you are living in a safe environment. This is your current home after all.”

Not only do the room checks need to happen because of general cleanliness being kept throughout each dormitory, but now that COVID-19 is raging (and will

continue to rage), it is especially important for everyone to keep their rooms neat, sanitary and orderly.

Sometimes this is as simple as wiping down door handles, light switches and other frequently touched surfaces with disinfectant.

This could also mean deep-cleaning the bathroom as needed and washing your bed sheets once every one or two weeks.

Since there are dry areas on campus, it is very important to not have any alcohol or other illegal paraphernalia in your room, even if you are of age in a dry building.

Should anything be found in your dorm, it will be confiscated,

and, depending on your current number of offenses, your punishment will correlate accordingly.

RAs will simply check what they have to and will never rummage through your personal belongings or impede on your privacy unnecessarily. These checks are designed to be as smooth, effective and non-invasive as possible for all residents and RAs. In the end, if you keep your space tidy, there is nothing to fear.

Although room checks are completely necessary, there is no reason to worry as long as you take out the trash.

For more information, the student handbook is available on the Mercyhurst University website.

Mercyhurst celebrates Ash Wednesday with various COVID-friendly ceremonies

By Samantha Weber Staff writer

This year, Ash Wednesday fell on Feb. 17. It was the start of Lent for 2021.

The Lenten season ends on Easter Sunday when the Paschal Triduum of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord begins.

Lent comes to an end this year on April. 4 Until then, Mercyhurst is tasked with ensuring that Lenten ceremonies and rituals can continue in a safe way for all those who want to observe this religious time.

Mercyhurst University’s Campus Ministry has done an exceptional job at adjusting their services to accommodate for the proper protocols regarding COVID-19. Ash Wednesday will not be an exception to their efforts to ensure students still get a fulfilling worship experience, including the distribution of ashes during the pandemic.

To start, there were four opportunities to get ashes on Wednesday. There were three Catholic Masses, one at 8 a.m., one at 4 p.m. and one at 7 p.m. There was also a Christian Prayer Service at 12 p.m. where students could also get ashes.

All participants of mass were required to remain socially distant, wear their masks at all times and allow for proper sanitization. Of course, it looked different than in previous years, but there are some restrictions that must be followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

Unlike past years, once a mass is filled, there are no more people admitted into the chapel. These people have to come back and attend a different mass. In order to prevent people from being disappointed upon arriving to a celebration that is at capacity,

Mercyhurst offered four different chances to receive ashes.

Traditionally, on Ash Wednesday, the ashes are placed on one’s forehead in the shape of a cross by the hand of the priest.

This year, due to COVID-19, that is not allowed. To combat that barrier, churches have been asked to sprinkle the ashes onto the crown of the person’s head.

While this is the first year in the United States where more people will be experiencing the sprinkling of the ashes instead of receiving them on their foreheads, it has been a tradition in many other countries in the past.

It is common in Europe and in most non-English speaking countries to sprinkle the ashes onto the crown of one’s head. The tradition claims to focus more on the spiritual entry into this time of repentance in the church.

There are many other traditions that occur during the Lenten season. They include obligatory fasting for anyone between the ages of 18- 58 on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, which means only one big meal, two smaller food breaks to sustain strength and no snacking in between these meals.

Additionally, on those two days and every Friday throughout Lent, people ages 14 and up must abstain from eating meat. However, this year, the Solemnity of St. Joseph falls on Mar. 19 so the abstinence from meat on that Friday is not mandatory.

Traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and alms-giving and other forms of self-denial are recommended warmly by the church for the next 40 days. Daily Mass is particularly encouraged.

With the cooperation of the Mission and Admissions Offices, beginning Feb. 22, Christ the King Chapel will have “quiet time” from 3-4 p.m. Monday

Samantha Weber photo

Students and staff alike gather in the chapel to celebrate Ash Wednesday in a non-traditional way.

through Friday so that members of the Mercyhurst community may use the chapel for prayer and reflection.

Lenten Art Journaling is also scheduled to take place between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on March 11 and March 25.

Anyone interested should email Jenell Patton (jpatton@mercyhurst.edu) to reserve one of the four tables in the Campus Minis-

try Lounge. No art experience is necessary and you will be provided with the prompt and supplies for each session.

“My hope for Lent this year is that people see it as an opportunity not for just penitence but as a season of hope moving us forward to being our best selves in relationship with God,” Fr. Jim Piszker, Chaplain here at Mercyhurst, said.

Since students will be on campus for Easter this year, Campus Ministry is trying to plan something special that weekend to allow the students to still feel like they are celebrating Easter like they would be at home.

This is the first time the school would be doing something like this because students are not usually at school for the holiday.

FEATURES

PAGE 8

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

RSCO Feature: MU Yoga Club

By Rebecca Dunphy

number of members, to ensure that social distancing can take place.

Yoga Club officers are also hosting a photo contest through the end of the month. Anybody who follows the club’s Instagram is eligible to submit a photo of them in a yoga pose by tagging the Yoga Club or directly messaging the account. All social distancing and mask guidelines must be followed for the photo to be considered.

Besides that, the possibilities are limitless.

The winner of the best photo

News editor

It is no secret that college can be a stressful time, but add on a global pandemic and there’s certainly enough reason for students to seek outlets for self-care. Look no further than Yoga Club, which will be offering both in-person and virtual opportunities throughout the semester.

“Yoga Club is the perfect opportunity for people to practice self-care. Whether the intent of practice is physical, emotional or spiritual it can be a healthy practice to partake in,” said Emmaline Devore, Yoga Club co-president.

“It is also a way to connect with others, whether it be via Zoom or in person.”

Since spring of last year, the Yoga Club began offering classes via Zoom, led by advisor and professor of Dance, Solveig Santillano. Recognizing the importance of yoga practice during times of stress, the club resolved to stay active, despite the challenges that the pandemic brings.

“Yoga is extremely important during this time. I know many people are uncomfortable with being in public places like a gym, but also do not have access to the equipment to stay fit. Yoga provides a balance because it can be accessible to people in many different locations,” said Devore.

“For me personally, it provides a way to find grounding because with the amount that is constantly

submission will be rewarded with a prize. Photos are due by Feb. 28.

“I can’t wait for each of the events of this semester to occur,” Devore said. Those interested in joining the club should follow Yoga Club on social media or contact co presidents Devore and Grace Sinke for information.

Culp encourages all those interested to join.

“People should join the yoga club for a fun and meaningful experience and as a form of escape from the anxiety surrounding college,” Culp said.

Contributed photo

Club co-president Emmaline Devore is helped by Yoga club members to create eye masks for practices last year.

changing, it can be difficult to stay connected to myself and others in a positive way.”

Secretary and treasurer, Kaitlyn Culp, echoes similar sentiments about the importance of yoga.

“It provides a lot of benefits including physical activity, stress relief and a sense of belonging and community, which is especially important with so many stressors right now in the world,” Culp said.

The club is beginner-friendly and offers members a safe, supportive environment to learn

about yoga and develop their own practice.

To help meet the needs of all club members, a number of different events are organized for the semester, all of which abide by campus social distancing policies.

Beginning in mid-February, the club began hosting “Meditation Mondays,” a short weekly series on Mondays at 11 a.m. where members engage in meditation via Contributed photo livestream on their Instagram, @ mercyhurstyogaclub.

The club also plans to hold Yoga Club is hosting classes in the Zurn dance space with social in-person classes for a limited distancing.

Mercyhurst’s Honors Program during COVID

By Madeleine Plourde Contributing writer

Mercyhurst has long been an institution seeking to make positive change in the world. In doing so, Mercyhurst equips every student who steps through the gates to be service oriented and intellectually curious.

For years, students have had the opportunity to be a part of the Mercyhurst Honors Program where they can take their education and service to others to a deeper level.

Each year, the program accepts incoming students based on GPA and test scores. When invited to apply, the student submits a profile as well as writing samples and courses they have taken.

Once accepted, members must maintain a 3.5 GPA take a minimum of 18 credits of honors courses, as well as attend 10 events and complete 15 service hours yearly.

In addition, students must complete a yearly portfolio or Honors Thesis Scholarship as seniors.

Currently the Honors Program is offering a variety of courses

from Eastern Philosophy to Theatre Appreciation and everything in between. Creating a wide range of classes is necessary to facilitate mediums perfect for in-depth student discussion and engagement with material.

In terms of events, the Honors Program is always busy. Not only will students soon begin working on their end of year portfolios or scholarships, but there are also workshops and weekly events happening.

One upcoming event is the annual “Are You Smarter Than a Professor?,” a combination of Jeopardy and “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” where a team of students and professors go head-to-head in competition.

Best of all, this event is open to the whole campus, even those not in the Honors Program.

“Events such as these bring students and faculty together in ways that they don’t always get to be together,” said Justin Ross, Ph.D., Honors Program director.

Over the past year, the program has undergone numerous changes. The most recent is the program’s transition from Black-

Contributed photo

The Mercyhurst University official Honors Program logo.

board to the HUB. This change has been a pretty significant one, although worthwhile because the HUB is generally more accessible. “[Blackboard] was a very good tool for us, but we are finding that the HUB had many of the same features and more that [Black-

board] does not have,” Ross said.

Eventually, Ross hopes that the HUB can be the “main communication method” and a very accessible place for students to find and work on projects like their portfolios.

Needless to say, along with the

rest of the world, COVID has changed many things.

“The Honors Program has had to adjust certain expectations such as rigid event attendance and has had to be more flexible and understanding this semester with service hour completion due to the extenuating circumstances COVID has landed all of us in,” said junior Biology major and secretary of the Honors Program, Avery Corriero.

“Perhaps the most difficult challenge has been the inability to offer a lot of the in-person networking events and the opportunity to find a more niche group of like-minded friends,” senior History major and treasurer Ethan Wagner, said.

Despite this, the program continues with business as usual to keep challenging members and to provide benefits to them.

The Honors program presents a great challenge to students, and COVID amplifies these challenges, yet just as before, students, staff and faculty are taking these challenges gracefully, and are enthused for the remainder of the semester.

FEATURES

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

PAGE 9

Education students share experience of student teaching during COVID

By Gillian Mazur Managing editor

While all of the world has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, one important area of study that is not often thought about is education majors. While the public generally thinks about what students are losing out on education-wise due to the necessary COVID precautions, thoughts for those who do the teaching can fall to the wayside.

“COVID has made it difficult to student teach because there are many different precautions to keep in mind while making lessons,” said senior Early Childhood and Special Education dual major Lauren Rogus.

Another student teacher who had to keep these classroom precautions in mind is Tori Riina. A senior Art Education major, Riina was placed in Wattsburg Elementary School and is teaching art classes there until mid-March when she will then transfer to McDowell High School for the rest of the semester.

“I have been fortunate enough to be able to student teach in person this semester. I know that many other students were not as lucky. The one major thing that has really impacted the way I have had to teach is planning movements around the classroom and constantly setting up and cleaning materials,” said Riina. “Because of social distancing and sanitization requirements, all the materials need to be individually set up and prepped. Classes are not allowed to share materials unless they are

cleaned and students need to sit at individual desks as opposed to tables.”

Although school days are shorter and lessons may be more condensed, it does not mean that students of the pandemic year can learn and retain knowledge any faster than those who came before them.

“The kids cannot be out of their seats much because they are spaced out. The school day is shorter too so the time goes faster and not all of the subjects can get done each day,” said Rogus.

Another concern for student teachers is that they have to expose themselves to the many different contacts of their students.

Unlike college students, elementary and high school students cannot typically live and receive their education within the same bubble of people.

“The pandemic has also meant that students are in and out of quarantine due to close contacts with family members. Student teachers have been in and out of quarantine as well as a result,” said Rogus.

Rogus was placed at McKean Elementary school for her student teaching. Her first placement was for Early Childhood Education in a class of 2nd graders and her Special Education placement is half in person and half online with 3rd and 4th graders.

Although student teaching online has its downfalls, Rogus said that she is excited about the challenge. “This [the pandemic] is not super helpful classroom management wise which is a big part of

student teaching, but I am grateful for being placed in a school at all. Eventually life will get back to normal, but in the meantime online education is not going anywhere anytime soon so it’s great to get some online teaching and virtual experience,” said Rogus.

While learning online is difficult for most students due to pets, family members and other distractions in the home, the flip side is that it can be just as hard for those

both students and teachers alike, but approaching the obstacle of engaging students virtually has proven to be a bigger roadblock than I anticipated. It’s difficult to make connections with students in the classroom when you are on a screen, but we are making it work and it gets better with each class.” Placed at Fairview High School, Belleau has been student-teaching high school Spanish classes including both Spanish 2 and AP Spanish.

“I never imagined student teaching this way and getting obAs much as we servations done via YouTube reall hate the fact cordings, but I am eternally gratethat things are ful that Mercyhurst has found a more difficult for way to keep us student teaching during COVID. I feel that my student teachers courses prepared me well to teach in the current in a normal year, so having the environment, opportunity to teach in a panI think that it demic is a cool challenge. If you can teach in a pandemic, you can will make us all probably teach any time,” Rogus better teachers said. in the long run.

“This experience has definitely We’ve had to go given me even more respect for all of our professors. This experience through additional is nothing like I ever expected it challenges and would be. I began my experience it has made us at Fairview High School with all more flexible of my students attending school virtually. When students arrived and resourceful again in person, I barely got a educators.” week with them before it was Tori Riina decided that all student teachers placed in my school district would be completing their hours remotely. Since then, I have been teachwho are doing the teaching. ing from my apartment on Lewis Senior Spanish Education ma- Avenue. Although it’s made stujor Lucy Belleau said, “Of course dent teaching more challenging this pandemic is a challenge for than I could have ever expected, I

“

am really enjoying my experience and learning more about the field every day. The students make everyday worth it,” Belleau said.

While student teaching in the COVID pandemic certainly has its negatives, many are choosing to look on the bright side.

“This is quite possibly the best lesson in flexibility I ever could have received. You already have to think on your toes quite a bit as a teacher, but it has certainly been amplified during the pandemic.

And it has gotten me much more familiar and comfortable with using technology in the classroom,” Belleau said.

“As much as we all hate the fact that things are more difficult for student teachers in the current environment, I think that it will make us all better teachers in the long run. We’ve had to go through additional challenges and it has made us more flexible and resourceful educators,” said Riina.

“Having this experience under our belt will make us more prepared for any future difficulties and give us the ability to problem-solve to create better educational opportunities for our students.”

While student teachers are already willing to put themselves at risk for their kids, it is safe to say that it looks like the future of the world’s children are in good hands.

Remember to thank teachers and professors, as they are often the unsung essential workers who have been putting their time and hearts into molding our children so they can create a better tomorrow.

FROM THE ARCHIVES February 1940: Throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Mercyhurst held the “Sophonade,” a type of mid-winter carnival where students dressed up and competed for the title of Queen.

Although themes changed annually, the event was usually winter focused, and held around Thanksgiving, Christmas or Valentine’s Day. This photo from the February 1940 Merciad shows Virginia Bryant being crowed Queen of the Sophonade along with her court.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Wednesday, February 24, 2021

A Broadway family legacy at MU

By Victoria McGinty

Features editor

The musical-theatre community is unlike any other. To many, there is nothing greater than an outstanding overture and the familiarity of the glimmering costumes and bright signs. The world of Broadway holds a special place to many but, to Mercyhurst’s own Janiece Withers, the connection hits home.

Withers, a junior Fashion Merchandising major, is a legacy to some of the under-appreciated greats in the field of theatre.

Her grandfather, Ben Harney, is just one example of many to fall under this category.

Born on Aug. 29, 1952, Harney grew up in Brooklyn, New York not too far off from The Great White Way. Like many, he fell in love with the arts at a young age.

Harney went on to attend LaGuardia High School, and then Julliard with a full scholarship for dance. During his time at Julliard, Harney was cast in the original production of “The Wiz.” After graduating, Harney went on to appear in a productions from “Pippin” and “Tap Dance Kid” to “Ain’t Misbehavin.”

Although these roles were monumental in making his career, Harney’s most beloved role was the original role of Curtis Taylor Jr. in the musical “DreamGirls.”

Opening on Broadway in 1981, “DreamGirls” is an iconic musical that centers around a music trio called the Dreamettes, and the band members’ journey to fame.

Along the way, the trio meets ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr., and are signed to sing backup for a well-known celebrity. Like all good stories, this musical centers around the struggles of fame and what is to lose.

At the 1982 Tony Awards, Harney’s performance as Curtis earned him the once-in-a-lifetime achievement of winning a Tony Award for “best leading actor in a musical.”

Harney went on to lead a wonderful life in New York City, having many roles in theatre and television.

He even went on to work on the direction side of theatre.

Years later, and with the passion of the arts still alive in his heart, Harney founded By All Means Save Some Theatre Works (BAMSS). This summer workshop grants kids living in New York the chance to learn all about theatre. Through the medium of a performance, BAMSS grants them the chance to put a performance together.

Jennie Harney-Fleming, daughter of Harney, choreographed and assisted with the BAMSS productions for many years.

Like her father, Harney-Fleming fell in love with the arts at a young age. She has skyrocketed both in the national tour scene and on Broadway.

Similar to her father, Harney-Fleming also attended LaGuardia high school. She then went on to graduate from AMDA, also known as the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City.

Harney-Fleming’s career skyrocketed following her debut at the 2010 Rising Star concert where she received stellar reviews for her talent.

Throughout the early years of 2010s, Jennie was a part of many unique projects.

In 2014, she was a winner on the second season “APOLLO LIVE 2” which is a singing competition on BET. Harney-Fleming’s Broadway career kicked off in 2014 when she was a swing for the first national tour of “Motown the Musical.” The following year, Harney-Fleming booked the leading role of Pearl Bailey in the off-Broadway production of “Pearl.”

For that production she received an Audelco Award nomination for “best actress in a musical.”

The following fall, Harney-Fleming made her official Broadway debut as Cecil’s sister, Nettie, in the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.”

Although she clearly had quite the career throughout the 2010s, her latest credit is what she is best known for.

Until Broadway closed last

Contributed photo:

Jenny Harney-Fleming as Angelica (center) in the hit Broadway musical, “Hamilton.”

March due to COVID-19, Jennie Harney-Fleming was starring as the current Angelica Schuyler in “Hamilton.”

The 2015 hit was still selling out performances until COVID-19 hit.

Even with the loss of live performances, Harney was given the opportunity to show the world her talent yet again when the current cast of “Hamilton” performed at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade this past November.

“Having the opportunity to be a part of the parade means so much more to me because I grew up watching it, especially in a year like this,” said Harney-Fleming during a FabTV interview.

“Hamilton” as a musical was profound to the theater community because it was the first to cast people of color in the otherwise white-washed roles of the founding fathers of America.

It’s soundtrack, written by Lin-Manual Miranda, reached commercial success as well.

Overall, the show was a major leap for Broadway actors and it is highly competitive to play a role in it.

“We need more representation and thought about how we are portraying dark skinned people

in the arts. There have been improvements but there is more to be done,” Janiece Withers, niece of Harney-Fleming, said. “I am thankful for shows like Hamilton starting a conversation. But, we need more.”

Similar to his aunt, Justin Withers, brother of Mercyhurst’s Janiece Withers, also shares the familial passion for the arts.

Growing up, Withers and his sister would take an active role in the BAMSS camp productions.

Justin Withers currently lives in the Big Apple and is auditioning for shows constantly. Fresh from graduating from Rutgers University, he landed a role as Jeff in the world premiere cast of the off-Broadway production of “American Underground.”

Currently, the Harney family is still active despite COVID-19.

Ben Harney continues to give lessons through BAMSS, although he is close to retiring.

Jennie Harney-Flemming is hopeful to return to Broadway once COVID-19 is under control.

In the meantime, however, she is ceaselessly working on many projects.

Her current untitled project is a platform that is working to unify actors, producers and others

in the field of the arts to stay in contact. While there is not much information about the project, it is exciting nonetheless and will be seminal to artists nationwide once it can come to fruition.

The world of musical theatre has birthed many performers who are beloved by their community, but remain under-appreciated by the broader public.

Black History Month acts as the perfect opportunity to honor all black performers in the arts and celebrate their achievements.

Ben Harney is a prime example of a black performer who deserves more recognition for his talent. The arts have always acted as an outlet for many, but there needs to be more praise for the role of the Black community and their under-appreciated achievements with productions such as “DreamGirls”’ and “Motown the Musical”.

Between Harney’s achievements, Harney-Flemming’s role in Hamilton and the Withers siblings’ talents in theater and fashion, it is of no contest that this family is a prime example of the power and importance of Black History Month.

Upcoming Events

March 11 @ 7:30 p.m. on Zoom: Sean Astin March 17 @ 8 p.m. on Zoom: Faculty Rebecca Wunch & Nathan Hess March 18-20 @ 7:30 p.m. and March 21 @ 2 p.m. on Zoom: Through the Looking Glass April 7 @ 7:30 p.m. on Zoom: Chris Thile April 12 @ 8 p.m. on Zoom: Faculty Allen Zurcher April 23-25 @ time TBD on Zoom: Raw Edges

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

REVIEW

Faculty recital series on Zoom

By Sarah Klein Copy editor

Now a year since the world descended into the coronavirus pandemic, few aspects of life have been affected as deeply as the arts.

Live performances in front of an audience have been few and far between, but Mercyhurst’s D’Angelo Department of Music has been working hard to keep sharing the gift of music with others.

On Feb. 8, the first livestream faculty recital was broadcast from the Walker Recital Hall on campus. Featuring Jonathan Moser on violin and Sarah Kahl, Ph.D. on

piano, the concert featured five pieces: “Rondo from Serenade in D Major (‘Haefner’)” (Mozart/Kreisler), “Dance Espagnole from La Vida Breve” (De-Falla/ Kreisler), “Nocturne in C Sharp Minor” (Copin/arr. Milstein), “Poème, Op. 25” (Chausson), and “Scherzo – Tarantelle, Op. 16” (Wieniawski).

This was the first livestream recital performed by either Moser or Kahl, who were both grateful to have an opportunity to perform live.

“From the outset I will say that I am so glad for the opportunity afforded by technology to connect

with friends, family, colleagues and students,” said Moser. “Many of us feel that we have been in a desert with the life-giving water of connection through music being shut-off. This at least was a trickle of water for parched lips.”

Despite the benefits that technology has provided the arts during the pandemic, performers and audiences alike agree that performances with a live audience provide something that is missing over a computer.

“Performing to an empty hall via livestream is better than not performing at all, but the experience for the performers as well as

for the listeners is diminished. A live audience gives palpable energy back to the performers and it is very much a shared experience.

Performing to an empty hall was very one-sided in many ways,” Kahl said.

Still, the reception from viewers was positive. The video has accumulated over 350 views, a high for the department’s content.

“I think it went well,” said Moser. “It is answering a deep, soul rooted need we have for live connection with one another. I could palpably feel the length of time that had passed since my last performance and I was unprepared

for how much that would affect my mind since I have never been in such a situation before.”

Both Moser and Kahl expressed that livestream performances will likely continue even after it is safe to resume in-person audiences.

For now, the D’Angelo Department of Music has three other livestream faculty recitals scheduled for the Spring 2021 semester, on Feb. 21, March 17 and April 21 at 8 p.m.

Support the arts at Mercyhurst and tune in for one or all of these events for free.

Hurst theater performances to continue on Zoom

By Laren Reesman Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Theatre program faced great adversity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to perform together on stage because of quarantine and social distancing restrictions, the program was forced to continue with few, albeit mighty, shows like “The Canterville Ghost” in October and “A Dickens of a Carol” in December.

These shows were successfully rehearsed and performed virtually by the cast members, and now the program expects to put on “Through the Looking Glass” in March.

Auditions were held on Feb. 4, and 12 cast members were selected to play a range of different characters.

Surprisingly, Alice will be played a male student, Braden Rosciszewski.

The choice adds a fresh twist to this adaptation, which is already “highly unorthodox” according to artistic director of MIAC, Brett Johnson, the director of this production.

Johnson describes Alice in this production as “a narcissistic social media influencer who enters a fever-dream in which everyone has gone mad with boredom.”

“It’s a surreal reimagining in a pandemic world,” said Johnson.

Although the show will be on Zoom, Johnson will still have some scenic setup.

He asked Pittsburgh-based artist Tucker Topel, the artist behind several set designs for other Mercyhurst productions, to develop digital backgrounds.

Topel designed sets for “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” and “She Kills Monsters.”

Johnson hopes both the visuals and acting will portray a relatable adaptation for the times and an accurate portrayal of widespread sentiments when under lockdown. One of the only options to keep busy was through entertainment services and social media.

They failed to provide an adequate replacement for productivity (like working or exercising) in the longterm, which took a toll on overall mental health.

This adaptation of “Through the Looking Glass” will allow the actors and actresses to address their own hardships within a virtual environment.

The play sheds light on a basic

social need for human interaction and the consequences when the ability to socialize is taken away.

The other characters include the Red Queen and Lorina, which will be played by Jon Reddinger.

Tori Altsman will play Edith, the Daisies and the White Queen; Rachele Heasley will play March Hare and Ali Forsythe and Ashleigh Morrison will play Tweedledee and Tweedledum, respectively.

Violet, the Walrus and Lion will be played by Allison Christopher.

Gracie Knopfel will play Carpenter and Unicorn; Abby Whitman will play Tiger-Lily and Humpty Dumpty; and Caroline Schroer will play Rose and the Jabberwocky. The White Knight will be played by Katelynn Bizzarro, and the Red Knight will be played by Veronica Guerrini.

Four cast members are seniors this year, and “Through the Looking Glass” is their final show.

The seniors this year consist of Allison Christopher, Rachele Heasley, Caroline Schroer and Abby Whitman.

These individuals contributed to numerous productions throughout their years at Mercyhurst. A couple are theatre minors and got to experience Mercyhurst theatre both through classes and extracurriculars.

Should anyone wish to attend the show, dates are Thursday through Saturday, March 18-20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 21 for a 2 p.m. matinee.

Performances are free of charge but require registration at miac. mercyhurst.edu.

Stolen Cambodian art finally returned home

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Southeast Asia has gone through a lot of turmoil in recent months.

Myanmar citizens, for example, has been staging protests for the last few weeks against a coup that has overthrown the government.

However, with all of these difficult stories, perhaps one can serve as a beam of light during these dark days.

At least 100 antiquities that were stolen over the course of decades are finally going home to Cambodia.

The collection, which includes statues and carvings, is said to have such cultural significance that the country’s national museum, located in the capital of Phnom Penh, is being expanded in order to accommodate it.

Douglas Latchford, a controversial British art dealer, was charged with wire fraud, smuggling and

conspiracy in 2019, and US prosecutors stated that he had not only trafficked these antiquities, but that he “made a career” out of stealing them.

Latchford was allegedly a part of an organized looting network that faked records for items that were taken from archaeological sites such as Angkor Wat. He died in Thailand at the age of 88 in 2020 before he could answer to the charges, but his daughter, Nawapan Kriangsak, has promised to return all of the items that her father stole over the years.

“Our culture and our statues are not just wood and clay, they possess spirits, and they have senses,” said Phoeurng Sackona, Cambodia’s Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, in a video interview via a translator. “The pieces themselves want to come back to their country.”

She has also told CNN that the

return of the artifacts has elicited a “magical feeling.”

Bradley J. Gordon, a legal advisor to the Cambodian government, has said that 25 of the items have already been returned, and the rest will be sent in batches, with five more items due to return in the coming weeks.

Among those due to arrive soon are a sandstone depiction of the deity Prajnaparamita and a bronze carving of the legendary Garuda bird.

Also included is a 10th-century depiction of the Hindu god Shiva and his son Skanda, a statue that the Cambodian government believes comes from the remote Koh Ker temple complex.

“Over the last few years I became increasingly convinced that the best way to deal with this legacy would be to give all of [Latchford’s] Khmer art, irrespective of origin, to the people of Cambodia,” said Kriangsak, about re-

turning the items her father stole.

“Many of the returned statues and other objects have impeccable provenance. However, I decided not to discriminate between those for which I know about the provenance and those that I don’t. It’s all going home.”

Latchford was considered one of the most well-known authorities of art from the Khmer Empire, which reigned between the 9th and 15th centuries. He had always denied any wrongdoing, but his daughter told CNN, “My father bought his Khmer artifacts from auction houses, collectors and dealers of every kind, all over the world.”

While people are still divided about whether to return the items or not, Lynda Albertson, CEO of the Association for Research into Crimes Against Art, or ARCA, believes it is for the best.

“As long as Latchford’s name comes up in the provenance or

Contributed photo

Statue in the likeness of the deity Prajnaparamita.

history of objects, it will make them toxic in terms of resale,” said Albertson. “So, this might create a sense of ‘let’s give it back or let’s create some good press,’ or some feelings of goodwill between different collectors.”

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD On the break day, a group of students had a snowball fight in Trinity Green!

BAD Midterms are approaching.

RECENT Lent began with Ash Wednesday last Wednesday.

The Merciad STUDENT EDITORS Marina Boyle............................ Editor in Chief Gillian Mazur........................ Managing Editor Rebecca Dunphy .........................News Editor Victoria McGinty .................... Features Editor Michael Boylan .......................... Sports Editor Christa Knipes .............................. A&E Editor Zach Dumais ........................... Opinion Editor Sarah Klein ...................................Copy Editor Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

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

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor.

All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit.

Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters via email at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Experience with the first break day As most people might recall, when Mercyhurst went online last spring, the Easter break that Staff writer was scheduled for mid-April still occurred.

It was a nice way for students Most Wednesdays, I have an to have a bit of relaxation online class at noon followed by a after a stressful few weeks of graphic design lab at 2 p m. transitioning from in-person to I also meet with my advisor at online courses.

10 a.m. and I’m sure to have an However, when students Ambassador tour sprinkled in returned to campus this past fall, there eventually. not only did we begin a week These can be long days, earlier than originally scheduled, combined with homework, so but we also ended the semester I’m usually pretty exhausted by earlier than anticipated, which the end of the day. However, this had us going home right before past Wednesday, Feb. 17, was Thanksgiving break and taking different. finals from home.

I still had to wake up early for However, the major my advisor meeting, but besides consequence of this was that that I had nothing to worry we had absolutely no breaks in about, as that day was the first between. Zero, zip, zilch. break day that the school had in While I’m certainly grateful place this semester. for the break days we have this I was able to get a good semester, I’m still quite annoyed amount of work done that by the fact that we didn’t have would’ve otherwise probably had any breaks last semester. to wait until the weekend, and For three straight months, I was still able to hang out with the only time we were able to friends as well. It was a great have a breather was during the way to just let out a sigh of relief weekends, and even then, those after a few weeks of getting into periods were limited as there was the swing of things with a new still homework and projects to be semester, but it also begs the completed. question: why didn’t Mercyhurst Days that are usually days think of this earlier? off, such as Labor Day, saw us

By Bella Lee

attending classes then as well.

In short, it simply was not healthy for us to have classes nonstop for three months in a row, as we all suffered major burnout as a result.

I’m definitely glad that Mercyhurst made a change and gave us break days this time around, but it should’ve happened last semester as well.

Even when I was in grade school, we would receive days off for Labor Day and Memorial Day, but also religious holidays such as Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, which is perhaps something that we could implement in the future.

College students need breaks every now and then and going without any last semester proved to be almost detrimental.

This first break day helped me alleviate a lot of stress.

While there’s only a few of them, and we still are going without a spring break or Easter break, at least we’re not nearly collapsing from exhaustion by the end of the semester.

Our next break day, which is also advising day, is Mar. 16, so I’m looking forward to another short break soon.

Erie’s long winters not for me the mix as well, then it becomes more difficult to counteract the Weber harsh winds we get up on the Staff writer hill. There really is not much you can do to prevent the wind from making you colder, but someone should invent something that Erie winters are definitely eases the harshness that the wind different from anything I have has on one’s body. ever known. Personally, I am A bonus of having to wear from Pittsburgh, PA, so I facemasks is it helps keep the definitely am no stranger to snow. wind off the bottom of one’s face, But, back home we never even if it only helps a little bit. consistently have this much snow.

Another reason I am not We would always get various particularly a huge fan of Erie amounts of snow and then it in the winter is because they do would melt away after a few days extraordinarily little to make the and before another snowstorm roads safe to travel on.

The main could hit us. roads are relatively clear, but the In Erie, it is simply too side roads are still just a sheet of cold and, from what I have ice. experienced so far, it seems like If you want people to be able to there are never more than two go out and help the community, days in a row where it does not then you have to allow them to snow at all. do it in a safe fashion.

I would not necessarily say the At least put some salt down Erie winters are awful in terms of if you cannot properly clear the the snow, but the cold is what I roads because then that can start find to be unbearable. The snow to break through the ice and and cold I can handle by wearing make it safer for people to drive layers, but if you throw wind into

By Samantha

over.

I guess I am fortunate enough that there is not as much snow as, say, in Canada, because I honestly do not know if I would be able to handle that much snow.

I definitely understand how some people cannot handle Erie weather especially if they are from somewhere that does not experience severe winters. After I committed to Mercyhurst, I heard about the lake effect snow that falls every winter.

I guess one part of the winter I am not looking forward to is when spring is closer and the weather does not change at all.

Back home it would be a little warmer at least and then you could start to do more outside activities again, but I heard that in Erie that rarely happens and that we could still have snow when we move out for the summer.

Let’s hope for an early and warm spring!

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

OPINION

PAGE 13

President Biden needs to HURST STUDENTS handle climate change

By Patrick Corso Staff writer

On Feb. 19 the Biden administration made an announcement that they officially rejoined the Paris Climate Accord.

The United States is the second largest country behind its rival China on greenhouse gas emissions as a way that we warm the planet.

The four-year gap when the US was outside of the Paris Climate Agreement was caused by former President Trump making the US withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord in 2017. The reason for Trump’s decision was to exempt the US from having to cut its global carbon emissions.

Trump also ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to scrap the Clean Power Plan and decreased regulation in many areas.

Biden picked former Secretary of State and presidential candidate, John Kerry, to be his climate envoy.

With the recent winter storm that caused chaos in Texas last week, Kerry has mentioned that he wants to prevent a repeat of the unprecedented event by helping the US climate return to normal the best we can.

The world is warming up

because of the emission of greenhouse gas from virtually almost every kind of vehicle that relies on gasoline for power.

Global warming has its consequences.

It can result in stronger storms, droughts, make ocean levels higher and could potentially make certain places uninhabitable, leading to mass forced migration of people across the world.

Kerry has also mentioned that scientists have 12 years to devise a plan to prevent the worst climate-related catastrophe.

With the withdrawal from the accord, there are only nine years left to complete the plan.

When the US joined the accord in April 2016, Kerry would end up seeing a rise in global temperature by 3.7 degrees or more.

The climate accord was named for the city of lights where an agreement was made back in 2015.

When the Trump administration rolled back around 100 environmental regulations, all forms of renewable energy, including wind turbines and solar panels, started to become cheaper and began providing record amounts of energy within the United States, effectively putting coal plants out of business.

Tesla is not the only company making cars that run on batteries; General Motors will

transition most of their vehicles to electric by 2035.

Kerry recommended getting as much clean energy as fast as possible. The plan could help hire new workers but could also cause layoffs. Very little action has caused too much hot air.

One of Biden’s future plans is to race to a more ambitious emission target.

The journey for that will not probably begin until April, and net-zero emissions will not be in effect until at least 2050. For the Biden administration, this is not likely to be an easy target.

As Bill Gates mentioned, it appears that Biden has chosen the right people to tackle climate change. Clearly the Democratic Party is serious about fighting climate warming.

While rejoining the accord was an easy decision for Biden, the fight will probably get tense.

Climate change policies can be costly, and this could lead to Biden raising the cost of carbon, while the Trump administration did not put a lot of value on carbon emissions.

Biden also mentioned about cleaning up the electricity grid in all fifty states by 2035.

Although a worthy cause, any environmental policies which bring us a step closer to the stipulations of the Paris Agreement will be a challenge in terms of consensus and in terms of cost.

SPEAK UP

We asked: Should there be a Spring Break?

Michelle Benedetti, senior Business & Competitive Intelligence major: “As much as I would love a spring break, I would be worried that many people would stop following COVID guidelines and would cause an outbreak that forces us to go home early.”

Alexis Lovewell, sophomore Cyber Security and Intelligence Studies major: “Students and staff should have time away from their work, this way they can focus more and have the ability to put forth their best work.”

Sarah Vosburgh, sophomore Psychology major: “Although I want to see my family, our education is most important. If many people travel for spring break and that would cause a rise in cases here at Mercyhurst.”

Victoria Darling, sophomore Accounting and Finance major: “It is safer for students to stay on campus because if we travel, we are putting those in our community at risk. By us not having a break this year, we are more likely to have breaks next year and in the long run.”

Compiled by RayLynn Chraston

Mercyhurst and Black History Month

By Zach Dumais Opinion editor

I’d like to preface this article by recognizing that I come from a position of privilege. As a white man, my experiences and opinions should not be construed as to overshadow the lived realities of people of color.

As an ally, I hope to encourage continued conversation over these incredibly important subjects.

The rich history and legacy of Black History Month has only become more relevant to the political climate over the past year. Police brutality, racial inequality and the polarization of ideologies have exposed the systematic prejudice that people of color across the country endure on a daily basis.

Such realities should be at the forefront of an institution that prides itself on the values of the Sisters of Mercy, with one

of their critical concerns being racism.

Given the constraints imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Mercyhurst has made some respectable efforts at continuing the longstanding tradition of recognizing and celebrating Black History Month. Advertisements for social change workshops, cultural awareness calendars and movie screenings that feature post-viewing discussions all offer members of the Mercyhurst community the opportunity to engage with the ongoing dialogue concerning racial justice.

I understand the difficulty of advertising these events, as we’ve transitioned away from paper flyers and towards digital posts. I can also see how social distancing and limited gatherings can create difficulties when trying to facilitate these intimate discussions.

Bearing this in mind, I believe that Mercyhurst’s celebration of Black History Month has room

for improvement. Many of the events proposed by Mercyhurst sounded informative and exciting, but information about them was not widely available, and it was difficult to register for them.

For instance, the front page of the Student Hub featured infographics on a showing of “12 Years a Slave,” a movie about the memoirs of Solomon Northrup. A brief instruction below the picture indicated that one could click on the image or copy and paste an associated link. After trying both methods, I found that the movie was unavailable. I had hoped I could

watch the movie at any time, but it was only available for a certain period.

Similarly, a post advertised an upcoming Social Change Workshop Series, focusing on components such as advocacy, organizing, lobbying and transformative conversations. Hoping to receive additional information about these opportunities, I was disappointed to find that there was no link to an introductory video as the post had promised.

These occurrences are representative of larger issues.

While Mercyhurst made great strides in providing a framework

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for celebrating Black History Month, the delivery something to be desired. Obstacles are to be expected and the occasional hiccup does not render these initiatives useless.

In fact, had I the chance to properly utilize these resources, I have reason to believe they would have been captivating and beneficial.

Notwithstanding these disappointments, I hope that Mercyhurst is able to capitalize on this momentum to build on what worked while fixing what didn’t, and ensure that the drive for substantive change is continued beyond Feb. 28.

Twitter: @TheMerciad Instagram: @MUMerciad Facebook: The Merciad

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Djokovic and Osaka win Australian Open

By Samantha Weber Staff writer

The Australian Open this year was held from Feb. 8 through Feb. 21.

This is the first of four Grand Slam tennis events of the year, the other three being the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.

The tournament had been pushed back by three weeks to allow for proper quarantine procedures to take place for the players traveling from other countries.

This decision to delay the event was made by governing event coordinator Tennis Australia back in the middle of December.

The tournament includes competitions of men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Most of the biggest names in tennis were at the tournament this year, like Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic and Ra-

fael Nadal.

Entering the tournament, Djokovic was the reigning champion for men’s singles and Sofia Kenin for women’s singles.

Even with the big names present at the tournament, there were several notable competitors who did not attend this year.

Roger Federer was expected to play in the Australian Open this year yet had not recovered to top match fitness. Federer had two knee surgeries back in early 2020 and he opted to not compete in the competition as he was not in tournament condition. Fans displayed through social media that they are hopeful he will return in the early summer for the French Open.

Another notable absence was Andy Murray. Murray was unable to make it to the tournament because he contracted COVID-19 directly prior to his intention to enter into quarantine.

The top three seeds for men this year were Novak Djokovic (Serbia), Rafael Nadal (Spain) and Dominic Thiem (Austria).

The top three seeds for women are Ashleigh Barty (Australia), Simona Halep (Romania) and Naomi Osaka (Japan).

One of the biggest matches of the tournament took place in the women’s singles semi-finals when Naomi Osaka took down Serena Williams in straight sets. Osaka, 20, and her sister, Mari, were inspired to start playing tennis after seeing the Williams sisters on television.

The Australian Open has been the first tournament of the Grand Slam to have substantial fan attendance since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, Wimbledon was canceled, the US Open did not allow any fans to attend and the French Open severely restricted the number of fans who were allowed in the stands.

Fans were initially allowed to attend the Australian Open this year with proper social distancing precautions in place. However on Feb. 14 Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews ordered a lockdown to occur for five days, ending on the Thursday of the tournament.

Fans were allowed to return to the games on Thursday, which was just in time for most of the semi-final matches.

Tournament officials allowed Melbourne Park to have 7,477 people attend per session, which was 50 percent capacity.

The final match in women’s doubles was between Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova (Czech Republic) against Elise Mertens (Belgium) and Ayna Sabalenka (Belarus). The women’s double champions were E. Mertens and A. Sabalenka in two sets.

The final match in men’s doubles was between Rajeev Ram

(USA) and Joe Salisbury (UK) against Ivan Dodig (Croatia) and Filip Polasek (Slovenia). The men’s doubles champions were I. Dodig and F. Polasek, again in two sets.

The final match in mixed doubles was between Matthew Ebden and Samantha Stosur (Australia) against Rajeev Ram (USA) and Barbora Krejčíková. The mixed doubles champions were R. Ram and B. Krejčíková in two sets.

The final match in men’s singles was between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. The men’s singles champion was Novak Djokovic in three sets.

The final match in women’s singles was between J Brady (USA) and Naomi Osaka (Japan). The womens singles champion was Naomi Osaka in two sets.

HURST RESULTS HurstAthletics photo

The Mercyhurst Lakers celebrate their win over Lindenwood University with a three game sweep at the Mercyhurst Ice Center.

Women’s hockey sweep three games against Lindenwood

By Mike Boylan Sports editor

The Mercyhurst Women’s ice hockey team completed a three game sweep this past weekend as they faced off against Lindenwood University.

The Lakers competed at the Mercyhurst Ice Center for all three of the games taking place on Feb. 18, 19 and 20.

The first game was won in impressive fashion with a score of 6-2, a season high for the Lakers.

The six goals came off of 33 shots by the Lakers. Goals were contributed by Chantal Ste-Croix, Sara Boucher, Grace Nelles, K.K. Thiessen, Rachel Marmen and Summer-Rae Dobson.

Goalie Jenna Silvonen had ten saves on the day, allowing just two goals to Lindenwood.

For the second game of the series Mercyhurst won with a score of 4-2. Freshman forward Sara Boucher recorded her first hattrick of her career, with one goal in the first period and two in the second period.

Junior forward Emily Pinto recorded the fourth goal of the game for Mercyhurst, while senior forward Alexa Vasko racked up three assists for the night.

Making her seventh start this season, goalie Ena Nystrom was able to stop all six shots during the first period, with twenty total throughout the game. Nystrom held a .909 save percentage with just two goals allowed.

The Lakers finished the series with their final win of 3-1 on Sunday. Goals were contributed by sophomore Alexandria Weiss, Pinto and Marmen.

Silvonen had an impressive night defending the net, achieving a .952 save percentage with just one goal allowed on 21 Lindenwood shots.

Pinto scored her goal from a backend shot off a pass by senior forward Megan Korzack in the first period. Next was a goal by Marmen off an assist by Pinto, which was originally called no goal prior to a review that led to the reversal.

Lindenwood scored their only goal during the first period.

The Lakers final goal came from Weiss off an assist by sophomore Jordan Mortlock during the second period.

With the three game sweep the team is now 9-5-1 on the season.

The Lakers return to the ice for a two game matchup at home against Penn State this weekend.

Feb. 17: Women’s basketball vs. College of Saint Rose: 75-52, Lakers Feb. 18: Women’s hockey vs.

Lindenwood University: 6-2, Lakers Feb. 19: Men’s hockey vs.

Niagra University: 1-0, Lakers Feb. 20: Men’s basketball vs. Gannon University: 75-52, Lakers Feb. 20: Men’s water polo vs.

Salem University: 20-8, Lakers Feb. 21: Women’s bowling trimeet: 1-1

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

SPORTS

PAGE 15

Women’s basketball sweep College of Saint Rose

By Marina Boyle Editor-in-chief

Mercyhurst Women’s basketball achieved an impressive two-game sweep of the College of Saint Rose on Feb. 16 and 17 at the Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium in the New York state capital. The Lakers beat the Golden Knights 70-54 and 75-52, spoiling the season-opener for Saint Rose.

It was the first time the teams had met since 2001, and it was a key game for the Lakers to show their strengths.

“Since our last loss against D1 Cleveland State, we took the last week to really dive into our losses and learn from them. I really love how this team took that information and applied it to competing on the practice floor, because I think it translated well to our games against St Rose,” head coach Brooklyn Kohlheim, said.

In the Lakers’ first game on Feb. 16 junior Julia Buchman scored a career-high 14 points, while freshman Brittini Martin added a season-high 12. St. Rose began the game by picking up the first points of the contest on a layup, but the Lakers came back with a 5-0 push with scores from Julia Buchman and Nicolette Arnold.

The two sides remained deadlocked at 19-19 in the second quarter until the Lakers embarked

on a 10-point run before the beginning of the third and then extended their lead to 50-38.

Meghan Komendarek became the seventh different Laker to score with 8:49 remaining on the clock. Four more Lakers found bottom of the net before it would all be over for the Golden Knights, with Jillian Spano, Jayde Boyd, Komendarek and Martin supplying the rest of the offense for the Green and Blue to secure the 70-54 win.

Komendarek, a senior double majoring in Early Childhood and Special Education was pleased with the team’s performance in the game.

“This season is one that has been unprecedented, but extremely valuable for our team. In regard to our performance, I believe that we showed a great amount of unity as a team,” said Komendarek.

“Something that we have placed great emphasis on this season has been our ability to be connected and work together. We have great chemistry on and off the court and when we put it all together, I believe we have the ability to make great things happen.”

On Feb. 17 the Lakers gave an impressive show once again, with four Lakers reaching double digits to complete the two-game sweep of Saint Rose. The Lakers began the game fast with Buchman, Ar-

nold and Grace Centrulla delivering from downtown to hit jumpers that made the game 7-0 with 3:54 gone.

Mercyhurst also scored the first five points of the second quarter thanks to a triple by Komendarek and bucket from Arnold. The Lakers pushed the advantage to 25 three times within the opening three minutes of the final quarter on buckets from Arnold (57-32), Komendarek (59-34) and Boyd (61-36).

Boyd and Centrulla each netted 18 points and combined for 11 rebounds for the Women’s basketball team, while Spano scored their final eight points of the game to secure the 75-52 win.

The Lakers will next play against Clarion and Gannon University.

“The first regional poll came out yesterday and I couldn’t be happier that we aren’t in it. We have played the toughest schedule in the region, but haven’t beaten the teams that matter,” said Kohlheim. “With these last four games in the Clarion and Gannon series, we have got to go 4-0 to get a bid. I think I know this team well enough to know that there are a team that needs and wants to prove something, and that is exactly the opportunity we have in the next two weeks.”

Arnold, a sophomore majoring in Data Science, was left feeling

HurstAthletics photo

Sophomore guard Jayde Boyd drives to the basket in a victory against the College of Saint Rose.

hopeful after the Lakers’ two impressive wins.

“I feel that the past two games against Saint Rose were really great turning points for us. We have been working on a lot of things these past few weeks and I feel like we really showed our growth and accomplished our goals. I’m really excited for the rest of this season because I feel like we are an extremely connected group of people. This is rare on a team and we have some tough games ahead, but we are more than ready,” Arnold said.

“In terms of the rest of the season, our main goal is to win,” said Komendarek. “Given the time we are in with COVID-19, we are simply grateful to even have the ability to play this season. We understand that we have an opportunity that many others have not been given and that is to play games. Our goals are high, and ultimately, we are striving for the top: NCAA tournament champions.”

Men’s basketball defeat Gannon in Pride of Erie opener

By Gillian Mazur Sports editor

On Feb. 20, Mercyhurst University’s Men’s basketball team once again hosted the annual Porreco Pride of Erie tournament.

Despite the continued state of the pandemic, nothing was going to stop the No. 6 Mercyhurst Lakers from defeating their rivals, the No. 21 Gannon University Knights for the fifth straight Porreco Pride tournament win, 8361. Played in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, this game marked the Lakers’ 14th straight win at home.

“First off I want to say that we’re blessed and extremely grateful to be playing during these times. I thought we played good as a team.

We shared the ball and got a lot of open looks. One thing I will say about our team is we have 10 different guys who can really score, so different guys step up every game,” said forward graduate student Melkisedek Moreaux.

Starting the game strong, within three minutes Mercyhurst guards Zach McIntire and MiyKah McIntosh gave the Lakers an advantage by putting the score 7-2.

The Gannon Knights fought back hard in the next two minutes brining the score within a point to the Lakers.

Recovering with a vengeance, the Lakers regained control of the

game with three three-pointers in a row from McIntosh and McIntire, with Moreaux scoring four baskets in a row making the score 25-11 with less then 12 minutes to go.

Junior guard Steve Cannady helped up the score to 28-13 shortly after.

The Lakers were able to hold the margin by double figures until Gannon’s junior guard Kevin Dodds stole a rebound to put the score back to a single digits deficit at 29-20.

The Lakers held a strong defense against Gannon, only allowing the Knights to outscore them 9-7. By halftime, the Lakers were able to move the keep ahead on the scoreboard at 47-32.

“I thought that I had a good game off the bench but definitely was able to help the team a lot more in the defensive end,” said Moreaux.

In the second period, senior forward Cameron Gross and Gannon’s Dodds opened with four points for their respective teams.

Within five minutes, sophomore guard Michael Bradley along with Gross were able to put four in the bucket in a row turning the score 53-34.

Putting themselves even further ahead, in a little over a minute, Moreaux, McIntire and junior guard Nicholas Lang were able to go on a 7-0 run.

Hurst Athletics photo

Mercyhurst Men’s basketball team following the 83-61 victory against Gannon, marking their 5th consecutive Porreco Pride victory.

In a following three-minute window, Mercyhurst’s senior forward Daniel Ogele along with Lang and Cannady each scored, moving the score 68-43 with less than eight minutes in the half.

Senior forward Joel Ufelle and Moreaux dominated the paint, giving the Lakers their largest lead of the game at 79-50 around the 17-minute mark.

With such a large lead the Lakers gave themselves a big cushion

which would later come in handy when Gannon finished the quarter outscoring the Hurst 11-4.

Freshman guard Jeff Planutis and Cannady played a strong offensive game near the end, supplying the Laker’s victory.

With a total of 20 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals along with some great stats, junior guard Miykah McIntosh secured the Game Charger Award for the second Porreco tourna-

ment in a row.

Moreaux said, “Overall we like the position we are in and we’re looking forward to practice and prepare for Gannon again on Saturday.”

The Mercyhurst Men’s basketball team is set to play the second game of the Porreco tournament at Gannon on Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. at their Hammermill Center.

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Whatever decisions you’re faced with this week, rely on your strong Aries instincts, and base them on your honest feelings, not necessarily on what others might expect you to do.

TAURUS (April 30 to May 20) Your sensitive Taurean spirit is pained by what you feel is an unwarranted attack by a miffed colleague. But your sensible self should see it as proof that you must be doing something right.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) More fine-tuning might be in order before you can be absolutely certain that you’re on the right track. Someone close to you might offer to help. The weekend favors family get-togethers.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The week continues to be a balancing act ‘twixt dreaming and doing. But by week’s end, you should have a much better idea of what you actually plan to do and how you plan to do it.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Changing your plans can be risky, but it can also be a necessary move. Recheck your facts before you act. Tense encounters should ease by midweek, and all should be well by the weekend.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) You might still be trying to adjust to recent changes. But things should improve considerably as you get to see some positive results. An uneasy personal matter calls for more patience.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Congratulations. Your good intentions are finally recognized, and long-overdue appreciation should follow. Keep working toward improvements wherever you think they’re necessary.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 2) Try to look at your options without prejudging any of them. Learn the facts, and then make your assessments. Spend the weekend enjoying films, plays and musical events.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Someone might want to take advantage of the Sagittarian’s sense of fair play. But before you ride off to right what you’ve been told is a wrong, be sure of your facts.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You might be surprised to learn that not everyone agrees with your ideas. But this can prove to be a good thing. Go over them and see where improvements can be made.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) After taking advice on a number of matters in recent months, expect to be called on to return the gesture. And, by the way, you might be surprised at who makes the request.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Reassure everyone concerned that a change of mind isn’t necessarily a change of heart. You might still want to pursue a specific goal, but feel a need to change the way you’ll get there.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are able to make room in your heart for others, and that makes you a very special person in their lives. © 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by the Martian