The Merciad March 22 Issue

Celebrate the 21st annual Literary Festival

By Eva Mihelich News editor

Each year, the Mercyhurst English Department hosts a Literary Festival that celebrates both outside literary works and those within the campus community. Students have plenty to look forward to with the 21st annual Literary Festival events.

You do not have to be an English student to attend these events. In fact, English Professor Jeffrey Roessner, Ph.D. encourages all students to attend.

“We try to pick writers that appeal to the student body. Our first reader this year has all that kind of pop culture appeal. He’s written all kinds of non-fiction works about popular topics, including superheroes and detective fiction. I think that all those things he’s written should have some appeal for students,” said Roessner.

This year, the featured author is Brad Ricca. Ricca has written a wide variety of genres and media.

He is known for his great nonfiction books that appeal to a wide audience. Some of his standout books are “Mrs. Sherlock Holmes” and “Olive the Lionheart.”

His most recent work is titled “True Raiders,” which is about the untold story of Monty Parker, who headed a secret 1909 expedition to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant just outside of Jerusalem.

Ricca will be speaking on Wednesday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall.

The second event is an evening of songs titled “21st Century Songwriters” which will take place on Thursday, April 20, at 7 p.m. in Luke’s Landing.

This event will feature selected Mercyhurst faculty, alumni and friends, along with featured guest Jim Tometsko and his band.

The songs will have a special focus on influential singers from the 21st century from Britney Spears to Tom Petty.

The final event will be on

Thursday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre. This event is the unveiling of the 2023 edition of the Lumen and an awards ceremony.

Lumen is a student-produced multimedia magazine that is revealed at the end of the Literary Festival each year.

This has been a prized Mercyhurst tradition for even longer than the Literary Festival has been going on. Getting a publication into the Lumen is a selective process, so the reveal at

the end of the festival is one of celebration and appreciation.

Roessner notes that the unveiling of the Lumen is something that he looks forward to each year because even he does not see the final product until the Literary Festival.

He also hopes that students will especially try to attend this event.

“The Lumen is made by students, and for students, so I would hope that students would come to the final event to sup-

port their peers” said Roessner.

At the final event of the Literary Festival, cash prizes will be awarded to students who submitted various creative and critical works.

Following this presentation, there will be an open mic event.

“The open mic afterwards is always a treat because you never know what people are going to read or what’s going to happen,” Roessner said. “It’s a really fun atmosphere, and most students have never read before on a large stage like that, so it has a kind of formal element to it that adds a kind of electric charge to the event.”

Roessner added that you do not have to be featured in the Lumen to participate in the open mic.

Any students who want to share something, whether it is a piece they wrote, a piece someone else wrote, or even a stream of their own thoughts, are encouraged to attend and take the mic.

First created by Roessner and former Mercyhurst English professor Ken Schiff, Ph.D., the purpose of the Literary Festival is to bring renowned writers to campus to share their experiences with students and to host creative writing workshops with people who have real-world advice.

Consider attending one or all of the events. They are a great way to enrich your appreciation of literature, to gain knowledge from an experienced author and to support your fellow peers in their creative pursuits.

Mosaic of Life accepting student artwork

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Have you wanted the chance to display your pieces of art, but do not believe you have the chance because you are not an Art major? Well, you do not have to worry about that any longer, as you have the chance to showcase your work thanks to the Mosaic of Life.

The 4th annual Mosaic of Life will occur on Wednesday, April 12, with submissions being received starting Thursday, March 23. This is open to all students, not just Art majors.

“The Mosaic of Life is an art showcase for Mercyhurst students to display their artistic expressions on the topics of diversity and inclusion,” said Art Therapy Program Director Heather Denning.

Any type of art medium can be accepted for consideration for the Mosaic of Life, which celebrates diversity on campus.

“Submissions can be visual art, live performance, poetry, dance, spoken word or music,” said Denning. “Students with varying lev-

els of artistic skills are welcome, including novice artists. The art may represent ethnicity, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, inclusion, acceptance and more.”

This event began a few years ago with the idea coming from Judy Smith from the Counseling Center.

The original goal of the Mosaic of Life is to allow students to celebrate, not only their individual identities, but also their family history and lineage.

On Mercyhurst’s website, there is a statement written about the Mosaic of Life:

“Art is a powerful catalyst for promoting diversity, which goes to the heart of an upcoming exhibit, Mosaic of Life, hosted by the Art Therapy Department and Multicultural and Inclusion Office at Mercyhurst University, headed by Heather Denning and Jessica Hubert, respectively.”

With a campus that is strong in celebrating diversity, such as with events to celebrate Black History Month or Hispanic Heritage

Month, the Mosaic of Life adds another way that students are able to express themselves on campus. The time to submit pieces is coming up fast, so be sure to sub-

mit your pieces if you are interested.

Do not miss out on this wonderful opportunity to contribute to the showcase here on campus

Contributed Photo

if you are proud of your artwork! If you have any questions about the event please reach out to Denning.

Cleveland.com photo

Brad Ricca is pictured above alongside his most recent work. Ricca will be speaking at MU to students about his writing journey.

Pictured above is a photo from last year’s Mosaic of Life to give students an idea of what to expect this year, although the submissions will be different with some new perspectives.

Will Daylight Savings soon cease to exist?

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Daylight Saving Time is both a blessing and the bane of our existence.

While it is certainly nice to enjoy an extra hour of sunlight to welcome our spring and summer, it goes at a grisly cost of losing an hour of sleep. This hour of sleep is rewarded to us once again in November, with the end of Daylight Saving, but we have an hour of sunlight stolen from us.

There has been talk about whether Daylight Saving will be eliminated entirely.

The current concept of springing forward an hour in March and falling back an hour in November has been followed in the U.S. (with the exception of Hawaii and Arizona) since 2007, but the concept is much older.

Daylight Saving Time (in the term, “saving” is actually singular rather than plural) has its roots in train schedules, but it was put into practice in Europe and the United States to save fuel and power during World War I.

The U.S. kept Daylight Savings Time permanent during most of World War II. The idea

was put in place to conserve fuel and keep things standard. As the war came to a close in 1945, Gallup asked respondents how we should tell time. Only 17% wanted to keep what was then called “war time” all year.

During the energy crisis of the 1970s, permanent Daylight Savings Time was tried again in the winter of 1973-1974. The idea again was to conserve fuel and was a popular move at the time when President Richard Nixon signed the law in January 1974. But by the end of the month, Florida’s governor had called for the law’s repeal after eight schoolchildren were hit by cars in the dark. Schools across the country delayed start times until the sun came up.

The iteration of Daylight Saving Time as we know it has only been around for a little over 15 years, but it might be eliminated soon enough.

Earlier this month, Senator Marco Rubio introduced the Sunshine Protection Act in Florida in an attempt to end what he called an “antiquated practice.” While it passed unanimously in the Senate, it stalled in the House.

According to experts, getting rid of this practice could lead to health benefits, such as de-

creased risk of cardiac problems and strokes.

As humans need a good amount of sleep in order to function, Daylight Saving Time is definitely an archaic practice there are benefits to getting rid

of it.

While it would be strange to not be able to have an extra hour of sleep every November, we would be able to enjoy more sunlight year-round.

Overall, there are more pros

than there are cons with getting rid of the Daylight Saving/ Standard Time switch, so it is probably for the best that we move forward with trying to get rid of it once and for all.

MSG conducts spring survey

By Eva Mihelich News editor

Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) conducts a survey in the fall and spring semesters that students are highly encouraged to fill out in order to provide MSG with better student insight on certain issues.

This spring, MSG decided to focus on wellness for the survey.

They are hoping to get students’ opinions on how Mercyhurst could be better helping students and their holistic wellness.

The survey can be found on Laker Launchpad, and it will be open until Friday, March 24.

There will be plenty of reminders to complete this survey. MSG members have been stationed in Ryan Hall and Grotto Commons, and they will continue to be there until the survey is complete.

They will have a QR code that you can scan to fill out the survey, or you could simply go to Laker Launchpad to access the survey.

It does not take a long time to fill out, so consider taking a couple of minutes that could greatly help MSG in better un -

derstanding students’ needs.

Lily Smith, MSG President said that this survey focuses on the seven aspects of wellness, and how students feel they are doing in those sections.

“It also asks students to consider what their strengths and need of improvement are for the seven dimensions of wellness: Spiritual, Emotional, Social, Occupational, Environmental, Physical and Intellectual,” said Smith.

Student frustrations often stem from the idea that their ideas are not being incorporated into campus culture, so this is a great way for this frustration to be alleviated, especially in terms of wellness, and what Mercyhurst could improve upon.

“The goal is for students to become aware of their overall health and for us to use these results to advocate for improving these areas on campus.

“For the mission part, Campus Ministry has been rethinking ways to become more inclusive and adaptive to the current religious and spiritual trends among students,” said Smith.

The survey has simple questions, but they should take a moment or two of reflection to answer accurately.

As a society, we are constantly moving through our lives at a rapid pace, so stopping to consider how one is doing could take a bit of thought.

The structure of the survey is a variety of rating questions, where you are asked to rate things on a scale.

“Some of the survey questions will be used to gather data on how many students at -

tend Campus Ministry events, what they would like to see, and if they would like to see the name changed to something different. Again, we want to see how we can tweak things around campus to best serve our students and to keep up with the changing social climate,” said Smith.

Consider using your voice in this opportunity offered

through MSG.

Although students run MSG, they cannot read the minds of everyone on campus.

Mercyhurst is continually trying to better the wellness of students through new initiatives, and they act according to results found through things such as these surveys.

Sleep Cycle Image

Daylight Savings Time is a struggle for many people that interrupts their sleep schedules, shown by the graphic above.

Applications open for MSG

If you want to get more involved on campus, especially with leadership, consider applying for the MSG Senate.

They are seeking applications for Class of 2024, 2025, 2026 Senators, College Senators for Academic Colleges, and Club Senators for all club constituencies.

This is a great way to represent different groups of people on campus and to meet new people!

If you are interested, email msgvp@ mercyhurst.edu with questions.

Applications are due on Wednesday, March 29.

Work at the MU Bookstore

The Bookstore is looking for new employees next year with many of its employees graduating this spring.

Consider working for the Bookstore and joining a community of hardworking, fun people. Student employees receive a discount on apparel and the opportunity to help select the apparel that will be ordered for the store.

There are many benefits to having an oncampus job plus it is very convenient, so apply on Handshake!

AIM summer employment

If you are looking for summer employment, look no further. The AIM program is looking for student workers to work with autistic high school students as they experience college life at Mercyhurst.

This runs from July to August, and you will be provided rooming and meals during this time.

You will be paid $10/ hour, and it is a fantastic resume builder.

Consider applying for this great opportunity!

Contact amulder@ mercyhurst.edu for more information.

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

Email us at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu

Devastating flood hits California—again.

By Eva Mihelich News editor

There is no break when it comes to California dealing with natural disasters—it seems like one after the other keeps hitting the state’s residents.

This time, California is dealing with a massive flood. This flood has been caused by a levee failing. Levees are natural or man-made walls that block water from where it should not go.

They typically run the course of a river, but sometimes they fail when there is an excessive amount of rain, which is what happened in this case in California.

Sirens were wailing in the town of Pajaro as the Pajaro River escaped its levees and began covering the town with enormous amounts of water.

This flood is the latest disaster in a weather-caused wave of catastrophes that has been hitting California since last December.

This past Monday, March 13, emergency response

teams hit the streets and began assisting those still trapped in their homes, along with the many pets that people left stranded in a moment of panic.

The town of Pajaro has a goal to return to normalcy as quickly as possible, but this is going to be a difficult task.

Three water systems are potentially contaminated, which is devastating to the town of Pajaro.

Hundreds of people are being housed in shelters, 11 schools have closed and officials are already bracing for the next big rainstorm that could potentially bring more floods.

Officials say that this levee failure was a long time coming due to its age. In the 1990s, there were three massive floods in the town of Pajaro. However, repairs have never been done to the levee.

This has caused a massive outcry from the citizens of Pajaro who are demanding that more work be done to the levee.

However, Pajaro is a low-income area that does

not have the money to make those repairs anytime soon, so the threat of more flooding is daunting.

Residents are reflecting on the irony that, a year ago, the town of Pajaro was begging for access to clean water.

There was a severe wa-

ter shortage, and now they are further devastated by an overflow of water. With the economic difficulties that Pajaro has faced and the many floods that seem to reoccur there, officials are worried about what lasting damage this current flood

will have on the town. Because of this incident, other counties in California that have levees for rivers are beginning to consider their effectiveness and wondering what they should do to either repair or update them.

MU helps fight period poverty

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

Every year during March, the world celebrates the lives and accomplishments of women everywhere in honor of Women’s History Month.

In recognition of women this month, the Mercyhurst Equality of Women (MEOW) Club and Multicultural Student Services, set up a period poverty drive in order to both raise awareness of period poverty and to collect supplies for those struggling with period poverty.

The event was held in the Student Union during the week of March 13-17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

They collected unused and unopened sanitary pads and tampons either in boxes or individually, which would later be donated to the Mercy Center for Women.

The proceeds from this event go directly towards the Mercy Center for Women, which is a local center for resources and housing for the women of Erie.

The Mercy Center’s

mission statement reveals a lot about its goals within the community.

They state that they are a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and are committed to enhancing the dignity of each person they serve through the healing of body, mind and spirit.

The organization was founded in 1994 with the main goal of providing long-term transitional housing and support services to the homeless women of Erie, both with and without children.

Mercyhurst’s donations will be going directly to the women at this organization so they will no longer have to worry about what to do every month.

Period poverty affects over 500 million people worldwide every year and 16.9 million people who menstruate in the U.S. alone are also living in cases of poverty.

This form of poverty is often described as a lack of access to a multitude of items that are necessary in order to stay healthy during menstruation.

This lack of menstrual products, hygiene facili-

ties, waste management, education, restrooms and hand-washing facilities is seen in many places and countries worldwide.

Along with a lack of access to these basic necessities, the stigmatization of menstruation worldwide leads to larger numbers of individuals experiencing period poverty as it is less and less spoken of.

Many people do not even know what period poverty is, let alone if they

are experiencing it or how to help fight it.

No individual should ever have to worry about how they will afford menstrual products or keep themselves healthy during something that they have no option in opting out of.

As this event concludes and March continues, it is important to look towards how else we can help end period poverty.

We can begin with nor-

malizing menstruation and working to end taboos that seem to revolve around this natural process.

It is also important to work towards making menstrual products, sanitation, and hygiene easily accessible for everybody who may need it.

It is important that, as students, we continue to work towards ending period poverty even amongst our campus.

KQED Picture

The town of Pajaro, California, in the middle of an intense flood.

Iowa State University Image

Period poverty is a thing that many people unfortunately face, which has caused many activists to bring attention to the issue.

Women’s History Month celebrated throughout campus

By Christina Judy Staff writer

March is Women’s History Month. Started in the year 1987, the United States has been using the month of March to highlight the contributions of important women throughout history. Additionally, March 8 is International Women’s Day, which celebrates the achievements of women across the globe.

Women’s History Month actually started as “Women’s History Week” in 1978, and as time went on it eventually expanded to a month-long celebration. It can be difficult to sum up all of the accomplishments made, and hardships women have overcome since the beginning of time, which is why it was extended.

March is used to reflect, appreciate, and honor all the strides that have been made toward equality and the women who have gotten the world to where it is today. Though, many women have made huge accomplishments that are recognized in March, it is also a time to celebrate the small victories of women in our daily lives.

Things like being a stay-athome mom, women-owned small businesses, being the first woman in a family to graduate college, women in positions of power predominantly filled by men, and many more.

These may seem small, but some people work their whole lives to reach goals like this, and that is something that is definitely worth recognizing.

Women’s History Month is recognized nationwide, and

here at Mercyhurst, the university has many ways of recognizing the significance of the month. Recently, there was a women’s trivia night hosted by the Mercyhurst Equality of Women (MEOW) club and the History Club. All last week there was a menstrual products drive where people could donate products from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Student Union. Tampons and pads are so expensive, yet they are necessities for half of the population, many do not realize how difficult it can be to afford these products every month, so this was a great way to help those in need and give

back to the community. Additionally, there are posters and boards spread throughout academic and residence hall buildings that highlight some important women in history. Just outside of Grotto there is a board set up that students are encouraged to take a look at to help educate themselves a little bit.

The Residence Life Instagram @hurstreslife is even doing weekly themed posts each week of March.

The first week was about crucial women in the Civil Rights Movement, the second week was about women in STEM and the third week is about sup -

porting women-owned businesses in Erie. Go follow their account to see all the wonderful women they have posted about and what those women did to better the lives of others.

While the world has come a long way, the job is not finished yet.

There are a lot of inequalities that still remain. Obstacles such as the wage gap, the pink tax, and barriers to accessing healthcare—the list is long for women.

These are inequalities that are examined all year long, but especially in the month of March, to raise awareness of the issues women are facing in today’s so -

ciety.

Mercyhurst was founded as a women’s college, and because of our heritage, gender equality is prevelant. Many clubs across campus have hosted events to show the impact women have had throughout history.

This Women’s History Month, people are encouraged to reflect on the struggles of women throughout history and appreciate the impacts they have made on the world.

LAKER MOMENT

Shopping Spree 4 Free

On Saturday March 18, MAC/SAC hosted a makeshift thrifting experience in the Student Union. Any individual could donate clothes that they no longer wanted or needed leading up to the event and in return they were granted priority access to the event, meaning they were able to enter the event and shop earlier than others. MAC/SAC coordinators organized tables of these donated clothes into size sections so that individuals shopping could find options faster. Once there, shoppers were allowed to take up to two articles of clothing each for free. When the event first opened its doors at 7 p.m. there was a line wrapping around the first floor of the student union, making the event a smashing hit.

Hailey Steidle photo

Students shopping for new clothes at the weekend event.

Progession of the empowerment of women throughout the last 100 years.

RSCO FEATURE AML CLUB

Multicultural book exchange is a success

By Samantha Weber Editor in chief

On Monday, March 20, there was a cultural book exchange that was open to all students.

hurst, students most likely had a number of books that were about other cultures that could be used in this exchange.

quick form filled out to act as the checkout process.

Are you interested in solving large crime schemes? Then the Anti-Money Laundering Club (AML) might be the place for you!

The Anti-Money Laundering Club helps prepare students to work in specific fields such as risk management and other related fields.

President of the club, Josey Moorhead talked about her involvement, “I got interested in the AML club after taking the Foundations of Anti-Money Laundering course at Mercyhurst. Also, Dr. Leslie Guelcher continued my interest by offering other AML courses throughout my time at Mercyhurst.”

Leslie Guelcher, Ph.D., is the advisor for the club. She had an impressive career prior to coming to teach at Mercyhurst. She was part of the AML team at a leading bank in the country. “I never thought that I would have ended up doing that as my everyday job, but I absolutely fell in love with it.”

Guelcher is currently teaching a Foundations of AML course in which students are learning about the most common ways that money is laundered throughout the world. The class is also split up into groups and assigned a country that they have to analyze the money laundering capabilities of the country.

AML used to be a minor that was offered to students, but Guelcher and another professor split those courses and the other professor left. Guelcher said she wished they still offered the minor option but just cannot teach all the courses herself.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the club hosted an event where a Mercyhurst Alumni, Marina Boyle came to speak about her career in AML. The club had pizza as an incentive for more people to come and support Boyle.

Moorhead said, “My favorite part about the club is being able to spread knowledge about AML and explore the various career paths it can provide.” Money laundering has been around for thousands of years but has just adapted forms as the years have gone on. It is important to constantly be on the lookout for how the field is evolving.

Money laundering regulations really only started in the 1970s so it is still relatively new and prevention strategies are ever evolving.

Keep an eye out for other events hosted by this club as they host events pretty regularly throughout the semester.

The executive board consists of Moorhead, Rumeysa Tzurner, Orkhan Badirov, Brett Wilson and Scott Stewart. Most of the board is graduating after this semester, so if anyone is interested in keeping this amazing club alive they should reach out to Moorhead about their interest.

People were encouraged to bring a book, specifically one that is unique to a specific culture to exchange with other attendees. If one does not have a cultural book or is not willing to part with one, students were encouraged to bring book ideas as an alternative.

The book exchange took place in a very fitting location, the Multicultural Student Lounge. This was just remodeled over the past summer to be a more inclusive space for those on campus, specifically for minority groups.

There are clubs for about every language offered at Mercyhurst to try and provide more opportunities for the students to get immersed in the culture of the language they are studying and not just the language itself.

Thankfully, due to the wide variety of courses offered through the REACH curriculum here at Mercy -

Students were encouraged to use books that they already had, or if students did not have any to rent from the library as the books will be returned to the original owner in a few weeks anyway.

Truth Arnold, a junior anthropology major, was the coordinator of this event. They are very passionate about books and think that they should be a vital part of everyone’s life. Arnold opened up the event by talking about why they wanted to host a book exchange and basically talked about their love for books.

Jess Hubert was in attendance as well and she was the one who led the remodeling process of the multicultural lounge. As part of the remodeling, there is a new library that was added to the lounge. Students are more than welcome to check out a book from the multicultural lounge. In each book should be a QR code that can be scanned and the

Since March is Women’s History Month, there is a featured section on the side table and all the books are either written by women or about women.

In two weeks there will be another exchange, or technically re-exchange of the books one borrowed from someone else. This allows everyone the opportunity to discuss what they have read with someone who already has read the same book and talk about their opinions of it. At the event, Arnold said, “Ideally you guys will be able to talk about what you liked from the book, or if you hated it why you did not like it.”

Students brought books from all different cultures and all different genres to exchange.

Arnold also provided a pamphlet about how to get a library card at one’s local library. Another great online resource to use is called Libby where you can rent e-books to read just like one would at a library, but for online books.

By Christina Judy

Staff writer

Contributed photo

Students conversing about the books that they brought to exchange.

CLASS CATALOG

260: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA

By Megan McKay

Staff writer

COM260- Intro to Social Media explores basic concepts of social media and how modern technologies have changed the role of communications. As most know, social media has become a crucial part of everyday life. It has changed drastically and now serves as a form of communication more prevalent than the ring of a telephone.

So why would a college student be interested in learning about social media? Well, it turns out there is a lot more behind the intricacies of social media than we perceive. The course’s originator here at Mercyhurst, Brian Sheridan, has taken the time to help break down COM260. Sheridan is the current chair of the Communications Department. Whether you are a communication major or not, learning about social media is a unique opportunity and could be a great class to add in and even a start to earning a communications minor or major.

For starters, the class has been taught since 2009 and it began as “New Media” after Sheridan attended a conference in Dallas, TX. He learned the specifics and significance of adding the course for our generation. The class was eventually renamed, “Intro to Social Media” as it has become the more modern verbiage. Sheridan initially described the setup of the course and how it scratches the surface on its integration into society. The most unique aspect of the course is the flexibility. The course does not follow a textbook, which Sheridan mentioned was the biggest challenge while teaching the course but that only means that students are receiving consistently relevant information, which makes it more engaging for students. Sheridan also stated how the course cannot be taught from a technical standpoint because if it was, he would be instructing students about Myspace. This type of course certainly follows unconventional but quite valuable lessons. Students taking the course can expect to learn about the most prevalent social media outlooks. He described when he first started teaching the course students did not have computers and hardly any phones.

Students taking the course can expect to explore all aspects of social media including gaining experience through a project that involves either vlogging or blogging. Students also get used to the writing forms of certain platforms and learn how to build their brands and demonstrate their interests through social media. Communications courses like Intro to Social Media are certainly not just courses for students in the major only but also for anyone looking to gain crucial social media skills.

“We get a lot of different students, there are students from Intel studies, we often have double majors, even some who are dance majors that will take it with the idea that once they graduate or are done with their career, they would like to have another avenue to pursue their passion through influencing. Social media gives people that opportunity because every place uses it to get their brand out to customers,” said Sheridan. The study of social media can be a beneficial area of study especially as it is taught at a student level for free. It is inescapable in any profession. Sheridan continued with the uniqueness of it saying, “We try to demonstrate the foundations and the underlying strategies. Everybody is involved in social media now so it is helpful whether you are in business because you might not be in journalism, but you might deal with journalist as a leader or entrepreneur or dealing with the public. It is good to know these things to adopt what they have done whether it is advertising, marketing, or public relations.” Part of the goal is to instruct more students and educators that communications play a crucial role and ties into every single profession. Social media is a great tool for students to learn to incorporate in their future endeavors and especially in a job setting. The world we live in is changing very rapidly and social media has become a major stepping stone for newer platforms and forms of communication to follow. The course has been taught every year since it started and was even taught at Northeast. It is also being offered in Fall 2023.

Wellness Fair promotes healthiness on campus

By Christina Judy Staff writer

On Wednesday, March 15, the Wellness Fair was held in the Rec Center Green Gym. This event provides both students and faculty with resources that they can use to improve all aspects of their personal wellness. The event took place from 2-5 p.m. and allowed those who attended to get a break from their busy schedules.

Megan Kantz, a junior Biology major, attended the event and said, “The week after spring break is always hard to get that motivation back and this wellness fair reminded me to take a break from my studying to take care of myself.”

There were over 20 clubs/organizations and community organizations in attendance at the fair to give students solutions for when they are stressed. The departments of Mercyhurst that participated included the Cohen Health Center, Counseling Center, Community Engagement, Parkhurst & Campus Involvement, Academic Support, Campus Ministry, Human Resources Department, Student Athlete Advisory Committee(SAAC), Sports Medicine/ Exercise Science, and Student Financial Services. The clubs on campus that participated included Active Minds, MSG, Sustainability Club, Public Health Club, Art Therapy Club, Music Therapy Club. Groups outside Mercyhurst include Stoneworks Wellness, PNC, and Erie Area Rabbit Society and Rescue (EARS).

Some of the activities that the groups offered were a smoothie bike, physical health assessments, affirmation stones, crystals, t-shirt bags, money management, calming notes, along with many more.

Arguably one of the most popular tables was run by EARS because they brought in a real bunny that the students could pet. This was a popular one because a lot of students like petting any

dog they run into on campus as it releases a bit of stress even if just for a minute. Kantz said, “This was my favorite station because I got to pet a bunny and I was having a very stressful day so it cheered me up a little bit.”

Another popular table was run by the sustainability club where they had students plant either a spider plant, a succulent, or flowers from seeds.

Overall the fair was very successful and there were a lot of students in attendance that were able to gather new methods to help with their wellness. Students checked in at a table that was run by Senators on MSG. When they signed in they were given a card that could be signed by certain groups at the fair. Once their card was filled out they could be added to a raffle for different prizes. Those prizes included a calm puzzle, kan jam, resistance bands, a skincare kit, mindfulness games, a portable hammock, an Owala

water bottle, a yoga mat, a Bluetooth speaker, and jump ropes.

This event was planned by Katie Neely, Leadership and Outreach Coordinator. Neely is very focused on student health and wellness on campus. She even started intramural sports again this school year to give students an opportunity to continue playing sports in a less competitive setting. “Mental health is something that is not talked about enough, we need to change the stigma around it and work together to make the campus a safe place for all students.”

Mental health has become a popular topic of conversation the past few years and a lot of groups and organizations on campus are working toward hosting more events to help students’ mental health.

Students walking around to all the different tables that were in attendance of the Wellness Fair.

Megan Kantz photo

Picture of the rabbit, Kicks, who visted from EARS that students were allowed to pet.

Molly Burhans receives 2023 Oscar Romero Award

By Samantha Weber Editor in chief

On Tuesday, March 21, Molly Burhans, Ph.D., was awarded the Archbishop Oscar Romero Award.

This award is bestowed annually through the Mercyhurst Department of Religious Studies.

The event took place in the Walker Recital Hall in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center at 7 p.m.

This was the 31st year of the Archbishop Oscar Romero award being presented.

The award is named for St. Oscar Romero, the late archbishop of San Salvador, El Salvador.

He is remembered for his “uncompromising commitment to the poor and the oppressed of El Salvador,” according to Dr. Verna Ehret.

Although the award was started prior to any of the current faculty in the religious studies department, the award is given to “a person living the call of faith in an extraordinary manner.”

Burhans, a cartographer and environmentalist, represents that type of person in everything that she does.

She started GoodLands which is a nonprofit organization that assists Catholic communities in mapping and utilizing their lands for ecological planning.

In addition to starting a successful nonprofit, Burhans currently teaches at both Canisius College in Buffalo and Columbia Univer-

sity in New York City.

She has also been featured in The New Yorker and was a guest speaker at Yale University. Burhans’ work acts as a combination of two aspects of her life that she is deeply passionate about: Catholicism and climate change.

According to The New Yorker article, “she began to think of ways in which the Catholic Church could be mobilized as a global environmental force.”

Additionally, she talked about

how the Catholic church is probably “the world’s largest non-state landowner” and there are plenty of Catholics to make a change.

When asked how the department chose Burhans as the recipient this year, Ehret said, “Ms. Burhans was chosen because of her environmental work with the Catholic Church because the department sees care of the earth as an important component of promoting the common good and social justice.

It is one of the five critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy, and is in line with Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, and with the university Mission office’s special focus on Laudato Si.”

The event began with a lecture from Burhans titled “Mapping the Past to a Better Future” that provided an overview of the work she has done in the past followed by a brief Q&A session. Following the Q&A, there was a short announcement and conferring of

the award.

The Department of Religious Studies sponsored the award ceremony with financial support from the Office of Mission and the Hafenmaier College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

If you missed this event, keep your eye out in the spring of 2024 for the next award presentation.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

By Eva Philips Staff writer

This week in Mercyhurst history, we travel back to the 1970s, when Mercyhurst had recently become a coeducational institution by welcoming men as students.

On March 27, 1974, a few of the new men of Mercyhurst showed off their knack for mischief by staging one of Mercyhurst’s most comical pranks: the Big Boy Heist.

Several members of the men’s crew team managed to steal the seven-foot-tall, 150-pound Big Boy statue that stood outside Elby’s Restaurant on the intersection of 38th Street and Peach Street.

They offered a ransom for the statue, requesting free sodas and food from the restaurant in exchange for its safe return. The prank was a hit, causing widespread amusement throughout Erie at the men’s antics, and is recorded in the official chronology of Mercyhurst history as a key event.

There is even a picture of it in the hallway of Old Main with all of the other impactful events that have happened at Mercyhurst.

Mercyhurst Archive photo

Some of the new male students at Mercyhurst posing with the Big Boy statue that they stole.

Catholic News Agency photo

Burhans meeting with Pope Francis and Cardinal Tucker to start promoting her research. She is the founder of GoodLands, a nonprofit organization that assists Catholic communities in mapping and utilizing their lands for ecological planning.

Hurst Hot Take: ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ rocks!

By Eva Phillips Staff writer

Calling all readers, rock fans, and hopeless romantics—Amazon Prime recently debuted a new show that will appeal to all of those demographics and more.

“Daisy Jones and the Six” is a ten-episode television series that premiered on Amazon Prime on Friday, March 3.

The first four episodes came out on March 3, followed by another two episodes each subsequent Friday to conclude on Friday, March 24. Its episode release schedule will satisfy binge-watchers and those who prefer to watch weekly releases.

If the title sounds familiar, you may have seen it before—on a bookshelf.

The new Amazon show is based on a novel of the same name, written by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Reid is an increasingly popular author whose best-known book is likely “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.”

She has a talent for creating complex, lovable characters and captivating relationship dynamics. Fans of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” have to wait a little longer to see a big-screen adaptation, which will come to Netflix within the next few years.

But the wait is over for fans of

“Daisy Jones and the Six,” now brought to life on the silver screen.

From its first few minutes, the show is instantly unique and captivating.

It is filmed in a pseudo-documentary style. Nearly every character in the show is featured in interviews that are incorporated seamlessly into the show.

The interviews take place years after the story’s main events, adding a unique twist of reminiscence and dramatic irony to the show.

The story follows the parallel lives of Daisy Jones, an up-andcoming singer-songwriter carefree to a near-dangerous degree, and the Six, a band whose core members hail from Pittsburgh.

Billy Dunne leads the band, a handsome and talented musician and singer played by Sam Claflin, whom you may recognize from the romance movie “Me Before You.”

Claflin is the perfect casting for Dunne, with rugged looks and a vulnerable side.

The love of his life is Camila Alvarez, played by Camila Morrone. Alvarez follows Dunne and the rest of the band across the country to build a life with him, but that life does not come easy.

Dunne struggles with anxieties about starting a family and the pressures of growing fame that threaten his happiness with Camila.

Meanwhile, Daisy Jones needs help to produce enough great songs for an album. Her best friend Simone is launching a musical career of her own, and the rest of the Six is trying to determine the band’s direction when it seems like Billy Dunne may abandon them. When all seems lost, Dunne

hits a turning point, and Jones happens to overhear a snippet of a new Six demo.

The result? It is a collaboration that will change all of their lives and makes for a great show.

Amid the dreary lingering Erie winter, “Daisy Jones and the Six” provides a welcome getaway from the comfort of your couch.

If the promise of romance, drama, fame and family struggles is not enough, consider the flawless 1970s vibes transporting the audience to another, sunnier place and time.

So go ahead—give it a shot. You won’t regret it.

Stars shine at the 2023 Oscars

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

The 95th annual Oscars occurred this past week honoring the best performances in film from the past year.

Thousands of people tune in yearly to watch the stars and directors take center stage and walk to the red carpet in custom-made outfits.

Founded in 1927 by Louis B Mayer, head of MGM Studios, it was initially intended as a nonprofit event to advance the film industry. It has worked toward that goal every year since.

This year’s nomination categories were met with a few dominating films that appear repeatedly.

One of these films was highly talked about, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which was nominated for eleven categories, ultimately taking home nine awards.

Included in these wins were Best Picture and Best Director, as well as Leading Actress, awarded to Michelle Yeoh.

The film “All Quiet in the Western Front” also took over many categories with nine nominations and four wins.

Other films with wins include “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” and “Navalny,” which all finished the night with one win each.

This year especially gained great

attention because the iconic red carpet was colored champagne instead, making many outfits stand out more than ever before. Across all best-dressed lists, a few names reappear multiple times.

Rihanna, who was in attendance for her nomination into the original song in a film category, was seen wearing an all-black leather and mesh Alaia dress, showing off

her pregnancy before performing in another iconic outfit.

Another iconic look from the 2023 Oscars was Hong Chau, who left many individuals amazed at her outfit and its meaning.

She was nominated for best supporting actress in the movie “The Whale.” The dress was a custom pink Prada dress with a black sequin-feather train attached to the

back.

While this was a fantastic look, she later announced that she requested a Mandarin collar for the dress as a “shout-out to her roots.” Cate Blanchett arrived on the red carpet wearing a teal-blue metallic top with shoulder pads and a floorlength black skirt. However, what she had attached to her shirt got many people’s attention.

She had pinned a blue ribbon to her top that symbolized compassion and solidarity with refugees and displaced people worldwide, cementing her spot in many of the best-dressed lists.

Another fan favorite was Danai Gurira, who gave a breath of fresh air among some of the more complex outfit and dress designs by wearing a timeless and elegant floor-length and strapless black gown made by New Yorkbased designer Jason Wu. Overall the 2023 Oscars were show-stopping and kept in line with the rest of the award shows that have happened so fat this year. The next major award show will be the Tony Awards on June 11.

“Daisy Jones & the Six” is a new Amazon Prime series that premiered this March.

ABC7 Photo

From left, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, Brenden Fraser and Jamie Lee Curtis with their Oscar awards.

Kelli O’Hara takes the stage by storm

By Isabella Lee Staff writer

On March 2, Tony superstar Kelli O’Hara blew her audience away with a jaw-dropping performance of many beloved songs from Broadway in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

O’Hara opened her concert with a beautiful performance of “Pure Imagination,” made famous by Gene Wilder in the film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

She followed up with a rendition of “Cockeyed Optimist” from “South Pacific,” one of the many musicals for which she received a Tony nomination.

After greeting the audience’s thunderous applause, O’Hara told a story about how she fell in love with theatre as a child while watching performances of “Oklahoma!”, which is also reminiscent of her home state. She then performed “What More Do I Need?” from Stephen Sondheim’s “Saturday Night,” much to the delight of several audience members (in -

cluding myself!) who were in the Theatre Department’s production last spring.

O’Hara continued her concerts with a selection of songs from musicals she had performed in before, including “Getting to Know You” from “The King and I” and the title song from “The Light in the Piazza.” The latter marked a full circle moment for O’Hara when she was in it since the musical was composed by Adam Guettel, the grandson of Richard Rodgers, one of the forces behind “Oklahoma!”

One particularly impactful song to O’Hara’s career was “To Build a Home” from “The Bridges of Madison County.”

O’Hara explained to the audience that the lyrics to the song were specifically written for her, including “18 Years,” meaning that it had been, at the point of the musical’s premiere, 18 years since O’Hara left Oklahoma to pursue a theatrical career in New York City.

“Three Hundred Acres” referencing the amount of land she grew up on, and “a son and a

daughter” referring to O’Hara’s two children.

One of the last songs that O’Hara performed, a classic amongst many female performers, was “Children Will Listen” from “Into the Woods.”

Her penultimate song of the night was “Make Someone

Happy” by Jimmy Durante, and then, after a massive encore, O’Hara ended the night with “I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady.” O’Hara’s performance was breathtaking.

I always enjoy every MIAC performance I attend, and this

was no exception. Only three MIAC events are left this year: Chris Botti on March 28, Angélique Kidjo on April 13, and Aaron Tveit on May 3, so get your tickets from the PAC Box Office so you don’t miss out!

Celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colors

Holi is a popular Hindu festival also known as the festival of colors.

According to Asiahighlights. com, “Holi” comes from a legend in which the demoness Holika was sent by King Kiranyakashipu to kill his son Prahlada.

“Holika tried to trick Prahlada into burning to death on a pyre. Still, because her intentions were evil, she was the one who was burned and killed,” the website explains.

Many people know about the popular Hindu holiday because of the color war. This aspect of the holiday comes from the legend of the Hindu god Lord Krishna.

According to traditional stories, Krishna was well-known for playing pranks and being mischievous. One prank he played on the village girls involved dousing them in colors and water.

Today, the colors are designed to represent and express joy. The holiday is celebrated all over the world.

In India, the festival lasts two days even though the prepping for the celebration starts weeks in advance.

According to Asiahighlights. com, “The main events of the celebration are the burning of Holika that takes place on the first evening of celebrations and the color fight that occurs the next day.”

The burning of the Holika is when an effigy is burned to sym-

bolize the demolition of evil.

“When the ceremony starts, the effigy of Holika and Prahlada is placed on the pyre. Normally the effigy of Holika is made from combustible material whereas Prahlada’s is made from noncombustible material to represent the holiday’s mythological origins.

When the fire is lit, the ritual begins with the chanting of holy verses,” Asiahiglights.com said.

The next day of the festival is the color fight.

People take to the streets to celebrate with their neighbors and

friends armed with colored powders, liquid colors, water guns and water balloons.

The color fight is a true show of equality between men and women and people of all social backgrounds, meaning that everyone is fair game whether they are young kids or little old ladies.

I think the most exciting part of Holi is that even people who do not like each other forget the hate and the pain of one another and come together and celebrate such a great holiday.

According to the source, “the

tradition of the Holi is that even the enemies turn friends on Holi and forget any feeling of hardship that may be present.”

Besides, on this day, people do not differentiate between the rich and poor and everybody celebrates the festival with a spirit of bonhomie and brotherhood.

To honor this cultural event, MAC/SAC(Multicultural Activities Council and Student Activities Council) dedicated on of their weekend events to honoring this tradition.

There was food from Tandoori

Hut Indian Cuisine that is located on Washington Avenue in case anyone is looking for some good Indian food around Erie.

Unfortunately due to weather conditions, the color run that was supposed to happen at the event had to be postponed.

Do not worry if you missed out on this opportunity, it is now happening on Friday, April 14 for Pride Drag Queen Bingo!

Frankie DiVincenzo

A&E editor

Broadway.com photo

Kelli O’Hara gave a fantastic performance in the PAC as part of the MIAC Live Series.

Smithsonian Magazine photo

People celebrating Holi in the midst of a color war

Taylor Swift released four new songs last week!

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic three years later

By Christina Judy Staff writer

A study has found that many popular dark chocolate brands contain possibly worrisome levels of lead.

GOOD BAD HOPEFUL

Here is to hoping the start of Spring brings warm weather!

The COVID-19 pandemic entered everyone’s life nearly 3 years ago now. The dramatic changes that altered our daily lives made it hard to envision a way out of the restrictions that COVID-19 put on everyone. At the time, actions considered “risky” ranged from interacting with another person outside of the family to touching a surface that another person may have touched. Thankfully, most of the practices done during the height of the pandemic are toned down so that people are put at ease and only a few remain for the respect of others and yourself.

Commercial flying saw an extreme decrease in activity when the pandemic struck and remained that way for a while afterwards.

Currently, airlines are providing flights worldwide fairly proficiently, although the customs of flying have changed. When boarding an aircraft nowadays many passengers are enticed to pull a disposable mask over their

face and even flight attendants hand out massive sanitizing wipes to clean down all surfaces of the seat.

While this practice may not be “normal,” I am in favor of obliging to it and urging other members in my family to do so. It seems like a safe and simple way to help prevent the spread of any potential disease, since the aircraft had the opportunity to occupy people from all over the country/ world.

Wearing masks was an all-toocommon practice during the pandemic. I remember when the mask mandate was lifted in my hometown and it actually felt more abnormal to go in public without a mask.

While most people can agree that not being required to wear masks in public is a good method, in some circumstances, it might be encouraged. I have noticed that my classmates will still bust out an N95 if they have cold symptoms to ensure that they do not infect their peers.

This act of consideration is born out of the COVID-19 pandemic and I am grateful that people strive to protect others by simply wearing a mask.

Post-pandemic times do not warrant people to wear masks any longer, so the idea of wearing a

mask while sick is not traditionally normal. Although I believe it is widely accepted and that is a good matter considering the intention is to help others stay healthy.

People also seem to be more aware of their illnesses. For instance, instead of braving it through colds, people seem to attempt to incorporate all sorts of ways to fight their sickness. They try alternative routes to taking care of their health like supplements, vitamin C infusers, extra rest, limiting stress and spending more time outside in fresh air.

When people do get sick, they often keep a lookout for any symptoms associated with COVID-19, which can develop into a good or bad habit.

Something that will never go back to “normal” is the habit of testing for COVID-19 whenever someone experiences cold symptoms.

For me this is a familiar struggle because I overthink my symptoms and get overly nervous that I have COVID-19 when most of the time it has just been a cold.

The mindset of being COVID-19 aware is something that will probably not go back to normal at least in our generation.

Housing and roommate selection proves to be a tricky process

By Megan McKay Staff writer

want a full kitchen that they can find in apartments.

The Merciad

STUDENT EDITORS

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

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

The housing selection process has officially begun, which can mean total chaos for some.

The process is broken down into two decisions: roommates and living. The process can swing one of two ways, for some they will just leave their decision up to fate.

This means that their roommates will be chosen randomly for them. However, the most frequent scenario is students having a group or a friend they would like to live with, but may be stuck in limbo.

Most housing on campus has specific group sizes that need to be met to be permitted to live in.

Ryan Hall is a four-person dormitory, and Lewis, Briggs and Duval range anywhere from 2-4. When deciding which dorm to live in, students must weigh their financial limits and preferences.

There are certain minuscule details that people also analyze, like if they would like a newer dorm like Ryan Hall, but they

I believe the hardest decision of all is choosing roommates. I personally have a group of friends who all became awfully close this year.

We each wanted to live with each other, but unfortunately as a group of six we were in an inconvenient situation. It is not an easy task to have to separate as friends and risk living with people you may not know.

As a group we decided we wanted to live in Ryan Hall. Ryan is unique because it gives priority to sophomores like us before any upper classmen. However, that was the easy decision, the real trouble began when we had to decide how to split up as a group of six.

For anyone in the same situation, unfortunately there is no effortless way to go about the process besides being honest with your friends.

At first, we attempted finding a time to officially sit down and discuss our options, which was a challenge especially as we all sat in silence with no clear decision made.

We all enjoyed being together, but we needed a fair way to narrow down who exactly it was going to be.

We eventually decided it would be best to do a room of four and a room of two. Then,

we agreed that whoever was in the room of two could have the better room and we could find teammates to fill the other two spots.

As time began to tick, we decided there needed to be a mediator because no matter how much you say not to take anything personal, we did not want to risk upsetting anyone. Therefore, we all anonymously texted our friend who was the meditator the three people we would prefer to live with.

Then to lighten the mood, we all stood in a line holding hands like we were on a reality TV show. Our mediator suddenly became the host of our dramatic episode of who rooms with who.

One by one our names were called out based on how many votes we had received. By the end, we determined the four who would live together and the two we were going to be neighbors with.

Even with the stress we were all very relieved to be done with the process.

It certainly is not an easy task to decide your roommates and location.

The process may seem frustrating, but with maturity and communication it can be less difficult.

Family vloggers exploit their children for views

By Bella Lee Staff writer

In the age of social media, families will do everything in their power to show off their children, especially by means of platforms like Instagram and YouTube.

It has come to the point where there are two options when it comes to parents and their children with social media: either they document every moment of their child’s life, or they do not show their child(ren) and if they do, their faces are away from the camera or covered with an emoji.

However, some parents take this a step further and become vloggers or influencers that use their child as a means to generate content. Sometimes, this can end up extremely toxic. A rising concern among family vloggers is the treatment of their children.

One of the biggest examples of this was with Myka Stauffer back in 2020.

In May of that year, it was revealed that her son Huxley, who was autistic and adopted from China, had been “rehomed” after Stauffer and her husband said they “were not aware” of how much care Huxley needed. This sparked quite a bit of outrage amongst her followers, since Huxley had been with the family since October of 2017. Additionally,

Stauffer has four biological children, leading many to believe that Huxley was rehomed due to being too difficult for Stauffer’s family aesthetic.

Two other family vloggers that have made the news for not the best reasons are the LaBrant family and Wren Eleanor.

The LaBrant family consists of husband Cole (who used to be famous on Vine), his wife Savannah, and their four children: Everleigh (Savannah’s child from a previous relationship), Posie, Zealand and Sunday.

One thing that is noticed in the LaBrant family’s YouTube videos is that literally everything is documented, including births, first days of school, morning routines, home activities and trips to theme parks.

There is very little, if anything, that is left undocumented.

They have also documented what are supposed to be “sad” videos, but only mainly left their viewers angry.

For example, in 2018, they released a video implying that they had to be evacuated due to the California wildfires, but by the end it is revealed that they were not at risk of evacuation; they left on their own accord because Everleigh was scared of fires.

Another video, cryptically titled “She got diagnosed with cancer,” implies that one of their daughters, Posie, might have a cancer diagnosis, but then it is revealed that no one in the family had cancer.

HURST STUDENTS SPEAK UP

“The LaBrant family should be absolutely cancelled for scaring their young fans into thinking one of their daughters was diagnosed with cancer,” said Kelsey, an angry fan on Twitter. “They knew what they were doing. Why do they still have a following?”

This was released in the wake of the knowledge rising that the LaBrant family was allegedly anti-vax and did not strongly adhere to COVID restrictions in Los Angeles.

Wren Eleanor is a family vlogger who generally posts on TikTok. She is actually a toddler girl, whose account is run by her mother.

The main controversy around her is that her videos have been receiving creepy and sexual comments from grown men, but Wren’s mother said this will not stop her from continuing to post videos. This has scared many users into deleting any evidence they have of their children on social media so as to not suffer the same fate.

Overall, I would not say that all family vloggers are toxic, but most of them certainly are. I follow a couple of family vloggers on Instagram and TikTok who are humble and do not always have a camera shoved in their children’s faces. Maybe those such as the LaBrant family and Wren Eleanor could learn from them.

We asked: What is your go-to drink order from the bookstore?

Ready to spring into good vibes and warm weather!

By Mackenzie Zent Opinion editor

I have a theory that the best times in college happen when it is warm out.

As the semester begins its second half, I find myself constantly awaiting the warm weather.

Living in Erie, it sometimes feels like winter is never endingjust when the snow melts and we get the first day of temperatures in the 50’s, I wake up the next morning and there is snow on the ground once more.

This starts the cycle of what many call ‘dreary Erie’ because now everything is cold, gray, and windy as we watch the snow become dirty and melt into slush.

When I think about the second half of the spring semester, I always look forward to the first warm day of the year.

When it happens, I can tell other people have been waiting for it too because it will only be 70 degrees, yet people are outside in shorts and tank tops. I love this though, I like how everyone comes outside and just hangs out, the vibes are so good, it is like everyone’s mood is elevated for the first time in months.

The first warm spring day during my freshman year I walked out of my dorm room and saw so many people on blankets sitting around the fountain outside of Baldwin, and I remember thinking that I had never seen that many people on this campus before.

Every time the weather gets warm, I am always more motivated to study and get my work done because it is something I can do outside by myself or with my friends.

One of my favorite and easiest things to do is taking walks around and off campus.

It is such a fun way to enjoy

the warm weather and connect with other people. I love walking around campus and exploring the neighborhoods surrounding it while hanging out with my friends or listening to music.

There is so much more you can do when it is warm out too. There are a lot of places to hike around Erie and Presque Isle is always a fun spot to go hangout.

Personally, I love driving around Presque Isle when it is cold but being outside and the feeling of the sun on you while walking around the paths or looking at

the water is unmatched.

I also love roller skating, so I am really excited to be able to do that outside again in a few weeks too.

Mercyhurst usually has some really fun events planned for when the weather gets warm. MAC/SAC usually plans fun outdoor activities like tie-dye and other things like that, and of course there is SpringFest to look forward to.

Although SpringFest is inside this year, we can still spend time outside during the day because of

all the festivities that they have for it earlier in the day.

This is also the time that professors will occasionally have class outside, which is always so fun.

It is a nice change of scenery compared to the boring classrooms we have been in all year.

Even though most of the academic year is spent brushing off cars and walking through snow, soon we will be able to put on shorts and celebrate the warm weather outside!

Maiya Harding, senior Criminal Justice major: “I always like to try the weekly specials.”

Dale McCormick, junior Business Management major: “My favorite drink from the bookstore is a Mocha Frappuccino.”

Bethany Jentz, junior Intelligence major: “My go-to drink from the bookstore is an Iced Caramel Macchiato.”

Lilly English, junior Criminal Justice major: “My favorite drink from the bookstore is the White Chocolate Latte”

Compiled by Hailey Steidle

Baseball keeps perfect home record

By Megan McKay Staff Writer

Mercyhurst Baseball’s season has officially started, and the Lakers are currently 6-4 and have a 3-0 home record.

The Lakers were off to a rocky start in February when they participated in the Glenville State Tournament in West Virginia.

Despite their efforts they went 0-4 but were able to turn things around, leaving West Virginia by beating Salem University in a three game away series.

Mercyhurst has recently proved their dominance over Salem after a double header last Thursday.

The Lakers went to town on

the Tigers in the first game, winning by a score of 13-0 and then securing another one shortly after 3-2.

Laker Lucas Folmer was the star of the show in the second inning of the first game when he hit his first home run of the season grabbing three runs.

The senior infielder also had an impressive 6 RBI’s in the game.

Mercyhurst kept tallying on in the third inning when they earned six runs to increase their lead to 9-0.

Folmer was once again in on the action when he hit his second home run that brought in another three runs.

In the fifth inning the Lakers solidified the final score with

four more runs.

The second game of the double header went a little differently as Tigers put up a close fight.

In the fourth inning, Eric Chorba led off with a home run for his second of the season. Shortly after Chris Juchno hit a home run of his own to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead, which set them up to secure a victory.

Unfortunately, after riding a five-game win streak the Lakers game on Friday against Grand Valley State University was canceled due to weather in Erie.

Sophomore catcher Landon DiBeradin described his thoughts on the team’s start thus far.

“We did not have the start we

pictured after that first weekend, but we all knew what we were capable of and just focused on getting back in the right direction,” DiBeradin said.

After the team’s first away trip the importance of getting back in their groove and gain confidence.

DiBeradin also mentioned the significance of the makeup in their team this year.

“It is a little different than last year for us, with a majority of the position guys being new starters or first-year students,” he said. “We just focus on having each other’s back and stepping up when our teammates need us. Picking each other up and having that common goal of doing whatever needs to be

done to win games is key for us this year.”

DiBeradin spends half the games behind the plate, and he attributed the team’s recent success to their pitching staff that is surrounded by a lot of talent.

DiBeradin recorded two runs recently in the series against Salem as well as a career high 8 putouts.

The team’s focus for the remainder of the season is to not just live up to the past success and expectations of Mercyhurst, but also aim in making the regional and putting themselves in the position to go to the College World Series.

Ja Morant: NBA All-Star receives suspension

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

On Friday, March 3, just hours after the Nuggets game in Denver, Colorado, a star player, Ja Morant, was seen hosting an Instagram live from inside a local nightclub.

In the live he could be seen holding up a handgun with his left-hand multiple times. Shortly after the video was originally posted, Morant deactivated both his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

The NBA League shortly after announced that they would be investigating his handling of the firearm, the investigation resulted in an eight-game suspension for the star player and left many fans questioning the path that he is heading down both on and off the court.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement in which he announced both the suspensions and called the actions taken by Morant as “irresponsible, reckless and poten -

tially very dangerous.”

Shortly after the incident and eight-game suspension, Morant entered a counseling program at a Florida facility.

When he was there, he stated that he was able to learn that it was okay to express his feelings and worked on different stress handling techniques.

He left the facility just in time to host a series of interviews on Wednesday regarding the situation in the nightclub.

He had claimed that the gun that was seen in the video was not his, however, he did not specify who the gun belonged to or how it ultimately ended up in his personal possession.

Morant not only conducted a series of interviews about the situation, but also referenced several past events that he has been involved in including, a fight with a 17-year-old during a basketball game located in his backyard, a confrontation with a security guard at a Memphis high school and a postgame confrontation that led to an

NBA investigation.

He regarded these events in a statement made on Wednesday claiming “The majority of the things that’s happened in the past, obviously, I kind of put myself into by even being there, but all the incidents you’ve seen recently, most of them is a lie.”

When he was asked to give comments on these most recent actions he stated, “I regret all that. I can’t wait to back out there on the floor, knowing what my punishment is. I accept that, and I feel like I deserve that punishment for my mistakes and what I did. But when I get back out there, I’m going to be ready to go and ready to push for a ring” and “I realize what I have to lose, and for us as a group, what we have to lose.”

Morant’s suspension will be ending before the Monday night game against the Dallas Mavericks.

He has since stated that he will not be joining the team for this upcoming game, claiming

that he needs to take some extra time to prepare physically.

Many fans are now left to hope he learns from past mis -

takes and focuses on his game for the remainder of the season.

NBA superstar Ja Morant leading the Memphis Grizzlies

The Lakers have defeated Salem University five consecutive times this season.

Hurst Athletics photo

Mercyhurst Softball: Not So Soft

By Christina Judy Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Women’s Softball team conquered the West Liberty Hilltoppers on Saturday, March 4 to kick start their competitive weekend in North Carolina.

The Lakers’ 8-0 victory over West Liberty started with their winning attitudes as they came out of the dugout with high energy.

They started with an early lead when senior Brianne Egelston doubled to left field allowing senior Madison Fry to score the first run for the Lakers.

Just moments later, Junior Kaci Alderson stepped up to bat with determination as she struck the ball and gave it enough power to make it over the fence in left-center field. This play let Cheyenne Hindman, a graduate student from Harrisville, PA, score a run which increased the Lakers lead to 3-0.

Mercyhurst was merciless in the second inning as they sought to widen the gap in the score. Egelston continued her selfless playing as she doubled yet again, which gave her teammates Anna O’Geen and Eliza Reynold the opportunity to run it in

for two additional points.

Senior Allison Dejidas carried her team’s excitement as she went up to the plate and hit a home run, extending the lead to 8-0.

Mikaela Schramski was impressive, pitching a complete game, with six strikeouts and only three hits allowed. That score remained closed out the game and to give the Lakers

a strong start for the weekend. Mercyhurst came back to face off West Liberty on Sunday, March 5, to finish off their weekend in North Carolina. The 10-0 Laker victory was a tribute to their offense which started the game ablaze.

Freshman Francesca Latino started her team off on the right path in the second inning with two runs.

Neena Pietripaolo continued this momentum by extending the score to 3-0 with her RBI single.

Pietripaolo enhanced her standout performance in the fourth inning with another RBI single, allowing Latino to move ahead to third base.

Dejidas and O’Geen wanted to take part in the action and earned themselves RBI singles in the fourth

and fifth innings. Senior Madison Fry contributed as well with her own RBI single in the fifth inning to boost the Laker lead.

Pietripaolo decided she was not done with her outstanding performance and came back to earn herself an RBI single that brought in O’Geen.

As in their first matchup with West Liberty, the Lakers defense stood tall, not allowing the Hilltoppers to score even a single run in either game. Hindman was still playing to win though, as she had a two-RBI single in the fifth inning to award her team a 10-0 defeat over West Liberty.

The Lakers have had a tough schedule packed with away games to begin their 2023 season.

Despite the travel, they have been holding their own with an overall record of 6-8. Surely, they will be looking forward to stepping onto their home field to play against Lake Erie College on Tuesday, March 21.

After that, Mercyhurst will hit the road again and will not return to their home field until Friday, March 31, for a pair of games against the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Tricks of the trade: NFL sees players scatter

By Isabella Lee Staff writer

Now that the Super Bowl is over, there are several months until the new season begins.

With that and the NFL Draft on the horizon, this means that one of the more exciting times of the year is here: trade season.

To put it simply, players are going all over the place.

One surprising move was seeing former Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield get signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a one-year, $8.5 million deal.

Many people know Mayfield as the former quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. He did not end on great terms with the team and the city after he left to go to the Rams.

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, still fresh on a Super Bowl win, opted to sign with the New England Patriots.

One particular team that has seen a lot of signings and trades is the Carolina Panthers.

Their moves include signing Cincinnati Bengals tight end Hayden Hurst to a three-year deal, signing New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton to a one-year contract worth $10 million, signing Bengals safety Vonn Bell, and signing Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders.

The three main teams represented on campus, the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and

Cleveland Browns, all had lots of moves and signings made, so let’s look at them.

Many of the Bills’ signings include Houston Texans quarterback Kyle Allen, Saints wide receiver Deonte Harty, Dallas Cowboys offensive guard Connor McGovern and solidifying extensions for current players, like linebacker Matt Milano, safety Jordan Poyer and punter Sam Martin.

The Browns and the Steelers equally saw lots of great moves. Signings for the Browns included Texans tight end Jordan Akins, Texans defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, San Francisco 49ers

defensive tackle Maurice Hurst and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Dalvin Tomlinson.

Players signed to the Steelers included New York Jets offensive guard Nate Herbig, Eagles offensive guard Isaac Seumalo, Washington Commanders linebacker Cole Holcomb and Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson.

There were also some shocking releases of players from teams that they had been with for a long time, including the Dallas Cowboys releasing running back Ezekiel Elliott.

The Washington Commanders, saw both sad releases and hopeful signings, like quarterback Taylor

LET’S GO, LAKERS!

Heinicke going to the Atlanta Falcons and the Commanders signing former Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

There are more acquisitions daily, and players/coaches are headed to new teams across the league.

As of right now, the Carolina Panthers have the first pick in the NFL draft this year after making a trade with the Chicago Bears.

Fortunately, the NFL season is just a few more months away, so we can’t wait to see what else happens with trades and the draft!

Wednesday, March 22, 5 p.m. Erie, PA: Women’s Lacrosse vs. Indiana University of Pennsylvania Friday, March 24, 1 and 3 p.m., Slippery Rock

PA: Baseball vs. Slippery Rock

Saturday, March 25, Long Island, NY: Women’s Bowling Championship vs. ECC

Hurst Athletics photophoto

The 2023 Lakers Softball Team prior to the West Liberty game.

NFL .com photophoto

Baker Mayfield smiling for the camera as he signs a deal to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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SALOME’S STARS #12345_20230320

FOR RELEASE MARCH 20, 2023

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

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) The adventurous Aries won’t be disappointed with taking on a new challenge, despite some initial misgivings. Look for this move to open other opportunities down the line.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

Let that beautiful Bovine smile not only put you at ease, but also show that you’re ready, willing and more than able to confound the naysayers around you. Also, a new admirer has important news.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Be careful how you handle a relationship that you’re hoping to save. You already have the facts on your side. Avoid weakening your position by embellishing it with unnecessary dramatics.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Taking definitive stands isn’t easy for the often-wavering Moon Child. But you not only need to stay with your decision, but also reassure others that it was the right thing to do.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) As a proud Lion, you’re right to be upset about those who might be lying about you to others. But the best revenge is proving them wrong by succeeding at what you set out to do.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Caution is still advised before making a financial commitment to a “promising” project. Look for the facts behind the fluff. Meanwhile,

devote the weekend to loved ones.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A Taurus offers comfort and advice as you deal with an upsetting event. Use this as a learning experience that will help you avoid similar problems in the future.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A romantic situation creates some chaos for single Scorpions. But it’s well worth the effort to work things out. A trusted friend can offer some helpful advice.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Expect to make new friends as your social circle expands. Also, remember to tell that family member how proud you are of their achievements.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) New ventures continue to be favored. With your self-confidence rising all the time, you’ll want to see how well you can do with a new challenge. So, go to it.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) This is a good time for the usually serious-minded Aquarian to let loose and enjoy some fun times. Expect to get good news about a workplace issue.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Changed plans might upset some people, but your needs should be respected. Offer explanations when necessary. Don’t let yourself get talked into changing your decisions.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for bringing people together. You would make a very fine judge or counselor.

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