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Apply for Study Abroad 2022-2023
By Libby Bullinger Copy editor
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This semester, Mercyhurst began the first round of study abroad trips for students since 2020. Since the pandemic eliminated any option of traveling out of the country, plans for students to travel were put on hold until these trips could be conducted safely.
This semester, Spring 2022, students from Mercyhurst have been thrilled to resume study abroad trips. There are currently students enrolled in study abroad courses that will travel following the end of the semester and some that are already in other countries.
That being said, the Study Abroad office has announced travel options for the 2022-2023 academic year. One of the most popular study abroad options for Mercyhurst students is the 8-week long trip to Dungarvan, Ireland.
Given the school’s roots with the Sisters of Mercy originating in Ireland, there is a sister campus in Dungarvan to which students and faculty can easily travel. The Ireland study abroad option will take place in the Spring 2023 semester with travel planned for early March and the return is planned for early May.
One of the advantages of doing the Ireland program is that there are many different options for REACH courses that students can take, meaning it is accessible to a wider range of the student population. For this upcoming trip, students can register for Ireland classes that cover the A, C and H areas of the general education curriculum.
In addition, there are classes that can apply to History, Physics, and Political Science majors and minors. Students also have the opportunity to secure their Beyond the Gates credit on this trip if they have not already done so.
Students who choose to study abroad in Ireland take 2-3 classes in the Mini B course timeframe and live in university-leased accommodations. Given the length of this program, students are also able to travel around to other countries in the area on their weekends and breaks if they choose to do so.
The other option for students to engage in a study abroad experience is through a Faculty-Student Academic Travel, or FSAT, class. Students enrolled in these study abroad programs will register for a course on the Erie campus during the semester and take a 10-12 day trip following the end of the semester in which they took the class.
The professor teaching the course will be the one leading the students through their travels, which allows students to bond with their professor and peers before taking a trip abroad.
According to the Study Abroad office, FSAT courses are “Mercyhurst courses enhanced by travel and designed to engage students deeply in course content in the context of global awareness.”
FSAT courses for the 20222023 academic year are as follows: Art and Mind in Portugal and Spain including Sport Psychology International Context taught by Matt Weaver, Ph.D. (Reach H or major/minor Psychology course) and Performing Spain and Portugal taught by Brett Johnson, Ph.D. (Reach E or minor Theatre course) traveling in January 2023; Food and Culture in France including France: People, History and Food taught by Doug Boudreau, Ph.D. (Reach E or major/minor French course) and Farm to Table: Food & Wine in France taught by Peter Zohos, Ph.D. (Reach H or major/minor Hospitality course) traveling in May 2023; Fashion and Fiction in the UK including International French Trends taught by Amy Weaver (major/minor Fashion Merchandising course) and Fiction of the Capital Cities taught by Brian Reed, Ph.D. (Reach E or major/minor English course) traveling in May 2023; Art, Culture and Service in Italy including Italy: Art, Culture and Service taught by Jodi Staniunas Hopper and Heather Denning (Reach E or major/minor Art course) traveling in May 2023.
Students interested in studying abroad in the upcoming academic year should submit their application by April 1 and are welcome to attend the open house on March 24 in Preston 102 to pick up application and ask questions about the programs.
Mercyhurst works to help Ukraine
By Bella Lee Staff writer
The ongoing situation that’s occurring in Ukraine is nothing less than scary. Hundreds of civilians have died including over a hundred children and millions of Ukrainians have been displaced and forced to flee as Russia attempts to take over.
Everyone is doing whatever they can to help, and Mercyhurst is no different.
On March 14, President Kathleen Getz sent a message to the Mercyhurst community expressing a desire and opportunity to help Ukraine.
“Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is devastating for the people of Ukraine and has deeply affected many others, including members of our own community,” Getz said.
“I know I speak for all of us at Mercyhurst when I say that our hearts go out to every person affected. In times of crisis, the Mercyhurst community has risen in support of others. I urge you to show your solidarity with the people of Ukraine through this effort and to continue to pray for a swift resolution leading to a lasting peace.”
Part of Mercyhurst’s support for Ukraine includes working with State Representative Bob Merski’s office as well as our sister city of Lublin, Poland, to collect donations for humanitarian aid.
The drive, which began on March 14, is accepting donations of personal hygiene items, underwear, bed linens, towels, first aid kits, bandages and nonperishable food products. Donations can be dropped off in the receptacles just outside the President’s office on the first floor of Old Main.
Additionally, there was a prayer service in Christ the King chapel on March 1.
Greg Baker, D.Min., vice president for Mission acknowledged that many may already
Greg Baker, D.Min.
have donated through established charities and that the donation drive through the President’s office is where Mercyhurst is focusing our efforts to provide assistance.
Everyone in the community has been concerned and everyone wants to help.
“From the moment that this invasion of Ukraine took place, I have heard from concerned people in the MU community wondering what we can do,” said Baker.
“But we are appropriately moving from prayer to action. War causes so much unnecessary death and suffering, and the plight of those who are forced to migrate (already more than 3 million people have fled the country to Poland alone) leaves a huge number of people with needs for basic life necessities.”
There are plenty that Mercyhurst students can do to show solidarity and action.
“We recognize that students might not have a lot of disposable income, but every little bit helps,” said Baker.
“Students can donate items they already have, or they might consider forgoing an expensive cup of coffee or some other luxury and share the money they saved to purchase basic necessities with these refugees. We are part of one, interconnected human family. Our Mercy tradition calls us to solidarity with those who suffer, and to work to support the common good. This crisis in Ukraine is calling forth the goodness of people across the world (including those of us at MU) to do our part.”
Every little thing counts, so try to help and spread the word in any way you can.
By Samantha Weber Editor-in-chief
Cyber security is one of the most important issues with the advanced and widespread technology we have today. Mercyhurst always encourages students to get hands-on experiences before they graduate, and students in the Cyber Security major have a multitude of opportunities ahead of them.
A large-scale cyber attack simulation was recently sanctioned by the Department of Defense, and Mercyhurst faculty, staff and students were invited to participate.
According to the U.S. Army website, “the three-day exercise is intended to build unity of effort and familiarity with the effects of a cyber-attack among all partners of Homeland Defense (HD), All-Hazards, Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA)/Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) to prepare for disaster response and consequence management.”
The exercise lasted from March 8-10 and each day had different activities for the attendees to watch.
The first day had academic presentations and Mercyhurst’s own Cyber Security professor, Christopher Mansour, Ph.D., gave a presentation about Industrial Control System (ICS) threats. Mansour decided on this topic due to the fear of retaliation from Russia and Ukraine in their war. The goal of his presentation was to educate people on why our critical infrastructure needs to be secured and what we can do to protect it. Mansour explained that most cyber attacks are usually targeting critical infrastructure because it tends to have a larger effect on the country as a whole as opposed to just technology.
The second day featured a Tabletop Training exercise and Red Team Maneuvers. Mercyhurst’s Brian Fuller, director of operations for Ridge College, helped moderate the tabletop exercise and also assisted with Red Team activities.
The point of the Red Team activities is to find vulnerabilities in security and begin planning how to properly combat these vulnerabilities.
Students Ryan MacGurn and Matthew Sorensen both attended the event to assist with the tabletop exercises.
MacGurn said, “the Cyber Security program at Mercyhurst laid out the foundation and theory to go out and do my own research by applying it to the real world.”
MacGurn’s Red Team exercise was played from the hacker’s perspective and how to counterattack the hacker’s response in different scenarios. Fuller describes the exercise as a “comprehensive reaction to an event if it were to occur.”
The third day was a Communications Exercise.
Fuller’s goal is “to increase student participation as this experience puts Mercyhurst at a vanguard of cyber security and intelligence education in the nation.”
Both Cyber Security and Intelligence students collaborated to prepare for this exercise and they certainly wowed their audience. The event planners reached out to Fuller to state how impressed they were with the level of preparation on the students’ parts and how they executed the exercises.
Another aspect of Fuller’s goal is to have an event here at Mercyhurst that is even more realistic. Fuller has a meeting with John Kelly, port security specialist for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, at the end of the month to discuss bringing an event on campus so that more students have the opportunity to participate.
Mansour, MacGurn and Fuller all commented on the fact that it was nice to see how people were willing to sacrifice their lives to help others who were victims of an attack.
Mansour said, “the military police, military, coast guard all have your back and that is what is great about this country.”
Mansour’s favorite part of the exercise was “watching Ryan and Matt conduct their exercise and seeing them excel at it.”
MacGurn’s favorite part of the exercise was “getting to know faculty on a more personal level and seeing how they care about their students and have their backs.”
Fuller commented, “This exercise was a foundation for getting everyone thinking of what to do for these scenarios, now they need to build the house upon the foundation to truly think of possible scenarios to mitigate the fallout from an attack.”
Merciad
IN A MINUTE Study Abroad Open
There will be a Study Abroad open house on March 24 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The open house will take place in Preston 102.
Refreshments will be provided.
Anyone who is interested in applying for a study abroad program is encouraged to attend.
Email studayabroad@ mercyhurst.edu with questions. Women’s History Month Poetry Reading
The Latin American and Spanish Studies Association (LASSA) is hosting a Women’s History Month poetry reading on March 23.
The event will be held in Luke’s Landing in the Student Union from 4:306 p.m.
This is a great opportunity to hear poetry from women from around the world.
The Habitat for Humanity club is hosting another round of “Rent-aHabitater” for the spring semester.
“Rent-a-Habitater” will be both a service opportunity and a fundraiser.
Any questions can be directed to Ashley Kreeger, president of the Habitat for Humanity Club.
2022 Romero Award to be presented
The Department of Religious Studies will present the 2022 St. Oscar Romero Award for “persons or organizations living in the call of faith and justice” to the Barber National Institute.
This event will be held in the Mercy Heritage Room on March 24 at 7 p.m.
Mercyhurst holds period product drive for Women’s History Month
By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer
March is Women’s History Month. Starting in 1911, International Women’s Day was celebrated globally on March 8. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter made a Presidential Proclamation establishing Women’s History Week in the United States, aligning with International Women’s Day.
In 1987, National Women’s History Week became a monthlong celebration.
During the week of March 1418, Multicultural Student Services hosted a Period Product Drive. Students were able to get volunteer hours by sitting at the table and spreading the word about the importance of women’s rights. There were pins that students could pick up that say, “I support all women’s rights.”
The purpose of this type of donation drive is to “collect unopened menstrual products (sanitary pads, tampons or menstrual cups) to donate to local women’s shelters or organizations that provide aid to people who have periods,” said Jessica Hubert, Multicultural and Inclusion coordinator. “In some states, period products are considered luxury items and therefore have extra taxes added onto them, making it difficult for some folks to purchase them.”
Hubert pushed for the drive to happen and helped to organize the event. “I believed it was important to host a menstrual products drive this year because of the impact the pandemic has had on the local community. Women have to purchase these products on a monthly basis and they can be expensive, especially now due to the high rate of inflation. I intentionally advertised the drive to include all folks who have periods, not just people who identify as women,” said Hubert.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has negatively impacted people’s ability to purchase menstrual products.
“A third of people have struggled to purchase feminine hygiene products during the lockdown,” according to a recent Forbes article.
However, inaccessibility to period products has been a problem in the United States and worldwide prior to the pandemic.
“Many individuals are unaware of the fact that period poverty in the United States is real. Often viewed as an issue faced primarily by individuals in developing countries, many are shocked to learn that nearly only one in five American girls have either left school early or missed school entirely due to a lack of access to menstrual products. The ‘tampon tax,’ a tax on menstrual products that currently exists in 36 states, further aggravates the issue, and in a country where nearly 14 percent of girls and women live below the poverty line compared to just 11 percent of boys and men, it is crucial for menstrual equity to exist” wrote Shruti Sathish in a 2019 Women’s eNews article.
The fight for menstrual equity has been occurring for decades and still continues today.
It is important to acknowledge that in our society, women are taught to hide their period and be shameful about it. Menstrual health is not often addressed properly in schools, so raising awareness about the issue was also a goal of the drive and Women’s History Month in general. People who have periods should have access to the necessary products without worrying about the shame associated with it or struggling to find the funds to purchase sanitary products.
In total, the university collected 35 individual boxes of products. The number of items inside each box ranges from 45 to 100 items. These items will be donated to the Mercy Center for Women.
For those looking for events to celebrate the remainder of National Women’s History Month, the Department of World Languages and Cultures will be hosting a poetry night on March 23.
Contributed photo
The table for the Period Product Drive which happened in the Student Union. Students could drop off donations and pick up a pin that says “I Support All Women’s Rights.”
Rising inflation sparks anxiety
By Eva Mihelich Staff writer
If you have been out and about recently, you may have noticed that prices everywhere are skyrocketing.
Grocery trips have become more expensive, gas tanks are much pricier to fill up and fun clothes are more of a luxury now that inflation has been on the rise.
In 2021, inflation rose to a staggering 7.5% which is the highest it has been since 1982.
Everyday routines have been altered by this inflation – prices rose 41% for used cars and trucks, 40% for gasoline, 18% for bacon and 11% for women’s dresses.
This rapid increase in inflation began in 2021, and many politicians brushed it off as a transitory problem from shipping delays and labor shortages. However, the problem has persisted and grown to the level it is at now, and citizens are rightfully wondering how long this will last, because many people’s budgets are already suffering from it.
Unfortunately, economists have predicted inflation to elevate well into this year.
The good news, if it can be considered good news, is that it was caused by the pandemic. When COVID-19 hit in spring of 2020, businesses took a huge hit and many places had to close, leading to masses of people filing for unemployment.
However, the economy staged a great recovery due to government aid, and vaccines helped businesses and other companies reopen. This then caused a labor shortage as businesses tried to keep up with the sudden demand that customers had, which then caused a shortage in global shipments.
Costs rose as the supply was low and the demand was high, getting us to where we are today. Economists hope that, assuming COVID-19 is slowing down for good, inflation will gradually go back down and prices will return to the way they were.
So, how long will this last? If companies struggle to keep up with the demand for goods and services, this elevated inflation will still affect us.
The good news is that major supply chains are already starting to improve, but this does not mean that prices of everything are going to start going down soon.
Sarah House, senior economist at Wells Fargo, said, “We’re expecting CPI to still be roughly 4% at the end of this year. That is still well above what the Fed would like it to be and, of course, well above what consumers are used to seeing.”
Many economists have been predicting that the global supply chain struggles may be nearing a plateau, but it is difficult to tell with the unpredictability of COVID-19. They have observed a growing disconnect between COVID-19 and the economy, which is a good sign.
Key sources of demand growth will slow down this year, which could help contribute to the gradual lowering of prices.
Regardless, right now prices will remain high as inflation continues to creep up. It is breaking many records so it should not come as a surprise the next time you have to pay much more for gas or groceries than you are used to.
Giving Day coming soon
By Ashley Barletta News editor
Mercyhurst will soon be holding the eighth annual Giving Day, a 24-hour campaign where alumni, parents and friends can donate to the Mercyhurst Annual Fund. It will take place on March 29.
The theme for this year’s Giving Day is “One Day, Every Laker,” which encompasses the idea that when the Mercyhurst community comes together, it can have a positive impact on the lives of every individual student.
Last year was an odd year because of Covid, but the goal of $50,000 was surpassed.
“This is an annual day and it’s always so exciting to see the passion that our alumni, parents, friends and even students show in support of Mercyhurst,” said Lindsay Frank, director of alumni engagement.
Those who wish to make a donation can go online at https:// givingday.mercyhurst.edu.
Donations go directly to the Mercyhurst Annual Fund and Student Scholarship Program, which is a big help in paying for tuition expenses.
There is currently a countdown to Giving Day on the website, but there is an option to “Give Now.” This takes you to a page where you can fill out basic information and make a donation.
The website can also be checked throughout Giving Day to see how much MU has raised in total, and anyone can donate. All gifts are tax-deductible as the law permits, and gifts can be given in stocks.
The Mercyhurst Annual Fund is an unrestricted fund that helps support the school’s operational budget as well as student scholarships, student-faculty research, and athletic programs.
Donations made on Giving Day can also be matched by different donors.
“On Giving Day, we will have a match in which gifts up to a certain amount will be matched by a donor – this will be announced on Giving Day,” said Frank.
The minimum donation that is being accepted is $5, but you can also help out by sharing information about Giving Day on social media. You can put #HurstGivingDay in any posts you make and include the link to the Giving Day website.
There is even a Social Media Kit, found at https://givingday. mercyhurst.edu/social-media, where you can download different images to help spread the word.
Any other questions about Giving Day can be directed to Lindsay Frank at lfrank@mercyhurstnedu or give@mercyhurst.edu.
Please consider donating to Mercyhurst on Giving Day to support the wonderful students of Mercyhurst.
Thank you to all who support Mercyhurst University and the education of its students!
Contributed photo
Those who would like to “Give Now” have the option to do so instead of waiting until Giving Day.
Ryan Hall floods
By Bella Lee Staff writer
On the afternoon of Feb. 25, a flood began in Ryan Hall caused by the sprinkler system in the building.
The sprinkler system was triggered by a student who hung a hoodie on one of the sprinkler heads in their room. Sprinklers are designed to put out and quell small fires, so as one might imagine, a great deal of water was expelled, flooding that student’s room as well as many rooms on the third, second and first floors in that wing.
Students waited outside of Ryan during the time immediately following the flood, as the fire alarm had gone off, most of them unsure of what exactly happened.
Depending on the severity of the flooding in their rooms, students that were affected were either temporarily or permanently moved to other living areas, such as other free rooms in Ryan, or Briggs and Lewis apartments.
The damage was severe enough that outside intervention was needed in order to fix the issue.
“The university used an outside contractor who came to dry out the rooms directly affected by the flooding,” said Sidney Rice, assistant director of the sophomore area for Residence Life.
“The contractors opened walls, removed floor molding and inspected all spaces once they were dried. Each space was inspected for lasting damage, moisture and mildew. Once a space was cleared students were permitted to return to their original spaces.”
This situation left many students stressed and angry, as this occurred shortly before midterms and many of their items were damaged or at risk of being damaged.
“Students should remember that sprinkler heads are extremely sensitive and are designed to disperse hundreds of gallons of water per second,” said Rice.
“The pressure and water released from a single sprinkler head can cause thousands of dollars in damage for students affected. They can be triggered by heat, smoke, items being hung on them or even items hitting them. Students should steer clear of them and remember to not use them as hooks. Students should also remember that they can insure their personal items with renters’ insurance in case floods, fires, or other damage is caused on campus. If any students are interested in renters’ insurance but don’t know where to start, they should reach out to Residence Life!”
This is important information to remember in the event that something like this happens again. Be safe, Lakers! STUDENT GOVERNMENT
This weekend’s campus events
