Feb. 22 Edition of The Merciad by The Merciad

Arts & Entertainment On Page 6:

Features On Page 4: Federici leaves to pursue research

Sports On Page 8:

Poetry in motion

Minnick named

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preseason pitcher

Mercyhurst

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Est. 1929 Vol. 90 No. 14

Mercyhurst university

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

’Hurst trustees meet with students By Cheyanne Crum Features editor

Last year the Board of Trustees decided to meet with the Mercyhurst Student Body to get feedback from students. On Feb. 16, in the Mercy Heritage room, the second annual meeting took place in the Mercy Heritage Room. Lev Kuviak, chair of Student Life Committee, began the meeting by explaining the five core values of the Board in their fiduciary responsibilities to the school. “We are here to, one, represent students’ interests in the board’s policy making activities; two, ensure adequate resources for student life programing; three, to keep pace with the changing needs of students; four to have oversight in the admissions and enrollment strategies; and five, to have oversight of athletics and planning facilities,” Kuviak said. “Somebody on the committee many years ago had the foresight to add one more thing; ‘we will meet three times a year as a committee, and from time to time it may be appropriate for the committee to meet with students in an open session to hear their concerns and discuss student issues and topics. So tonight is that night; we meet once a year and we hope to continue it,” Kuviak said. The students in attendance were chosen by Mercyhurst Student Government. There were students from each of Mercyhurst’s campuses: Booker T. Washington, North East and Main Campus. There were 45 students invited to the event and 32 attended. As the purpose of the gathering was to discuss student issues, they started off talking about Greek life at the ’Hurst and their reservations about it entering the small population on the hill. “One thing that I would like to see not introduced is Greek life. I know that is something that President Michael T. Victor is very seriously considering and I don’t think that adding it would be in the best interest of the school,” said Kimmie Kramer, junior Intelligence major. “I am president of Ambassadors and (while) giving tours, it’s one thing that a lot of students love about Mercyhurst, and especially since the three other colleges in the area all have it, I think that’s something that sets Mercyhurst apart.”

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Cheyanne Crum photo

The Board of Trustees held their annual meeting with members of the student body to get feedback about life on campus.

Gabrielle McGrogan, junior Fashion Merchandising major and member of Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG), also disagrees with the idea of Greek life being brought to campus. “From Student Government’s standpoint, we are really trying to push inclusiveness and not making people feel excluded for being different, and I feel like getting Greek life really will make it exclusive. When I came here, I wasn’t an athlete and when you’re not an athlete, you’re already excluded, which is fine, but then to not get into the few sororities or frats that we would have, would make people feel even more excluded and not accepted. It’s just going to make it harder to reach our goals of really accepting everybody,” McGrogan said. Residence Life had a representative voting down Greek Life as well. “I’m an RA in Warde Hall and a lot of my residents are coming to me as well and voicing concerns in dissent of that endeavor. I’m not inherently against it, but I think that it is important to gauge student input a little bit more before implementing something that drastic,” sophomore Vince Marrazzo said. He added that many of his residents that are advocating for Greek life sound as though they just do not want to have a Resident Assistant in

their hallways. Christian Copper, sophomore Intelligence major, concluded by saying he believes that Greek life can be a great addition to large schools, as this is how students meet people and make friends, but at such a small school, the students are already seeing the same people every day and interacting with them without adding in Greek life. He said he believes the aspects that you gain from it are lost here in such a small community. Richard Lanzillo, Board President, asked if there is much of a presence of the Sisters of Mercy on campus and how that affects the various activities on campus. MSG and Ambassadors piped in, explaining that each of the events they plan on the weekends as an alternative to drinking are planned specifically with the sisters in mind. “We could have any of the sisters come in during any of our events and we don’t want anything that is going to offend them. We just think that they could stop by at anytime, so we think about that for every event. We are even cognizant of that for Springfest,” McGrogan said. Another topic discussed at length was student housing. This was met with various horror stories that students have experienced while living on campus and dealing with maintenance. “It needs a lot of work, not

“

It needs a lot of work, not necessarily massive overall fixes, I think people understand that this university is growing rapidly, it’s in a bit of a transition phase right now, there’s going to be growing pains.

”

Christian Copper

necessarily massive overall fixes. I think people understand that this university is growing rapidly. It’s in a bit of a transition phase right now; there’s going to be growing pains. There’s a(n) (intercom) outside of my building, it doesn’t work and it says ‘Mercyhurst College’ on it. It gives the impression that everything is really old, everything is really ugly,” Copper said. There is a disconnect in types of housing from freshman year to the upper classmen years. The students agree that moving from Warde, Baldwin or McAuley to the Briggs or Lewis apartments has a jarring effect on them. “It’s a step down from Warde to a Lewis apartment that you’re not really not ready for,” Copper said. Others discussed holes in the wall that allowed them to see the pipes, doors that have

been painted so many times that they would not close properly and even mold that was not taken care of properly. There were also mixed reviews on the change to the REACH curriculum. Some students have not noticed much of a change. Others love the freedom to take more classes from different areas, but some believe parts of the liberal arts education has been lost. Student internships also were discussed. Though students have the option of taking a zero-credit or threecredit internships, those that choose a three-credit internship over the summer must pay for those credits on top of the cost of living where the internship takes place, whether they are paid or not. All of the trustees listened very openly and were very willing to hear what each and every student had to say. “It’s been very informative and great to hear from everybody. It’s good to get this feedback, you know, because when you’re talking about these things in committee, you’re getting it at about the 35,000-foot level, and I’m impressed by the detail. This is the first time that I’ve realized that people pay to receive credit for internships,” Patrick Wechler, a member of the academic affairs committee, said. Other topics such as

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adjunct versus full-time professors, summer tuition costs, a campus-wide grade scale, campus dining, gym hours, science department laboratory upgrades and more were discussed as the students rotated around the room to each of the trustees. Many students gave informative feedback and seemed grateful to be included in such an important aspect of getting to decide things on campus. “It’s definitely a good idea. We are literally meeting the higher ups that will be implementing things, we get to give our opinions to help. It’s so much easier to do this in person and I think it will be a productive meeting,” Favour Ehidiamhen, junior Accounting and Finance major, said. Other students look at it as a sort of investment and feel obligated to attend to give their opinions. “One of the best opportunities any person can have when you’re making an investment like we are is to talk to the person you are making the investment to and make sure you both understand things from the others’ perspective. I think the important thing is, if I have an opinion I have the opportunity to voice it,” Copper said.

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Do you think Mercyhurst should have Greek Life?

No, we don’t need another party house. (54%) Yes, it builds a sense of community. (37%) Yes! Animal House! (5%) I’m indifferent. (4%)

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll:

What are your Spring Break plans?

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February 22, 2017

The Merciad

Page 2

News

Risk Management program unveiled By Melanie Todd Staff writer

Mercyhurst graduate and Erie Insurance Board member Betsy Hirt Vorsheck recently made a $1.25 million gift to Mercyhurst. This will be used to develop an innovative new program called the F.W. Hirt Erie Insurance Risk Management Program at Mercyhurst University. The program will begin development in the fall. This program will offer a unique approach to Risk Management because it will bring together the strengths of two colleges at Mercyhurst: the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Science and the Walker College of Business. Along with the development of new coursework, “We are looking at innovative and creative approaches to earning credits onsite [at Erie Insurance] and in the classroom,” Dean of the Walker College of Business Mary Breckenridge said. Insurance uses an actuary science to calculate the level of risk in situations. Through this initiative, Mercyhurst will develop and expand academic programs focused on risk control, insurance underwriting and insurance claims. This

will develop and expand an academic program focused on cyber security, data analytics and cyber intelligence in the insurance industry. “Risk control is huge in colleges and agencies today. There are various facets of risk to look at in any situation. This area is totally fascinating,” Breckenridge said. The university is exploring offering microcredentials, which are growing in popularity, as part of the Risk Management program. As students learn marketable skills, they will receive recognition for their knowledge of that skill. “What we are trying to do is build a strong pipeline of talent to fill future jobs in the insurance field,” Breckenridge said. A strategic intelligence report written by students from the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences explored the millennial generation’s outlook on careers in the insurance field. The student team discovered that recruiting millennials into the insurance industry can be challenging due to misperceptions about the insurance industry. “Millennials value work-life balance, finding a purpose in work and promoting a sense

Mercyhurst University photo

President Michael T. Victor announces partnership with Erie Insurance that will bring a new program in risk management.

of meaning through their work,” Breckenridge said. The insurance field has numerous career opportunities that can provide those very characteristics millennials seek. People turn to insurance often when big changes happen in life. It may be something exciting such as

insuring a newly purchased home or managing business assets and risk factors. Insurance employees can also help in times of stress such as car accidents, health problems or even a death in the family. “Insurance can be seen as a service profession because you do connect and serve others. The industry’s purpose

is to help others mitigate risk. You are assisting people in their time of need,” Breckenridge said. Erie Insurance is a Fortune 500 company. In December the company announced its plan to create 1,000 jobs. Additionally, the company will undergo a $135 million expansion of its headquarters in

Erie. The new Risk Management program will also offer opportunities for Erie Insurance employees to gain further training and education. “We believe that millennials should be aware of the potential job opportunities in this area, which are numerous,” Breckenridge said.

Dausey interviewed by BBC’s Newsday By Melanie Todd Staff writer

On Feb. 7, Mercyhurst’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, David Dausey, Ph.D., was interviewed on BBC’s World Service radio program Newsday. Newsday is known to be “The world’s largest breakfast show.” Dausey, the founding chair of the Public Health Department and the founding director of the Mercyhurst Institute of Public Health, is an internationally respected expert in the field. BBC’s focus for the interview was on the use of traditional Chinese medicine to treat those who suffer from HIV/AIDS. “There’s a lot of research now on traditional Chinese medicine. What I can tell you is it’s helpful when it’s used and integrated with antiretroviral therapy. There’s very little evidence that taking it

by itself is useful for anything other than maybe moderating medication side effects or alleviating some symptoms,” Dausey said. The Chinese government announced a plan to double the use of traditional Chinese medicine to treat the half a million people in China living with HIV/AIDS. BBC asked about the possible motivation surrounding this decision. The most recent CIA World Factbook report (2015) indicates that 0.1 percent of the Chinese population between 15 and 49 years old are living with HIV/AIDS. This rate is the same as Japan and lower than the rates of the United Kingdom and Austria, which as 0.2 percent and 0.3 percent respectively. “I think that they realize that the infection rates seem to be going up over time in China. Right now the infection rate in China is the same as Japan and a lot of other European countries which is fine but there’s definitely,

I think, a desire to make the public feel as though action is being taken,” said Dausey. “Certainly antiretroviral therapy is critical but I do think there is probably some element of trying to save money here, of course.” BBC commented about the need for prevention efforts in this area. “Yes, prevention is key and also new treatments are key and research on new treatments is key. I would strongly emphasize that the challenge that we’ve always had with traditional Chinese medicine is that it has not been put through rigorous clinical trials and the data has not been published in top tier journals,” said Dausey. “So you really have this instance where the information that’s out there is not as good as it needs to be.”

Trang Nguyen file photo

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David Dausey was interviewed by BBC about traditional Chinese medicine for use on HIV/AIDS patients.

MSG election results Congratulations to the 2017-2018 Mercyhurst Student Government President Jonah Jackson (left) and Vice President Christian Copper (right). A total of 871 students voted in this year’s election, which is 36 percent of the eligible voters, according to MSG.

February 22, 2017

The Merciad

Knocking out homelessness By Kristian Biega Staff writer

Homelessness is an unfortunate issue that is rampant in the Erie community. The Erie City Mission has been working to raise money and awareness for the homeless of the community with the annual boxing match, “Knockout Homelessness.” The 10th anniversary match took place on Feb. 21, at the Bayfront Convention Center. The Mission already has a major impact in the community through their various programs: providing those in the community food seven days a week without any requirements, their men’s ministry and recovery program for drug and alcohol abuse, family care center and food pantry. All of these programs are extremely influential in helping people back on their feet in times of need. However, the Erie City Mission sought to do more. Knockout Homelessness was started in 2008 through the combined efforts of Susan McChesney and Lou Bizzarro. Bizzarro is an influential member of the Erie community, being the owner of “Lou Bizzarro’s Ringside Restau-

rant.” Bizzarro and his sons, Lou Bizzarro Jr. and Johnny Bizzarro, are lightweight boxing champions who brought the idea of a charity boxing match to fruition. This event caps off the end of the national “Help the Homeless Week.” This week is set aside in the United States for the education and increased awareness of hunger and homelessness. The week involves prayer vigils, volunteer experiences, and the main event in Erie, a lightweight boxing match. Erin Layden, director of Donor Relations and Events, has been involved since 2012 and believes that Knockout Homelessness is a unique and extremely effective way to raise money for the Mission. “Knockout Homelessness is a big ‘hurrah’ for the end of the week to raise both money and awareness for the homeless,” Layden said. Each of the Bizzarro men have been involved since day one, training the “celebrity boxers” each year. These “celebrities” are well-known and influential members of the Erie community who may never have even been in a ring before, let alone know how to fight.

Past celebrity fighters have been members of the FBI, Mayor Joe Sinnott and many other political figures, heads of businesses and important members of the community. For this reason, deciding on the right fighters begins nearly a year in advance for the Erie City Mission. “It takes time to choose and train the fighters so they can fully understand the project, their impact and how the Mission works,” Layden said. Taking the ring this year were Bob Henninger, Matthew Turk and RJ Messenger. Messenger is the owner of Iron Empire Clothing, and fought Johnny “John Boy” Bizzarro in the first bout. Turk is the senior vice president of the Property Casualty Division at Northwest Insurance Services and faced against Lou Bizzarro Jr. in the second bout. This year’s main event was Howard Hanna Realtor, Bob Henninger verses Lou Bizzarro Sr. in the final bout of the evening. The structure of the night consisted of more than just a boxing match. The tickets for Knockout Homelessness include a sit down dinner at the Bayfront Convention Center. No alcohol was served because proceeds from the

night will be going to help those in recovery and rehabilitation programs. Attendees were able to participate in a live auction and raffle as well. This year’s event is over, but there is still a way for people to get involved and support the Mission and their favorite boxer. Over the years, many people expressed interest and wanted to support their competitors even if they could not come to the event itself. Each fighter has a secure webpage where others can donate in their name to the cause. All proceeds go back to the Erie City Mission. “It is a way for those involved to fight each other outside of the ring in a friendly competition,” Layden said. By the end of “Round 10” this year, Knockout Homelessness will have grossed approximately half a million dollars over the years. “Our fundraising and support increases every year,” said Layden. “We’ve had amazing successes from the start and we only hope it continues.”

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Circle K talent show was a big hit By Marco Cicchino Staff writer

The stars came out to play on Feb. 17, as Mercyhurst’s Circle K club was able to get some creativity flowing in Walker Recital Hall. Singing, dancing, illusion and even comedy graced the stage of the organization’s talent show. Circle K and the hosts had been looking for acts since the end of January, and began notifying the acts that they were in as early as Feb. 7. The hosts commented that there was one more act in this talent show than in last year’s ’Hurst Got Talent. Last year’s ’Hurst Got Talent winner, Lan-Nhi Phung, was not in the competition this year, leaving the door wide open for Kaitlyn Stark to perform her second self-choreagraphed jazz dance routine to Demi Lovato’s “Confident.” Stark was shocked and nearly driven to tears when she was announced as the winner of the Audience

Choice Award. “I can’t find a specific reason that I was chosen for this, with so many people in the audience, including my mom,” Stark said. An instrumental act kicked off the program: Matthew Jury sported a Pokémonthemed shirt and cap and led his trombone through “Make a Wish” from Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker in his second Circle K performance in three years. The judges met the piece with positive remarks. EmmaLeigh Kirchner, Ph.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice, borrowed the remark that “everything is better with a little trombone,” aiding Jury’s comments. Sophomore Paul Cohen drew his inspiration from a YouTube video for the first spoken word act of the night. Cohen’s adaptability and flexibility allowed him to turn the lyrics to Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go” from “Frozen” into a medley of various Disney voices, switching every other

line to keep his audience engaged. It led to a special Mercy Mission Award from Kirchner, citing his courage to speak and perform a cappella and weave through nearly 20 different characters. Cohen ranged from Scar and Captain Jack Sparrow to Mickey Mouse and everyone in between. “It means I’m very talented, and I have some gifts,” Cohen said about receiving his award. Following Stark was Connor Adaire, who performed sleight-of-hand tricks. First was the presentation of a piece of string to Kirchner, who cut the string and Adaire ensuingly tied the strings and wound the string around his hands, leading to the string losing its knot. Strong remarks from the judges segued into a stand-up routine from Jacob Chichester: joking about his major, Criminal Justice. He commented on his grandmother saying he would pull her over in the future. After more strong critical

remarks, it segued into perhaps the strongest act of the night, as Sarah Whittaker’s keyboard rendition of “To Make You Feel My Love’ received strong praise, primarily for her ability to sing and play at the same time. A junior Jake Fuhrman, sported a black piece of Gorilla tape on his mouth and recruited three audience members for a mime performance. He first demonstrated the motions and then set it to Michael Jackson’s “Blame It On the Boogie.” The unsynchronized routine was the only of the seven acts to receive negative feedback from the judges, but it was later revealed that the America’s Got Talent-based act used different persons during the rehearsal. “All three of (the prize-winning performers) were very enthusiastic about what they were doing; you could tell they were really enjoying their time on the stage,” said Kirchner. “I’m hoping we get a few more acts (next year), and a few more (to) come back.”

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Features Asking Mia Need advice? Have a problem that needs fixing? Mia is here to help. Email askmia.merciad@ gmail.com for help. *******************

Dear Mia, Spring break is quickly approaching and my friends are planning on going somewhere warm for the week. They expect me to come with them, but I don’t have all this money to throw around on plane tickets and hotel rooms. How do I ask them to go somewhere else so I can enjoy spring break with them? Sincerely, Poor College Student

Dear Poor College Student, It’s important to let your friends know exactly how you feel as soon as possible. You don’t want to agree with them on the plans they are making if you are not able to spend very much money for spring break. You don’t want to get your hopes up, along with theirs. If they are truly your friends they will understand that you cannot spend a lot of money on the break, and will hopefully decide to do something else. Do any of your friends live somewhere warm? All of you could stay at that friend’s house and still enjoy the warm sun without having to spend a ton of money on a hotel for a week. Or you and your friends can plan a day trip somewhere or a short weekend trip so you don’t have to spend money staying somewhere for the whole week. Just be honest with your friends and I am sure they will be happy to change their plans a little so you can all enjoy spring break together.

Sincerely,

Mia

MEOW discusses spring and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes By Natalia Joseph MEOW member

It is an exciting time to be on Mercyhurst’s campus. As the frigid temperatures begin to break and a sense of the coming spring creeps into every student’s mind, it is easy to get excited. Spring is a time where students can meander outdoors without the fear of the wind whipping their face with a frosty sting. During the spring we can see students reading outdoors, playing with a Frisbee and hear the loud whistles of our Laker sports teams practicing on the football field. While the spring is an exciting time, it is also an incredibly important time. Every April, we as a nation

Contributed photo

This design is the front of this year’s MEOW T-shirt. They are currently available for purchase.

observe Sexual Assault Awareness month. During April, organizations, colleges, clubs and communities emphasize various ways to enlighten the public on sexual violence as

a human rights, social justice, and public health issue. Primarily, these programs reinforce various prevention efforts. Mercyhurst University is no exception, and there are

a variety of clubs on campus that focus on bringing justice and equality to our campus and the greater Erie area. The Mercyhurst Equality of Women Club is one such club. Our club’s main event every year is Walk a Mile In Her Shoes event. Walk a Mile is a nation-wide event that quite literally puts men in women’s shoes and has them walk a mile. It is a light-hearted event that raises awareness about the seriousness of sexual assault, its causes, effects and ramifications. My mom always told me growing up, “You can’t truly understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” By having men playfully walk in high heels, it gives them a safe area to discuss sexual assault in a healthy,

helpful way. Having open conversations about sexual assault can only help to bring attention to the various ways to help exterminate this issue plaguing the country, and more specifically, our college campuses. This is a large task for just one club at Mercyhurst. We have teamed up with the Justice Coalition Club and are hoping to bring in more clubs. If sexual assault awareness is an issue that your club finds important and they would like to join us in creating a fun event, please contact me for further information at njosep47@lakers.mercyhurst. edu. The more participation, the better! Another important aspect to the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is… shoes. High heels

to be more specific. We are looking for high heel donations that we could use for this event. The more heels we have, the more men will be able to walk together through the mile. After the Walk a Mile event, the shoes will be donated to the Dress for Success Erie location. Finally, as a way to raise money to put on this event, we are selling Mercyhurst Equality of Women t-shirts. The t-shirts are being sold for $17 online. The link to the shirt can be found on our club Facebook, or if you email me and I can send you the link. Any money raised that does not go towards the Walk A Mile event will be donated to a local women’s organization in Erie.

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February 22, 2017

The Merciad

Features

Federici, Poli Sci professor, to leave By Melanie Todd Staff writer

After 24 years at Mercyhurst, Michael Federici, Ph.D., professor of Political Science, will be leaving at the end of this year. “I will be leaving. I got a better job at Middle Tennessee State University,” Federici said. Federici will serve as the chair of the department of Political Science and International Relations at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), just outside of Nashville. “I will still be teaching, but Chelsea Guida photo not as much. My load here is Michael Federici, Ph.D., will be leaving Mercyhurst at the end of seven courses and there it will the year. He will be teaching at MTSU. be three for the first year,” said Federici. or an article. That’s where you The relationship Federici “I feel strongly that to be the get the fuel for the classroom. creates with his students is best in scholarship I need to I’m going to MTSU because very important to him. Before be constantly doing research it provides me with a better teaching at Mercyhurst, and writing for publication. balance of scholarship and Federici taught at Concord I’m always working on a book writing.” College in West Virginia.

However, with much larger class sizes he did not get to personally know his students. “My favorite aspect of teaching is the routine interaction with students, especially in the classroom. You know your students better and they know you. You come to get things like their sense of humor. At the end of the semester, I’m sorry to see them go. That’s just not possible at a larger university,” Federici said. Federici’s value for interaction with students is reflected in his teaching style. “It is a partnership between faculty and student. I’m not just telling them the answers through lecture, but asking them questions, leading them to the point of discovery so that they are finding it on their own,” Federici said. Thankfully, Federici will not lose this important aspect of teaching when he moves on to MTSU. “One of the reasons why

I accepted the position is the class sizes are the same as here,” Federici said. Leaving Mercyhurst University was not an easy decision. “First and foremost I will miss my colleagues in the Political Science department. And I will miss my students. Students come and go, but when you are the one leaving, like I am, you leave some behind. Normally, they leave you behind. As a college professor you see them grow and you get a sense of tremendous satisfaction when they graduate. “I will also miss colleagues outside of the department that I’ve worked with my whole time here. We’ve been through some things together and friendships develop and it’s hard to leave them,” Federici said. Federici also has strong ties to the Erie community. “The work I’ve done has gone beyond the gates of

Mercyhurst. I’ve done media analysis and somewhere around 1,000 interviews and that work has connected me to the community. It makes it difficult to leave,” Federici said. After 24 years at Mercyhurst, Federici has grown a lot during his time here. “Leaving after 24 years is a gut wrenching thing. When I got here I was a young 30-something-yearold scholar at the beginning of my career. I’ve changed a lot in the classroom and as a scholar during my time here. I have Mercyhurst to thank for giving me the opportunity,” said Federici. Federici is still processing what leaving Mercyhurst and the Erie community feels like. “I only accepted the position a week ago today so it’s still just sinking in. I haven’t had a lot of time to reflect,” Federici said.

Kazual power to the mic Every square inch, Jubilee By Claire Eichner Contributing writer

Free t-shirts, free cups and free entertainment. Black Students for Unity (BSU), Students Activities Council and Multicultural Activities Council put on event on Feb. 18. called “Power to the Mic” that did not disappoint. The groups brought in a band called Kazual (pronounced casual), which is made up of three brothers, one cousin, and is a mix of R&B, hip hop, pop and a capella that brings a unique sound to listeners ears, which they call the “Kazual Experience.” The impressive group sang songs such as “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith, “All of Me” by John Legend, “My Girl” by the Temptations and various original songs that they composed and shared with the audience. The group has performed at over 150 different colleges, universities, fairs and festi-

vals. They have even made it to the Top 40 on America’s Got Talent and won multiple awards. Along with providing a mind blowing performance, the group also paid mention to Black History Month, what it means to them and what it should mean to students here on campus and to all college campuses around the world. The inspiring family band successfully gave the unparalleled “Kazual Experience” and a sense of pride and unity that positively impacted the entire audience. After the “Kazual Experience,” the night really began to heat up. Multiple students shared their own talents and spoke their minds through spoken words, rap and a song from the critically acclaimed musical “Hairspray.” A heartwarming poem was read by not only the president of BSU, but also a well-known poet named Portia from South Chicago. She radiated confidence and encouraged all students to never be ashamed

of who they are and always find the courage to speak their minds. Each one of the performances was extremely well received, well put together and left the audience with the common idea that it should not matter to others about their appearance, gender, beliefs. Everyone should accept people for who they are because we are stronger together, not apart. The entire night was put together mainly by BSU to celebrate Black History Month and to serve as a much needed reminder to all those on campus that diversity is something that we all need to thrive. Black Students for Unity is one of the most active clubs on campus and is always looking for and welcoming new members who are interested in joining. There are no requirements to join the club, all you have to be willing to do is “strive to promote unity, diversity and inclusion” here at Mercyhurst University, according to BSU.

LAKER MOMENT

By Abigail Rinard Staff writer

Mercyhurst University’s Campus Ministry traveled to Pittsburgh to attend Coalition for Christian Outreach’s Jubilee Conference. The theme of Jubilee 2017 was “Every Square Inch” - the idea that God’s love should permeate every square inch of the world. On Feb. 17, over 3,500 college students, joined by a myriad Christian speakers and leaders, gathered together to celebrate the Christian faith for a weekend. A total of 30 individuals from Mercyhurst attended the conference, including students, Campus Ministry staff and five alumni. Throughout the conference there were four main gatherings, as well as four workshops and late night options on Friday and Saturday. Each gathering had live music and speakers, focusing on a different aspect of the biblical narrative: creation, fall, redemption and restoration. Speakers included Christian rap artists, such as Lecrae and Propaganda, as well as pastors and political activists, like Anthony Bradley, Ekemini Uwan and Sho Baraka. The workshops provided opportunities to learn more about faith and how to inte-

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The Jubilee conference provides an opportunity to understand and learn about new ideas.

grate it into various majors and, ultimately, careers. The topics ranged from art and music to education, politics and science. Other workshops discussed more general topics, such as the basics of the Gospel, or how to integrate faith into racial issues. The conference provides the opportunity to understand and learn about new ideas. Many students view it as a safe place to engage in difficult conversations. Ryan King, a junior majoring in Intelligence Studies with a double-minor in Psychology and Political Science, has attended Jubilee twice and enjoys that aspect of the conference. “One of the things I love about it is to see people come together in unity in a world that seems to love things to be divisive. It’s also a place that

you can freely express your beliefs and your love of your faith without fear of being judged,” King said. Jenell Patton, Campus Ministry, said Jubilee is a reminder of the importance of faith community. “I think the first thing is that it lets you know you aren’t alone in doing our faith. We live in a time where we think we can do our faith in our rooms because things can stream on the internet. What people really desire is community and connection,” Patton said. King said he believes that Jubilee is a way for people to communicate ideas and gives hope to change things that are broken. “It’s amazing to see so many people who are truly in love with and on fire for their faith,” King said.

Virtual symposium for Competitive Intelligence By Lauren Abbott Staff writer

Amber Matha photo

Welcome the newest edition to the Mercyhurst Biology department. This is Perseus, an 8-week-old California King snake. Perseus is a baby replacement for Fuego, an Albino Corn snake that passed away last spring at 9 years old.

On March 21, Mercyhurst University’s Competitive Intelligence Club will host the “CI Issues and Opportunities Across Industries – A Virtual Symposium.” in collaboration with the Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) organization. The symposium is an opportunity for students, businesses and professionals to come together and learn about strategy and techniques in competitive intelligence, as well as the hot topics in competitive intelligence today. Although this is the third

year of the symposium, this is the first year it will be virtual, which allows for greater flexibility for participating businesses and individuals. “Because it’s a virtual and all day, businesses can look at the agenda and pick and choose when they are most interested in,” Shelly Freyn, Competitive Intelligence program director at Mercyhurst said. Students and businesses will be listening to presentations throughout the day on cybersecurity, strategy, the internet and many other topics. Presenters include individuals from SCIP, Proctor & Gamble, Erie Insurance, Target and Comcast, among others.

The symposium is designed not just for businesses already involved in competitive intelligence, but for any organization that is doing intelligence and research. “I think it’s kind of a winwin for all participants, from the students to businesses that have established CI departments to businesses that are toying with integrating CI into their organization and want to hear from the top experts,” Freyn said. The symposium also acts as a fundraiser for the CI club to fund their trip to the SCIP conference in May to continue to learn and connect with professionals within the CI community.

February 22, 2017

The Merciad

Arts &

Page 5

Entertainment

Grammy award winner to perform and teach By Jeanette Fournier Staff writer

For four days, Erie, Pennsylvania, will host famous classical pianist, Emanuel Ax. During his time here, Ax will be involved in several events around Erie, and two of them will be held on our very own campus. “He’s one of the top five classical musicians right now,” said Nathan Hess, D.M.A., chair of the D’Angelo Music Department. “He’s in demand all over the world.” Ax will give a masterclass on March 9, at noon in Walker Recital Hall, in which he will coach three local piano students. The three students are Grace Nowak, a senior Music Therapy student here at Mercyhurst, Andrija Andelic, who graduated as Music Performance major from Mercyhurst in 2015, and who is currently enrolled in Duquesne University pursuing a master’s degree in piano performance, and Deven Shah, a homeschooled high school student and resident of Erie. The masterclass will feature

varied repertoire from the three students participating in it. Grace Nowak will be playing the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in F major, Opus 10, no. 2. “I chose to play this piece for the masterclass because there’s so many details to work on,” said Nowak. “It will be good to have extra help. There’s a lot of contrast between sections in the piece that I’d like to bring out more. The development has a fast, playful character and it’s fun to play.” When asked how she felt about playing for Ax, Nowak replied, “I’m kind of nervous, but I’m very excited. It will be an honor to play for him and get some of his tips.” “If I could ask Ax about anything, I’d ask him how he goes about memorizing and preparing for a big performance,” said Nowak. “I have my senior recital coming up, so I could use some help with that. Shah has chosen to play the first movement of Schubert’s Piano Sonata in A minor, d. 845. “Ax knows Schubert very

well,” said Shah. “And it will be great to work with him on this piece. This sonata also showcases artistic ability instead of technique. One of my biggest challenges with this work that I hope to work with Ax on is holding the phrases together over pauses.” When asked what he’d like to ask Ax, Shah replied, “I’d like to discuss what it’s like to play the piano all the time, every day. “I’d also like to hear about his opinions on different composers and different pieces.” Andelic will be performing the first movement of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 11 in E Minor. “Personally, I really enjoy and connect to Chopin’s harmonic and compositional language,” said Andelic. “Since I was young, I always loved this concerto and this year, I finally decided I was ready to play it.” When asked if there anything about the piece he found challenging, Andelic replied, “When it comes to technique, in my opinion, Chopin concertos are a conglomeration of technique covered in his etudes.

Lisa-Marie Mazzucco photo

Emanuel Ax, Grammy award-winning pianist, will give a recital and teach Mercyhurst University music students in a masterclass which will all take place at Walker Recital Hall.

“Looking just at the first movement, some of the difficulties I find are legato chromatic fourths, broken chord arpeggiations and playing the melody legato while adding notes within the same hand.” “I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity,” said Andelic. “Being able to play for, and get advice from,

Arts and Entertainment editor

The Music department’s Faculty Recital Series continues with the penultimate recital of the school year with Nathan Hess, D.M.A., piano professor and chair of the Music department. The program of the recital is infused with romantic era pieces with a hint of classical era. Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin are the two giants of the romantic era that will be featured in this recital. Hess will begin the recital with a classical era work, Mozart’s Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 281. There is no set theme for the recital. “It is music that I love and look forward to sharing with others,” Hess said about the program. He chose the Mozart Sonata because he wanted something light on the program. “It is thinner in texture, exuberant in spirit and very youthful, which contrasts the rest of the meaty and romantic music on the program,” Hess said. The next piece that Hess chose is Chopin’s Barcarolle, Op. 60 which is a standalone work. Barcarolles are known as the song of the Venetian gondoliers. Barcarolles tend to have a specific rhythm which this piece utilizes well, according to Hess. It is in 12/8 time–much like 4/4 time with a triple feel. The left hand pattern provides a lilting accompaniment to the beautiful and serene melody presented in double notes. “This rhythm in the lefthand permeates throughout; it’s essentially a ‘baracarolle rhythm,’” Hess said. “The work is multi-sec-

Online

10, at noon, Mercyhurst will host WQLN’s live broadcast of a recital featuring Ax in Walker Recital Hall. Both events are free and open to the public. For details about the other events Emanuel Ax will be performing in during his stay in Erie, visit the Erie Philharmonic web page.

Hess to perform romantic era pieces By Jenny Sabliov

Full list of events can be found on the MU website

a pianist and teacher of his caliber is priceless. “Ax performed, recorded, and taught this piece many times, and even though one masterclass might not be enough to cover everything, I look forward to hearing and learning from his extensive experience and knowledge.” The following day, March

View upcoming performances: www.mercyhurst.edu/events

tional, ending with a big coda which is typical for these larger Chopin compositions. It’s one of his most celebrated pieces.” Hess is also going to perform Chopin’s Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47. A ballade is a large-scale work that has a story behind it. “It is a very evocative kind of saga. This ballade is very heroic and very noble in character,” Hess said. After intermission, Hess will perform Schumann’s Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17 which is a monumental work with three movements. The word fantasy has a connotation of improvisation associated with it. “The first movement has a lot meandering passages with total obscurity of the tonic. When the tonic finally comes in at the very end of the movement, Schumann quotes a melody from Beethoven’s song cycle ‘To the distant beloved,’” Hess said. The second movement is a scherzo in three sections and is a heavy and thick textured movement with “leaps and bounds all over the keyboard.” “The middle section is very calm and the coda is one of the most difficult things in the repertoire because of the giant leaps and skips involved,” Hess said. This is because the leaps go outward in a contrary motion from the hand and is, according to Hess, “very treacherous and gives pianists nightmares.” The last movement is a gorgeous slower movement. It has a very arpeggiated figuration with inner voice melodies lilting through the textures and is also multi-sectional. “It ends very reflective and very contemplative. It brings it all to a close so beautifully and makes you feel content after the first two heavy move-

ments. It is a very powerful and poignant work,” Hess said. Hess wants to perform for the students and the community to give another example of the school’s performing faculty. “I hope to gain a personal satisfaction because I love the repertoire so much and it will be another wonderful performing experience,” Hess said. Hess hopes that by illustrating this program to the audience that they may learn some new pieces or have a newfound appreciation for the romantic era if they do not already. “It’s more romantic intensive so I would hope that they would go home and pursue more romantic music. Particularly Schumann and Chopin who are the two bedrocks of the romantic period,” Hess said. He also hopes to instill or rejuvenate a love and interest in pursuing and listening to more piano music. Hess will also perform this recital at two other locations. One will be in Pittsburgh on March 5, as part of the Steinway Society of Western Pennsylvania’s recital series and will take place at Carnegie Mellon University. The other will take place at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia, on March 26. The recital at Mercyhurst University will take place on March 15, at 8 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall and will be free and open to the public.

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Arts &

Entertainment

February 22, 2017

The Merciad

Raw Edges shows poetry in motion By Eleanor Hein Staff writer

Poet Charles Baudelaire said “the dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.” Proof of this claim is not hard to come by, but what’s greater is that every performance presents a unique and beautiful interpretation of the music. Still not convinced? Come see the poetry of dance in action at the Spring 2017 Raw Edges. Each semester, the Mercyhurst Dance Department Choreography III and Senior Seminar classes are tasked with producing and presenting their work at the Raw Edges event. This includes choosing a topic or theme and researching, casting, creating, rehearsing and producing their own musical performance to fulfill the senior capstone thesis

project for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. This year, the 19th year of the program, 16 talented students, overseen by Mercyhurst dance faculty Noelle Partusch, Mark and Solveig Santillano, will be presenting their final projects from March 17 to 19 at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. The choreographers selected the performers for their projects through auditions in December of 2016 and have since been working rigorously to perfect the final product. The program will consist of 16 separate pieces performed by 57 dance majors. The 16 choreographers are as follows: Marleigh Bristol, Sara Clarke, Audrey Davison, Ragan Faulkner, Kathryn Galimi, Lacey Gigliotti, Elizabeth Hite, Mathew Juefner, Ashley Miltich, Victoria Morris, Veronica Plys, Sarah Ruesch, Kerry Schroeder, Celina Schroer, Danielle Garcia Silva and Makayla Sprague. The subject matter of

Contributed photo

Raw Edges showcases the talented Mercyhurst dance majors.

the pieces has a wide range encompassing mental illness, rainforests, infatuation, obsession and determination, death

and grieving, and inspiration from paintings, poetry and the human condition. Junior Lacey Gigliotti’s

piece, entitled “Heartstrings,” “examines the complex matters of the heart in the simplest of times and the simplest of places” by exploring the lives of three characters seeking fulfillment while at a bar in a small town. Other works were inspired by cultural references, such as films. Junior Sara Clarke choreographed a piece called “Of Dust,” which draws inspiration from the 2000 film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and illustrates the progression of different chapters in a person’s life. Raw Edges has something for everyone. Audiences can expect a variety of musical genres including techno, country western, classical and contemporary. Their work will be displayed in two separate parts of the Raw Edges program, so audience members are encouraged to attend more than one performance if they wish to experience all of the different pieces.

This year, the audience will also have the opportunity to participate in a “Talk Back” session during intermissions. During this time, the audience will hear about the processes of choreography that students have undergone to put together the show as well as hearing from the senior thesis candidates on how they have come to realize their “artistic voice” through the “articulation of their colleagues’ embodied expression.” The concerts will be performed at the Performing Arts Center on March 17 at 4:30 p.m., on March 18 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. and March 19 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be bought at the box office at $5 for Mercyhurst students, $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students and $5 for youth. The program was made possible by The Mercyhurst Dancers and their partners LECOM and LifeWorks Erie.

younger than Dvořák by 20 years, wrote the Libretto for “Rusalka.” Kvapil was a Czech author and poet who had actually written the libretto before Dvorak became involved in its creation. Being of Czech origin, the opera is performed in the Czech language. Do not worry, though, because there will be subtitles in English, German and Spanish. The opera has a fairy-tale type atmosphere, but the setting’s exact location is not specified. The word “Rusalka” is derived from Slavic mythology. A Rusalka is a water sprite that inhabits lakes and rivers. Going with a beloved theme of Romantic style artists, Rusalka has two main settings. One setting is of the woods

and lake that shows pristine and authentic landscape, which contrasts the Prince’s palace that stands for the culture of human corruption. Despite being his ninth opera, “Rusalka” has grown over the years to be Dvořák’s most popular opera. One might recognize the excerpt “Song to the Moon,” performed in Act I, because it has been performed often, recorded separately and it has been used in various sound tracks. If you are worried about the quality of the performance, do not fret, it will be live in high definition. Tickets are available at the Mercyhurst box office or they can be purchased online. Admission is $18 for Adults, $15 for seniors and students, $10 of youth and as always MIAC events are free for Mercyhurst students.

The Met presents Fairy tale opera ‘Rusalka’ to be in PAC ‘La Traviata’ By Naomi Greenstein Staff writer

For the avid opera fanatics on campus, prepare to be blown away on March 11, at 12:55 p.m. as the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center screens a simulcast of “La Traviata” via The Met: Live in HD. A three-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, La Traviata had its world premiere at the Teatro la Fenice in Venice, 1853. Though its initial performance was relatively unsuccessful, it has today become one of the most well-known and beloved operas. Originally named Violetta after the title character, the opera focuses on this woman who is aware that she is close

to death due to her life as a courtesan. However, she later feels that she has been fully awakened by love after meeting a young man by the name of Alfredo Germont, who has taken an interest in Violetta for some time and goes as far to even ask about the state of her health each day. At the start of second act, Violetta and Alfredo are happy and settled together in the country until, after leaving for Paris to secure more funds, Alfredo’s father, Giorgi Germont, visits the young woman and demands she leave Alfredo, as her previous profession as a courtesan has impeded the potential engagement of Giorgio’s daughter and is therefore causing a detriment to his family. The rest of the opera is an emotional and poignant story about the twists and turns of

fate and true love that must be seen to be truly appreciated for its beauty. In the simulcast by the Met Opera: Live in HD, Sonya Yoncheva shines in the starring role of Violetta, opposite Michael Fabiano as her lover, Alfredo, and Thomas Hampson as his father, Giorgio. With a spectacular cast, this performance will be one you won’t want to miss! The estimated run time of this production is 2 hours and 33 minutes, with a short intermission between the first and second acts. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and students and $10 for youth. Tickets are free for Mercyhurst students with their ID. They are available online or at the Mercyhurst box office at 814-824-3000.

By Steven Martz Contributing writer

On March 4, the Mercyhurst Institute of Arts and Culture will be bringing “Rusalka” to Mercyhurst University live from the Met in NYC. This performance will start at 12:55 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. The opera has an estimated run time of 3 hours and 40 minutes and will include two half–hour intermissions. Antonin Dvořák, who was a Czech musician and composer from the late 19th century, composed “Rusalka,” which was his ninth opera. Dvořák was very popular in the United States and actually was director of the National Conservatory of Music for a short period of time. Jaroslav Kvapil, who was

REVIEW

Moser’s first recital at Mercyhurst a success By Lauren Ganger Contributing writer

On Feb. 15, music lovers and Francophiles alike braved the snow and cold to attend violinist Jonathan Moser’s faculty recital, “A French Soirée.” Listeners were treated to pieces by French composers such as Debussy and Ravel, with notes delivered informally by Moser himself before each piece. His unassuming demeanor may have charmed the audience, but it was his thoughtful, passionate playing that captivated them. It was certainly a bold choice on Moser’s part to begin his recital with the best piece. At times playful, at times boisterous and at times heart-wrenchingly vulnerable and exposed, Darius Milhaud’s “Suite for violin, clarinet and piano” was the crown jewel of the evening. Moser was joined in the trio by Nathan Hess, D.M.A., on piano and Rebecca Wunch on clarinet, and the synergy of the performers was remark-

able. The three instruments meshed together seamlessly throughout the piece, with two of the instruments occasionally drawing back to allow the third to cut through the texture, adding emotional layers. The next piece was the only solo piece of the evening. A change came over Moser as he played Eugène Ysaÿe’s “Ballade.” His bearing lost the easiness that characterized the majority of the evening’s performance and his face was overcome by an intensity that betrayed his total focus on the music. Moser’s playing has a certain musicality and emotional quality that goes beyond mere technical proficiency. Hess joined Moser again for Claude Debussy’s “Sonata for Violin and Piano.” This piece afforded another example of the intangible link between the two musicians, an almost intuitive, musical connection ever-present throughout their playing. Their ability to take a piece that is beautiful in its own

right and to add another layer of emotion and beauty while making it seem effortless is to be marveled at. After the intermission, the feeling of the recital shifted slightly. Scott Meier, Ph.D., on alto saxophone, joined Moser and Hess for Marc Eychenne’s “Cantilène et Danse.” Although the idea of a piece that includes both violin and saxophone was off-putting, the execution was inspired and the result surprisingly pleasant. All three instruments blended together well, and the saxophone lent the piece a certain jazzy quality while the violin kept it grounded, before giving in to the jazziness as well. The penultimate piece was a brief bittersweet Nocturne by Lili Boulanger and its performance was another testament to the musical understanding between Hess and Moser. The emotion that they were able both to convey and to elicit over the course of such a short piece was a testament to their skill and their treatment of the gentle, almost apolo-

Jenny Sabliov photo

From left to right: Nathan Hess, D.M.A., Jonathan Moser, Scott Meier, Ph.D., Mark Santillano and Solveig Santillano. They all played a vital role in Moser’s violin recital.

getic ending left the audience clinging expectantly for more. The evening closed with an intriguing collaboration. Mark and Solveig Santillano of the dance department jointly choreographed a dance to

accompany Moser and Hess’s performance of Maurice Ravel’s “Tzigane,” and while the skill of the dancers and choreographers is not in question, it was a shame that when one tried to listen to the music the

dancers distracted and when one tried to watch the dancers, the music distracted. All in all, “A French Soireé” afforded an evening of musical virtuosity and joie de vivre.

February 22, 2017

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The Merciad

Opinion

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

Letter to the Editor: StudentAthlete Relationship Concerns By Mercyhurst StudentAthlete Advisory Board Recently a letter to the editor was published in the Merciad regarding the difficulties students face developing friendships with student-athletes. We, as members of the Mercyhurst Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB), feel that this statement is misleading and inaccurate. It does not portray what we, as a board, try to accomplish everyday. Student-athletes are students, first and foremost. We make up over 25 percent of the Mercyhurst student population and our

majors and other club and organizational involvement provide opportunities for us to form meaningful relationships and bonds with all students on campus. While being on an athletic team presents natural friendships between teammates, there are certain things that the Mercyhurst University community does to encourage the entire student population and student-athletes to interact together and form meaningful relationships. Mercyhurst gives incoming freshmen the chance to get involved with other freshmen at the annual Freshman Welcome Week. This week allows students to interact with one another

especially with the Service Learning Project, where freshmen are randomly grouped with other freshmen, so they can interact and meet new people. SAAB holds annual events, like the Laker Showdown, that allow all students to be involved, not just athletes, to raise proceeds for the MakeA-Wish Foundation. Student-athletes also try our very best to create student sections for athletic home games to encourage attendance at sporting events to support Mercyhurst University as a whole. The Mercyhurst Student Government and our board frequently work together to ensure athletes and students

are strengthening the connection on campus. In conclusion SAAB believes students are already presented with multiple opportunities to build relationships and form inclusive community groups. At the end of the day, we are all students. The way in which we choose to spend our extracurricular time, our majors, graduation classes and club involvement present daily interactions that can be taken advantage of to create community and camaraderie. Together as one student body we can make the Mercyhurst experience a great one, but we all have to be committed to it.

Student unprepared for adulting By Lauren Abbott Staff writer

We all spend 10 months a year away at college learning about Biology, Intelligence, Math, Fashion Merchandising and every other major offered here at Mercyhurst, but there are a lot of things that college really doesn’t prepare us for. When we graduate, we all know that we are going to leave Mercyhurst confident that we will be fully prepared to enter our chosen job fields. But what about the basic “adulting” stuff that the majority of college students do not know how to do? I know that I have no idea how to do my own taxes, or how to fill out and file my

own FAFSA. Anytime tax and FAFSA season comes around I just call up my dad and ask him to take care of anything that needs to be done. I only know how to fill out the basic information. Anything beyond that and I am totally clueless. I also know that I am not the only one in this situation, and that many other freshmen do the same exact thing. In iMU we briefly talked about budgeting and how to budget our spending money, but we did not talk about how to budget for expenses after college such as rent, utilities and groceries. Especially now that Mercyhurst is moving toward getting all students to live on campus if they are not commuters, it will become even harder to learn how to budget for those

essential expenses we will encounter after graduation. Knowing how to create a simple budget is great for while we are in college, but come graduation, not knowing how to prepare and account for the other costs that we will suddenly be responsible for is frightening and thoughtless. Also, not knowing how to handle having these expenses can really be detrimental to a student just out of college, and if a person does not learn quickly, it can have a seriously bad effect on credit scores and lead to more debt than people already have. Another thing I do not know or feel comfortable doing is scheduling a doctor or dentist appointment. I know other students like me who are from around here

generally have their parents schedule their appointments for them. It is easy enough for those students to go home and go to their appointment. But what about those students who do not have this benefit? It is scary being forced to find a new doctor and dentist in order to receive care while away from home at school. I feel that we need a class for seniors that will go over all the real world applications that they will need to be successful adults and to help them be fully prepared to enter the workforce and to be functional adults.

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Women’s hockey: Death of a dynasty? By Morgan Stacey Contributing writer

Online

In the world of sports, few can identify for certain when a dynasty has begun but nearly everyone can pinpoint the exact moment when one has ended. For instance, think back to July 11, 2014. In one of the most infamous announcements in NBA history, LeBron James signed with the Cavaliers, agreeing to return to Cleveland, and in an instant ended the “Big Three” dynasty in Miami. The life cycle of a dynasty, thus, is clear in retrospect. Beginning with the birth of a dynasty, a team experiences a prolonged period of increasing success, preceded by a period of ultra-supreme status, which is followed by their imminent fall. At the first inkling of their demise, sports analysts euphemistically label the season as a “rebuilding year,” a slap in the face to any team, and begin looking for the replacement dynasty. Unfortunately for the Mercyhurst women’s ice hockey team, the mention of rebuilding seems to have

come before any recognition of their 17-year dynasty in the making. After gaining Division 1 varsity status in the 19992000 season, 17 years ago, the program has garnered unparalleled status as one of collegiate hockey’s most respected and revered programs. With 15 consecutive College Hockey America (CHA) conference championships, 12 CHA playoff championships, 11 NCAA tournament appearances, four Frozen Four appearances, and a 2009 national runner-up title, the distinction of dynasty is well deserved. But now all of that history is on the line. With the most losses in a single season and being unranked in the national polls for a record 36 consecutive weeks, the warning signs of the dynasty’s death seem all too evident. Heading into the weekend of Jan. 20, Mercyhurst was well aware of what was at stake: the chance at conference title, a shot to get back in the national ranking polls and the opportunity to regain respect for their program. In what would be a grueling two game series against

the league leading, nationally 7th ranked, cross town rival Robert Morris, Mercyhurst came up short in both games. The Friday night match-up of the series featured a low scoring, highly physical game, in which Mercyhurst was able to force overtime after netting the equalizer with exactly one minute remaining in the final period. Unfortunately, one point was all Mercyhurst would get on the scoreboard and in the standings, as Robert Morris clinched the game winner, just two and a half minutes into sudden death overtime. Hoping to fare better in Saturday’s match-up, Mercyhurst exploded with a three goal effort. Plagued by penalty trouble, however, they were unable to withstand Robert Morris’s offensive onslaught. The game ended in a 3-3 tie. In a weekend with four critical points up for grabs in the CHA standings, Mercyhurst collected just one. So then, with another disappointing weekend series in the books, the question must be posed: is this the year? The year that will end the dynasty and flip a symbolic page in the record books? Statistics analysts and