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Arts & Entertainment On Page 5:
National Security
Sports On Page 7: Men’s basketball
’Hurst Wind Ensemble
Club locks in on
earns No. 2 spot
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the real issues
in PSAC
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Mercyhurst university
Est. 1929 Vol. 89 No. 14
Water main break disrupts campus
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Board of Trustees reaches out to students By Catherine Rainey News editor
Casey Bleuel photo
Repair crews work to repair the water main break that occured on campus this week. Read the full story on Page 2.
Mercyhurst Athletic Band marches into new territory By Lauren Murphy Staff writer
Starting fall of 2016, the Mercyhurst pep band, which currently plays at athletic events from the stands and sidelines, will take the field marching. Over the last two years, the band has been working toward the goal of turning into a marching band. They have gone to parades and band exhibitions, specifically ones at Clarion and DuBois. The goal was always to have the band marching by the fall of 2016. Robert Reid, director of athletic bands, said that he was very excited to have a Mercyhurst Marching Band. “Nothing about the band is changing, except that we will be marching. The marching band is more of an augmentation of the game day atmosphere,” Reid said. The marching band will continue to support the teams
Merciad Index News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living
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Margaret Urso photo
The Mercyhurst University Athletic Band performs at a women’s hockey game. The band will be marching at football games in the fall of 2016.
and alumni. They will still be playing during volleyball, basketball and hockey games. Nothing about the music is changing. There is only the added challenge for the band members to march and play as a unit. “We have moved the band up to the next level. We are moving forward, but we will
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still provide the primest game atmosphere,” Reid said. “Our band also serves as a wonderful medium for major and non-major musicians to continue playing their instrument in a fun and productive setting,” junior Music Therapy major Kevin Timko said. Now that the band is marching, there is the matter
of creating uniforms. According to Reid, a uniform design was submitted to the administration for approval. Reid hopes to know sometime in April of the administration’s decision. (Continued on Page 2)
The Mercyhurst Board of Trustees is taking student interaction and feedback to a new level. On Thursday evening, Feb. 18, board members, student life committee members, program directors from different campus departments and students attended an invitation-only social event in the Mercy Heritage Room designed to increase communication between all parties. “When you ask most people about what a board of trustees does, they have no clue,” said Caleb Ohmer, president of Mercyhurst Student Government. “So this was an event to get students to meet Board of Trustee members and figure out their role in the institution as a whole, and at the same time to give the Board of Trustee members a closer perspective.” The social was organized by Ohmer, who said he was asked by Lev Kubiak, chair of the Student Life Committee on the Board of Trustees, to plan the event. Ohmer was assisted by Sarah Allen, director for Campus Involvement Center. Tables were set up and students and trustees were able to rotate around the room to ask one another questions. In order to represent as many types of student interests as possible, several students were chosen from an array of grade levels, departments and activities. Among them were Residence Life, Campus Ministry, MSG, Student Activities Council, athletics, ambassadors, the AIM program, international students and North East students. Out of more than 30 students who were invited, approximately 28 attended. Several students who attended had positive things to say about the event. “I liked the intentionality of the trustees and their desire to learn about student concerns from more of a one-on-one basis,” junior Chemistry major Rich Cammisa said. Cammisa
is an active student leader in Campus Ministry. Senior Intelligence Studies major and international student Dhedra Danudoro said he had had a great time talking with board members, whom he described as a diverse bunch themselves. “It was interesting. I never went to those sorts of events before,” said Danudoro. “It was also a bit relieving knowing that the board members are there to listen to any issues the student thinks are relevant. This ranges from housing, the athletic center and some of the programs out there Mercyhurst has.”
“
When you ask most people what a board of trustees does, they have no clue.
”
- Caleb Ohmer
This is Kubiak’s first year as chair of the Student Life Committee on the Board of Trustees. “According to the Student Life Board of Trustee Charter, they should be meeting with students once a year and it’s just to get them a better perspective on [students],” Ohmer said. Last year the Board did not hold a student event because of the presidential search committee, according to Ohmer, but the trustees want to meet with students annually. Ohmer said trustees felt that the event gave them good insight into students, what their needs are on campus and what the highlights of Mercyhurst were. In coming years, the Board would like to improve the event by inviting students from all Mercyhurst campuses, including Mercyhurst University at the Booker T. Washington Center and Mercyhurst Corry.
@TheMerciad
Online Poll Results
How do you feel about the new REACH core curriculum? I’m a senior, so I don’t have an opinion (38%) I’m so excited! (28%) Eh, I’m not really phased by it. (17%) Can we please stop changing the system? (17%)
Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: 1
2
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What are your feelings toward the upcoming general election? merciad.mercyhurst.edu
February 24, 2016
The Merciad
Page 2
News
Water main break causes Athletic Band marches onto fields in coming fall class cancellations By Sami Rapp Editor-in-chief
Campus closed throughout the day Tuesday due to a water main break on campus near Garvey Park. The office of the provost announced Monday in a campus-wide email that Mercyhurst would close on Tuesday, Feb. 23, due to the water break. All day classes were canceled as repairs were being made to an 8-inch, cast iron
main line that runs from E. 38th Street through the center of campus. According to Facilities Director Micah Narel, extreme weather changes may have caused the ground to swell and contract, placing excessive pressure on water pipes, causing them to crack. The repairs occurred between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday. Most of the west side of campus was without water during this time. Affected buildings included
Old Main, Egan, Preston Hall, Hammermill library, the Student Union, Mercy Apartments, the MAC, Baldwin, McAuley and Warde, as well as Zurn Hall and the PAC. Employees were urged not to report to campus if possible. Egan Dining Hall was operational throughout the day and the bookstore was stocked with Grab-n-Go items. @TheMerciad
(Continued from Page 1) Band camp will continue as it has in the past, taking place a week before school starts in August. Reid encourages anyone who is interested to talk to him about joining. There is also an application at hurstatheltics.com/band. “We are always open to new students. Recruitment is a 24/7 thing and we have been successful, but I would always like to see more,” Reid said. Timko will head the band in
the fall as the drum major. “I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to be the group’s first drum major. This position lets me use my passion for music to have a creative input within the band and provides me with a meaningful student leadership experience,” Timko said. An underclassman student will also take the place of assistant drum major, who will be able to fill Timko’s position after he graduates next year. “I feel that having a march-
ing band is an important step forward for the university. Live music and visual entertainment through a marching band are a few of the many aspects of a college sports atmosphere,” Timko said. More information about the marching band will be coming soon.
@TheMerciad
RAVE Erie Awards to recognize student, adult volunteers By Erin McGarrity Staff writer
On April 19, the Junior League of Erie and Get Connected will host the fifth annual RAVE Awards at the Ambassador Banquet and Conference Center. RAVE stands for Recognize Achieving Volunteers in Erie. The event serves to thank and acknowledge volunteers in the community for all of their priceless contributions. The awards have honored over 100
volunteers with an aggregate total of over 50,000 service hours. Awards are split into four categories: Junior (ages 7-12), Teen (ages 13-18), Young Adult (ages 18-24), and Adult (25 and over). Each winner receives a prize of $1,000, which he or she then donates to a charity, or charities, of his or her choice. Last year, the awards recognized over 30 nominees, including Michelle Ahrens, a member of the class of 2016. Bethany Brun, the coor-
dinator of Service Learning at Mercyhurst, nominated Ahrens in the Young Adult category, and she donated her entire prize to the House of Mercy in Erie. Community sponsors, including Mercyhurst University, fund the event each year, and various other outlets help to spread the word. Among these outlets is Erie Together, a county-wide initiative that works to increase education and decrease poverty in Erie with help from local non-profits.
Nicole Wethli, assistant facilitator of Erie Together at Mercyhurst, spoke about the movement’s role in spreading the word about the RAVE awards. “We work with a lot of social service agencies to collaborate and make sure good things are happening in the community,” said Wethli. “We always make sure to send all of our connections the information about these awards, because it’s a free opportunity to recognize volunteers.” Wethli, a former member
of the Junior League of Erie, said that each awards coordinator takes a certain number of nominees each year and personally calls them to inform them of their honor. Each nominee also receives a short biography in the booklet that is distributed at the awards dinner. For Wethli, the biggest payoff of working with an event like this, first with the Junior League of Erie and now as a facilitator of Erie Together, is being able to give back to the volunteers that
give the Erie community so much. “That is really the biggest reward — being able to thank them publicly and let them know that we really do appreciate the time they give is huge,” said Wethli. “We would not be able to do what we do without our volunteers. They are the reason we exist.”
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Lacrosse returns to Students help efforts to ‘dodge’ cancer North East campus in fundraising tournament By Melanie Todd Staff writer
Men’s lacrosse returns to Mercyhurst North East after about three years without a team. “We last fielded a team in the spring of 2013,” said Brian Dewey, Mercyhurst North East director of athletics. The lacrosse team struggled to regain momentum after the spring of 2013 but multiple issues led to its eventual suspension. “When I became the director of athletics in June of 2014, there were only five players enrolled and we didn’t have a coach at that time,” Dewey said. The Mercyhurst North East Saints looked to add another sport for the 2016-2017 school year. “We are challenged with lack of facilities on our campus so we could not add another fall sport,” Dewey said. Erie weather can take a large toll on campus sports teams. However, Dewey does not foresee the reopening of lacrosse to be a major problem for indoor facilities. “The biggest impact in that aspect will be in the winter months. Our campus has plenty of outdoor space once the weather warms up,” Dewey said.
Overall, the campus felt a spring sport would best serve the campus, which is where the idea for bringing lacrosse back came from. “While looking at adding a new sport to our campus, we felt a spring sport made the most sense because we only have baseball, softball, and golf in the spring,” Dewey said. Eric Miccio has both playing and coaching experience in lacrosse and will be the new lacrosse coach at North East. “Coach Miccio played at both a junior college and a four-year lacrosse team, so he will be able to identify with his players and show them a blueprint on how to become successful,” Dewey said. Recruiting for the new team is already underway. “I can also tell you he [Miccio] has done a lot of recruiting in his two weeks so far, so it’s apparent he is very driven and determined,” Dewey said. Miccio will be working hard and quickly to prepare for this upcoming season, which will begin spring of 2017.
@TheMerciad
By Adrian Monty Staff writer
The Mercyhurst Colleges Against Cancer club hosted a dodgeball tournament on Sunday Feb. 21 at the REC center to raise money towards the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. There were seven teams composed of six to eight players each at the event. Money Team, comprised of eight members, won the bracket style tournament and went home with gift cards to the Corner Stone Bar and Grille. Members included Ryan Danaher, Katie Kayes, Michael Doyle, Luke Kent, Drake Burgess, Elijah Roberts, Gregor Greer and Conor O’Donoghue “Thank you for everybody who participated in support of Relay,” Steven Martz, sophomore Hospitality Major and Financial Co-Chair of CAC said. Events like this on college campuses aid in raising awareness about the fight against cancer as well as help raise money towards the cause. This event raised enough money to donate over $150 toward the American Cancer Society . The group has now donated over $1,200 to the society.
Casey Bleuel photos
Top: Participants battle it out in the final rounds of the Colleges Against Cancer Dodgeball Tournament. Bottom: The winning team, who won giftcards to the Corner Stone Bar and Grille, pose at the event.
Mercyhurst Crime Log Incident
Date
Location
Controlled substance
Feb. 20
3907 Lewis Ave.
Public intoxication
Feb. 21
3940 Lewis Ave.
Harassment
Feb. 21
3907 Lewis Ave.
February 24, 2016
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The Merciad
Features
Presidential race sparks opinions By H’ian Hale
Contributing writer
From “Feel the Bern” to “Make America great again,” Mercyhurst students propose who they think should win the 2016 Presidential Election. “If you started the voting age at age 30, Governor Mitt Romney would be president today,” said Alex Smith, National Chairman of the Republican College National Committee to USA Today. This popular quote has been passed around the news to describe the vast importance young adults between ages 18 and 29 have on the elections. Effectively, the college aged voters will have a decisive impact on who the next leader of our country will be. Students at Mercyhurst have a variety of opinions when it comes to the topic of who should be the next president of the United States. Many supported Bernie Sanders because they feel as though he is (ironically) more youthful and up to date with today’s culture. They believe Sanders is for the people and has the best interest of the country at heart. Many students exclaimed Sander’s campaign popular
catch phrase, “Feel the Bern” when talking about his campaign. Students like senior Sean Beins passionately supporte Sanders. Beins believes Sanders will bring equality into the country and that he works for the best interest of the students. “Feel the Bern. Bernie Sanders for president,” said Beins. “He’s looking to decrease the wealth of the upper class and make a more affordable life for the lower and middle classes. He’s also trying to reduce the cost of college education to make the debt coming out more bearable.” It was, however, the name of Donald Trump that came up the most. Brent Clapper is a fan of Donald Trump, but he thinks this may not be the right job for him. “I’ve always been a fan of The Apprentice and Trump, but I don’t think he would be a good fit for the presidency,” said Clapper. “Right now, I’m not totally sure who I’m voting for yet.” On the other hand, Graduate student, Brandon Ward, believes that Trump will be good for the country by making it hard working again. “I want Trump to win because he creates jobs and
Nick Solari photo
Michael Vadon photo
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has proven to be very popular among college students.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been one of the most controversial figures of the race.
makes our government more transparent,” said Ward. “I also believe he will make our nation the nation it once was, which is working hard for what you want. No handouts.” Even though there were some fans of Trump, there were also those who were completely against him. Students like junior Kevin Marsh, do not care who wins the election, as long as Trump does not win.
said. “He’s racist!” said senior Gerrae Williams. “He’s arrogant, ignorant, biased and I think he wants to be president for his own goals and agenda.” “Not to mention, his hair is fake, he looks like he smells like hot dog water and wet dog and wears tighty whiteys… but he’s rich.” After a couple of conversations, Donald Trump
Service options open for Spring Break
“Anyone but Trump because he has unrealistic goals, no political experience and discriminates against minorities,” Marsh said. Senior, Olukayode Ajenifuja does not believe in Trump running at all. “I don’t like Donald Trump because I think he’s ignorant. He will not act in the best interest of the country and I don’t believe he will have enough supporters,” Ajenifuja
and Bernie Sanders were the most talked about candidates oncampus, and the student’s views on them varied. As election year goes on, the students views might change as they hear what the candidates really have to offer.
@TheMerciad
LAKER MOMENT By Margaret Urso
By Brittany Smyth Staff writer
Mexico, Michigan and North Carolina are among the places students will travel as part of their spring break service learning experience, but don’t worry, you can still sign up. This year features two Habitat for Humanity trips, two additional service trips and an Erie service experience. All trips fall under the umbrella of Service Learning. Students will be traveling to Monroe, N.C. and Port Huron, Mich. for Habitat for Humanity. Students will build houses for families in need during these trips. Although many of them have no experience in this type of work, they will have the chance to learn. “You don’t have to have any construction background. We have a site leader who will teach you anything you need to know,” said Jeremy Hewitt, Habitat for Humanity Advisor. “It’s fun to see those individual breakthroughs of people trying something new and maybe a little scary for them.” All of the trips are also open to faculty and staff, allowing them to be part of the construction and service process. “It is a unique mentoring experience where you’re not just a chaperone but part of the team,” said Colin Hurley, director of community engagement. For the first time, six students and two faculty members will travel to Mexico in conjunction with the Eriebased nonprofit company, Chosen. “Students will be working with clinics but also schools doing shadowing work,” said Hurley. The trip was created specifically for sports medicine and athletic training majors. Before the students arrive, an orthopedic surgeon will be in
Contributed photo
Service Learning will take students around the country and Mexico, to exports Mercyhurst’s charitable spirit.
the area donating his time and services. “The students will actually get to do the therapeutic follow-ups to an orthopedic surgeon. It really combines community involvement with international connection,” Hurley said. Students will also have the opportunity to visit popular tourist sites such as the Mayan ruins. The goal is to expand this pilot trip over the next few years and include more people. “Students will be exposed to some things that are shocking,” Hurley said. Discussions and team building will be instrumental in helping students express what they are learning through these experiences. “It’s not easy to go into third world circumstances, going as a team is better,” coordinator of service learning, Bethany Brun said. Another group of students will travel to Detroit, and work with Gleaners food bank and Neighbors Building Brightmoor. Gleaners food bank is three times bigger than Second Harvest Food Bank, the food bank Mercyhurst students typically volunteer for in Erie. “We will help with whatever needs they may have. In
the past, students have helped build community gardens and hoop houses. This has allowed the community to work the land and raise farm animals,” Brun said. Students will also have the opportunity to help the Erie community as well. “Let’s look at our community too. Erie needs a little love,” said Shasta Mullenax, food recovery coordinator for Americorps Vista. Students will work with the Pennsylvania Soldiers and Sailors and help the elderly in the community. Mullenax hopes to assign themes for each day and have reflections with the students. There will be an Erie Greenway clean up day where students will clean-up a discarded hot tub in a ravine. There will also be a food recovery day, where food from bakeries and restaurants, that typically end up in the dumpsters, are taken to families and soup kitchens. “Going in and helping is not necessarily the goal. Connection is. We find we bring back more than we bring to them,” said Greg Baker, campus ministry director. For more information on the trips, email Bethany Brun at bbrun@mercyhurst.edu.
Last Wednesday, Feb. 17, during the Mercyhurst basketball game against Seton Hill Universtiy, the true identity of Luke the Laker was revealed. Seniors Cornell Juliano and Connor Moran, along with junior Dartanyn Alonge, came out with hoodies covering their faces while wearing sunglasses. After they revealed their true identities, they each threw a t-shirt to the public. Sadly, Moran’s t-shirt went behind the bleacher leaving many students with the angst of not having the mere opportunity of winning it.
Page 4
Features
February 24, 2016
The Merciad
National security club gains attention By Melanie Todd Staff writer
The National Security Club on campus has gained attention with its annual paintball event every fall, but throughout the year the club does a lot more as well. “I think what draws people to the club is a genuine interest in national security events and a desire to keep up on current affairs,” Alison Ockasi, president of the National Security Club said. National security is a more widely known application of Intelligence studies. However, the field also encompasses many diverse career paths in intelligence. “Earlier in the year we had some gentlemen from the Air Force come in and talk, and we also had some alums who work for the Cleveland branch of the FBI come in,” Madeline Riley, secretary of the National Security Club said. Guest speakers helped introduce students to the pro-
Trang Nguyen photo
The National Security club seeks to recruit students who are genuinely interested in the field in order to have open discussions on today’s current events. Left to right are: Alison Ockas, Colin Popson, Madeline Riley, Sean Crowley.
fessional world and give them a broader image into what their futures might look like. “It allows our students to interact with professionals that we can relate to and get useful information from,” said Collin Popson, National
Security Club vice-president. The club meets several times a month to host events as well as to discuss current national security stories. “We want to forge National Security Club into a forum where the students can be at
the center; where they can be the experts,” Sean Crowley, National Security Club treasurer said. In the future, the officers hope for the club to be more collaborative and provide an opportunity for students to
present their work and ideas. “What we want for the future is a club where the students are the primary contributors. We would love to see students host presentations of national security-related topics that they are interested in or have been studying in their classes,” Crowley said. Student involvement in the club helps develop a greater interest in the topics discussed. Too often students talk about joining a club because they think it will impress employers. Club officials want to make sure students join, because they have a genuine interest in national security. “We want to make sure that it’s something students actually want to join because they like it, not only because they think it’ll look good on their resumes,” Riley said. As classes become more involved throughout the semester or Erie winter weather comes into play, it can be difficult to keep up attendance at meetings.
“I think that the meetings are fun, and provide those who go with information that they wouldn’t have otherwise learned. It can also be a good way to meet people and to start networking when we have speakers come in,” Riley said. There is no doubt that the national security field will retain job security in the coming years. Everyday domestic and world events influence the intelligence field and national security is a large part of that. The club helps keep students up to date on important information that will help prepare them for a career in this demanding field. “I think what draws a lot of people to our club, and what keeps a lot of people, is the fact that many who come here for Intel want to work in national security, and being part of this club is a good way to keep up with what happens in the world on this level,” Riley said. @TheMerciad
’Hurst how to: Studying abroad By Phuong Nguyen Staff writer
Mercyhurst University has many study abroad programs for students. Whether in the Americas, Europe, or Asia, students can find a dream destination to pursue an education while exploring new cultures. Before the trip, there are some pre-departure necessities, such as applying early for your passport, visiting your doctor and, if necessary, applying for a visas. Now, you feel like you are ready, but are you sure? Let’s go over the checklist below to make sure that nothing is missing. Manage your finances When you study abroad, you have to make sure your finances are taken care of to avoid getting caught in a jam. Even though in many cases, you have already paid for housing and meal plan, but besides that, there is a long list of knick-knacks that might be worth half or all of your budget. First, make sure your credit card company and bank know that you plan to be abroad. They will want to know where you’re going and when you will be there so they can keep an eye out for any bizarre charges. You should also make sure your credit cards are accepted internationally. Next, estimate
a budget to save up enough to fund your study abroad experience and exchange the currency. Remember, the dollar is appreciated more than most of the currencies out there.
Refresh your language Only six countries in the world use English as the main language. Of course, many countries use English on a daily basis, but knowing the most basic phrases of the local language can make a difference in overcoming those first few days of adjustment. Enroll in classes, ask fluent friends for help or purchase a pocket dictionary to read on your daily commute. Every little bit helps! Communication is key You may travel with a group of friends or all by yourself. However, in any case, always keep the contact information of the school’s administrative counselors in your pocket. Imagine this: You are in a new country where people use different language, and the airline lost your luggages in the transit airport. Hence, you should know someone from the school who can help you in such unexpected situations. Also, how will you regale everyone back home with the wonderful stories about the amazing time you are having? Most students rely on two options for communicating with friends and family: cell
phone or laptop. Thanks to the wide spread of social media, contacting home is never easier. However, in some countries like China, Facebook and Twitter are banned. That’s why you have to know the next step.
Understand your destination’s local customs, culture, and people Back to the China scenario. What if you have prepared everything you need except the knowledge about the country and now you cannot communicate with anyone back home! Take some time to research to better familiarize yourself with your study abroad country. By having brief knowledge of your soon-to-be home’s culture, history, geography, economy, government, etc, your study abroad experience will be enriched and your time spent more meaningful. Talk to others who have been there and seek opportunities to watch movies and read more about the country and its culture. Additionally, it will help you in avoiding those offensive foreigner follies. Such as starting your meal before the elders on the same table! Finally, prepare yourself mentally While goodbye’s can be tough, they are a necessary part of this journey. Just think
Catherine Rainey photo
Managing your finances and learning about the cultural differences of the country you are visiting are some of the ways that can ease your travel abroad experience.
of all the excitement you have yet to experience. Expect the unexpected. While studying abroad you will definitely encounter people with different concepts of time and personal space. Be ready to learn and observe these differences without being judgmental. It will be these very same differences that will undoubtedly enrich your understanding of your own culture.
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Catherine Rainey photo
Exchange student makes the most of MU
By Diego Hamide Staff writer
Alejandra Zarate Garcia came to Mercyhurst this spring as part of an exchange program to experience a cultural and academic . Alejandra, a 21-year-old junior, is currently facing many changes and new adventures since she got here from Merida, a city in Mexico where she attended Anahuac Mayab University. Alejandra’s university gave her a lot of options to study abroad; nevertheless she picked the United States without hesitation. “I had a lot of options. I could have gone to Europe, but I decided to come here because of my major, which is
marketing. I thought that this is the best place to study that,” Garcia said. Later on she explained that the reason why she chose to come to Erie, Pa over any other city or state in the country, was because she wanted to try something new and different. Due to her J1 visa status, she can only stay here for a total of six months. Although she is only staying for a short period of time, she is really grasping this opportunity and enjoying Mercyhurst. ”I am in love with my Mercyhurst. Everyone here is super nice and friendly. I am having a lot of fun,” Garcia said. Moreover, she really likes that there’s a dining place you
can go to and get as much food as you want to with just the swipe of a card, a privilege you wouldn’t find in her university back in Mexico. She added that her favorite part of her day is walking every morning to her classes, enjoying the snow and the campus itself. One of the first major changes she had to go through was adjusting to the snow, since it was the first she has been exposed to this kind of coldness. According to Garcia, it was the first time she had ever touched the snow. She is, however, really enjoying it. For Garcia, the hardest part of coming to Mercyhurst was leaving her family behind. Nonetheless, she states that
both her parents are happy that she was given this opportunity. “My mom is super happy and excited. They’ve been supportive of me. They are very proud of me,” Garcia said. Even if it was a major change in her life, Alejandra knows that everything is worth it. “I would definitely recommend Mercyhurst University to my friends and family,” Garcia said. Now, she has an entire semester ahead of her, with a lot of experience waiting to happen.
Contributed photo
@TheMerciad
Unlike other international students, Alejandra Garcia only has six months to experience what Mercyhurst has to offer.
February 24, 2016
Page 5
The Merciad
Arts &
Entertainment Mercyhurst will host Tri-State music festival By Amber Matha Staff writer
The Music Department of Mercyhurst University will host the Tri-State Music Festival again this year. It is a 3-day music festival that showcases not only Mercyhurst musicians, but also high school musicians that have proved to be extremely talented in their repertoire. The Tri-State Music Festival will celebrate its 13th year. The festival will begin Feb. 25 and conclude on Feb. 27. It will cater to as many as 90 students from 15 schools in the area. Scott Meier, Ph.D. will direct the festival and conduct the performances. The students will also be taught by other faculty and guest musicians throughout the three days. On Friday, Feb. 26, Mercyhurst music students will host the Prism Concert in the Performing Arts Center. There will be ensembles as well as solo performances. The Mercyhurst Wind Ensemble has been working to prepare for the Prism Con-
Margaret Urso
Caden Gilson, a sophomore Music major, right, and Davud Hurey, a freshman Geology major, left, reheasing for the Prism Concert.
cert for several weeks. This concert will be at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. It is a great opportunity for Mercyhurst students to get out and show their support for their classmates and friends. “The Tri-state concert is a great way for the participants
to see a collegiate ensemble and to know what to expect in the coming years,” Clarinet player Sara Mills said. “We’ve had the music for a little while, but we’ve been working for the past few weeks tweaking and refreshing for the performance. The music is extremely dynamic
and shows both the technical and tonal abilities of the ensemble.” One of the pieces that will be performed in the Prism concert is “Transcendent Journey” by Rossano Galante. Composed in 2010, this piece is unlike the others because it is a recent compo-
sition. “I would say that if you close your eyes, the rise and fall of the music and the fanfare makes you think of a movie score,” Sara Mills said. It is written as if it is a grand film score complete with a dynamic opening. It takes you on a thrilling musical adven-
ture through the crescendo, or climax, of the film in the Cantabile section. There is a soft build-up as if everything is going to be OK, but then it leads into the intense moment of the film and then decreases into a big broad ending. At the end of the three days, the students participating in the festival will perform on Saturday, Feb. 27, in the Honors Band Concert. This is the final event that the students will participate in after a series of seminars and rehearsals. The Honors Band Concert will only be comprised of high school students with the exception of the percussion section which will have a few Mercyhurst students in order to fill out the ensemble. The concert will start at 2 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. Like the Prism Concert, the Honors Band concert will also be conducted by Meier and will be free and open to the public as well.
@TheMerciad
REVIEW
The pizzicato was plucking perfect By Amber Matha Staff writer
Phuong Nguyen
The students that participated in the ’Hurst’s Got Talent event pictured with Kenneth Paryo.
The ’Hurst does have talent By Marco Cicchino Staff writer
Online
Sophomore Lánnhi Phung won the Hurst’s Got Talent event on Friday, Feb. 19. Last Tuesday, Feb. 16, she was named one of five confirmed entrants into ’Hurst’s Got Talent, the new annual showcase of student-driven performances. And just three days later, her stunning rendition of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” was enough to win over the audience and garner a two-percent majority of the 180 votes cast through text-balloting in the inaugural contest at the D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. “It feels great because everyone is so talented and I made friends with them all today,” she said after the show. The show, hosted by Atlanta-based comedian Kenneth Paryo, going by the stage name Xclusive, is the first talent show-style competition run by the SAC (Student Activities Council). The previous two years featured “Hurst Idol” a musicbased show in the same vein as American Idol. “We got some feedback from students that they wanted more than just singing, so we decided to go with ‘Hurst’s Got Talent’ so we could have dancers, so like a variety act,” SAC Programmer James Duncan said.
The inclusion of Paryo as host also reduced the number of contestants to just five; as the SAC were projecting a two-hour program, they needed to give Paryo, who had been booked since mid-autumn, enough time to execute his emcee duties. Duncan also stated that not only did they receive more submissions than expected, the majority of the acts were short in length. “Out of the auditions, we wanted to get a variety of acts, we didn’t want people doing the same things. We didn’t want multiple singers or dancers, we wanted to give a variety to the students, and we thought that five acts would suffice,” Duncan said. Auditions were submitted through email to Duncan, Jonah Jackson and Taylor Brookmiller who watched all of the auditions. Leading off the show was sophomore Cathleen Colligan, singing Train’s “Drops of Jupiter” and performing it on piano. She was followed in turn by Phung in her first American competition, but it wasn’t her first flirt with the talent-show scene. “I’ve been singing a lot in cafés and that kind of stuff,” she said. Following Phung were the first two dance routines: sophomore Lindsey Lenhardt tapped her way through “Luck Be a Lady,” and freshman Kaitlyn Stark
Full list of events can be found on the PAC website
rekindled her jazz roots with a routine to “Mambo #5”. A three-person team who called themselves Sarah Gravante, Tara and Austin rounded out the evening with an acoustic cover of Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” with a combination of pieces from other songs. Paryo, in his second Mercyhurst performance, used lip-sync routines and anecdotes to serve as a buffer between the acts. The show-stopping performances wowed the audience several times, incorporating stories of love, romance and simple comedic humor. The big highlight was a routine using snippets of Michael Jackson songs to augment an anecdote of finding love in obscure places. With a sequence of dialogue interspersed by four song samples, it had immediately won over the audience. “Really, I just tried out some new stand-up material, and then usually my storytelling pieces work pretty well, so I just threw a couple of those out there,” Paryo said after the show. “I really just wanted to have fun on the stage.”
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“It is winter isn’t it?” Joseph Kneer, D.M.A., asked the audience after the first piece of the Faculty Recital on Thursday, Feb. 18. That man is quite observational isn’t he? This was the second music recital I attended last week, despite being extremely tired from a long day of class and lab. The opening piece, “Suite in the Old Style” by Alfred Schnittke was fun and I loved the second movement, the ballet. I learned lots of fun and potentially useless facts at this recital, such as the fact that the first two movements of Schnittke’s work is in a film about a dentist. The fun facts continued with the second piece, “Sonata No. 4” by Charles Ives, when I learned that Ives was originally an insurance salesman and that his dad’s name was George. Like in Roy’s concert, I preferred the two “allegro” movements. Kneer informed the audience that the second movement would contain
hints of “Jesus Loves Me.” I did not catch any hints of it, but maybe I don’t know the original tune. The third piece was for solo violin and was composed by Eugene Ysaye, a “mammoth man” according to Kneer. There were three movements. The first sounded, as the name suggested, like the music of a folk dance, in this case the dance was German. The second movement is where the plucking or “pizzicato” started. I played violin briefly in middle school (the teacher who attempted to teach me was in attendance as well and talked to me before the recital which was mildly awkward). Due to my ineptitude with music, I feel that plucking the strings of the violin, especially when holding the bow, is a very difficult task. Kneer nailed it (at least to my untrained ear). The final movement had a very fast beginning and I don’t even want to imagine what the sheet music for that part looked like. Nathan Hess, D.M.A., took over the talking portion of the recital after the intermission to explain the fourth selection he
and Kneer were to play. Again with the fun facts, I learned that Sergei Prokofiev was old when he wrote the piece (because presumably composers are young when they come up with anything of quality). The first movement of Prokofiev’s piece had hints of the movie Jaws throughout. I noticed it first when Kneer would start on the violin, “da dun.” Later I could hear the piano making that same sound, “da dun da dun da dun.” Like Jaws coming in to snatch a swimmer out of the water. The third movement, as Hess had explained was full of “beautiful colors.” I myself caught hints of purple, blue and maybe some green too. Not many students fell asleep from what I could see, so the recital seemed to keep everyone interested. I kept myself amused by taking ridiculous notes for this article that the people around me probably found quite amusing. There was no yoga that evening, unlike the Roy recital, but despite that, I had an enjoyable time and cannot wait for the next recital.
Retired woman finds love By Rachel Sobina Staff writer
“I’ll See You in My Dreams” is a romance movie about a woman named Carol, who is played by Blythe Danner. Carol is an older widow who lives by herself. After her dog passes away, Carol realizes how lonely she truly is since most of her closest friends moved into retirement homes and assisted
View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu
living centers. Seeking more, Carol starts an odd relationship with the new pool-cleaning man, Lloyd, after he enters her house to help hunt a large black rat. Even though there is more than a forty-year age gap between the two, that does not seem to impact their newfound relationship in the slightest. When Carol accepts a speed dating request with an older gentleman named Bill,
he takes Carol out on his boat and continues to charm her with his free-loving spirit and good sense of humor. When an estranged daughter gets thrown into the mix, Carol has to figure out what to do about her newfound lovers and her refreshed outlook on life. “I’ll See You in My Dreams” will be playing at the Taylor Little Theater on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $6 at the door.
www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment
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February 24, 2016
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.
Student optimistic about new core at Mercyhurst By Amber Matha Staff writer
In the fall of 2013, Mercyhurst switched from a trimester academic calendar to a semester calendar with a J-term in January. Along with this switch, a new core was concocted that included seventeen classes. According to an article from The Merciad in 2013, the core had not been revised since 1997 and should be revised every decade. So here we go again. It has been three years and already people have been so unhappy with the current situation with the core and the academic calendar that new changes have been made. There are many seniors on campus who remember the trimester calendar, the effects of that switch, and they are fed up with the changes. On the social media platform
YikYak for example, one student stated, “Tired of the schedule changes-let’s pick something.” As frustrated as some students might be, I think we will all come to find that these new changes will be a benefit for all. J-term is gone. Part of me is upset by this, and another part of me is overjoyed. I got an extra-long winter break this year after I chose to not take a J- term class. As nice as that was, I know that many programs have built in special courses that were meant to be taken over the J-term. Now these classes have to be restructured and turned into a longer mini-semester course. For my situation, that is not all bad. Now, rather than spending three weeks in the Research class for the Chemistry department, I will be there for eight weeks next year. Hopefully that will allow for a more in depth exploration into the research that I am doing and things will feel less rushed.
Scheduling is going to be a pain. I hope that I am wrong with this prediction. Hopefully, the mini-semesters will open up possibilities to take needed courses. However, I feel that scheduling around them will prove difficult. The new core is the juicy news. Many people will benefit, including myself, so I am strongly in favor of this change. It is called the REACH curriculum where each letter corresponds with a value of the core. All students have to do is take two 100 or 200-level classes in each category, while making sure prefixes (e.g. HIST or BIO) are not duplicated. The senior ethics capstone course will remain in place. I think this 14 class core is much more suitable and will allow students to more easily choose minors or double majors in the future. Not being able to duplicate course prefixes is the only aspect of this new core that
I am uncomfortable with. I was planning on taking an American history class and being done with that category of the core. Now, however, I am required to take a POLI or ECON class. As a science major with little to no background in either of these fields, it is rather intimidating. The most important part to many students is how the length of the semesters will be affected. Rather than the last day of finals being on May 20, two weeks after some colleges conclude their spring terms, in 2017, finals at Mercyhurst will be done by May 11. This will allow for a longer summer break and give students the much needed down time they deserve. What’s not to like about that?
Contributing writer
Online
Breastfeeding has become a hot topic for those even without children. So what’s the situation? Who has a problem with feeding an infant? I’ll wait ... Nobody has a problem with feeding an infant, let alone one in public. So what is the problem with breastfeeding? Boobs. I know this sounds crazy, but it’s likely you or someone you know has boobs, but if we’re being politically correct, we’ll go with “breasts.” Forty-seven states have laws that explicitly protect moms who breastfeed in public, but as history tells us, public opinion doesn’t always coincide with the law. I did some homework on breastfeeding and went around getting different quotes from male and female students and here are my responses to some of the comments I heard: “What’s so hard about covering up to breastfeed in public?” 1. For starters, can we stop calling it breastfeeding, and just call it feeding? Because that’s what it is, you’re not feeding a boob, you’re feeding a baby. “Covering” implies that there’s something inappropriate about feeding a baby, but I think we all can agree that feeding a baby might actually be a good thing! 2. I’m not a mom and certainly not a woman, but I can imagine that covering up is the last thing that pops into a new mother’s mind. Imagine, you’re a new mom, and now your breasts are bigger than ever and you’re new to this
whole breastfeeding thing. Yet, for the convenience of others, you’re trying to manhandle this mushy baby into an efficient position where they can latch on correctly, and have your boob covered without irritating the baby. I personally don’t like being covered in a hot blanket while eating, but that’s just me. 3. One of the main benefits of breastfeeding is the eye contact between mother and baby. The location of the breast is designed to put the baby within the vision range of mom’s face. So covering a child’s face while feeding ruins that connection. “Why don’t women just use the pump thingy if they’re going out?” According to the moms I asked, not all mothers can pump successfully. Not all babies will take a bottle. Think about this process: a mom has to find a way to keep the milk cold while driving, then find a way to warm up the milk when she gets there, feed her baby, while also dealing with the discomfort of her breast full of milk, and then wash and sterilize the bottle. Not to mention the fact that pumping randomly is extremely painful if not within a routine. “Just go to the bathroom to do it.” 1. Would you eat in a bathroom? No? Oh OK, but an infant should? OK cool, I understand that. BATHROOMS ARE GROSS. 2. Many bathrooms don’t have a chair to sit in, so mom has the option of sitting on the floor or the toilet. No, thanks. “I don’t want to see and shouldn’t have to see it, especially if kids are around.” WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY SOUNDS CRAZY, but
As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, all buildings at Mercyhurst University once again had running water following another water main break on campus. Mercyhurst Baseball Head Coach Joe Spano picked up his 500th career win Monday after the Lakers took down Le Moyne, 8-1.
Bad Mercyhurst’s water pipes were at it again, as the University suffered through its third water main break in four years this week, causing classes to be canceled Tuesday, Feb. 23.
Weird
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Thoughts on breastfeeding in public from the perspective of a male By Trae Williams
Good
The water main break this week strangely occurred on the anniversary of the flooding of the Student Union last year (Feb. 22), where former MU mascot Louis the Laker allegedly lost his life. Is the slain mascot attempting to send us a message?
Ugly One of the scofflaw New Jersey drivers in the CAE parking lot took until late Thursday evening before vacating his or her illegal parking place.
The Merciad Maggy Urso photo
The author swaddles the Merciad Iguana, Murkade, at the request of The Merciad, to demonstrate parental affection.
“
WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY SOUNDS CRAZY, but just don’t look. Trae Williams
”
just don’t look. I don’t want that to sound snide, but you really don’t have to watch a mother breastfeed. Just look the other way and move on with your sensitive life. Clearly, the main problem people have with breastfeeding is with nipples. There may be a few seconds of nipple showing. If you or your child really don’t want to see that then here is a cue that a mom may be getting ready to breastfeed: 1. She starts to lift her shirt or adjust her brassiere. As soon as you see that cue,
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look away! Whether you like it or not kids are going to have exposure to breasts, and chances are, they already have. Every grocery store has magazines and advertising that use boobs to sell products and not feed little humans. Sex sells, boobs feed. Overall, get over yourself, people. It’s a boob. I promise that everything will be OK if you see a mother feeding, you won’t suffer from PTSD. People should be more worried about who our next president will be. I want to thank all the mothers and students I spoke to who made this article possible.
@traewilliams5
Editors Sami Rapp Karah Hollis Catherine Rainey Jose Nufio Carly Contraguerro Jenny Sabliov Ryan Kushner Miranda L. Miller Margaret Urso Victoria Kreysar Bill Welch
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The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110. Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376. 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 to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst. edu.
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February 24, 2016
Page 7
The Merciad
Sports
Men’s basketball earns No. 2 seed By Diego Himede Staff writer
Mercyhurst men’s basketball team secured the No. 2 seed in the PSAC West after their 65-38 win over California University of Pennsylvania and Edinboro’s loss to Seton Hill. On Saturday, Feb. 20, the team faced Cal. U on senior day, in which the points in the paint were the key to the win. The Lakers’ strong defense was in full force, holding Cal. U to 38 points. This is the second lowest number allowed by the Lakers this year. They held UPJ to 37 points. Three seniors ended the game with double figures in scoring including Damon Jones with 15 points, Jean
Onana with 14, and Kayode Ajenifuja with 13. A big contribution to the success of the team this season is the seniors. Ajenifuja and Jones are exhibiting a strong game. In fact, Ajenifuja is ranked second in the PSAC in field goal percentage, shooting 57.9 percent from the field. Jones is ranked 12th in scoring with an average of 15.2 points per game, according to hurstathletics.com. “I am very proud. It’s something I really worked hard for. I didn’t play much last season, so achieving this really makes me realize that I’ve came a long way. I am really happy,” Ajenifuja said. According to Jones, the team chemistry is something vital and impressive.
“We have an awesome chemistry. We spend more time with each other than what we do with our families, so it’s like we’re a family. This team is special. This is best team I have ever played in. This is one of the most talented teams I have seen,” Jones said. Ajenifuja said the team is feeling confident going into the PSAC Tournament. “We have a strong defense. We are very well known for our defense. If we can play our game, we will have no problem. If we play together we’ll get the wins,” Ajenifuja said. The success of the team also comes back to the strong coaching of Gary Manchel. According to the seniors, he has done an amazing job over
the years being a leader and putting together a great team. Next year, with seven seniors gone, it will be time for other players to exhibit their level and step in. According to Jones, they have enough potential to carry along the team. The Lakers face Gannon University on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. to keep the momentum going as they are preparing for the PSAC tournament that starts on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Lakers have a bye in the first round and will compete in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, March 1, at the MAC. Time is TBA.
Casey Bleuel photo
Senior Damon Jones (1) ranks 12th in the PSAC in scoring. Jones scored 15 points in Mercyhurst’s win over Cal. U.
Ranked ‘Hurst Baseball Head Coach Joe Spano earns 500th career win hosts Super Region By James Karasek
By Carly Contraguerro
Staff writer
Sports editor
The Mercyhurst baseball head coach Joe Spano reached a significant milestone in his career on Sunday, Feb. 21, in Sutherland, Virginia. In Spano’s 17th season as Head Coach, he recorded his 500th career win in Mercyhurst’s 8-1 victory over LeMoyne College. Spano is the all-time winningest coach in program history. “I love my guys, I love my coaches and I love our parents so it was a very special moment,” Spano said. The Lakers played three games during their weekend series in Virginia starting on Saturday, Feb. 20. The first game against Mansfield University Mercyhurst fell in a close 7-6 game. Then, the Lakers went 1-1 against LeMoyne College, winning their first game, 8-1, before losing 7-4 in the next game. “After we won the first game Sunday, I was immediately focused on the second game of the double header that we had to play. I really forgot about the significance of the win because it’s just another regular season game,” said Spano. “But all of the players started shaking my hand and hugging me and I saw the parents coming over to the field and they bought a cake for the team and I was very touched.” Spano has made an impact
Contributed photo
Baseball Head Coach Joe Spano claims his 500th career win in the Lakers 8-1 win over LeMoyne College on Sunday, Feb. 21. Spano has been Head Coach of the baseball team since 2000.
on the Mercyhurst baseball program since becoming head coach in 2000. He has led the Lakers to a 500-300-3 record in his coaching career. This includes winning the Atlantic Region Championship for the first time in school history and finishing fourth in the country. Despite the impeccable career Spano is having, he is very humble and wants the team to play to their best ability. “The fact that they [the baseball players] would even think about that [getting Spano to 500 wins] shows me what type of great people they are, but I really hope they weren’t distracted. I just wanted them to focus on themselves, the team and playing their best. For me,
I’m only concerned with getting the team better and focusing on this season. I would take a team achievement over a personal milestone any day,” Spano said. The baseball team’s conference games start Friday, March 18, with a double header against Seton Hill. Last season Mercyhurst went 2-2 against the Griffins in regular season play and suffered their only loss during the Atlantic Regional Tournament to them. “The short term goals are to see where everyone fits and we as coaches are learning a lot from the past two trips. We also have some key injuries and we hope to have some great players back soon. The long term goals are to reach
our potential and be the best team we can be. I know if we can do that we can be a team that competes in the postseason again,” Spano said. The Lakers are currently 4-3 with one more series of games during the weekend of March 12 and 13 before PSAC play starts. In the latest NCBWA national poll the team is ranked No. 5. “I couldn’t be more appreciative of all of the students, friends and family that watch and support us. We have several exciting players to watch, too many to name. We have an offense that if they all are clicking could be very exciting to watch. A good portion of our pitchers are back as well,” Spano said.
The Mercyhurst wrestling team heads into the NCAA Super Region I tournament this weekend. The tournament is Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. The team has four wrestlers ranked in the region: redshirt junior Willie Bohince, redshirt senior Jeremy Landowski, redshirt junior Francis Mizia and redshirt senior August Mizia. The team is ranked eighth in the nation by NCAA.com behind regional foes Notre Dame College, ranked first, and University of Pittsburgh Johnstown, ranked third. All four ranked wrestlers were All-Americans in the 2014-15 season and were all qualifiers for the national tournament. Bohince was a national qualifier, an All-American and a seventh place finisher in the 2012-13 season; he redshirted in the 2013-14 season. The four not only qualified, but all of them placed in the tournament last year. Bohince finished eighth, Landowski and Francis Mizia finished sixth, and August Mizia finished third. Unranked wrestlers Angelo Bortoluzzi and heavyweight Andy Welton were also qualifiers last year; Welton finished fifth. Redshirt senior and returning Super Region place fin-
isher August Mizia is looking to rebound after his loss at UPJ. The senior leader spoke about his expectations going into his last Super Region tournament and what it means to be a part of Mercyhurst wrestling. “We’ve got great leadership on our team and it’s not just one guy in particular. Coach Wehler is a great leader, but just within the team, the older guys always seem to help out the younger guys,” said August, “the wrestling is good. The wrestling is great, but what comes out of it is even better.” With his last season coming closer to an end, his mind is set on team success exemplified by saying, “I want to get the UPJ kid again and the Maryville kid, but if I don’t get them it’s not a big deal to me. I want to put my best performance out there each time I can. Whoever is in front of me, that’s their problem,” August said. Bohince spoke to the preparedness of the younger wrestlers and the pride he has in how hard they have worked all season, specifically speaking about the youngest wrestler in the lineup, sophomore Kevin Kinyua. “He’s really grown and come into his own. He’s right there with the top guys in the region. If he has a good weekend he can definitely make it to nationals,” Bohince said. The tournament times n Friday and Saturday are TBA.
Four men’s hockey seniors to be recognized By Haleigh Giebel Staff writer
The Mercyhurst men’s hockey team welcomes the RIT Tigers into the Mercyhurst Ice Center on Saturday, Feb. 27, for senior night. This year, four seniors will be recognized for their hard work and dedication to the Mercyhurst hockey program. Those four seniors are Anthony Mastrodicasa, Kyle Cook, Mychal Monteith and Spencer Bacon. Mastrodicasa is a defender from Woodbridge, Ontario who is serving as the team’s captain during the 2015-16 season. During his four years at Mercyhurst, he recorded 11 goals and 55 points. During his freshman year, Mastrodicasa led the Laker
rookies in scoring with five points. During his sophomore year he had a career high of three assists against American International College and during his junior year he recorded two 3-point games. “I chose Mercyhurst for the good hockey program and I was excited to be a part of it,” said Mastrodicasa. “I hope the best for this program throughout the future.” Cook is a forward from Middleburg Heights, Ohio, who is serving as one of the three alternate captains during the 2015-16 season. He recorded 21 goals and 48 points during his four years as a Laker. During his freshman year, Cook tallied the game winning goal against Clarkson and was named AHA Rookie of the Week. During his sophomore year, he scored two goals
during the AHA Quarterfinals against Holy Cross, including the overtime game winner. During his junior year he had two 3-point games. “With a younger team I hope that I can be someone that they know they can come and talk to because they are the future of the program,” said Cook. Monteith is a defender from Toledo, Ohio, who has one goal and 15 points during his Laker career. During his sophomore year, Monteith ranked fourth on the team for blocked shots with 52. During his junior year he recorded his first collegiate goal against American International College, which was also the game winning goal. “Hockey has had its ups and downs the past four years but I’ve made some really good friends,” said Monteith. “I
hope they know that they can come to me with anything, because I’ve been through pretty much everything here.” Bacon is a goaltender from Victoria, B.C. who appeared in 10 games, three of which were starts. He has a 2-1-1 record in his three years at Mercyhurst. He is graduating a year early. During his sophomore year, Bacon had a .901 save percentage and a 3.33 goalsagainst average. He stopped 145 shots and had back-toback 30 plus save games. “It sounds like there are going to be some good changes coming here and the program is heading in the right direction,” said Bacon. “It will be fun to see where they are five, ten years down the road.” The team’s next game is against RIT in Rochester, N.Y.
Contributed photo
From left are seniors Kyle Cook, Michael Monteith and Anthony Mastrodicasa. Not pictured Spencer Bacon
Page 8
The Merciad
Laker
February 24, 2016
Living
Tory’s history: Speak up, stand out force people to come to terms with it. Feb. 22 marked 73 years since the death of Sophie Scholl, Hans Scholl and Christoph Probst. The story of the White Rose movement is not very well-known, so if you don’t remember who they are, don’t panic. You haven’t become a disappointment to your history teacher. The three attended the University of Munich in the early 1940s and began to speak out against Nazi genocidal policies. They, along with Willi Graf and Alexander Schmorell, founded the White Rose movement and gave us a historical lesson in dissent. Hans had fought briefly on the eastern front and saw firsthand some of the atrocities being committed. In late 1942, the small group began to distribute leaflets, calling for an end to the war and the Nazi regime. The White Rose movement called for students to rebel, to do what was right, calling Hitler the devil, saying “We will not
By Victoria Kreysar Ad manager
History is full of people famous for their thoughts and ideas. We quote presidents and poets, remembering their grand words, but more often than not, I find we tend to overlook the ‘why.’ We forget the social context which allowed for those words to grow and ideas to be produced. Muckrakers such as Ida Tarbell and Lincoln Steffens are praised for their great writings, exposing corruption; however, we don’t realize the awful scale of corruption occurring at the time. We should all give Upton Sinclair a silent thanks every time we consume a hamburger without wondering what might be in it. The world requires people to speak out; to voice a problem and produce enough noise to force a difference. Like Martin Luther and his 95 theses, sometimes you have to not only identify the problem, but outline it and
be silent. We are your bad conscience.” The movement spread to include students in Hamburg, Berlin, Vienna, and Freiburg. Early in 1943, Sophie and Hans were seen distributing their pamphlets and reported. Hans, Christoph and Sophie were arrested by the Gestapo and beheaded on February 22, 1943. Sophie was 21 years old. Not long after, more members were arrested and executed, including a philosophy professor Kurt Huber who had assisted the students in their movement. If your words cause a reaction, they have weight. If your actions or thoughts make people nervous, perhaps there is an underlying reason as to why. Appeasement and silence have never been the driving forces of history. Walking on eggshells does nothing to produce change. Speaking up may result in your car getting egged, but in the end it means your words affected someone in some way. Maybe deep down we are all
rebels searching for a cause, and sometimes we find the wrong one but sometimes we find exactly the right one. The only problem is, how do you know the difference because it’s going to be nearly impossible to tell in the present tense. But to stay silent—to not speak out because of this fear of repercussions that may or may not happen—that to me is idiotic. Nothing will ever happen, good or bad, if you stand still. I think many people suffer from the illusion that what they have to say is not valid. Please do not misunderstand me. Some people should probably just keep their thoughts to themselves, but if your points are based in fact, who cares how old or inexperienced you are. If what you’re saying can be backed up, verified and means something to someone, it is legitimate. I find far too often that people, especially students, are discouraged because they somehow have grown to think their ideas and opinions are
not permissible or bona fide, perhaps simply because of where they are in life. I find many older people often fail to see the genuine and true words spoken from those younger than them. Stop discrediting the voice of someone without assessing what it is they are saying. We have come to idolize speaking out, but only if it fits a certain criteria. Only if a certain acceptable wrongness is occurring (say for instance genocide) is it socially appropriate to vocalize. Not many people can calmly accept the systematic slaughter of an entire race (although history would like to argue that far too often does it take far too long for interference to occur). We live in a world that has come to value free thought and speech, but only in theory, never in practice. It takes courage and bravery to say what you believe and as cliché as it sounds, those traits are so often overlooked. To us, decades removed from knowing what the Nazis did,
it seems almost like common sense to not align yourself with their beliefs, to speak out even though it was dangerous. However, I feel in looking back, we forget to look around us. We think the lack of a grand opposition means there is no cause to fight for, but that is simply not true. Simple things such as the level of education you are receiving, parking on campus, or even better housing facilities are all valid concerns, arguably on a lesser scale, but important nonetheless. Sophie and Hans’ sister, Inge, wrote one of my favorite quotes after her siblings were executed. That is what I’ll end my rant with because sometimes someone else can say perfectly what it is you are trying to, and there is nothing wrong with that: “Perhaps genuine heroism lies in deciding to stubbornly defend the everyday things, the mundane and the immediate.” @tory_krey
Game Zone
Way back When...
The Merciad presents articles from yesteryear in their original form, including headlines. This week, our blast from the past is from March 16, 1962.
Day and Night, It’s Black and White By Mary Pat Carlow and Fran Herman
“And this too shall pass away.”
Within the moss-covered walls of Mercyhurst’s medieval domain, one color combination dominates all others: Black and White. That cold, cruel world which lies beyond our moat has great difficulty understanding the awesome effect produced when Black and White veils student life. Harry Golden has his Only in America; Mercyhurst has its Only with the Mercies. The unsuspected apparition of Black White appears in the lounge—the core of culture that is Mercyhurst. A group of Mesdames
Defarges sit languidly knitting and purling as one Madame muses aloud, “I hope Smac doesn’t check the drawers today—mine look like they’ve been bombed.” Suddenly another Therese gasps a strangled warning, and the knitting circle bows before the poetic depths of Smac’s soul. A more expected, but not widely known, appearance of the Black and White occurs at five o’clock every afternoon in the Chapel. Occasionally a freshman, unaware that this time is reserved for recitation of the Little Office, slips Chapel to contemplate her problems in solitude. Suddenly hearing the ominous rustle of starched linen on serge, she glances furtively over her shoulder to see a number of mothers-away-from-home swishing down the aisle. She now faces that great decision—whether to creep up the aisle like a modern Mary Magdalene or to cringe qui-
etly in her seat for the next half-hour. Rustling skirts and rattling rosary beads also announce the arrival of the Black and White in the classroom, nine minutes after the bell rings. On this side of the draw-
“Whom God loves He chastises.”
“And deliver us from . . .”
bridge, the Mercies match wit and knowledge as well as blackboard and chalk. Even when one crosses the drawbridge for an excursion into the teeming metropolis, she is haunted by this dynamic color combination. Take the case of the sneaker-clad sophomore seen regarding her forbidden tennies with unconcealed
delight on the main floor of the Boston Store. “The moat, the moat, my sneakers for the moat,” she moaned, wishing to jump therein as a group of the Black and White cheerfully descended upon her. Whether they be in lounge, Chapel, classroom, Boston Store, within or without the moss covered walls, it is escapades with the Mercies that provide great material
for letters and diaries and Black-and-Whiten up the grip days at our medieval domain.