The March 29 Issue of the Merciad

ROTC cadets travel to NM to pay tribute

By Christina Judy Staff writer

Members of Mercyhurst’s ROTC program traveled to New Mexico to participate in the Bataan Memorial Death March.

The group rucked 26.2 miles to commemorate the Filipino and American troops who were forced to march 65 miles to prison camps during World War II.

The event took place on Sunday, March 19, and consisted of six Mercyhurst students who were captained by a student from Gannon University.

The Gannon student was Claire Kiphuth who pioneered this team and created a training plan that would allow the cadets to take part in the Bataan Memorial Death March.

The ROTC participants prepared for six months by rucking four miles during a weekday and engaging in a Saturday ruck that began at eight miles, but eventually became 22 miles.

At the conclusion of their training, they completed over 200 miles, which instilled confidence in each of them for their trip.

In addition to their rucking, the team swam on occasion to prepare for the altitude changes they would encounter on their terrain.

The Bataan Death March occurred in April of 1942, where the Japanese forces drove surrendered Filipino and American soldiers to march while they endured brutality, starvation, and disease during their trek.

The march spanned from Mariveles, which is on the southern border of the Bataan peninsula in the Philippine island Luzon, to San Fernando, which is in central Luzon.

Approximately 75,000 American troops were rounded up by the Japanese and sent on this five day march during which they suffered from beatings at the hands of their captors.

When soldiers became too

weak to continue walking, the Japanese stabbed them with their bayonet. Those who did survive were transported to San Fernando to Prisoner of War (POW) camps where they faced even more instances of brutality and disease.

The magnitude of this event in history is remembered by the Bataan Memorial Death March and the opportunity to express gratitude to the troops who experienced this tragedy was taken by Mercyhurst’s ROTC members.

During their trip, the ROTC members met the only remaining survivor of the Bataan Death March who is 103 years old.

“He was a great reminder as to why we are doing this march.

To remember these soldiers who made the final sacrifice truly impacted me,” ROTC cadet Lilly English said.

The ROTC cadets were able to recall the importance of their service to this country and the sacrifices previous military personnel made through this experience.

Even on this memorial march, during the difficult physical challenges confronted on the terrain, the cadets were able to ground themselves by taking in the beautiful views and reminding themselves of the preparation they did so that they could honor those who suffered in the Bataan Death March.

There is a creed written in remembrance of the troops of the Bataan Death March. It is called the Battling Bastards of Bataan Creed and it leaves a haunting thought about how the suffering American soldiers felt during that time.

A particularly striking phrase was “No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam,” which resonated with many of the cadets who honored the memory of these soldiers. This was a great event for the cadets and it will have an impact on them forever.

Submit your work to the Illumination Symposium

By Eva Mihelich News editor

Formerly known as the Student Scholarship Symposium, the Illumination Symposium at Mercyhurst is a way for students to submit their scholarly works and gain recognition for them.

The Student Scholarship Committee invites students to submit their scholarly works including research, service, artwork, internships or performances completed during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Derek Beeler, clinical education coordinator and assistant professor, said that the committee is hoping to branch out from the usual set of submissions.

“We are hoping to have a diverse set of submissions to show-

case the variety of experiential learning projects that students are engaged in at Mercyhurst,” Beeler said.

In the past students have submitted research projects; however, the group hopes to expand beyond that, since many disciplines employ different types of experiential learning.

“We welcome submissions that highlight research projects, scholarly activity, performances, and community engagement that students do as part of their educational experience” said Beeler.

By diversifying submissions, the Illumination Symposium opens the door for students in the arts to also show off their works, as opposed to only focusing on those majors that require

an examination of knowledge in the forms of papers, research, etc.

As far as the process of submission goes, Beeler said that it is easy and painless.

“Students can submit an abstract to us, which briefly describes the overview of their project/experience. There is no structured format for this, given the variety of possible applications,” said Beeler.

This abstract is due by Wednesday, April 5. For the Illumination Symposium on Tuesday, April 18, students should prepare a poster, which again, could take a few different forms.

The poster should be printed format (no digital formats), but students are free to design it however they see fit to de-

scribe their project/experience/ research.

“On April 18, students will be assigned an approximately 30 minute time slot to stand with their poster and discuss/answer questions with attendees, much like a professional conference poster presentation session,” said Beeler.

This Illumination Symposium is a great opportunity for many reasons, but specifically, it gives students the chance to discuss their work in a professional setting which is great practice for life after graduation.

A student must have confidence in their work in order to answer whatever questions people might give them during their time slot, which is why you should choose a particular piece

of work that you are fond of.

Consider submitting work for this annual Illumination Symposium to showcase your accomplishments and for a chance to work on professional communication.

It is common for post-grad jobs to require you to pitch certain ideas or projects that you have completed, so it is a good idea to get some experience with that sort of presentation.

It is also important to be very familiar with whatever work you submit, because you must be able to answer whatever questions might come your way during your time slot.

If you have any questions about this, contact Derek Beeler at dbeeler@mercyhurst.edu.

Contributed photo

The Bataan Memorial Death March took place in Las Cruces, New Mexico where cadets rucked 26.2 miles.

Contributed photo

The cadets who participated in the march pose for a picture with the last living survivor of the Bataan Death March.

Students in AIM Program travel to D.C.

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

From March 8-11 students in the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) took a trip to Washington D.C. as part of the program’s career path training.

The students were led by the AIM Director Amanda Mulder, and Vice President for Advancement Sam McCrimmon as they explored the nation’s capital and gained key insights into the world of government and business organizations.

A major trip highlight was the opportunity that students had to meet with Congressman Mike Kelly and hear about advocacy and employment within the government.

AIM was started in 2008 in order to support a section of students that otherwise may have had a much harder time transitioning into their life in college through a multitude of ways.

Its main goal since its creation is to help these students gain a college education and experience while also learning the life skills that will help them prepare for life after college which includes their future careers.

The trip to D.C. was taken as a way to help students partake in the AIM programs career path program, which helps

students gain the vocational resource that will hopefully help them have successful careers.

These resources can include a range of things such as job shadowing, help gaining internships opportunities and vocational opportunities, access to career specific resources, vocational skill development and access to resources that specialize in employing individuals on the autism spectrum.

During their trip, students were able to speak with Congressman Mike Kelly who is the Republican Congressman for Pennsylvania.

He took time to speak to these students about both advocacy and employment within the government, which piqued the interest of many of the students in attendance of the talks.

Along with allowing students to meet and speak to a congressman, this trip also allowed them to be able to partake in a series of other talks and tours of both government and business organizations.

They spent the rest of their trip touring the National Institute of Health, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Office of Autism Research (OAR) along with taking some time to explore our nation’s capital.

AIM uses experiences like this trip to Washington, D.C. as a

way to encourage neurodiverse students to step out of what may be their comfort zones and explore a multitude of possible career paths.

Along with the trip to Washington, D.C., the program has also previously embarked on multiple other experiential and vocational travels with students who are in the program.

In 2013, 2015, 2021 and 2022 the AIM program took part in Conquer the Canyon where students took trips to Arizona and the Grand Canyon and in 2015 and 2017, they participated in Raise the Roof where students took trips to Tanzania, Africa.

These series of trips were used to broaden students’ awareness

of the world around them, their inner self and experience things they possibly never experience otherwise.

This trip was one of just many steps that the program is taking to raise the opportunities that students have in the future.

MU sponsors meal at Emmaus Soup Kitchen

By Nadine Fox Staff writer

Mercyhurst University will be sponsoring a meal at Emmaus Soup Kitchen on Wednesday, April 12. On that Wednesday night, many Mercyhurst volunteers will be serving a lasagna dinner, salad and rolls for people in need.

Since 1974, the Emmaus has been a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie.

This ministry has a Christian presence and aims to outreach to help the poor in Erie through the Emmaus Soup Kitchen, Food Pantry and Sister Gus’ Kids Cafe.

Emmaus has a community garden called Emmaus Grove. This garden provides over 2,000 pounds of organic produce annually to the Emmaus Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry.

The Emmaus Soup Kitchen serves approximately two hundred meals each day to anyone who comes.

They serve nutritious, hot meals six days a week to more than 200 guests who range in age from infants to senior citizens.

Many are homeless, and some people come from living in single rooms with no cook-

ing facilities. There are a variety of different people who come from different places and need something that the soup kitchen has to offer.

The Emmaus Soup Kitchen carries pride in their efforts to provide “nourishment for the body and care for the soul.”

There is also an Emmaus Food Pantry that distributes emergency food to approxi-

mately 600 families each week. According to their website, “At our Food Pantry, we distribute emergency food bags to approximately 600 Erie families every week.”

The Sister Gus’ Kids Cafe is an after-school program for students that includes a nourishing meal, homework assistance and supervised gym activities for approximately fifty inner city chil-

dren ranging from ages 6-17. This after-school program provides a nutritious kid-friendly meal Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

In addition to the meal, they offer help with homework, game and activity rooms and well as gym activities.

The Mercy Emissaries are asking for donations to help sponsor the five-hundred-and-f

$50 meal. If you are interested in helping contribute to this event, there is more than one way to help volunteer.

One way to help is by taking time out of your day and physically coming to help.

Another way to help is through cookie donations, the Mercy Emissaries are looking for people to donate cookies.

These will be bagged by Mercyhurst volunteers to be served for dessert after dinner that day.

Another way to help if you can not make it to this event but still want to contribute is through cash donations.

Donations of any amount can be a huge help and can be given to Karen Meyer in Old Main 104 or Sherry Rieder in Old Main 101.

You can also help to support and restore dignity and feed those who hunger through the Mercy Emmaus website directly!

There are plenty of people in Erie who need our help, so any donation, big or small, will help contribute to the Benedictine Sisters’ effort.

This is another way that Mercyhurst demonstrates their core values of being hospitable to others.

Contributed photo

Select students in the AIM program pose with Congressman Mike Kelly for a photo.

Erie News Now photo

The Emmaus Soup Kitchen is run by the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA and aims to serve those in the community.

Merciad IN A MINUTE

AIM Program appreciation

On Thursday, April 13, Mercyhurst will host a Brad McGarry Autism Appreciation Panel at7:30 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room.

The AIM Program is a cherished part of Mercyhurst, so this event is a great way for students to realize the importance of treating everyone with the same dignity and respect that we all deserve.

Consider attending this panel to build community on campus and to show solidarity with our AIM students.

Work at the Bookstore

The Mercyhurst Bookstore is looking for new employees next academic year with many of its employees graduating this spring. Consider working for the Bookstore and joining a community of fun, hardworking people.

Student employees receive a discount on apparel and the opportunity to help select the apparel that will be ordered for the store.

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

Apply for MAC/SAC

Applications for MAC/ SAC programmers are now open!

MAC/SAC programmers come up with weekly events for Friday and Saturday evenings, and usually get first access to many exciting Mercyhurst events.

Plus, you get tons of free Mercyhurst merch. If you are a leader and want to be a part of a loved Mercyhurst group, consider applying!

You get a generous monthly stipend, plus you get to be a part of a fun group of people!

Email sacchair@ mercyhurst.edu with any questions.

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

Email us at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu

Angélique Kidjo to dazzle PAC in MIAC Live concert

By Bella Lee Staff writer

On Thursday, April 13, MIAC

Live is welcoming superstar Angélique Kidjo to grace the stage at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

Kidjo is a force to be reckoned with. A five-time Grammy award winner, Kidjo is one of the greatest artists in international music today, a creative force with 16 albums.

She has a variety of accolades to her name, as Time Magazine has called her “Africa’s premier diva” and named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2021.

Additionally, the BBC has included her in its list of the continent’s 50 most iconic figures, and in 2011, The Guardian listed her as one of their Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World. Forbes Magazine has ranked Kidjo as the first woman in their list of the Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa.

She is the recent recipient of the prestigious 2015 Crystal Award given by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the 2016 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award, the 2018 German Sustainability Award, and the 2023 Vilcek Prize in Music.

Kidjo has a very unique performance style, with her striking voice, stage presence, and fluency in multiple cultures and languages, thanks to her upbringing in Benin and having influences from her French, Fon and Yoruba roots.

Kidjo’s career has spanned over 40 years, a very impressive feat.

Among her most recent awards include the 2020 Grammy for Best World Music Album, for her 2019 album “Celia,” a tribute to Cuban legend Celia Cruz. Other releases include the Grammy-winning albums “Djin Djin” (2007), “Eve” (2014) and “Angélique Kidjo Sings with the Orchestre Philharmonique Du Luxembourg” (2015).

Kidjo has performed with several international orchestras and symphonies.

Her collaboration with Philip Glass, “IFÉ: Three Yorùbá Songs,”

made its U.S. debut to a sold-out concert with the San Francisco Symphony in June 2015.

In addition to traveling the country and the world with her performances, Kidjo also travels the world advocating on behalf of children in her capacity as a UNICEF and OXFAM goodwill Ambassador.

At the G7 Summit in 2019, President Macron of France named Kidjo as the spokesperson for the AFAWA initiative (Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa) to help close

the financing gap for women entrepreneurs in Africa.

She has also created her own charitable foundation, Batonga, dedicated to supporting the education of young girls in Africa.

It is an immense honor that a name as big as Kidjo’s will be gracing our stage in just a few short weeks.

If you are interested in attending this performance, be sure to get your free student ticket at the PAC box office Tuesdays through Thursdays from noon to 5 p.m.

MU panel to discuss ‘The Holy Land’

By Nadine Fox Staff writer

Mercyhurst will host a faculty panel on Thursday, March 30, titled ‘Religion, Politics, and Security in the Holy Land’ at 7 p.m. in Zurn 114.

The panel will feature some of our Mercyhurst faculty members, including Robert von Thaden, Ph.D., of Religious Studies, Seyma Akyol, Ph.D., of Political Science and Brooke Shannon, Ph.D., of Intelligence Studies.

Verna Ehret, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Religious Studies and director of ELIES organized this vent and encourages students to attend these religious panels to gain a diverse perspective on faith and concern with social justice.

“These offerings will provide our university community and the greater Erie community an opportunity for reflec-

tion and growth,” Ehret said.

Ehret will begin the panel with an opening speech. This will be a brief introduction framing description of the speaker’s topics and each speaker will be given about ten minutes to speak.

All three members of the panel have had the opportunity to visit Israel and Palestine and will be talking about their experiences in their disciplines. Shannon teaches courses in intelligence analysis, intelligence writing, terrorism and global security.

Prior to teaching, she was an intelligence analyst at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center while serving in the United States Air Force. She will be looking at this as a particularly important space through National Security for Israel in relation to the Palestine people and how that will impact American National Security.

Akyol is an Assistant Professor and teaches courses in international relations and comparative politics.

Her research is in the intersection of conflict management, human rights, and peace-building.

In addition, her research agenda also focuses on ethnic conflicts area-wise. Akyol has special interests for the Middle East and Africa.

She will be focusing on American and global politics which has a huge effect on the perception of Jewish communities and Islamic communities in the United States.

Von Thaden is a Professor of Religious Studies who specializes in biblical and sacred texts. He will be looking at the National Security interpretations and political interpretations and drawing upon what it means to live in these communities.

He will also be explaining how and why this particular space is

referred to as the “holy land.”

Once space is defined as “sacred,” it changes how people view, interact and their attitudes towards the space.

The panel will wrap up at 8:15 p.m. after each speaker has had the chance to speak about the space on behalf of their discipline.

There will be a few prearranged questions designed to get the three speakers discussing and talking amongst themselves and to hopefully provide the audience with time to process what they are listening to and develop and formulate their own questions.

Once the prearranged questions are finished, there will then be an open dialogue with the audience for anyone who wants to be a part of the conversation.

MIAC photo

Kidjo will be performing at the PAC on Thursday, April 13, for anyone who would like to purchase a ticket.

Pre-med student places first and receives grant in PA science conference

By Christina Judy Staff writer

Biology Pre-Med student and Erie native, Kara Hill, was awarded first place in the oral presentations category for the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences (PAS) conference that occurred on March 18.

The conference was very competitive as there were participants from 31 colleges across Pennsylvania enrolled to present their research projects.

As Hill said, “the other presentations that I saw were very well done. I was simply grateful to go and experience it.”

Hill is a junior at Mercyhurst University and has been mentored by Rajinikanth Mohan, Ph.D., who is an assistant professor of biology, while partaking in research.

Her research project and presentation was on the inhabitants of a clavarioid coral mushroom, specifically on the bacteria colonizing the specimen which was collected from the Allegheny National Forest.

The coral mushroom was gathered by other members in her research group but ultimately she was offered the responsibility to take the lead on the project.

Her love for microbiology fueled her excitement and curiosity as she examined the relationship between the coral mushroom and the bacteria that reside in it.

Although Hill’s work is specific and focused, she hopes to find a way to apply her beneficial discoveries to the agricultural industry.

In the PAS presentation, she

shared her results, which suggest that the bacteria found on the coral mushroom are capable of growing in freezing conditions and infecting the fungus because of the possibility that they are opportunistic pathogens.

In addition to her presentation preparation, Hill busied herself with writing a research proposal, which applied for a grant that would allow her to study the effects of phthalates on microorganisms.

She was rewarded a $700 undergraduate research grant to continue this line of research, which she is very passionate about.

Her remarks in response to her winnings included that “my hope is that this is a win not just for me, but for our whole department. I hope that it shows how our whole lab group is supportive of each other, hard working and passionate about science.”

Her gratitude and humility in receiving her recognition extends to the members of the Mercyhurst community who has helped her with this project. She would like to bring attention to Dr. Mohan, Sydnie Rager, Kaitlyn Stroscio, Isabella Foriska and Christina Judy, who helped her in her research process.

Additionally, she wants to relay congratulations to fellow research member Jason Rettger who was awarded a $700 undergraduate research grant at PAS for his research project.

Hill views research as an incredible opportunity because of the support and encouragement she receives from Dr. Mohan and his group of research students.

Under his guidance, Hill has felt inspired to be independent and confident in conducting experiments, and encouragement to always stay curious.

She couples her time in the microbiology lab with her job as a Phlebotomist at Saint Vin -

cent Hospital to help prepare her in her pursuit to become a doctor.

She hopes to translate these qualities to her medical school and career path. She has developed a passion for the medical field that stems from a personal experience she endured in her childhood.

She takes her next step on this journey in May when she attempts the MCAT exam!

After that, her ambitions are to apply to DO schools as well as LECOM’s podiatry program. Be sure to congratulate her if you see her around campus!

LAKER MOMENT

Field Day: Cornhole Competition

On Saturday March 25, MAC/SAC hosted a field day cornhole tournament event. Unfortunately due to the weather that night, the event was moved inside to the student union great room. The winners of the cornhole tournament won a cash prize. The total cash prize was up to $100. The food that was available at the event was also “corn” themed so they had corndogs, popcorn and many other foods. Students were encouraged to attend with a partner, but if they did not have one they were matched up with another person at the event. Overall everyone had a lot of fun at this event!

Megan McKay photo

MAC/SAC programmers Patrick Griffin and Camri Mayer enjoying some food before they played cornhole.

Contributed photo

Students who attended the PAS Conference. Hill is in the front right hand side.

RSCO FEATURE CYBER SECURITY CLUB

Upcoming “Waves of Life” performance

By Samantha Weber Editor in chief

Cyber Security is one of the biggest majors offered here at Mercyhurst. A similar major or minor includes Data Science, students in this major are sure to find a variety of careers once they graduate. One of the RSCOs that exist to help students in this major or interested in this field is the Cyber Security Club.

“The main goals of the Cyber Security Club is to focus on members sharing their knowledge with others,” said Christopher Hess, junior Cyber Security and Intelligence Studies double major who serves as President of the club. “Cyber Security is constantly changing with new tools, vulnerabilities, and standards. As our technology advances, we must learn to adapt and respond. By enabling my peers to share their knowledge, we further learn in ways our professors may not think of.”

The Cyber Security Club has already done a lot this semester and has a lot more planned for the rest of the semester.

“This semester, we have done a social and speaking event based on Cyber Security response in the real world,” said Hess. “In addition, we are preparing for Capture the Flag competitions for the rest of the semester. Capture the Flag is a unique way for Cyber Security to compete to find various flags, which can be based on knowledge or compromising vulnerable machines in a closed environment. Next month, we will participate in the National Cyber League sponsored by Cyber Skyline.”

While the Cyber Security Club hasn’t been around for long, Hess is immensely proud of how much it has grown since its inception.

“The Cyber Security Club is important to me for several reasons,” he said. “First, as one of the founding members, I have seen this club grow from the ten minimum required members to a roster of 60 plus named members. This club has rapidly expanded to become a social group for Cyber Security to be discussed outside the classroom in a way that people want to be there. Secondly, this club has shown me and others how to spread our knowledge of Cyber Security; when people disseminate their expertise in our club, it is not because they are forced to for a classroom assignment but because they want to, whether it’s for competition or it is their interest.”

Nearly all majors and minors on Mercyhurst’s campus have a club to call home, and it’s amazing that Cyber Security Club is growing as quickly as it has been.

The Cyber Security program at Mercyhurst is nationally renowned, and the club is certainly doing a lot to keep it alive! You do not have to be a major or minor to join. If this sounds interesting then feel free to stop by a meeting.

On April 18 at 8 p.m., the Choreography II class will be putting on a performance for the Mercyhurst and Erie communities. This course further defines all choreographic elements culminating in a performance. Choreographers will produce work under the guidance of the instructor’s parameters, which is a great experience for those who wish to become dance teachers or choreographers when they graduate from college.

All dance majors at Mercyhurst are required to take this course.

This year’s show is titled “Waves of Life.” It represents the theme of human experience relayed through dance, which is a very important topic when talking about performing.

The choreographers did have some requirements when it came to their pieces. The performances had to be 5-8 minutes with a cast of 3-5 dancers. The music they had to select could not have lyrics and the choreographer could not be in their own piece.

This is to help them practice teaching others in their way.

Mia Semieraro, a sophomore dance major with an exercise science minor, is just one of the many people who will be performing.

Semieraro said, “My favorite part of preparing for this performance is seeing my vision executed and having it come together so nicely.”

The creative process that the choreographers go through to create their pieces is intense, so it is important that they are recognized for their hard work.

The students are guided through this process by their professor, Solveig Santillano. Santillano is an assistant professor of dance and is well-liked by the students of the dance department. She teaches all the choreography classes in the dance department, so the students become very comfortable with expressing their feelings through dance with her. Some of the pieces are extremely personal to the choreographers. Gabrielle Harris, a sophomore dance major, said, “ The piece I have created, “Coping with Panic” focuses on how people can become reliant on the feeling of anxiety and leave us wondering how to live without it.”

Jillian Pohl, sophomore dance major, said, “I found

the inspiration of my piece after finding the music. Most people have a concept and then start from there, but I’ve always been different in this way.”

Not everyone in the class has seen their peer’s choreography, so the performance will be the first time most of them are seeing each other’s work. “I am looking forward to seeing the work of my peers because they are all so creative and I am always very inspired by them,” said Semieraro.

Harris echoed this and said, “I am very excited to see my peer’s choreography! I work alongside such talented and beautiful people who I am excited to share the stage with. I am also excited to see my own piece performed, looking at it as an audience member instead of a choreographer.”

If you want to support the dancers and recognize them for all their hard work, be sure to attend this performance. It will be located in the Palmer Studio of the danceSpace, which is right inside the Zurn doors. This event is free and it is a chance for dance students to show off all their hard work that they have put into this class so far this semester.

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Mark Santillano photo

Students in the Choreography II class posing for a photoshoot.

CLASS CATALOG

RUSS235: RUSSIAN PRISONS

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

If you have ever taken or attempted to take a Criminal Justice class, you know how difficult it is to get in due to high demand and not enough seats being available to fulfill that demand. I was having difficulties finding a Criminal Justice elective that I would be interested in that did not conflict with other classes I needed to take this semester. When Emmaleigh Kircher, Ph.D., posted in the Criminal Justice Teams page about alternative electives that would be offered for the spring semester, I was intrigued when I saw “Russian Prisons: In and Beyond Imagination” being offered. At that point, WNBA player Brittney Griner was still being held in a Russian prison and the war in Ukraine was raging on. When I went onto self-service to find out more about the course, the course description caught my attention: “From the Muppets to the MCU to Netflix’s Stranger Things, Russian prisons feature in the Western imagination as male-dominated spaces of torture, gangs, seclusion, and secrecy. Against such imagined backdrops are real-life stories that emerge in English-language media of jailed political opponents, out-of-favor oligarchs, and ex-American servicemen and athletes facing serious prison time. This course investigates the context and sources of the imagination of Russian prisons as well as the experiences and challenges in the search for transparency and justice in Russia’s fraught history of crime and punishment. Discussion, readings, and other media are in English. No knowledge of Russian necessary.” With my fear about not knowing how to speak or read Russian calmed, I decided to sign up for the course, something I do not regret doing at all. After all, who doesn’t love the scene in Muppets: Most Wanted when Tina Fey is singing with the inmates at the Gulag.

Russian Prisons is taught by Kathryn Duda, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Russian Studies in World Languages and Cultures. This is Duda’s 6th year teaching at Mercyhurst. “I designed this course out of conversations with our Criminal Justice faculty, specifically Drs. Kirchner and Saeler. My research is on the Gulag and its impact on family transmission of values and culture, so our interests coalesce in discussing experiences of incarceration, specifically overincarceration and unjust incarceration. Then 2022 happened. Brittney Griner was arrested, Russia’s war in Ukraine saw a phenomenon of people turning each other in for anti-war sentiment, and Russia’s Wagner Private Military Company began to recruit inmates and promise them commuted sentences. To me these were shockingly familiar trends from previous eras of repression.”

The course work is split up into three units, “I knew we needed to cover the international aspects of Russian prisons (foreigners in Russian prisons and prisoner exchange—this ended up being Unit 1), the history and legacy of the Gulag (this is Unit 2), and look at contemporary trends and concerns (this ended up being Unit 4). I added a unit (now Unit 3) on criminal culture because it is something that captures visual imagination (film makers use Russian habits of tattooing as short hand for Russian prisons or Russian organized crime all over the place) and I think also offers a way to see current Russian political power as, in part, stemming from a criminal code that became intermingled with power and society during the time of mass oppression,” said Duda.

Russian Prisons is open to everyone and can be taken to fulfill the REACH requirement needed to graduate. This course also follows an ungraded model, which definitely eases the stress about grades a bit and provides better opportunity to learn and grow in my opinion. This is the first time Dr. Duda has taught the course and it is currently uncertain if and when the course will be taught again. However, it has already been filled with positive experiences. “My favorite memory to-date were the briefings to family-members we did after our first unit. I was blown away by how well you all did those presentations, the thoughtfulness of your solutions, and the creative problems.”

Russians Prisons have quickly become one of my favorite courses I have taken at Mercyhurst. If it is ever offered again, I highly recommend you sign up. If you are seeking any additional information on the course or have any follow-up questions, you can contact Dr. Duda directly.

APPLE Team Attends Health Conference

By Samantha Weber Editor in chief

From March 17-19, members of the Mercyhurst community were fortunate enough to attend the APPLE Institute conference where they talked about the importance of mental and physical health on college campuses.

The APPLE Training Institutes are funded by the NCAA and were started and coordinated by the University of Virginia’s Gordie Center in 1991.

Each APPLE team is required to have two student-athletes on it. The members of the Mercyhurst community who attended were Sue Sweeney, Assistant Athletic Director of Health and wellness, who was recently promoted to Director of Campus Health and Well-being and will be taking that over during the summer, Stacey Gaudette, Associate Director of Athletics, Senior woman administrator, Katie Neely, Leadership and Outreach Coordinator/ Intramurals Coordinator, Madalynn Ward, junior criminal justice major with a minor in psychology and Emerson Polkowski, freshman elementary and special education major. Ward plays on the volleyball team and Polkowski plays on the field hockey team.

Ward said,” I volunteered to go because I am an advocate for mental health as well as education on substance use/abuse.”

Some of the slices of APPLE that were covered by various speakers and workshops include recruitment practices, expectations & attitudes, education, policies, drug testing, accountability and referral & counseling.

Neely described one of the sessions they attended at the conference, “We attended a mindfulness session and the presenters had us sit in our chairs eyes closed and with our thoughts for less than 5 minutes, and everyone in the room, administrators, student-athletes, could feel a difference in their mindset. We were more at peace and not as stressed.” She concluded with learning to apply these little tools throughout one’s day can make a huge difference in one’s health.

Neely’s favorite part of the conference was seeing how excited and invested the two student-athletes were in bringing what they learned back to their fellow students on campus.

Sweeney echoed this, “That student-athletes across the country are very engaged in the health and wellness conversations on their campuses.”

“I was able to learn valuable information about substance use and mental health that can be applied to both my role in athletics and daily life,” said Ward Talking about what she is hopeful for post-conference, Sweeney said, “We created an action plan to develop a student-athlete mentor program focused on supporting first-year and transfer student success in the areas of academics, wellbeing, and campus life.”

Neely said, “We hope to have students be the best version of themselves here at MU. To achieve that, we hope to provide educational programs that provide students with the right vocabulary when it comes to men-

tal health and well-being.”

Neely wants to promote the use of the counseling center on campus for students as it is a great resource for them.

“Every individual will struggle with mental and physical health at some point, so if students can learn and develop healthy coping skills early in college, this will be beneficial to not just athletes, but everyone on campus,” said Ward.

The conference was an overall success as everyone was able to learn new tools that they will bring back with them to campus. Ward also won the social media challenge for the DII student social media contest and Gaudette won the DII administrator social media contest.

The logo for the APPLE training institute that the members of MU’s APPLE team attended.

Contributed photo

Pictured left to right: Gaudette, Ward, Polkowski, Sweeney and Neely.

Brian Fuller named a founding member of the OSINT Foundation

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

The name Brian Fuller may be familiar to a large number of students among Mercyhurst University’s Intelligence program.

However, his name will now be known to a much larger group of individuals as he has just been named a founding member of the OSINT Foundation.

After nearly 2 years of behind-the-scenes work, the OSINT foundation has announced that he is a founding member of their foundation that aims to promote OSINT in a multitude of ways.

The OSINT Foundation is an organization that hopes to effect OSINT resources and representation, develop the OSINT practitioner community, and to formalize tradecraft and certifications.

The Foundation itself is made up of a group of former U.S. National Security officials that together formed a professional association with a main goal of promoting OSINT to the public.

For the individuals that may not be aware of what OSINT is, a quick definition of the topic is the collection and analysis of open-source information which is commonly known as publicly available

information such as things posted on social media, news, and anything that can be accessed without credentials or software.

The Foundation aims to bring awareness to the vast amount of publicly available information that is created by hackers, consumers, and newsmakers daily across a multitude of platforms.

By bringing awareness it will be easier for the Foundation to better educate individuals who may want to grow informed on the subject matter.

Fuller is the current Director of Operations for the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies & Applied Sciences here at Mercyhurst University.

Many of the students in the intelligence program are incredibly familiar with his name because of his strong dedication to their education and careers after graduation.

For many students, current and past, he was who they saw when interviewing for internships or who helped them set up their resumes and helped them gain opportunities in the intelligence field.

For many, he is the reason that they gained an understanding of the careers that they could hold upon graduation and how to hold themselves when interviewing for these careers.

Now that he has been named as a founding member

FROM THE ARCHIVES

By Eva Philips Staff writer

of this amazing foundation, Mercyhurst has the opportunity to remain at the forefront of both education and training when it comes to open-sources intelligence.

With one of the foundations main goals being to provide opportunities for both practitioners and students to grow in their field by providing

forums for them to attend, continuing their education in OSINT, and helping them develop their own personal tradecraft on the subject.

They also aim to provide scholarships to students who are partaking in these programs.

One thing is certain, Fuller being named as one of the

founders of this incredible foundation only means good things for both the Mercyhurst University Intelligence Program and Fuller himself.

This week in Mercyhurst history, Mercyhurst strengthened its Irish connection with a visit from a special guest. On March 29, 1989, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ben Briscoe, visited Mercyhurst for a welcome reception and formal dinner. The visit was a celebration of Mercyhurst’s participation in the Irish American Partnership, a nonprofit organization created in 1986 to engage Irish Americans in the development of Ireland. While in the United States, the Lord Mayor also visited Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and over a dozen other major cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Mercyhurst gave him a strong welcome, hosting a champagne reception and serving a seven-course dinner that was made by hospitality majors.

Mercyhurst Archive photo

Briscoe poses during his visit to Mercyhurst.

Contributed photo

Fuller posing on the right hand side with members of the Intelligence community at Mercyhurst.

Hurst Hot Take: ‘Come Hang Out’ with indi-pop band AJR

By Isabella Lee Staff writer

My music taste can vary; if I find a song I like, my first instinct is to play it a billion times in a row until I get sick of it.

Among my favorite music groups over the years have been Maroon 5, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco and Imagine Dragons.

However, one group that has taken a grip on my life since right before my freshman year is AJR.

AJR consists of three brothers: Adam, Jack and Ryan, hence the group’s name.

The group started making music in 2005, when Jack, the youngest, was just eight years old.

They have so far released four albums: “Living Room” in 2015, “The Click” in 2017, “Neotheater” in 2019 and “OK Orchestra” in 2021.

Most of their songs are pretty catchy and they had a few very popular one’s a few years ago including “Bang,” “Way Less Sad,” “World’s Smallest Violin” and “Weak.”

“World’s Smallest Violin” became a popular TikTok sound, so I am sure that you have heard it at least once before.

They have announced a new album slated to come out this year, but nothing is known about it besides that the initials are “TMM.”

My friend from high school introduced me to this group. He and I have similar music tastes when it comes to groups, so I was introduced to AJR not long after “Neotheater” was released.

In the past and since then, when he has recommended mu-

sic groups for me, he tends to suggest specific songs from each album that the music group has. However, with AJR, my friend told me to listen to their songs. So, being a good friend, I did just that.

This ended up being one of the greatest decisions of my life regarding music choices.

I almost instantly fell in love with AJR’s music, much to the

joy of my friend, and once I joined Mercyhurst’s campus, I found more AJR fans, which made me extremely happy.

I even managed to convert a couple of my friends into AJR fans.

AJR has collaborated with various artists, including Weezer, Rivers Cuomo (the frontman of Weezer), Ingrid Michaelson, Hayley Kiyoko, Quinn XCII,

Steve Aoki and Daisy the Great.

Their one song with Daisy the Great is called “Record Player” and it is one of those songs that will get stuck in your head if you listened to it just one time.

While I have not listened to all of these collaborations, I can confirm that the majority that I have listened to are pretty great.

I have found out from my friends in MAC/SAC and MSG that AJR has consistently been on the list of SpringFest artists to consider for a good five years now, so I can only hope they can grace our campus at some point.

I highly suggest you do if you haven’t listened to AJR. They have a unique sense of style, to the point that I see them nominated for all sorts of categories for awards, including rock, pop, indie and electronic.

Their music is chill, yet powerful, so if you are looking to switch up the music that you are listening to, I highly suggest checking them out.

I love this band, and I’m almost certain you would too.

Keep an eye out for what is next for AJR, including their upcoming album that should be released by the end of the year.

Taylor Swift’s new hot jams

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

Just before the much anticipated Eras Tour began on Friday, March 17, Taylor Swift announced the release of four new songs to her discography at exactly midnight.

The songs included are Taylor’s Version edits of her classic songs “Eyes Open,” “Safe and Sound,” and “If This Was a Movie,” which she had recorded earlier in her career, the fourth and final song that was released was a track that got cut out of a more recent album, titled “All the Girls You Loved Before.”

Many fans were not expecting this new set of songs as Taylor was set to open her tour that same night in Glendale, Arizona. However, the songs only raised the anticipation of many fans.

The Monday before the launch of the tour, Glendale Mayor Jerry P. Weiers decided to change the name of Glendale as a whole and to rename it for the week as “Swift City” in preparation for the swarms of fans flocking in from across the world to witness the opening night of this iconic tour.

He announced that the town would be called “Swift City” until

Taylor finished her weekend backto-back shows.

The tour will take place in 52 stadiums across the United States and showcase 10 of her albums through a total of 44 songs that she will perform over three hours.

The reviews continue to flood in with this tour just beginning, and many state perfection.

Many claims that the production level of this tour will be unlike any other as it has an estimated cost of roughly $100 million.

With just a week to spare before the opening night began, residents of Glendale witnessed around 90 trucks being taken into the venue to construct the backdrop for this much-anticipated event.

The night was filled with over a dozen costume changes and largescale stage changes.

The catwalk itself stretched nearly the entire length of the football stadium, and Taylor had dozens of background singers and dancers with her.

Not only did this show contain many costume changes and insane props, such as an entire house for her folklore set, but it also included dangerous stunts.

During her “Tim McGraw” performance, Taylor could be seen by fans in the crowd diving head-

first into a trapdoor shortly before reappearing in an entirely new outfit, ready to perform “Lavender Haze.”

Her performance included various songs from her entire career, from her debut album in 2006 to her most recent release, Midnights, in 2022.

Of the 44 songs performed that night, two of them were acoustic, and, as it was announced shortly after, two different songs every night of the tour would be per-

formed acoustically as well.

For her first night, these two songs were “Mirrorball” and “Tim McGraw,” followed up by “State of Grace” and “This is Me Trying” on her second night in Glendale.

There is no doubt that Swift has a very large following and many remember the ticket fiasco with Ticketmaster that occurred as fans were lining up to buy tickets for this tour.

Swift has quite the hold on people and they are willing to go to

great lengths to see their idol perform in person. The tickets are expensive, but as mentioned previously the concert is amazing and the production that is going into it costs a lot of money.

Keep an eye out on social media to see what her different shows are like across the country.

Releasing new songs the day her tour is supposed to start proves how dedicated she is to her work and her fans.

The Communicator Picture

AJR album cover of their second album, “The Click.”

Swift at the opening night of her highly anticipated Eras tour.

Behind the bright lights of child acting

By Frankie DiVincenzo A&E editor

Although I have never been a Nickelodeon fan, I was deeply interested in Jennette McCurdy’s autobiography “I’m Glad My Mom Died.”

Her memoir is about her years growing up in the film industry and dealing with her mother.

McCurdy made it very clear from the beginning of the memoir that she had no desire to be in the film industry; it was her mother’s dream, and as any other little girl wanted was to make their mommy happy.

She started acting at the age of six, and her career just went up from there.

Her mother’s tight leash got tighter and tighter, and she began to teach McCurdy things such as calorie restriction, which would lead to her a long battle with her eating disorder.

Although on Nickelodeon, McCurdy looked like she was having the time of her life acting on camera, behind the cameras, she was dealing with Dan Schneider or, as she referred to him, “the creator.”

According to TheCut.com, “Though McCurdy didn’t name Schneider in her book, many assume that he was the man referred to as “The Creator,” whom

the writer accused of giving her alcohol when she was underage and of giving unsolicited shoulder massages.”

No one would stick up for McCurdy—Nickelodeon even offered her $300,000 to keep quiet about what happened with Schneider.

Obviously, she turned down the money.

According to TheCut.com, McCurdy writes, “Nickelodeon is offering me $300,000 in hush

money to not talk publicly about my experience on the show? My personal experience of The Creator’s abuse? This is a network with shows made for children. Shouldn’t they have some sort of moral compass? Shouldn’t they at least try to report to some sort of ethical standard?”

What I love about this memoir is that people get to see a different side of the film industry for child stars because I know when I was a kid, I used to think

it was so fun being an actor.

While I thought it was amazing, these stories put things into perspective.

I admire McCurdy’s strength to overcome what she endured for several years.

In one of the chapters, she talks about going through puberty on national television.

I can’t imagine doing that because everyone around the world is watching you and judging you, and you are just a kid.

Her story is so sad yet so honest. It showed the parts of the film industry behind the bright lights and red carpets.

McCurdy has inspired many people from Nickelodeon to speak out about Dan Schneider. She is giving other child actors a voice.

For example, Alexa Nickolas, who was on “Zoey 101,” spoke out recently.

“Nikolas has been outspoken about her time at Nickelodeon, and she recently protested in front of the network’s headquarters in Burbank, California, holding a sign that said, ‘Nickelodeon didn’t protect me,’” according to TheCut.com.

There have been many other stories about Schneider not being a nice person and doing illegal things with some child actors.

I remember his name always coming up on the screen at the start of a show, and now all these horrible things are coming out about how he treated children. These actors were just kids and should get the justice they deserve.

I highly recommend her book if you are interested in following this story.

Jessica Chastain takes the stage

ly provide Chastain with the chance to show off her acting prowess.

A revival of an old classic has appeared on Broadway and is already drawing rave reviews.

Jessica Chastain is starring in the play “A Doll’s House,” which was written in the 19th century by Henry Ibsen.

Jessica Chastain is a renowned actress best known for her work in television and film.

Since her film career began in 2008, she has starred in numerous acclaimed movies and has been nominated for several Oscar awards.

Some of her most recognizable roles were in “The Martian,” in which she plays the commander of an astronaut crew on a Mars mission. In “Interstellar,” which she portrays a scientist devoted to saving humanity. In “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” she won an Academy Award for Best Actress.

While her work as a stage actress is less widely known, it is just as impressive.

Some of her earliest career work was in stage productions after she graduated from theatre school.

The role of Nora Helmer in “A Doll’s House” is famous in the theatre world and will sure-

When “A Doll’s House” debuted in 1879, it started an outcry for its feminist messages.

It focuses on the plight of Nora Helmer, who is unhappy in her marriage and realizes that she lacks opportunities for self-fulfillment.

She feels that her husband Torvald treats her as a doll rather than a person, and as a result, she confronts him and tells him that she is leaving their home and ending their marriage.

This scenario may not seem particularly shocking to modern audiences, but it was shocking and offensive to 18th-century audiences.

It was written by Henry Ibsen, the father of realism and a modernist playwright who is one of the most famous of his era.

Interestingly, Ibsen denied that he intended to convey feminist ideas through “A Doll’s House.”

The revival of the play starring Chastain is set for a 16week run, which began Thursday, March 9, following several weeks of preview showings.

It was initially supposed to appear on the West End in London in 2020 but was postponed due

to COVID-19 and relocated at Chastain’s request.

“A Doll’s House” last ran on Broadway in 1997. The current revival is directed by Jamie Lloyd and adapted by Amy Herzog.

Chastain brings her unique creative interpretation to the role. In an interview regarding the production, she emphasized the nuances of Helmer as a character who is not simply a victim of her situation, but also retains control over it.

Another unique element of the revival is the absence of props.

The set is bare, with no period costumes.

Chastain said these aspects were initially unnerving but soon became a way to engage with the audience more.

She hoped audiences would leave reflecting on how they distort their authentic selves, as Helmer does in the story.

Undoubtedly, this revival of “A Doll’s House” will be a fascinating, moving experience for Broadway audiences, and Chastain’s future work on stage or screen will certainly be worth

watching.

The cast will be performing eight shows a week throughout the 16 week period and some of the other stars include Arian Moayed, Jesmille Barbouze, Tasha Lawrence, Michael Patrick Thornton and Okieriete Onaodowan.

There are about 12 weeks remaining of the show, so if you are interested in attending be sure to check out some tickets before they sell out!

Eva Phillips

Staff writer

Forbes photo

Photo of Jennette McCurdy and her memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died.”

New York theater guide photo Jessica Chastain is starring in the Broadway revival of “A Doll’s House.”

A number of clean water taps got installed in Madagascar recently and has been life changing for the citizens of those regions.

Effortless ways to help save the Earth in college

By Megan McKay Staff writer

The dining hall menus have been flopping recently.

GOOD BAD HOPEFUL

Hopefully everyone has a good Easter break next week!

Some of the easiest ways for college students to help the environment is first by reducing single-use plastic waste. Students can specifically reduce plastic waste by opting for reusable cups and utensils. Dining halls are also a great place for college students to become more aware of how they are affecting their environment.

How much food you waste has a significant impact as well as the plates and cups you use that must be washed. Another way students can help the environment is to change how they get around. Ditching cars saves a lot of money and reduces carbon emissions. We are lucky to have such an accessible campus that requires less use of cars as people can walk everywhere on campus within 10 minutes. Other areas that have had incredibly positive impacts on the environment have prospered thanks to recent trends. Specifically, trends like the use of metal straws, reusable mugs

The Merciad

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

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

and even thrifting. Secondhand shopping like thrifting has become a new fad for college students to promote vintage looks while helping continue to reduce costs and emissions.

Buying used clothes is not just a good option, but selling them is too. Selling your stuff is a much better way to help the environment, plus you can earn a little money or donate clothes and earn tax write offs.

Recycling is another way to contribute so that objects are being disposed of properly. Students are also making the switch to online note taking which is a good sign that papers are no longer being wasted.

If students do opt to use paper for school, then it is important that they recycle it when they are finished.

College students can also practice more efficient ways to protect the environment like washing their clothes with cold water, or even just taking a shorter shower, turning off the tap and doing full loads of laundry, these will all save fresh water.

Water is a scarce resource in many third world countries which means saving it protects the planet. Food is another resource we should not take for granted and can do that by eating less

meat.

Students do not necessarily need to become vegan, but reducing intake helps as it uses up tons of greenhouse gases when preparing meat.

Turning off the lights is another effortless way to practice good environmental habits. Even when just leaving your dorm room for a minute, turning them off or using LED light bulbs, which are more energy efficient will help the environment.

It is important students do not disregard tips presented by initiatives around campus. For example, any time students are away from their dorm it is crucial they unplug appliances because they still use up power even when they are not on.

Students can also help the Earth in a way beyond personally changing their habits. College has a unique atmosphere and there are lots of ways to bring such a united community together. We can all promote a cleaner campus by keeping friends and classmates accountable along with faculty. Sustainability is a part of the Mercy Mission and continues to play a huge role in helping the Mercyhurst community.

Some of the initiatives include LED upgrades, a pollinator garden, and other recycling efforts.

Women’s History Month’s most influential women!

By Bella Lee Staff writer

March is Women’s History Month, and there are a lot of women to make known in celebration of this. I am a history major, so I am a major nerd for all of this, so be prepared for a fun ride of influential women in history that I look up to personally.

One of my biggest niches when it comes to history is presidents.

My birthday falls on Inauguration Day and I got to attend Obama’s first inauguration on my 8th birthday back in 2009, so learning about them is always something I have been passionate about.

Therefore, many influential historical women that are on my list have something to do with the presidency or the government.

In terms of First Ladies, Eleanor Roosevelt is one of the first names that comes to mind. Not only was she the longest serving First Lady, but she was also one of the forces behind the founding of the United

Nations. She also withdrew her membership from the Daughters of the American Revolution when they refused to allow Marian Anderson to sing at Constitution Hill due to her being Black.

Another influential First Lady is Michelle Obama, who presented an inspiring campaign to give kids healthier school lunches and overall help them with leading healthier lives.

Our current First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, is also influential in her own right, since she is the first First Lady to hold a doctorate.

Additionally, Shirley Chisholm is another individual that I look up to. She was the first Black woman to run for President, and even survived three assassination attempts over the course of her campaign. Victoria Woodhull was the very first woman to run for President, and is also very influential in my book.

Other influential women in government that I look up to include Aruna Miller, the current Lieutenant Governor of Maryland and the first South Asian woman to hold that position in the country, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, the current Vice

President.

However, if I were to choose one influential woman in history, political or not, that sticks out to me the most, it would be Temple Grandin. My freshman year, I actually had the chance to meet her over a Zoom meeting thanks to the AIM program, and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Grandin is an animal behaviorist who is also very well-known for being a spokesperson for autism.

As someone who is on the autism spectrum myself, Grandin is a name that I have known for most of my life, and the work that she has done to get rid of the negative stigma associated with autism is something that makes me proud that I have been able to meet her.

Although Women’s History Month is drawing to a close soon, we should recognize all of these influential women each and every month.

While this is just a small list of important women that stand out to me, there are so many that go underrecognized every day.

They have all helped make the world a better place in one way or another.

American Sign Language should be taught in schools

By Christina Judy Staff writer

Most students on Mercyhurst’s campus grew up having to take some secondary language in their elementary and high schools.

The overall importance of learning a new language is undeniable as it improves one’s ability to communicate effectively with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and creates common ground between two people getting to know each other.

Traditionally, schools in the U.S. will teach younger students Spanish because of our geographical location and how widely used the language is in our modern day.

In high school, we typically had options for a language to learn, most commonly, Spanish, French, Latin, and Mandarin. However, I would argue that the most important language to learn alongside English is American Sign Language (ASL).

ASL is beautiful in its complexity because it is a language created using manual (completely reliant on your hands) and non-manual signs (facial expressions).

My first thought when I learned about ASL was how could one formulate that many ways to move your hands as to create an entire language that is successful in communicating.

That is the amazing part about this language and is what makes it so intricate.

ASL is also extremely practical because it allows people to communicate with not only deaf and hard of hearing individuals, but also with people who are hearing but are non-verbal and they use ASL as their primary form of communication as well. All of these individuals are prominent members in our society.

“Communication is key,” is a phrase that we are all familiar with and have been badgered about in our entire academic careers.

We are taught how to properly relay thoughts and ideas to each other to function effectively together.

The ability to communicate well is imperative because it allows for goods to be purchased and services to be provided. Individuals who rely on ASL for their form of communication cannot be excluded from that.

Therefore, I believe that for the sake of inclusion and independence, sign language should be learned by all individuals interested in pursuing a career in which they will encounter others as customers or patients.

In a world where service providers are proficient in ASL, individuals relying on this form of communication can become more independent by having opportunities to engage with people in all realms of their society. The benefits for people in our society learning ASL does not only benefit those relying on sign language for communication, but is also advantageous to the person learning it.

Learning ASL improves one’s

ability to interpret body language and to have better control over their own.

Additionally, it allows for you to connect more deeply with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing by understanding them. In doing so, you become more aware of the deaf community and the challenges they face in communicating in certain environments within our society. Being deaf in a hearing world is a constant, every day challenge. If kids grew up being taught sign language it would make communicating with people much more accessible for deaf and hard of hearing individuals going about their daily lives. Lastly, learning a second language makes learning additional languages easier, which would be valuable if you are pursuing a career where you must encounter people of different linguistic backgrounds or if you are traveling and wish to feel more included with that culture.

ASL has also become more popularized as it has made its way into our mainstream media. At the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, there was an ASL interpreter that did absolutely amazing and was commended for her efforts.

At the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade of 2022, there was a deaf family invited to Disney and the character Anna, from Frozen, greeted the children in the family by signing with them. Needless to say, ASL is important to learn in our society to allow all of us to communicate and form relationships with each other.

HURST STUDENTS SPEAK UP

We asked: Who do you think Zach will pick at the end of the Bachelor this season?

Christina Judy, senior biology major: “I think Zach is going to pick Kaity.”

Caroline Courtney, junior intelligence studies major: “I think he is going to choose Kaity at the end of this season.”

Bethany Jentz, junior Intelligence major: “I think Kaity is going to win this season.”

Grace Mullins, junior dance major: “I think he will pick Kaity on the Bachelor.”

The real crime behind true crime podcast creators

By Mackenzie Zent Opinion editor

If there is anything that millennials and gen z are going to agree on, it is that true crime has them hooked.

I am not quite sure what it is about true crime that fascinates people, but a lot of people watch and listen to true crime, myself included. These types of reports are available on TV streaming services, podcasts, YouTube and more.

What I have found through tuning into them myself is that I prefer the true crime videos on YouTube more than podcasts because the creators on YouTube seem to have more compassion for the victims.

Usually, I will just watch true crime on YouTube because sometimes creators will put in pictures of the places the crime

took place, or the suspects so it keeps my attention more. However, about two years ago I was on a plane and decided to download some podcasts to listen to and I chose Crime Junkies, one of the most popular true crime podcasts out there.

Once I started listening, I found myself getting upset by the way the two creators were speaking.

One of the girls would report on the crime and the other would listen, adding her input on the story as they were talking and then they would discuss.

The girl who was listening would say things like “no way that did not happen,” “oh what happened next?” or “how did no one go looking for them?” in a super upbeat and excited tone.

This really rubbed me the wrong way because there is nothing wrong with being interested, but it crosses a line when it sounds like someone is excited about the story.

I feel like these creators almost forget that they are reporting on a victim of a brutal crime. Someone had to die in a really horrific way in order for them to be making this content, and I do not feel that they are respectful enough of that.

Not only that, but these creators make money off of their podcasts. I know everyone has to work in order to make a living, but it just seems unfair to me that they are making money, gaining popularity and advancing their careers off of terrible events that

actually happened to someone. The YouTubers that make true crime content are a lot better in my opinion because they have a lot more compassion for the victims, even just in the way they speak about them.

I do not think that watching and listening to true crime is bad, there is something about it that gives people that “cannot look away” feeling.

I think some people, such as the ones who make different podcasts, become desensitized to these crimes and that makes

it easier for them to talk about it in an upbeat way. I am not really sure if that is a good thing because I hope they are not viewing it as a made-up story or gossip, considering it was a tragic event.

Personally, I have watched a lot of true crime and it has made me more aware of my surroundings and now I take different precautions in order to stay safe.

Compiled by Hailey Steidle

March Madness is full of upsets and celebrations

By Bella Lee Staff writer

March is the time for one of the greatest sporting events ever. No, it is not the craziness of the NFL trades, nor is it the World Baseball Classic. No, March is the home of Madness—March Madness, that is.

So far, all of the Sweet Sixteen games have occurred in March Madness, with the Elite Eight coming up next, but ever since this year’s tournament began on Tuesday, March 14, brackets have been shattered everywhere due to shocking results.

Many brackets were quickly vanquished on the first day of First Round games when No. 2 seed Arizona was delivered a shocking upset by No. 15 seed Princeton, who made it to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to No. 6 seed Creighton.

No. 4 seed Virginia was also given an upset by No. 13 seed Furman, ironically occurring exactly five years to the day that, as a No. 1 seed, Virginia became the first ever team to lose to a No. 16 seed in the men’s tournament, when they surprisingly lost by 20 to UMBC.

To the shock of many, this

happened again in this year’s tournament, when 1 seed Purdue— which many predicted would win the tournament— fell to 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson. This makes three times in just two years that a New Jersey No. 15 or 16 seed made it past the first round. No. 15 seed St. Peter’s made it to the Elite Eight last year, also from New Jersey.

The Second Round games were just as entertaining.

No. 4 seed Indiana fell to No. 5 seed Miami, while 1 seed Kansas was given a surprising upset by No. 8 seed Arkansas.

No. 15 seed Princeton continued their upset streak, beating out No. 7 seed Missouri.

The Sweet Sixteen, however, had probably the most surprises of the tournament thus far.

The last two No. 1 seeds standing, Alabama and Houston, were both delivered devastating upsets, Alabama by No. 5 seed San Diego State and Houston by No. 5 seed Miami, making this year’s tournament the first ever since seeding was introduced in 1979 that there is no No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight.

No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic has been making an impressive run, defeating No. 8 seed Mem -

phis and No. 16 seed Farleigh Dickinson before giving No. 4 seed Tennessee a surprising upset to send themselves to the Elite Eight.

As of this writing, the Elite Eight matchups consist of No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic versus No. 3 seed Kansas State and No. 4 seed UConn versus No. 3 seed Gonzaga on Saturday, March

25, and No. 5 seed SDSU versus No. 6 seed Creighton and No. 5 seed Miami versus No. 2 seed Texas on Sunday, March 26.

March Madness certainly lives up to its name when it comes to the different games that are played.

Upsets after upsets, teams you never thought would make it as

far as they did, the list goes on. Be sure to keep up with the upcoming games to see who is remaining.

Most people’s brackets are busted this year, but the games are still fun to watch! It will be exciting to see who wins it all on Monday, April 3.

Women’s Bowling ‘spares’ no opponents

By Megan McKay Staff writer

Mercyhurst Women’s Bowling has officially concluded the East Coast Conference Championships and have been crowned Champs.

The team traveled this past weekend to Long Island, New York, to participate in the bowling postseason as the Championships were held on Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26.

The Lakers have built an impressive resume from their past season after winning four tournaments.

Back in October, the Lakers won their first tournament at their home invitational, followed by winning the Griffin Baker Classic and Wildcat Invite in Delaware.

The Lakers’ most recently took home first place at the Medaille Brunswick Classic in Buffalo.

The Bowling team has not only been successful through team play, but also has collected many individual honors.

Haley Youker has claimed five Bowler of the Week awards and was recently just named Bowler of the Year by the ECC.

Freshman Jenna Stretch also

had a phenomenal season and was named Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Michael Machuga was also named Coach of the Year by the ECC.

Machuga talked about Youker and said she has really found her comfort zone and regards her as one of the best lefties in the country.

Machuga also talked about Stretch as a first-year student who has matured and adjusted to the competition nicely.

Machuga described at the beginning of the season that “the end goal is to win the ECC which would automatically put us in the National Championship. Winning the ECC and putting up in the MAC would be an awesome start to building the legacy this team was sculpted for.”

Last season, the team was eliminated at the Championships after entering as the second seed.

After the heartbreaking end to their season the team is back and better, with a lot more depth, and this championship they are going to look to put themselves in a good place.

On the first day of the conference championship the Lakers came out on top. The team recorded four wins and one loss to place first in the standings which earned them a first-round bye for day two.

On the second day they faced

off against St. Thomas Aquinas in the second round of the tournament followed by more dominating matches against Roberts Wesleyan and Molloy.

The team looked to continue their success on day three for a Mega Match to crown the champion versus Molloy.

The Lakers were able to come out victorious and earned their first conference championship in program history.

Winning the conference championship is a huge milestone for the program in a historic season. By winning the ECC the team now plays in the NCAA regional round Saturday, April 8, followed by the National Championship the following week in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Coach Machuga has said how special his team is and what they have accomplished in just a little over three years is incredible.

Machuga values trusting the process, which is exactly what his team has done.

“It’s my job, as their coach, to bring out the best in them, come March and April.”

Keep an eye out for what is next for this team!

The Women’s Bowling team with their winning plaque from the East Coast Conference Championships.

Hurst Athletics photo

2023 March Madness once again ruined millions of brackets with many surprising outcomes.

NCAA.com photo

Ohtani gets the last laugh: Japan wins World Baseball Classic

By Hailey Steidle Staff writer

Baseball teams from all over the world took the stage again from March 7 – 21 as the World Baseball Classic took ahold of many baseball lovers screens for the first time since COVID-19.

The World Baseball Classic allows for teams from different countries to face off against one another in cities throughout the world.

This year the games were hosted in four different cities throughout the world including, Taichung, Taiwan, Tokyo, Japan, Phoenix, Arizona and Miami, Florida. The quarterfinals took place in both Tokyo and Miami with the sold-out championship round taking place in Miami, Florida.

This year the lineups were stacked as teams with incredible members went head-to-head.

In quarterfinal 1, Cuba beat Australia with a nail biting score of 3 to 4.

Quarterfinal 2 brought less anxiety to onlookers as Japan led the leaderboards with a score of 9 to 3 against Italy.

Quarterfinal 3 had the USA playing Venezuela which ended with USA winning the round with a score of 9 to 7.

Finally quarterfinal 4 brought back the close calls when Mexico beat out Puerto Rico with a score of 5 to 4.

After all was said and done the semifinals began leaving many excited with what the final rounds would look like. In semifinal 1 USA faced off against Cuba and won with a score of 14 to 2. In semifinal 2 Mexico was placed against Japan with Japan winning with a score of 6 to 5.

As the championship round between Team USA and Team Japan kicked off in the sold-out stadium of LoanDepot in Miami, fans all across the world tuned in to see which team would come out on top for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Two standout names in the game were Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, who are teammates on the Angels in the regular MLB season.

With the game being left with a nail biting score of 2-2 it was left to Ohtani to bring home the title. As Ohtani stood tall on the mound, his very own teammate Mike Trout could be seen looking directly at him from the batter’s box.

Both individuals seemed to put aside their relationship and

focus on winning the trophy for their countries.

After two outs, Ohtani could be seen gearing up to throw the last and final pitch. Ohtani let go of the pitch and sealed Japan’s victory.

For the first time since 2009, Japan won the Baseball World Classic in an anxiety inducing game.

Japan has two other World Baseball Classic titles under their belt from their wins in 2006 and 2009.

As the celebrations ensued Team Japan could be seen by many spectators and fans hoisting their newly won trophy in order to celebrate their third tournament trophy.

Shortly after the tournament

ended, Ohtani was named the MVP of Team Japan for posting the best statistics of the entire tournament.

The action of the tournament got fans very excited for the upcoming MLB season, which begins with Opening Day on Thursday, March 30.

Hurst Softball looking ahead to PSAC match- LET’S GO, LAKERS!

By Christina Judy Staff writer

After a long series of away games that began the Mercyhurst Softball team’s 2023 season, the Lakers finally got to compete in back-to-back games on their home field. On March 16th, the Lakers took on Notre Dame College (of Ohio) where they split for the day by taking a loss and notching a win. Their near win in the first game resulted in 7-8 but they followed up will a 10-2 domination to finish the day off strong.

In the first game against the Falcons, the Lakers started off with a bang as Pennsylvania native Cheyenne Hindman hit a double in the first inning to give her team a 2-0 lead. Notre Dame answered in the second inning, earning one point to keep them close with the Lakers. Mercyhurst sought to create more breathing room in the score following this sign of competition.

As a result, senior Allison Dejidas stepped up to the plate with energy and passion fueling her performance. She struck the ball and watched it fly too far out of reach to award her a home run and allow the Lakers a two-run lead. This was her third home

run of the season but she felt that there was more home runs in her. She did not make her team wait long as in the fourth inning she elevated her stats with another home run! This play created a three-run opportunity to advance the score to 6-2.

The Falcons caught some fire under their feet and were able to pull off six unanswered runs in the following two innings. Within the sixth frame along, the Falcons had a two-out two-run single and four runs to give their team an 8-6 lead. Marisa Cartellone allowed Mercyhurst to score in the bottom of the seventh to bring the score up slightly. Un-

fortunately, they ended up falling to the Falcons with a final score of 8-7.

Game two followed with that same Laker energy as they opened the game with a Hindman double to make the score 1-0. Again, in the third inning, Hindman had a single to increase the score to 2-0 while her teammate, Dejidas, had a single enriching the score to 4-0.

Sophomore Eliza Reynolds shined in the fourth inning with a two-RBI single to help gain momentum for the Lakers. The Falcons displayed some effort in the top of the fifth scoring two points, but that was all they were

Wednesday March 29, 12 & 2p.m. Softball @ Slippery Rock

Friday, March 31, Erie PA, 3p.m. Baseball vs. Clarion

able to do for the remainder of the game.

Hindman caused their dreams to come to a halt with a walkoff home run in the bottom of the fifth. The game ended with a 10-2 Laker victory for the first time on their own turf for their 2023 season.

Another noteworthy name in these competitions is pitcher Morgan Hilty who pitched a complete game in the second game and secured four strikeouts. The Lakers future outlook includes the start of their PSAC conference competition when they hit the road next, starting at the end of March.

Saturday, April 1, Erie PA, 11a.m. Men’s Lacrosse vs. Mercy College

Hurst Athletics photo

NFL

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FROM KING FEATURES WEEKLY SERVICE, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803

CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-708-7311 EXT. 257

SALOME’S STARS #12345_20230327

FOR RELEASE MARCH 27, 2023

EDITORS: These horoscopes are for use the week of April 3, 2023.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

Someone you relied on might resist your request for help. Get the facts behind their decision before jumping to conclusions. You might be in for a surprise.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

It’s a good time for the winterweary Bovine to start plans for spring redecorating. Indulge in something super beautiful for your home. You deserve it.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) An inner conflict might keep you from taking the first step toward healing an old wound. Seek the advice of a trusted friend for help in dealing with your uncertainty.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Change can bring confusion. You need to take a strong stand to make sure your rights are respected despite all the fuss and fury going on around you.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your financial situation continues to improve, although you still need to watch those expenses. Something from the past could affect a current situation.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Problems adjusting to a new job and unfamiliar surroundings might tempt you to give up. But hang in there — things get better in time.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Decision time is near. Talk out your doubts with trusted advisers. If your misgivings still outweigh your enthusiasm, it’s best to rethink the whole deal.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A situation has you puzzled. Be patient. The answers you seek will soon come from a source very close to the person at the center of your curiosity.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your usually active social life is in super-high gear through this week. Your hectic party-going pace eases into a period of quiet time by the weekend.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You need to start narrowing down those several new options that have come your way to just the two or three you really want to pursue.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) It’s a wise Water Bearer who nurtures a fading friendship back to vibrant health. At work, a onceshelved idea is suddenly being reconsidered.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You might feel swamped by a flood of work-related obligations, but the support of a trusted associate helps you get through each one successfully.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are a caring person who often puts your own needs aside to help others. You have a gift for cultivating beautiful gardens.

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2023 King Features Synd., Inc.