The Merciad March 31 Issue

Merciad THE

MERCYHURST UNIVERSIT Y

|

WEDNE SDAY, MARC H 31 , 2021

News ................2-5 Features...........6-9 A&E ............. 10-11 Opinion........ 12-13 Sports ......... 14-15 Laker Living.......16 |

VOL. 94 NO. 15

To reduce the spread of germs, please take this copy with you or recycle after reading.

Field hockey opens against IUP PAGE 14

Online poll results

We asked: How do you

Photo Credits: Mercyhurst Field Hockey

relieve stress?

Spending time with friends

4: Class of 2020 and 2021 gradua-

Watching movies

tions now in person

7: Senior Class Gift Committee announces Campus Crawl 10: “No Strings Attached” a success

Hitting the gym

PAGE 2

Reading

This week’s

POLL

What is the best spread for a bagel?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWS

PAGE 2

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Mercyhurst celebrates Family Weekend with host of events

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On March 26 at 8 p.m. MAC/ SAC presented The Rudos, a father and son comedian/magician duo. The show was livestreamed to allow Lakers on campus and at home to join in on the fun and magic.

Contributed photo

MAC/ SAC programmers Joey Franz (left) and Tessa Korchak (right) gave out t-shirts while informing students about being a programmer.

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Hospitality Management department chair, Pete Zohos, hosted a cooking demo on March 27 for viewers to make game day dips.

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The Women’s lacrosse team competed against Lock Haven University on March 27 at 2 p.m. To ensure that all those who wanted to watch had the opportunity, livestream options were available.

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In addition to Family Weekend, Carpe Diem 16 was hosted by Campus Ministry from March 26-27. This weekend gave students the opportunity to meet new people, reflect and have fun, all while maintaining social distancing guidelines. The majority of the event was held in the Student Union and surrounding areas.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

NEWS

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Prayer service shows support for Atlanta victims, Asian Americans

By Rebecca Dunphy

News editor

On March 24 at 7 p.m., members of the Mercyhurst community gathered at Munson Plaza to pray for and pay respect to the eight women who tragically died as a result of a series of mass shootings that occurred the week prior.

In the early afternoon of March 16, a 21 year-old gunman went on a rampage to spa and massage parlors throughout Atlanta, Georgia, specifically targeting Asian women.

He killed four women at Young’s Asian Massage, including Delaina Ashley Yaun (33), Paul Andre Michels (54), Xiaojie Tan (49) and Daoyou Feng (44), before moving on to The Gold Spa and The Aromatherapy Spa. There Yong Ae Yue (63), Soon Chung Park (74), Suncha Kim (69) and Hyun Jung Grant (51) also lost their lives.

Currently the gunman is being charged with eight counts of murder and the death penalty re-

mains on the table.

According to university chaplain Fr. Jim Piszker, the purpose of Mercyhurst’s prayer vigil was to show support for those killed in Atlanta as well as the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community as a whole.

There has been a rapid increase in Anti-Asian sentiment, violence against Asians, and racially motivated hate crime since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization founded by San Francisco State University to track discrimination cases, there have been nearly 3,800 recorded incidents of xenophobia against this demographic since March 2020.

In another study by the California State University San Bernardino, attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has increased by 145 percent in the 16 largest US cities, while nationally there has been a 6 percent decrease in hate crimes.

At the event, which was planned by Piszker, attendees

prayed for victims of violence while listening to biographies of the victims and participating in a Buddhist reflection. With this service Piszker hopes that students were able to acknowledge the reality of these hate crimes while simultaneously showing support for members of the AAPI community on campus and beyond.

“Two of the five critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy are non-violence and racism; these are guiding principles of Mercyhurst as well,” said Piszker. “In addition to that, from a moral viewpoint, the dignity of the human person is a hallmark of Catholic social teaching and moral understanding.”

With light being shed on the importance of addressing anti-AAPI hate crimes, national efforts are being made to combat violence and create a safer environment for all. In early March, New York representative Grace Meng and Hawaii senator Mazie K. Hirono introduced the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to

address rising violence.

After the Atlanta attack, President Joe Biden urged Congress to pass the bill with increased urgency.

“I urge Congress to swiftly pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which would expedite the federal government’s response to the rise of hate crimes exacerbated during the pandemic, support state and local governments to improve hate crimes reporting and ensure that hate crimes information is more accessible to Asian American communities,” Biden said in an official White House statement released on March 19.

He expanded upon these sentiments with the following.

“During my first week in office, I signed a Presidential Memorandum to condemn and combat racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. I directed the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services to help lead our nation’s

efforts to stop anti-Asian bias, xenophobia and harassment,” said Biden. “Now, it’s time for Congress to codify and expand upon these actions — because every person in our nation deserves to live their lives with safety, dignity and respect.”

While it is helpful to see a national response, changes and advocacy at the community level are equally as important.

“I found the prayer service very impactful. As an Asian-American, it comforted me to see people come and stand in solidarity with the AAPI community.

There is still a lot of work to be done in regard to discrimination, but acknowledging and standing together to fight this enemy has always been our first step,” said senior History and Psychology major, Ben VanHook.

For more information about STOP AAPI Hate and to learn how you can be an advocate for the community, visit stopaapihate.org.

PA state senator Dan Laughlin considers 2022 run for governor

By Eva Philips

Staff writer

Mere months after the re-election victory that ensured that Pennsylvania state senator Dan Laughlin would continue to represent Pennsylvania’s 49th District, Laughlin has already set his sights on a more ambitious position — the office of state governor.

Laughlin told Erie News Now on March 19 that he is contemplating throwing his hat in the ring for the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary.

The news may be a surprise for some, especially since Laughlin himself stated that he had not expected word to circulate about his potential run so early. However, Laughlin has given it plenty of thought, and he has a few months before he will decide for certain.

The primary may be a year away still, but Laughlin expects to have an idea of what his potential competition would look like within a few months’ time.

Laughlin will make his decision at the end of June, when he will know what other candidates will be entering the Republican primary, and whether there will be another candidate that he will want to put his support behind.

He stated his willingness to support a Republican candidate who

Contributed photo

According to an interview with Erie News Now, PA State Senator for Pennsylvania’s 49th District, Dan Laughlin, is considered running in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primarily.

would be better suited to the office, but said that he himself may prove to be that “rock star” candidate.

Laughlin has established himself as a pragmatic politician.

Additionally, he views himself as more of a centrist than other Republican candidates and considers this ability to draw support from across the political spectrum to be an advantage.

Laughlin also points to his humble background as a factor that will appeal to voters. His

blue-collar beginnings set him apart from other candidates for the governorship and Laughlin believes that voters will find him to be a relatable candidate because of his understanding of hard work and self-made success.

After four and a half years representing the 49th District in the State Senate in Harrisburg, Laughlin has gained hands-on knowledge about the workings of Pennsylvania politics, which, he says, will benefit him if he pursues a gubernatorial bid.

He points to the Pennsylvania unemployment system as one of the biggest issues facing the state and promises to address those issues through his pragmatic nature.

His time in the Senate has also gained him political clout, which has enabled him to propose legislation that might seem surprising coming from a Republican politician. Recently, Laughlin proposed that the state legalize recreational marijuana and introduced a measure to increase min-

imum wage to a ten dollar hourly wage.

These steps certainly could aid Laughlin’s campaign, should he decide to run, but Laughlin maintained that he had been planning to make these legislative moves regardless of his future plans.

For now, Laughlin is focused on the logistics of the decision.

His choice will depend not only on his potential competition but also upon his ability to gain traction across the state in the coming months.

Perhaps most important in the logistical sense will be Laughlin’s fundraising ability, especially as his likely competitors would be able to draw upon their personal funds, even into the millions of dollars.

While Laughlin has carried out two successful senatorial campaigns, a gubernatorial campaign would require more financial support.

Ultimately, the next few months will be decisive for Laughlin. Erie residents, and Pennsylvanians in general, should certainly keep an eye on the unfolding gubernatorial race as it draws steadily closer in the coming months.

NEWS

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Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Class of 2020 and 2021 Merciad IN A MINUTE Report your vaccination Have you received your COVID-19 vaccine?

Make sure to report it to the school by visiting tinyurl.com/MUvaccine.

This form still needs to be completed even if you participated in the campus clinic.

Remember to still abide

by CDC and campus guidelines about mask wearing, social distancing and limiting contact, even if you are fully vaccinated.

MSG Outreach Coordinator Looking for a way to get involved with the Mercyhurst Student Government? Have a passion for marketing or graphic design? Then apply for the Outreach Coordinator position.

Gather a portfolio together and apply at tinyurl.com/outreachcoor.

Applications are due on April 9 by 12 p.m.

Earth Day speaker Mercyhurst is celebrating Earth Day with the 51st annual Sister Maura Smith Earth Day Lecture on April 22 at 7 p.m.

This year’s guest speaker is Fr. Daniel P. Horan. Registration opens on April 1 for this exciting event, so keep a lookout for a link to sign up.

Study abroad resumes Study abroad trips are now being schedule for summer and fall of 2021.

For more information about these exciting opportunities go to the Hub and find the Study Abroad page under the academics tab.

To set up an advising meeting email studyabroad@mercyhurst. edu.

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

Email us at newsmerciad@ mercyhurst.edu

graduations now in person

By Samantha Weber Staff writer

The graduation ceremonies of the Class of 2020 and 2021 were up in the air in terms of to what extent they would be allowed to have their graduation in person.

The original plan was to have students be able to attend the Erie Insurance Arena in person, and graduate in ceremonies by college rather than class, but with no guests.

Thankfully, the class received some good news last week.

The Erie Insurance Arena, where graduation ceremonies are always held, just received notice from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania regarding new regulations. These regulations increase the number of people allowed in the building.

The new regulations allow the school to split the commence-

ment ceremony into three groups, by each college, with the Hafenmaier College of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences and the Walker College of Business being combined.

As many family members and friends as desired can watch the proceedings through a livestream, but each graduate is also allowed to have two guests attend the ceremony in-person.

Executive director of Events and Board Services, Betsy Frank, talks about how they were able to plan graduation.

“We had an organizational committee charged with evaluating graduation formats that would not only serve the best interests of our students but would keep our college community safe,” said Frank. “Part of that meant dealing with ever-changing COVID guidelines and adapting our own plans to fit.”

Something special that Mercyhurst is doing is also having a ceremony for the Class of 2020.

That class has missed so much and a proper ceremony is a great way to recognize all their hard work.

“After going through so many challenges in the past year, it was our goal to fete both the Class of 2021 and Class of 2020 with an in-person event,” Frank said.

All current regulations including social distancing and mask-wearing will still be enforced.

The schedule for the Class of 2020 begins with the presentation of the Senior Class Gift in Christ the King Chapel on May 14 at 1 p.m. On May 15, their Baccalaureate Mass will be held in Christ the King Chapel at 10 a.m.

Their commencement ceremony will take place later that day at 1 p.m. in Erie Insurance Arena.

As for the Class of 2021, graduation weekend will be May 14

through 16. On May 14, there will be the Senior Class Gift Presentation in Christ the King Chapel at 2 p.m. At 3:30 p.m., there will be a livestream of the 2021 Awards Convocation from the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

On May 15, there will be a Baccalaureate Mass in Christ the King Chapel at 10 a.m. The Mass will also be livestreamed.

May 16 is when the actual commencement ceremonies will take place at Erie Insurance Arena at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. All seniors must register for their two tickets in advance and should do so as soon as possible.

“We look forward to making this important graduation milestone a memorable one for all,” said Joe NeCastro, interim president.

Easter festivities coming soon

By Rebecca Dunphy

News Editor

With spring just beginning and Easter right around the corner, campus organizations are gearing up for a weekend full of celebration.

In a typical year, students would have a few days off around the holiday, but with this year being anything but typical, classes will remain in session. Despite this, Parkhurst and Campus Ministry are ensuring students still have ample opportunity to celebrate, even if remaining on campus.

Throughout the season of Lent, Campus Ministry has been holding Lenten art journaling sessions in person, which has provided students with a chance to relax, pray and showcase their creativity.

They have also been highlighting different saints on their Instagram page, @hurstcampusmin.

To kick off Holy Week, a Holy Thursday Mass will be held at 7 p.m. on April 1 in the Christ the King Chapel. This traditional Catholic Mass will be followed by an hour of Eucharistic Adoration.

The next day, April 2 and Good Friday, Stations of the Cross will be held at 7 p.m., beginning and ending in the Christ the King Chapel. Unique to this service is a procession throughout campus where students can pray and reflect on the different stages of the Crucifixion.

On April 3, Parkhurst will be joining in on the fun by hosting an Easter Basket Hunt throughout campus. Beginning at 7 p.m., clues will be posted on the FoodU app that will direct students to different locations in search for

six Easter baskets. More details are forthcoming and can be found at @mercyhurstdining on Instagram.

Following the hunt, students can pick up Easter egg dying kits at the Student Union. Each kit includes three eggs and everything else needed to have an egg-cellent time.

The next morning, April 4, an Easter Sunday Mass will be held at 11 a.m. in the Christ the King Chapel. Seating is limited to ensure that social distancing can be maintained, so a simultaneous live-steam will be offered for those who cannot attend in person.

That day the 7 p.m. evening Mass will not be held.

“We’ve obviously have had to adapt to COVID guidelines this year, primarily in the case of chapel seating,” said campus minister,

Michelle Scully. “On Easter, we’ll only be able to do one Mass, so it’ll be live streamed. COVID has also given us the unique opportunity, however, to do these services in the first place. I’m honestly not sure if students have ever been on campus for Easter weekend. Having students around gives us the unique opportunity to provide Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday services on campus, something we usually do not do.”

An Easter brunch will be served in the Grotto Commons from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., featuring a variety of tasty options in addition to an Easter candy bar.

Though it is clear that holiday celebrations are going to look a bit different this year, there is no shortage of ways to celebrate and remain in the Easter spirit.

According to Scully, this season

brings much joy amid a stressful, ever-changing world.

“Across the country, no one was able to celebrate Easter in person last year, so I think that makes many (myself included) eager to be able to pray and celebrate together this year, even amidst the COVID restrictions,” said Scully.

“Through celebrating Easter, the Christian faith reminds us that at the end of suffering comes joy through the resurrection. Especially at this time, I think that many of us are tired and have suffered much over the last year, and this belief in and reminder of the resurrection and the joy to come seems to fall at the right time in our lives.”

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

NEWS

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month marked on campus This weekend’s STUDENT GOVERNMENT

By RayLynn Chraston Staff writer

April is right around the corner, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This April marks the 20th official Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). In the early 2000s, the primary goal of SAAM was awareness, which was achieved through the visibility of teal ribbons and insightful discussions.

By the mid-2000s, SAAM incorporated prevention more heavily, focusing on areas such as communities, workplaces and college campuses. These campaigns discussed ways that individuals and communities can stop sexual assault before it happens by changing behaviors and promoting respect.

In more recent years, SAAM has focused on bringing in audiences beyond advocates: those who may not realize they play an important role in preventing sexual violence.

Recent resources have focused on how people like parents, faith leaders, RAs and coaches can become agents of change, while sharing the practical things each

of us can do to prevent sexual assault.

This month is especially important considering nearly 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced rape (or attempted rape) at one point in their lives, with 1 in 67 men having similar experiences.

According to National Day Calendar, every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, though only 5 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison. This is why it is so important to speak out against sexual violence and the conditions that allow it to go unreported.

Rape is the most under-reported crime, considering that 63 percent of sexual assaults are not reported.

Although this is a very sensitive issue, it is so important to talk about. People need to be educated on this, especially those who attend college or live on college campuses. Here at Mercyhurst, we take this issue very seriously.

There are many resources available on the campus, such as the Counseling Center, Police & Safety and the Title IX office.

Mercyhurst is also dedicated to having meetings to talk about such issues and take action. For instance, the school has new athletes attend a presentation discussing this issue and tells them how to notice sexual assault, how to take action if such a thing were to happen to them and or another person, and how to prevent an assault from occurring.

Being a college student, it is important to recognize such things and to be educated on the topic, because these very issues may be happening right in front of us. In order to take action we need to be aware.

The Mercyhurst Empowerment and Prevention Project (MEPP) is able to provide additional information about on-campus and local resources for the victims of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, as well as stalking.

National resources are also readily available such as the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which you can call by dialing the number 1-800-656-4673.

campus events

Police academy hosts information sessions

By Ashley Barletta

Staff writer

If you have ever been interested in joining the police academy, now is the time to consider sending in an application. The Municipal Police Training Academy will be accepting applications to join from now until the Academy is filled.

The process of applying is extensive but is broken down into different steps. The first step is to attend the information sessions happening on March 31 at 1 p.m., April 7 at 6 p.m., April 14 at 1 p.m., April 21 at 6 p.m., May 5 at 6 p.m., May 12 at 1 p.m., May 19 at 6 p.m. or June 2 at 6 p.m., if needed. All sessions are conducted at the Municipal Police Training Academy at North East.

After attending the information sessions, you then must apply to join the academy online at https:// apply.mercyhurst.edu/. After submitting your application, you will be required to complete and submit the FAFSA. Then, request your high school transcript to be sent to University Admissions.

You can also request your GED or any college transcripts you might have.

After sending in your transcript, you then must complete the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, which is a standardized test made to mea-

sure vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Next is the pre-academy physical fitness test, which includes sit-ups for abdominal muscular endurance, a 300-meter run for anaerobic power, push-ups for upper body muscular endurance and a 1.5 mile run for aerobic capacity.

The test is pass/fail and there will also be a final testing order, which is pass/fail as well. The final test is cumulative.

Once you have completed the pre-academy fitness test, you then must successfully complete the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, or MMPI-2. This test is used to measure adult psychopathy. It is recommended that you make an appointment for this test on a date after you take your fitness test.

You then must pass a medical examination by a licensed Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

After the medical examination comes the 10-panel drug screening. Your results of the drug screening will be mailed to you, and you must then send it in to the Academy.

When applying to the Academy, you should not have any criminal history and be able to supply a driver’s license along with your official driving record. You also have

to prove your citizenship in the United States by supplying two of the following: a valid driver’s license, your Social Security Card or a passport.

All of the requirements will need to be completed by midJune. Once you have completed all of the requirements, you will have an interview with the Academy staff.

If you are accepted into the Academy, you will be required to take classes as part of your training. Those classes can be found using this link: https://www.mercyhurst.edu/mne/academics/municipal-police-academy/programs.

A full description of the requirements to join the Municipal Police Training Academy can be found in the Application Process document. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in policing to join a top program and start the process.

“The Municipal Police Officers’ Training Academy exists to provide the police officer with quality training, motivation and a positive philosophy of understanding about our society and its value systems,” the University website notes.

Questions regarding the application process can be sent to Bill Hale, the Director of the Municipal Police Training Academy at whale@mercyhurst.edu.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG March 22: Drug law violation at McAuley Hall.

March 24: Assault at Ryan Hall.

March 27: Criminal mischief at Warde Hall.

March 28: Liquor law violation on E 41st Street.

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HURST CLASS CATALOG

FEATURES

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Competitive Intelligence Club hosts virtual speaker

By Bella Lee Staff writer

It is known without a doubt that Mercyhurst offers a variety of interesting and unique classes. These intriguing classes have included History of Europe Through Film and Apocalypse to Zombie. However, another unique class that has appeared on the radar is an Anthropology/Archaeology course, titled Funerary Archaeology.

While funerals are known for being sad occasions, the science behind them, from preparing bodies for burial to cremation, can actually be quite fascinating.

Taught by Dr. Mary Ann Owoc, this course is open to all students who are interested and is generally offered every other spring.

This course doesn’t just discuss funerals of the present, but their history in the past as well. Topics in the course include how societies view death, death as a rite of passage, symbolism related to death in past and present societies, the construction of funerary monuments, body and skeletal treatments, American cemeteries and grave markers, funerary practices in the past and present, and so much more. This is a class that Dr. Owoc looks forward to every time it is taught.

“The human response to death is so variable and so cool- it’s always exciting to impart some of that to students,” Owoc said. “Also, when we are not COVID restricted, we go to visit a funeral home or a gravestone manufacturer, and also do a field trip to a local cemetery to collect gravestone data for a little research project.”

It is a class that is not only exciting for the professor, but for the students as well. Jenna Brugger, a sophomore Archaeology and Public History double major, has family connections in the funerary industry.

“In high school, I had the opportunity to study diverse funerary processes cross-culturally as part of a few of the courses there and, well, I come from a family of funeral directors, so I have a pretty solid perspective on a wide range of funerary rituals and practices if we’re talking about the twenty-first century,” said Brugger. “Now, I’m taking this class because I wanted to learn the details of the study of funerary practices from an archaeological perspective, as I know that it has been a long-standing and developing practice—and knowing how to approach these particular contexts will be crucial to my future in archaeology.”

Morgan Morrow, a junior Bioarchaeology major, finds the class both interesting and crucial. “In the course, I have been particularly intrigued by the potential use of tombs as points of demarcation in territories as well as redefining what the notion of ‘territory’ means,” said Morrow. “I have also enjoyed learning about the Princess of Vix who was erroneously touted as being a man despite strong evidence to the contrary due to inbuilt prejudices in contemporary archaeology.”

This is a class that a variety of students, majors or not, look forward to.

“In every class I participate in, I look forward to adding to my knowledge,” said Brugger. “With this one in particular, I find myself fascinated by each new case study—and I particularly enjoy discussions surrounding the social and ideological bases for funerary practices.

Learning about the perspectives of different cultures around a particular topic has always been something I’ve been excited by, regardless of the subject matter.”

If you are interested in learning the science behind funerals, be sure to keep this class on your radar next time it becomes available!

SEC contributed photo

The official logo for the Security Executive Council and founder and managing director, Bob Hayes.

By Sarah Klein Copy editor

On March 23 at 7 p.m., the Mercyhurst Competitive Intelligence Club virtually hosted guest speaker Bob Hayes over Zoom.

Hayes and his two colleagues, Elizabeth Lancaster and Kathleen Kotwica, spoke to students about the need for intelligence and global security in today’s world.

Hayes is the managing director of the Security Executive Council (SEC), a research and advisory services firm that serves a wide range of risk management decision makers. Its community includes security practitioners, agencies, universities, NGOs, innovative solution providers, media companies and industry groups.

Hayes is a private sector intelligence titan with more than 25 years of security experience that he was able to share with the group. He spoke alongside Lancaster and Kotwica about security, success and where students should go from here.

Hayes began the discussion by talking about what all elements of a security program have in common. He identified this as one word: information. We live in a society nowadays where we have a never-ending stream of information, but security is about finding the reliable truth.

Hayes noted that “security people in an organization can have a harder time being as influential as more recognized and funded departments like HR or marketing.”

However, in Hayes’ opinion, security plays an undeniably integral role which has only been bolstered by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People may not understand what security practitioners do, but we can be far more than a private

sector police force,” Hayes said.

He also discussed the fact that security is changing due to technological advances like AI, which have moved security away from just the physical realm and into cybersecurity and safety analysis.

Because of this, wages in the industry have risen significantly.

“Security and cyber professionals in leadership roles now earn up to millions of dollars per year, and the most emerging part of the industry is the field that you’re all in - intelligence,” Hayes said.

Hayes explained to the group that he fell into the security world sort of by accident, but that he has had tremendous luck and success in his career. Hayes noted that if he had to live his whole life all over again, he would go back and become an intelligence analyst.

The SEC has created a career of using analysis to “study successful programs and successful leaders” and has concluded as a result that there are only two things that all successful companies have in common.

“The first is a great story to tell,” said Hayes. “The second is that successful people focus on C4R, meaning circumstances, conditions, culture and resources.”

Finally, Hayes concluded the conversation by telling students that he was proud that a distinguishing part of the SEC is their focus on partnerships, and that he was excited to get more involved in partnering with Mercyhurst.

He told students that he would like to help them meet the right people in the industry and to recommend new and niche products or employers that they should look to stay ahead in the field and get hired as analysts.

“One of our proudest accomplishments is our new partnership with Mercyhurst and the oppor-

tunities we hope to bring there,” Hayes said.

The Zoom session ended with a short Q&A, where students asked questions about how COVID might impact the security industry, how they can foster collective knowledge-based teamwork and how they could get more involved with the SEC. For all those who could not make it to the call but found this article interesting, Hayes had lots to say about staying involved.

For current Intelligence Studies underclassmen, there will be plenty of opportunities to work with the SEC in the future, as the company is planning greater collaboration with Mercyhurst in the near future. As well as this, Hayes suggested that students follow the SEC on social media and check out their videos on YouTube. In particular, Hayes recommended a video about the right questions to ask in job interviews and before accepting a job.

Lastly, the SEC publishes a monthly corporate security newsletter which provides the strategic insight that helps security executives excel in their roles. Topics frequently covered include security strategic planning, risk assessment, corporate security metrics and advice on communicating security’s value.

This publication is considered to be a state-of-the-art knowledge center for security practitioners and is read by over 40,000 people monthly.

Mercyhurst students are more than welcome to head to the SEC website to subscribe for free.

This was the Competitive Intelligence Club’s second guest speaker of the semester. Before we all take a break for summer, the club hopes to host one more speaker or in-person event.

Interested in advertising in the Merciad? Or do you have article suggestions? We offer half-price ad rates for Mercyhurst events/promotions, and competitive rates for anyone in the Erie community. Reach out to Marina Boyle at merciad@mercyhurst.edu for rates or questions.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

FEATURES

PAGE 7

Digital photography students gearing up to publish blurb book

By Ashley Barletta Staff writer

The ART-305 Digital Photo class has been working on an end-of semester project. For this project, students were able to take photographs of things that interest them.

The end product of this project is the publishing of the student’s work in a BLURB photo book.

BLURB is a website which allows students as well as photographers to create their own photo books, to publish them on the BLURB website and to even put them up for sale if they so choose.

Something that is interesting about this class is that the students in it come from a variety of majors, but many are minoring in photography.

Professor Gary Cardot teaches the ART-305 Digital Photo course.

“Their work runs the gamut from dance portraiture, such as that by Dance major Emmaline Devore, that is on location; to still-lifes by Megen Grenze, Graphic Design major; to a study of various types of environmental portraiture and studio portraits by Victoria McGinty, History major and the current Vice-President of the Mercyhurst Photography club,” said Cardot.

“Another student, senior Cole

Wahler, also another History major, is producing a documentary study of historic architecture in Erie, PA, while freshman Ethan Houk, Cyber Security major, is photographing Mercyhurst at night. Senior Graphic Design major Aubrey Dietzel is making some great unusual studies of decaying and abandoned buildings,” Cadot said.

There are numerous classes which can be taken with a photography minor, including classes in darkroom film photography, digital photography, art history courses and independent study projects in a student’s senior year.

Some students will have the opportunity to go on to intern for a photographer, museum or even a publishing house.

There is also a Photography Club here at Mercyhurst which is currently planning a photography show sometime in the spring.

Emma Devore, a junior Dance major and photography minor explained her inspiration.

“My BLURB project is very much influenced by my Dance major. I am portraying the evolution of ballet through photography which encompasses Romantic, Classical, Neoclassical and Contemporary ballet,” Devore said.

Her work also features many members of the Mercyhurst com-

munity.

“This project is featuring many of the talented Dance majors here at Mercyhurst which were selected based on living situations (any photographs with dancers that are close and/or touching one another are photos of roommates). I am very excited to combine dance and photography in this project for many reasons. It portrays the evolution through the poses that the dancers are doing, and the hair, the costuming, etc. The Dance Department chair, Professor Partusch, graciously allowed me the A beautiful dance photo shot by Devore. ability to use the costuming in our loft, so the images also feature a variety of costuming from pancake tutus to sneakers and jeans,” Devore said.

For more information about the Digital Photo class project, email Professor Cardot at gcardot@mercyhurst.edu.

One can also look for the display of the photos taken by the ART-305 students in the hallway connecting Zurn Hall and the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. If one is interested in becoming a Photo minor, emailing Cadot is also a good place to start.

Cardot noted that it is also never too late to join the Mercyhurst Photography Club, even if your interest in the art form is small.

Emmaline Devore photo

Emmaline Devore photo

A dance portrait that is set to feature in Emmaline Devore’s book.

SCG Committee announces Campus Crawl

By Joe Talarico

Staff writer

Although the annual Senior Class Gift Committee Bar Crawl event cannot be held as it is in a normal year, the Senior Class Gift Committee is holding a Campus Crawl this Spring as a COVID safe alternative to the traditional downtown Erie pub crawl.

The Campus Crawl is scheduled to take place on May 7, which is also Reading Day for the campus.

It will be held between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. inside the gates of Mercyhurst, and it is the final event being held by Senior Class Gift.

Check-ins for the event will be held on Trinity Green, and there will be four stations across campus. The stations will be at the Roost, Zurn Hall, Trinity Green, and Old Main. Different drinks will be at station to station.

Individual tickets will cost $25, and the ticket includes a Campus Crawl t-shirt, drinks, pizza, and snacks. Tickets will have to be purchased in advance, and all seniors should have received an email containing a link for the tickets on Monday.

The event is not limited to seniors either, anyone of legal drinking age is welcome to attend. One can find links to buy tickets on the @hurstclassgift Instagram page, or on other Senior Class Gift social media outlets. The tickets will be on sale until April 5.

“I am excited for the food, the drinks, and to see all the people that come. I hope that the event will be a big success and I think it will go well,” said senior Business major and committee member, Chris Streibich.

Senior Class Gift Committee chair Marina Boyle is happy to have been given the go-ahead for the event.

“The Class of 2021 has been really impacted by the pandemic both this year and the last. With the situation finally growing more hopeful prior to graduation, we are excited that we, as a committee, can safely plan a final big event for our seniors. We hope that after a last (and hopefully not too stressful) Reading Day, everyone can join us for a few drinks to celebrate the work of the last four years and the scholarship that we have created as a class and campus

community,” Boyle said.

The Senior Class Gift’s previous event, the Senior Date Auction, brought the committee very close to reaching their goal of raising $15,000 for the Kenny Robinson “Beat the Odds” Scholarship.

“The auction went really well.

We sold around 80 tickets, and we are very close to reaching our target goal,” said Boyle.

Currently, the Senior Class Gift only needs to raise $1,100 more.

“If we sell over 100 tickets for the Campus Crawl, we will smash the goal before graduation and have done an amazing job of securing Kenny Robinson’s legacy on this campus with an enduring scholarship that will make a positive impact that I think Kenny would be proud of,” Boyle said.

The scholarship will begin to be awarded next year to a student that exhibits selflessness and positivity and has overcome adversity.

“I think the Kenny Robinson Scholarship is a great way to recognize a student for expressing good values, their achievements Contributed photo and for overcoming obstacles,” Streibich said.

The official advertisement for the Senior Class Campus Crawl, which will take place on May 7.

FEATURES

PAGE 8

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

RSCO Feature: Photography Club

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

Do you like taking photos and sharing them on social media? Do you want to get involved in learning how to improve your photography skills? If the answer to either of those questions was yes, then you might consider joining the Photo Club.

“We mainly focus as a group that works on advancing our knowledge in photography and design as well as trying to incorporate photography into the Mercyhurst community,” said Hannah McCall, senior Graphic Design major and president of the Photo Club.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t been

able to meet as much this year, but we are trying to finish the academic year strong with some more meetings in order to prep the newer members for next year.”

Anyone who has a love for photography and has taken Photography I, the intro Photography class, is welcome to join this club. This club is dedicated to expanding an interest in photography outside of the classroom and strives to create unique learning opportunities.

“I joined Photo Club when I was a sophomore because it looked like a nice group of people to just hang around and learn more about photography with,” said McCall.

“I do miss the snacks we’d bring in during our pre-COVID19

times. Professor Cardot would bring us Mighty Fine donuts, and if it was someone’s birthday, he’d get a cake at Tops.”

The Photo Club has a variety of events coming up for them, including a darkroom demo for black and white printing on April 9. This event is focused on introducing the club’s members to darkroom techniques and basics of film photography-- which was popular before digital cameras came onto the scene.

On April 23, the club is set to embark on a Lightroom and Photoshop workshop. Lightroom and Photoshop are two main softwares sponsored by Adobe that photographers regularly use when editing photos. This workshop is set to

teach club members about tools each software offers.

Finally, on May 7, the club is set to wrap up the year with a get-together where each member will have the opportunity to present images he/she has taken over the course of the semester, either independently or in class.

While the spring semester has a few opportunities remaining for the year, the fall semester is heavily anticipated and the club officers and Professor Cardot have been hard at work planning many exciting things. This upcoming fall the club is hopeful to venture to the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, COVID permitting.

On campus however, the club has plans to create and produce a

calendar and stickers to fundraise for post-COVID events such as field trips.

“Photo Club has been a great place for me to go and meet more people with the same interests as me, and I just hope I’m able to give the same impression even during this pandemic,” McCall said.

Photography is something that has been capturing memories for nearly two centuries now, and the Photo Club is just one of many organizations that works to continue the love and appreciation of photography.

Be sure to check out this club if you love photography or even want to pursue a career in it.

Contributed photo

Little Lakers listen to the stories with their parents, Lindsay Frank and Andrea Grady, and author Kristin Pierce.

Hurst alumni host bedtime story event

By Samantha Weber Staff writer

On March 23, Mercyhurst University hosted a Bedtime Story Reading over Zoom. The special guest was Kristin (Peterson) Pierce, who graduated from Mercyhurst in 2008. Alumni were invited to bring their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to this history-making event.

This was a great option to help the alumni connect again but also share it with their kids or younger generations of potential future Lakers.

Director of Alumni Engage-

ment, Lindsay Frank, talked about the children who joined the Zoom call. “Many of the children were all dressed in their pajamas, ready for bed, but excited to hear great bedtime stories,” Frank said.

Pierce is the founder of Inner Compass Books and Inner Compass Academy. She is also an author of many children’s books.

At this event guests heard Pierce read two of her books: “Mayva O’Meere, Creationeer” and “The Sweet Dreams Express.”

Frank talked about how this event was organized. “Alumni are always sharing their updates, career successes and news with

us. This led me to finding out all about Kristin Pierce, a 2008 graduate of Mercyhurst. I connected with Kristin to ask if she would be willing to host a reading of some of her stories and she was happy to do so.”

Pierce credits her inspiration for her book, “Mayva O’Meere, Creationeer” to a course she took here at Mercyhurst. She took an Art Appreciation course that left her fascinated with the talent that these artists have and how their work has impacted others. Pierce’s interest in art history led her to incorporate some of the famous pieces into her children’s book.

“Mayva O’Meere, Creationeer” contains 19 historic art references throughout the story and a guide in the back of the book to give children the opportunity to learn more about the art pieces mentioned, if they desire to.

Inner Compass Books’ mission is to create mindfully crafted children’s books that help children ignite their passions, think outside the box and create a life full of purpose, impact and fulfillment.

The company also believes that all children have incredible gifts to bring to the world. If reading a book about a certain topic inspires someone to try something new,

then it could be a life-changing experience for the child.

“We had a lot of great alumni who attended the event virtually over Zoom. It was so fun to see their children, our ‘little Lakers’ attending because usually our events are for alumni only which is obviously an older crowd,” Frank said when asked about the turnout for the event.

Hopefully in the future, when COVID clears up a little, there will be an opportunity for alumni to bring their little ones to an in-person event and be able to connect with other alumni a little more.

LAKER MOMENT Spring is finally making its way to Erie!

Mercyhurst students Sarah Vosburgh, RayLynn Chraston, and Vicki Darling (left to right) were able to get out to Presque Isle to enjoy the nice weather last week.

Alexis Lovewell photo

FEATURES

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

PAGE 9

Clubs celebrate Hindu festival of Holi with movie screening

By Marina Boyle

Editor-in-chief

On March 29, the day of the Hindu festival of Holi, the Mercyhurst International Student Association and the Social Work and Applied Sociology Club teamed up to mark the special occasion.

The clubs organized a movie screening of the film “The Last Color.” It was a perfect way to blend the mission of the two clubs, by focusing on an international celebration, but also using a film to highlight important social issues.

Holi is a popular ancient Hindu festival, also known as the “Festival of Colors.” It celebrates the eternal and divine love of Radha and Krishna.

Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Dahan where people gather and perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi, a free-for-all festival of colors, where people smear each other with colored powder.

The movie tells the story of the festival through the eyes of a nineyear-old so-called “untouchable” girl from the lowest caste, living

Marina Boyle photo

The Hindu Festival of Holi event included a film viewing and club members taking part in traditional activities related to the holiday.

in Banaras, India. Over the course of the film she befriends a transgender woman and an aging widow and helps to bring joy to their lives.

However, the movie is also laden with sorrow in how it accurately shows how social issues have plagued widows in Indian society.

Ultimately, it teaches an important lesson about friendship and acceptance, all the while showing the beauty and fun of Holi.

Students gathered in Hirt 214 to watch the movie and discuss it afterwards. They also had a chance to play Holi by splashing the color on others or using the color on

their own faces or hands.

This made the event interactive and help students to get into the spirit of Holi. It was also a unique chance for many students to experience a part of another culture that they are not familiar with.

Marina Boyle, president of the International Student Association,

helped to organize the event after it was suggested by professor of Biology, Rajinikanth Mohan, Ph.D. Mohan was also kind enough to provide the Holi colors.

“This was a very special event because we were able to bring attention to a holiday that is not commonly celebrated at Mercyhurst, as well as learning more about social issues. This has been a dull year for many people and it was beautiful to bring color into students’ lives through a celebration of Holi,” said Boyle.

Given the success of the event, the club hopes to host similar events in the future. As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease, it will also be easier to incorporate authentic international foods into events once more.

“It was a pleasure to work with the Social Work Club and I’m very grateful to all those who helped to organize the event or who came out to enjoy it.I hope the colors brought a smile to people’s faces and that anyone who could join was able to learn something new,” Boyle said.

FROM THE ARCHIVES October 1994: For those who worry about where to park on campus these days, rest assured that students from the 1990s also felt your pain. This cartoon from October 1994 shows that students felt the lack of parking spaces back then, too.

The results of a parking survey found there were 1,195 parking permits for only 935 spots. Thankfully, the creation of the PAC increased parking by Zurn Hall and plans were made for a commuter lot by McAuley Hall.

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Contributed photo

Photo of two dancers Mercyhurst dancers during the “No Strings Attached” performance on March 19.

“No Strings Attached” a success

By Madeleine Plourde Staff writer

On March 19 the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center welcomed dancers to its stage once again for the sophomore dance majors’ “No Strings Attached” choreography showcase.

This year the performance was a bit unusual (or usual in COVID times) as no audience members could fill the theatre due to COVID restrictions.

“Being one of the few allowed in the auditorium, it was very different with how quiet the room was after pieces and when the dancers/choreographers took the final bow,” junior Dance major Emmaline Devore, who photographed the event, said.

However, the students deserved to have their hard work show-

cased.

Assistant Professor of Dance Jennifer McNamara, the teacher of the Choreography II class, explained that “our technical director, Andrew Ferguson, and students in the production practicum course did an enormous amount of research, testing and work to make a livestream a reality so the students’ friends and families could see their work.”

On top of performance differences, the choreography process was different than usual.

To help with contract tracing, students could only have dancers from their own class in their pieces. In a normal year, students could draw from other classes.

This meant students danced in more pieces and often had to learn up to two minutes of choreography per rehearsal.

Yet each dancer met this challenge and excelled in spite of it, tackling it in their own way.

“I found that completely immersing myself in each piece that I was doing and really getting in to the ‘character’ that I was portraying helped me to keep these pieces separate in my head,” sophomore Dance major Katie Barkley-Mastalski, said.

Sometimes though, the only way to remember so much information was through repetition.

Throughout the course, McNamara hoped students would rise to the challenges they faced from COVID, while also incorporating into their works ideas from current issues the country is facing.

To help do so, students selected music from one of 10 short works from black classical composer

Edward W. Hardy’s “The Woodsman,” inevitably leading to some overlap in music choices.

While adding another challenging dimension, this led to an opportunity for individual creativity and uniqueness to emerge.

“This act of listening was the most important part of this project, in my eyes,” said McNamara.

“I’m not sure it was entirely successful, but I do think the students learned something about grace, attentiveness and mindfulness, and their choreography gave me a lot to ponder.”

COVID restrictions and course requirements made for a difficult assignment, yet students drew inspiration from a number of places to make something valuable and memorable.

Sophomore Dance major Danielle Tuomey drew inspiration for

her piece from George Orwell’s novel “Shooting an Elephant.”

“I read this story during my junior year of high school and was attached to the way it tackles issues of power, imperialism, humiliation, resentment and fitting in,” Tuomey said.

Barkley-Mastalski found inspiration in the beauty of every experience.

“This strength and light in the face of adversity is really what motivated and inspired me through this process.”

This year’s Choreography II students faced many obstacles, and the performance shaped up to be different from years before, however, this didn’t keep everyone involved from dedicating themselves to the process and creating something beautiful.

63rd Grammy awards show streamed

By Annie Markel Staff writer

The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards show occurred this past week on March 14.

The Grammy Awards are a huge night in the music industry for musicians who are hoping to be recognized for their hard work and talent. With the red carpet rolled out, and awards to be given away, it is always sure to be an interesting evening.

Hosting the event was comedian and television personality, Trevor Noah. Noah was chosen to present the historic award show back in November of 2020.

To kick the night off, singer Harry Styles performed his hit song of the summer, “Watermelon Sugar.” Wrapped in a leather suit and green feather boa slung effortlessly around his neck, Styles opened the show with the best vibes.

He was backed by fellow mu-

sician, Dev Hynes on the guitar.

The performance was jazzy yet eclectic, just like Mr. Styles himself.

Many of the performances were show-stopping, just as they should be.

One performance that created a lot of buzz was the performance of “Levitating” by singer, Dua Lipa and rapper, Da Baby.

The British-Albanian singer sung her chart-topping song, “Don’t Start Now,” and was joined by the South Carolinian rapper for “Levitating,” which included dance routines and costume changes galore. Both had incredible chemistry on stage and brought such a good show.

However, what would an award show be without some controversy?

The polarizing performance of rappers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion caused some whirling opinions. Tricked out in plate armor, the two women put on quite

the show for the performance of their song, “WAP.” Other performers included Bruno Mars joined by Anderson .Paak for “Leave the Door Open.”

With Mars and .Paak giving an incredible, groovy 70s vibe, it was bound to be a good show.

Youngster Billie Eilish with her brother FINNEAS performed her somber song, “everything i wanted.”

Finally, Taylor Swift made a comeback to the Grammy stage with her cottagecore, wilderness performance of her songs, “Cardigan,” “August” and “Willow.”

Nominations for the Grammys were announced back in November 2020. Leading the pack with nine nominations was Beyonce Knowles. Nominated in the categories for Best Rap Performance, Best Music Video and many more, she was definitely in the lead.

Dua Lipa took second place with eight nominations. Nominated in the categories for Pop

Vocal Album, Album of the Year and Song of the Year, this year was Lipa’s year.

However, like in every competition, not every nominee can win. The biggest winner of the night was Beyonce Knowles with her four trophies. In the midst of the show, the singer found out that she is now the most awarded woman in Grammy’s history.

Passing bluegrass singer Alison Kraus, Beyonce now holds the record with 28 wins.

March 14 was also a big night for rapper Megan Thee Stallion who won Best New Artist, her second win of the night. Dua Lipa won Best pop Vocal Album for “Future Nostalgia.”

Grammy darling Billie Eilish took home the award for Record of the Year for her song “everything i wanted.”

Of course, like every event in the past year, COVID did affect how the Grammys proceeded.

The ceremony was supposed to

take place on Jan. 31 of this year however, due to the increasing COVID cases in Los Angeles, the Recording Academy decided to postpone the event.

The ceremony was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center which is across the street from where the event is usually held, at the Staples Convention Center. The tables of celebrities were socially distanced in an unusual outside setting, and everyone was masked up.

All in all, the Grammys were different this year due to COVID. Through all the obstacles however, the award show was still a hit and created a lot of buzz, as it does every year.

Everyone has their different opinions about the Grammys.

Whether good or bad, the Recording Academy knows how to make a headline.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

A&E REVIEW

AJR releases eagerly awaited fourth album “OK Orchestra”

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

AJR, an indie pop band consisting of brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan Met (hence the name), has been making strides in the past couple of years. While their albums “Living Room” (2015), “The Click” (2017) and “Neotheater” (2019) have been met with moderate success, their popularity has skyrocketed within the past year.

They first found their success growing when “Neotheater” debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and hit number one on the Top Rock Albums chart. On Feb. 12 of last year, AJR released a single called “Bang!” which almost immediately found its way towards a variety of charts, ultimately peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 on Jan. 22 of this year.

This was followed by the release of “Bummerland” on Aug. 31, which served as a quarantine an-

them of sorts.

However, fans were in for a massive treat on Dec. 20, when AJR announced that their fourth album, “OK Orchestra,” was to be released on March 26.

This was shortly followed by “My Play” on Dec. 22.

“Bang!,” “Bummerland” and “My Play” would be among the singles featured on “OK Orchestra,” but one last single for the album, “Way Less Sad,” was released on Feb. 17.

Following the release of “OK Orchestra,” the album immediately skyrocketed to a variety of charts, including alternative charts on Pandora and Apple Music.

The album opens with “OK Overture,” a rich beginning which includes a melody that pieces together bits and pieces from the other songs featured on the album.

Following the overture is “Bummerland,” one of the singles released prior. This song tells listeners that we “better nix our

summer plans,” due to the ongoing COVID crisis.

Next is “3 O’Clock Things,” which touches on many doubts and ramblings that happen at 3 a.m. “It’s kind of funny how I paid for college when YouTube was an option,” Met sings.

“My Play” is the next on this album, which serves as a sort of melancholy ballad about performing a play for their parents as young children. However, this is quickly turned around by the quirkiness that “Joe” has in its lyrics.

“Adventure Is Out There” is the next song on “OK Orchestra” and is the first song that features another voice. Jack serves as the main vocals in AJR, but Ryan’s voice is sampled at times, with this song being an example of that.

Following “Adventure Is Out There” is the aforementioned fan favorite, “Bang!” which announces, “so put your best face on everybody, pretend you know this song, everybody,” and tells us “let’s go out with a bang!”

Next on the album is “The Trick,” another uniquely quirky song to the mix.

“Ordinaryish People” follows, and has a vibe that represents that of a big band from the jazz era, before descending into a drum frenzy thanks to guest artist The Blue Man Group.

Next on the lineup is “Humpty Dumpty,” which takes a spin on the classic tale.

“Humpty Dumpty went down, he said ‘screw it, imma smile right through it, and scream when no one’s around’” is the chorus in the midst of a song about putting up a façade in public and breaking down alone – all backed up with a catchy beat.

“World’s Smallest Violin,” which had a music video released alongside it, is another spin on the idea that when one is complaining about problems that aren’t real issues, they are playing the world’s smallest violin. The lyrics deal with feeling sorry for oneself while simultaneously feeling as though

your problems are not worthwhile compared to others.

“Way Less Sad,” a sequel of some sorts to “Bummerland,” is the penultimate song on the album, where they state, “no, I ain’t happy yet, but I’m way less sad.”

“Christmas in June,” a lovely and jovial piece, is the perfect finishing touch to “OK Orchestra.”

Overall, AJR released a very enjoyable album with clever and thought-provoking lyrics contrasted by playful orchestration.

I was first introduced to AJR by my friend from high school the summer before my freshman year at Mercyhurst.

I was in “Bummerland” waiting for new music from them, but now I’m “Way Less Sad” now that “OK Orchestra” is out. Every time I listen to it, I feel like “Adventure Is Out There,” and I can always end my day with a “Bang!”

3-D street art exhibit revealed in Italy

By Joe Talarico Staff writer

French street artist JR revealed his major new art installation last week in Florence, Italy. Located on the front wall of the Palazzo Strozzi, a historic cultural arts center in Florence’s center, the work is a staggering 91 foot high optical illusion.

It is titled “La Ferita,” or “The Wound.” Passersby will see a tearing gash along the Renaissance style exterior. The illusion is created by manipulating depth, which makes it seem to the viewer that they are seeing a 3D object, rather than a 2D painting.

Inside the wound, onlookers will see an imagined black and white collage of the interior of

the building. The fake interior is complete with marble columns, famous paintings, sculptures and a library at the very top.

The work is supposed to represent the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on cultural sites around the world, many of which have been closed for more than a year.

Museums, theaters, libraries, galleries and other cultural sites all have been additional casualties of the pandemic.

“Walking through Florence feels strange these days, without the visitors that make up such a normal part of the life of Florence, it feels quiet and less vibrant.

Without being able to enter a museum, to attend a concert or spend time at an exhibition, we realize

city is activated by the people that pass through it, to soak up the history and culture of Florence, and leave enriched by it,” JR said in a statement to CNN. JR, whose real name is unknown, began doing street art in Paris at the age of 13. Since then, his work has been featured in locations all across the world, from Europe to the Americas.

CNN reports that the unveiling of “La Ferita” also marks the beginning of the Palazzo Strozzi’s Future Art Programme.

The initiative aims to promote modern and contemporary art in Contributed photo Italy, with a new public art in“La Ferita” 3D street art in stallation revealed every spring in France Florence. that it is culture that gives life its Palazzo Strozzi’s Director Dr. color and that the beauty of our Arturo Galansino released a press

statement saying that the art center has a “unique” determination to “forge a dialogue between the classic and the contemporary through the involvement of artists capable of interpreting the present.”

Regarding the new artistic gash on his building, Galansino said “it is apt that we launch the Programme with JR’s new work ‘La Ferita.’ (It is) a powerful reflection on the difficult conditions surrounding access to culture in the age of COVID-19, but also a symbol of freedom, creative imagination and participation and an opportunity to involve the audience, the public at large, in a totally new way.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 1 @ 8 p.m. via Facebook livestream: reading by Stephanie Gorton April 7 @ 7:30 p.m. on Zoom: Chris Thile April 8-11 @ 7 p.m. on Zoom: “Through the Looking Glass” April 12 @ 8 p.m. on Zoom: Faculty Recital by Allen Zurcher April 28 @ 8 p.m. via Facebook livestream: Lumen Unveiling and Student Awards April 23-25 @ time TBD on Zoom: Raw Edges

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD This week should be incredibly sunny and warm!

SAD Next week has no Merciad issue while we take a break for Easter.

RECENT Last Sunday was Palm Sunday!

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Thoughts on the tragedy at Gannon University

By Zach Dumais Opinion editor

I understand the difficulty of talking about this subject and my deepest condolences go out to the student’s family, friends and the Gannon University community as a whole. Everyone is aware of the tragedy that occurred at Gannon and understandably, people are angry.

As the opinion editor, I feel it is my responsibility to convey the emotions of the student body to the Mercyhurst community.

Anna Malesiewski of the Gannon Knight wrote an incredible article displaying students’ thoughts about a terrible situation and said what needed to be said.

The handling of COVID-19 has been botched by universities throughout the nation, including those in Erie, to some extent.

Their responses have directly contributed to the mental anguish experienced by the students on their campuses.

Many have been quick to argue that universities have done an amazing job by bringing students on campus to have “normal” semesters.

Students do not dispute the difficulties presented by COVID-19. Our frustrations lie in the failure of university administrators to listen to the students they represent.

Is it worth it to have a “normal semester” if students have no breaks (with the exception of 3 break days), no flexible work policies, no response when they ask for help and they can hardly do anything they normally would? Not to mention, Mercyhurst didn’t even give students a choice whether they wanted to be on campus or not.

It also goes without saying that students are irritated by the constant conflicting messages presented by universities.

For example, we have been told that it is far too dangerous to gather with our friends in close proximity unless a multitude of factors are met. Many clubs cannot meet in person and you have to set strict appointments in order to take advantage of student amenities such as the recreation and fitness center. In direct contrast, we are still being forced to go to in-person classes.

In places on campus, the seating is 6 feet apart horizontally, but vertically it is not.

We can’t meet with professors in their offices, but we are forced to be in-person with them multiple times a week. Students are unable to bring visitors into their residences, but the university has deemed in-person tours and athletes from other schools necessary.

Students are struggling mentally, and all the university seems to care about is punishing students for violating rules. How

can students be expected to deal with all of these factors and maintain their mental health?

I do not mean to paint with a broad brush and condemn all university faculty. Some of my professors, for example, created more flexible policies for assignments and gave us time away from class work.

Not all those who work for the university have the power to alter the COVID-19 policies, and I understand that. We are simply asking that those who have the power listen to our concerns.

Students have expressed their concerns but were told that there was not much that could be done. This is unacceptable regardless of who may be at fault/ whatever the circumstances may be. It is situations like these that directly caused the tragedy at Gannon.

I understand that COVID-19 has presented unprecedented difficulties for administrators, but this system is not working, and we cannot continue as if it is. It is not too late for the university to fix and I have faith that they will be able to do the right thing.

The students are demanding action and only time will tell if Mercyhurst complies. The tragedy that occurred at Gannon is a painful lesson that hopefully we are able to learn from and make sure that it does not happen again.

The Merciad Thoughts on Family Weekend STUDENT EDITORS Marina Boyle............................ Editor in Chief Gillian Mazur........................ Managing Editor Rebecca Dunphy .........................News Editor Victoria McGinty .................... Features Editor Michael Boylan .......................... Sports Editor Christa Knipes .............................. A&E Editor Zach Dumais ........................... Opinion Editor Sarah Klein ...................................Copy Editor Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

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.

By Marina Boyle Editor in chief

Family Weekend is a weekend at Mercyhurst that has always been bittersweet for me. Although I love seeing all the families descend on the Hurst, I usually spend the weekend missing my own. As an international student, my parents have never been able to visit for this weekend or join in for any of the activities.

With the pandemic this year, I feel that a lot of students and families have gotten a taste of what it’s like to not be able to see your family frequently throughout the semester, and to not be able to go home at the drop of a hat. Because of this, having Family Weekend is more important than ever this year.

That’s why I’m so glad that Family Weekend has gone ahead

online.

I have been disappointed this year by how MSG has failed to commemorate some big Mercyhurst traditions because of the pandemic. Although alumni still got to have Homecoming From Home, nothing was organized solely for the students that were here on campus to take part in. For example, as a senior I was frustrated and sad that we did not get to elect our Homecoming Court, even virtually. This year we’ll also miss out on Springfest, and I don’t think MSG has any plans to do a similar virtual event to mark this weekend.

That said, MSG did a wonderful job with maintaining a sense of normalcy over Family Weekend. My parents were able to join events virtually from Ireland and register for t-shirts that I could pick up on their behalf.

I thought that the Young Alumni Panel was such a

nice way to remind families and current students how the Hurst will live on as part of our identities beyond graduation, and how we can foster that. It was so great to hear from the panel of alumni, including Justin Hawkins ‘18, Lynne Gillott ‘18, Sam Lioi ‘17 and Morgan Wangler ‘18.

I knew some of these people when I was a freshman and it was a pleasure to see them again.

In addition, I have spent most of my Family Weekends at Mercyhurst working as a senator or MAC/SAC programmer, and so it felt good to just sit back and take part. I was able to play bingo and compete for some great prizes, and my mom was able to take part in a painting tutorial with the Art department.

Overall this weekend was a hit, because instead of simply canceling the event or changing it hugely, the university made it work for the times that we’re in, and I appreciated that.

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

OPINION

PAGE 13

Vatican and its same- HURST STUDENTS sex marriage remarks Brunei, Mauritania, Nigeria (in the northern third of the Staff writer country), Saudi Arabia, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates.

In recent years, the Vatican has voiced its support on As many of my friends know, certain important topics, such I am a strong ally of a variety as the refugee crisis and climate of social movements. I have change. Pope Francis has also always seen myself as an ally of made remarks about not judging LGBTQ+ rights, I have attended gay people, and accepting them Black Lives Matter marches and into the family of the church. for me, the Stop Asian Hate However, hearing the Vatican’s movement hits close to home refusal to bless same-sex since I am half Asian myself. marriage, however, left a sour That’s why when I heard that the taste in my mouth.

Vatican had announced that they The Vatican’s reasoning for not would not be blessing same-sex blessing same-sex marriage was marriages, I was not happy, to say the least.

Traditionally, marriage Whether you are in has been between a man a relationship with and a woman, but same-sex a man, a woman, a relationships have existed for non-binary person, far longer than most people are a transgender aware. Even with countries such person, or whoever as the United States legalizing else you are in same-sex marriage in recent love with, everyone years, there are still other places deserves to have a where same-sex relationships are fulfilling and loving punished severely. relationship.”

In several countries in Africa and the Middle East, where Islam is widely practiced, being a member of the LGBTQ+ that according to them, it is not community is punishable by jail possible to bless sin. time or even death.

However, despite people Same-sex marriage is legally claiming that the Bible states performed and recognized same-sex relationships are a sin, in 29 countries. However, it is never explicitly stated, and approximately 80 countries still the Bible verse that is often used criminalize LGBT relationships to defend this view is commonly in some way, and the death misinterpreted. The verse, which penalty exists for engaging in states that a man who lies with a homosexual acts in Afghanistan, man is to be punished, is often

By Bella Lee

“

interpreted to mean that gay men are to be severely punished.

However, the line actually likely means that a man who lies with an underage boy, a pedophile, is the one to be severely punished.

Unfortunately, the misinterpretation of this verse has for years led to the defense of homophobic beliefs.

This is not the first time that a religious organization has come under fire for opposing same-sex relationships. In 2015, shortly after the United States legalized same-sex marriage, the Mormon Church released a statement on their views of same-sex relationships.

Included in the statement were messages stating that a couple in a same-sex relationship could not be sealed in the temple, and children of same-sex couples could not be baptized or sealed to their parents until they were 18 years old. This statement caused an uproar and ended up being among the first of many things that the Mormon Church has come under fire for.

I strongly disagree with the Vatican’s notion to not bless same-sex marriage.

Whether you are in a relationship with a man, a woman, a non-binary person, a transgender person, or whoever else you are in love with, everyone deserves to have a fulfilling and loving relationship.

Unfortunately, the Vatican doesn’t see this quite yet, but hopefully their stance will change in the future.

SPEAK UP We asked: If you celebrate it, what is your favorite Easter tradition?

Christina Judy, sophomore Biology major: “My favorite Easter tradition is having a big brunch with all my cousins.”

Veronica Kibbe, freshman Hospitality Management major: “My favorite tradition is making my great-grandma’s traditional Easter Lamb Cake.”

Michael Bernabeu, freshman Intelligence Studies major: “My favorite tradition is getting Easter baskets full of chocolate.”

Lilly English, freshman Criminal Justice major: “My favorite Easter tradition is doing an Easter egg hunt with my family at my grandma’s house.”

Compiled by Samantha Weber

Thoughts on Hurst mental health services the various changes happening

very flexible and make sure to meet with every student to offer Staff writer find ways to cope and self-reflect some advice and/or help. on how these changes may be If one session did not give affecting them. The Counseling a student enough answers or With all of the stress that is Center tries to help students solutions, the counselors are taken on by college students, acquire skills and knowledge glad to meet with them again to it is important to have a good necessary to help take their continue their discussion. support system for them to go current struggles and transform From an anonymous source, to. At Mercyhurst University, them into healthier ways of I was able to get this quote the Counseling Center provides living. explaining the counselors’ confidential, professional The Counseling Center also dedication to their patients: “the counseling at no charge to the has a pet companion named counselors make sure to keep students.

Bailey who is used as the school’s in touch with all of the people The Counseling Center is able therapy dog. Bailey has been that they meet with to make sure to assist students with many around Mercyhurst since 2012 there are not any other issues at problems they may be facing, and can be seen in counseling hand.” like peer or family relationships, sessions or just relaxing in the I believe the only issue with depression, anxiety/stress, waiting room to make the the Counseling Center is the alcohol dependency or other student feel more comfortable. lack of understanding and substance abuse, eating Now, although the Counseling knowledge between the student disorders, anger management, Center provides all of these body and the center itself. grief, loss or trauma. services, has it been effective for I conducted a survey on The mission of the Counseling students during these last few social media asking Mercyhurst Center is to promote a balance semesters that have been full of students to rate their knowledge of mind, body and spirit that change and stress? of the Counseling Center is necessary for all students I believe that the Counseling services on a scale of 1-10, with to achieve their full student Center truly is there to help all 1 being little to no knowledge potential. The counselors help students with any issue that may and 10 being you know students understand and process be at hand. The counselors are everything. Based on the survey,

By Alexis Lovewell around them and help them

on average students rated their knowledge of the Counseling Center a 4.8.

With this information I think it is important for the Counseling Center, faculty, staff and students that have already used the Counseling Center to educate and recommend the Counseling Center to students of all years.

Students should be aware of the Counseling Center, how they conduct their meetings with students and the mission of the Counseling Center here at Mercyhurst.

Another anonymous source talked a little bit about why they have not used the Counseling Center in the past.

“I know that Mercyhurst does have a Counseling Center, but I have not ever used their services because I am not sure how to approach the counselors or the staff there.”

I do believe that the Counseling Center at Mercyhurst is very efficient and

helps a lot of students, but the student body needs to be more informed on the various services offered at the Counseling Center and know that it is a safe place to go to.

Any student can book an appointment with the Counseling Center by calling 814-824-3650 or emailing the counseling center through their Mercyhurst email.

The hours of operation of the Counseling Center are MondayFriday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Counselors meet over Zoom and in person with students due to the difficulties of the pandemic.

Don’t hesitate to book an appointment even if you think the issue at hand is minor.

The counselors are willing to help any student find solutions to any problem they may be facing.

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Men’s tennis defeat Shepherd 7-0

By Sarah Klein Copy editor

The Mercyhurst Men’s tennis team continued their season this past weekend with a 7-0 win over Shepherd University. Coming off of a pair of PSAC victories the previous weekend, the home match against Shepherd on March 28 was an easy win for the Lakers.

The Lakers went 3-0 in doubles against the Shepherd Rams.

In the first doubles, graduate student David Akinpetide and junior Milan Jankovic scored a 6-0 win against Kaleb Lochner and Evan Dokken. In the number two slot, senior Unai Amilleta Gonzalez and graduate student Arseniy Sklyarov secured a 6-1 victory over opponents Hamilton Hall and Austin Cramer. Mercyhurst sophomores Hristo Plaseski and Kiran Richards won by a score of 6-1 in third doubles against Rams Ryan Cox and Mason Palmer.

The Mercyhurst Lakers also swept singles. In first flight sin-

gles, Amilleta extended his season winning streak to eight matches with a 6-0, 6-1 victory against Shepherd’s Dokken. In second singles, Akinpetide secured a 6-0, 6-2 victory against Joseph Michael. Jankovic tallied a 6-0, 6-0 victory against Cramer in fourth singles. The fifth singles match between Sklyarov and Cox resulted in a 6-0, 6-2 win for the Lakers.

Closing out singles at number six, Richards finished Mercyhurst’s sweep with a 6-2, 6-0 win against Hall.

Back after last’s year abruptly ended season, the Mercyhurst Men’s tennis team is 4-4 overall and 3-0 in PSAC play. They were also ranked No. 5 in the Oracle ITA Atlantic Regional Poll announced March 24.

“So far, the season has been like no other. Due to COVID-19 our season has been affected by limited travel, disrupted practice times and inevitably fewer matches,” said Sklyarov. “Regardless, Coach Simon has made a valiant effort

HurstAthletics photo

Graduate student David Akinpetide during his 2-0 victory this past weekend.

to make the season as playable as possible for both teams and for that, I think I can speak for the entire team, when I say that we are all very grateful.”

Amilleta Gonzalez, in his final season here at Mercyhurst, leads the Lakers with his undefeated singles streak. In recognition of this, the Pennsylvania State Ath-

letic Conference has named him the Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week twice this semester, for the week of March 8 and March 22.

“I feel that the rest of the season is going to be great, because the team is getting better and better.

I am looking forward to playing Millersville University and West Chester in two weeks, which are

very important games,” Akinpetide said.

The Lakers are on the road on April 9 and 10 to return to the court and compete against Millersville University and West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

HURST RESULTS March 27: Women’s lacrosse vs.

Lock Haven; 16-11, Lakers HurstAthletics photo

The field hockey team meeting during the game.

Field hockey opens against IUP

By RayLynn Chraston

Staff writer

On Saturday, March 27, the Mercyhurst field hockey team traveled to Indiana University of PA under new head coach Brittney Randolph to open up their season this year.

The game started at 3 p.m. and would run for five 15 minute quarters instead of the traditional four. The Lakers sadly fell to IUP with an ending score of 0-6.

From the start, Mercyhurst was having trouble gaining their ground.

In the first half of the game, Mercyhurst had multiple defensive corners taken on them. Defensive players, sophomores Jillian Blas, Alexis Lovewell and freshmen Samantha Meyers, Morgan Cole, with senior Gaby Amico,

were able to stop the attacks from IUP quite well initially, despite the fact that IUP came out very aggressive from the start.

The Mercyhurst team received multiple yellow cards during the first half, due to the mix of bad calls and the aggression that was present on the field. During this time the Lakers were able to carry the ball to their attacking 25 but were unable to score.

Following the halftime discussion, the Lakers came out with an increased pace.

The Lakers were able to draw multiple offensive corners on IUP during the start of the second half but were unable to capitalize and put points on the board.

The second half of the game displayed the Lakers’ quick improvement in response to the situation.

Players noted that if they would

have come out stronger in the first half, the game would have been different.

Although the ending score was 6-0, the Mercyhurst field hockey team made the proper adjustments throughout and learned a lot in the process.

The Lakers also started a new tradition of naming a single athlete as the Wolf of the Game. The first player to receive the honor was Lizzy Laird, who “played with an incredible effort throughout the entire game, while playing a new position. Her poise and grit during the game did not go unnoticed,” as stated by the MU Field Hockey Twitter.

The Mercyhurst field hockey team will play their third game of the season on Saturday, April 10 at 6 p.m. against Slippery Rock.

March 27: Men’s lacrosse vs.

Westminster College (Utah); 18-12, Lakers March 27: Baseball vs. Gannon; 7-2, Lakers March 28: Field hockey vs.

Frostburg State University; 2-1, Lakers March 28: Women’s water polo vs. Penn State Behrend; 11-3, Lakers March 28: Men’s tennis vs.

Shepherd University; 7-0, Lakers

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

SPORTS

PAGE 15

Volleyball claims first win of the season

By Gillian Mazur Managing editor

On March 25 Mercyhurst University’s volleyball team traveled to Amherst, NY to face the Daemen University Wildcats.

An unorthodox home opener for the Wildcats, it marks the opposing team’s first competition in almost 500 days. Their last game was on November 22, 2019 at the semifinal round of the ECC Championship, and unlike our Lakers, were not permitted to play any games since within the state’s COVID guidelines.

After a recent doubleheader two-time loss the week prior to the Gannon University Knights, the Mercyhurst Lakers came back fighting to beat Daemon College on their own home court. The set scores were 17-25, 27-25, 25-23 and 25-21.

Taking an early 2-1 edge, the Wildcats took an 8-2 run and finished off with a kill by the opposition’s Loren Alberts. Within this time, Mercyhurst junior opposite Madison Kasper also recorded her first kill for the night.

Senior setter Claire Kenny took advantage of a mishit by Alberts to put the score within 11-7. Exchanging a pair of 4-0 runs the two teams kept the score within a four-point gap which ended 19-15. Junior and sophomore outside hitters, Beth Brady and Kate Hennessy, respectively, were both responsible for the Lakers’ scores. The set ended at 25-17 and the Wildcats outscored the Lakers 6-2.

At the start of the second set,

freshman middle blocker Maggie Thomas had a kill to earn the first point for the second set. The Wildcats retaliated and got three straight but the Lakers came back stronger with six of the eight kills from Brady, Kasper and a solo block from junior Adeline Benjamin, to leave the score 8-5.

A service ace by the opposing team brought the score back to 10-9 which then turned to 13-11 with another kill from Alberts.

Despite that, Mercyhurst’s Brady and Kasper managed to keep the margin at 19-17.

Senior libero Hannah Vuylsteke gave an ace of her own with Thomas adding another kill to bring the Lakers a 21-19 front. Another kill sent by Kasper made it set point but the Wildcats evened out the score 24-24. Thomas posted the final point for a 27-25 win for the second set.

During the third set, the scores volleyed back and forth and locked at 4-4. Hennessy, Kasper and Thomas took control to take a 10-6 lead. Daemon’s girls fought back bringing the score back to a 10-10 tie. After a mishandle on the Wildcats’ part, the Lakers took advantage and went on a 7-2 charge from Benjamin, Brady and Hennessy for an 18-13 score.

Kasper, Thomas and Vuylsteke finished off the third with a 25-23 score.

Starting the fourth strong, Thomas, Benjamin and Vuylsteke gained a 5-0 lead. The Wildcats fought back hard to bring the score within one point, making it 8-7. Brady, Kasper and Thomas led an 8-3 charge to give the Lak-

The Lakers celebrate their win on March 25.

ers a larger gap of 16-10. The following ten scores ended with a sixpoint margin, at 21-15. Daemen brought the score back to within one point to make the score 22-21 but Mercyhurst was not going to allow such a close call. Brady and Kenny put the final points on the board for the evening for a 25-21 victory.

“It has been exciting getting to play other teams after such a long time of not competing. Daemen is a good team with a strong offense, which showed in the first game. By the second game, we were able to figure their offense out better and understand their weak spots. The next two games were both close, but we pulled through with an aggressive offense and serves,” said Brady. “Daemen challenged us by putting the ball in smart, aggressive spots on our side of the court, but we were able to defend and create a fast offense

to challenge them with, which led us to come out with a victory at the end. As a team, we had strong communication, aggressiveness and made smart plays to get this win. Each player and coach made significant contributions to this win and we’re excited to continue competing.”

Kenny echoed Brady’s thoughts.

“I thought we really played like a team, and everyone on and off the court played a huge part in our win on Thursday. I’m proud of how we came back out really aggressively in the second game and took control of the match. It feels great to be able to say ‘happy game day’ again,” Kenny said.

“I think we played really well together and as one cohesive unit.

We did an amazing job not being complacent with letting the ball hit the ground and going after absolutely everything, especially libero Hannah Vuylsteke and de-

Daniels represents MU on diversity committee

By Emma Coppolo Contributing writer

Over the past year and a half, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in the demand for justice in communities that have been systemically oppressed.

While bigger demonstrations like the Black Lives Matter protests have been crucial in this crusade, smaller initiatives have an important place in this era of change.

One collective in this category is the College Hockey for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. Student-athletes and coaches from each of the NCAA’s Division I hockey conferences have banded together to create a positive change centered around the pivotal principle of “one shift at a time.” While change cannot happen overnight, that does not mean it cannot happen at all. The “one shift at a time” strategy focuses on individuals doing seemingly small acts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion that amount to huge changes in the lives of the people involved.

The Mercyhurst representative for College Hockey for Diversity,

Equity and Inclusion is Devon Daniels. In his experience with the committee, Devon has found a sense of camaraderie and understanding in his fellow members.

“My favorite thing about being on the committee is that I get to meet people who have grown up facing the same issues that I was faced with, and now we are working together so that people that are growing up now will not have to face the same hardships and issues that we were faced with” said Daniels. “Hearing other players’ stories, experiences and ideas is very inspiring and valuable.”

This comfortable atmosphere allows students and coaches alike to synthesize strategies for creating a positive change in the sport they share a mutual love for.

The student-athlete representative meets with approximately 30 other members of the committee monthly to discuss possible upcoming events and ways to improve their contributions.

“I think that the creation of this group will have a big impact on bringing awareness and change for diversity, equity and inclusion issues throughout college hockey in

particular because of its support from other organizations… [T]he representatives are very active and want to create a positive change for our game” Daniels said.

This change comes primarily through communication, education, allyship and advocacy. The committee understands these values to be the most effective ideals in creating a more understanding, comfortable environment for people of all walks of life.

On their website, the committee offers numerous resources for interested viewers to educate themselves further on the issues that the committee revolves around. Each value has its own set of media recommended for garnering a deeper understanding, including books, movies, videos and websites.

“Obviously, with the events and protests that occurred in the past year, it became clear that there is a need for change” said Daniels. “Hockey is a predominately white male sport, and, with this committee, we can help create the change that is needed so that the game can be more diverse [and] inclusive. All people [should] be

HurstAthletics photo

fensive specialist Zoe Gadomski.

Our blocking was also very good.

Our setter Claire Kenny did a fantastic job setting the tone and speed of the game and Madison Kasper and Beth Brady were fabulous adjusting to that and getting some amazing kills off of her.

Overall we played so well together and I’m proud of my team for putting out good energy on the court and pulling out such an amazing win,” Benjamin said.

The Lakers are set for another doubleheader versus the Clarion Golden Eagles on March 31 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

On April 2, they are also set to play Penn State Behrend at home.

More information can be found on hurstathletics.com website.

LET’S GO, LAKERS!

Friday April 2: Baseball vs.

Pitt-Johnstown, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.

treated the same no matter their skin color, race, religion or sexual orientation.”

College Hockey for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has specifically curated these sources with recent events in mind, and it is actively changing the conversation in college hockey to be more accessible to everybody.

To learn more about this important organization, go to www. collegehockey4dei.com or search the hashtags #collegehockey4DEI and #oneshiftatatime.

Softball vs.

Pitt-Johnstown, 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Men’s lacrosse vs.

Chestnut Hill College, 6 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Penn State Behrend, 7:30 p.m.

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Regarding your upcoming challenges, the Aries Lamb should very quickly size things up and allow you to make the best possible use of whatever resources you have on hand. Good luck.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You rarely blame others for missteps that worked against you. But this time you need to lay out all the facts and insist that everyone acknowledge his or her share of the mistakes. Then start again.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might want to start making vacation plans. And don’t be surprised by unexpected family demands. Maintain control. Be open to suggestions, but don’t get bogged down by them.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Work with both your Moon Child and Crab aspects this week to keep both your creative and your practical sides balanced.

Your intuition sharpens, giving you greater insight by the middle of the week.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) The Big Cat finally should have all the information needed to move on with a project. If not, maybe you’ll want to give everything a new and more thorough check before trying to move on.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Too much emotional pain caused by someone you can’t win over as a friend? Then stop trying to do so. You have other things you need to work on this week. Go to it, and good luck.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) It’s a good time to reassess where and how your strengths can help you build, and where your weaknesses can hinder you. Remember to build on your strongest foundation.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) That personal matter that seemed so hard to deal with should be less confusing now. Don’t rush. Let things happen easily, without the risk of creating even more puzzlement.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Change continues to be a strong factor in many important areas.

Keep on top of them, and you won’t have to worry about losing control. A personal situation takes on a new look.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A business offer sounds intriguing. But if you don’t check it out thoroughly, you could have problems. Take a set of questions with you when you attend your next meeting.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Your self-confidence should be coming back. That’s good news.

But it might be a bit over the top right now, so best to let it settle down before you start making expensive decisions.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your life, your decisions. Good enough. But be sure you have all the facts you need to put into the decision-maker mixing bowl and hope it will come out as it should.

BORN THIS WEEK: You find much of your creativity with new people who give you much to think about. © 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

HURST TOON Student-drawn cartoon by the Martian