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The Merciad
Est. 1929 Vol. 88 No. 16
Mercyhurst university
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Kennedy wins Romero Award By Jose Nufio Staff writer
Sister Mary Claire Kennedy, Social Justice Coordinator for the Sisters of St. Joseph (SSJ) of Northwestern Pennsylvania, will receive the 22nd Archbishop Oscar Romero award presented by Mercyhurst University and the Religious Studies department for her work against human trafficking. Kennedy will receive the award during an open ceremony held this evening at 7 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room. She will talk about her work in issues of human trafficking and the set of programs she has developed with the Sisters of Saint Joseph on the issue. “For the past three years we’ve been bringing awareness to the Erie community on the issue, and advocating for better laws and the enforcement of the prosecution for traffickers, as well as trying to probe laws that come to the assistance of the vic-
tims,” Kennedy said. Kennedy has also worked on various issues that look to assist the poor. She organizes the SSJ Thanksgiving dinner to feed the homeless during the holiday season. In response to the murders and acts of violence that have been committed in the city of Erie and Millcreek district, Kennedy coordinates the “Take Back the Site” vigils with the SSJ, which are prayer services held at the sites where homicides have taken place. “We work on everything from the death penalty to immigration to the environment. There are very pertinent social justice issues that are calling for a response and we try to do a lot to bring education and advocacy,” said Kennedy. “Much of it also depends on what the issue of the day is.” Although Kennedy possesses a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Duquesne University and has taught science for most her life, she has always had a calling for social justice. “My professional career has
Contributed photo
Sister Mary Claire Kennedy has worked to combat human trafficking, as well as many other social justice causes over her life.
been in science most of my life, but when I was in college, I became aware of the Catholic social justice encyclicals and they just resonated with me as well as the call of the Gospel to serve those in need and try to be a voice for the voiceless. I looked at it as a religious call in a sense,” said Kennedy. “No matter my
years in science, I was always doing peace and justice on the side.” According to Daniel McFee, Ph.D., Chair of the Religious Studies Department, the recipient for the award is chosen unanimously by the department and given to somebody who has gone above and beyond the call of
duty to live a life of peace and justice, and protect people who are innocent and vulnerable. The award is given to someone worthy, but is also able to come to Mercyhurst to give a talk. In this sense, it is very pragmatic, because only candidates that are able to come receive the award, said McFee. The department chose Kennedy in particular, because she is a Sister of Saint Joseph and they had never chosen a sister of Saint Joseph before. “Her life and her work are extraordinary. Just her resume itself jumps off the page at you when you look at it,” McFee said. McFee said he hopes many students will attend the award ceremony to learn from Kennedy’s journey as a social justice advocate, highlighting that a figure like her is hard to come across. “She is over 80 and she has a long history with working with the poor and the marginalized. She has wisdom to share with us and I think it’s important for people to share
that kind of wisdom,” McFee said. Kennedy said she is humbled to receive this award, but also views it as an affirmation of what she has been trying to do with people that have accompanied her along the way. Besides doing service projects, students should work for systemic change, according to Kennedy. This means getting involved in the political process to change the systems that contributes to poverty. “[Students] get turned off by politics, but it’s essential that they become aware; that they work for the changes that are necessary for the common good,” said Kennedy. “From my point of view there is a greater need to become advocates of change for the good on the political and civics point of view.”
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Students nominated for RAVE awards New FAA drone regulations don’t affect Mercyhurst By Emani Burton Staff writer
Two Mercyhurst students are nominated for the Recognizing Achieving Volunteers in Erie (RAVE) awards by the Junior League of Erie. Michelle Ahrens and Stefani Baughman will represent Mercyhurst in the first-ever young adult category of the annual award. The winners will be awarded in a RAVE awards dinner on April 28. Winners of the award will receive a $1,000 grant to distribute to the nonprofit of his/her choice. The awards are sponsored by Get Connected Erie and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Of the 30 nominees across three separate categories, only one winner is chosen per category. These students are chosen for their dedication to longterm service in the Erie community. “The students chosen for the award aren’t surprises,” said Director of Community Engagement Colin Hurley. Hurley said that he plans to use these students’ nominations to encourage a more
Merciad Index
holistic approach to service learning and volunteerism. “We want to encourage volunteerism not as a merely a way to spend four years at Mercyhurst or to build resumes, but to go beyond the gates of our classrooms,” said Hurley. “The RAVE awards were one opportunity of many to highlight great students doing great things.” Hurley said that through students like those nominated, Mercyhurst can realize its full potential by not just drawing from Erie, but also by adding to it. “Serving is a lifelong journey. You don’t do it in one soup kitchen visit. These excellent student nominees, they don’t do it necessarily to count hours, but they do it because it’s part of them,” Hurley said. Stefani Baughman, a senior Intelligence Studies and Political Science major was not expecting any type of nomination for her service work. “I was really surprised. I didn’t know what the award was,” Baughman said. Most of her community service opportunity was spent in volunteering
posts such as the Emmaus Soup Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity and the International Institute of Erie. Baughman continues to stay involved in community service despite a busy schedule. “It’s difficult, but rewarding,” said Baughman. Baughman has not yet decided what she will do in the future, but has said she is considering a year of service with AmeriCorps. “Bethany Brun and Colin Hurley were really instrumental why I’m so involved at Mercyhurst. They are both so passionate about service learning and students,” Baughman said. Michelle Ahrens, a junior Social Work and Religious Studies double major, works heavily in community engagement. Ahrens is the University’s first House of Mercy Ambassador, where she lives and works at the House of Mercy with Sister Michelle Shroeck of the Sisters of Mercy. Several evenings each week, Ahrens helps the sisters run an after-school program for local children. The experience is helping to prepare for a future career. “I’m not quite sure what I
want to do yet, but I would love to work with kids,” Ahrens said. Ahrens credits her active community involvement with Mercyhurst’s staff and dedicated culture of community service. “I wasn’t really big into volunteering until I came to Mercyhurst,” said Ahrens. “One of my biggest inspirations for all this was Bethany Brun, who was my rowing coach in high school. I saw how passionate she was with service learning and that got me interested in it.” Ahrens plans to continue living and working at the House of Mercy into her senior year. Brun, director of Service Learning, was an integral part of nominating Mercyhurst students for the RAVE awards. She said the nominees have done more than what was expected of them. “Those students have gone above and beyond the call of service and their service resumes speak for themselves,” Brun said. @TheMerciad
By Melanie Todd Staff writer
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed new regulations for drones but Mercyhurst’s drone use will likely not be affected, as it is primarily used to take aerial videos and photographs for marketing purposes, officials from Mercyhurst say. The focus of these regulations is to keep drones away from airports and in interfering with any aircraft or airport activity. Drones cannot fly within five miles of an airport without specific permission, according to FAA regulations. Mercyhurst is about eight miles from the Erie International Airport. Another focus of the new regulations is the safety of people around drones. FAA regulations state drones have to be within sight and below 400 feet at all times. Drones
are also supposed to avoid people and stadiums. “We always keep the drone in sight when flying and we don’t get too close to people or buildings to be dangerous,” Executive Assistant to the Provost and Office Manager of the Department of Anthropology/Archaeology Dionne Veitch said. FAA regulations fine offenders if the unmanned aircraft are used recklessly. Drone technology is new and its use still being explored. Mercyhurst’s drone is used market the school to potential students. It is used infrequently and follows all of the new FAA regulations. “In a nutshell, we’re fine,” Veitch said.
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Online Poll Results
How has the temporary closure of the Student Union affected you?
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13% It hasn’t been bad, I’m fine with all the changes. 23% The line into Egan is long and I’m hungry. 32% I can’t wait until the new indoor swimming pool opens up. 32% It hasn’t really affected me.
Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: Are you excited to the university’s move back to trimesters?
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