The Merciad, April 9, 2014 by The Merciad

Ecodemia on pages 7 - 9:

News On Page 3:

Arts & Entertainment on Page 11:

Check out Ecodemia in this issue

Renovations on lower Hirt planned

Moscow Ballet: ‘Swan Lake’ Read more inside & online

THE Merciad MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY

EST. 1929 VOL. 87 NO. 18

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

Big weekend at ’Hurst Events crowd campus with students, families

Allison Ockasi photo

Salina Bowe photo

(Above) Students and incoming freshmen browse through the university’s selection of registered RSCO’s. (top, right) The annual career fair was a success as students came out to check out prospective job opportunities. (bottom, right) Kids and Sibs boasted a positive turn out of Mercyhurst students and their siblings. Quite a few came out to see the Ocelot. Taylor Bookmiller photo

Adult students recognized for academic excellence By Mathew Anderson Editor-in-Chief

Contributed photo

From left to right, Carl Best, Chance Nye, Kerry Dieter-Roward, Cynthia Dunn and Tiffany Patterson after being inducted into ASL

Merciad Index News 1-3 Features 4-6 Ecodemia 7-9 A&E 10-11 Opinion 12 Sports 13-15 Laker Living 16

Last Thursday, April 3, the National Honor Society for Non-Traditional Students, Alpha Sigma Lambda, welcomed eight new inductees from Mercyhurst. The society’s aim is to recognize the academic success of adult students. They were recognized in this way because, in most circumstances, they are doing more than attending classes and completely projects. Adult students have the challenge of balancing school work with their home life while also dealing with their work schedule. According to its mission

statement, Alpha Sigma Lambda “is dedicated to the advancement of scholarship and recognizes high scholastic achievement in an adult student’s career.” The ceremony was started off by Kylie Peters, graduate intern, with a quote by Bernard Edmunds, “To dream anything you want to dream, that’s the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do, that’s the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits, that’s the courage to succeed,” a very important lesson that all students should keep in mind. To be inducted into the honor society, an adult student must have completed at least 24 credit hours while

Online Poll Results Did you face any issues with the housing sign-up website? 13% None at all.

6% I’m glad the university is continuing to go green. 19% Couldn’t even get through the whole process without a problem. 63% It’s slower than the Obamacare website.

maintaining a 3.2 grade point average on a standard 4.0 scale. The Mercyhurst inductees involved in this ceremony included Eduardo Ortega JR., Carl Best, who served as an Intelligence Analyst and is now majoring in Intelligence Studies with a minor in Russian Studies, Juan Quevedo and Rachel Curtis, a Sociology major who has three children and a husband. Curtis is back in school after getting her degree from Mercyhurst North East in early childhood education. Also inducted were Cynthia Dunn, who cares for two girls and is attending Mercyhurst as a Public Health Major with goals to create support groups for at risk young girls in the

community, Kerry Dieter-Roward, Chance Nye and Tiffany Patterson, who plans to gain her master’s degree and, eventually, her Ph.D. to further her career after Mercyhurst. During the ceremony, Peters gave a brief explanation to what Alpha Sigma Lambda meant. “Alpha is the ﬁrst letter in the Greek alphabet; therefore it stands for ‘ﬁrst.’ The letter Sigma corresponds to the letter ‘S,’ and is symbolic of scholarship. Lambda corresponds to the letter ‘L,’ and denotes leadership. Thus, Alpha Sigma Lambda forms the framework of our motto, which is ‘First in Scholarship and Leadership.’” @TheMerciad

Tom Ridge to visit ’Hurst Former Pennsylvanian Gov. Tom Ridge will be at Mercyhurst University on Friday, April 11, at 10 a.m. for the official announcement of the establishment of the Tom Ridge School of Intelligence Studies and Information Science. The event will take place in the board room, room 300 of the CAE. University officials and ridge will discuss new school. Ridge is a native to Erie, a two-term governor of Pennsylvania and the first secretary of homeland security.

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April 9, 2014

The Merciad

News

Residence Life Mercyhurst launches summer conducts health program for high schoolers and safety checks By Melanie Todd

By Ryan Kushner Staff writer

When living on a college campus, there are always going to be concerns regarding student privacy and the protection of it. It is a fine line to walk, and there is little doubt that the negligence and behavior of past students have contributed to making that line finer. At the end of April, Mercyhurst University’s Residence Life will again attempt to walk that line while conducting the biannual Health and Safety Inspections of student living areas. The goal of the inspections, according to Director of Residence Life Alice Agnew, is to “make sure students are living safely and that things are in operating order.” “It is not about finding any violations,” she said. The inspections are typically performed by assistant directors and hall directors of Residence Life, as well as a member of the Maintenance Staff. These Mercyhurst employees enter student living areas, whether the students who live there are present or not, and proceed to look around at belongings and check for any immediate issues with the environment. “It does not involve looking in drawers,” Agnew explained. “It is truly what is just sitting out in the open.” Though a date and time for the upcoming inspections has yet to be announced, it does not need to be. According to the Mercyhurst Student Handbook, Residence Life is not required to inform students of when the inspections will take place. Before the most recent inspection, held during the J-Term, a flyer was posted around campus living quarters, announcing that inspections would occur during the week of January 13-17, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Though students are commonly notified at least a week in advance that an inspection is going to occur, Agnew said the reason for not providing students with the specific time and date for each apartment or dorm room is to be inspected is due to the difficulty in determining how long or how quickly the inspections can be performed by staff. “The idea is that it gives [the

inspectors] the ability to move on if they have gotten something done quickly, or to have as long as they need if for some reason it is going slower that day,” she said. Students found in violation of the living standards the school upholds will receive an email notifying them of the issue. Otherwise, a resident who is not in his or her living quarters at the time the inspection takes place will receive no notification that Residence Life had ever been there. When asked whether entering into a student’s apartment or dorm room is a violation of privacy and when it is not, Agnew said that “we are allowed to go in at almost any time that we feel there is cause to go in.” Agnew added that she and her staff make it a priority to always announce themselves before and when they are entering a residence. Regarding usual student reaction to the inspections, Agnew said that students “generally respond very well…because it gives them the opportunity to talk to people that can fix things, if [the students] happen to be home.” On the topic of how many Residence Life employees have keys to student dorms and apartments, Agnew said that all resident assistants (RAs) “have some level of master key, usually just to their building and their adjoining building,” but are able to exchange one key for another as needed while on duty. Others possessing master keys include five hall directors, four assistant directors and herself. “We talk a lot about keys,” Agnew said. “We hold very high standards on using those keys. We certainly tell Residence Life staff that it is one way they can lose their job, and if they are going to key into somewhere, then they need to have permission to do so.” “Jobs have been lost for that in the past,” she added. For more information, contact Alice Agnew at aagnew@ mercyhurst.edu, or go under the Housing Information section of Student Handbook, located on the Mercyhurst Portal.

@TheMerciad

News Brief

Business club hosts fashion show The Business Club is hosting its third “Dress for Success” fashion show on Thursday, April 10, at 8:15 p.m., in the Mercy Heritage Room. The Business Club chose this event to teach all students to dress properly for an interview for internships and jobs. The event is tailored toward juniors and seniors who are more likley to have job interviews, although the event is open to the public. They partnered with The Sassy Peacock, a downtown consignment store. Student models will show off a variety of suits for both men and women, including blazers, sports jackets, sweaters, dresses, blouses, dress pants, skirts, and dress shirts. Junior and Business Club President Brianne Smail, junior and Vice President Dennis Arthur, junior and Secretary, Mariano Lagos, senior and Co-treasurer, Minh Phi, and junior and Co-Treasurer Tara Acharya organized the event. “We have organized this event for Mercyhurst students, and we encourage everybody to attend to watch their fellow students model and have fun,” junior student and Secretary of the Business Club said.

Staff writer

This is the pilot year for the Mercyhurst Summer Experience. Throughout the months of June and July, high school students are invited to attend one of several camps on campus. Each camp is geared towards a particular program offered at Mercyhurst. “We wanted to gear it to high school students so they could test the waters in different majors,” said Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs Michele Wheaton. Camps offered include majors like art, anthropology, dance, forensic science,

geology, music, theater and creative writing. The faculty is looking forward to the Summer Experience and many have field trips planned or special activities in store for the students. Wheaton said the goal is for “students to be exposed to things they might be interested in; it will either spark something or confirm that they don’t like it.” Ultimately, the Summer Experience can be a tool for high school students to begin thinking about college and majors that interest them. Not only does the Summer Experience serve as an opportunity for area students, it also is very beneficial to the faculty.

“Summer time here is very quiet,” said Wheaton. “We wanted to ﬁnd a way to make the campus alive all year long.” The idea was partially inspired by the Pennsylvania Governor’s School. Before the funding for the program was cut several years ago, the state would sponsor specialized summer school for students who are accepted into the prestigious program. While the state staffed the programs, Mercyhurst was always chosen as one of the Arts and Humanities specialized schools. The faculty enjoys having the students on campus and sought a way to bring back this atmosphere. Through the camps, the

faculty has the opportunity to teach in a very different manner. The nature of the camps and the time frame is more conducive to trips and special activities. They can experience what it will be like to be in that field of study. Wheaton thinks this is the most beneficial aspect of the camps. It is difficult to find exactly what career will make you happy in life but doing so is incredibly important. “When work isn’t work, it’s just fun,” Wheaton said. She hopes the students will all find a career that they are eager to wake up and go to in the morning. @TheMerciad

MU HOUSING FACT #12: Living on campus gives students access to Maintenance, Police & Safety and Residence Life Staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Housing Contracts Available via the Portal through Thursday, April 17th Questions?

Egan 323 reslife@mercyhurst.edu 814.824.2422

April 9, 2014

Page 3

The Merciad

News

Facility renovations begin on lower Hirt By Jose Nuﬁo Staff writer

The lower level of the Audrey Hirt academic building, which contains the working facilities of the Communication and Graphic Design departments, will be renovated over the summer. The plan is to create a student-centered facility and transition the department to the quality of a professional-level communication facility. The department was given the green light at the end of last summer, “so we’ve been working diligently in making the plans and making them come into fruition,” said Assistant Professor and Chair of the Communication department, Meghan Corbin. The ﬁrst part of the renovation is the construction of the Center for Media Convergence on the northeastern corner of the building, in the area now being used by as Laker TV. All the equipment in the

control room of Laker TV studio will be upgraded to digital, to be up to par with what today’s professionals use in the industry. “As the industry moves to this new standard, this equipment will allow us to do that as well. We will be getting new cameras, new sound board, new editing board, new on-site equipment, and cameras and equipment for on-site shooting,” said Corbin. To attain greater convergence between the current Mercyhurst media, the Merciad ofﬁce is moving into the area currently being used by Laker TV, as a way to increase cooperation between the two groups. “If we had one story, then there might be an article in the Merciad and a news package on Laker TV,” said Corbin. The radio station will stay where it currently is at the bottom of the Baldwin Residence Hall. The radio will still work alongside the other two media

Contributed photo

An artist’s rendering of the north view of Center for Media Convergence in the Communications Department, which is also on display at the lower level of the Audrey Hirt building. as part of a united student media group. The second part of the ren-

ovation is the upgrade of the Graphic Design Lab. A removable wall will be built in the computer teaching lab, where students will be able to enter a work station without disturbing the classes that are being taught. The third portion of the renovation is in the lobby area of Hirt, below the stairs. The photocopier will be moved elsewhere in the lobby, while couches, signage and a ﬂat screen TV will be added. Additionally, a display case for the awards that Communication and Graphic Design

students have won, will be installed. There will be a table-top bar that will run along the west side of the wall so students can come and work on projects between classes. Other upgrades include carpeting and painting the classrooms to “freshen up” the face of the area. As part of the new equipment, students will use Premier as their new editing software. James Lohrey will be the new faculty member of the Communication Department, replacing Dennis Lebec who is retiring after this spring term.

By Jose Nuﬁo Staff writer

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@TheMerciad

Hospitality students battle for charity

SALARY:

Lohrey has taught at Mansﬁeld University for eight years and specializes in multimedia storytelling. He is expected to overlook Laker TV. “He is a very hands-on faculty member and will be a good set for the department and the university. We are very lucky to have him,” said Corbin. The Communication department is also in the process of becoming a member of the new Tom Ridge School for Intelligence Studies and Data Management.

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Two Mercyhurst students will go head to head in a cooking battle, as seen in Food Network’s “Chopped.” The hospitality department will host a student version of the TV series on Tuesday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Marriott Café, located in the lower level of the Center for Academic Engagement. H a i l i n g f r o m O n t a r i o, Canada, Junior Food and Beverage major, Ethan Sykes will go up against Erie native, Senior Food and Beverage major, Steve Balkovic. Beth Ann Sheldon, Associate Professor of Hospitatity Management, views them both as worthy participants for the competition. “[Sykes] has worked quite a bit in the industry as a chef. That is his ambition, his passion, he really enjoys it. He is a very talented young man,” said Sheldon. “[Balkovic] is a very creative chef, very fun young man who has a great career ahead of him.” All visitors are required to pay a ﬁve dollar entrance fee, with all proceeds going to the March of Dimes charity of Erie. The Hospitality Management Association (HMA) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) of Mercyhurst, raise money for different charities throughout the year. March of Dimes is the charity chosen for this spring.

March of Dimes is a charity that assists mothers during their pregnancies and they research pediatric health issues. They raise money to support children who have been born prematurely and/or with birth defects. Sheldon encourages students to attend the show to not only have a good time, but also support the charity. “We’re having some fun, we’re helping raise money for a worthy charity, and we are giving the students an opportunity to learn to do something that they are familiar with on TV… These are very skilled students, their culinary skills are very good, it will be very entertaining,” said Sheldon. A day before “Chopped” on April 14, Mercyhurst North East will host their own cooking competition. In this occasion, students will recreate another Food Network show titled, “Iron Chef.” Several culinary students will compete against each other with no other purpose, but to entertain the students of North East. To make reservations for the Mercyhurst Main “Chopped” competition, email Allyson Minor at aminor@mercyhurst. edu. Due to limited spacing, there is room for only 60 people. Reservations are required to attend the show.

@TheMerciad

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April 9, 2014

The Merciad

Features Kids and Sibs is a success for all By Brinsley Evanson Contributing writer

This past weekend, Student Activities Council hosted the annual ‘Kids and Sibs weekend’ here at Mercyhurst. This event revolves around students bringing their younger siblings for a weekend full of fun activities. Kids and Sibs began with an exotic petting zoo on Friday in the Great Room of the Union, followed by bingo and Little Caesar’s pizza. On Saturday, there was an inﬂatable rock wall, a jump house and laser tag in the REC. There was plenty of free food, such as Rita’s, Chic-ﬁl-a, Tim Hortons, smoothies and popcorn. Overall, about 40 sibs attended the weekend-long event.

Although the event was directed toward younger siblings, “a lot of students without sibs attended the events, especially the petting zoo. We tried to make this year really unique” says Students Activities Council (SAC) chair Victoria Lewis. Compared to years past, SAC event programmer Alex Strong said, “this year there were more older siblings than years past, so we tried to gear all the activities to an older crowd, although there was a pretty sweet play-doh station offered.” Overall, Kids and Sibs weekend was a huge success for students with and without siblings. @TheMerciad

Senior Grace Doman plays with a monkey at the petting zoo in the Student Union Great Room during Kids and Sibs.

Taylor Bookmiller photo

Ashley Favata photo

Rock wall climbing occurred in the REC during Kids and Sibs.

Kids played laser tag at the REC.

Ashley Favata photo

April 9, 2014

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The Merciad

Features Garvin to study fossils in Africa By Casey Bleuel

Contributing writer

A Mercyhurst biological anthropology professor will spend the spring studying 1,200 hominid fossils in South Africa. Heather Garvin, Ph.D., who has taught at Mercyhurst for a year and a half, was invited to ﬁll a research position for “The Rising Star Workshop,” which is operated by University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Garvin will join a team of approximately 30 scientists from May 6 to June 6 to analyze the remains. She plans on using the 700 three-dimensional scans of human skulls and postcranial skeletal measurements she collected while working on her dissertation to help compare these hominid fossils to modern human variation.

The 1,200 fossils are all located in one cave, but scientists have little other information. Garvin said she has theories on how they all came to reside in the same place but added that one should go in with an open mind. “A lot of my research has been looking at sexual dimorphism, not only how are males and females are different, but why are they different and why do we see variations in those differences,” said Garvin. “For example, U.S. males and females tend to be more sexually dimorphic, meaning they show greater sex differences than what we see in Asian populations.” Garvin received her master’s degree from Mercyhurst in biological and forensic anthropology in 2007 and her doctorate from John Hopkins University in functional anatomy and evolution.

She started off as an undergraduate at the University of Florida majoring in zoology, but discovered she could apply the same scientiﬁc principles to humans and switched focus to biological anthropology. Her favorite research topic is modern human variation, especially in North American populations, considering that the U.S. is home to so many diverse groups. Garvin explained that she wants to “understand why we are so different, why did this variation evolve in the ﬁrst place. That’s why you have to look back in the paleo record, [to ask questions such as] why do we have chins? We don’t actually know why we have chins... they don’t show up until Neanderthals.” @TheMerciad

Heather Garvin, Ph. D., will be heading to South Africa to study hominid fossils.

Casey Bleuel photo

Career Fair goes well for students By Amanda Moore Contributing writer

Alison Ockasi photo

(L-R) Sophomore Lisa Klaiber, freshman Rachel Swartzfager and senior Johneisha Williams visit the Catholic Health table at the Career Fair in the MAC.

This year’s career fair, held on April 3 in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, was positively viewed by students who were in attendance. Students were able to visit 94 booths from noon until 4 p.m. to talk with potential employers. “What I noticed was there was a lot of diversity. There were at least two booths per major,” exercise science major Brian Beattie said. There was representation for most majors, and people from many different years

attended as well. “It is never going to be a negative moment to go to the job fair,” said Career Development Counselor Kolleen Woodcock. “It is good for all years because you always can start working on networking skills.” Students had many different reasons for attending the event. “This is deﬁnitely an opportunity to practice my professional communication and get names,” fashion merchandizing junior Sara Chuzie said. While networking is important, others were looking for work experience.

“I enjoy seeing all of the internships available that I could have,” sophomore HR management major Meghan Hubert said. Students could make many different professional connections. “I am amazed to see how many companies are here to see Mercyhurst students,” sophomore hospitality major Allie Coco said. For more info on the Career Development Center, contact Associate Director Frank Rizzone at frizzone@ mercyhurst.edu. @TheMerciad

Special Education majors get ﬁeld experience By Alexandra Kleckner Contributing writer

Through a university -to-school partnership, Special Education majors are getting ﬁrst-hand experience in their ﬁeld of study with the help of their professor, Susan Johnson, M.S. Ed. You may have even seen them moseying around campus. The partnership allows students in Johnson’s High Incidence Disabilities: Effective Instructional Practices course

to partner with individuals with disabilities from a local middle school and high school to mentor and help orientate them to a college campus, twice every month here at Mercyhurst. During their time together, the students work on a curriculum involving functional daily living skills, safety and independent navigation skills, and functional skills that are typically needed in post-secondary life. This type of exposure is just, “one of many clinical experiences that our undergraduate program offers our Special

Education majors” said Johnson. It is highly recommended, and even encouraged, for those pursuing a degree in education to adopt a dual major in Special Education, since the likelihood of an individual with a disability being in one of their classrooms is almost certain. Hands-on experience is particularly essential in the preparation for a career in the ﬁeld of education, as it gives students exposure to an array of personalities, reactions and situations that they may encounter while

Wellness Fair takes place By Carly Contraguerro Contributing writer

On Friday, April 4, the 10th annual Wellness Fair took place in the MAC from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event was open to the students, faculty and staff of Mercyhurst University. The Wellness Fair is designed to increase health awareness and to motivate people to lead a healthy lifestyle. Organized by Leadership & Outreach Coordinator in the Campus Involvement Center Kristy Jamison, the Wellness Fair is a cooperative event run by many organizations. “I gather representatives from various departments and organizations on campus who participate in the event each year and we bounce around ideas of what topic each department and organization will host at their station,” said Jamison.

“We aim to promote the seven dimensions of wellness, which are physical, social, emotional, environmental, spiritual, intellectual and occupational well-being.” There were many objectives that Jamison wanted to accomplish with the Wellness Fair. “Some of our objectives for the fair are to establish an interdisciplinary approach and connect student life and academics through collaboration of the event. It also gives students the opportunity to take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it in a real-world setting,” Jamison said. During the Wellness Fair, there were free giveaways, including a salad shaker given to the ﬁrst 150 people at the fair. Also, people who participated in personal assessment demonstrations were eligible to win wellness-related prizes such as a 3-month member-

ship to LECOM or a FitBit. One club that participated in the Wellness Fair this year was the Mercyhurst Mentors team. This year, they had a table where people could make healthy trail mix. Another participant was the Sports Medicine Department who had various stations that focus on physical demonstrations and well-being. The Health & Wellness Center provided information about emotional well-being and health safety. If you would like to know more information about the Wellness Fair and how it went, please contact Kristy Jamison at kjamison@mercyhurst.edu or (814) 824-2388. For more info on the Health & Wellness Center, please contact them at health@mercyhurst.edu. @TheMerciad

teaching, thus building sensitivities to such conditions and strengthening their abilities to work through them. Through personal experience with field placements, and by speaking with fellow Education majors and teachers, these interactive experiences within the field benefit each individual involved and are a significant component towards earning a degree in education.

@TheMerciad

Contributed photo

Special Education majors helped out those with disabilities.

LAKER MOMENT

By Casey Bleuel

Casey Bleuel photo

On Saturday, April 5, Mercyhurst students gathered at the Taylor Little Theatre with their Laker Live-Ins to watch a comedy sketch. Two comedians from Comedy Central cracked jokes about the cold weather in Erie and their experiences with their crazy families. According to them, our campus looks like a mini Hogwarts, with its dramatic lighting at night and tall brick spires. The ﬁrst comedian, Brian Moote (pictured above), brought up a good point: why do certain colloquial phrases exist? Who decided “so you’re just going to waltz in here?” was an acceptable expression? Did someone literally waltz into another person’s home unexpectedly? They engaged the audience in their act, asking the Intel majors if they could really watch everyone from their computer screens. The second comedian let everyone know that the Intel majors could secretly tune in to their conversation on the road and hear them talking about what a great audience we were. The show lasted for about an hour and a half, and every minute was very entertaining.

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The Merciad

Features

April 9, 2014

Students take part in Laker Live-In By Naomi Greenstein Staff writer

Mercyhurst University hosted over 100 prospective students this past weekend during their Laker Live-In event. Laker Live-In a yearly event organized by the Admissions and Residence Life ofﬁces that allows accepted high school seniors to stay overnight with a freshman in a campus residence hall. Each freshman residence hall had an event planned for the prospective students. Baldwin Hall featured a girl’s spa night. Warde Hall featured a movie night while McAuley Hall had can jam and corn hole. The program began in 2011 when two resident assistants in Warde Hall decided to put on a program for the visiting students. Assistant Director of Residence Life & Student Conduct Michael Grasso explained that the RAs wanted to “do something fun for them,” so they created a luau party with games and food called “Laker Luau.” “They had a pretty good turnout, and I think the kids appreciated having somewhere to go,” said Grasso. “The following year we decided to build on that. All the staff got involved and we decided to continue the program and make it bigger.” According to Grasso, Laker Live-In is a way for the incoming class to “live the experience” after they visited and applied.

“Now it is time to show them what the campus life is actually like,” Grasso said. Current freshmen serve as the prospective students’ hosts, which is appropriate, according to Grasso. “...[T]he current class of freshmen students have most recently been through that transition, and also because they live in the dorms, which is where their Lakers will be living for the ﬁrst year at Mercyhurst,” Grasso said. Caitlin Dee, a freshman in Baldwin Hall, participated as a host. Dee said she tried to show her prospective student the beneﬁts of coming to Mercyhurst. “I wanted to show my Laker all the great things Mercyhurst has to offer, and the fun events that go on all the time. I also wanted them to see what it will be like for them living in Baldwin Hall because I have really enjoyed my time here,” Dee said. Dee declined to attend Laker Live-In as an entering freshman and regrets her decision. “I wish I would have attended the Live-In as an incoming student only because I feel that the transition would have been easier,” said Dee. “It is hard going from living with your parents your whole life to being on your own.”

Casey Bleuel photos

@TheMerciad

Top photo: Grad student Jenna Dascanio, left, gives out candy to students in Warde Hall during the Laker Live-In event. Bottom photo: Taylor Little Theatre is full of current and prospective students waiting to see two comedians perform on stage.

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VOLUME 0015

ECODEMIA

APRIL 2014

Students and Faculty Respond to Toxic Chemicals

Anne Zaphiris, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Organizational Leadership graduate program In spring 2013, my Environmental Communication class listened to a presentation by representatives of Pennsylvania Sea Grant explaining the eﬀects of toxic chemicals in personal care products and how certain products may be harmful to humans and the environment. With lax federal standards regulating these products in the United States, many consumers are unaware of the ingredients in their favorite brands. Motivated to inform others about this problem, Organizational Leadership g ra d u ate st u d e nt s and Communication undergraduates developed a strategic communication campaign to raise awareness, improve knowledge, and change behaviors Stacy Malkan related to the use of personal care products with harmful ingredients. The class created Fresh Face Forward and partnered with PA Sea Grant to increase awareness of these issues on the Mercyhurst campus. During the 2013-14 academic year, the Fresh Face Forward team has used strategies and tactics to increase awareness of the issue, inﬂuence students to change their personal care products to safer alternatives, and

inﬂuence those who will not change their brands to at least decrease the number of personal care products they use on a daily basis. One such tactic is “Beauty Secrets Workshops” held monthly at Egan Dining Hall where faculty, staﬀ and students can pledge to reduce their personal care product use or change to safer alternatives. At this event, team members demonstrate homemade alternatives found in the Fresh Face Forward recipe book. In addition to the recipe book of homemade beauty and personal care products, the team has also compiled a regional shopping guide for safer alternatives available on our website (freshfaceforward.org). Another outreach is “Toxic Beauty Exposed” with campaign members visiting a class, team, or group to discuss the problem in detail and teach participants how to make safer products. The FFF team has also hosted workshops in the region at LifeWorks, SONS of Lake Erie, Collegiate High School, and Green Building Alliance.

“With lax federal standards regulating these products in the United States, many consumers are unaware of the ingredients in their favorite brands”

She will speak on Tuesday, April 22nd at 7 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall about the inside story of unprecedented research and advocacy efforts of a group of women who created the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and built a national movement to shift the $50 billion beauty industry away from harmful chemicals and toward safer products. As the lead media strategist for the cosmetics campaign, Stacy has helped generate worldwide media coverage about toxic chemicals in personal care products and the availability of safer alternatives. The strategies and tactics of the Mercyhurst pilot campaign will be evaluated at the end of spring semester and used to create a toolkit to allow implementation at other institutions. In 2014-15, the campaign will be shared with the regional Sea Grant program at Penn State Behrend. In 2015-16, the campaign spreads to Illinois, Indiana, New York, and Ohio. Funding for the ﬁrst year of the campaign comes from a Great Lakes Sea Grant Network award from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Additionally, Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign Agency to keep PPCPs (Pharmaceuticals and Perfor Safe Cosmetics and author of the award-winning sonal Care Products) out of the Great Lakes. book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty What you put on your body impacts your health Industry, is the 2014 Sr. Maura Smith Earth Day speaker. and the environment. For more information about Fresh Face Forward, visit freshfaceforward.org or ﬁnd us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. To learn about toxicity ratings on your personal care products, visit the Environmental Working Group’s (ewg.org) Skin Deep Database or download their free Skin Deep App.

These graphs show the results from a fall 2013 pre-campaign survey. They illustrate our campus constituents’ label-reading habits.

Beauty Talks: DIY Summer Guide By Leann Krysiak, Senior Communications Student

On a hot summer day, you’ll do anything to get cooled off. On one of those hot steamy days, why not give a cooling face mask a try? Look at some of the variations from OrganicAuthority.com and pick the one that is best for you: Slice up ½ cucumber or 1 small cucumber into thin circles. Place cucumbers on your face while lying down (don’t forget your eyes!) and relax for 10-15 minutes. This will help soothe and hydrate irritated skin, especially if you have been out in the sun for too long. or… Combine 2 teaspoons of full fat yogurt with a couples slices of banana and a teaspoon of honey. Apply to a clean face and let dry before wiping off. The fat in the yogurt will help with irritation and its coolness will feel refreshing to your skin. or… You will need an avocado that’s been refrigerated. Cut it in half and mash it with honey. Apply to a clean face and let dry before wiping off. Avocados have “good” fats which will nourish your skin and leave it glowing. Summer is the time to look like a beach goddess. For beachy waves follow the recipe from the natural living blog, Wellness Mama.

Hair Beach Spray: 1 cup of hot water (not boiling water) 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt ½ teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan salt (optional) 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel ½ teaspoon natural conditioner Essential oils of your choice (optional) Spray bottle that holds 10 oz or more

For that summer glow, make sure you use a scrub weekly to get rid of dead skin cells. Base

¼ cup oil of your choice such as jojoba, avocado, sweet almond, coconut or olive ½ cup of sugar (you can add more or less depending on your preference)

Feel free to mix and match the ingredients below to make the perfect body scrub for your skin:

Dried flowers such as lavender or rosemary Ground coffee Ground oatmeal Pour hot water in the spray bottle and add the epsom Ground walnuts salts, sea salt, and optional essential oils. Put the cap on Essential oil the bottle and shake for 1-2 minutes or until the salt is Lemon juice dissolved. Store at room temperature. This will last 3-4 Pineapple juice months. Vanilla extract Sea Salt Need help finding the ingredients? Check out the ingredient guide on Fresh Face Forward’s Recipe page. Did you like it? Love it? Tell me what you think on the Fresh Face Forward’s Facebook page or send your comments to freshfaceforward@gmail.com.

Student Friendly Recipes for a Bright and Healthy Spring by Analida Braeger, Secretary, Preston Hall

Tabouleh Salad (vegetarian)

Ingredients 1 cup bulgur wheat 1 1/2 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 cup fresh chopped parsley 2 Roma tomatoes diced 1/4 cup red onion diced 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh mint chopped 1/4 cup crumbled feta Instructions 1. Place lemon juice in a glass bowl with olive oil, parsley, tomatoes, onion, mint and feta. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. 2. Place the bulgur wheat in another glass bowl. Carefully add boiling water. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 45 minutes. Then, refrigerate until chilled. 3. Take cold bulgur and add the vegetable mixture. Mix well. 4. Best served cold Check out more recipes and information from Analida at www.ethnicspoon.com.

Mango Black Bean Salsa (vegan) Ingredients 2-3 ripe mangoes, diced into 1/4” cubes 1 can black beans, rinsed Juice of 1 lime 1 medium jalapeno, diced and cored (no seeds) 2 tablespoons red pepper diced (optional) 1/2 red onion, chopped 2 tablespoons cilantro, ﬁnely chopped 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions 1. Place mangoes in a large bowl. 2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. 3. This salsa is very good on its own with tortilla chips. Tostitos Scoops work great! It can also be used as a side with grilled ﬁsh or ﬁsh tacos. For a nice color contrast, you can use blue corn tortilla chips

ABy Poem & Rant Lucy Koelle, Junior Sustainability Studies Student Plastic bags billow on trees Unlit room, you cannot see I’m not dedicated just desperate for relief A scream, make it stop Without belief that the changes are needed, how can we change the American dream to include a knowledge of plants dirt and sky Your help advocating for Lawn destruction Fewer public t.v.s casually watched Fewer lights and less of a safety issue when the worst that could happen is tripping Diﬀerent zoning laws More pedestrian friendly roads Less mulch More geothermal A thanks for low impact day and any bit of local food in the cafeteria Change heating buildings to renewable energy Less plastic Local baked goods sales for club fundraising Field trips by food without car or van Trip made using the “e” And your continued support for a counter-industrial revolution is appreciated by those with ecoguilt who want a world with shamans, awesome birds, and red eyed crocodiles

Take a look at Sustainability Studies

By Elissa Reitz, OL Graduate Student, Sustainability concentration A career in sustainability requires much more than just a passion for the environment and a bit of ecological knowledge. Today’s sustainability professionals, people who are pushing the envelope and enacting great change, are cosmopolitan in their perspectives and skills. The current global sustainability landscape mandates such well-rounded savviness. So where can one gain such a worldview? Perhaps in an unexpected place. Mercyhurst. The sustainability concentration, housed within the Organizational Leadership graduate program, does just that: creates global-thinking individuals ready to tackle the sustainability challenges of the future. How? Think interdisciplinary and experiential. Core courses in business theory, leadership, communication, marketing, ﬁnance and ethics provide the foundation for a deeper understanding of sustainability in the context of global business. Strategy turns environmental passions into practices. Students delve into real world sustainability projects through concentration courses in grant writing, sustainable principles, environmental communication, sustainable leadership and they produce a master’s thesis or project. Renewable energy in Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark? It’s not a dream, but the focus of the Foundations of Sustainability class next spring. This class journeys to various locations throughout the world to view sustainability from global perspectives. Students gain both broad-based and in-depth environmental knowledge and have the opportunity to put this knowledge into a practical frame of reference. Other future possibilities include environmental excursions to Australia, renewable energy in Iceland, environmental policy in D.C., and sustainable agriculture through New England.

The campus-wide social change campaign, Fresh Face Forward, originated from an Environmental Communication class. Talk about hands-on and experiential! Through the creation of this environmental awareness campaign, students not only learned communication skills, but event planning, skills in information technology, web and social media, and experience with community outreach and education. One cannot understand the rollercoaster ride of triumphs and tribulations associated with managing an environmental campaign without experiencing it firsthand, and that’s exactly what our Mercyhurst students are doing. The leadership component of the degree allows students to take their learning destinies into their own hands. Highly personalized, they can delve further into a topic of interest. Leadership in Sustainability teaches students to independently assess environmental needs (campus or greater community), propose a project, and implement it. Afterward, students can advance their scholarship through the thesis or research based project, applying real data analysis to environmental issues. This program is more than just an education, it offers a journey at the end of which students are transformed and empowered to see themselves in a whole new light, as self-starters, students of the world, confident to take on any challenge in any discipline. The sustainability studies concentration enhances passion for the environment and cultivates the skills needed to change the world. Sustainability students will tell you: It’s not necessarily about knowing everything, but knowing where to look and having the confidence to do just that.

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April 9, 2014

The Merciad

Arts &

Entertainment

‘Divergent’ gets ‘Mademoiselle C’ mixed reviews AT THE MUVIES

previews in TLT By Ryan Kushner Staff writer

Fabian Constant’s 2013 documentary “Mademoiselle C” flows smoothly and allows you to be a fly on the wall in the sometimes strange, sometimes fast pace, and sometimes wildly absurd world of fashion magazines, New York glamour and crisp Parisian fame. The film, mostly in French with English subtitles, follows fashion designer Carine Roitfeld as she sets out to create her own fashion magazine, CR Fashion Book, in New York after having achieved fame and influence in her field during her 10-year stint as the editor-in-chief for the megaphone voice of fashion, Vogue Paris. Viewers are provided with a firsthand look at the headaches and highlights of the intense process of putting together a fashion magazine as Roitfeld and her team balance time, money and artistic vision. Roitfeld’s charm and passion for her work seem to encompass the culture of the fashion world. The film carefully avoids making any definitive statements about this as it cautiously stands back and observes scenes such as a nude photo shoot in a graveyard, and a model fainting while posing for a photo in which she was pretending to faint. But beside the glamour and the finesse and the money and the sweat that go into fashion today, Roitfeld is most concerned with the stories that she tries to convey within her photographs

and within the heart of her magazine, which she sees as a chance to present her vision and story. This ﬁlm is sure to be enjoyed by those interested in the fashion world, business, and design, as well as those simply fascinated by stories of new beginnings.

By Megan Pacileo Staff writer

Make sure to check out “Mademoiselle C” in Taylor Little Theatre this Sunday, April 13 at 2 p.m. for a dollar.

@TheMerciad

mens.folio.com photo

“Mademoiselle C” takes viewers to the fashion world in a view that may not be seen elsewhere and can be experienced on Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m. in the Taylor Little Theatre.

The award-winning novel, “Divergent,” written by author Veronica Roth, has finally hit the big screen much to the consternation of numerous book fans. “Divergent” takes place in futuristic Chicago, which has been divided into five factions, Erudite, who believe in knowledge, Candor, who believe in honesty, Dauntless, who believe in bravery, Amity, who believe in peace, and Abnegation, who believe in selflessness. These divisions are designed to help keep the peace, after “the war” destroyed their world. The story follows Tris, or Beatrice, as she learns she is Divergent, or a person who doesn’t fit into any of the factions. She switches from Abnegation to Dauntless, in the hopes of protecting herself and her secret, and proving she is brave. There, she and the other initiates must train and learn to protect the city from whatever is outside. She must learn what it means to be Divergent before it is too late. Viewers seemed split into two camps, those who had read the books previously to watching the movie, and those who hadn’t. The disheartened cries of the readers could be heard nationwide. Those who hadn’t read the book delighted in the movie’s likeable characters (including the gorgeous Four), and the fast-paced action. They seemed to enjoy the story-line, which had been dumbed down, and completely gutted for the sake of Hollywood. While I understand the sto-

‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ supplies visual perfection

ew.com photo

Wes Anderson’s latest ﬁlm, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” has a combination of action, comedy and drama that makes sure that every detail is executed to perfection.

By Zach Dorsch Managing Editor

Online

Wes Anderson proves with every release of a new film that he is a true master of Cinema. This has not changed with his latest film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” His films are instantly recognizable thanks to his perfectly manicured style, which makes every one of his films feel like a piece of art. Something that I

feel is becoming less present in modern day cinema. The “Grand Budapest Hotel” is by far one of Wes Anderson’s best works. This movie is a wonderful combination of genres and themes, which never loses its emphasis on making sure every detail is perfect. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” tells the story of Gustave H, a renowned concierge working at a famous European Hotel, The Grand Budapest, and is his sidekick Zero Moustafa, the

Full list of events can be found on the MIAC website

lobby boy. As they set foot on a journey to collect the inheritance from one of Gustave’s elderly mistresses. After a few turn of events and a stolen piece of renaissance art later Gustave is framed with murder and it is up to Zero to free him. It would be unfair to pin a single genre to this movie because it has everything action, romance and a good laugh. All of which seems to be perfectly balanced as though each of these genres didn’t want to overstep

their bounds and standout as the predominate one. The visuals in the film are absolutely breath taking, thanks to Anderson’s meticulous emphasis to detail. The Hotel is styled in an art deco that is bursting at the seams with activity, as distinguished people exit the back of cars and a whole staff comes rushing out to begin their guests’ pampering. The staff is dressed in vivid purple uniforms which when placed against the soft warmth of the hotel creates a beautiful palate for the eye. One of my favorite details about this movie is Anderson’s use of different aspect ratios. The movie takes place in three different time periods. During each time period the movie projects the aspect ratio that was the standard for the time. For example there is a small portion of the film that takes place in the 1960s, during that time the standard Aspect Ratio was 2.35:1, which is the exact one Wes uses for those scenes. If you want to see a true master at work, go see this film, this is by far one of Anderson’s best films. It is able to effortlessly transition between both time periods and genres to tell a story of a lowly lobby boy and the famous Gustave H. @TheMerciad

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

themoviemash.com photo

“Divergent” offers mixed reviews for series readers and movie viewers alike.

ry-line needed to be changed for the sake of the movie, as happens with all books turned to movies, but there were so many facets of the story missing that it hardly seemed like the same story. And the casting. Don’t get me started on the casting. The original story was so great because the characters were so well written, which was not switched over onto the screen so well. I mean, they could have at least tried to get people who looked like their characters. The actors, who were oh so poorly ﬁtted to the roles, also

lacked the skills to portray the characters correctly, meaning not one of them could really act. The only time Shaileen Woodley had any personality was at a scene were someone died. So, if you haven’t read the book, go and see “Divergent.” You’ll probably love it. If you have read the book, don’t bother. seriously.

@TheMerciad

Announcement

The Lumen 2014 Thursday, April 25 8:15 p.m. Taylor Little Theatre The conclusion of The 2014 Literary Festival with the unveiling of The Lumen Magazine Announcement

Mercyhurst University’s

Relay for Life Saturday, April 26 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Garvey Park Announcement

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

(OFF)

Every Friday night, the Mercyhurst Sustainability Club travels around campus to turn off all of the lights that would have otherwise been left on over the weekend.

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April 9, 2014

The Merciad

Page 11

Arts &

Entertainment

Talent to Watch: Isabel Sotelo is here By Juan Mendez News editor

miac.mercyhurst.edu photo

The Moscow Festival Ballet will be performing Swan Lake on Tuesday, April 15 in the Performing Arts Center beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Moscow Festival Ballet presents: ‘Swan Lake’ By Nathan Turner Staff writer

“Poetry in motion” is a phrase which comes to mind when watching ballet. The elegance of motion and the use of music and dance expresses what cannot be fully told in words is mesmerizing to watch. It is even more mesmerizing to watch it done by one of the most famous ballet companies in the world: the Moscow Festival Ballet. The world-renowned com-

pany was formed in 1989, and has performed “Swan Lake” multiple times throughout the years. The story is quite familiar to them, but to the newcomer, it may seem a bit confusing. The ballet is a love story between the young Prince Siegfried, who is required to choose a bride within 24 hours and assume, and the Swan Queen Odette, who was cursed by a sorcerer along with many other young ladies to appear as swans during the day. Throughout the performance, the movements of the dancers portray love, loss, deception,

resilience, forgiveness and many other emotions. “Swan Lake,” which premiered in 1875 and has fallen and been revived multiple times throughout its history, tells a story worth seeing. The chance to see it performed here at Mercyhurst by such a well-known ballet company is an opportunity not to be missed. Tickets start at $27 for adults, $24 for seniors, and $18 for Youth and Students. The performance is Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. @TheMerciad

In today’s digital age, there’s more than one way to find artists who are on the rise for their talent. I found Isabel Sotelo, a cover artist from Honduras, on Youtube, after seeing a link on my Facebook feed. The second the video began playing, I was obsessed. Every artist has their X factor, something that sets them apart from others, what makes people recognize them the second one of their songs play. While some rely on gimmicks and their fashion choices, Sotelo needs nothing more than her vocals. With a wide vocal range and an edge to her voice that is somewhere in a summer day sitting in between Amy Winehouse and Sky Ferreira, Isabel is a force to be reckoned with. Although her collection is small and growing, she is guaranteed to go far. Coming from a start of exclusively doing covers and performing at school recitals and shows, Sotelo has walked a mile and then some. A personal favorite is “Unfair,” the ﬁrst song she wrote by herself, set against the instrumentals of the song by The Neighbourhood. The track is a trip to a rainy day, led by her amazing vocals

Contributed photo

Isabel Sotelo is an up and coming artist that plans to release a new cover song of Imagine Dragon’s ‘Monster’.

telling the story of unrequited love. “I don’t want to be a dumb pop artist with music that has no feeling or meaning,” Sotelo said about her style, which she describes as “something between Daughter and Birdy with a splash of The Neighbourhood.” Other sources she draws inspiration from are classic bands like The Beatles, The Smiths and Nirvana. She considers herself to be one with the music, which shows in every one of her songs.

“I don’t really remember when music wasn’t a part of me,” said Sotelo. “When I couldn’t talk, all I could do was move up and down to the music.” At only 16 years of age, I am certain that Sotelo is a talent that will only grow in years to come. Listen to Sotelo’s music on Soundcloud at http://www. soundcloud.com/isasotelo.

@TheMerciad

CLASSES BEGIN IN MAY. Please call 412-536-1080 or

visit laroche.edu for more information.

Page 12

April 9, 2014

The Merciad

Opinion

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

Students provide perspective on The Good... Police and Safety carrying ﬁrearms By Jose Agustin Nuﬁo Staff writer

Police and Safety ofﬁcers can be armed, but that won’t guarantee students’ safety. When the Board of Trustees meets on May 31, it shall be no surprise to the students if they decide to let Police and Safety carry ﬁrearms. Mercyhurst will be one of the many other American universities following this trend. After the shootings at Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University and Sandy Hook Elementary School, schools and universities across the country have taken measures to prevent such tragedies from ever happening again. These actions mirror the growing insecurities felt by American universities. Take Mercyhurst for example. Last September, a mentally disturbed man committed suicide by the Mary fountain. That isn’t so scary if you think about it, but what really scares us is the “what if.” What if he would’ve gotten into the buildings? What if his intentions were to attack the students? As terrifying as this thought can be, we can’t deny the fact that something like this actually happening is highly unlikely. However, I prefer the school have a Police and Safety that is prepared

to handle anything, than one who lacks something. With that said, I think that arming Police and Safety will not guarantee 100 percent security for the students. Mercyhurst University is an open campus that permits anyone to walk in and out of the facilities with no prior check-in. Anyone can walk into the buildings and blend with the students without being targeted. Just because our officers are armed, doesn’t mean that they’ll respond rapidly and effectively to an attack happening at any corner of the university. Think of the man that came in last September. No one stopped him at the gate, no one knew his intentions and no one patted him down to check if he had a fire-arm. By the time police realized what was going on, a rifle had already gone off. Now imagine if someone with more nefarious intentions came in. Officers could not check if that person had a firearm or stop that person from even being here. The nature of our open campus simply doesn’t allow complete safety. I say let Police and Safety be armed, but let us not fall into the delusion that nothing bad can happen just because some of our officers carry firearms.

By Angelo Bortoluzzi Staff writer

Police and Safety feels that they need firearms to protect students and to keep this campus safe. I couldn’t possibly disagree more, and I’m a huge supporter of the 2nd Amendment. What sparked this whole discussion? Was it because of the suicide that took place on campus earlier this year? Many argue that the whole incident could have turned out much worse than it did, but guess what? It didn’t. Maybe it was the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting that started the discussion. The Sandy Hook shooting was absolutely tragic, but this isn’t the first time that a school shooting has taken place. Does Columbine ring a bell inside anyone’s head? Police and Safety has managed quite well here at Mercyhurst when it comes to keeping campus safe without firearms. So I ask you, the students, why do you feel that Police and Safety should carry firearms? A whopping 34 percent of you (96 voters total, big whoopty-doo) in a recent online poll said you would feel

much safer. Safer from what, exactly? The odds of another person coming onto campus with a firearm much like the incident that happened earlier this year are slim to none. So what else do you need protection from? I’ll tell you what you need protection from, nothing. Absolutely nothing. But you want our security guards (I call them that because they aren’t real police officers) to carry firearms. There are more chances of our glorified security guards accidentally shooting themselves with their own guns than there is for a repeat incident of what happened earlier this year. My solution? Tasers. Tasers hurt like hell and will subdue any individual that Police and Safety can’t handle with verbal action. Incidents will be taken care of and no one will need to have a 9mm slug removed from their body. And as for the “upstanding” men and women of our campus Police and Safety, if they want to carry firearms, they should go join a real police force.

@TheMerciad

Closing of Cellblock is a blessing in disguise By Nathan Turner Staff writer

A lot of the club-goers/partiers/anyone who has ears has probably heard the notorious club Cellblock has closed its doors. If you had not previously heard this, then consider yourself notiﬁed. Upon ﬁrst hearing this news, there was outpouring of grief from some, such as one might expect from the death of a distant cousin or other family member. I imagine that there was at least one person who thought to go down to the club’s old doors and pour out a votive offering of FourLoko or Jagermeister to

the fallen soul of this institution. I, on the other hand, do not regret the loss of that place. It has always been a place that has been labeled as a bad idea. I went once. And after getting through the front door and seeing what was going on in there, I just turned around and walked out. Although, I must ask, what was the straw that broke the camel’s back and finally shut it down? Was it the shooting that took place a few weeks ago when some moron decided to, first off, bring a pistol into a bustling club, and second, fire off a few rounds while surrounded by a bunch of people? Yeah, sounds like a brilliant idea. Or was it the reputation the place had garnered? When I first

heard the name of Cellblock and mentioned the idea of wanting to see what happens there, a person whom I didn’t even know at the time, turned around and gave me a speech which was the college equivalent of Obi-Wan’s speech to Luke in Star Wars: “Cellblock, you will never ﬁnd a more wretched hive of booze and bad decisions.” However, the big downside to Cellblock’s closure: all the former Cellblock goers are now moving to the other bars. Last Thursday, I saw people who I would assume would normally drink at Cellblock at the Plymouth, which tends to be a bit of a classier establishment. I’ve also heard Sluggers is now being inundated with former

Cellblock goers. The effect of the closure is something akin to a diaspora, only on much smaller, much drunker scale. So, now that Cellblock’s dead and gone, the question is what the new owners will do with the building. I hear rumors that it’s becoming a country bar. Maybe next year we’ll see people dressed up in ﬂannel and cowboy boots for a night out in Erie, and oh Lord, won’t that be a sight to see. If that happens, someone please remind me to never go out when there are deals at Cellblock’s replacement.

@TheMerciad

Housing facilities on campus were in desperate need of renovations By Marcela Delgado Staff writer

Online

Housing at Mercyhurst has always been a topic of debate. Some are fine with it, others hate it and others just do not care at all. My experience living on campus has not been bad, but it has not been the best either. I have lived in both Briggs and Lewis apartments and for both of them I have had issues. Maintenance has fixed some of these issues, but others are just not about maintenance fixing them. They require an entire renovation to the apartment itself. The apartments have had the same furniture for years. Some of them are not in the best

conditions, while others are just ready to fall apart. Many students have opted to live off campus. The main reason is to have a more comfortable and cheaper place to live. We pay for a decent amount of money for the housing and in my opinion it is not compensated with what we get in return. I hope that with the new renovations that will take place, the housing conditions will improve signiﬁcantly. With the recent announcement of the new renovations to be done to the school’s housing, I think more people will be motivated to live and pay for housing on campus. It has its beneﬁts to live on campus, like you are closer to the academic buildings. Living off campus can become challenging for

those who do not have a car especially during the winter, because a long walk to campus in the severe weather we have had recently is not a good idea. The renovations are needed because students have been complaining about the school’s campus for a while now. We have waited a long time for something like this to happen. Residence life is investing over $1 million in student housing renovations. They will make renovations to bedrooms and bathrooms. They will also change furniture including beds, desks, chairs, dressers and more. The buildings they will renovate include Baldwin, McAuley, Warde, Briggs and Lewis avenue apartments. They can’t stress enough that living on

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campus has its benefits, like avoiding risky winter driving to and from campus during Erie’s long winter months. The reason why most of the students move out of campus is because it is cheaper and they can get houses or apartments in better conditions. Hopefully, the renovations will motivate more people to live on campus rather than look for other options off campus. Furniture display will be available on Tuesday, April 15, at the Student Union Great Room for students to get a glimpse at the new renovations. For more information contact Residence Life at Egan 323, or email them at reslife@mercyhurst.edu. @TheMerciad

Despite the crowding of people on campus last Saturday, Kids and Sibs weekend, Accepted Major day, Laker Live-In weekend and the Senior Art Thesis show, all went smoothly, thanks to the combined efforts of students and faculty.

The Bad... A window pane in Egan Dining Hall that has been broken since Friday, Mar. 28, is yet not ﬁxed. This week, Laker Inn only had small cups, yet still charged the same price as a large drink.

The Ugly... Unless you buy a $10 shirt, students now have to pay $5 to get into the Laker Showdown. The shirts are being sold at Egan Dining Hall.

The Weird... Mindy, the monkey present at the Kids and Sibs petting zoo, has a Facebook page, appropriately titled “M,indy the Monkey.” She has more likes than we can ever dream of.

The Merciad Editors Mathew Anderson Zach Dorsch Juan Mendez Daniel Tarr Samantha Bante Garrett Erwin Alejandra Zeron Leann Krysiak Jordan Power Nicole Lawrence Sami Rapp Ethan Johns Will DeFeo Bill Welch

Positions @mercyhurst.edu Editor-in-Chief editormerciad Managing Editor managingmerciad News Editor newsmerciad Features Editor featuremerciad Sports Editor sportsmerciad A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Graphics photomerciad Photo Editor photomerciad Web Editor ejohns89 Ad Manager admerciad Adviser wwelch

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376. The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

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April 9, 2014

The Merciad

Page 13

Sports

Women’s lacrosse jumps to 13 in poll By Samantha Bante Sports editor

The Mercyhurst women’s lacrosse team has recently jumped to No. 13 this week’s Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) poll. After having an eight game winning streak, and obtaining a record of 9-1 and 5-0 in the PSAC, they have rightfully earned their spot. The Lakers took on Edinoboro on Saturday, April 5, at Tullio Field and beat the Fighting Scots 12-5. Leading the team this year thus far are juniors Rebecca Himes with 33 goals, 28 assists and 61 points, Jenna Schlagenhauf with 39 goals, 9 assists and 48 points and Mackenzie Jordan with 24 goals, 10 assists and 34 points. “I think that our team is doing really well this season. I wasn’t here last year but our whole team thinks that we are a completely different team than last year. We are all really positive and are all on the same page about where we want our season to go. We are working really hard and pushing each other every day to try and reach our goals,” Schlagenhauf said. Himes recorded two goals and dished out four assists as she tallied her 200th career point at Mercyhurst at the game against Edinboro. She is the ﬁfth Laker to score 200 or more points in her career. “I think everyone is really stepping up this year and that is why we are doing so well.

Everyone has their own things that they are so good at that help us win each game. We are all starting to really learn how everyone plays individually, which helps us all work off of each other and mesh really well together,” Schlagenhauf said. During Saturday’s game, the Lakers outshot the Scots, 30-15, and won 13-19 draw controls. Himes ﬁnished with two goals and four assists. Jordan and Schlagenhauf each scored three goals, while junior Hannah Corton put up a goal and an assist. “We really needed a win against Edinboro to stay undefeated in the PSACs so it was a good win for us. I think that the score of the game didn’t really reﬂect how we played because we should have won by a lot more than we did but we weren’t hitting our shots,” Schlagenhauf said. The Lakers will travel to Lock Haven to take on Lock Haven University on Thursday, April 9. The ball is set to drop at 4 p.m. “I think that I’m having so much success this season because I’m having a lot of fun. I love lacrosse so much and really enjoy playing every day. I only have one year of lacrosse left after this season and that makes me want to give 100% effort in everything that I do. Our team also makes it really easy to do well.” “Everyone works do well off of each other and I know that they have my back, if I throw a feed I know that they will catch it,” Schlagenhauf said. @TheMerciad

Casey Bleuel photo

The Mercyhurst University women’s lacrosse team will travel to Lock Haven to take on Lock Haven University on Thursday, April 9, the ball is set to drop at 4 p.m. Here, they get a word from Coach Cecil Pilson.

Lakers defeat Seton Hill

Dane Rimko photo

The Mercyhurst University women’s lacrosee team takes on Seton Hill at Tullio Field, on Tuesday, April 1. The Lakers beat the Grifﬁns, 17-11, and challenged their defense with strong attacks on the offense side.

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April 9, 2014

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Sports

Softball falls in doubleheader to IUP By Samantha Bante Sports editor

The Mercyhurst University softball team fell twice to Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) on Saturday afternoon at Podbeilski Field. The Lakers dropped a 9-1 decision in game one of the doubleheader and fell 6-4 after a late rally. Mercyhurst is now 9-15 overall this season and fell to 3-5 in the PSAC West division. During the second game against IUP, the Lakers had three hits in the ﬁrst inning. Sophomore Allison Yule and junior Becky Malaga connected singles before senior Courtney Smith tallied her second homerun of the season for 3 RBI. Leading the team this year as captain is senior pitcher Meghan Smith, who leads the team with total bases, 18 RBIs, 3 home runs and has a batting average of .324. “I was voted into the captain position last year as a junior and it has been a great

experience so far. I think the underclassmen really look up to me and they are all willing to learn from what I have to teach them. This is such a fun team to lead and my other captains are awesome leaders as well,” Smith said. The Lakers have welcomed ﬁve freshmen into the program for the 2014 season. “It’s hard to pick out just a few people that have stepped up. Everyone on the team has their roles, and everyone is doing their jobs to help us be successful. This is a team of majority underclassmen who have all equally stepped up and even have made me realize this team is going to do some great things this year,” Smith said. The Lakers saw much success in a doubleheader against Clarion University on March 21 as well as winning every game during their Salem International tournament over spring break. “It is always an adjustment going from practicing all winter indoors, so it is expected our ﬁrst few games

to readjust to playing on dirt again,” Smith said. “The team is really starting to come together we are figuring out the style of each player on and off of the field. This team has a lot of talent and you know on any given day that the girl next to you is going to play to the best of her ability,” Smith added. “I never thought my senior year would come. I am really looking forward to enjoying playing softball with some of my best friends. I would say my biggest goal of the year would be to the NCAA tournament this year. It’s something I have yet to experience in my three previous years. I love this game and I am going to enjoy every minute of it,” Smith said. The Lakers next doubleheader is against Clarion University on Friday, April 11, at the Mercyhurst University softball field. The games are set to play at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Caitlin Dee photo

The Lakers’ next doubleheader will be against Clarion University on Friday, April 11 at the Mercyhurst University softball ﬁeld. The games are set to play at 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

@TheMerciad

Baseball has solid start this season with 18-8 record By Carly Contraguerro Staff writer

The Mercyhurst baseball team is off to a solid start this season as they are 18-8 overall. On March 27 and 28 the Lakers swept their rival, Gannon University, in a four-game series. After this game, junior Dan Altavilla was named PSAC West pitcher of the week for the second consecutive week and junior Giancarlo Saia was named PSAC player of the week. “The team is playing well overall, we swept cross-town rival Gannon all four games and that is very difﬁcult to do. Because of the rivalry, it’s always an intense series.” “The guys have good chemistry and work ethic. So far it has been a balance of pitching, defense and execution of our offensive game plan”. “Any time you have balance on your team like we do it’s a very positive sign” Head Coach Joe Spano said.

Saia led the team in its sweep over Gannon in batting average (.643), hits (9), doubles (2), home runs (1), RBI (13), total bases (14). He also hit a grand slam in the first game played at Gannon on the March 28. “The total RBI of 13, I would say, is a record for me. I have hit that many RBI’s before but I have never hit that many in such few games as I did against Gannon” Saia said. “Regarding the grand slam, at first I did not think it was going to be a grand slam, at best I thought it would go over the center fielders head and I would get a double or triple. To my surprise the ball kept carrying and it went out.” This is Saia’s first season playing for Mercyhurst. He is tied in the lead for hitting with a .373 average and he now leads the team with 23 RBI’s. “I am a very picky hitter. I spend most of my time in the batting cage at practice and I can just about hit all day until someone makes me stop. If I feel I am

doing something wrong with my swing, I won’t leave till I think it’s been fixed or at least improved,” Saia said. Along with Saia, the Lakers earned four other transfers this season as well. “We had an opportunity to bring in some good transfers that complement our team and so far everything is working out. The new guys are adjusting well both on the field and in the classroom. There are always bumps in the road, but I am confident that this group of guys can work together and work through any obstacle” Spano said. This past weekend, the Lakers played against Pitt-Johnstown going 3-1. This score included a home run by Hank Morrison in the first gamed played at home on April 6 and a lead-off home run by Joe Pantano in the second game. The Lakers’ next game will be played at Mercyhurst’s baseball field against California Univer@TheMerciad

sity on Friday, April 11.

Ed Mailliard photo

The Lakers next game will be played at Mercyhurst’s baseball ﬁeld against California University on Friday, April 11.

Having trouble with the Online Housing Contracts?

Casey Bleuel photo

In this photo, player junior (44) Brett William charges against University of Tampa player (50) Riley Piper. The Lakers beat the Spartans, 14-7, on Saturday, April 5. The team has won ﬁve straight games. There next match will be against LIU Post on Saturday, April 12. The ball is set to drop at noon. The men’s lacrosse team is now in a fourth-place tie in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) weekly poll which was released on Monday, April 7. Mercyhurst is 7-2 overall and 3-1 in the ECAC. Brady Heseltine leads the offense with 23 goals. Jake McAndrew has 15 goals and 14 assists and Brandon Thomson has 13 goals and 14 helpers. Michael Grace is 6-1 in goal, posting a .591 save percentage.

res life can help! Questions?

Egan 323 • 814.824.2422 reslife@mercyhurst.edu

April 9, 2014

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The Merciad

Sports

Women’s rowing completes tournament By Carly Contraguerro Staff writer

The Mercyhurst women’s rowing team traveled to Camden, N.J. on March 29 for their ﬁrst tournament of the season. They competed in the DII/ DIII Women’s events at the Murphy Cup. This spring season is the rowing team’s championship season, when they get a chance to qualify and possibly participate in the NCAA championships. Prior to the start of spring season at the Murphy Cup, the rowing team scrimmaged against Skidmore College in Oak Ridge, Tenn. At the scrimmage, the Lakers had two varsity women’s fours and a women’s novice eight competing. “For the scrimmage, we did a few shorter pieces, not the full 2,000 meters that we typically race. The pieces helped us get some experience and work under a more stressful situation to see how we would react,” senior Kate Moran said. “Other than that, all we’ve been doing is putting in long, grueling hours on the ergs and in the weight room to gain as much speed as we can individually, to hopefully transfer it into a boat with everybody,” added Moran. In the race to go to the ﬁnals at the Murphy Cup, the Lakers

took first place in their heat by almost half a minute. In the final race, the women held their competitors to finish first in their heat and receive gold. This included beating their regional rivals Philadelphia University. “Being able to compete well at the Murphy Cup and to take Philly U. early in the season was a good confidence booster for everybody,” Moran said. “However, we know it is just the beginning of the season and a lot could change from now until the NCAA championship rolls around. We’re just going to keep at training as hard as possible on and off the water. There’s a lot of potential with our team and if we slack off now, because we won a race, we won’t see the top of our abilities. “We look forward to every race because it allows us to have fun racing other teams and putting our abilities to the test. We are also really looking forward to starting water practice. Presque Isle is finally opened from the ice and rowable,” Moran said. According to the latest CRCA/USRowing Coaches Poll, the women’s team has remained seventh in the country with 62 points, just behind University of Central Oklahoma with 72 points. “We’re all very supportive of each other, encouraging, wanting everyone to do their best. But not a single one

Dane Rimko photo

The Lakers are practicing for an upcoming tournament in New Jersey along with the men’s rowing team to compete in the Knetch Cup Regatta on Saturday, April 12.

of us is going to let the next person beat them.” We become very competitive within the team and it

drives each other to do better and typically if someone sees one person ‘slacking off ’, that person is called out on it,”

Moran said. The Lakers will travel to Mercer, N.J. along with the men’s rowing team to compete

in the Knetch Cup Regatta on Saturday, April 12. @TheMerciad

Summer

at Mercyhurst EARN CREDITS IN LESS TIME AND FOR LESS MONEY. Catch up on credits and still have time to enjoy your summer by enrolling in Summer Session at Mercyhurst. You can save more than $400 per three-credit course over normal semester rates and take advantage of discounted housing. Classes are offered during the day, in the evening, or online—and taking just one or two at a time will allow you to keep that summer job and have fun, all while getting ahead on your course load.

Pre-Summer Session: May 19-June 12 Summer Session: June 2-August 3 Mini-Summer Session: July 23-July 17

See the full course schedule and register online!

summer.mercyhurst.edu

GET THE EXPERIENCE.

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April 9, 2014

The Merciad

Laker

Living Geek Weekly: Microsoft Build Conference By Zach Dorsch Managing editor

Ever year Microsoft holds the Build Developer Conference to entice software and web developers using Microsoft technologies. This year marks the fourth show of its kind, with one of Microsoft’s longest lists of new technologies getting ready to release this year. Don’t worry though I am not about to bore you with all the boring bits about development software, instead let’s take a look at the fun stuff that will change the consumer market. Cortana To answer your questions yes, Mircosoft is naming their Windows Phone voice recognition software after Master Chiefs sidekick from the Halo series, and Siri like software sounds a lot like the Cortana from the video game. Despite the nerd factor, Cortana does things such as compose emails for you, set reminders, take notes and search the web a feature powered by the Bing search engine. Cortana also will begin to learn your habits the more you user here which will help provide a better user experience such as remembering your favorite place to get burritos. She also has a Notebook feature which allows you to input information about yourself. Such as when you want your phone set to silent and what speciﬁc people can still get through during these hours. Microsoft also promises that when Cortana is ﬁnally released, it will come packed with personality.

Windows Phone 8.1 While on the topic of Windows Phone, let’s talk about the latest update that will be released in the upcoming months, 8.1. Some of the key features of this update include a much needed notiﬁcation center named the Action Center, customized lock screens and a reworked Windows Store that allows for easier searching. They also are adding a new weekly review of the calendar that is much easier to read and the Shape Writing keyboard which looks a lot like the Swype keyboard. Though none of these features are truly groundbreaking many Windows phone users will be happy to hear about these small updates that will make the user experience that much better. Windows has a new rule Microsoft announced within the ﬁrst hours of the keynote that it would soon be possible to write a Windows app for a Windows Phone and then be able to port it over to a tablet or desktop running Windows 8 with minimal work on the developers end. From there developers have the option to offer the app in a way that consumers will only have to buy it once, but be able to use in on any device. To continue to add to the excitement Microsoft announced that Windows would be free for phones and any tablet smaller than 9 inches. This gives manufactures a big incentive to build products that run on Windows. They also hinted at the fact of some smart wearable devices.

@zdorsc22

Beauty Talks Charcoal By Leann Krysiak Copy editor

Every now and then my face needs a deep cleaning, so I turn to charcoal. It may seem strange, but charcoal is beneﬁcial to your skin. I don’t mean the charcoal used for grilling. I mean activated charcoal, which can be found in capsule form in stores. Activated charcoal is regular charcoal that has been heated with gas, creating a porous surface that can trap toxins. It gives a deep clean, trapping a thousand times its weight of other substances. I purchased my charcoal from Chickory Hill, but you can also ﬁnd it in the supplement section of the store. For this week’s recipe, I found a great face mask that uses activated charcoal as well as bentonite clay, which is also great at absorbing toxins.

Use this once or twice a month and be prepared for stares from your roommates as your face will be covered with black clay goop. This week’s recipe comes from BodyUnburdend. com: 2 capsules of activated charcoal (approximately 2 grams) 1/2 teaspoon of bentonite clay 1 1/2 teaspoons of water Combine ingredients in a small plastic or glass bowl. A wooden bowl will remove the negative charges in the charcoal and clay, which helps to attract positively charged toxins. Clean your face with a mild cleanser, then apply mixture. Wait 10-12 or until dry. Rinse off, making sure to get it all.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Follow up with a toner which can help get excess charcoal and clay. If your face feels dry, dap on a light moisturizer. Need help ﬁnding the ingredients? Check out the ingredient guide on Fresh Face Forward’s Recipe page. Did you like it? Love it? Tell me what you think on the Fresh Face Forward’s Facebook page or send your comments to freshfaceforward@gmail.com.

@LeannKrysiak

Difﬁc ulty: E asy Prep Time: 20 mi Total nutes Time: 1 Yield: h 12 ser our 20 min vings utes

By Sami Rapp Photo editor

Ingredients 2 cups ﬂour 2 cups granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Streusel Mixture ½ cup light brown sugar, packed 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon Glaze 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 ½ tablespoons milk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or Bundt pan. Use an electric mixer to cream the granulated sugar and butter together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating each addition of flour with the addition of half the sour cream. Stir in the vanilla. For the streusel: In a separate bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the streusel mixture. Pour another third of the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the remaining streusel mixture. Scrape the remaining batter into the pan and make smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick can be inserted in the center and comes out clean, about 1 hour. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and cool on a wire rack. For the glaze: When the cake is completely cooked, stir the confectioners’ sugar, milk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

@srapp93