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Dr. Schiff to retire from

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The Merciad

Est. 1929 Vol. 88 No. 19

Mercyhurst university

Class of 2015 unveils class gift

Maggy Urso photo

Ryan Schupp, senior Business major, and Megan Sheehan, senior Archaeology major, attend the opening of the senior gift from the class of 2015. The new concession stand is located in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. For more, read full story on page 4.

Bookstore expands textbook and eBook rental policy By Melanie Todd Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Bookstore is expanding and improving its textbook rental service. Mercyhurst and its partner Follet have updated computer systems and their business models. The goal is to make it easier to rent textbooks across multiple devices and allows students to save money on books needed for their classes. “There was a push across the country to help independent stores like us,” Mercyhurst University Bookstore General Manager Daniel Cullen said. Now, students will be able to rent books online through the Mercyhurst Bookstore, receive reminders as the end of the term approaches and bring all books back to the buy back

Merciad Index News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living

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counter. “You’re so stressed during exams, you can just bring all your books to the buyback counter and our computer program can sort out which were rented,” Cullen said. Cullen said students previously would have to sort out which books were rented and which they were looking to sell back and wait in separate lines for each. “When the idea first came out a lot the industry kneejerked towards it,” said Cullen. “I learned a long time ago not to knee-jerk. It was just too new and it became an accounting nightmare.” The new system and Follet business model have changed the previous hesitancy to increase the capability of renting textbooks. “There is no risk to us and

no risk to the students. You’re happy and we’re happy,” Cullen said. Comparable to Chegg or Amazon, students also save money by avoiding the postage required to mail back a book. “I try to keep the prices below Amazon as best I can. We walk a fine line. We service the students but we can’t lose our shirts in the process,” Cullen said. Cullen is working to provide as many of those options as possible through the bookstore and keep them affordable for students. “Students want options and we try to provide as many of those options as we can,” Cullen said. Additionally, digital books are increasing in availability. The Mercyhurst Bookstore will be offering more digital books in

upcoming years. “I would be interested in using eBooks. They seem more convenient,” junior Kayley Morrison said. Offering textbooks in the form of eBooks is an expanding business model among large publishing companies. “All major publishers are doing it,” said Cullen. “It’s another option for students. Students have an access code printed on their receipt and that’s all they need.” Students can highlight, underline and even save answers to the review questions in the online versions that can be accessed on their computers, tablets or smartphones. “Kids still need books, they just don’t want to pay for them,” Cullen said. @TheMerciad

Wednesday, april 22, 2015

Herrmann Student Union re-opens doors By Jose Nufio Staff writer

The Carolyn Herrmann Student Union re-opened its doors last Thursday, April 16, at 11 a.m., with an official grand opening to take place Thursday, April 23, from noon to 4 p.m. After a flood caused by a ruptured water pipe closed the Student Union on Feb 21, the Union and the Laker Inn on the lower floor are now back and fully functional. All the damaged furniture within the building has been replaced. Most of the insurance claims were overseen by General Manager of Facility Services, Ken Stepherson, whose role was to communicate between the insurance company and contractors, and process invoices for the restoration. Housekeeping Director Julie Kiehl, and Plant Operations Manager Tom Skarupski, monitored progress of the restoration. “To date, we are at approximately $254,000 for the restoration, there are other expenses for furniture and equipment that I have not seen,” Stepherson said. Stepherson said he also expects additional invoices to arrive before he can give out a final cost. According to Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Jane Kelsey, it might take several weeks until all the costs incurred are known. Right after the damages occurred, each area within the offices had to submit with a spread sheet list of the items that needed replacement to submit to insurance. The areas included Campus Ministry, Service Learning, Student Government and the Students Activities Council (SAC). The offices have been running since the morning of April 13, but are still expecting shipments of furniture to replace what was lost in the flood. The repairs included the replacement of the wet drywall on the lower level and the first floor. All the furniture that was made of soft wood was also replaced, including the foosball tables from the Great Room. At the MSG and SAC offices, the furniture and bookshelves also had to be replaced. The offices from the first floor had the wall between Campus Ministry and Service Learning knocked down to open up the space.

Online Poll Results

How do you feel about the Laker Inn re-opening? 33% I’m so excited, I’ve been hungry 28% I make my own food, so it doesn’t matter to me. 11% I have been lost without the Laker. 28% I have gotten used to eating at Egan and the Bookstore

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: What are your plans for the summer?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

“I think that you are not going to see drastic things that have changed in the area, but I think overall we were able to replace everything that was lost with equal or better products,” said Sarah Allen, director of Campus Involvement. Mercyhurst Student Government, Campus Involvement and Parkhurst are teaming up to provide games and free prizes at the grand opening. As part of the celebration, there will be a dunk tank in front of the building. It will offer three chances for a dollar and all the proceeds will go toward the fundraiser for cancer research, Relay for Life, which will take place on Saturday. Among the people who will be found in the dunk tank include Senior General Manager of Parkhurst Dining Services Dean Schoenfeldt, MSG President Nick Latta, and MSG Vice-President Caleb Ohmer. There will be carnival games and giveaways themed after aquatic items, as a reference to the flooded building. For every purchase, free fish and surf board key chains will be given out. There will also be free life saver candies, water bottles and t-shirts, among various other items. A “Laker Lagoon Punch” will be served at the Laker Inn from noon to 4 p.m. There will also be a Duck Pond, where students will pull rubber ducks off the pond to win prizes. With facilities now up and running, Mercyhurst students are free to eat meals and use the offices in the Student Union right before the school year ends. “I am glad that it opened before the end of the year and I think it is great and it gives us more options for eating now. I am also excited that Campus Ministry is back open,” said Andrea Nye, junior Business Management major. Nhi Tran, junior Finance and Competitive Intelligence major is happy to enjoy her favorite meal once again. “I am excited, because I can buy sushi.” said Tran. Aside from the grand opening, future plans of the Student Union include roof work on the north corner of the building above the patio over the summer.

@TheMerciad

April 22, 2015

The Merciad

Page 2

News

Alumni and students form independent news source By Nathan Turner News editor

Alumni and students from Mercyhurst have developed an news and analysis source for affairs in Russia and the former USSR, allowing students and entry-level professionals to publish analysis for readers across the globe. Graham Westbrook and Spencer Vuksic, both Mercyhurst Intelligence Studies alumni, developed the website Leksika in the summer of 2014. The website provides analysis of current affairs within the former USSR. “The idea was to provide news writing with an intel flavor,” said Westbrook, “as well as to bring together some objective political dialogue about Russia.” Leksika was developed from an idea of taking Mercyhurst students and using their knowledge to insert intelligence into

the political spectrum, Westbrook said. Vuksic said that the platform began for those who would be interested in analysis regarding security, economics and political affairs in Russia and Eurasia, as well as the regional affairs’ impact on other parts of the world. “We’ve had articles on South Korean, or Israeli, or Argentinian relations with Russia, so it can cross the globe,” Vuksic said. The platform provides students and new analysts with an opportunity to publicize and display their work and research, as well as provide them with something to show future employers. “They’re not going to get published in the New York Times or the Washington Post on issues like this, but they have something to offer to an interested audience that’s looking at that region,” Vuksic said. Leksika provides a way for

analysts to publish their work and reach an audience which they otherwise couldn’t reach, Vuksic said. The analysts involved with Leksika have covered a wide range of topics relating to the former Soviet Union, and even had an exclusive interview with Altay Goyushov, a noted Azerbaijani political dissident and expert on political Islam in the South Caucasus. The interview reached readers as far as Turkey, Steven Luber, a junior Intelligence and Russian Studies major said. “We’ve covered the whole gambit, from Moldova, Ukraine, the Caucasus, the Baltics, pretty much anything to do with the geopolitics of the former Soviet Union,” Luber said. Luber and Carl Best, a senior Intelligence Studies major, were the first two analysts from Mercyhurst who Westbrook recruited for Leksika. Luber contributes a weekly

Sustainability program to continue at Mercyhurst By Kayley Dunn Staff writer

Mercyhurst faculty, staff and student government plan to continue the Sustainability program at the university after the elimination of Brittany Prischak’s position in November 2014. The decision to cut Prischak’s position as sustainability officer presents a stumbling block to the university’s commitment to sustainability. The remaining members of the department are working to ensure the future of the sustainability program at Mercyhurst. “Mercyhurst’s commitment to sustainability will endure. A number of dedicated faculty and students are working hard to make sure of that,” Chris Magoc, Ph.D., chair of the Sustainability Studies Department and associate dean of the School of Social Sciences, said. Magoc said that the university’s interest in sustainability goes back to the spring of 1970, when the concept of Earth Day was initially introduced. The president at that time, Sister Carolyn Herrmann, asked biology professor Sister Maura Smith, who established Mercyhurst’s first Environmental Studies program, to organize Earth Day events on campus. According to Magoc, even though the program she began waned throughout the years, Smith persevered. “Sister Maura’s passion for environmental stewardship never waned and she continued to serve on the college Board

of Trustees,” Magoc said. When Magoc came to Mercyhurst in 1999, Smith and he partnered with some enthusiastic students to form the Mercyhurst College Green Team. The team’s numerous achievements, including the founding of the Office of Sustainability in 2010, earned Mercyhurst local, state and national recognition. “Sister Carolyn and Sister Maura knew well, sustainability speaks to the heart and soul of the Mercy mission and our critical engagement in the community and the world,” Magoc said. Magoc also said that there is a fundamental moral and ethical obligation to focus on sustainable practices in the midst of environmental crisis facing the planet. While he and other faculty and staff members are planning to continue with the Sustainability program, the decision to terminate Prischak’s position has been quite devastating to the Sustainability Office, as her work was crucial to its mission, Magoc said. Magoc outlined four main areas of focus that are essential to making this possible. The first is to ensure that the new president and administration of Mercyhurst is fully committed to sustainability as part of the university’s future. Next, the university has to restore a full-time position to the task of overseeing sustainability studies and the sustainability program. Third, the community must to prioritize student-led sus-

tainability projects. And finally, the university must revise and strengthen the Mercyhurst Sustainability Plan, Magoc said “Particularly now when we do not have a sustainability officer to coordinate our efforts full-time, all members of the Mercyhurst community who care about the issues of environmental stewardship should consider themselves members of the committee,” Magoc said. Mercyhurst Student Government has been working to assist the sustainability program in its mission. Dylan Radtke, a junior MSG Senator, along with the MSG Sustainability Committee, has been focused on informing students and giving them the tools to practice sustainability on their own. “Of course, it’s important to be ‘green’ as an institution,” said Radtke, “but students really need to be conscious of this as well.” To help with this, MSG will be distributing recycling information, as well as clear and black garbage bags to upperclassmen housing. Additionally, they plan to create opportunities for students to donate any clothing or furniture they intended to throw away at the end of the year. “We hope that by doing this we can create more interest in ‘green’ and sustainable practices,” Radtke said. Representatives from MSG and the Sustainability Studies department said Mercyhurst as a sustainable university will be a goal for the foreseeable future.

Relay for Life raises $11,041 By Nathan Turner News editor

Relay for Life has raised $11,041 to date. The event’s fundraising goal is to collect $22,000 by Saturday, April 25. The annual fundraiser for cancer research will take place in Garvey Park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. The fundraising committee expects to collect the remaining amount within the coming days, as well as during the event itself. “If we hit 11,000, it will be almost guaranteed that we’ll make our goal,” Kelsey Eckhoff, senior Intelligence Studies and Criminal Psychology major, said. The 41 individual teams have raised the majority of the money for the event. The fundraising committee does several

events to raise money over the school year, but most of the money comes from registered teams, Danielle Dros, a junior and Team Recruiter co-chair for Relay for Life, said. “Our top selling team almost has three grand on their own right now. It’s all of the Mercyhurst students doing fundraising on their own, whether they’re putting up things online or ask their family, it’s all them,” Dros said. The committee has received fundraising assistance from the Student Activities Council, Mercyhurst Student Government and the Public Relations Department, as well as the Corner Stone, Eckhoff said. “We have SAC and MSG, who not only help us publicize, but also help us with finances. The PR department from Mercyhurst has been really key

in helping us. They got us on Twitter, they put one of our pictures up on their main website. We’ve also gotten publicity from the Stone. Cover charges have been going to us,” Eckhoff said. The funds from the dunk tank at the grand opening of the Carolyn Herrmann Student Union on Thursday will also go to Relay for Life, according to Eckhoff. Dros urges that students who know cancer survivors to invite them to the event. “We do honor survivors. Finding them is kind of hard, so if anyone does know anyone who has battled and would like to walk in the survivor lap, that will be at 6 o’clock during the event,” Dros said. @TheMerciad

update that covers multiple topics. Best covers more specific and focused issues. “I started off doing the Negorno-Karabakh issue [attempted secession of ethnic Armenians from Azerbaijan], then I moved over to Moldova, and we ended up having a series of in-depth articles, a sort of history of Moldova,” Best said. The series of articles culminated in a group article covering the issues behind and the run-up to the Moldovan election in November. Best has also moved into covering the Baltics and the Caucasus, while Luber has begun to do more work analyzing the situation in Ukraine. Vuksic and Westbrook said they are hoping to see the platform expand, but also keep its base in helping up-and-coming professionals gain a voice within the intelligence community. Westbrook said that while Leksika is trying to expand, the

goal is to avoid corporate sponsorship in order to avoid the possibility of losing independence of the analysis. “When you accept corporate sponsors, you become tethered to someone else’s will,” said Westbrook. “We would prefer to keep it kind of grassroots in order to prevent that.” The platform has succeeded so far without any type of revenue, according to Vuksic. “Me and Graham kind of started up and paid for the fees in tandem, and there’s an article like the Goyushov article that I see as particularly valuable, I’ll spend five bucks for advertising on Facebook or Twitter, and that’s how we’ve expanded our audience outside the US,” Vuksic said. While the audience expands outside of the United States and some of the analysts hail from overseas, the core and the future of the operation lies at Mercyhurst. Luber and Best, who have been designated

as deputy editors, are leaving within the next two years and are looking for replacements to continue the operation. “At this time, we’re both going to try to branch out elsewhere and at the same time, we’re both going to try to find people who are going to take up the role at Mercyhurst, so we can keep a firm base,” Best said. Luber and Best have also reached out to professors in the School of Intelligence Studies to help find contributors for Leksika. “We’ve reached out to Professor Mills and we’re kind of mentoring one of his writing classes,” Luber said. “Mercyhurst will definitely be a part of it for the foreseeable future.”

@TheMerciad

Admiral Laker’s Police Brief

Hello there again, Constant Reader. Admiral Laker had been enjoying a relaxing week, brushing up his old-school Atari skills for his monthly tournament. However, crooks have disturbed another stint of peaceful rest for the ol’ Admiral. The first dastardly dude/ dudette made his/her mark at Mercyhurst on April 16. The crook was caught with a controlled substance and the

assorted swag with it. The Admiral understands that everyone’s got their thing (such as old-school fruit-shaped Trix; I don’t care what Mrs. Laker says, they’re too good to be just “for kids”), but you need to get off this stuff. It’ll do more than rot your teeth. Three other villains decided to spoil a peaceful Sunday of kicking back with a bowl of Kix by going off-campus and committing fraud. What was

so delicious that they needed to lie to obtain it, we may never know, Constant Reader, but rest assured that the Erie Police will likely not enjoy any excuses these bandits try to cook up. Fraud is never fun, folks. That’s all the Admiral’s got this week. Good luck for the next week. Stay safe and we’ll check back with hopefully an even shorter list.

The Merciad

April 22, 2015

Page 3

Features

Schiff to host his final Lumen night By Emani Burton Staff writer

Kenneth Schiff, Ph.D., an associate professor in the English Department is retiring after 28 years of teaching at Mercyhurst. Schiff will direct his final Literary Festival this Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre. The evening will be the capstone event to this year’s festival and will feature the unveiling of the student Literary Magazine, Lumen. While it may be Schiff ’s last time as the director of the festival, his contributions will not be forgotten, according to this year’s Lumen editors, juniors Caroline Magoc and Hailey Carone. Carone and Magoc have both taken classes taught by Schiff and said they have appreciated his contributions to their writing, as well as to Lumen. “Dr. Schiff may be going, but he will never truly be gone. The festival is such a powerful legacy,” Magoc said. The editors expect that this year’s Lumen unveiling will be particularly emotional, as Schiff has significantly contributed to Mercyhurst’s English Department and creative writing program and his presence will be missed. “Everyone has such positive feelings about Dr. Schiff,” Carone said. Schiff has been instrumental to the festival’s success through the years. After co-founding the festival, Schiff actively recruited his colleagues in collaboration to create a festival that high-

lights a number of diverse literary styles and artistic expression. Gregory Brown, Ph.D., professor in the English Department and director of the Writing Center, has worked alongside Schiff as the poetry coordinator for the literary festival. “[Schiff] was instrumental in organizing the AIM program and the literary festival. He’s been here nearly a third of the university’s existence. You can’t deny that Dr. Schiff has been a fundamental part of Mercyhurst,” Brown said. Brown said he recalls with great fondness, not only Schiff ’s contributions to Mercyhurst, but his enjoyment of literary analysis and debate. “I’ve been drawn into his office sometimes. We’ve had some great discussions about literature,” Brown said. Christiana Riley Brown, Ph.D., chair of the English Department, has been a colleague of Schiff ’s for almost a decade. Schiff helped make RileyBrown feel welcome when she first began her career at Mercyhurst. “The thing about Dr. Schiff is that he’s very open with everyone me meets. You know when you meet Dr. Schiff that you have met someone,” Riley Brown said. The English Department is currently pursuing a creative writing professor to fill Schiff ’s position. However, the department will not be the same, according to Riley Brown. “You can never replace Dr. Schiff,” Riley Brown said. English Department staff

Nhi Tran photo

This year’s Literary Festival will be the final one directed by its co-founder, Kenneth Schiff, Ph.D., who will retire at the end of this year, ending his 28 years teaching at the University.

members are not the only people affected by Schiff ’s retirement. Many alumni have reached out to the department, expressing congratulations to the professor and gratitude for being an integral of their Mercyhurst experience. Co-Founder of the Literary Festival, English professor Jeffery Roessner, Ph.D., is a former student of Schiff ’s as well. Roessner helped model the festival after other literary events he attended in graduate school at the University of Notre Dame. Roessner credits Schiff with

helping to improve his writing as an undergraduate student. “He was terrific. He had terribly high standards,” Rossener said about his time as an undergraduate in Schiff ’s class. Schiff was tough on correcting mistakes. He marked writing samples for students to correct and resubmit. “I remember how rigorous his class was, but it was inspiring to have an English teacher who appreciated modern literature like I did. It was inspiring to know that he and I shared the same literary interests,” Roessner said.

This spring marks Schiff ’s’ last full year at Mercyhurst, but retirement will not end his involvement with the university. He will return to Mercyhurst to teach the interdisciplinary course Breaking Down Breaking Bad, a study of the popular crime series. The class is a product of collaboration between the English, Chemistry and Criminal Justice Departments. Schiff remains a steadfast supporter of Mercyhust’s English Department, explaining that the fanfare should be less about his retirement and

more about English. “The English Department and the Humanities in general are the most important part of a student’s education, because they bring out the humanizing and emotional elements– where student’s think and understand the world and their lives,” Schiff said.

@TheMerciad

Duquela promotes Step Up

LAKER MOMENT

By Jose Nufio Staff writer

Maggy Urso photo

Freshman Music Education major Mariana Mathewson was feeling cooped up this past winter and decided, on April 17, to take advantage of the warm weather and move her cello practice to Garvey Park. Many students have been enjoying the spring weather that the University has been experiencing, minus the rain. Relay for Life will also be held in Garvey Park Saturday, April 25, another sign that spring is here.

Mercyhurst’s Bystander Intervention Committee launched the Step Up Program in an effort to encourage students to step up in helping others experiencing mistreatment and not be a bystander. The Step Up program is a national program that encourages students to be proactive in helping others in all types of ways. The Bystander Intervention Committee is currently using the Step Up campaign to advocate for sexual assault prevention at Mercyhurst. Chair of the Bystander Intervention Committee and Assistant Director of Resident Life and Student Conduct, Sophomore Area, Rhina Duquela, said the committee is in charge of coming up with programming to bring awareness to students. This past fall, the committee, seeking a bystander intervention program to integrate into Mercyhurst, examined several different bystander intervention programs before choosing Step Up as their favorite. “Right now the committee is trying to pull the resources from the Step Up program and add a webpage about how to not be a bystander, how to help your peers, how to make sure you are stepping up when you see something wrong,” said Duquela, “whether it is sexual assault or bullying or just anything bad.” One of the main goals of the program is to encourage students to do the right thing when faced with difficult situations. “We hope that you are not perpetuating it and we hope that you are not entertain-

ing it. You are the person that says, ‘that was mean,’” Duquela said. The members of the committee, which formed in October 2014, are trying to come up with new ideas for the program. For now they have been collaborating with other groups people who have events and ideas set up. Monday, April 13, they were part of the Take Back the Night march against sexual violence, hosted by Gannon University. They are also partnering up with Crime Victim Center to support its third annual keynote speaker, former Olympic hockey player Theo Fleury, who will be speaking at the Bayfront Convention Center on Thursday, April 23, at 6:30 p.m. Fleury was a professional hockey player who was sexually assaulted and now speaks out about the issue. Duquela would like students to send Snapchats to the Mercyhurst account with the hashtag “Stepup” if attending the Theo Fleury lecture or any future event promoted by the committee. Members of the committee include Vice-President of Student Life Laura Zickle and Assistant Professor in the Walker School of Business, Merry Bollheimer, J.D., among other staff members from Student Life. So far only two students are part of the committee. Duquela hopes that other students join in and help to brainstorm new ideas for the new campaign. “We have contests and prizes we want to give away to students for spreading the word. We want student opinions on how to do that,” Duquela said. Duquela is also looking for students to help further create the identity of the Step Up

Program. “We’d invite you to a committee meeting to see what the best way to get involved is. Whether it be by creating the flyers for the committee, whether it be just in charge of the social media aspect of it and those kind of things. We are fairly new so right now we are just creating ourselves,” Duquela said. The committee is hosting a bystander intervention video contest as part of the Step Up program. For the contest, students are asked to submit a video, no longer than two minutes, to bring awareness to the Step Up Program. The committee will judge the submitted videos and will give a $100 Amazon.com gift card to the student whose video is selected as the winner. Duquela believes this campaign is crucial, due to the nature of college campuses. She believes it is imperative that students are able to react and not be bystanders to acts of violence of any form. “It is important that you are safe in every situation and that your peers are safe in every situation,” said Duquela. “Whether it be to avoid bullying someone or to help someone else avoid it. Help avoid a man or a women leaving somewhere without being lucid enough to make the right decision, helping people out in those scenarios.” If you are interested in getting involved with the bystander intervention committee and the Step Up program, email your request to stepup@mercyhurst.edu.

@TheMerciad

Page 4

The Merciad

Features Salon honors slain student By Darcie Kuchcinski Contributing writer

The Mercyhurst Dance Department hosted a Black and White Salon in memory of Jenni-Lyn Watson, a late Mercyhurs Dance major, in the dance studio of Zurn. The event, which took place on Tuesday, April 14, was standing room only and featured student dance, music and recitation performances. Mark Santillano, assistant professor of the Dance Department, served as adviser for the event this year. “The Salon Show began seven years or more years ago, where the students could choreograph and perform without all the stress of a main stage show,” said Santillano. “It not only showcases the students’ dance ability but also allows other artistic departments to participate and showcase their talents as well.” Though it is has been organized each year by the Dance Department, the Black and White Salon is open to the entire Mercyhurst community. “Other departments are always invited and encouraged to participate,” said Santillano. “We have had in the past students from the Music Department play their instruments and sing as well as students from the English Department read poetry. The Laker dance

team had even performed in the show this year.” The Salon Show was re-named the Black and White Salon in memory of Jenni-Lyn Watson, a junior Dance major who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2010. “The whole Dance Department was affected. We are all a very close group and when we heard she was missing, it affected all of us,” said Santillano. “We were devastated to hear about her death days later. And the Salon show became a fundraiser for Jenni-Lyn.” The Salon Show was re-named the Black and White Salon due to Watson’s affection toward panda bears. It has also become a fundraiser in Watson’s name for senior Dance majors to help offset the costs of auditions according to Santillano. The show not only showcases student talent, but also includes raffle tickets and a baked goods sale that all support the fundraising event. The Dance Department hosts many shows throughout the year with the next performance in two weeks called “Raw Edges” in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. “This show has been going on for 17 years and it is a main stage show,” said Santillano. “The students are in charge of everything with only a small

Features editor

Salina Bowe photo

amount of overseeing from the instructors. The students not only choreograph the event, but they also choose the music, and paint the sets as well as perform. It is very exciting.”

Salina Bowe photo

Students perform at the Black and White Salon, held in memory of former Dance major Jenni-Lyn Watson.

@TheMerciad

By Jose Nufio Staff writer

Maggy Urso photo

Students Megan Sheehan and Anna Wills prepare food at the newly developed Mercyhurst Athletic Center concession stand.

nize different fundraising events that would help the committee meet their monetary goal. On Tuesday, April 21, there was an event free to all seniors, where they gave out hot dogs, popcorn and pizza while asking people for donations.

Other events hosted by the Senior Gift Committee include the Christmas bar crawl, the hundred-day senior week event, the senior date auction and a “dip competition” between students.

“

Every little cent helps. Amanda Marley

Maggy Urso photo

Seniors Sarah Jansen and Blair Pembleton enjoyed free food and beverages to celebrate the opening of the concession stand renovation donated by the Senior Class Gift Committee.

West County Lions to host charity dance By Ryan Kushner

Seniors raise funds for MAC concession stand The Senior Class of 2015 raised funds for the development of a concession stand in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center (MAC) as their Senior Class Gift to the university. According the head of the senior gift committee, senior Public Health major Amanda Marley, most of the funds have been raised with about 50 percent participation from the senior class. The committee’s ultimate goal is to reach $8,500 in funds for the project. This past November, they decided to construct the concession stand in the MAC. “We came up with a couple of ideas and we surveyed the entire senior class in an open poll and we decided on the concession stand after it was proposed to the board in front of different chairs and alumni committee,” Marley said. Along with four other students who form the chairs of the senior gift committee, Marley set out to orga-

April 22, 2015

”

“Twenty-five cents helps, every little cent helps,” said Marley. “We are just kind of encouraging seniors to see that we want them to give back and support their class and leave their own legacy to future classes.” The final event to take place is the senior bar crawl, which will take place May 14. The money raised that day will be presented to Mercyhurst President Tom Gamble, Ph.D., and the Mercyhurst committee the very next day. Although the goal of $8,500 has not been reached yet, Marley said that they are

Maggy Urso photo

Seniors sign the Class of 2015 banner at the Senior Class Gift Launch Party in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center on Tuesday, April 21.

very close to reaching it.. An Alumni sponsor is expected to match what the committee raises for the gift to assist the class in reaching their goal. Marley hopes students will come out to make a difference and support their senior class gift. “I would encourage seniors to see the space of

the concession stand and its construction,” said Marley. “They should help leave their legacy and help out and give back to the school.”

@TheMerciad

The West County Lions Club will host a charity Zumbathon Saturday, April 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Fairview Elementary Gymnasium. The club is a local chapter of the Lions Club International (LCI), the world’s largest service club organization, which boasts over 46,000 clubs and 1.4 million members globally and is primarily known for its service to the blind and visually impaired. The West County Lions Club, started in July 2014, is looking to become more active in the community and begin raising funds for charities in the Western County. Kiriam Kraut, the secretary for the West County Lions Club, has been with the local chapter since its conception last year and said she hopes the Zumbathon will encourage younger people to join the club. “Everyone is welcome,” said Kraut. “We want to put a spin on it that we are a fun club. We don’t want to have it that we are all serious, all bookwork. We want to involve families in our community…We’re the best kept secret.” So far, the club, which currently has 21 members, has been hosting pancake breakfasts for the public in order to build up its charity account, according to John and Margaret Dutkowski, who have also been members since the club was formed last July. “Any penny we collect from the public must go to charity,” John said. Charities that the club has contributed to so far include the Erie Eye Bank, the Beacon Lodge Camp for the Blind and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Zumbathon will cost $10 for pre-registration at fb.com/WestCountyLionsClub using Paypal and $15 at the door. The dance will be led by Pennsylvania Choreo Zumba Jammer Kristine Yurkovic. After the Zumbathon, the club plans to host a “Dinner in the Dark” event to raise money to restore kennels for Leader Dogs for the Blind, an organization that trains seeing-eye dogs. The event, which will cost $50 a person, will be a dinner completely in the dark. “The idea is to give people who participate the experience of what it would be like to not be able to see,” said Margaret Dutkowski. “It’s fun but it raises money for a good cause.” John Dutkowski, who serves as an adviser for the West County Lions Club, having previously been a District Governor for a chapter of the club in New Jersey, encourages local college students to become more involved with the Lions Club as well. “Everybody has to do service work,” said Dutkowski. “The club has got to learn together, and we work together well. The officers they have this year are excellent. They did their homework and I think we’re doing a great club.”

April 22, 2015

Page 5

The Merciad

Arts &

Entertainment

Lumen Magazine unveiling on Thursday

Student artists’ hard work will be revealed in Taylor Little Theatre By Emani Burton Staff writer

During the past few months, Mercyhurst University’s English Department has worked hard on the university’s 13th annual Literary Festival, which will come to an end this week with the capstone event, the unveiling of the Lumen Literary Magazine. The Literary Festival is an important celebration on campus that consists of multiple events that celebrate all aspects of the arts. This year the events consisted of a sit-down with award-winning Broadway actress Elizabeth Ashley, a performance of Tennessee Williams’ play “Clothes for a

Summer Hotel,” and a poetry reading and Q & A from performance poet Sean Thomas Dougherty. Lumen recognizes student achievements in the arts, particularly poetry and creative writing, like short stories, fan-fiction and screenplays. The ceremony on Thursday will honor three students with cash awards for creative writing, and one with the P. Barry McAndrew Award for best essay on literature. This year’s event will be the last one directed by Kenneth Schiff, Ph.D., who co-founded the festival and is retiring after 28 years teaching in the Mercyhurst English Department. The editors of Lumen are responsible for choosing the

submissions that are published in the magazine. They also work to edit the accepted submissions to make sure they maintain and showcase the highest level of student work. For student co-editors of Lumen, juniors Hailey Carone and Caroline Magoc, Thursday’s events will be the conclusion of months of editing and collaboration efforts. “The magazine has been in production since this fall, but March is when we really work hard,” Magoc said. The editors have been meeting weekly with Schiff, who has served as the adviser for the magazine since its conception. Lumen is a collaborative effort between several differ-

ent departments. “We work with so many other people,” said Carone. “The Graphic Design Department and English Department are a huge part of Lumen.” This year, Lumen received many great submissions, too many to be printed in the printed magazine alone. This year, just as last year, a flash drive will be attached to the magazine. On the flash drive are the longer works of fiction and poetry, as well as other student works, such as dances choreographed and performed by student dancers, and photographs of student artworks. The Lumen Literary Magazine unveiling will take place on Thursday, April 23 at 8 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre.

Contributed photo

Lumen will be unveiled on Thursday at 8 p.m. in Taylor Little.

Audience loved Lit Fest poet ‘On the Town’ in Taylor Little By Megan Pacileo

By Megan Pacileo

On Thursday, April 16, the performance poet Sean Thomas Dougherty was welcomed to the stage of Taylor Little Theatre. Dougherty was brought in as part of the 13th annual Literary Festival. His set followed the relationship between father and their children, and how they change and evolve over time. Dougherty read poems following this theme from his book, “All I Ask for Is Longing: New and Selected Poems,” which was on sale after the performance so audience members could buy their own copy and get it autographed by the author. The locations in Dougherty’s poetry are some the audiences could recognize. Since Dougherty is a local poet, he mentions locations right here in Erie area, like Parade Street in the poem “Arias.” Dougherty is a unique poet in the sense that he was very influenced by music. In the Q & A session following his reading, he said he listens for the baseline in the

With only a few more Sundays left in the Sunday movie film series, be sure to head down to Taylor Little Theatre to catch another great film. This week’s film is “On the Town.” This classic film stars Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin. “On the Town” is a 1949 musical film directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. One of the greatest musicals of all time, “On the Town” boasts memorable music and iconic shots of New York landmarks. As three sailors, Gabey, played by Kelly, Chip, played by Sinatra, and Ozzie, played by Munshin, begin their shore leave. Gabey falls in love with the picture of “Miss Turnstiles,” who is actually a woman named Ivy Smith. The sailors race around New York attempting to find her in the brief period they have while on leave. They are assisted by and become romantically involved with two women: Ozzie with Claire, an anthropologist, and Chip with Hildy Esterhazy, an amorous taxi cab driver.

Arts and Entertainment editor

Nhi Tran photo

Sean Dougherty explained how music influences his poetry.

poem he is reading aloud. He said he feels the musicality of the words. His readings never follow what is directly written, as he said, the baseline of the words inspire him to read them differently every time. Dougherty also read an essay he is currently working on writing. The essay followed the themes of fathers and sons, telling the story of a father and son pool-playing team that Dougherty personally knows mixed with questions and queries about the father-

son relationship. Dougherty proved himself to be very down to earth when he admitted to always getting stage fright before any of his performances. He admitted to being nervous even before he performs in informal settings, like Poet’s Hall, where he is a frequent performer. Some very lucky students will also be able to take a class with Dougherty when he comes back to campus to teach a workshop on Wednesday, April 22.

miac photo

The award-winning musical “On the Town” will be playing in Taylor Little Theatre as part of the Sunday movie series.

Eventually, Gabey finds Ivy Smith, the aspiring actress. Claire claims that she has found her passionate “Prehistoric Man” in Ozzie at the Museum of Anthropological History and Hildy invites Chip to “Come Up to My Place.” Gabey takes Ivy on an imaginary date down “Main Street” in a studio in Symphonic Hall. Later, Chip sincerely falls for Hildy telling her “You’re Awful,” that is, awfully nice to be with. That evening, all the couples meet at the top of the Empire State Building to celebrate a night “On the Town.” When Ivy must leave early

to work as a cooch dancer, they have a number of adventures before reuniting with her at Coney Island before their 24-hour leave ends and they must return to their ship. Although their future is uncertain, the boys and girls share one last kiss on the pier as a new crew of sailors heads out into the city for their leave. In 2006, this film version ranked number 19 on the American Film Institute’s list of best musicals. “On the Town” will be playing Sunday, April 26, at 2 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre. Tickets are $1 for students with their Mercyhurst ID.

All Around Erie: Second to last edition By Megan Pacileo

Arts and Entertainment editor

FILM at the Art Museum presents “The Great Invisible”

Online

The Erie Art Museum is continuing to show startling movies as part of their FILM at the Erie Art Museum series with this week’s showing of the 2014 documentary about the environment and how it was impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, titled “The Great Invisible,” directed by Margaret Brown. On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in a blaze of fire that could be seen 35 miles away, killing 11 workers and causing the worst oil spill in American history. “The Great Invisible” is the first comprehensive overview of the incident and its aftermath. It is the result of four years that Alabama-born Brown spent traveling in the small towns and major cities all around the Gulf, talking to those affected. With an eye for unforgettable characters, Brown gained the trust of a wide range of people, from industry insiders to smalltown fishermen, and from lawyers administering BP’s faulty compensation fund to the shell-shocked survivors of the initial blast, one of whom provides a chilling first-person video taken onboard the Deepwater Horizon in the days leading up to the disaster. Together, their testimony adds up to a moving portrait of an industry whose lack of government oversight led to unthinkable

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

catastrophe-a lack of oversight that has not changed, despite the widespread outrage at the time. Empathetic, smartly-crafted, and ultimately devastating, “The Great Invisible” offers a deep and expansive look at the causes and effects of American energy policy. The film will be shown on Wednesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5. For more information, call (814) 580-6608.

searching for answers to some of the troubling questions about the impacts of human activities around the world. The film will be shown at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at TREC before the movie. For more information, call (814) 833-7424.

Big Green Screen Movies showing at TREC

The Erie Station Dinner Theatre is presenting a new hilarious comedic farce, called “Never Too Late.” This Broadway hit is about a married man in his fifties who suddenly learns he is becoming a father again. His last child was born 24 years ago and considering the bum of a guy she married, he finds the prospect of another child unthinkable. His daughter and son-in-law live with him still. She gets up for breakfast at lunchtime and he is addicted to playing solitaire. It is not only the impending birth that startles him, but his previously meek little wife begins to lay down the law: there is to be a nursery, a new bath, and she is to have her own checking account. Be prepared for a good, old-fashioned domestic farce! The shows will be held on Wednesday, April 22, through May 3. Performances begin at 7 p.m., 5 p.m. or 2 p.m., depending on the day of the performance. For more information, call (814) 864-2022.

The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is continuing to show environmentally-conscious movies, on their very large green screen. On April 22, TREC will be showing three movies. The first, “Mysteries of the Unseen World,” will be showing at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. “Mysteries” is a film adventure that takes audiences on an extraordinary journey into the hidden dimensions that are beyond our normal vision to see the mysteries of things that move too fast, too slow or are too small to see. The next movie is the “Rocky Mountain Express,” which will propel audiences on a steam train journey through the breathtaking vistas of the Candian Rockies and relate the epic adventure of building the nation’s first transcontinental railway. The film will show at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Third is the movie “Wonders of the Arctic.” Today, the Arctic is the focus of intense scientific research. Instead of looking to take control of the North, scientists are

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

Erie Station Dinner Theatre presents: ‘Never Too Late’

@MeganPacileo

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

April 22, 2015

The Merciad

Page 6

Opinion

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

Poor sidewalk design on campus annoys students By Victoria Kreysar Staff writer

I never thought I would miss right angles so badly until I began to navigate my way through Mercyhurst by way of sidewalk. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. I remember hearing these words in my sophomore year geometry class back in high school, staring at triangles and praying for the agony to end. Walking from building to building on campus, I am reminded of the obtuse and acute torture. There does not seem to be a single bit of sidewalk that runs in a straight line. Nearly everyone knows Mercyhurst is a stitched up campus which, to be honest, is part of the charm. The composition of various construction projects and added

buildings ranges from the 1920s to the 2010s. The mismatched bricks on Old Main are just one small bit of tangible evidence. The other, more obnoxious reminder, is the sidewalk. Those cement lines stretch across the school grounds in an intricate maze. Choosing which path to take can be an incredibly complex and sometimes dangerous task. Take for instance the route from the upper parking garage to Preston: the only bits of sidewalk run up to Hirt and around the building, or across the odd triple lane stop sign which nearly every car driving through seems to neglect. Leaving Hirt, students face a fork in the road to simply cross the road, and for what? So a sign can sit on the unnecessary patch of mulch in the middle of all the cement? A junior at Mercyhurst said,

“We already have to worry about picking a direction in life; you know, big picture and stuff. Honestly, I would rather walk over the grass than take the maze of sidewalks to get from one place to another. Not to mention it would probably be safer.”

“

We’re not trying to hike the Oregon Trail here; we’re trying to get to class.

”

Victoria Kreysar

In addition to the excessive and aggressively-angled sidewalks, there is a serious problem with their condition. Bits of sidewalks all across campus are flaking, cracking and crumbling. Students, as well as faculty, have reported falling over the uneven concrete, and not because of

The Good...

snow and ice. Take a second to assess things around campus and you will understand. The steps to the upper parking deck are falling apart. The staircase is literally detaching itself from the structure entirely, enormous holes split sidewalks apart, rebar is beginning to show in some cases and railings are becoming loose. Instead of spending money and time planting flowers that we know will die when the weather changes, why don’t we try to fix the sidewalks? We’re not trying to hike the Oregon Trail here; we’re trying to get to class.

Opinion editor

The famous E! Entertainment Television reality family stars, the Kardashians and Jenners, have influenced the looks and appearances of young ladies both across the country and internationally. Younger generations have grown up looking up to them and wishing that they get to be and look like the stars. Kendall Jenner was just 12 years old and Kylie was 10 years old when they first appeared on the reality show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” They grew up with cameras recording their every word. When they were of a certain age, they started modeling careers and changing their physical appearances. Recently, Kylie Jenner’s pro-

nounced lips have become controversial among teenage girls. Girls find the new lips appealing and decided to start a trend known as the “Kylie Jenner Challenge.” The girls that participate force their lips to swell using cups, bottles and caps to make their lips look like Kylie Jenner’s. There have been some instances where the challenge has gone wrong, resulting in severe wounds in their lips. I do not see how someone would want to harm herself just to look like someone else. This trend is getting out of hand across the Internet. People are posting photos of their lips that do not even look close to what Kylie’s look like. The girls’ motivation to participate in this challenge is questionable, especially after seeing the undesirable results the phenomenon has had

over the Internet. My question is, “are they really thinking about the consequences they will have after they do the challenge?” Apparently not. It seems that more girls are motivated in participating, even after seeing the unattractive results. This challenge puts their health at risk. Some people who have taken the challenge have caused serious damage to their lips. When I was looking at some of the pictures, I found one that showed how he had deformed his lip during the process. Apparently, the glass he was using blew up, causing major damage to his lips, which looked like they required emergency professional intervention. It is inconceivable how people are going above and beyond just to look like a celebrity. The saddest part of

this challenge is that they are putting their health at risk. It is incredible how there are people who are born with deformations on their lips and have to undergo surgery hoping that one day, they will be able to smile. Some people are perfectly fine and are now causing damages to their skin for some stupid reason, taking for granted that not everyone is born with perfectly formed lips. Each day a new trend goes viral on the Internet, I wish the next one would be for a good cause, like the kids that are born with real lip deformations and hope to smile again, not for a careless celebrity.

Sports editor

Online

I’m not a fan of the core curriculum at Mercyhurst. I feel that it takes away from many other opportunities such as study abroad. By the time I am a senior, I will have all of my major classes done. I would love to study abroad; however, because of the core, I will not be able to do that without taking more than four years. Making someone go more than four years because they missed a few core classes is silly. I understand the importance of being well-rounded, but I do not think that some of the core classes help with this. I took religion my freshman year. I do not feel like I have used any of the infor-

mation that I learned. Frankly, I do not remember most of what we learned. This is very frustrating because I paid for this class and took time out of my schedule for it. This time could be used for other important electives that will help my major or, as I will state again, study abroad. Other students are in the same position as I am. One of my good friends is a double major. She will have to stay an extra term because she does not have enough time to fulfill core classes in four years while taking all of her classes that are required for both degrees. Many of the core classes should be optional. I think that taking a science with a required lab takes a lot of time that I could use for my major classes. This also presents a problem in itself. Core classes like the sciences are

more difficult than major classes. When I am spending more time on a class that does not matter to my career, I get discouraged and upset. I am usually an A student. I work hard for the grades I get. However, when core classes begin taking away from my major classes, that’s when I start calling it quits on core. This hurts my GPA as well my motivation to learn other things outside of the major. This is opposite of what the core intends to do—make you well-rounded. If you become uninterested in a topic because it is taking away from the classes that give you a degree, then what is the point of them in the first place? If the entire core is not made optional, then I think that certain sections should be optional. For example, the literature section, I understand