The Merciad, April 30, 2014

News On Page 3:

Students go One Day Without Shoes

Features on Page 4:

Arts & Entertainment on Page 11:

Bone Lab named after Rathbun

Dance dept. presents ‘Raw Edges’ Read more inside & online

The Merciad

Est. 1929 Vol. 87 No. 19

Mercyhurst university

Wednesday, april 30, 2014

Relay for Life raises $20,686

By Mary Barnes Staff writer

This past Saturday, Mercyhurst University held its fourth annual Relay for Life in Garvey Park. There were plenty of activities and

give-a-ways to keep the excitement going throughout the day, including multiple performances, games, and a bounce house. The main reason for the event was to raise money and awareness about a disease that affects almost every American in some way.

According to the American Cancer Society, over 1 million people are diagnosed with a form of cancer annually and almost everyone has had a connection with the disease.

This past Saturday, the Mercyhurst community played their part in the fight to a cure

with 12 hours of empowerment and hope toward reaching the end of this powerful disease.

There were 350 participants and 40 participating teams this year, each representing a different country. The event began with each team member

taking a lap around the track.

Just as at any Relay event, team and community members walked laps around the track, entered raffles, and participated in the creative activities offered by various teams. Team Guyana offered Forget-Me-Not seeds to plant to remind those of their loved ones’ battles with cancer.

The MSG table had a competitive bounce house game as well as free Spring Fest tickets for this Friday’s event.

The most popular table of the day, however, may have been the Starbucks table, offering warm drinks to make up for the cold temperature outside.

The day continued with brunch and dinner, as well as cake and ice cream to celebrate The American Cancer Society’s “more birthdays” initiative.

Each hour, the laps were themed and accompanied by give-a-ways, provided by the society.

Event chair and co-chair Jeni Politano and Kelsey Eck-

hoff, as well as 16 committee members, under the advisory of Michael Grasso, have been organizing the event for months in advance.

There was plenty of entertainment to keep the energy alive, including a performance

by The Hoop Troop, lessons after the show, the Mercyhurst Pep Band, motivational speakers, and music between the events.

The event raised $20,686.52 to donate to the American Cancer Society, which is a huge success, according to Eckhoff. Saturday’s event was a fantastic success, a day full of hope and empowerment to those involved.

Regardless of the weather, students and community members alike joined up for the fight against cancer in the hopes of raising awareness and bringing and end to such a devastating disease.

@TheMerciad

Sami Rapp photo

The large HOPE mural was present throughout the entire Relay for Life and was covered in tributes to those lost to cancer.

Jake Lowy photo Caitling Dee photo

Corey Sayles leaves his reason for relaying on the large sign which adorned the Relay for Life in Garvey Park on Saturday.

Merciad Index News 1-3 Features 4-5 A&E 6-7 Opinion 8-9 Sports 10-11 Laker Living 12

Doug Swaller (left) and Dylan Russ (right) try to work their way from “Guan-relay-mo” by raising money for cancer research.

Online Poll Results

Are you looking forward to the Hirt lounge space renovation?

23% Yes, finally a new place to study.

21% I’ll graduate before it’s finished.

13% It probably won’t be used very often.

43% Renovation? The building isn’t even 15 years old!

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: Did you face any challenges registering for classes next term?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

Page 2

April 30, 2014

The Merciad

News

Police & Safety emphasizes firearms training

By Melanie Todd Staff writer

On May 31, the Board of Trustees will vote as to whether campus Police and Safety will be armed.

Currently, Chief Robert Kuhn says, “97 percent of colleges in the country have armed officers.”

Bill Hale, director of the Municipal Police Training Academy at Mercyhurst North East, said, “With recent events all around the country and the speed at which these events occur requires a protocol of immediate action. Officers do not have the luxury any longer of waiting for back-up.”

Mercyhurst is the only college left in this area that does not arm its officers.

Should the motion pass through the Board of Trustees, there are already plans for the officers’ firearms training.

Over the summer the officers will prepare themselves and qualify.

“To qualify means each officer has met a particular standard. At the police academy cadets must total at least 230/300 points to qualify,” Hale said. There is also a written exam covering other issues regarding firearms such as safety and the use of force.

Pennsylvania requires that all officers qualify once a year. Kuhn plans on his officers qualifying four times a year. Two of those times the officers will qualify with “live fire.” This means that the officers shoot real ammunition at a target for precision.

The other two qualification tests will be done through a Firearms Training Simulator (FATS). The simulator depicts different situations that may arise. According to Kuhn, this training is highly beneficial because, in addition to precision practice, “it also teaches you to think.”

It is important to note, Hale adds, “This offers officers a platform to be placed safely in some use of force and decision making scenar-

ios” but, “this is all the tool is used for.”

The FATS does not stand as a replacement for using live fire in marksmanship training.

“Police academy cadets spend 16 hours on the mechanics of their weapon and safety then 80 hours at the firing range,” Hale said.

Kuhn explains that it was necessary to get “the college community educated” before any measures were taken. It is important to note that all of the campus police officers are in fact Police Academy graduates and sworn Pennsylvania police officers.

“They aren’t just kids out of the police academy with no experience,” Kuhn said.

Hale added, “Let’s not forget that all sworn officers already have been qualified via a police academy.” The officers have experience levels that range from Erie Police Department to state police work. Some have won awards for their service.

They have been armed in the past and in order to better

Michael Murphy photo

Police and Safety Officers will undergo rigorous testing and training if the Board of Trustees approves giving them firearms.

protect the campus and themselves, there is no reason for them not to be armed now.

With the addition of the K-9 officer on campus and the settlement of arming its police officers, Mercyhurst Police and Safety continues

to adapt in order to better protect the students and their officers.

“These individuals [officers] who raise their hand and swear to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth and protect its citizens are offering

to place themselves in harm’s way to ensure the safety of anyone associated with or simply visiting the University,” Hale said. @TheMerciad

Ridge speaks to need for data analysis

By Nathan Turner Staff writer

On Friday, April 11, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge visited Mercyhurst to take part in the announcement of the Tom Ridge School of Intelligence Studies and Information Science.

The occasion was marked with a press conference at which Tom Gamble, PhD., the president of the University, Jim Breckenridge, PhD., dean of the new school, and Ridge spoke.

Gamble spoke about the reasons for naming the school after Ridge. The main reasons being his career as governor of Pennsylvania, and then the

first Secretary of Homeland Security, as well as his commitment to ethics, and, finally, that he is “a native son” of Erie.

Breckenridge spoke about the implications for the new school and the opportunities which lay ahead for the program.

In the past year, he said, “we have experienced a disappeared Malaysian airliner, the annexation of the Crimea by Russia, the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, and a landslide in California.”

He focused on how all of these events had warning signs which were noticed, but not addressed.

The new school will include three departments – Intel-

ligence Studies, Math and Computer Science, and Communication – bringing them together to address the matter of large amounts of data.

He also focused upon the quantity of data the human race is putting out, citing the fact that the worldwide data output in past two years is the equivalent of a zetabyte, the equivalent of 1 billion terabytes.

Breckenridge pointed out that such a vast quantity of data was an opportunity for the new school which, combining Math and Computer Sciences with Intelligence Studies, would be able to tap into the area of big data analytics and prepare students to tackle the challenges that lay

ahead.

Ridge also focused on the vast quantities of data out there, both in his speech and in later comments.

He said that the United States is “data-rich and knowledge poor.” The goal of the students that the school will train will be to take all of that data and turn it into knowledge which can help inform decision makers.

He also placed a heavy emphasis on ethics and constitutional implications for information collection and analysis. In later comments, he said that “while there’s no specific constitutional protection identified within the Constitution, the penumbra of the Constitution protects

your privacy and mine.”

Speaking more about the implications and driving home the importance of ethical practices, Ridge said, “So as there’s more information that we voluntarily disclose about ourselves, or unknowingly disclose about ourselves out there in that big data cloud, depending on who extracts it and the purpose for which they use it, that has the potential to create ethical problems, and legal and constitutional problems. So there’s a line that has to be drawn and part of the curriculum over the years will have to be for students to understand that and identify it.”

For the Intelligence students, both current and future,

who weren’t able to attend the press conference Ridge had a message: “[Intelligence Studies] is a great program. Stick to it. Dive into it. Get as much out of it as you possibly can because at the end of the day, don’t just think about the alphabet agencies in Washington D.C. which are normally associated with ‘intelligence’, but the ability to aggregate, analyze, distill, to go from big data, and turn it into knowledge whether in the public or private sector offers great employment potential and personally it’s a skill set they can use for the rest of their lives.” @TheMerciad

CDC Expert Dr. Ali Khan speaks about health security

By Nathan Turner Staff writer

Ali S. Khan, MD, MPH, visited Mercyhurst University and gave a speech on the public health challenges facing the US. The speech was entitled “Health Security: Our Nation’s Defense in the Battle Between Man and Nature.”

A large crowd filled the Taylor Little Theatre to hear his speech.

“Dr. Khan is obviously well known in his field,” Matt Vendeville, junior in Intelligence Studies and Public Health, said. “[He’s been with] Center

for Disease Control, he’s an expert in infectious diseases, so him coming to this school with a growing Public Health program and an Intel program really sparks people’s interest.”

“I hope that one of the things people get from [Dr. Khan’s visit] is an understanding of what health security is and the importance of public health to our security,” David Dausey, Ph.D., chair of the Public Health Department, said.

He mentioned the threats of bioterrorism and infectious diseases spreading in societies and how these issues affect the nation’s health security.

He hoped that Khan’s visit would leave people with a “greater awareness of that.”

One of the big draws to this lecture is that it deals with the crossover with public health and intelligence.

“Specifically with the preparedness and response aspect of it,” said Emily Francis, a junior majoring in Intelligence Studies and Public Health.

“Because it ties together national security and public health…He also looks at bioterrorism…from the biological spread of disease and the implications for society that [it] has.”

To cement the effects of this speech, Dausey plans to

offer a course in Health Security in the fall of 2014, which is “already full,” but will be offered in the spring as well.

He also spoke of developing a certificate in Health Security and a possible graduate program in Public Health.

There are also opportunities for students which arise from the fusion of Intelligence Studies and Public Health, particularly with jobs.

“If you’re just Intel, and you’re looking for a job with a federal agency, it’s hard postSnowden,” Vendeville said, also referring to the need to cut costs within the federal government. “[Public Health] opens up a

whole other arena to look for jobs. World Health Organization is doubling their hiring by 2015, which is opening up a ton of jobs.”

Speaking of other advantages of the Intelligence-Public Health fusion, Francis said “It’s the same advantage that any double major has, which is being able to look at the problem from both perspectives,” speaking about understanding the implications for society from Public Health and the analytic outlook of Intelligence Studies.

“There’s a growing recognition that my healthcare is your healthcare; my health is your health…[Our globalized

world] means that a disease can go from rural China to New York City in half of a day,” Dausey said.

Listing issues ranging from problems with the global food supply to bioterrorism to antibacterial resistant diseases, Dausey said that these “threats are mounting, and it affects not just public health, but all areas of the economy.

We really need the next generation of students to take up these challenges and put us in a better place than we are today.”

@TheMerciad

Civic Institute wins grant to start resource organization

By Nathan Turner Staff writer

On Friday, April 11, the Mercyhurst Civic Institute announced the beginning for the Neighborhood Resource Organization, an organization crafted to help empower neighborhoods within the Erie area and address the issues which plague them, such as violent crime and community disorganization.

To drive the NRO, the Civic Institute received a grant from the Erie Unified Youth Violence Reduction Initiative to

hire an executive director, who will be “dedicated to training, assisting and sustaining the efforts of Neighborhood Watch Associations,” according to the agenda for the press conference.

The NRO is actually part of a Community Action Plan, which takes a threepronged approach to reducing violence and improving neighborhoods, focusing on “Prevention, Enforcement, and Re-Entry.”

The NRO is part of the Prevention efforts of the plan, focusing on addressing the increase in violent crime.

“This is a county-wide initiative,” Andrea Bierer, Community Action Plan Coordinator, said. “Its goal is to support and empower neighborhood groups; any group that wants to identify itself as collaborative in nature and place specific, invested in the neighborhood.”

The plan, according to Bierer, is focused on providing support to the “people side” of improving the neighborhood, and empowering groups such as neighborhood watches.

“Those groups are almost always run by volunteers,” she

said.

“When you have a volunteer, their skill set and what they have access to sometimes is limited by their whatever their job experience is, or what time they have. So, our goals with this organization would be to provide assistance, training, whatever kind of help they need.”

Amy Eisert, the Director of the Civic Institute, said that the NRO is actually a “joint venture between two institutes,” with the Civic Institute responsible for the administrative side, and the Public Safety Institute “be responsi-

ble for enacting the activities pertaining to the grant.”

“It’s all about trying to reduce crime,” Art Amann, Ed.D, Director of the Public Safety Institute, said.

“And if you can have more kids go to school, and find jobs, and improve the infrastructure of the community, all those things are all going to help in reducing crime.”

Public Safety plans to take a situational approach to addressing the needs of the neighborhoods throughout Erie, instead of trying to implement a blanket solution to a wide array of varying

problems.

“One of the things we have to do early on is to assess the needs of the community, to hear from the people,” Amann said.

In regards to the NRO, and the larger Community Action Plan, confidence in success is incredibly high. “It’s going to work,” Bierer said. “This three-pronged approach of Prevention, Enforcement, and Re-Entry is comprehensive, and we have the perfect storm of people at the table in Erie.” @TheMerciad

April 30, 2014

Page 3

The Merciad

News

TOMS Club goes One Day Without Shoes

By Juan Mendez News editor

Many people believe shoes are a luxury, something they can’t live without.

The harsh reality is that there are millions in the world who have to, due to lack of resources.

Students from the Mercyhurst chapter of TOMS club joined together to participate in the annual One Day Without Shoes to spread awareness about some of the challenges people living in

poverty have to face in their daily lives.

On top of walking barefoot across campus on Tuesday, Apr. 29, forks were removed from Egan Dining Hall during lunch hours to exemplify the difficulties of not having something that is usually considered an everyday necessity.

The event coincided with the corporate date for One Day Without Shoes, with people all over the world going barefoot to “leave their footprint.” @TheMerciad

Casey Bleuel photo

Plastic forks were seen on the grass throughout campus, from the Carolyn Herrmann Student Union to Egan Dining Hall.

Casey Bleuel photo

Students were surprised to see that all forks at Egan Dining Hall were removed during lunch hours as part of the event.

Caitlin Dee photo

Volunteers from the TOMS Club helped students paint the soles of their feet for a mural commemorating the event.

Advertisement

Caitlin Dee photo

Students marked their footprint on the annual One Day Without Shoes mural at the Carolyn Herrmann Student Union.

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April 30, 2014

The Merciad

Features Art Education Club hosts second annual Trashion Show in Union

Taylor Rollins photo

Junior Rosemary Moore (left) and Penn State Behrend senior Courtney Morrison (right) wear dresses designed by Moore.

By Ryan Kushner Contributing writer

On Monday, April 28, being green had never looked so fabulous on Mercyhurst campus, as the Art Education Club hosted its second annual “Trashion Show” in the Student Union Great Room.

Senior Art Education Major Megan O’Polka, who has been in charge of organizing the event the past two years,

explained that the club “invited anybody on campus to make an outfit out of what would be considered trash.”

“We tried to emphasize the point that they should be using recycled items,” she said.

The event gave student models and designers the opportunity to strut their clothing creations out on the illuminated catwalk for a nearly full audience of students.

O’Polka said the club wanted the evening to be “a combina-

Salina Bowe photo

Salina Bowe photo

The models who participated in the Trashion Show pose for a photo after the conclusion of the event.

Sophomore Alicja Mincewicz walks down the runway.

tion of being green and doing something creative.”

Between the individual model presentations, the club members encouraged audience participation, asking environmental trivia and holding a 3-minute fashion contest, giving out small prizes as well.

The winners of the main fashion contest were chosen by a panel of three judges who were asked to rate the contestants on a scale of one to ten in three categories: Creativity,

said of the show: “There were a lot of bustiers and they were well constructed. I was happy to see that the winner had a different style than everyone else’s.

I think that goes towards creativity.”

Mary Meier, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Art and advisor to the Art Education club, said after the event that “It was great to see the creativity… This is something that is a trend in our education right now. To up cycle and recycle for wearable

Trashiest and Most Wearable.

This year’s top prize went to senior Art Education major Rose Heid for her candy wrapper dress, with second and third place going to junior Rosemary Moore and sophomore Sabrina VanTine respectively.

Other contestants included Ashley Favata, Leann Krysiak, Rachel Mergenthaler and Kelly Fergus.

Graphic Design Professor Jodi Staniunas Hopper, one of the three judges of the evening,

design. It’s part of something that is happening all over the state. Another name for this is Project Innovate, but the students have named this The Trashion Show.”

After the show, O’Polka, who also designed and modeled in the event, said, “I thought we had some really good dresses, and I was glad that we had more than just the club participating.

I am happy with it overall.” @TheMerciad

Bone lab to be named after Rathbun

By Casey Bleuel

Contributing writer

The Bone Lab in the basement of Zurn is being renamed the “Ted. A. Rathbun Osteology Laboratory” after Ted Rathbun.

Rathbun (1942-2012) was an anthropology professor at South Carolina University for 30 years. He was a board certified forensic anthropologist among many other achievements throughout his lifetime.

He is listed in Outstanding Men and Women in Science, American Men and International Who’s Who in Asian Studies. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran, a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, a member of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team after 9/11, consultant for Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, assis-

tant in identifying unknown remains in South Carolina, and winner of the T. Dale Steward Award.

He was instrumental for Director of the Department of Applied Forensic Sciences Dennis Dirkmaat, Ph. D., in that he sponsored him to get into the Academy of Forensic Sciences.

According to Dirkmaat, “he was just a generally all around nice guy. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body.”

He was named as one of the Outstanding Educators of America, a well-deserved title considering the great impact he has had on all of his students.

When he retired, he gave Mercyhurst the first opportunity to purchase some of his collection of books which are now housed in the lab.

The “Bone Lab” in Zurn contains human and animal skeletal remains as well as

fossil human casts for students to study. Furthermore, Associate Professor of Applied Forensic Sciences and Anthropology Steven Symes, Ph. D., has also known him a long time.

Since he was instrumental in reviewing the department, giving the department books, and most of all being a great friend, they decided to honor him by renaming the lab.

A ceremony will be held to unveil the newly named lab on May 1. Among the invited are Rathbun’s wife, Doug Ubelaker, famous physical and forensic anthropologist at the Smithsonian institution, some of his former students, and other physical anthropologists within the forensic sciences. Ubelaker will say a few words about Ted during the ceremony. @TheMerciad

Linz wins award for academic excellence

By Jose Nufio

Contributing writer

A Mercyhurst student was recognized at a state level for her academic excellence.

Junior Criminal Justice major Mandi Linz received the award for Outstanding Undergraduate Paper during the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Justice Educators (PACJE). The meeting was held at Lock Haven University, attended by students and professors from various Pennsylvanian universities.

She was also selected as the Outstanding Undergraduate Criminal Justice student, being awarded with the 2014 PACJE Undergraduate Scholarship.

Her two awards included of a monetary reward.

“I applied because it was an avenue for me to present my research, gain experience and represent Mercyhurst Criminal Justice Department,” Linz said.

Her paper, titled “Legislative Reforms Protecting Children from Abuse: a Review of PA Initiatives,” researches the changes in the Pennsylvania Child Protection legislation after the Jerry Sandusky and Penn State University scandal.

Linz examined the gaps and failures that were identified during and after the scandal.

Her focus was on the requirements of mandated reporters and reporting hierarchies in institutions.

She chose this topic because of her interest in child abuse.

“I believe that child abuse is a great social problem that needs more attention, because its consequences can be far-reaching,” said Linz.

She feels that this success reflects the time and investment she put into her work in school.

“I think I was awarded the scholarship because of my academic success, volunteer work, and the quality of my paper,” said Linz.

She plans to continue to cultivate her skills to help those in need in the future.

“My future plans are to work with children who have experienced abuse,” said Linz. “I would like to work for a social service agency that provides assistance to children who have experienced abuse.”

In February, she attended the Annual Meeting of Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences in Philadelphia. She presented a paper on child abuse and governmental initiatives taken on children exposed to violence.

Linz is a member of the National Criminal Justice Honor Society and the Pre-Law program. She currently works as an undergraduate research assistant at the Mercyhurst Civic Institute, where she studies the reactions of the Pennsylvania Act 33, which transfers juvenile offenders to the adult criminal justice system. @TheMerciad

Casey Bleuel photo

Grad students Sara Fredette and Kaitlyn Sanders look at skulls in the soon to be named bone lab.

LAKER MOMENT

By Casey Bleuel

Casey Bleuel photo

On April 23, Mr. McKenzie took his historical geology class on a field trip to Union City Dam to hunt for fossils. Students put on hard hats and made their way to the spillway, which yielded amazing finds such as brachiopods (shellfish), plant fossils, stems of some echinoderms, and a few rare horseshoe crabs. Many trace fossils were also discovered. Trace fossils include any impressions of activity (such as burrowing) from a creature that is left in the rock. The amazing finds of the day were two horseshoe crab fossils about 364 million years old from the Devonian time period. Surrounding the spillway are tall walls of rock layers. Students had to wear hard hats because rock falls are common in the area. However, that did not stop them from searching. It was impossible not to find any fossils (they were everywhere!) making for a very successful and fun trip.

April 30, 2014

Page 5

The Merciad

Features

Penna leaves MSG president position

By Melanie Todd Contributing writer

Dane Rimko photo

Amber Penna served as this past year’s MSG president, and will be leaving the position soon.

As the end of the school year nears, some students are relieved, while many seniors face the task of relinquishing their leadership positions in Mercyhurst’s clubs. Among them is Mercyhurst Student Government President Amber Penna.

Looking back to why she ran for the position in the first place, Penna explains, “I was very involved with school and thought it would be a great opportunity to represent the students and their voice on campus.”

She also greatly values the leadership opportunity the

position presented.

This year, the Mercyhurst Student Government took on several challenges and achieved two goals.

A smoothie bar has been added to the Laker, providing a new, healthy option for students. They also worked to encourage the Board of Trustees to pass a $1 million housing proposal that will be put towards improving and updating upperclassmen housing.

Penna had some of her own challenges as president.

“I definitely thought it was difficult to manage and make people happy,” said Penna.

“It takes time and consideration.”

Next year holds new

opportunities and challenges for Penna. Graduating with a Sports Medicine major, she will be attending Duke University for graduate school in the fall. She hopes to earn her doctorate in physical therapy through their threeyear program and work to rehabilitate returning war veterans.

For next year’s student government, Penna had a message.

“Take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you because the years go by quickly. You have been privileged to represent the students so be proud of that,” Penna said. @TheMerciad

Springfest concert happening this Friday

By Dan Tarr

Features editor

If you are a student at Mercyhurst, you most likely look forward to the annual event known as Springfest that takes place near the end of every academic year.

The concert for this year’s Springfest will take place this Friday, May 2, at 8 p.m. in the Athletic Center.

This year, the bands will be alternative rock groups: Transit, We Are the In Crowd, New Politics and Mayday Parade.

The concert will start with the band Transit, who will start playing at 8 p.m. Transit first formed in Boston, Mass. in 2006. They have released four albums and two EPs so far.

They have influences of emo and pop punk in their sound. They performed during Warped Tour 2012 on the Ernie Ball Stage.

After Transit finishes playing, We Are the In Crowd will then perform at 9 p.m.

Formed in 2009, We Are the

In Crowd is a pop punk band that started in Poughkeepsie, New York. The band started recording their first album in May 2011.

The album, called “Best Intentions,” was released on October 4, 2011. We Are the In Crowd performed as part of Warped Tour 2010 and 2012. Their latest album, “Weird Kids,” was released on Feb. 18, 2014.

At 10 p.m., New Politics will perform. The band hails from Copenhagen, Denmark. New Politics’ sound has been described as a blend of “pop, punk and electronically induced dance rock.”

The band signed with RCA records in Nov. 2009.

After this, they went on a brief tour of the UK before going on a nationwide U.S. tour.

They now reside in Williamsburg, which is a neighborhood located in Brooklyn, New York. They have, so far, released two albums. These albums are “New Politics” (released on July 13, 2010) and “A Bad Girl in Harlem” (released on

May 21, 2013). Their single “Harlem” was featured in a trailer for the Disney movie “Frozen” and in the 2013 video game “NHL 14.”

They are set to be the opening act for the 2014 tour called “Monumentour,” with Paramore and Fall Out Boy being the headlining acts.

The final band for the night, Mayday Parade, will perform at 11 p.m. Mayday Parade hails from Tallahassee, Fla. “Tales Told by Dead Friends,” their debut EP, sold over 50,000 copies without any label support when it was released in 2006.

Their first album, “A Lesson in Romantics,” was released in July 2007 and they signed on with major label Atlantic Records in 2009.

They have released three other albums since then, with their most recent album, “Monsters in the Closet,” having been released in October 2013. They are set to perform during Warped Tour 2014. @TheMerciad

Sami Rapp photo

This year’s Springfest will feature alternative rock bands such as Mayday Parade and New Politics.

Trash to Treasure

By Dan Tarr

Features editor

The clutter students toss away while moving out of their dorms will hopefully be put to good use for those less fortunate through the ‘Trash to Treasure’ program.

Brittany Prischak, the campus’ Sustainability Officer, is sponsoring the Trash to Treasure program, where students donate unwanted items to the less fortunate in Erie.

The program seeks to collect non-perishable food, housewares, furniture, appliances and gently-used clothing to donate to organizations such as the Erie City Mission, Connecting Hands, Erie Computers, Caring Clost and the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Starting May 5, the laundry rooms of apartment buildings and common areas in residence halls will host the collection boxes for students to donate unwanted items.

Items will be collected Wednesday, May 14; Friday, May 16; Monday, May 19; and Tuesday, May 20.

“Trash to Treasure” was successful last year. Over 1,100 pounds of food were donated to Second Harvest Food Bank, 173 garbage bags of clothing was donated to Caring Closet, $50 worth of printers was

given to Erie Computers and $1,500 worth of household items was given to Connecting Hands. “‘Trash to Treasure’ has become a tradition at Mercyhurst,” said Director of Service Learning Colin Hurley.

“While the program takes place at the end of the academic year, we hope that participating students recognize its significance throughout the year in their lives both within and beyond the gates of the university. The collaborative, mutually benefitting process is very much in tune with the core values of the institution.

“Students simplify their lives and find greater value in what they need by discovering what the extra things they can afford to donate are.”

Hurley believes that, because of “Trash to Treasure,” the landfill receives fewer dumpsters each year and he also encourages students to take part in the movement.

“Don’t miss out on this great tradition,” he said.

“Look for boxes and signs in your residential area the week of May 5, and start thinking of great things you can donate instead of packing to take home for summer.” @TheMerciad

Page 6

Arts &

April 30, 2014

The Merciad

Entertainment

Interior design senior exhibition on display in Cummings Art Gallery

By Sam Beckas Staff writer

It’s that time of year again. All seniors are preparing to graduate and probably couldn’t be more excited. Who wouldn’t want to finish their senior thesis and move on to work in the big-kid world?

The senior interior design majors have recently finished a year and a half long process to complete their senior thesis.

The process starts in the spring of their junior year until the end of their senior year by taking three consecutive senior seminar classes.

The seniors whose talents are showcased include Megan Apa, Rebecca Cratty, Lauryn Donikowski and Brady Heseltine.

Their works can be seen in the Cummings Art Gallery from May 2 to May 18.

The challenge is “to make a difference by breaking a design

paradigm, finding a new way of building and designing, finding ways to make something better, or completely creating something new and unique,” says Interior Design Department Chair Kathy Weidenoerner.

Each project was inspired by a social problem or something a student is passionate about.

These projects are often used in employment portfolios and can exemplify specialties in different industries such as healthcare, hospitality, retail, corporate, educational, and more.

The goal was for the designs to help solve the problem by identifying a design problem to research.

Apa’s project, titled “Horizons,” is a virtual retail store; Cratty created a modular university housing titled “Octa-connect,” and Donikowski created, “Ohana” which is a cancer recovery center for women.

Heseltine’s “Church Adaption” is a renovation of an old

church turned into two apartments.

Donikowski describes the process as “intense schematic/ preliminary and design development solutions.”

She also reported that there were three critiques that occurred during the year-and-a half long period. The critiques were given by local professional architects and designers. Projects are presented to these juries roughly five times throughout the process.

Donikowski said they “spent many hours refining our design solutions to be both creative, innovative, and practical.”

The project display includes and showcases all design elements and techniques that they have learned through studies and design studio classes while here at Mercyhurst from the research stage to the final design.

There will be an artist reception held in the gallery on the opening day of the exhibit on

Dane Rimko photo

Senior interior design major, Lauryn Donikowski, stands in front of her “Ohana” project, a cancer recovery center.

May 2 from 7-9 p.m. Admission for the reception and exhibit are free during the gallery’s normal

Online

Senior Rebecca Cratty stands with her display, “Octa-connect,” a creation of a modular university housing building.

Full list of events can be found on the MIAC website

Dane Rimko photo

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

business hours.

Cummings Art Gallery is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to

4 p.m. and on weekends from 2-5 p.m.

Dane Rimko photo

Senior Megan Apa created a virtual retail store for her thesis.

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

April 30, 2014

The Merciad

Arts &

Page 7

Entertainment

Dance department presents ‘Raw Edges’

By Sam Bekas Staff writer

National Dance Week is this week and it makes the perfect time for the Mercyhurst Dance Department to celebrate all of their milestones in their annual production of “Raw Edges.”

The performance is a collaboration of the Regional Cancer Center, current Mercyhurst dancers and alumni dancers.

Although this is the 16th showcase of “Raw Edges,” it is celebrating the 40 years of dance at Mercyhurst.

The Saturday evening gala on May 3 will celebrate and honor the 20 years that artistic director Tauna Hunter and production manager/resident designer Michael Gleason have spent at Mercyhurst.

Hunter, a 6-year breast cancer survivor, has two personal works in the performance. Hunter has a collection of dance pieces that illustrate her talents in ballet, musical theatre, and operetta genres.

One of Hunter’s pieces is inspired by 9/11 and titled “For Loss of Renee.” It is a dramatic contemporary duet for two women. It is performed mercyhurst.edu photo to Samuel Barber’s Adagio for The dance department will be performing “Raw Edges” beginning with a preview show on Friday, May 2, at 4:30 p.m., with all other Strings.

The piece reflects emotions of performances following on Saturday, May 3, and on Sunday, May 4. loss, grief, and healing.

The second of Hunter’s pieces find balance. piece premiered in 2003 and the piece as a piece of art the exploration and intangible is titled “Quiet Chaos” and “Symphonie Italienne,” cho- has since been a favorite of the brought to life by the livelihood joy from another’s presence. will be performed to the music reographed by Gleason, will be dancers. and breath of the Mercyhurst Ref lecting on the dance of Philip Glass and Jennifer performed by 20 women and Rachel James, alumni, created dancers. “night,” junior dance major Barezan. This piece represents three men to Italian Symphony “Inscription” in collaboration She continues to describe the Katarina Fitzpatrick describes Hunter’s everyday struggle to by Felix Mendelssohn. This with 10 dancers. She describes romantic atmosphere created by the paradoxical menace and

AT THE MUVIES

TLT shows August: Osage County

By Ryan Kushner Staff writer

Well, here it is. We have reached the final MIAC Taylor Little Theatre film presentation of the academic year playing this Sunday, May 4, at 2 p.m.

And while it is by no means the “feel good movie” of the year, it is certainly one of the most powerfully done. If anything else, it will most likely leave you feeling more thankful for your own family, because these people are messed up.

Directed by John Wells and based on the Tracy Letts’s Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name, August: Osage County centers around Violet Weston, a drug-addicted granny stuck in a dark place of her own making, reeking of bitterness and a pill-induced eagerness to lash out at her family. She is played by Lord and Master Meryl Streep in a portrayal that is at times haunting, at other times hilarious and at still other times heartbreaking.

Streep, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, is surrounded by an equally talented cast that includes fellow Academy Award winners Julia Roberts and Chris Cooper, as well as familiar faces such as Abigail Breslin and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Margo Martindale plays Violet Weston’s equally complex sister, Mattie Fae, who can’t find a place in her heart for her son, Little Charles (played by Cumberbatch). Martindale also received an Oscar nomination for her seemingly effortless performance.

Things go from bad to worse in this heated family drama, as long-held secrets are exposed and lives are regretted.

gianbautista.tumblr.com photo

August Osage County will be playing in Taylor Little Theatre on Sunday, May 4.

“Nothing gets slipped past me,” Streep’s Violet Weston mutters over her cigarettes in a druggy haze.

Sometimes the most fascinating parts of this story are the things that we do not know. The past left unsaid, but is slowly and hinted at and even more slowly revealed.

Watching the interactions of the widely different family members is not unlike watching a car crash, as some stand up to hatred, and some fall victim to it, and seem doomed to repeat the same mistakes.

The movie is two hours long, but felt like five minutes. It is the perfect combination of entertaining and moving. It will leave viewers cheering and booing and maybe even silent.

Make sure to check out August: Osage County this Sunday in the Taylor Little Theatre for a movie worth every penny of the $1 admission, and then some. @TheMerciad

romance shown through the various dance genres.

“Of the Night” is performed by a large group of dancers.

Through the piece they project the emotions associated with night. There are four dance moves in brief vignettes that communicate the night’s social context.

Alumnus who have returned to help in the production include Alyssa Alger, Caroline Milliken Euker, Justin Michael Hogan, Cassandra Powers Surdula, and as mentioned before, Rachel James.

“Talk Back,” a chance to meet and talk with the dancers and choreographers, will be held after the Friday and Saturday night performances.

Performances will be held in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. The preview performance will take place Friday, May 2, at 4:30 p.m.

This performance is balcony seating only and all tickets cost $5.

All other performances will be held Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 4, at 2 p.m.

Tickets cost $15.50 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and $5 for children 12 and under.

With a Mercyhurst ID, students can purchase tickets for $3.50.

Breast cancer survivors who present their Regional Cancer Center ID can purchase tickets for $5 to any performance they choose. @TheMerciad

Page 8

April 30, 2014

The Merciad

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.

Upcoming Communication and Graphic The Good...

Design renovations were much needed

By Marcela Delgado Staff writer

The Communication and Graphic design departments, which are located at the lower level of Hirt, will be renovated over the summer.

One of the changes will be the lobby area of Hirt, which will be accommodated into a space where students will be able to study and work on their projects.

The Laker TV Studio will also be renovated into what is going to be called the Center for Media Convergence.

The Merciad office will be moved next to the studio.

This way both can collaborate in the stories they broadcast and publish.

The new look will allow stu-

dents to feel comfortable in a space where they can work and study.

For g raphic design students, the renovations to the lab will be beneficial.

They will be able to work on their projects even when there is a class going on.

It was about time for the Communication and Graphic Design department to have a more professional space.

The new colors will motivate the students to spend more time in a space that is bound to be used. Currently, the facilities are not suitable for a space to get together with your groups to work or even study individually.

The lounge look to the lower level of Hirt will allow students to have their own space.

As a communication major, I think this will benefit the department greatly.

Perhaps more people will be motivated to come to Mercyhurst to pursuit their degree in communication.

The brand new and digital equipment for the Laker TV Studio is helpful for those students that are interested in going into the television industry.

They will learn how to use the new technology that television companies use today.

Communication and Political Science double major, Dalma Bordon said, “Students from the communication department and others are looking forward to hang out and study in the media converg ence space. As a communication major I was

waiting for a space where I could hang out with fellow students and engage in activities related to the field. I’m looking forward to see how it turns out.”

It is also beneficial that the Merciad and Laker TV will now collaborate with each other. This will help improve the quality of the news that is being announced to the school.

Communication and Graphic Design students will be anxiously waiting for the new renovation in the upcoming year. It is their job as well to preserve and take care of the new facilities that will be provided to them.

@TheMerciad

Relay for Life was a successful event

By Marcela Delgado Staff writer

This past Monday, April 26, Relay for Life took place on campus. It was a successful 12-hour long event.

With the help and collaboration of many clubs and organizations on campus, they could gather a decent amount of money that goes to a great cause.

I am extremely glad about the job the school does every year to help with an event that takes place in many countries around the world.

Not every school has the opportunity to collaborate with Relay for Life.

For some reason the weather every year is not the best, but

it does not stop the event from happening. It is impressive to see the amount of people that is interested in helping with such a wonderful cause.

Everyone relays for his or her own reason; it can be a survivor or someone that lost the battle against cancer, but what matters the most is their motivation to continue to support a good cause.

There is a point in the event where people get emotional when they remember their relatives who are still fighting or already lost the battle. That time is usually during the luminaria event.

It is such an emotional moment to set a luminaria for that special someone of yours that has been a victim of cancer.

During the event they have music and food for the people who relay. This year’s theme was around the world.

The different clubs and organizations represented different countries and had activities and food related to the country they were representing.

This was a nice spin to the event to not only have activities to entertain the ones relaying, but also to give it a different and unique approach.

I have three relatives who have had cancer, two of which passed away and one who is on the on the finish line of her fight against cancer.

They are my main reason why I relay every year, but I also do it for those who are unable to afford the treatment

and need help in funding their treatment.

I hope the school keeps supporting this event and that the people in the upcoming years will have the same motivation and dedication as the people that take their time and dedication to plan this event during this past years.

I also encourage people who have never participated in this activity to do so next year, if they have the opportunity.

Relay for Life does a great job helping people fight their battle against cancer, and giving a small contribution no matter how big or small it is, it will certainly make someone happy. @TheMerciad

The TOMS Club promoted awareness for children who go without shoes in their everyday life by celebrating its annual One Day Without Shoes. Despite the weather, several students still participated.

The IT Department re-launched the Mercyhurst University app this week. Let’s hope this time it doesn’t crash as much as the previous one did.

The Bad...

Even though the school year is almost over, administration hasn’t yet figured out how to run registration week smoothly.

Just one example is how some students who had successdully registered even got removed from senior capstone classes just because administration refused to open up more sections.

The Weird...

As part of the TOMS Club One Day Without Shoes initiative, people were placing white plastic forks all around campus. They wanted to raise awareness about people living in poverty. Good idea, but it does look weird.

Also, people at Egan Dining Hall were forced to eat without forks after they were removed by the TOMS Club. Another good idea, we suppose, but trying to eat some foods with a spoon becomes quite the weird challenge.

‘Blurred Lines’ promotes rape

By Dayana Moncada Contributing writer

Online

Music videos have gained popularity since MTV started.

People like to see their preferred singer film an amazing video and gain popularity and awards.

Today, singers have immeasurable influence over people.

Unfortunately, most singers exploit the female figure in their music videos and songs, turning them into sex objects.

As a result, women have lost the respect of society through the images the advertisement industries portrayed, as an insatiable sexual animal that is there to fulfill the sexual desires of the man.

Consumers of the music industry look at these videos and do not notice how outrageous and disrespectful it is.

In reality, music videos do not depict what the woman is feeling, rather, they depict what the man is feeling for her, which is in the majority of cases: lust and desire. What they erroneously portrayed is how a woman appears to enjoy being used. Although not every music video is like this.

In pop, rap and hip hop genres

the disrespect for women is blatant.

A representative example of this problem is the song “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and American singer and producer Pharrell.

A censored and uncensored version of the song was produced. In the uncensored video, the women appear showing their breasts and wearing only a g-string that is the same color of their skin.

In the video the three appear to be flirting with three models and using them as sexual slaves.

Furthermore, they mock their silhouettes as they walk flirtatiously.

Tricia Romano of the “The Daily Beast” suggested that the song and the video encourage the rape culture, by pointing the title of the song: ‘Blurred Lines’ and the song’s line: “I know you want it” meaning that “even though you say no, deep down you know you want it.”

There are also other lines of the song where the rape culture is encouraged, “you are an animal it is in your nature”, and finally the worst: “Tried to domesticate you.”

They are clearly treating

women as sexual trash.

Those who criticized this music video claimed that the women felt offended and degraded to the point of feeling angry towards the singers, producers and even the song itself.

According to Tricia Romano, the song incites misogyny, the hatred towards women and girls, which is the reason why they are humiliating them and their dignity as a woman.

The singers responded by saying: “We tried to do everything that was taboo.

Bestiality, drug injections, and everything that is completely derogatory towards women.

“Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, ‘We’re the perfect guys to make fun of this.

What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I’ve never gotten to do that before. I’ve always respected women.’”

With this type of music videos, parents can ask the question to themselves: To what are my children exposed?

Miley Cyrus in the VMAs of this year gave a horrifying show to the public and the world.

She “twerked,” a modern type of dance that is denigrating and disrespectful for the woman

Read more at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

that is performing it, to Robert Thicke that was singing the song “Blurred Lines” to the public.

This performance was the most discussed topic in the history of the social media. It seems as if twerking and the rape culture can go hand-inhand and the value of respect does not exist.

There are many misconceptions caused by music videos.

Girls and boys grow up thinking erroneously what is correct and what society seems to accept.

As part of a society where moral values are present, citizens should take a moment to reflect what is really happening in the popular industries and how they are damaging the mind and attitude of both genders.

Consciousness campaigns should be recognized in schools and colleges, where the future of our nations are.

What is sad about it is the fact that people enjoy this type of entertainment in the music videos and, seeing Thicke use a woman as a stand or an object makes it difficult to assimilate the damage they are doing. @TheMerciad

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.

Write for The Merciad, email editormerciad@mercyhurst.edu

April 30, 2014

Page 9

The Merciad

Opinion

A look back at the 4-1-4 system: Registration goes Not a big disappointment after all from bad to worse

By Marcela Delgado Staff writer

This was a very important year for Mercyhurst University with the first academic year that followed the 4-1-4 Calendar.

Throughout the year it had mixed opinions and reactions. At first, many students had trouble adapting to the new calendar.

The main reason was taking more classes than we were used to.

Although the class time was shorter, students were complaining about having multiple assignments due for the same day.

Students felt that the professors were not spreading

the assignments throughout the term as it was supposed to be.

Students were expecting that the workload was going to be more spread throughout the term and that the new semester system was going to be less stressful, in turn. They felt it was more stressful than what was expected.

The good thing is that now students are adapting better to the calendar and figured out a way to organize their schedules so that it can be less stressful.

Now that we are approaching the end of the year, and the first 4-1-4 Calendar is almost over, students are more adapted to how the system works and feel less pain than during the fall term.

One of the new implementations of the new calendar was the J-term. For some students, it was a good experience and for others not so much.

This term is perfectly suited for those courses that require trips or a more practical approach.

This is a great opportunity for those who want to take a course abroad as well. For the upcoming year, there are various study abroad opportunities the students can choose from.

The benefit of using the J-term for a study abroad course is that you get done with credits that are required and you have the opportunity to explore a different country, and appreciate its culture.

Holidays in the new calendar were also a subject of discussion. Most of the students complained about the short Thanksgiving break that we had this year.

On the other hand, most liked the fact that the Spring Break now coincides with everyone else’s.

Those who did not take the J-term also benefitted by having a month-long Christmas break, but those who had to come for the J-term still had a decent break.

For the incoming year, people will be more prepared for what to expect of the new year and will not be as hard as it was the last fall semester. @TheMerciad

By Juan Mendez News Editor

With the spring term coming to a close, students prepared to register for classes for the Fall 2014 term the past week.

To say the least, it was not an easy stride.

While it would be simple to go into a detailed comparison between registration week and the Hunger Games, we’ll keep it short and say that everyone, including next year’s seniors, felt like District 13.

Although the school seems to be aware that there is a constant theme of insufficiency of seats for classes every term, there seems to be no action on their behalf to fix this issue.

As a result, some students were shafted in ter ms of the classes they were going to take, having to resort to picking from the bottom of the bunch to find anything that would fit their schedule in any way.

Additionally, students had to face issues with registering through WebAdvisor, as the renaming of courses in some departments made it difficult for them to add classes that had said courses listed a prerequisite to their schedule.

For some time, the registrar’s office felt like they were giving away the newest iPhone before it had even been announced.

Another problematic set of courses was that under the Senior Capstone core requirement. Although juniors would be completing enough credits by the end of the term to earn senior status, they still faced issues registering for any of the ethics courses offered in the fall, as they technically were not seniors yet.

This resulted in yet another congregation at the registrar’s office similar to the Saint Patrick’s Day block party of 2011, with people hoping to get a spot in the courses they need to fulfill their requirements for graduation.

Although the wonderful ladies at the registrar’s office were able to sign people in, the story did not have a happy ending. With the overload of people looking to take an

ethics capstone course and the lack of sections offered for them, the only apparent solution was to reduce the amount of people that could register for the class.

This only stirred the pot fur ther, as it meant that students would have to be dropped from the course and then left to attempt and scavenge the remains of the open courses category on WebAdvisor, hoping to find a course that both fit their schedule and was not overflowing with students already.

My name is Juan Mendez and I am one of those students.

Why did the administration decide to kick people out of the ethics courses instead of looking to open more sections after talking to the professors in order to accommodate for everyone’s necessities?

While it is understandable that there are a plethora of courses students can take, it seems that the factor of academic work load was left out of the equation.

It’s thrilling to be taking a 15-credit plus course load where every course is extremely demanding, to say the least. That is, if “thrilling” is interchangeable with “miserable” in this context.

With the chaos that was course registration for the J-term, you would think we were going to catch a break this time around and that the administration would learn its lesson.

It should be in the school’s priorities to accommodate for ever yone’s academic necessities, especially those of people who only have a small number of classes left to take.

It seems as if sleep is not the currency we’re trading anymore, as it is extinct thanks to the fact that the bigger picture was left out.

To those affected and looking for new courses to fit into their schedules without messing up their sleep cycles, their work schedule or their mental sanity, happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor.

@TheMerciad

College professors are overloaded

By Marcela Delgado Staff writer

There was a time it was secure to say that if you worked for a university as a professor or in the administration, you had a job that was wanted by many and well-paid.

The number and quality of full-time professors has decreased over the last few years.

It is probable that this change is also affecting the GPA of students, as well as the graduation rates. According to some reports, adjunct, or part-time, faculty at universities have few or no benefits.

They get paid per course and receive a poor salary, resulting in lower quality teaching.

Adjunct professors usually teach several courses to sustain themselves. This prevents them from furthering their education to advance their careers.

Hence, most teach based on the knowledge they gained in their bachelor’s degree. Even if

they have PhDs, they’re unable to conduct research to expand their knowledge.

As a student, I believe this is an issue that should be handled carefully in order to have the best quality of professors to shape the future of society.

According to the New York Times, “The Coalition on the Academic Workforce estimates that the median pay to an adjunct instructor for a standard three-credit course is $2,700.” If a professor is dedicated solely to teaching, he or she is forced to teach multiple courses, particularly in small schools such as Mercyhurst University.

Hopefully, this is an issue that will be solved sometime soon, so students can get the most out of their education.

Students pay large amounts of money for their education.

They expect that the money they are spending will provide proper compensation to their professors. @TheMerciad

Page10

Sports

The Merciad

April 30, 2014

Softball raises money for the Wounded Warrior Project

Caitlin Dee photo

The Mercyhurst University softball team collaborated with the Wounded Warrior Project to raise money for wounded soliders at their game on Saturday, April 26, against Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Four seniors were honored during the double-header to finish their season with a 15-26-1 overall and 9-16-1 in the PSAC

Men’s football plays spring 2014 scrimmage game

Salina Bowe photo

Salina Bowe photo

The Mercyhurst University men’s football team hosted the 2014 spring scrimmage game on Sunday, April 27. The game is played annually each year and is an event that many football alumni attend when the defense plays against the offense.

(Upper left) Junior linebacker, No. 45 Garrett Wild takes action to the play at hand.

(Upper right) Red-shirt sophomore running back, No. 6 Richie Sanders leaps to catch an incoming pass. (Bottom) Sanders powers through the oncoming defense looking to score a touchdown for the white Lakers.

Salina Bowe photo

April 30, 2014

Page 11

The Merciad

Sports

Baseball finishes with two PSAC honors

By Carly Contraguerro Staff writer

After sweeping Slippery Rock twice in a four-game series, the Mercyhurst baseball team has finished itsregular season games with a conference record of 20-8.

On Saturday, game one was pitched by junior Dan Altavilla and the second was pitched by redshirt junior Jon Klein. Both pitched no-hitters and the Lakers won 6-0 and then 3-0.

Winning these games secured the Lakers a spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament.

The Sunday double header was played at Slippery Rock.

The Lakers won 11-2 and 8-0.

In the top of the fifth inning during the first game, sophomore Hank Morrison hit a homerun bringing in three runners and increasing the score to 10-2 Lakers.

Following Morrison’s homerun, sophomore Dan Popio hit an RBI double.

In the first inning of the second game the Lakers earned six runs. Some of these runs were due to junior Angel Martinez hitting a three-run triple. Martinez led in RBI’s for the second game.

“In the playoffs we just have to keep hitting the ball how we have been these past seven games. We are on a seven -game winning streak and play good defense,” Mar-

Second baseman Angel Martinez hit a three-run triple during the Lakers sweep over Slippery Rock on Saturday, April 26.

tinez said.

Sophomore Dan Popio and redshirt junior Jon Klein were both honored with weekly

awards by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference as announced on Monday afternoon.

Popio was named the PSAC West Player of the Week while Klein earned a share of the PSAC West Pitcher of the

Jake Lowy photo

Week award.

This marks the first weekly award for both Popio and Klein from the PSAC this

season.

Popio had a very successful week with the Lakers, leading the team to a perfect 6-0 record and another shot in the PSAC Tournament, which begins this week.

The sophomore posted 11 hits in 18 at bats with six of his hits going for extra bases.

Klein allowed just one base hit, a two-out single in the top of the sixth inning, and walked two while striking out a season-high tying eight.

He currently is 4-5 with a 3.56 earned run average. In 55.2 innings, he has struck out 66 batters.

“It helps that we have a good pitching staff. They have been consistent this whole season,” Martinez said.

The first game will be played against the No.3 seed, West Chester, starting at 9:30 a.m. The Lakers are the No. 2 seed in the tournament behind Seton Hill.

They finished their season with an overall record of 28-12.

“We feel pretty good being the No.2 seed since we have to play West Chester and we beat them 11-3 earlier in the season,” Martinez said.

The Lakers will play the opening game of the PSAC Tournament at Kelly Automotive Park in Butler, Pennsylvania on Wednesday, April 30, against the third seed from the eastern division, West Chester University. @TheMerciad

Women’s lacrosse ties for PSAC conference title

By Samantha Bante Sports editor

The Mercyhurst University women’s lacrosse team captured a share of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) regular season championship. They have earned a bye in the PSAC Tournament and will play in the PSAC Final Four on Friday, May 2.

The Lakers won, 18-6, against Shippensburg University on Saturday, April 26. They closed the regular season with a 15-2 record, including an 11-1 PSAC mark. Mercyhurst won the PSAC regular season title for the first time since 2010, when it also split with Lock Haven.

“Our team did a lot better than any of us had expected.

We have had one of the best seasons since I have been here and it’s just really exciting that this year we have so much potential to make it far in play-offs,” said senior

Anna LeGrett.

Mercyhurst held a 29-20 advantage in shots and picked up 23 ground balls, compared to 14 for Shippensburg.

“It feels great being co-champions of PSACs but I think our goal is set for winning the tournament games this weekend and getting a bid in NCAAs,” LeGrett said.

The Lakers have moved up to an eighth-place tie with Pfieffer University in the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) poll.

“We were a little slow to the start but we picked it up towards the end and came out with a win. We never expect to beat a team, we have to show up to every game ready to produce and play like it’s our last and that’s how we approached Shippensburg,” LeGrett said.

The players that assisted with points against Shippensburg were juniors Jenna Schlagenhauf with two goals, Mackenzie Jordan with four goals, Becca Himes with

five goals and one assist, and Taylor Ventre with two goals and one assist, as well as senior Anna LeGrett with two goals and one assist.

“Our team has been so strong this year because we don’t have one individual standout player. Our attack is evenly distributed and every player on the field has the ability to step-up and score for us. With that being said, if someone is having a bad day we have 11 other girls to pick up the slack.

“Having such a powerful attack makes scouting us very difficult. A team can’t simply face-guard one individual player because everyone is as equal as a threat. We also have a very competitive defensive unit that has enough depth to carry us through games,” LeGrett said.

The PSAC Championship will be held on Saturday, May 3.

Caitlin Dee photo

@TheMerciad

Mackenzie Jordan defends (16) against Slippery Rock during their 18-6 win on Saturday, April 26.

Men’s lacrosse wins ECAC title

Jake Lowy photo

No. 4-ranked Mercyhurst University men’s lacrosse team beat No. 14 Lake Erie College 8-5 on April, 26. The Lakers will advance to the ECAC tournament against Seton Hill on May 2.

Page 12

April 30, 2014

The Merciad

Laker

Living Geek Weekly: Only Android worth your time

By Zach Dorsch Managing editor

There is a new Android phone coming out on the market with a blazing fast 2.5Ghz quad-core processwhich is probably as much power as most laptops- a full HD display, and a 13 Megapixel camera. You probably think I am talking about Samsung’s new Galaxy s5. I am not though, I am talking about the OnePlus One. The company OnePlus is changing the game in one of the simplest ways, by cutting the company’s profit from the devices, in order to make the phone more accessible to the public.

The phone will cost off contract $299 for the 16GB and $349 for the 64GB model.

It is built to compete with the current flagship devices coming out by the bigger companies such as Sony,

HTC, and Samsung.

Despite its cheap price, the One has a better build quality than some of the other flagships on the market. The designers set out originally to make the device beautiful, from the motherboard that was custom engineered specifically for the phone then dyed a matte black to the sleek, 5.5in full HD display all wrapped around its sturdy magnesium body you can get in either black or white.

The Chinese company, OnePlus, was formed when the employee of another Chinese phone company Oppo left to start his own company. The One is the company’s first smart phone and was dubbed as the “Flagship Killer.” Some people fear that this company will not be able to survive in the cutthroat mobile market

because of a lack of huge profits from their devices.

Despite this, tech sites and blogs are blowing up with news about this phone.

As a way to promote the device, the company will be selling it to a 100 lucky contestants for $1. There is a catch to make things interesting. If you are selected by OnePlus, you have to record yourself smashing your current phone.

A long list of people have already signed up for this promotion, with an even longer list of people excitedly waiting the release of the device which is set for sometime in the second financial quarter.

@zdorsc22 Oneplus.net photo

Beauty Talks Citrus hand scrub

By Leann Krysiak Copy editor

During the summer, I love taking care of my garden. But it doesn’t always leave my hands looking pretty. I get dirt under my nails, a small blister here and there, my hands are dry.

Let’s just say it’s not pretty.

I found this amazing scrub that will leave your hands looking clean and feeling very soft. This scrub is citrusy, smells yummy and works wonders. It could also make a great Mother’s Day gift. All you need to do is put it in a pretty jar and add a bow. You can also add a recipe card so she can make it herself in the future Viola. This week’s recipe comes from the blog Petite Elephant:

21. r e v e o done s o n r th ot co o f e is does n king. p i in ec d is r ercia ge dr h T a e M nder Th u

Personally, I put the slices in a food processor, which made it pretty quick to whip together.

Citrus Hand Scrub 1/2 cup sea salt 1/2 cup olive oil 1 or 2 slices of lemon 1 or 2 slices of orange

Need help finding the ingredients? Check out the ingredient guide on Fresh Face Forward’s Recipe page.

If you have a blender or food processor, use it to finely chop the fruit. Or you can zest (shred) the peels. Add olive oil and salt to food processor and blend. Or mix the peels, salt and oil well.

Jack Daniels Whiskey Cupcakes

By Sami Rapp Photo editor

Cupcakes Ingredients: • 2 cups all purpose flour • ¾ cups cocoa powder • 2 cups granulated sugar • 2 tsp. baking soda • 1 tsp. baking powder • 1 tsp. kosher salt • 2 eggs • ½ cups strong coffee • ½ cup Jack Daniels Whiskey • 1 cup buttermilk • ½ cup vegetable oil Directions: 1.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.

In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3.

In a separate bowl, mix eggs, coffee, whiskey, buttermilk and oil.

4.

Pour the egg mixture into prepared cupcake cups. Fill half way.

5.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Ganache Ingredients: • 16 ounces dark chocolate- chopped • ¾ cups heavy cream

• •

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: 45 mi Total nutes Time: 2 0 min Yield: u 24 cu pcake tes s

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened ¼ cup Jake Daniels Whiskey

Directions: 1.

Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside.

2.

Heat heavy cream until just boiling.

3.

Pour over chocolate and cover for 2 minutes.

4.

Uncover the mixture and stir with a whisk until smooth.

5.

Stir in butter until incorporated.

6.

Stir in whiskey until incorporated.

Buttercream Frosting Ingredients: • 1lb unsalted butter • 3 oz white chocolate instant pudding • 2 cups Dark Chocolate Whiskey ganache • ½ cup cocoa powder • ½ cup heavy cream • ½ cup powdered sugar Directions: 1.

With a mixer beat butter and pudding mix for 5 minutes.

2.

Add ganache, cocoa powder and heavy cream, beat for 5 minutes.

3.

Add powdered sugar for 5 more minutes.

4.

Add whiskey to taste.

@srapp93