Sept. 23 Issue of the Merciad

Features On Page 3: :

Sports On Page 7:

Arts : & Entertainment On Page 5:

Volleyball wins big Dogs Days event

Faculty art show

brings furry friends

captivates viewers

in PSAC/Mountain East Crossover

to campus

Read more inside & online

The Merciad Mercyhurst university

Est. 1929 Vol. 89 No. 3

Wednesday, septeMber 23, 2015

Thomas Kubinek’s zany performance flies into PAC

By Rachel Sobina Staff writer

Thomas Kubinek returned to the Mercyhurst stage after a 34-year space for a one- night spectacular event on Sept. 19 At the beginning of the show, Kubinek started out with a rather humorous number.

After his first act, he took some time to tell the audience a personal history about his family and grandmother. He gave the audience a rather personal insight in an enjoyable way.

Professor Kubinek, as he often referred to himself throughout the show, interacted with the audience in a comical fashion while tying magical fun into the performance. He pulled a man from the audience and gave him a brief tutorial on acrobatics.

He then proceeded to give the man instructions on how to balance their weight together, and Kubinek climbed on top of the man’s shoulders until he was practically sitting on his head. The auditorium was filled with a thunderous round of applause as people tried to understand what they just saw.

Later on in the show, Kubinek took flight as he soared around the stage.

Unsuspecting members of the crowd got pulled into

Kubinek’s funny antics.

One of the more interesting acts involved a young woman’s purse. Everyone thought they knew what would happen: the boring pull-the-rag-outof-the-bag trick, but Kubinek put his own twist on it.

Not only did Professor Kubinek pull the rag out of the bag, he pulled the rag out of the lady’s wallet, which was inside her purse. Neither Kubinek nor the young lady had met before, which made the act even more mysterious and enthralling.

Children, grandparents and people of all ages enjoyed the show as the acrobatic comedian captivated the crowd.

After the show ended, feedback from audience members as they filed out the doors. included “great,” “comical” and “hysterical.” A few audience members said that they would come and see the show again. As people left the auditorium, there was a lot of discussion regarding favorite acts of the show and general laughter about different parts of the performance.

Overall, the production went very well and most people who came to see it would agree it was a high-flying, fun and engaging evening.

Photo by Sarah Paschal

@TheMerciad

Thomas Kubinek soared high above the audience during his theatrical performance in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Art Center.

Students to embark on pilgrimage to hear Pope Francis

By Erin McGarrity Staff writer

Fifty-one Mercyhurst students will travel by bus to Philadelphia on the evening of Sept. 26, to attend Pope Francis’ World Meeting of Families Papal Mass on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 4:00 p.m.

Registration for the trip, organized by Mercyhurst’s Campus Ministry and sponsored by Mercyhurst Student Government, opened in spring 2015, as soon as organizers received word that the mass would be in Philadelphia.

Campus Ministry also sent out an email invitation to the incoming freshman class of 2019. Spots filled up almost

immediately, and there is an active waiting list.

Greg Baker, director of Campus Ministry and the main orchestrator of the trip, has remained engaged with the students as the event approaches, with daily email countdowns, quizzes and virtual tours of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where the mass will take place, and inspirational messages. His goal is to make clear to the students that this trip will not be easy.

“We’re walking a total of about seven miles to get to and from this Mass, and I’m trying to get across the message that this is our own little pilgrimage, not just any ordinary road trip,” said Baker.

He also wants to convey to students that there may be

some emotional trials on top of the trip’s physical strain.

“We’re also going to be immersed in this sea of humanity - people from all walks of life that will represent the very diverse church we have. I’m trying to get the students to consider that this experience might have some physical and emotional challenges to it,” said Baker.

Pope Francis has scheduled this visit to the East Coast around the triennial World Meeting of Families, an event that emphasizes the impact of families on society. He will also address Congress on Capitol Hill and the United Nations in New York City during his visit.

Baker is particularly looking forward to hearing the Pope’s

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to witness history. Rarely do you get the chance to go to a Mass led by the figurehead of the Catholic Church with four million people,” said Matheson. “It will allow me to explore my own faith in the presence of Pope Francis, and engage in prayer with my peers and millions of others dedicated to the faith.”

Matheson is looking forward to one aspect of the mass in particular - the homily.

“I am excited to hear about Catholic principles and how they relate to the world today directly from the Pope himself,” Matheson said.

Students will board the bus after the Mass and drive through the night to return to Mercyhurst. After the trip, Baker has high hopes regard-

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perspective on various ongoing issues and seeing how his unique religious standpoint grabs people’s attention.

“I know he won’t shy away from his religious convictions in front of Congress. He has consistently drawn people’s attention to a number of political issues,” said Baker.

“He’s very cautious of capitalism and the exploitation of the poor, and his most recent encyclical was about climate change. He probably has a lot of messages that are important for people to hear.”

Tom Matheson, a junior Intelligence Studies major, shed light on why this excursion means more to him than just a road trip.

“I decided to sign up for this trip because it was a chance

What do you want to do before it gets cold outside?

1 2 3 4

Nothing, I’m so ready for sweater-weather. (57%) Have a cookout. (21%) Go to the beach! (14%) Sunbathe in Garvey Park. (7%)

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: How well can you find parking on campus?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

ing what students take away from this experience.

“The Pope is from Argentina, so we’re not even sure that he’ll preach in English.

This is a good moment for us, and the Church, to recognize that we’re not the center. We’re looking forward to being part of the minority,” Baker said.

After the trip, Baker hopes to organize a reunion to give the students a chance to reflect on their individual thoughts and discuss how they can share their collective experience with the rest of the school community.

“Everyone will leave with some kind of story, there’s not a doubt about that,” Baker said. @TheMerciad

September 23, 2015

The Merciad

Page 2

News

’Hurst creates ‘Spark Tank’ Former president Gamble for young entrepeneurs leaves legacy at Institute

By Adrian Monty Staff writer

Innovative students now have the opportunity to launch their ideas with Spark Tank at MU, a new program designed to help students become social entrepreneurs.

Colin Hurley, director of community engagement, announced Spark Tank at MU on Friday, Sept. 17, in conjunction with announcements from Ignite Erie and collaborative partners Penn State Erie, the Behrend College.

Spark Tank has the potential to bring together business, intel, hospitality, communications, art, and other departments as it is a space where anyone can come with their ideas and make them tangible, according to Hurley.

The Spark Tank program has several different components to it.

One is OpenMIC Night, or Mercyhurst Ideation Challenge, where students are encouraged to share their ideas and help to solve problems in any way they see fit.

The event, which will take place at some point this fall,

Photo by Jade Gelsimino

Colin Hurley presents Spark Tank at MU to students.

will be led by Hurley.

“I’d love to create that space of collaboration and ideation for MU students where they blend classroom learning with their own gifts and abilities to be ‘changemakers’ who solve real world problems,” Hurley said There will also be the ICE House Entrepreneurial Learning Program within Spark Tank, a semester long process geared toward students who are interested in entrepreneurial social change, as well as satisfying part of the Mercyhurst mission.

“This is absolutely fantastic for campus,” said Organizational Leadership graduate student Nick Plonski. “If it’s

a little more for individuals, but also for helping to solve the community problems, that’s something that I feel is needed for today’s day and age. Why not start right here on campus.”

The Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority gave the grant to Ignite Erie with the premise that teams involved in its projects will consist of members from different universities, such as Penn State Behrend, Mercyhurst and Gannon, in an effort to bring the Erie community together.

The grant will help fund short term projects and a business plan competition in which winners will receive a $60,000 start-up grant.

Hurley encourages students to go to the OpenMIC Night to test the waters before committing to the ICE House Program next spring.

“Any student can participate, students who are in it for the long haul, students who want to solve problems over the course of their lifetime,” Hurley said. @TheMerciad

By Emani Burton Staff writer

The Mercyhurst University Board of Trustee members recently recognized former president Thomas Gamble’s contributions to the university by renaming the Mercyhurst Civic Institute in his honor.

After 30 years of service, Gamble leaves his last legacy at Mercyhurst with the change of name of the Civic Institute to the Thomas J. Gamble Civic Institute. Through the founding of the institute, Gamble set out to connect the student body with the Erie community.

Gamble spent most of his career enhancing social services for youth and children.

Before his Mercyhurst career, Gamble headed the Erie County Office of Children and Youth Services.

He also served on the County Collaborative Board for Children and Families and the Erie County Children’s Advocacy Center. He was instrumental to the Erie County juvenile detention screening program, and the Pennsylvania model of child

abuse risk assessment. The renaming ceremony was celebrated on June 19 during the former president’s farewell dinner.

“The Civic Institute is a huge part of Dr. Gamble’s legacy. We hope to continue in his tradition by educating and supporting the decision makers of Erie social policy,” said Amy Eisert, Ph.D., director of the Mercyhurst Civic Institute . With plans to continue the current associations with UnitedErie and other community organizations, Eisert is certain that Thomas J. Gamble Civic Institute will live up to its name.

“

The Civic Institute is a huge part of Dr. Gamble’s legacy.

-Amy Eisert, Ph.D.

”

The Civic Institute, founded

by Gamble in 1999, is considered a non-academic branch of Mercyhurst. Unlike other schools and institutes affiliated with Mercyhurst, the Civic Institute does not instruct students for classroom credits. It aims to enhance and facilitate citizen decision making while

improving social policies.

The institute is a direct link between Mercyhurst and the greater Erie community. The Institute has worked with many influential community groups including Erie City Council and the Erie Police Department.

“We focus on research.

As an extended arm of Mercyhurst, we seek to identify and evaluate today’s most concerning civic issues,” said Eisert. “Through training, evaluation programs, help to oversee how social policy is implemented.”

During the Institute’s 16-year history, the Mercyhurst Civic Institute has become synonymous with social services initiatives in Erie County. Recent partnerships with UnifiedErie are helping to raise awareness of gun violence in Erie.

Research collected by the Civic Institute is helping the Erie City Council identify the root causes of a recent gun violence spike. The goal of service toward the enrichment of the Erie community reflects the attitude of the institute’s founder, former President Gamble.

Learning Differences and AIM split

By Melanie Todd Staff writer

Photo by Trang Nguyen

The new “e” bus sticker is placed on the back of students’ OneCard IDs.

The ‘e’ requires stickers for all student riders

By Lauren Murphy Staff writer

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority, commonly known as the “e,” now requires Mercyhurst students to have a sticker on the back of their student ID in order to ride their buses for free.

According to John Patterson, the director of the OneCard office, EMTA was seeing a dramatic increase in the number of people who ride the bus. They attributed this increase to the college and university rider programs.

“Keep in mind that all of the region colleges and universities have existing contracts with EMTA,” said Patterson. “This includes Edinboro, Gannon, LECOM, Mercyhurst and Penn State Beherend.”

In order to ride the “e” for free, all you had to do was present a college or university ID card. However, the contracts with the schools provide free rides for registered students only. There was nothing on a student ID to show that the student was current.

“EMTA provides the stickers and we put them on the cards.” Patterson said.

Students who are registered for the current semester can pick up a sticker, free of charge, at the OneCard office.

The sticker has to be placed on the card by a OneCard office employee, and students cannot pick up stickers for anyone else.

The “sticker to ride” rules are not going to be enforced

by EMTA until Oct. 1.

However, some problems have been brought to Patterson’s attention. Some bus drivers are denying students free rides, disobeying the Oct. 1, start date.

“The feedback has been mostly positive, but in one case, a female student had to pay the fare to ride the bus back to campus because she did not have a sticker.”

Patterson was able to refund the student’s cost for the fare, and he contacted Mercyhurst’s EMTA representative to ensure that problems like that did not continue. His most recent update is that no more reports have been filed on the issue.

The costs for EMTA continue to rise, and providing rides for free that should be paid fares is costly as well.

Therefore, EMTA wants to make sure that their free rides are only going to current students.

“It makes sense. The bus driver told us that they caught someone who had graduated nine years ago using the bus with his Mercyhurst ID. If they don’t want to lose money they’ll have to start keeping track,” junior Intelligence Studies major Matt Yoch said.

The decision to have stickers on student IDs was put into place for economic purposes. Having the sticker costs nothing to students and is a very easy and unobtrusive for EMTA to meet their goal of lowering their financial burdens without giving up free rides to students. @TheMerciad

The Learning Differences Program and Autism/ Asperger Initiative at Mercyhurst, which used to be partnered together, have parted ways to become independent programs.

While the goals of the two programs are very similar, they work to reach their goals differently, sparking the decision to separate them.

The LD program seeks to help students have equal access to education, while AIM provides academic, social and emotional support for students diagnosed with high functioning autism.

The separation of these programs into two independent departments was inevitable.

“It helps [students] to grow independently. They aren’t focusing so much on academic skills but social skills too,” said Elaine Ruggiero, director of the learning differences program.

These goals of the Learning Differences Program and AIM are no different from the goals professors have for their students as well. They want to see students working in the

field of their degree, but the students they serve may need some extra tools in order to reach this goal.

“Our goal is that they will go out and find a job that matches who they are and what they want to do and also minimizes their disability,” said Ruggiero.

AIM has a very similar goal for students in their program.

“Our biggest goal is meaningful employment. We want to be able to call them in the future and say ‘what are you doing? If you have a computer systems degree, I want to hear you are working with computers,” said Brad McGarry, director of AIM. Since the pilot program began in the summer of 2009, AIM has expanded.

“We grew,” McGarry said.

“We were in an office, three of us, and at the end of last year we had 31 students in the program.” Now AIM serves 43 full time students with four full time staff and two graduate student assistants.

AIM has several programs that work with students on different levels.

“We offer specialized housing with a housing director living in that building who is specially trained. We are one of the only schools in

the country who do that,” McGarry said. “When you get into Forbes, Today.com, NBC, you’re doing something right.”

Additionally, AIM developed 161 social skill modules to work through with students such as independence, executive skills and time management.

In November 2012, representatives from AIM testified for U.S. Congress at a federal hearing in response to children with autism’s rising numbers.

“They wanted to know what we were doing and how we were doing it, who has their sleeves rolled up and is digging in,” said McGarry. “In the next few years there will be 50,000 adults aging out of children with autism programs and eligible for college.”

The Learning Differences office is being pulled in another direction. “We are taking on more cases with chronic health issues,” said Ruggiero.

“In the Americans with Disability act there are provisions from chronic health accommodations such as Crohn’s disease or arthritis.

When a student has a flare up they need academic support.”

The Learning Differences program works with each stu-

dent to find what tools they need in order to be successful. In some cases that tool is a student notetaker to help them take notes or the Kurzweil Personal Reader software program.

“They each learn a little differently but they still learn as deeply and as well. It just doesn’t go into their brain and out the same way as everyone else,” Ruggiero said.

The structure of the education system makes it even more challenging for some students, according to Ruggiero.

“In the American education system, we want you to sit still and read. 150 years ago, everyone was out and about working on the farm. We didn’t just say sit still and read all day,” Ruggiero said.

Despite their separation, the AIM and the Learning Differences Programs continue to work together to best serve the academic needs of the students.

“We utilize a lot of the programs through Learning Differences because they already have it figured out and are doing it well,” McGarry said.

@TheMerciad

Hurst Hooligans Incident

Date

Location

Theft

Sept. 13

Cafeteria

Liquor law, disorderly conduct, college violations

Sept.19

Wayne St.

Liquor law violation

Sept. 20

Duval apartments

Harassment

Sept. 20

3810 Briggs

September 23, 2015

Page 3

The Merciad

Features

Autism Initiative seeks peer mentors

By Phuong Nguyen Staff writer

The Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst (AIM) is looking for peer mentors in all majors to help the students on the Autism Spectrum balance with the social, emotional and academic struggles of college life.

The Peer Mentor Program (PMP) is an attempt to balance the social aspects of the college experience for students in the AIM program.

PMP embraces the mission of the Sisters of Mercy by making campus a place where everyone is equal, accepting of diversity and knows each other compassionately.

According to AIM Director Brad McGarry, not only do AIM students benefit from the program, it also helps students build a stronger resume.

Volunteering for AIM, one of the top programs in the country, brings the credibility and opportunity for students’ resumes in any field.

“The collaboration is a winwin relationship,” McGarry said.

Trang Nguyen photo

AIM Director Brad McGarry assures students that becoming a peer mentor at one of top programs in the country is an instant resume booster.

During a training and working process, peer-mentors can gain and improve many soft skills, including organization, teamwork and communication. In addition, many current AIM staff members were peer mentors.

Students in any major can apply to get involved.

Although students who

have two-year experiences in related fields or dealing with Autism is preferable, the training process teaches mentors about Autism, conductive and behavior modification and other necessary skills.

“We draw from special Education, Psychology, Sociologyactually, any body. We found that any student in any major

can be beneficial to our students in some ways. I do not think it gears directly to any kind of group,” McGarry said.

Applicants must possess the ability to maintain close and enduring social contact with program participants. The job also requires applicants to commit a minimum of four hours a month.

Activities range from going to dinner together, seeing a movie, studying and doing homework, to hanging out together and joining other events that take place on and off campus.

Participation in mandatory trainings and meetings takes place once a month for an hour. Peer mentors have to work to promote individual growth and develop a sense of community within the program and to encourage pride in Mercyhurst.

The job opening has 43 available spots. In the spring term, AIM programs will receive more students, so the peer mentor program has no hard deadline for applicants.

Currently, PMP has 10 peer mentors, including Psychology major and Biology minor Michelle Winwood.

She became involved with the AIM program in 2014, and continued to be a yearround peer mentor last academic year and was a senior peer mentor for Foundations this past summer. Now she is an intern in the AIM department, fulfilling her senior

capstone requirement for her major.

“I love seeing the positive impact that our students have from their peer mentors. Students have the opportunity to talk to and be with people on our campus they might have never thought to talk to,” said Winwood.

“I think the most rewarding part of my job as a mentor is what my students teach me.

The passion, dedication and desire to learn is unlike anyone else I have seen.

“My students push me to be a better person and want me to learn as much as I can.

Some of the brightest, funniest and most caring people I know I have found through this amazing program, ” Winwood said.

For more information about PMP or AIM program (offices 301-307 Egan Hall), contact Brad McGarry at bmcgarry@ mercyhurst.edu or AIM Coordinator Paulina Wielandt at pwielandt@mercyhurst.edu. @TheMerciad

Club invites students to learn about Japanese culture

By Brittany Smyth Staff writer

Anime club seeks to expose students to the language and culture of Japan through their animated arts.

The club meets every Thursday to watch anime and then discuss episodes.

Connor Link, president of Anime Club and a Biochemistry major, is excited about this year and has many plans for those who want to join the club. Link plans on incorporating “facts of the day” about the Japanese culture for those

who want to learn more.

Link is teaching himself about this culture so he can introduce it to others. He started watching anime his first year of college. Now a senior, he attributes his love for it from his friend, Jessica Kuehne, who is also a member of the club.

“She begged me to come to the club and check it out,” Link said.

Link plans on fundraising and going to Pittsburgh, Pa with the club to partake in the “Walk of Peace,” in an effort to promote peace.

Link believes that this would

be a great opportunity for all members. These plans are to help club members give back to the community.

Anime club meets every Thursday in Hirt 213, unless instructed otherwise. It is composed of about 15 students who all have strong passions for Japanese culture and anime.

The history and character development in each film are brought up and discussed at the end of each meeting.

Link has to approve the series before watching it during the meetings. If the series has sexual or rude con-

tent, he automatically denies the request to watch it.

Series suggestions from the meeting include, “Tokyo Raven,” “Spice and Wolf ” and “Gotchaman Crowds.”

Brandon Reale, a member of the club, did not start watching anime until being introduced to “Dragon Ball Z.” “It was the first anime show that I watched,” Reale said.

“I’ve loved anime since I was a kid.”

As an active member, Reale enjoys talking about the deconstruction of mecha anime also known as robot

anime.

Amanda Gunkle is another active member in the group.

Her passion for anime started at the age of five. She enjoys attending various conventions around the area.

“There’s a sense of unity” said Gunkle. “They are always there for one another.”

Gunkle has attended Techno, a convention held for people passionate about anime for the past seven years.

Her passion for anime has opened up doors for her.

She was recently recognized for her passion and was asked to be on the committee of the

convention by the CEO. “He came up and asked me if I would be interested,” Gunkle said.

Those who are interested in the club may be in luck.

Future plans include organizing meetings two days during the week for those who stay for J-term. Link invites all anime lovers to come and join them.

“Take time out of your day to come stop by these meetings to relax from your stressful week and watch anime films,” Link said. @TheMerciad

Dogs relieve stress, bring community together

By Brittany Smyth Staff writer

Stressed students gathered at Garvey Park on Wednesday, Sept. 16, to receive affection from local dogs. Some students went as far as to claim this event as “the best day ever.”

Each year, Mercyhurst invites locals, staff and students to bring their dogs to Garvey Park. This event was held in order to destress students, lift their mood and for the students, faculty and community to get together.

The event provided hot dogs, candy, drinks and treats for the dogs.

The event started at 4:30 p.m. and continued until 6 p.m.

Students that gathered at the park were able to speak with the owners and pet the dogs.

This event brought every age group together, ranging from children to seniors.

Many faculty and locals have been bringing their dogs for many years. Over 20 owners brought their dogs to the event. Five owners brought their dog for the first time.

Students were able to feed Winston, a known dog among Music majors. Owners Michelle and Jeffrey originally wanted Winston to be a therapy dog. Instead, they have been bringing Winston to this event for the past two years.

By the time 5 o’clock hit, a high number of students gathered at Garvey Park and to see the dogs.

Many owners held onto their dogs as people approached

them. Others let their dogs roam around and do typical dog stuff, like rolling around and sniffing other dogs. There were owners who played fetch with their dogs and showed students tricks they had taught their dogs.

Dogs breeds ranged from boxers to beagles. All of the owners were open to letting students pet their dogs and feed them a piece of hot dog or two.

Cindy and Jared, owners of a Boxer named Roxy, have brought Roxy since their dog was a pup. Cindy works in the

Registrar’s office and often takes Roxy on walks around the Mercyhurst campus. Many of the owners who have been bringing their dogs for years do not plan on changing that any time soon.

@TheMerciad

Catherine Rainey photo

Dogs swarm Garvey Park for biannual Dog Days event. Students were free to meet and pet Mercyhurst community’s furry friends.

Trang Nguyen photo

Sarah Paschal photo

Page 4

The Merciad

Features

Kirchner hopes to inspire

September 23, 2015

LAKER MOMENT

By Lorraine Pollock Contributing writer

“Don’t let anyone treat you like you’re a yellow Starburst.

You’re a pink Starburst,” reads a sign on EmmaLeigh Kirchner’s desk.

Kirchner is Mercyhurst’s newest assistant professor of criminal justice and is excited to connect with students.

“I’m not scary, even though I teach scary classes,” Kirchner said.

Kirchner has been involved with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation studying heavy topics such as alcoholism and AIDS. She stumbled upon her love for teaching when she was required to do so in an undergraduate class.

“I love teaching, and I guess my personality works better with people rather than data,” Kirchner said with a big smile.

Kirchner is currently focusing her research on parenting and how it affects delinquency.

She thinks problems with juvenile delinquency can be solved by looking at parenting and is excited to bring her research to the Erie area.

Kirchner also wants to bring her interests to Mercyhurst.

“I did a lot of work with the Pennsylvania Prison Society, who wants prison reform and prison rights. I would love to start a student chapter at Mercyhurst, and get more students involved with this

Fall Ball took place on Friday, Sept. 19, at the Student Union. This year, it was Disney themed, complete with movie character centerpieces, food representing Epcot classics and a castle wallpaper as a photo backdrop.

Students danced the night away to Disney tunes and took breaks at the Villian’s lair for mocktails.

Lorraine Pollock photo

EmmaLeigh Kirchner has so far been delighted with the student body and the rest of the Mercyhurst community.

idea that prisoners are normal people, they’re just people who have made a bad decision,” Kirchner said.

Kirchner believes a student chapter at a local Erie facility could spearhead reading programs where students would help prisoners record bedtime stories for their kids and organize clothing drives for people who are in the process of integrating back into society after being incarcerated.

“I think it fits well with the Mercy Mission,” Kirchner said.

She also wants to be a resource for all students. Her main tip for students is to read the syllabus of every class.

“Too many students don’t

do that and most of your questions can be answered with the syllabus.” said Kirchner.

“And don’t complain so uch. It’s not as serious as students make things out to be.

It’s just not that serious.”

As a whole, Kirchner believes her cheery disposition fits right into Mercyhurst.

“I can’t get over how nice people are and this sense of the community that exists.

I had heard about it, and it really exists. It’s real, and the relationships you can have with your students is really nice,” Kirchner said. @TheMerciad

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Salina Bowe photo

September 23, 2015

Page 5

The Merciad

Arts &

Entertainment

Faculty art on display at Cummings Gallery

By Rachel Sobina Staff writer

The Cummings Art Gallery at Mercyhurst is currently featuring faculty art until Sept 27.

The professors featured include Daniel Burke, Thomas Gamble, Tom Hubert, Mary Elizabeth Meier, Gary Cardot, Jamie Borowicz, Jodi Stani-

unas Hopper and Patricia Tomczak-Czulewicz.

The works of art are all unique and different, utilizing many types of mediums.

Some of the artwork even has personal meaning to the artist.

Mary Elizabeth Meier, Ph.D., has five pieces featured, and their inspriations are very personal. Many are based on

areas in Spain, including the Plaza Blanca which means “the white place” in Spanish.

It is a small area located in Abiquin, New Mexico, between Taos and Santa Fe. For the past two summers, Meier has visited Plaza Blanca and revisited the steps of Georgia O’ Keeffe.

Georgia O’Keeffe has been a model for many artists, not

just for the professors on campus but for artists worldwide, because of her status as one of the first influential female artists.

Her early works included charcoal drawings and architectural pictures.

O’Keeffe had a residence in Casa Blanca, where she often spent time by the rock formations creating her artwork.

Meier said that she enjoyed retracing the steps of Georgia O Keeffe.

Another interesting fact Meier shared is that you can still visit Georgia O Keefe’s house exactly as she left it.

Nothing has been touched since O’Keeffe died in 1986.

Meier said that it was very touching to walk through O’ Keeffe’s house and connect

with her on an artistic level.

Many of the works in the Cummings Art Gallery have deeper messages hidden within.

Be sure to head over there in the next few days to see the pieces of art our professors have created. @TheMerciad

Jade Gelsimino photo

Salina Bowe photo

The Cummings Art Gallery is displaying art from faculty members of Mercyhurst University.

Faculty with pieces included in the show are Daniel Burke, Thomas Gamble, Tom Hubert, Mary Elizabeth Meier, Gary Cardot, Jamie Borowicz, Jodi Staniunas Hopper and Patricia Tomczak-Czulewicz.

Photos from left to right: left, David Hurey admires some of the art in the Gallery. Bottom right, David Hurey admires more art work featured in the gallery.

Meghan Maker photo

Meghan Maker photo

Leif Vollebekk at EAM Student art work

featured at EAM

By Megan Pacileo

Arts and Entertainment editor

Folksy musician, Leif Vollebekk, will be performing at the Erie Art Museum on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Vollebekk’s wandering spirit has taken him from his home in Montréal to studio in Manhattan to a Paris mansion, in search of a new sound for his songs that will always feel familiar to his listeners.

After his 2010 debut, Vollebekk knew the kind of album he wanted to produce next: a record like the ones that feel old and familiar even when they are new but also a record that speaks to the listener through lyrics that are full of perfect little mistakes.

The heart of the songs were always recorded live, to tape so they kept an old school and spontaneous feel.

His latest album, “North Americana,” is a beautiful anthology of ballads, folk songs and vivid portraits of Vollebekk’s life.

Tales of ending love, the

By Naomi Greenstein Staff writer

miac photo

Folk musician Leif Vollebekk will be returning to the Erie Art Museum on Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

death of friends, journeys and homecomings float throughout guitar and harmonica folk melodies and drift effortlessly between French and English.

Vollebekk captures an essence of exploration as his music embodies the vulnerability and rustic optimism of life on the road.

The Erie Art Musuem is thrilled to embark on their third annual partnership to present a truly kaleidoscopic artist of the folk genre.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for Mercyhurst Univeristy students. @MeganPacileo

On Friday, Sept. 25, a new art exhibit will be opening at the Erie Art Museum, featuring work by some of Mercyhurst University’s current students.

The exhibit, “Connect: Grassroots Efforts to Reshape Our Community,” uses art as a means of analyzing and examining the health and welfare of the city of Erie “through several visionary projects that seek to diagnose its ailments.”

The artists and contributors of the exhibit are attempting to look at the problems of the city of Erie and maintain the beauty of it while, also proposing a “treatment plan” that takes into account the people who need it most.

“You Are Here, We Are Here,” the portion of the exhibit that was contributed

by Mercyhusrt students, is

led by two Mercyhurst history professors, Chris Magoc, Ph.D and Ben Scharff, Ph.D. The project that the History department collaborated with the Sisters of St. Joseph East Side Neighborhood Network, is working to promote a community-wide dialogue by teaching community members about the rich architectural history of the city of Erie.

Graduate student Victoria Kreysar worked on the project last year as part of her senior project.

Victoria said that the project “was originally a walking tour.

We were trying to capture Erie’s culture, both current and historical. We did several oral histories with people connected to the neighborhood.

Essentially we wanted to make a connection between the cultural past and the cultural present because they’re both different, yet similar.”

Victoria worked with seniors Ian Housner and

Taylor Rollins to make this visionary project a reality.

Taylor’s photographs are the main visual focus of “You are there, We are here.”

Her photographs aimed to capture both the urban decay of the city, as well as the hopes the city has for renewal.

Taylor said of her photos, “This photographic documentary was meant to show the East Side through a hopeful lense.”

Other projects that have been proposed as part of the larger “Connect” exhibit were The Steve DeAngelo Arrington Community Center and the East Side Task Force, both of which confront gun violence in the city and revitalizing areas where gun violence has been the most prevalent.

The opening will take place from 7 to 10 p.m., after which the exhibit will run until Jan. 10, 2016. @TheMerciad

Horror movie ‘The Visit’ fails to scare as promised

By Sydney Van Leeuwen Cinema Club member

Online

If you are looking for some laughs and thrills to liven up your Saturday night, head to Tinseltown and buy a ticket for M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Visit.”

The film, starring relatively unknown, young Australian actors, depicts two children intent on creating a documentary of their first trip to their grandparents’ home.

Their mother has been estranged from her parents

for several years, and at their request, has sent Rebecca and Tyler on a visit to finally meet their aging grandparents.

It becomes apparent early on that the grandparents are not in the right state of mind.

They are ill, or so they say, and their behavior after 9:30 at night is enough to make you distrust the elderly in general.

Thrills depicted in the movie’s trailers live up to their potential, and several jump scares will send you shrieking from your seat. Despite the concept of the film, it does not entirely live up to the truly

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

horrifying expectations.

Additionally, the acting was not very strong.

While the character of Tyler brings much-needed humor to the film, his tendency to break out into rap causes a level of cringe-inducing discomfort.

The character of Rebecca uses words that are too large for a young teenager and takes herself too seriously, leading viewers not to take her seriously enough.

For a horror film, “The Visit” was sub-par and as a comedy, it was mediocre.

I only rate it a 2.5 out of 5.

overmental.com photo

“The Visit,” a horror movie, fails to scare audiences but does not make them laugh either.

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

Page 6

September 23, 2015

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.

It’s time to rename Garvey Park

By Ryan Kushner Opinion editor

“Let’s talk about Garvey.”

Four words that may make any Mercyhurst administrator cringe. They certainly make me cringe. But let’s talk about it anyway.

For over 10 years now, a giant elephant has been rotting right smack at the center of the University’s campus.

That elephant is Garvey Park. You’ve probably been there. It’s that place with those benches and that clock and that bell that I guess we have to ring Quasimodo-style every time we win a game now (though it’s become apparent that my Monopoly victories are not considered a valid reason).

However, the elephant really isn’t so much the park itself.

Rather, it’s the park’s current honorary namesake, former Mercyhurst President William Garvey, Ph.D., that is bungled with controversy.

The name carries with it a dark period of the school’s history that you will not find highlighted alongside the endearing determination of

Sister Egan on the Mercyhurst website’s history section, and is one that is likely (and advisably) glossed over rather quickly by Ambassadors as they trek across campus with wide-eyed herds of parents and prospective students.

Stories such as Garvey’s final months with Mercyhurst are obviously riddled with nuance. I will attempt to summarize the situation as succinctly as possible for those unfamiliar with the controversial events.

For Mercyhurst’s purposes, it all started Oct. 10, 2004, when the Erie Times-News published an article in which six men accused then-President Garvey of sexually abusing them when they were minors throughout the 1960s and ’70s. Garvey had been the grade-school basketball coach of three of the accusers.

When the papers hit the stands, the Mercyhurst Board of Trustees immediately stood by its president of 25 years, who referred to the accusations as “fictitious and unsubstantiated” as well as “patently untrue,” according to the Erie Times-News. However, as the detailed accounts persisted, the trustees hired an investigation team to look into the

serious claims that had been made of Garvey’s past.

On Dec. 15, 2004, the head of the investigation, a retired judge Michael Palmisano, issued a one-page memo informing the board of trustees chair that the allegations of sexual assault published by the Erie Times-News “appear to have some merit.”

Garvey, who was 69 at the time, maintained his innocence and announced his retirement the following day, citing health reasons caused by the stress of the situation, the Erie Times-News reported. The investigation by the college was stopped.

On Feb. 24, 2005, temporary president Michael McQuillen, Ph.D., took over as head of the school for a year before handing it off to Thomas Gamble, Ph.D., in 2006.

Today, direct reminders of Garvey can be found in only two places at Mercyhurst University: a portrait mounted in the Walker Reading Room and the park at the center of campus.

Garvey was never charged or convicted of anything and is, of course, innocent until proven otherwise. However, the circumstances of his retirement were uncomfort-

able and concerning, to put it mildly. Here was a man who had been a civic leader and employee at Mercyhurst for 43 years, manning the helm for 25 of them. The amount of pain, confusion and betrayal felt by many in the tight-knit Mercyhurst community must have been substantial.

I’m not writing this article to open old scabs or rekindle past pain experienced by the Mercyhurst community, a past pain that I personally was not around to endure. I’m writing instead in an attempt to address and suggest the sewing of an open wound that has been preserved and memorialized for over a decade now.

To be clear, I am not suggesting we sweep our past under a rug and try to pretend it never happened. Far from it. Garvey was the longest serving president in the school’s history and, for better or for worse, helped make Mercyhurst University into the institution it is today. His influence is unavoidable. His legacy should be discussed and considered – used as a segway to confronting important issues of today. It does not, however, need to be honored in stone in the middle

of a University so protective and proud of its landmarked grounds.

I am not the first person to hold this view.

At the beginning of the academic year following Garvey’s retirement, the Mercyhurst College Faculty Senate formally requested that the college change the name of Garvey Park. According to an article published by Erie Times-News on Oct. 1, 2005, the Senate, many of whom are still an integral part of the University today, proposed the new name of “Advent Park” for the area to help “signify healing” and the “advent of a new era” for the school.

Their proposal was rejected by the administration at the time.

As Mercyhurst University enters into a new era with a new president intent on forming new traditions, there is no better time to clean up the elephant sitting in the heart of our campus. It is time for a fresh dedication and a fresh start for a park, and a community, that deserves one.

Contributing writer

Our school has a variety of sport teams, as well as club sports, that students can participate in. In order to have these teams, space is required for them to practice or play.

However, there have been times when sports clubs have had issues getting gym times.

Due to my experience as a three season Division I athlete throughout my high school career, and a participant in intramural sports at Mercyhurst, it is easy for me distinguish the differences

and importance of both types of athletic play.

I do believe that the importance of school-sponsored sports having gym times is more important than the intramural sports teams. They compete, and by the nature of their division of play, are more intense and require many hours of practice.

Practicing is crucial for every sport to ensure that the athletes stay in shape, work together and improve their athletic abilities every day. If a team does not learn to work together, it won’t get very far in its season.

Though intramural sports are also competitive, they are not as competitive as the

official sport teams. Intramurals are, from my experience, a way to have fun and stay active with people in a more laid-back and less time-consuming environment.

Although there are many differences between intramural sports and the University’s competing sports teams, there are also many similarities.

They both teach many of the same lessons to the athletes participating in them. Activities such as these encourage school spirit and bring people together to show school pride.

Sportsmanship qualities are also crucial to participating in these activities. For example, though losing is not fun, it can teach so much.

Both official and intramural sports encourage participants to meet new people. They also teach people to improve their playing skills by practicing and becoming a better player through time.

With both, people can also learn good time management skills, punctuality and how to effectively work with others.

These lessons and experiences in both competitive school sports and intramural sports help to make athletes better people overall. It creates well-rounded individuals who learn to become their best selves by giving their all.

Sadly, not having enough time in the gym will hinder those

@TheMerciad

Letter to the editor: Response to increasing Catholic tradition

By Krista Haas

Contributing writer

Online

There’s a lot in this past issue’s opinion piece that I can get behind, especially the comments on Mass.

When home I attend a more traditional Mass with an organ and a choir and all of that, and have had the opportunity to go to a Latin Mass, which was interesting, especially having studied Latin for five years.

Of course, I understand the constraints of a small chapel on a college campus, so I also understand how that could be impractical.

The part that really upset me, however, was the comment about the LGBT club.

I am a member of the club, and the meeting was one of the places I have felt most at home. The people are great

and very welcoming, and even though all we did was the seemingly requisite icebreakers (with our own twist), it felt like somewhere I belonged.

I understand full well the traditional stance that the Church takes on homosexuality (and, presumably, other sexualities on the spectrum that aren’t the accepted heterosexuality), but, to me, it seems hypocritical.

An integral part of being Christian is accepting others, something many people seem to have shoved to the wayside in order to follow only what they think the Bible is telling us. Sure, it makes a comment on homosexual behavior, but it also forbids eating a variety of animals, wearing ripped clothing, shaving, tattoos, etc.

Why can we pick and choose what rules to follow so liberally? Rules don’t work

like that. Either we need to follow all of them, or recognize all of them as the outdated laws that they are. All of them. Including the ones on homosexuality.

If the picking and choosing of laws as something immoral isn’t a good enough reason to re-examine stances on our LGBT club, perhaps the Pope can convince you. “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” This is the Pope’s stance on homosexuality, so who are us laymen to judge?

From what I’ve seen, every member of the LGBT club has ample good will. They welcome everyone, including straight allies, with open arms-what should be the Christian and Catholic way.

I’m going to end by stepping away from religion and

Read more at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

discussing the concept of a safe space. It can be scary, dealing with gender and sexuality on your own. The LGBT club is a safe space to discuss your own struggles and thoughts with people who will listen and respect you, and give you advice if you need it.

Like I said, it’s one of the places that I felt most at home.

It’s my safe space, something I look forward to, despite having only been to one meeting thus far. It’s something I know I needed, and I’m sure that there are others who felt the same.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course, and I wanted to take the chance to share mine, in a (hopefully civil) response to one I don’t agree with. @TheMerciad

participating in those activities to learn and mature as individuals.

There’s so much that one can take from participating in sports besides the physical experience. If Mercyhurst has funds to possibly create more space for athletic play in the future, it would be very beneficial to both the intramural and University sports. Everyone deserves the experience to partake in athletic-related activities, no matter the level of play.

@TheMerciad

Mercyhurst will hold its annual Mass of the Holy Spirit Thursday, Sept.

24. Because the Mass is typically standing-room only, here’s hoping athletic coaches advise their teams to give up their seats to any lay or elderly folks stuck standing in the back.

Pope Francis arrived in Washington D.C. Tuesday afternoon. A busload of 51 MU students are set to journey to Philadelphia to celebrate Mass with the pope this weekend, Sept.

26-27.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, instead of spending the whole day celebrating Homecoming on campus, several students and faculty, led by Professor Keiko Miller, have been invited to represent Mercyhurst in a march downtown in support of environmental sustainability in the Erie community.

The Bad...

Intramural sports deserve more space

By Alex Albano

The Good...

Parking has been a hassle on campus the past few weeks as students struggle to find open spots during the day. To raise the stakes, both Erie and campus police apparently plan to crack the whip on illegally parked student vehicles.

The Ugly...

Mulch is a great resource to making campus luscious, but how much mulch is too much mulch? When is enough enough?? Stop the madness!

The Merciad Editors Sami Rapp Karah Hollis Catherine Rainey Jose Nufio Carly Contraguerro Megan Pacileo Ryan Kushner Mary Barnes Margaret Urso Victoria Kreysar Bill Welch

Positions @mercyhurst.edu Editor-in-Chief editormerciad Managing Editor managingmerciad News Editor newsmerciad Features Editor featuremerciad sportsmerciad Sports Editor A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Photo Editor photomerciad 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

September 23, 2015

Page 7

The Merciad

Sports

Volleyball dominates the weekend

By Haleigh Giebel Staff writer

The Mercyhurst women’s volleyball team swept the weekend’s games against Concord University, West Virginia State and Notre Dame College.

The Lakers defeated all three teams, 3-0, going undefeated and advancing their overall record to 5-6 and their PSAC record to 3-1.

“We generally applied a great deal of pressure on our opponents with our serving this weekend,” said Coach Ryan Patton.

“When we started rallies on our terms [with tough serves] we did a good job ending them on our terms for points as well,” he said.

On Friday, Sept. 18, the Lakers swept the Mountain Lions, of Conord University.

25-20, 25-12, and 25-22.

Junior Lauren Kenny led the team in kills with 11. She and sophomore Freda Ireigbe

also had four blocks each.

Senior Kelly Vitt led the team in assists during all three games of the weekend.

Throughout the games she had 25, 22 and 23 assists.

Junior Sarah Puckett led the team in aces during the weekend’s tournament. She had four, four and three throughout the three games. She also led the team with six digs during Friday’s game.

“Winning the first match gave us confidence leading into our next two matches,” said Puckett.

“We were able to feed off our excitement and intensity to continue to play hard and win.”

On Saturday, Sept. 19, the Lakers swept West Virginia State 25-17, 25-18, and 25-18 and swept Notre Dame College 25-19, 25-10 and 25-12.

During both games on Saturday, junior Sarah Wegrzyn led the team in kills with nine and 14.

Junior Samantha Giardina led the team in digs with eight

and junior Haley Adams led in blocks with five.

During the second game of the day, senior Lexi Stefanov and Kenny both had two blocks.

Giardina and senior Erin Brynes led the team in digs with eight each.

“It was a great feeling to come out of the weekend 3-0 at home,” said Kenny. “It is always thrilling to get a win, and to be able to earn three in front of our home crowd of family, friends and supporters was that much more invigorating.”

The Lakers will play again Friday, Sept. 25, against Shippensburg University at 11:30 a.m. and Millersville University at 7:35 p.m.

Then on Saturday, Sept. 26, they take on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown at 10:05 a.m. and Lock Haven University at 6 p.m. All weekend games will be played at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

Salina Bowe photo

Volleyball increases their record to 5-6 after taking advantage of home court this weekend, going 3-0 against Concord University, West Virginia State and Notre Dame College.

@TheMerciad

Field hockey achieves consecutive wins

By Marco Cicchino Staff writer

The Mercyhurst field hockey team defeated Lindenwood University, 2-1, on Saturday, Sept. 19. After this win, the team now has consecutive wins for the first time since winning four in a row at the end of last season. This brought the Lakers to 2-4 on the season.

“I think this is definitely some good motivation. Any time you win two consecutive games, it’s a great thing, so we’re just going to try to keep doing that,” sophomore Taylor Balser said.

Freshman Katelyn Smith got the scoring started for the Lakers just 2:22 into the game.

This was her third goal of the season.

After confusion in front of Lindenwood’s goalkeeper, Victoria Gil, went in favor of the Lakers, Balser was rewarded a penalty shot at 18 minutes into the game.

Balser recorded her first career goal after promptly depositing the penalty-shot to the top-right of the goal, and Gil was unable to recover in time to stop the shot, giving the Lakers a 2-0 advantage.

“A stroke is pretty scary, as you’re the only one there, so it was exciting and nice and I

was just glad that I could help my team,” Balser said.

With just 10 minutes left to play, Lindenwood’s weapon Nicole Johnston, snuck a shot just inside the left post that Lakers goalkeeper, senior Sam Takac, wasn unable to contain.

The game was dominated by defense at both ends.

However, neither side could take advantage of a combined 25 corners. 15 corners came from the Lions and 10 from the Lakers.

Senior forward Cayla Slade, led the way with several key swipes that otherwise would have led to Lindenwood having more chances to score.

Slade was successfully able

to keep the ball on the Lion’s end of the field.

“She definitely was our rock on the right side, her stick skills were amazing, and she was definitely hard to get through,” Balser said.

Even with the defensive efforts by Slade and her unit, the majority of the game was uneasy from the fans’ viewpoint, due to a persistent attack, coordinated by Lindenwood Coach Sarah Johnson, generating opportunities that rambled but never reached their targets in the slot.

Only nine of the Lions 16 shots were directly against Takac, who came within three minutes of her first clean-

sheet this season.

Gil was even pulled from goal at 65 minutes in a desperate offensive measure for the Lions, but had no bearing with Slade and her midfield unit.

The game was only sealed when several throw-ins kept the ball on the Lions’ defensive zone, then forwards acting as defensemen passed around to ward away any potential attackers, and even Laker senior Andrea Goldbach’s defensive unit swiped several balls away from Lindenwood forwards.

Lindenwood’s Nicole Johnston and her equally-staunch defense contained all of

Goldbach’s 10 opportunities from the outer hash.

“We just need to work harder in the circle and make sure we finish on the corners,” Goldbach said.

The Lakers return to PSAC action as they play Seton Hill on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 4 p.m.

“I think our PSAC is a great conference, and that we have a lot to prove, so our game will be a good game to show the PSAC that we are here, and we are going to be a strong contending team this year,” said Balser.

They do this by forming the spirit tunnel for the football players to run through at the start of the game. The band also plays songs to get the crowd and players pumped up for the game while the cheerleaders and dancers perform short routines to their songs.

“We are trying to establish the college Saturday afternoon atmosphere by having the cheers and fight song play,” Reid said.

The band even goes to away games that are close in distance to keep the spirit of Mercyhurst alive both home and away fields.

Reid described the band as “a spirit builder for athletic teams.”

The band performs for football, men’s and women’s hockey and men’s and women’s basketball.

Reid is showing success in

expanding the athletic band over the year. When the athletic band was first formed, the athletic director and Reid were not sure how far the program would grow.

The band has expanded to now play not only for just sporting events, but also for tailgates and certain events on and off campus. Also, they have revived Mercyhurst’s alma mater which used to only be sung at graduation.

“All of this stuff is new.

Hopefully it is working and down the road we can expand the program even farther. We are trying to see where the athletic band fits in. The more places we can play the better we are,” Reid said.

The band is trying to get the name of Mercyhurst out into the community by being involved in local activities.

They will play in the

Autumn Leaf Parade which is part of the 62nd Annual Autumn Leaf Festival, in Clarion. After the parade they will perform during the Clarion’s homecoming football game.

Then, the band will then head to DuBois for an exhibition. This is the first year the athletic band is involved in local high school expeditions.

“What we are trying to do is establish the spirit of the college. In the past, there hasn’t been anything like that. So we can do some neat things,” Reid said.

The band’s next perforamce is at the picnic being held after the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Thursday, Sept. 24.

@TheMerciad

Athletic bands success in establishing tradition

By Carly Contraguerro Sports editor

Sarah Paschal photo

The Mercyhurst athletic band amps up school spirit at a tailgate before last Friday’s football game.

The Mercyhurst athletic band, under the direction of Robert Reid, aims to establish traditions that students, factuality, community and fans look forward to every year. The band’s goal is to bring athletic events to the next level.

The athletic band was established by Mercyhurst’s athletic department. Reid was put into his position to establish the group and gain members. He works closely with the campus community to make sure the band’s mission is fulfilled. This mission is to develop the spirit and pride of Mercyhurst.

The group works with the cheerleading squad, dance team and school mascot, Luke, to enhance school spirit during football season.

@TheMerciad

Pictured to the right: The athletic band also performs the National Anthem and Mercyhurst’s alma mater before the football game begins.

Hurst Sports Fact The Mercyhurst football team is currently 3-0 for the season. This is the first time since 1989.

Casey Bleuel photo

Casey Bleuel photo

9/23/15 9/23/15 9/23/15 9/25/15 9/26/15 9/26/15 9/26/15 9/27/15

Upcoming home games Women’s Soccer Men’s Soccer Field Hockey Volleyball Football Women’s Soccer Field Hockey Men’s Soccer

1:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

11:35 a.m & 7:35 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

Page 8

The Merciad

Laker

September 23, 2015

Living

Historically Tory: History in the Making

By Victoria Kreysar Ad manager

Two years ago, I bought a 1997 Jeep Cherokee and it was one of the happiest moments of my life. I will admit I probably watch too much “Top Gear” and the degree to which I care about cars is borderline obsessive, but there is just something about a good car that makes me happy.

Think about it: 200 years ago people didn’t drive cars.

Horses were a main mode of transportation and riders bumped along in the back of a carriage. Henry Ford’s assembly line allowed for

cheaper production of the automobile. It was not until 1908, when the Model T came out and really opened up the market for affordable cars.

Automobiles are a truly human invention, and maybe that is why I have a strange love for them. Other forms of transportation are brilliant, but different. Ships are man manipulating wood, wind and water. Horses and other animals are harnessed energy, literally. Cars are all metal, gears, oil and grease. They make your hands dirty and make loud noises. It is a machine that is totally man-made and the roads we drive them on

were our creations as well.

There is a unique kind of bond formed between a car and its owner, even if its “a bucket of bolts.” I named my Jeep Poppaea, but called it Poop for short because it was pretty crappy. When I bought it for $500, it did not start, there was a wasps nest behind the side mirror and the hood was peeling, but I did not care because it was mine.

I think of all the adventures I had in that Jeep, given most of them were less than thrilling, but I learned a lot.

Two months ago, my radiator broke; smoke pouring out from the hood, I discovered

engine coolant everywhere except where it needed to be, cooling my engine.

Driving on the turnpike at 3 a.m., I had to change a flat tire, only to find another flat tire from a nail two days later.

Less than a year before that, my lug-nuts came loose driving the same road at 1:30 in the morning.

The dying water pump squealed in complaint every time I tried to turn on my defrost. The lack of air conditioning meant in the summer I had my own personal sauna.

The non-automatic windows gave my biceps a great work out.

When my muffler broke, I learned that contraption really is named for what it does, because an un-muffled in-line six engine sounds incredibly like a small fighter pilot. But it certainly is not as exciting to your neighbors who have to hear you struggle to parallel park for a solid ten minutes.

Last year, right before winter, my transfer case broke. I learned quickly the pros and cons of four wheel drive versus rear wheel drive.

As I fishtailed down the road only to find myself stuck in a parking lot, I continued to tell myself: this was building character.

That crappy car gave me headaches and a small bank account, but I have some spectacular stories to tell.

When it all comes down to it, what we really need out of life is not something that works perfectly every day (although every now and then would have been nice). We need challenges to test who we really are, friends who will pick up the phone at all hours of the night, some type of work in progress to always keep us progressing, fantastically wonderful stories to tell, and AAA for roadside emergencies.

Top 10

Places for a Selfie 1. With Mary in Front of Old Main 2. With Luke the Laker 3. Post-Mass in front of the Chapel 4. On the lawn in front of Hirt 5. At the fountain 6. With the squad at the Laker Inn 7. With the cats in Zurn 8. In the grotto 9. By the clock in Garvey Park 10. With Rhonda in Egan

Way back When...

The Merciad presents articles from yesteryear in their original form, including headlines. This week, our blast from the past is from Nov. 4, 1959.

Heads Travel to NYC For Press Convention Associated Collegiate Press will hold its annual convention in New York City at the Hotel New Yorker, November 12, 13, and 14. The ACP serves member publications with information and guides to better newspapers and yearbooks. The Merciad and Praeterita subscribe to the services of ACP and are accredited each year by this service.

Delegates traveling to New York from Mercyhurst are: Mary Stark, editor of Praeterita; Linda Rosinski, art editor of Praeterita; Theresa Proulx, ediotr of Merciad; and Mary Anne Koss, associate editor of Merciad.

Main speaker at the convention will be Chet Huntley, noted NBC-TV news commentator.

Highlighting the three days of conferences are student-advisor panel

discussions, a series of “Learn from a Pro” lectures featuring newspapermen from New York papers, and individual-help conferences.

Displays and materials concerning both newspapers and yearbooks offer new ideas to editors attending the convention.

Mary Stark has been chosen by ACP to serve as a panel member with the group to discuss “Yearbook Staff System in Schools Having Less Than 4,000 Enrollment.” Past editor of the Merciad, and present editor of Praeteria, Mary is well-qualified to speak on this topic.

Concluding the 1959 convention will be a Saturday luncheon featuring Mr. Norman Cousins, vice-president and editor of Saturday Review. Mr. Cousins will discuss his recent travels to Russia and Iron Curtain countries.

Game Zone

@tory_krey