Oct. 21 Issue of the Merciad

:Features On Page 3:

Arts & Entertainment On Page 5: :

Sports On Page 7: Senior Kristina Roberti

‘Drowsy Chaperone’

History trip is one

helps lead team to

wows in Taylor Little

for the books

success

Theatre

Read more inside & online

The Merciad Mercyhurst university

Est. 1929 Vol. 89 No. 6

Wednesday, october 21, 2015

Senior class gift: anchor, charging station or bench?

By Erin McGarrity Staff writer

Mercyhurst’s Class of 2016 is currently in the process of brainstorming senior class gift ideas, the final three of which committee members will present on Nov. 17.

Student committee members and chairs have been meeting on a weekly basis since the beginning of the school year to share their thoughts on potential gifts.

Initially, the committee sent each senior a survey to get a general idea of what students wanted as the final gift. From there, the committee narrowed down the list, first to the top five ideas, and then to the top three.

The committee is considering an electronics charging station, a decorative anchor,

Jade Gelsimino photo

Meaghan Hubert, Sam Beckas, Kaleigh Ruggiero and Park Bogan make up the senior class gift committee leadership team.

and a bench as possible senior gifts to leave for future students.

If chosen, the charging station would be located in the library, and students would be

able to secure their electronic devices in it while they study.

The bench would be placed

somewhere on campus, and it would accompany a statue of the mascot, Luke the Laker, or another main figure of Mercyhurst.

The idea of the anchor would implement a new Mercyhurst tradition, according to Meaghan Hubert, a member of the senior class and one of the students on the Senior Class Gift Committee Leadership Team.

“It would sit atop stones or bricks in Garvey Park. Top contributors could get their names engraved in one of the stones and this could be used as a symbol of good luck, as well as a new picture spot for current and past students,” Hubert said.

Between now and Nov. 17, the committee members will draft a proposal for each gift idea, and the students will present them to President

Michael Victor and his committee. Shortly thereafter, the committee will make a final decision.

Seniors will host various fundraising events all year in order to raise money for the senior class gift. In celebration of Halloween, any student can purchase a Halloween ‘No Tricks, Just Treats’ goodie bag for a gifr of $5 online at hurstalumni.org/classof2016.

During graduation weekend, the committee will present a check to President Victor, who will fund the selected project.

Hubert cites diversity and collaboration as the keys to deciding on the perfect senior gift.

(Continued on page 2)

President Victor delivers on Hurst Day promises

By Lauren Murphy Staff writer

Early in the morning on Hurst Day, bagpipes could be heard throughout campus, signaling that classes were replaced by a day of games, food and a scavenger hunt.

The idea for Hurst Day came from President Michael Victor himself, and he asked several members of the faculty and staff to help him plan the event. The planning committee consisted of various faculty and staff members.

“The whole event was planned in less than four weeks,” Sarah Allen, executive director of Campus Involvement, said.

Allen and Courtney Olevnik, coordinator of student life, contracted all of the inflatable games, DJ, t-shirts and volunteers.

The food was a highlight of the day, according to many students.

During lunch, a total of 2,400 meals and 54 gallons of ice cream were served.

At dinner, 1,250 meals were served, including 936 steak dinners.

“President Victor insisted on having steak for dinner,”

Jade Gelsimino photo

Students enjoy one of the many inflatables set up in Garvey Park during Hurst Day festivities.

Allen said.

Traffic was high on social media sites for Hurst Day. The university’s Facebook photo album for Hurst Day reached 45,000 views and had 725 likes, comments and shares.

On Twitter, Mercyhurst’s tweets were seen by 57,000 people. A photo of Victor and the university’s infamous hawk received 265 likes on Instagram. On Snapchat, Mercyhurst’s snaps peaked at

1,000 views per snap.

President Victor said he was pleased with the way Hurst Day turned out, and enjoyed interacting with students throughout the day.

“I want everyone to be happy, and I enjoyed all of the selfies that were taken with me,” Victor said.

Victor said the new tradition of Hurst Day is a way for students to bond, build Laker Pride and realize that he is

1-2 3-4 5 6 7 8

Trang Nguyen photo

The winning scavenger hunt team chose to dress as Sesame Street characters for their team costume.

Lake Erie College in Ohio where Victor was president for almost 10 years, together.

“The only things I would change are more inflatable

games, more food stations and more garbage cans,” Victor said.

(Continued on page 2)

Online Poll Results

Merciad Index News Features A&E Opinion Sports Laker Living

accessible and here to support them.

“One day you will become an alumni, and if your children come here, they too will be able to participate in Hurst Day, and you will be able to tell them what you did during your Hurst Day,” Victor said.

Victor said he got the idea by incorporating Field Day, a staple at many elementary and middle schools, and Mountain Day, a day celebrated at

How pumped are you for Halloween?

1 2 3 4

I love ALL things Halloween. Bring on the scary movies! (35%) Eh, it’s just another day. (33%) I’ll be the one hiding, ready to jump out and scare people. (17%) I’ve had my costume picked out since June. (15%)

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: What would you like this year’s senior class gift to be?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

October 21, 2015

The Merciad

Page 2

News

Hurley nominated First annual Hurst Day creates Erie Social school spirit, marks new tradition for Impact award (Continued from page 1)

The scavenger hunt was the main event that surrounded Hurst Day. Seventy-three teams of four signed up to participate. Those teams were narrowed down to 25 teams, which was further narrowed down to three and finally the first and second place winning teams.

First place winners received a GoPro and second place winners received a $50 gift card to the bookstore and a chance to go into a cash cube, where they could grab money flying through the air.

The winning team, “Team One Girl,” consisted of Daniel Marsh, Johannes Verwer, Meghan Doyle and Nicholas Doyle.

“At the beginning of the scavenger hunt my team and I were not very confident in regards to winning, but once we passed through the first two rounds we became super excited because we realized we had a chance,” Meghan Doyle

By Lizzie Manno

Contributing writer

Trang Nguyen photo

A group of enthusiastic students who took part in the scavenger hunt pose for a picture with President Victor.

said.

Doyle plans on using her GoPro in December during her trip to Disney.

The second place team, “Sistas of Mercy,” consisted of Kelsey Johnson, Raquel Guedes-Almeida, Megan Reindl and Sarah Johnson.

“I wanted to join the Hurst Day activities because I loved its element of surprise.

During the scavenger hunt I was exhausted but having lots of fun,” Johnson said.

Johnson also said she thinks Hurst Day helped to raise school spirit and that she

cannot wait to participate in it again.

Heather Kenny, a junior History major who attended had only positive things to say.

“The day was awesome,” said Kenny. “My favorite parts were the rock climbing wall, and of course the food.”

Seniors deliberate class contribution

Jade Gelsimino photo

Class gift meetings, during which students can discuss gift options, are open to all seniors.

(Continued from page 1) “All members of the senior class are welcome to be on the

committee by coming to our weekly meetings. We hope to

have the support of the entire class in this great tradition,”

said Hubert. “We have come up with a mix of ideas that would bring new traditions to the university, as well as ideas that are useful for the students.”

The presentation of the senior class gift is a longstanding Mercyhurst tradition of which Hubert is proud to be a part.

“I think it’s important to be able to come back to the school in the future as alumni and be proud of the gift that we left, as well as to admire all the gifts from different classes,” said Hubert. “I want to be able to give back to the school that has given so much to me.”

Colin Hurley, director of community engagement at Mercyhurst, has been nominated for Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year at the first annual Disrupt Erie Awards.

The Disrupt Erie Awards encourage collaboration and entrepreneurial activity in the region and the Social Impact Entrepreneur of the Year Award is given to an individual that has had profound, positive impact on the community’s well being over the past year.

Hurley, who works in the Service Learning Office, works with both faculty and community businesses and organizations to help students get connected with local service opportunities.

He works alongside Bethany Brun, coordinator of service learning at Mercyhurst, to guide the partnership process and oversee programs. His job involves focusing the longterm vision of the department.

“He’s one of the most passionate individuals,” said Brun. “[He is] a strategic thinker and a go-getter who is constantly thinking of how to improve and is never satisfied with the status quo.”

As for Hurley, he was surprised about the nomination.

According to Brun, he actually thinks a different nominee, from an organization called Box of Light, should win, which shows his constant effort to improve and to never be fully satisfied with his work.

“Being nominated for the social impact category was quite a surprise. Honestly, I think part of the reality of being nominated comes down to awareness and social connection. I’m fortunate that my position at Mercyhurst puts

Nhi Tran photo

Colin Hurley was nominated for Social Impact Entrepeneur of the Year for his work with Spark Tank at MU.

me in touch with many people in the local community,” Hurley said.

Hurley was nominated for a local project called Spark Tank, which provides the opportunity for Mercyhurst students with a great idea, like launching a business or creating a new campus-wide initiative, to move those ideas forward with crowdfunding support.

“

[He is] a strategic thinker and a go-getter...

”

- Bethany Brun

The basic idea of the project is to provide support for a student-driven venture and to spark innovation at Mercyhurst, according to Hurley.

Spark Tank also received a $5,000 sponsorship from Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners, which Hurley hopes will be a catalyst to help the project’s successes for this year and years to come.

As for the future of the Service Learning Department, Hurley said, “Similarly to its physical location now being more central and accessible, I foresee and hope this is the case with regard to its role in general at MU in the future.”

Voting for the Disrupt Erie Awards remains open until Oct. 30.

Mercyhurst North East ranked 15th for affordability

By Adrian Monty Staff writer

Mercyhurst North East was recognized as the 15th most affordable small Catholic College by College Values this past June.

Mercyhurst North East made it into the top 20 from

the original list of over 150 schools that were considered and analyzed for their affordability.

“When Mercyhurst North East is recognized in such a positive spotlight, it enables us to further showcase another aspect of what makes Mercyhurst North East so great: affordability of an

outstanding private college education,” Adam O’Grady, director of admissions for Mercyhurst North East said.

The criteria for the ranking originally included accreditation, affiliation [to the Catholic church], affordability, which is what the focus of North East’s ranking is, and maximum enrollment [of

2,000 or fewer undergraduate students].

Mercyhurst North East’s net price is $13, 822 as of this year, which is how it ranked so high in the affordability category out of all of the other analyzed schools.

Along with the relatively low cost of admission, Mercyhurst North East also

offers a range of financial aid including work study, athletic scholarships, a North East Grant, and the opportunity to receive a scholarship in the case of a student transferring to the main campus after their two years at Mercyhurst North East.

“The ranking should assist in sending a message

to interested applicants that Mercyhurst North East is an affordable investment that will pay great dividends,” O’Grady said.

@TheMerciad

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Page 3

The Merciad

Features

Dean’s list reception honors students

By Phuong Nguyen Staff writer

The Dean’s list took place Oct. 13 in the Mercy Heritage Room to honor students who excelled in their academics last year.

In the last academic year, 561 students earned Dean’s list recognition, in which 38 students achieved a 4.0 GPA. The event, took place on Oct. 13, began with a speech about the student’s academic success

by Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs, David Dausey.

Dausey took the opportunity to praise and motivate students to keep up their good work.

“Education is the one gift in life that no one can take away from you,” Dausey said.

Senior Spanish Education major Alexandra Kleckner said she loved the speech, because it was motivational and it was nice to see President Michael Victor giving his support at the event.

“The event is inspiring and formal. People all dressed up nicely. It makes me feel honored for being here,” said sophomore Art Therapy major Kristen Burns.

To give these successful students recognition for their hard work, the Dean’s list event had various food stations for dinner. Two violinists played classical music, giving students room to bond with others and with their

This photo was submitted by Kelly Furgus.

professors.

David Grabelski, chair of Intelligence Studies Department, said he was proud of the 63 Intelligence students who made it to the Dean’s list. To Grabelski, the event brought students of varying disciplines together and gave them a chance to mingle.

Many other departments chairs also joined to congratulate their students.

Psychology Department Chair, Gerard Tobin, Ph.D. loves attending events that celebrate the hard work of his students. The events have always been about celebrating their hard work, and Tobin is proud to be part of it.

Students also felt proud that their hard work paid off.

“Our university sees and picks out good achievement

Contributed photo

in academic and rewards it,” This photo was submitted by Michal Smid. said Cole Lowe, sophomore Spanish Education major.

The event was so crowded that some people had to stand outside of the Mercy Heritage room during the speech.

Burns, one of those standing outside, thought the event would have been better if they provided enough space for the large number of students.

Due to evening classes, many students left early and many others could not attend the celebration. Tung Hoang Vu, hopes that next year the event can held during the weekend or another time that does not coincide with evening classes.

@TheMerciad

This photo was submitted by Marissa Peltz.

Contributed photo

Contributed photo

’Hurst students react to college shootings

By Maggy Urso Photo editor

On Oct. 1, a student opened fire in an Oregon Community College classroom. Eight days later, two other college campuses experienced shootings—Northern Arizona University and Texas Southern University. The latter were not considered mass shootings.

News outlets, such as The New York Times, The Huffington Post and BBC, have been following the story as people who were involved publicly share their opinions and experiences of the story.

There have also been stories on what colleges are doing to protect their campuses and how they will prepare for an incident such as a shooting.

Students at Mercyhurst University are acknowledging that bad things happen, and they could happen on the Mercyhurst campus, as well.

When asked whether or not he believes a shooting could take place on campus, Intelligence Studies major Alex Dorado responded, “Definitely. My freshman year, there was a man who shot himself on campus. It hit home that stuff like this can happen anywhere.”

“It especially hit home because I looked more into it, and the person who did it was a person who posted on a website. You can go see the thread where he posted that he was going to shoot up the school. It’s just unnerving, seeing someone basically premeditate that, tell a bunch of people that and have those people be like yeah go do it.

I think at the time they were being sarcastic, they didn’t know he’d actually go do it,” Dorado said.

Criminal Justice major Joe Waidl raised concerns about security in the Mercyhurst community.

“It made me feel like it could happen here. It kind of scared me a little bit,” Waidl said.

Criminal justice major Jimmy Duncan expressed similar concerns.

“I was shocked to hear that another school shooting happened, but personally I feel like school shootings are having less of an effect on people. It wasn’t as shocking as other school shootings. We are becoming desensitized to school shootings, which is sad.

This could definitely happen at Mercyhurst. I’m glad Police and Safety is armed, because I do feel a lot safer, especially being a criminal justice stu-

dent,” Duncan said.

Communication and English major Marina Coletta also mentioned the shooting that took place on campus two years ago, stating she was shocked to hear about it.

“It made me feel unsafe considering it was in the center of campus. The only person who got hurt was the shooter himself, but it was still upsetting,” Coletta said.

She went on to explain how she did not feel personally affected by the shootings in Oregon, Arizona and Texas.

“They were surprising to hear about. However, considering the frequency of

school shootings, it’s less of a shock. During Columbine it was unfathomable that something like that could happen on a school campus. Shootings today are so sad, but people have to move on and brace themselves for the next shooting. It is difficult to be affected emotionally due to the distance of the school and the frequency of school shootings,” Coletta said.

Coletta ended with the succinct statement that, “No school is immune to school shootings.” @TheMerciad

’Hurst turns Pink for cancer awareness

By Mackenzie Burns Staff writer

The Mercyhurst chapter of Colleges Against Cancer is bringing Pink Week to campus.

The club’s goal is to promote cancer awareness through research, risks and treatment. They lend support to those that are battling and those who know someone who has battled or is still battling cancer. This year, the club is focusing on fundraising for cancer research and treatment.

After Michael Grasso, assistant director of Residence Life, took over as advisor of Colleges Against Cancer, and is responsible for the funfilled week devoted to raising cancer awareness, known as Pink Week.

Pink Week kicked off on Sunday, Oct. 18, with the Paint the Campus Pink event.

Students and staff decorated campus with pink ribbons to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Pink Bake

Sale and the Pink Week shirt distributions were held on Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Oct 21, the “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink” event took place, where students were encouraged to wear pink.

On Thursday, “Fancy Pink Lemonade” will be distributed around in decorated cups with facts about breast cancer. The week-long event will wrap up on Friday with a women’s hockey game against Princeton at 3:00 p.m. senior Archaeology major and Club President, Brianna Flynn encourages students to also wear pink to the game.

“We also encourage students to attend the Women’s Hockey game this Friday and wear their shirts,” Flynn said.

By hosting Pink Week, CAC is hoping to get students involved in breast cancer awareness. Eventually, the group hopes to make Relay for Life, a walk to raise funds for cancer, the biggest event on campus. It is also the biggest event the CAC sponsors and the most well-known, Grasso said. Relay for Life

will take place in Garvey Park April 23, 2016.

“In the past it had been a great event but it was one of many events held during the weekend and was seen as more of a club activity,” Grasso said.

Grasso believes that each year, Relay for Life is moving further away from this notion.

He has seen that for several years now, Relay for Life has been turning into a tradition for students and staff at the university.

“At other schools, Relay is huge and it is a campus tradition,”said Grasso.

“CAC has high hopes for this year’s Relay and is hoping to raise lots of money for the cause.”

In the coming months, the club is hoping to host a snowball fight or a snowman building contest.

“I think it’s the one time I’ve ever hoped for snow here.

We’re also collaborating with the Dance Department with their November showcase for breast cancer,” Flynn said.

According to Flynn, the club is still relatively new and

Trang Nguyen photo

As part of Pink Week, College Against Cancer hosted various events to bring awareness and raise fund for breast cancer.

not a lot of people are aware of its existence. They hope to recruit more members during the spring.

“We have a lot of people in our club who are very outgoing and are good at getting the word out. We try to make a lot of flyers for our events..

We really turn the recruiting into overdrive in the spring,

though, when we’re preparing for Relay, just because we want to make that event as big as possible,” said Flynn.

“This year, we’re hoping to hold a Relay kickoff event in December before Christmas break. Sort of a de-stressing, but still get Relay out there event.”

For now, CAC hopes to see

all of the campus participating in Pink Week while showing some Laker Pride and helping out for a good cause.

@TheMerciad

Page 4

Features

October 21, 2015

The Merciad

History students tour Civil War sites

By Jose Agustin Nufio Features editor

Mercyhurst students traveled to several historical sites to learn about the importance of the civil war and its relation to slavery over fall break last week.

The trip was held in connection with the “Introduction to Public History and Museums” class, taught by History Department Chair Chris Magoc, Ph.D. The trip was sponsored by the History Department, allowing history club members and graduate students to also go on the trip. A total of 17 students and two faculty members made up the traveling group.

The course introduced students to museums, historic sites, National Park Services, the interpretation and preservation of American history and how that is done by professionals. They also learned about interpreting challenges that professional practitioners face in the museum world.

To Magoc, one of the focal points of the course was the history of the American Civil War and related issues of slavery and racism. This in turn became the focal point of the trip.

They left Mercyhurst early Thursday morning, with their first stop being the Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Md. The Antietam battle is considered “the bloodiest single day in American history” where more casualties

Contributed photo

Public History students visited the Pennsylvania Memorial at Gettysburg National Military Park.

For three days, students toured some of the most significant Civil War sites in the country.

occurred than on D-Day. Students received an interpretation talk from one of the park’s chief rangers about the challenges of interpreting slavery on the battlefield at a site where people are accustomed to hearing only about the battle.

Magoc explains that about 10 to 15 years ago, historical museums and sites around the country began addressing the issue of slavery. Antietam in particular, was an important political site, because of its impact on the abolition of slavery.

“They incorporated that into the story now and they identified those African Americans by name. They talk about how Antietam was an important battle that allowed

President Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves of the South,” Magoc said.

On Friday, the group visited Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in W.Va. Harpers Ferry is a historically preserved town, where the Confederate and the Union armies met eight times during the war.

“It was a bloodily contested, important, strategic area for both the Union forces and the Confederates,” Magoc said.

Before the war, the federal government built an arsenal to store weapons. This was why abolitionist, John Brown, considered an extremist by many, led an attempted insurrection in 1859 to free the slaves, to end slavery and the begin

the “cleansing of America’s national sin.”

Students were present on Oct. 16, which was anniversary of John Brown’s raid.

They received an interpretive talk about John Brown and the raid. Senior Archeology major Emily Esteban-Baughman saw Harpers Ferry as her favorite site of the trip.

“It was a lovely day, it was very interesting to learn about John Brown and the food was great,” said Baughman.

Harpers Ferry is also known as the site where the second meeting of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the first civil rights organization, took place on 1906.

After visiting the historical sites, the group climbed the

Contributed photo

Climbing the Maryland Heights mountain was one of the activites enjoyed the most by students.

Maryland’s Height mountain located near the town. In this mountain, soldiers hauled heavy artillery during the war.

“For me, as an old guy to be climbing that mountain, huffing and puffing. Imagine those guys hauling a five or six ton cannon,” said Magoc.

On Saturday, the group arrived at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pa., their third and last stop for the trip. Visiting the Gettysburg museum was Magoc’s favorite and most rewarding part of the trip.

“One of the greatest museums I’ve ever been to. One of the most powerful experiences,” Magoc said.

After visiting Gettysburg,

the group drove back to Erie.

Magoc considered the trip as hugely successful, rewarding, educational and an overall fun experience for the students.

“I’ve been here for almost 18 years and I think this was probably the best trip,” said Magoc.

“Students were paying close attention to how the issues of slavery and race are interpreted at the Civil War sites and I think they learned an awful lot. ... It was just a really fun group of students. We had a blast.”

The trip will take place two years from now when the next class is offered in the fall of 2017.

Carpe Diem retreat to unite students

By Brittany Smyth Staff writer

Campus ministry is hosting its fifth Carpe Diem retreat, CD5, from Nov. 6 - 8, at the McKeevers Environmental Center in Sandy Lake, Pa. Senior Intelligence major Dhedra Danudoro is one of the 10 leaders of the CD5 retreat and has high hopes for the weekend-long event.

Before Danudoro became a Carpe Diem leader, he had attended an earlier Carpe Diem retreat.

“I was incredibly lucky and glad I did the retreat. The group almost left me because I was running late, but the best experience was and always has been meeting new people. I have no regret. It

Contributed photo

Campus Ministry invites religious and non-religious students on a retreat, intented to help them better understand themselves and others. The retreat is expected to have many surprise activities.

was an incredible experience” Danudoro said.

Danudoro plans to tell his story at the retreat in hopes

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it will positively affect those present, just the same way he was affected by the leaders of his past retreat.

Danudoro said people might wonder why they should attend the retreat when they can relax or hang out with

friends. For him, the retreat is a chance to leave campus and explore something new.

“Aside from taking a break from the crazy academic stuff that’s been going on, it’s getting to know those people [at school] that you didn’t bother saying, ‘hi’ to when you pass by them. I think that you can learn an incredible amount from each individual you meet there,” Danudoro said.

Retreat leaders have set up different activities that will take place throughout the weekend to surprise the students.

Whether or not students have spiritual beliefs, the retreat is intended to help them obtain a better understanding of themselves and others.

“The saying goes, ‘Every

single person is a book and has their own story, read it as much as you can.’ I learned a lot about people’s lives from the last retreat I went on, and it’s always interesting and inspiring in some cases,” Danudoro said.

The trip costs $20 for those interested. Students will be provided food, transportation and shelter.

The McKeevers Environmental Center is a 45-minute drive from Mercyhurst and vans will be leaving Nov. 6, at 4 p.m.

For more information on how to reserve a spot may go to Campus Ministry in the Student Union or contact Dhedra Danudoro at ddanud18@ lakers.mercyhurst.edu.

LAKER MOMENT

By Casey Bleuel

Geology Adjunct Instructor Paul Scholar shows geology club member’s Devan Gowdy and Cooper Abney how to find dolomite crystals at Walworth Quarry, Rochester NY.

October 21, 2015

The Merciad

Page 5

Arts &

Entertainment ‘Drowsy Chaperone’ opens this weekend

By Rachel Sobina Staff writer

Come and see “The Drowsy Chaperone” this weekend at the Taylor Little Theatre.

With a cast of 20 performers, seven backstage hands and 14 orchestra members, and with many tap dancing routines, stock characters and vaudeville, the show is sure to appeal to audience members of all ages.

The main character of the show is an ambiguous man in a chair.

As he sits in the center of the stage with a spotlight on him, he puts on an old recording of a 1928 musical comedy, “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

Suddenly, the recording comes to life and the musical begins.

Brett Johnson, the director of the show, encouraged the cast to really learn the

script.

“It is very important for the actors to explore the scenes as well as their own characters,” Johnson said.

He encouraged the actors to research the time period, and their parts in the play and really find a connection to the 1920’s.

“I absolutely love directing, and while there is a lot to collaborate, the end result is very rewarding,” said Johnson.

To be able to collaborate with so many different people and create one product is an absolutely amazing experience for Johnson.

“The Drowsy Chaperone” cast includes Michael Rowe, as the Man in Chair, Bethany Sulecki as Mrs. Tottendale, Vince Marrazzo as the Underling, Aidan Giles as Robert Martin, Matt Marucci as George, Maxton Honeychurch as Feldzieg, Jennie Cross as Kitty, Cole Prots as

Sarah Paschal photo

The cast of “The Drowsy Chaperone” perform one of the big musical numbers from the show.

Gangster #1, Owen Hitt as Gangster #2, Luke Ballantyne as Aldolpho, Sarah Creighton as Janet Van De Graaff, Sarah Krempasky as The Drowsy Chaperone, Abby Larimore as Trix, Erin Fink, Tonya Lenhart, Charity Ludwig, Leah Miori, Ashley Poletto, Rosie Pregler as Ensemble and Brianna Carle as the Superintendent.

The creative team includes Set Designer Aaron White, Lighting Designer Madeleine Steineck, Musical Director Andrew Rainbow, Choreographer Kelly Jean Graham, Production Stage Manager Kathryn Schmitt and Assistant Stage Manager Brianna Carle.

The show is running Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 22 and 24, at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $15 at the door.

Bollywood dancers in PAC Lumen looking for editors

By Jenny Sabliov

By Naomi Greenstein

From Rajasthan to Mumbai, the Bollywood Masala Orchestra brings you on a whirlwind journey filled with spirituality, music, dance and dynamic rhythm.

Comprised of 16 members, they bring to the stage a lively show, combining a frenzied brass band with tabla, dholak, harmonium and other acoustic instruments, not to mention singers, dancers, a fire eater and acrobats.

The founder, Rahis Bharti, in his 12 years of musical experience, has traveled the world and played at many prestigious festivals and venues.

His fascination with the rich tradition and modern sounds comes to life in “The Spirit of India.”

“The Spirit of India” performance is a music and dance ensemble that will give you an authentic taste of India, through its live music and dance.

His deep appreciation for

As the academic breaks for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are quickly approaching, so is the deadline for submissions to “Lumen,” Mercyhurst University’s Literary and Fine Arts Magazine, and the chance to win prizes of monetary value up to $250.

Each year, the staff of “Lumen” accepts submissions, ranging from short stories to poetry, and chooses the works that will appear in the magazine.

The staff is currently accepting submissions.

The three best submissions will receive cash prizes of $250 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place.

Staff writer

Staff writer

miac photo

A group of 16 dancers from Bollywood and their accompanying band, acrobat and fire eater will grace the stage of the PAC.

the rich tradition, intense spirituality and modern sounds of India will be evident at this spectacular show.

Many genres of music heard throughout Bollywood will be performed at this event, ranging from romance to pop, which include some of Bollywood’s greatest hits.

The songs will cause audience members to want to get up and dance alongside the performers.

Even if audience mem-

bers are unfamiliar with Bollywood, you will not want to miss out on this spectacular event.

After hearing their catchy renditions of various Bollywood songs filled with traditional Indian music, you will want to familiarize yourself with the rich culture.

This event is not one to miss and will take place at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m.

Cline and Lage in Recital Hall

By Rachel Sobina Staff writer

Online

Nels Cline and Julian Lage will be coming to Mercyhurst for one night, Saturday, Oct. 24.

These two very different artists managed to form a common bond through music.

Lage and Cline work together to bring a melodic sound to life using guitars.

Nels Cline and Julian Lage met by chance at a luncheon and realized they both shared a passion for guitars.

Nels invited Julian to look at some of his personal guitars and the two ended up forming a strong relationship over a common love of music.

Cline is known for his collaboration with the rock band “Wilco” and has worked with several other groups, including the “Nels Cline Singers” and “Quartet Music.”

Julian Lage is a 26-year-old guitar prodigy.

The awards will be given at the magazine’s unveiling reception on Thursday, April 23, and afterwards there will be an open mic held for anyone wishing to share their work.

All submissions should be in a Microsoft Word document and sent as an attachment to the “Lumen” staff ’s email, lumen@mercyhurst. edu.

Submissions should be single spaced and in size 12 Times New Roman font with 1 inch margins.

Try to keep formatting, such as italics, bold or special characters to a minimum.

As of now, the deadline for submissions to the magazine is Dec. 8.

The staff is also currently looking for a new editor, so if you have a love of literature

and creative writing in general, then “Lumen” is the place to share your talents.

The magazine is in need of more editors to help with choosing works to feature and editing them.

Freshmen and sophomores are especially encouraged to join, but juniors and seniors are also welcome.

Editors can be in any major, as the magazine is not just for English majors.

There will be a meeting for those who are interested in joining the staff of the “Lumen” on Nov. 4, at 4 p.m. in the Alumni Board Room in Old Main.

If you are looking to join the staff, contact Dr. Marnie Sullivan at msullivan@mercyhurst. edu or Dr. Jacklyn Watterson at jwatterson@mercyhurst. edu for more information.

‘Hamlet’ to play in PAC

By Naomi Greenstein Staff writer

For all of the Benedict Cumberbatch fans out there, this weekend will be an exciting one.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center will be broadcasting a live production of “Hamlet,” presented once again by National Theatre Live.

Performing the famed role of Hamlet will be Academy Award nominee Benedict Cumberbatch of BBC’s

“Sherlock,” “The Imitation Game” and “Frankenstein” which was also performed at the National Theatre.

Directed by Lyndsey Turner, who also worked as the director for productions such as “Posh” and “Chimerica,” and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, National Theatre Live will broadcast this eagerly awaited production live to cinemas, including the Mary D’Angelo PAC. As a country arms itself for war, a family tears itself apart.

Forced to avenge his father’s death but paralyzed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages

against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state.

The last production aired in the PAC by National Theatre Live was “Skylight,” performed by Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan.

Each live broadcast is filmed in front of a live audience in the theatre, and cameras are carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that cinema audiences get the “best seat in the house” for each production.

Tickets for “Hamlet” are $7.50 for students.

miac photo

The musical duo of Cline and Lage will be in the Walker Recital Hall on Saturday, performing songs from their new album.

He is one of the most successful guitar players today and has worked with many other artists as well.

The two men work together to create a unique sound that is uncommon among artists.

They recently released the album “Rooms” in 2014.

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

The two artists created several tracks that represent both of their personalities.

The two will be at the Walker Recital Hall on Saturday Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 at the door. @TheMerciad

miac photo

“Hamlet,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch, will play at the Performing Arts Center on Saturday.

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

Page 6

October 21, 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.

Reviewing Hurst Day: Pros and Student has easy cons of the new MU tradition time transferring

PRO

By Alex Albano Staff writer

Mercyhurst is a campus with many different avenues for students to participate in to further their interests and have fun.

President Michael Victor created another way for students to have fun during the stressful school year. Hurst Day, which took place on Wednesday, Oct. 7, was a day filled with fun for the entire Mercyhurst community.

Dance major Alexis Nale had very positive feedback about the scavenger hunt portion of the day.

“It brought the childlike fun back into everyone’s lives, which was definitely needed during this crazy semester,” Nale said.

Faculty and staff participated in the events along with the students and it was nice to see them outside enjoying themselves.

This was a great day to de-stress during the middle of the fall semester.

The amount of games and variety were very good and provided many options for students to choose from.

to Mercyhurst

CON Megan Stubbs, a Forensic Anthropology major, expressed her love for Hurst Day. “It is also nice to see the staff outside enjoying themselves,” said Stubbs. “It is good that everyone on campus is able to have fun. I think Victor had a brilliant idea.”

Regarding my own experience at Hurst Day, I couldn’t agree more with these students. It was a great way to meet people and see new faces on campus. My friends and I played many games with students we didn’t know and it is always fun to meet new people.

Arguably one of the most important parts of Hurst Day is that it was outside. Events that get students outside of the classrooms are very good.

It allowed the community to enjoy the outdoors, fresh air and nature.

The event brought the Mercyhurst community together to be united. The turnout was very positive and I haven’t met anyone who didn’t enjoy Hurst Day. It should definitely be a tradition that is continued for the years to come.

@TheMerciad

By Amber Matha Staff writer

On Monday, Sept. 14, Mercyhurst students received an email from President Michael Victor about Hurst Day. As a student, this event sounded too good to be true.

The email promised canceled classes, corn hole, a scavenger hunt and (arguably most importantly), a steak dinner for everyone on campus.

As great as Hurst Day was for the spirit of the school, I do not believe it was in the best interest of the students to cancel a day of classes so last minute.

The professors did not have the day scheduled into their syllabi and therefore risked falling behind in course materials due to this unexpected cancellation.

I was told by numerous professors that I would have to either go over the material on my own or they would have to cut time spent on a different topic to cover the missed material.

Neither option is beneficial to me or my peers.

Another issue I came across is that this Hurst Day was

meant to be a complete surprise. Why was this a problem? I had a midterm, quizzes and a presentation that particular week and I did not know whether they would be affected by this campus wide shut down.

It turned out that my quizzes and exams were not affected, however, an in-class study day was canceled due to Hurst Day. Victor claimed that one of the goals of the day was to “de-stress” the students, but I did not see how cancelling an important day of class would cause stress relief, because after Hurst Day, I had to worry about classes the next day.

Despite this, I think Hurst Day is a great new tradition for the school and should be carried on with slight modifications.

One idea is to plan future Hurst Days on weekends, or allow professors to know the day so they can plan their syllabi accordingly. This way, classes are not interrupted and students can de-stress from the week previous and prepare for the week ahead.

@TheMerciad

School change to benefit Forensics

By Cheyanne Crum Staff writer

Mercyhurst has been implementing many changes this year. One change, thought to be just a rumor, was the plan to condense the colleges. A major part of the condensing is happening to the Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute (MAI), as the Forensics department is being moved under the Tom Ridge College of Intelligence and Applied Sciences. Upon first learning of this, I had the fear that the MAI was being broken apart.

After speaking to Dennis Dirkmaat, Ph.D., chair of the applied Forensic Science

The Good During his first few months in office, President Michael Victor has already managed to raise over $1 million for Mercyhurst University.

Victor also cut a deal with Parkhurst to have the food service cover the cost for next year’s Hurst Day feast.

Online

Mercyhurst patched up noticeable cracks in the sidewalk beneath the Hirt Arch outside of the Audrey Hirt Academic Center this past week.

department, my fears were allayed. He explained that the thought process behind the relocation is to separate the “high-profile majors of the university,” but he added that these will in no way affect the students.

When asked about the separation, Dirkmaat stated that calling the MAI’s restructuring a “break-up” is actually incorrect.

“The MAI will still be here, it is not moving,” said Dirkmaat. “None of the offices or labs are moving, we will all still be right here.”

This news definitely made me feel better. He added that crossing colleges like the MAI might actually be useful, as we may have other resources available to us that were not there before.

The other majors that are going to be included under the umbrella of the Tom Ridge College are: applied sociology/social work, communication, mathematics, political science, criminal justice, computer systems, and data science, on top of intelligence studies and applied forensic science.

This combination of majors may seem like an unusual mash up, but Dirkmaat gave me an interesting perspective that makes the mash-up more comprehensible: After the 9/11 attacks, President George Bush created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect United States from another possible terrorist attack. He chose Tom Ridge, former Governor of Pennsylvania,

The Bad Mercyhurst campus continues to experience mulch madness at the end of October. This week’s excessive mulch delivery blocked two cars in the lot on upper Lewis.

As if parking wasn’t enough of a bloodbath on campus, well drilling will disrupt parking near the Center for Academic Engagement this upcoming week.

Couldn’t this work have been done during the fall break? Oh well.

Read more at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

to be the first secretary of the department.

All of these departments would include some combination of every major that was moved into the Tom Ridge College this year. Whether this combination happened on purpose, or if it was completely accidental, it definitely makes more sense now.

Initially, the idea of applied forensic science becoming a part the Tom Ridge College was daunting. No one ever likes change, but after speaking to Dirkmaat, the idea is less frightening. He assured me that the only changes that happening will be “purely administrative.”

@TheMerciad

The Ugly Hammermill Library is putting its foot down on students putting their feet up in the Walker Reading Room.

By Maggy Urso Photo editor

Application anxiety is real.

Not everyone has the pleasure of experiencing it, but for those who do, I felt your pain in high school. However, I decided to take the road less traveled by venturing off to community college, or as I like to refer to it, High School 2.0.

As I was finishing my sophomore year at home, I came to the conclusion that I should probably transfer to a four-year institution, because, according to my parents, my associate’s degree “wouldn’t get me too far.”

I originally had my heart set on Illinois State University.

However, I had a friend who was attending Mercyhurst at the time, so I decided to come and visit. I was able to walk around campus, meet some of the students and see how beautiful the campus was in the winter time—I’ll admit it, I love snow.

The actual transfer to Mercyhurst was not as painful as I thought it would be.

In fact, it was completely painless. I had applied online, originally to be a music therapy major. After some consideration, I decided the field of communication looked more appealing than music.

I had called Mercyhurst asking how to go about changing the major I had applied for. After talking to two people in admissions, I was told I would receive a phone call in 10 minutes. Thirty minutes later, I was still waiting for that phone call.

As I was unlocking my phone to call back, I decided to check my email. It was the

best decision I ever made. It was almost like magic.

The first unread email was from Christian Beyer in Admissions stating that I had been accepted as a Strategic Communication major.

It included my credit evaluation, with all my transferable credits on it, and my scholarship information. I could not believe how quick and easy it was.

A few weeks later, I received the email about Summer Orientation, which was my only complaint about my transfer to Mercyhurst. Most of orientation was aimed directly toward the freshman, which made sense, but I felt very awkward and out of place considering I was a junior in a sea of freshman. I knew all the dangers of alcohol and partying and I did not have to worry about the whole underage drinking thing, since I had turned 21 years old 13 days before my orientation.

Plus, I had already figured out how to navigate my own academic success during my first few years of college. The class of 2018 shirt was also a nice touch, however, I am graduating this year, class of 2016.

I would not say I wasted any time though, because it was nice to be able to meet and talk to my academic advisor about my schedule and time here at Mercyhurst—shout out to Meghan Waskiewicz.

Luckily, Mercyhurst made the transfer process quite simple. They responded to all phone calls and emails in a timely manner and everyone was friendly and helpful.

I could not wait to start (well, technically, finish) my college career at Mercyhurst. @TheMerciad

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 110.

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

October 21, 2015

Page 7

The Merciad

Sports

Senior forward leading women’s soccer

By Diego Himede Staff writer

Casey Bleuel photo

Senior forward Kristina Roberti (17) is leading the women’s soccer team with seven goals in 15 games played this season compared to her three goals scored last year in 18 games.

Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide, and teamwork is vital to win games and even championships. That being said, personal talent is also important. Sometimes, when the game is close, some players appear to “carry the team.” This is where Mercyhurst women’s soccer player, senior Kristina Roberti comes in.

With 15 games played this season, the Laker forward has scored seven times, making her the top scorer for the team. Additionally, she has more shots on target than any other player on the team.

Roberti has shown a lot of devotion to her team, playing intensely and passionately.

“I am definitely excited with the way the season has started off. I think the team is working hard and each game we are getting better as a unit. We’ve

caught some tough breaks so far, but that’s just soccer sometimes,” Roberti said.

Although it is important to be gifted to play this sport, one must also have discipline.

One act of discipline is eating healthy as Roberti mentioned she likes sticking to proteins and carbs.

Being that soccer is a team sport, it is important to have a good relationship within the team and the team understands that.

“Our personalities mesh really well and I think that is why we have all grown to become not only best friends but also a family,” Roberti said.

Roberti said that Head Coach Keith Cammidge is another important member of the team, saying he has their best interest in mind and would do anything for his players.

Roberti shared one of her most treasured memories as a soccer player. It hap-

pened when Mercyhurst beat Gannon at home, her sophomore year.

“It has been one of the most fulfilling wins,” Roberti said.

Yet, for Kristina, not everything is about soccer. Just like everybody else, she also has plans off of the field.

“After college, I hope to get a job doing something that I enjoy waking up to every morning. I am double majoring in management and finance, and I hope to have a positive impact on other people’s lives as I forgo a career in the business world,” Roberti said.

The season has not finished yet, and Roberti has still a lot of games to show Mercyhurst and her teammates what she is capable of.

@TheMerciad

Spracklen to coach Russian women’s rowing team

By Carly Contraguerro Sports editor

The Mercyhurst men’s and women’s rowing head coach Adrian Spracklen is temporarily leaving for one year to coach the Russian women’s rowing team.

Not only is this a major opportunity for Spracklen, but he also will be spending time with his father who is the head coach of the Russian men’s rowing team.

When the Russian women’s coach quit this past summer, Spracklen’s father told him they needed someone to take over the program and asked if he would come back and continue in the quest to the Olympics.

Spracklen took that offer and went to Italy for two weeks for training camp with the team, followed by a week in France for the world championship.

Spracklen’s opportunity begins Wednesday, Oct. 21, when he flies to Russia in hopes of coaching the rowers to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Russia’s rowing used to be the strongest power house in the sport. Currently, they are trying to get back to that powerful state.

“It is a golden opportunity.

There are many reasons why it is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. One of them is that my father is a really good coach so I don’t get to see him much. He is the best in the

world, I want to learn as much as I can from him,’’ Spracklen said.

Although there are ups and downs to taking this job offer, Spracklen believes that coaching a national team is an opportunity he could not pass up.

“There is no bigger stage than the Olympics. It is the pinnacle of anyone’s career and a chance that most people only dream of. To have the opportunity to coach some of the best athletes in the world and spend time with my father in probably his last Olympics is not an opportunity I could pass up,” Spracklen said.

However, being a husband and a father will be a slight downside to taking this offer.

“It is hard on my family, I

have four children. My wife is supportive of this, but it is a sacrifice. There is always a downside. But it is only for a year, right now only 10 months. And I’ll be back every six weeks and be able to stay for a week. It is a lot of traveling but it is a small sacrifice to make,” Spracklen said.

He knows that Mercyhurst’s rowing team will be in good hands as Assistant Coach Jamie Francis takes over.

“I feel bad for the seniors this year. But the team has been very supportive and understanding and that has meant a lot to me. The program will continue to be successful. We have a culture of excellence and winning here.

The team is in great hands,” Spracklen said.

Spracklen is receiving support from Mercyhurst.

“I am very appreciative of President Victor for allowing this opportunity, and the support from administration has been great. A lot of people feel like they are a part of it because they are close to me.

That has surprised me. I didn’t expect that many people to get excited. It has been an interesting dynamic,” Spracklen said.

Spracklen said he will share updates through Twitter. He sees how this opportunity will benefit Mercyhurst and the community of Erie. When he returns he would like to get involved with the community to talk about his experiences. @TheMerciad

hurstathletics.com photo

Rowing head coach Adrien Spracklen leaves for Russia to coach the Russian women’s rowing team.

International talent brought to men’s soccer team

By Haleigh Giebel Staff writer

Over half of the Mercyhurst men’s soccer team is made up of international players from 16 countries. The men used different tools to find out about Mercyhurst.

Senior Sten Marcson, from Onsala, Sweden, used an agency and family connections to find out about Mercyhurst.

“I used an agency back home in Sweden that helps find schools in the U.S.,” said Marcson. “My brother also went to Gannon which is how I heard about Erie and

Mercyhurst specifically.”

Freshman Michael Blancato from Sydney, Australia, signed with a company before coming to the United States.

“There was a recruiter that came to my high school to see if anyone was interested in playing soccer in America, so I signed with his company upper 90 college and he sent my highlights video and SAT scores to many colleges around the U.S.,” said Blancato. “Mercyhurst was one that came back interested in me with a good scholarship and they had a good soccer program and good academics so it seemed like a good

choice.”

Similarly to Marcson, redshirt senior Mark Roche also heard about Mercyhurst through word of mouth.

“I heard about Mercyhurst through some of my lads from back home in Dublin,” said Roche. “I know people that have played for Mercyhurst and enjoyed it, so it interested me.”

Both Roche and Blancato said that international players bring ‘‘banter’’ to the soccer environment here at Mercyhurst. They like to joke around with each other and grow closer as a family through that.

Playing soccer in America has proven to be different than in other countries.

“The schedule, with playing multiple games a week, packed into such a short amount of time is certainly different,” said Marcson. “Having no real limitations on substitutions is also very different from playing in Sweden.”

Roche and Blancato agreed that the pace of the game in America is faster and the overall play in America is more physical.

Going to college in another country has also proved to have its ups and downs.

“At first it was tough and it

still is sometimes now, because people have a hard time understanding me,” Roche said.

“The transition was hard at first leaving my family and mates back home but after meeting my roommates and the soccer team, it really made it a lot easier,” Blancato said.

In contrast, Marcson had a different transition experience.

“The transition was very easy,” said Marcson. “I came straight into pre-season and into a team full of foreigners and people who love to do the same thing I do, so it wasn’t hard to fit in.”

The Lakers overall current

record is 6-7-1 and 6-1-1 in the PSAC conference.

“We are fighting to retain our PSAC crown,” said Roche.

“Despite a rough start we are on course to reach the conference tournament and we all believe we can win it.”

The Lakers travel across town to Gannon University to take on the Golden Knights in a PSAC match up on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

Their next home game is on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 4 p.m. against Seton Hill University.

@TheMerciad

Women’s soccer wears pink for breast cancer awareness This is the second year the Mercyhurst women’s soccer team has shown support for Breast Cancer Awareness month by wearing pink uniforms for home games.

Senior captain Ellie McDougal speaks for why they made this decision, and helps others understand why it is important for a team to represent the color pink on game day.

“It’s the time of year where

the color pink invades all aspects of society, including the big world of sports.

Sports teams from recreational leagues all the way up to the pros show their support for the cause by ditching their normal colors for just one, pink,” McDougal said.

About one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Whether one has personally been affected, or knows someone affected breast cancer awareness month helps groups

reach out to help others not feel so alone in the fight.

“Our team specifically started wearing pink during October last fall. As a team, we show our support for breast cancer awareness by trading in our traditional green and white for an all pink uniforms.

We decided to wear pink during the month of October because breast cancer is a disease that hits close to home for all of us. All of us know or have known someone who has breast cancer,” McDougal said.

Although the team as only been wearing pink uniforms for a short time, until the fight to end cancer is won the women’s soccer team will continue to show their support.

“This is our second year wearing the uniforms and we will look to make this a tradition as time goes on,”McDougal said.

The team travels next to Kutztown University on Saturday, Oct. 24, at noon.

pionship was held this past Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17 and 18, in Hershey. The team returned to Erie at about 2:00 a.m. and rang the victory bell

in Garvey Park.

Another program first for Mercyhurst was junior golfer Chris Kupniewski, who earned PSAC Championship

individual winner. He was in a playoff for the title against teammate, senior Blaze Hogan. Look for an article featuring Kupniewski in next

week’s issue of the Merciad.

This tournament concludes the fall portion of the season.

By Liz Montemorano Staff writer

Contributed photo

Women’s soccer shows support for Breast Cancer Awareness by wearing pink uniforms during home games throughout the month of October. This is the second season they have done so.

PSAC Champions

The Mercyhurst men’s golf team won the PSAC Championship for the first time in program history with a team score of 290. The Cham-

@TheMerciad

Page 8

October 21, 2015

The Merciad

Laker

Living

History in the Making

By Victoria Kreysar Ad manager

For many of us, fall break is a time of false promises..

We have this beautiful idea that those few days are somehow long enough for catching up on all the sleep we have gone without this semester, spending quality time visiting friends and managing to finish those papers and projects we have probably been ignoring.

When Monday rolls around, we grimace at the thought of restarting the stress and realizing we have yet to finish those papers and projects.

As a graduate student, I thought this year fall break might be different--more mature and adult-like in some way. Then, I was approached to join a History Department field trip. It seemed like fun, driving in a big loop full of history from Erie to Antietam, down to Harpers Ferry, over to Gettysburg and back to Erie.

We went into this prepared, or at least I would like to think so. There were donuts waiting in the vans before we left in

the early hours of Thursday morning, two graduate students with occasional streaks of reliability, two responsible men with their Ph.Ds and an itinerary outlining the timeline for our adventures.

I wish there was some simple way of explaining the beautifully chaotic adventure that ensued on the trip; however I try, I know I cannot do it justice. This trip, for me at least, was the embodiment of some of the best qualities Mercyhurst has to offer.

I have to laugh every time I think of the trip, not because it was bad, but because it was perfectly imperfect.

After hours of what felt like an eternity packed into those vans, we quickly realized the itinerary was more of a suggested guideline. The idea was thought up that we could and should climb a mountain in Harpers Ferry on Thursday night. The next day as we felt death was certain, we were unsure why it had seemed like such a good idea the night before, but the view from the top was incredible.

I was named the official navigator. I am still unsure

of the credentials I possessed to be put in this position, as half the time I forget where I put my glasses. Things went smoothly until a miscommunication occurred and we found ourselves an hour away from the road we wanted to be on. An atlas was plopped in my lap with the words “just get me home” coming from the driver.

“

I have to laugh every time I think of the trip...it was perfectly imperfect.

Victoria Kreysar

”

We made excursions to two small towns and ate fantastic food at local restaurants. We saw battlefields and museums and heard stories that completely changed our preconceived notions of people and places. We walked through graveyards honoring the dead and stood where thousands had lost their lives fighting for the world we live in today. We even saw a shooting star. Our small group grew together in a way that can only be caused by a bout of car sickness, unex-

pected detours and passionate Civil War enthusiasts.

Mercyhurst may have its faults, and believe me we are all well aware of how they make our lives challenging, but certain experiences you can have are really some of the best. There is a level of personal closeness you develop with your professors when you share a pumpkin cheesecake, drive through a snowstorm and have to teach them the purpose and function of a hashtag. It is this unique relationship that Mercyhurst allows for: you see your professors as people and not just a lecturer who grades harshly.

It may not have been the most productive time and we may not have caught up on our sleep, but we certainly have bonded as one big, happy, albeit slightly dysfunctional family. I may not know how you spent your break, but I experienced four different states in three days with two vans, and it made for one heck of a trip.

@tory_krey

Top 10

Ways to recover from mid-terms 1. Binge watch an entire season of shows on Netflix.

2. Go for a road trip.

3. Find someone who owns a dog. Ask them if you can pet the dog.

4. Take a cooking class.

5. Write an article or take some pictures for the Merciad.

6. For the creative folks, paint the next masterpiece.

7. Watch the sunset from a beach at Presque Isle.

8. Write a song.

9. Take a nice long 14-hour nap.

10. Write a memoir of your midterm struggles. Get it published.

Way back When...

The Merciad presents articles from yesteryear in their original form, including headlines. This week, our blast from the past is from October 1935.

Fashion Flashes The depression is over -- the country is out of the red and is going in for deep blues, wine tones, greens, cinnamon browns and fuchsia--It’s official -- Miss Helen Cornelius, fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar is the authority.

Skirts are not going to be shorter--fourteen inches is the very limit-twelve inches accepted length for daytime wear.

Cocktail dresses are street length . . . Smart combination--black dress with ginger brown accessories . . . also black dress with red-mahogany accessories -- hosiery and shoes . . . Shoes must be amusing--hells as flat as soles -- the new semi-flats with square toes are smart with suits . . . Gloves will not match costumes and must be colorful . . . Sport hose are to be shouting with color in wools, the softtoned woolens with wide ribs are also smart.

Flash . . . chenille, gold cord, or pearl hair nets for evening also in wool yarn or lacquered string--Very smart . . . suede evening gowns. Flash in evening fabrics....satin is good this season, especially puckered--soft, drapable velvet or stiff and crisplike moire . . . changeable, dotted or striped taffeta . . . metal brocades.

Color points for eve-

ning . . . . be mysterious in grape-reds, olive greens, dark browns and dark navy blues. Flaunt bright oranges, greens, purples, and sapphire-blues for a sensation.

Flash in daytime fabrics . . . shiny, worsted yarns, ribbed wool . . . smooth, cashmere-like velvet . . . dull rayons, thick tweeds, especially basket-weaves, and big herring-bone.

Be new and different with your color schemes this season . . . don’t be afraid of green blues and dark reds, slate or bright greens and chartreuse yellow-green. Try copper and grey woolens together, orange tweeds with dark blue or violet and brown red and pink for redheads -- and new mauves and fuchsias for the dull-haired miss.

Noticed at Chanel’s fall opening . . . a black, silk jersey creation featuring a smart fullness in the back, with neck, high in front and lower in the back. With this was worn a caracul cape and turban, and -- don’t faint -- pale pink gloves!

--Betty Harrington, ’38

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