The Merciad, February 6, 2013

READ THE STORY ON PAGE 3 PHOTO CREDIT: LAST.FM, FRESHNEWTRACKS, SOUNDCLOUD, THEGOODLIFEREVIEWS

ONLINE POLL RESULTS

Mysterious compliments liaison

Politicians leave public eye

Football named team of the year

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Page 7

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I celebrated the rst cancellation in 40 years. 30%

I found refuge elsewhere. 12%

I went home.

36%

I stuck it out on campus. 21% Total votes: 33

NEWS

Page 2

Lack of interest results in no yearbooks for seniors

By Jaslyne Halter Staff writer

With Senior Week events commencing this week, many seniors are counting down to graduation.

However, with the week of traditional senior-focused events just getting started, some seniors are questioning Student Life and its decision to cancel the yearbook.

“I think it’s crap and I’d be willing to work in producing a student-led yearbook,” senior Jeremy Dickey said.

Dickey also questioned, “Then, where does our senior portrait fee go?”

According to Laura Zirkle, Ph.D., associate vice president for Student Life, “For last three years we had been looking at whether students were interested in the books. Graphic designer for the public relations department Steve Perkins was in charge of year-

books, and noted that yearbooks were no longer being covered by student funds anymore.”

Based upon numbers and sales, over the last several years there has been a general lack of interest from students when it came to purchasing yearbooks.

Student life started throwing yearbook kick-off parties and events to see if that would help, but after attending a collegiate conference, Student Life had discovered that a lot of schools were canceling the yearbook, so this year Mercyhurst just followed the trend and decided that would be the plan.

Zirkle noted that “there has been no student response to the cancellation; the lack of interest was so clearly there, but we did let Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) know.”

Many seniors are also questioning where their $10 sitting fee is going this year since there is no yearbook.

“The sitting fee has always gone toward senior events, not specifically the yearbooks. Some years, more of

those funds may have gone towards the yearbooks,” Zirkle said.

Zirkle also points out that “the fee was never specifically designated to the yearbook. We (Student Life) kept the senior portraits because of LinkedIn and resumes. Whether or not students take interest in it, it is still an inexpensive resource that they can take advantage of.”

Though the yearbook may have seemed like a gift, it was never intended to be a gift. Students paid for what they were doing, whether they had contributed or added photos, or even purchased them, it supplemented the money that the school paid.

This does not have to be the end of tradition when it comes to the yearbook. If students have any suggestions as to what could replace the yearbook, contact Zirkle at (814) 824-2262 or lzirkle@mercyhurst.edu.

February 6, 2013 Mercyhurst University Police & Safety

Police Log

Thursday, Jan. 31 Theft 3908 Briggs Ave. (2) Students referred for discipline Saturday, Feb. 2 Liquor law violation Briggs Avenue Referred for discipline Saturday, Feb. 2 Liquor law violation Warde Hall Res-life incident Saturday, Feb. 2 Theft Ice Center Referred for discipline

ROTC students honored with award

By Stacy Skiavo News editor

Hard work and dedication are two characteristics one must embrace when entering the armed services.

For three Mercyhurst students, their triumphant efforts are being acknowledged for placing within the top 25 percentile of the national Army ROTC ranking system for their performance during the summer session of the 2012 Leadership and Development Assessment Course (LDAC).

Seniors and intelligence studies majors Lindsey Bostwick, Matt Terrigno and Adam King earned the LDAC honor from their excellent performances during a 28-day summer assessment course in Fort Lewis, Washington. Those in the ROTC program complete the evaluation after their third year of education and are tested on their skills involving education, leadership and physical capability.

The ROTC program is not for everyone and each cadet usually has his or her own reason for getting involved in the program. For Bostwick, her grandfather was a huge influence on her decision to join.

“I got involved in ROTC mainly because my grandfather was in the

Army and he was always a role model/ father figure for me growing up,” said Bostwick. “I knew the Army would be a good career path for me being an Intelligence Studies major and also an opportunity for me to set myself above my peers.”

Others know right away that the ROTC path was for them, like Terrigno.

“There were times during my childhood in which I wanted to join the Army in order to serve a country that promises its citizens many rights,” Terrigno said.

His hopes of becoming a part of the military were then sealed when he received a scholarship in the spring of 2009.

Roughly 5,500 cadets completed this assessment this past summer.

Bostwick is very proud to be one of the top cadets.

“I feel extremely accomplished and proud that my hard work and commitment paid off. I know I can speak for my peers when I say the extra effort is definitely worth it in this career,” Bostwick said.

For Terrigno the program isn’t about winning awards, but rather having respect and a bond between him and the rest of the cadets.

“Personally, awards mean little to me. I’m not suggesting that I’m too

good for an award,” said Terrigno.

“Rather, awards are a physical representation on your chest to suggest what type of soldier you are. It is my belief that an individual truly wins an award when he can have his men believe in his actions and his role as a leader.”

The award is based on GPA, physical training test scores, extracurricular activities and LDAC performance.

Placing in the 25 percentile gives these three cadets top choices of branch in the Army, including military intelligence, field artillery and aviation, respectively.

This is only the beginning of their careers, for the future of these cadets will still be focused along the ROTC lines.

“When I commission as an Officer I will go to Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, for my Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC) in Military Intelligence, which is my basic branch,” said Bostwick.

“After that I am not sure where I will be stationed but I have a four-year active duty commitment.”

Terrigno has plans of his own.

“Currently, I am planning on moving to Fort Rucker, Alabama in order to become an Aviation Officer in the greatest fighting force on the planet. I plan to attend Grad School by 30 and hopefully retire after 20 years in

the Army,” Terrigno said.

Other cadets who participated in the LDAC assessment from Mercyhurst are seniors Alyssa Ciehanoski, Dillon Lynch and Cameron Kunkel.

Mark Vidunas contributed to this story.

Mercyhurst photo

Seniors Lindsey Bostwick, Adam King and Matt Terrigno placed in the 25 percentile of their session of the 2012 Leadership and Development Assessment Course (LDAC).

NEWS

February 6, 2013

Page 3

Professor wins award

By Kierston Bromley Staff writer

Perhaps you’ve heard of an operant conditioning chamber, or skinner box, which is a laboratory apparatus used in the experimental analysis of behavior to study animal behavior.

An award after the name of its creator, B. F. Skinner, has been recently awarded to Mercyhurst University’s Assistant Professor of Psychology Matthew T. Weaver, Ph.D. Weaver is the 2013 recipient of the B. F. Skinner award for his efforts to discover why nicotine, the addictive component in tobacco products like cigarettes, is so addictive. Particularly, he wants to figure out why some people get addicted to nicotine yet others walk away from the drug.

“I had a group of friends who scattered after high school,” said Weaver, “and some abused drugs, but some didn’t, even though they had similar backgrounds. I wanted to know why that was.”

Weaver came to Mercyhurst from the University of Pittsburgh where he and colleagues first started to ponder and research why nicotine was so addictive. This turned out to be quite a complicated answer and led Weaver to be awarded the B. F. Skinner award while he continues his research.

“It’s very humbling and gratifying,” said Weaver, about the award, “It is really nice to be recognized by my peers.” Weaver said that being the recipient of this prestigious award validates his research, especially because Skinner greatly influenced his work.

Sami Rapp photo

Matthew T. Weaver Ph.D., won the 2013 B. F. Skinner award for his nicotine research.

“It validates what I came to [Mercyhurst] to do, validates what the university wants to do,” said Weaver, “and also includes student assistance.”

Currently, Weaver and several students are in the process of setting up a lab in order to study nicotine addiction. They have placed fliers all around the university seeking people who smoke to participate in their studies.

Jessica Braymiller, psychology student and research assistant, set up the lab’s first study and anticipates the beginning of several other studies as the lab grows.

“I’m glad to be working under Dr. Weaver,” said Braymiller. “It’s hands-on experience and exactly what I want to do with my future.”

Weaver and the students focus on a

behavioral mechanism known as impulsivity, and how that affects nicotine addiction. Along with environmental and other factors, they seek to discover what leads people to abuse drugs and other not so great practices in society.

“Impulsivity is of interest to us (and psychology as a field) because it is relevant to socially important patterns of behavior such as substance abuse, pathological gambling, eating disorders, etc.,” said junior Jordan Kist. “I am very interested in the study of behavior, addiction, and the brain mechanisms involved.”

Senior Josh Kimm is one of two “team leaders” running the research project that focuses on the effects of nicotine. His interest in Weaver’s research and psychology in general concerns the mental disorder known as schizophrenia.

“You mention the disorder [schizophrenia] and everyone has heard about it. It’s one of the most widely known and occurring disorders yet it is able to baffle almost everyone as to why it occurs/what causes it,” said Kimm, “I just want to know more about the disorder and maybe understand what causes it. Hopefully my research here might be able to tell me a little bit more since it has been found that schizophrenic [people] have a higher smoking rate than non-schizophrenic [people].”

The lab runs simple experiments such as using an eye tracker to see if smokers look at images of ashtrays longer than non-smokers, and plans on continuing to run tests in the future.

Weaver hopes that by keeping students involved in the journey, concepts learned in the classroom will be translated into field research.

News Brief

Enter the 2013 C-CUE student video contest The Consortium for Computing in Undergraduate Education, Inc or C-CUE, is running a student video contest for the best creative solutions to real world problems.

Winning videos will be awarded on April 26, and will receive a share of the $1,000 cash money.

Student videos should include: background of the research, clear outline of the real world problem and demonstration of creative solution.

The videos should involve creative use of technological based resources such as social media and other similar technologies.

Entries should be no less than three minutes, and should be emailed to ccue.video.contest@gmail.com by Monday, April 15.

Springfest DJ acts revealed

By Juan Mendez Staff writer

This week, Mercyhurst students were pleased with the revealing of this year’s Springfest performers, The White Panda and Super Mash Bros.

The event, planned in conjunction

by Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) and the Student Activities Council (SAC), is a student favorite, and this year will hopefully not be an exception.

The decision is a sharp turn from previous performers, which included Plain White T’s, Hellogoodbye and Sean Kingston, who are more renowned in the pop scene than the DJs set to perform this year. Both artists scheduled for this year are known for their mash-ups, which combine various Top 40 hits into one track. “[Top 40 hits] are songs people listen to when they go out,” said SAC Chair Adam Borgman. “We want people to come out to dance and have fun at this year’s Springfest.”

A major difference regarding this year’s announcement was the manner in which it was done. As opposed to having a reveal party like they have the past years, SAC decided to cut on costs so they could add to the production of the event itself.

“Last year for Sean Kingston, we had a low turnout. Around 30 people showed up to the reveal party and, within an hour, the entire school knew. Since the rumor mill runs at the speed of light, we decided to use

that instead,” added Jenna Dasciano, events coordinator for MSG. “We told one of our MSG Senators, Emily Carrier, who the performer was. She was the only one who knew, but we wanted to test how fast [word] spread. We really wanted people to guess who it was, so this was a great way to see it happen,” Borgman said.

Student response has mainly been positive, with students excited to see a different kind of performance at Springfest.

“It’s a hundred times better than what we’ve had in past years. I’m definitely attending the concert this year,” sophomore Brendan Mortimer said.

Sophomore Damir Demirovic expressed growing interest with the announcement of this year’s performers.

“I’ve gotten into White Panda over the last year and can’t wait to see them at Mercyhurst,” Demirovic said.

Although they have not faced any negative feedback regarding the decision, Borgman encourages students to attend MSG meetings. The meetings take place in the MSG Chambers in the Student Union on Mondays at 8:30 p.m., and are open to the students to voice their opinions, positive or negative.

Springfest is scheduled for Friday, May 3, and the ticket release date will be announced closer to the event.

See review of The White Panda and Super Mash Bros. on page 6.

FEATURES

February 6, 2013

Page 4

New Facebook page shares compliments

By Daniel Tarr Staff writer

Have you ever wanted to give a compliment but were too nervous or afraid to do so? Well, your problems are solved.

A new Facebook page called “Mercyhurst Compliments” has been set up that will allow students to give compliments to anyone without giving away who the compliment came from.

The page first appeared Wednesday, Jan. 9. The person who started the page, who wishes to remain anonymous at this time, first thought of the idea when some of his or her friends from other colleges and universities started to befriend the compliments page from their respective schools.

The page starter searched and saw that there was no compliments page for Mercyhurst. The person then decided to create the page and modeled it after the compliment pages from other schools.

“I figured there are lots of people who want to say things, but are just too shy to do so,” the starter of Mercyhurst Compliments said. “I mean personally I know I am sometimes.”

The page starter says he or she gets a smile and a good feeling every time someone decides to share a compliment.

The page starter also said that the campus has a fantastic community of people, and hopes that a lot more people get recognized through this page.

“I hope that this starts to encourage

Contributed photo

Kairos cross necklaces from the November 2009 Kairos retreat.

Sign up for Carpé Diem Retreat

By Kayla Kelly Features editor Staff photo

Students create positive buzz on Mercyhurst Compliments page. people to appreciate each other more, even if it is through an anonymous compliment,” Mercyhurst Compliments said.

Many groups and various students on campus have already received compliments through the page. Some of the groups that have been complimented are the Resident Assistants, the Merciad staff, the Maintenance crew, the Field Hockey team, Police and Safety and the Men’s Division One ACHA Hockey Team.

Some students on campus have been giving their reactions to the creation of the Compliments page, with most comments towards the page

being very positive.

“I believe that the Mercyhurst Compliments page is a refreshing change from society’s persistence to always focus on the negative,” said senior Joe Pudlick. “It is incredible that good deeds can now be recognized and those who participate in such positive behavior can be recognized for the hard work they put in. I give kudos to the founder and manager of the Mercyhurst Compliments page.”

If you would like to send someone an anonymous compliment through the page, you can search Mercyhurst Compliments on Facebook.

Do you want to seize the day? Mercyhurst is hosting its first ever Carpé Diem Retreat.

Inspired by Kairos, 10 Mercyhurst students decided to continue the tradition by planning their own retreat.

Kairos is a 3-day retreat that was started by the Jesuits, with a focus on religious prayer.

“Kairos is a special retreat to me because it taught me a lot about myself through people’s own stories. That saying ‘you can’t ever judge a book by its cover’ that is totally true,” said junior Maria Nemeth. “I learned to respect others more and I learned how to take the time to get to know other people and their stories. People will surprise you. Carpé Diem is a retreat modeling off of the Jesuit teachings

but we are spinning off from it and making it Mercyhurst Style.”

The leaders of the Carpé Diem Retreat include juniors Robby Higgins, Katie Jeffries, Mark Ennis, Maria Nemeth, Drew Klobuchar, Kelsea Wemett, Chris Gaertner, Caitlin Doyle, Luke James and Caitlin O’Neill.

“I went on Kairos as a junior in high school. I believe in faith and having faith is important, and Kairos helped me build that foundation in my life. The experiences I got from this retreat have never left me even now as a junior in college. I would recommend this retreat to anyone no matter what,” Jeffries said.

The retreat will take place Friday, April 5, to Sunday, April 7, at Camp Findley. This event is open to anyone on campus and the cost is $15. Signups are in Campus Ministry or you can email kjeffr42@lakers.mercyhurst.edu or mnemeth08@lakers.mercyhurst. edu for your application.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

February 6, 2013

Page 5

Art exhibit showcases outstanding talent

By Kayleigh Ferguson Contributing writer

The Annual Juried Student Art Show invited the students of Mercyhurst to participate and submit their artwork to be selected for exhibition.

The works submitted span a multitude of mediums including ceramics, paintings, photography, sculpture, mixed media and many more.

The 54 works featured in the exhibition were selected by native Erie artist Ann Magenau.

Magenau began her studies under Joseph Plavcan in Erie and studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art before completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the Kansas City Art Institute.

She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from State University of New York Buffalo.

She has had one-woman shows at the Artist’s Committee Gallery and the More-Rubin Gallery in Buffalo, N.Y., and at the Erie Art Center.

Her works have also been exhibited in numerous juried and invitational exhibitions including the Erie Art Museum’s Annual Spring Show, the Marietta National and the Western New York Exhibition of the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo.

On Thursday, Jan. 31, a reception was held in the Cummings Art Gal-

lery, where the Mercyhurst University Purchase Award and several honorable mentions were announced. The exhibit gives the students an opportunity to display their work to the public.

The Mercyhurst University Purchase Award was received by senior April Alfieri for “Teapot,” an intriguing ceramic pot which truly captured a person’s imagination.

Other recipients of the Purchase Award were junior Caitlin Ewing for “Insomniac’s Depression;” Kathryn Levan for “Yellow,” oil on canvas; and J. John Thiede for “Findlay Lake, NY,” iPhone photography on sheet metal.

It was interesting to see how some of the artists utilized several media, sometimes grouping materials that are not ordinarily seen paired such as Thiede’s unique combination of photography and sheet metal.

There was also a group of students who were awarded honorable mentions during the gallery reception.

This group included senior Andrea Amroski’s “Laura,” a striking and powerfully artistic photograph and senior Katelyn Cecchetti for her absolutely stunning painting “I’m still here.”

Judging this event must have been a near impossible task— each submission was worthy of recognition.

The event certainly made one appreciate the power of art and that Mercy-

hurst only accepts the highest standard for its art departments.

“It’s very rewarding to get the chance to have your work put out there and appreciated,” said Karly Burns, a freshman participating in the exhibition for the first time. By the end of the night, 160 total guests were present at the reception.

Sophomore art major Jennifer Detchon had two ceramic pieces featured in the gallery.

“It’s interesting to see the art of your friends and people you know from class…some of it’s really unexpected,” Detchon said.

Detchon also mentioned that being in the show was “nerve-wracking at first.”

Mary Elizabeth Meier, Ph.D., professor of Art Education, noted that much of the work submitted was created during class.

“It’s a very important event for the students,” she said. “It’s one of the highlights of the year.”

Meier pointed out the event was very well attended, as usual, and there was no lack of public interest despite the uncooperative January weather.

The exhibition will run from Jan. 29 through March 17. The exhibit can be viewed at any time during the gallery’s regular hours which are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 2-5 p.m.

Salina Bowe photo

The art exhibit featured works from an array of artistic media that would rival any professional showcase.

Anderson and Roe to perform in Walker Recital Hall

By Jared Hancock Contributing writer

rmcf.org photo

Online

Anderson and Roe are high energy pianists with extensive music backgrounds. The performance is free and open to the public.

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

On Monday, Feb. 11, the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC) will present the celebrated piano duo Anderson and Roe at 8 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall.

The act consists of Greg Anderson and Elizabeth Joy Roe who are known specifically for their high-energy performances, original compositions and famous music videos.

Anderson and Roe first met at The Juilliard School in 2000, and began performing as a duo shortly after.

Since forming, they have toured

in many notable locations across the globe including iconic concerts in Singapore, Beijing, Italy and many across the U.S. They have performed in nearly every venue in New York City, including the famous Carnegie Hall.

The pair’s remarkable vision for the advancement of classical music has earned their invitation to present at many international leader symposiums, including the Entertainment Gathering, the Imagine Solutions Conference, and Mexico’s Think Tank Festival for Brilliant Minds.

They have received such reviews as “Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers transposed from the dance floor to the keyboard,” from the Southampton

View upcoming performances: www.pac.mercyhurst.edu

Press and “the intense synchronization of genius,” a statement made by ThirdCoast Digest.

The duo left a magnificent impression at Juilliard, and have also directed the innovative and highly renowned project titled “Life Between the Keys.”

The project featured the entire piano class of 2004 at Juilliard. The collaboration created a chronicle of the class’s Juilliard experience in one large program of piano music.

For Monday’s performance, students can expect an intense and exciting display of classical music, featuring original compositions by the duet.

Musicians across campus anticipate a passionate and invigorating presentation.

www.merciad.mercyhurst. edu/arts_entertainment

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Page 6

February 6, 2013

Springfest DJs expected to excite students

Super Mash Bros.

The White Panda

Contributed photos

The White Panda (left) and The Super Mash Bros. (right) are two separate groups of DJs who are scheduled to perform at Springfest ‘13.

By Zach Dorsch Photo editor

This spring, MSG is bringing two phenomenal sets of DJs to Springfest ‘13—The White Panda and Super Mash Bros. But who are these people and why should you go see them?

The White Panda consists of two overnight internet sensations from Chicago who started their careers separately before joining forces.

They were honored to have shared the stage with famous acts such as Tiesto, Benny Benassi (the guy who did “Cinema”) and Steve Aoki.

The White Panda has a much sim-

pler form of making their mash-ups.

Instead of taking a large number of tracks and snipping them apart to make a three-minute track with 40 different songs, they take an average of three tracks and use them in uncommon and interesting ways that is much easier to listen to.

For example they take vocal lines from Kanye West’s “Good Life” and the production from M83’s “Midnight City” and combine them to get a track called “Midnight Life.”

The other DJs that will be featured on campus are the Super Mash Bros.

The group is made up of three LA based guys— two DJs and one guy that is responsible solely for digital pyrotechnics.

His job is to take anything on the Internet that is viral, or other projects that reflect the Internet world, and incorporates them into their sets.

Super Mash Bros.’s form of mash ups are extremely high energy, incorporating many types of musical samples and mash them up to create tracks to keep you dancing all night.

If these two DJs sound like something you may like, you are in luck because all of their albums are free.

You can scan the QR codes to the right of this article to download their latest albums.

So give them a listen. You’re going to like what you hear and will definitely like what you will experience at Springfest 2013.

pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

Presenting tap sensation Savion Glover

Friday Feb. 8, 2013 - 8:00 p.m.

Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

Pride and Prejudice presented in PAC pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

Met HD Live: Rigoletto by Verdi Saturday, Feb. 16, at 12:55 p.m.

Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center

“Director Michael Meyer has set his new production of Verdi’s towering tragedy in Las Vegas in 1960. In this production, inspired by the antics of the Rat Pack, Piotr Beczala is the womanizing Duke of Mantua, Zeljko Lucic is his tragic sidekick, Rigoletto, and Diana Damrau is Rigoletto’s daughter, Gilda.” — pac.mercyhurst.edu

By Mathew Anderson A&E editor

“Pride and Prejudice” has been a known classic almost since it was initially published in 1813.

A stage adaptation of this timeless story is coming to the Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 7:30 p.m.

None other than L.A. Theatre Works will present the live stage show and it is sure to be a stunning treat for all who can attend.

The newly established Mercyhurst

Institute for Arts and Culture is credited for bringing this exciting opportunity to the PAC stage.

Christina Calvit has done a wonderful job at reworking this classic comedy for its 200th anniversary debut.

Associate professor of English, Christina Rieger, Ph.D., will be holding a presentation featuring Jane Austen and her beloved “Pride and Prejudice” at 6:30 p.m. The event will be held in Cummings Art Gallery in D’Angelo.

The stunning tale of “Pride and Prejudice” tells the story of love, wit and turn-of-the-century arrogance of the upper class.

Mrs. Bennett is desperate to marry her five daughters to respectable and wealthy suitors. A focus is put into the smart and sassy Elizabeth Bennett and her pairing with Mr. Darcy.

The group of professional actors tours all over the country, including Broadway actors Jane Carr and Nicholas Hormann.

Hormann alone has appeared in countless stage productions and over 60 guest appearances on hit television shows. $30 for adults and $27 for seniors and students. Tickets can be purchased by calling 814-824-3000 or by visiting pac.mercyhurst.edu.

Page 7

OPINION

February 6, 2013

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

Palin, Clinton leave public eye Women make ‘dramatically’ different exits

Students had fun guessing this year’s Springfest artist. After many guesses spreading through campus, it was revealed that The White Panda and Super Mash Bros. are this year’s performers.

There’s no good ‘reason’ the performer is not Hoobastank.

Many students were detoured from attending the dance department’s production of Raw Edges last weekend. Information on the PAC’s website suggested tickets for MU students were $12.50 when they were actually the regular price of $3.50.

Additionally, many people were unable to attend the showing of “Argo” on Friday, Feb. 1, due to its popularity and Taylor Little Theatre’s small venue size.

By Caitlin Handerhan Opinion editor

The era of two controversial political women has come to an end. With the recent expiration of Sarah Palin’s contract with Fox News and the resignation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, two of the most ideologically opposite women are departing from the public eye at the same time.

It has been five years since Palin and Clinton made their memorable impact on the 2008 presidential election, an election that was unique in many ways.

From one of the longest primary battles in recent memory, to the election of the first African American President, 2008 is one for the record books.

This election, the first major ballot many Mercyhurst students were eligible to cast, also brought forth two of contemporary politics’ most controversial figures: Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton.

These powerful political women are different in almost every possible way,

even down to the way in which they took their departure, however questionable the permanency, from public life.

Palin has certainly kept busy since her abrupt departure mid-term from the Alaska governor’s mansion, signing a contract with Fox News.

Rolling in $1 million a year for contributing to the conservative broadcast, a study conducted by the University of Minnesota reported that Palin made $15.85 per word during her time on air with Fox. Is anything Sarah Palin says worth $15.85 total, let alone per word? The American public clearly thinks not; reports have surfaced which indicate Fox did little to attempt to secure a contract renewal with Palin.

When added to the fact that an article published by U.S. News and World Report indicates that Google searches for Palin have reached an all-time low, it seems that America has had enough of Alaska’s most famous hockey mom.

That is, unless Tina Fey is involved.

Contrast this petering-out of Palin with the meteoric end to Clinton’s

Upset about something on campus?

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Write about it and get paid!

Email opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu

Read more online at merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion ‘E-Reader serves as more cost effective alternative to bookstore prices’

by Chelsea Schermerhorn

Students disregarding parking is a common occurance at Mercyhurst. It’s great that Police and Safety officers brought their A-game.

‘Political vocabulary often misused’

by Zack Yost

tenure as secretary of state.

While her final weeks concluded with a fiery appearance on Capitol Hill to testify on the Benghazi tragedy, there was nothing tragic about her polling numbers going into the congressional hearings.

A Washington Post-ABC news poll from Jan. 23 showed Secretary Clinton pulling in a 67% approval rating across the country, reaching a 91% approvalrating among registered Democrats.

Not too shabby for someone who has spent the last four years traveling the globe as the face of American foreign affairs.

Add to these poll numbers the outpouring of support Clinton has received since leaving office on Feb. 1; the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Emily’s List, Planned Parenthood and the

Human Rights Campaign all sent messages to supporters to add their names to a thank you petition for Secretary Clinton.

Within the first 24 hours of this initiative, the DCCC reportedly gathered 170,000 electronic signatures of support for Clinton.

Even if you are not a fan of Clinton’s, you have to admit it sounds like someone had a great last day at the office.

While Clinton remains mum about her post-State Department plans, including a 2016 presidential bid, one thing is certain; 2008’s leading ladies are departing public life in very different ways.

As Palin’s rise and fall in the past five years seems to be resigned to the history books, one has the feeling Clinton’s star is still on the rise.

If you don’t want it printed . . . don’t let it happen. @mercyhurst.edu Editors Positions editormerciad Alicia Cagle Editor-in-Chief newsmerciad Stacy Skiavo News Editor featuremerciad Kayla Kelly Features Editor opinionmerciad Caitlin Handerhan Opinion Editor sportsmerciad Joe Chiodo Sports Editor entertainmentmerciad Mat Anderson A&E Editor copymerciad Chelsea Schermerhorn Copy Editor photomerciad Samantha Link Graphics photomerciad Zach Dorsch Photo Editor ejohns89 Ethan Johns Web Editor admerciad Will DeFeo Ad Manager wwelch Bill Welch Adviser

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.

SPORTS

Page 8

February 6, 2013 September 3, 2008

Three Lakers receive CHA Honors

By Lindsey Burke Staff writer

Brian Vail photo

Anthony Vendemia (center) gets ready to take a snap alongside Kevin Poropat (right).

Laker football ranked ECAC Division II Team of the Year

By Joe Chiodo Sports editor

On Monday, Jan. 28, the 2012 Lakers’ football program was named 2012 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II Team of the Year.

This is the second time in three seasons that the Lakers have earned such impressive recognition, also receiving the recognition in 2010. The Lakers ended their 2012 season at 9-2 overall, earning them a piece of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Champions recognition.

“I am very excited for our team and university. Whenever we receive a team award it is a true reflection of the whole program,” head coach Martin Schaetzle said.

Schaetzle recognizes the leadership and hard work that led to such a successful 2012 season, but knows there is much to work towards in the future.

“Our seniors did an excellent job leading. We grew as a group and improved as a team each week,” said Schaetzle. “We need to continue our growth as a program. With each successful step there is more work needed to sustain success.”

Junior quarterback Anthony Vendemia credits the Lakers’ successful season to hard work and a team that worked together as a unit.

“If you ask anyone on the team they

would say that the reason we won was because we had a complete team, from the biggest guy to the smallest guy on the team,” said Vendemia. “We didn’t have any superstars that took all of the spotlight from the team. We had a group of individuals that put the team first.“ On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Vendemia was named a Fall Top Ten Award winner by the PSAC. PSAC Top Ten Awards go to student athletes who start on their respective team and achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher during the school year. “It puts a smile on my face. I’m just happy that I can make my family proud of me,” Vendemia said.

Vendemia is ecstatic for the Lakers being ranked ECAC Division II Team of the Year.

“Anytime we can get recognized as a team, it is very special to us. This award especially. Before the season started the public had low expectations for us, but the thing is, we had very high expectations for ourselves and that’s all that really matters,” said Vendemia.

“We worked very hard as a team and treated everyone on the team as if they were family. That is what this award shows to me; that we are a family and we accomplished some very special things together.”

On Tuesday, Jan. 8, senior offensive lineman Kevin Poropat was named to the Don Hansen Super Region One First Team. Freshman

Brandon Brown-Dukes, sophomore linebacker Aaron McGee and junior kicker/punter Steven Wakefield were all named to the Don Hansen Super Region One Third Team.

“It is such an honor to be named to the Don Hansen Super Region One First Team. I’m very thankful and could not have done it without my teammates or coaches, so this award isn’t just about me but the whole 2012 team,” Poropat said.

Not unlike Vendemia, Poropat attributes the Lakers’ successful season to hard work.

“We were a real solid team, and we knew that. We didn’t have the superstar players like we did in 2010 and 2011,” said Poropat. “We were just a blue collar, hard working team not only in the games, but during practice and lifting too.”

Poropat can recall the last time the Lakers were ECAC Division II Team of the Year.

“Back in 2010 when I was a sophomore we won this award, and it felt really good to be the ECAC team of the year,” said Poropat. “Now having won it in my senior year, it feels much better knowing the 2012 team went out on a great note for not only the seniors, but the whole team that put all the long hours and hard work into the program.”

Freshmen forwards Jenna Dingeldein and Emily Janiga each received all conference honors for the month of January. Dingeldein was named Player of the Month and Janiga was named Rookie of the Month.

These awards came prior to the Lakers sweeping conference opponent Penn State, 5-2 and 4-1 respectively.

Additionally, on Monday, Feb. 4, junior forward captain Christine Bestland was named College Hockey America (CHA) Player of the Week.

Dingeldein, a native of Toronto, Ontario, scored 11 points in January.

This is her second conference honor on the season. Dingeldein is ranked fourth in the country among freshmen with 31 points and is averaging 1.14 points per game this season.

Janiga, a native of East Aurora, N.Y., tallied 10 points during January.

The freshman has recorded two hat tricks on the season.

Over the season, Janiga has combined 17 goals with 18 assists for 35 points and is third in the nation among other rookies nationwide.

The Lakers currently sit at seven in the latest United States College

Hockey Online (USCHO) poll.

Both Dingeldein and Janiga have been leading the Laker attack this season.

“Janiga is a talented forward with good hands around the net, she always finds a way to score, she is very versatile and valuable,” said senior forward Jenna Hendrikx said. “Dingeldein makes her presence known with her hard shot and confidence.”

Despite dropping a spot in the USCHO poll, the Lakers received a boost of confidence after beating #2 Boston College, 3-2 on Saturday, Jan. 19.

“After losing the night before to Boston College, we knew everyone doubted us,” Hendrikx said. “It was an all-around great team win; we capitalized on our mistakes from the night before. We’re very close to the playoffs and this is the time we need to come together and play our best. We need to keep playing consistent and we will be successful.”

The Lakers currently hold a 25-5-1 overall record at the brink of the postseason. They have only dropped two conference games, both to Robert Morris. They will rematch Robert Morris at the Mercyhurst Ice Center (MIC) Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. and Feb. 9 at 2 p.m.

Brian Vail photo

Jenna Dingeldein skates past a Clarkson University opponent.

Check out stories on men’s hockey and wrestling at merciad.mercyhurst.edu/sports