The Merciad, March 28, 2012

International Center opened in Dungarvan

Opinion: We are all Shaima Alawadi

Men’s lacrosse overcomes deficit

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NEWS

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March 28, 2012

Wellness Fair provides health tips

By Alicia Cagle Staff writer

Many Mercyhurst clubs and departments are working together on this year’s annual Wellness Fair.

The Wellness Fair aims to provide students with knowledge about healthy habits and self-care practices.

Educational demonstrations at the fair include yoga techniques, hand sanitizer effectiveness, aerobic fitness and anaerobic fitness.

Sarah Allen, director of Student Engagement and Leadership Development, explained that they want to “give students the opportunity to take what they have learned and apply it.”

The event will offer activities such as a free, healthy lunch, massages, a labyrinth, stress balloons and trail mix.

The fair is not only meant to educate, but also to engage students, faculty and staff on campus with local resources.

Students will have access to measurements for blood pressure, body mass index, body composition, flexibility, functional movement, pulse oximeter and muscular strength.

Certified therapy dogs, including the Mercyhurst Counseling Center’s therapy dog-in-training Bailey and his brother Bert, will attend the event.

The event will “establish an interdisciplinary approach and connect student life and academics through collaboratively presenting this event,” Allen said.

To do this, various clubs, organizations and departments on campus were invited to participate in the event.

Student organizations participating in the event are Active Minds Mercyhurst, Athletic Training, Iota Tao Alpha, Garden Gurus, Green Team, Mercyhurst Mentors and the Sports Medicine Student Association.

Offices and departments participating include Campus Ministry, the Career Development Center,

the Counseling Center, the dance department, the Multicultural Center, the public health department, Residence Life, Parkhurst Dining Services and the Center for Student Engagement and Leadership Development.

“The Wellness Fair is an opportunity for students, offices and departments across campus to collaborate,” said Allen. “This event truly embraces experiential learning, as it allows students to demonstrate what they have learned in the classroom in order to teach others.”

The first 100 students at the fair will receive a gift bag consisting of donations from Highmark, the Red Cross and PNC Bank. Prizes donated by LECOM, Highmark and the YMCA will be raffled off as well.

Executive Director of Wellness Judy Smith, Ph.D., recognizes the importance of the fair and encourages students to attend.

“Cultivating our health and wellness require life-long habits

New enforcement of copyright law aggravates

By Amy Deer

Contributing writer After a performance weekend, the dancers chatter about which show went best. Often this conversation is not for personal awareness, but to decide which show to order on DVD. This fall the chatter happened like normal, but the dancers were in for an unwelcome surprise.

They were informed that they were no longer allowed to order DVDs of the performance.

“I felt sad that my family who couldn’t come to the show wouldn’t be able to see the pieces I was in, especially because I really liked them,” said Emily McAveney, a sophomore dance major.

The dancers were upset and confused because they always had been able to order DVDs. This year, when they inquired, they were told that it had to do with copyright laws.

Dance Department Chair Tauna

Hunter explained.

According to Hunter, the problem is music copyright laws.

Hunter said she had “peripheral knowledge” of the scope of these laws, but the issue came to the forefront after it was discussed at a conference hosted by the National Association of Schools of Dance.

The issue is “very complicated.

That’s what they said,” said Hunter.

“I didn’t understand the ramifications until that conference.”

Basically, the music copyright laws say it is illegal to make money using someone else’s music without permission. This includes sales of DVDs. “There is no official policing agency, but if caught, I can be sued because I am the producer of the show,” Hunter said.

Her main concern, however, is for the students.

“I’m doing my best to follow the rules as best I can. I want the students to be educated because they are the ones who are going to go out there without knowing and then

get sued,” she said.

Jessica Stachelrodt, a junior dance major, felt the strain of this issue while participating in her choreography class. She said it was a difficult process to get permission to use the music she selected. It took her a while to figure out who to contact, and when she finally emailed Naxos of America, a music licensing company, they told her the minimum fee is $300.

“I emailed them back and told them I was a student, and they reconsidered,” said Stachelrodt.

“They told me to pay $100 but made it clear I didn’t have permission until the check went through.”

The process was stressful because Stachelrodt did not find out if her check cleared until just a week before the show.

“I had other music picked out, just in case,” she said.

Stachelrodt said that she was told that she had to request permission to use the music, but the rules behind it were not really explained.

and skills, and the college years are a terrific time to start to build them,” she said. “I hope all the students take the time to stop by the Health Fair – it is a fun, informative, hands-on way to increase

personal wellness.”

The Wellness Fair will take place Friday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Carolyn Herrmann Student Union Great Room.

Summer jobs at ’Hurst Looking for summer employment?

Pick up an application in the HR office starting March 30 and return it by April 13.

First year student workers will earn $7.25/hr.

Second year student workers will earn $7.75/hr.

Students who work more than 180 hours qualify for a 50 percent reduction in summer housing.

Call Michele Bille at extension 2279 for more information.

NEWS

March 28, 2012

‘Hurst establishes new med school affiliation

By Mark Vidunas Contributing writer

Mercyhurst University has recently established a new medical affiliation with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), making it the fifth medical institution that Mercyhurst has partnered with.

For those who are familiar with Mercyhurst’s connections with the pharmacy and medical schools of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine or the New York Chiropractic College, this new affiliation is similar.

Incoming Mercyhurst biology majors will have two options with the new program.

The first is a 3+4 program, which would allow students to complete three years of schooling at Mercy-

hurst and then start their four years of medical school in what would normally be their senior year. By undertaking this option, students will save time and money. Students will be awarded their bachelor’s degree in biology after the completion of their freshman year at PCOM. The second option is the traditional 4+4 program, which includes four years at Mercyhurst and four years of medical school at PCOM. The additional affiliation is seen as a positive step for the university since the pre-health program continues to grow, as well as the number of students majoring in biology.

The head of Mercyhurst’s prehealth advising office and Biology Department Chair Steve Mauro, Ph.D., recognized the significance of the new affiliation and its opportunities.

“This will greatly benefit Mercyhurst University students as it basi-

cally gives them a guaranteed slot in med school, as long as they fulfill the prerequisites for the program,” said Mauro. “This also helps Mercyhurst and its students by now affiliating with another well-known graduate program.”

In order to be accepted into the program, students must possess a 3.5 GPA out of high school with at least a 1170 (out of 1600) on the SAT and maintain at least a 3.4 GPA at Mercyhurst while obtaining at least a 24 on the MCAT. Students in this new program will not have to go through the regular admission process with PCOM, which will save them time during their junior and senior years.

“I think it is a really great opportunity for biology students and something people should definitely look into,” junior biology major Ryan Fragapane said.

Student reaction, especially among those interviewed in the biology department, was positive about the new program.

Amber Stilwell, a junior biology major, said, “I think it’s great. The more medical schools that Mercyhurst can team up with, the more student placement there will be. It’s also a great opportunity for Mercyhurst to expand its pre-medical program.”

Sophomore biology major Emily Mashuda agreed.

“The new affiliation will open a lot of doors for pre-med students. It will also help Mercyhurst improve the program, and it can become more well known for its pre-med program.”

Junior biology major Christina Vojtek was pleasantly surprised by the new medical school affiliation.

“I’m a little jealous,” she said, “but it would definitely be nice to have an accelerated program like that for med school.”

Junior biology major Larae Tymochko was a little more hesitant about its actual application but still thought it was helpful to the biology department.

“The transition into medical school as a junior would certainly be challenging, since there has only been one student to take on that same endeavor at LECOM for pharmacy. However, if Mercyhurst has multiple affiliations, that would be advantageous and appealing to incoming students.”

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News Briefs

MSG president and vice president announced The Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) president and vice president for the 2012-13 academic school year are juniors Richard Molloy and Brian Lombardo.

“I’m really excited about working with the new board next year. Brian and Richard have an exciting platform when it comes to spirit,” Sarah Allen, director of Student Engagement and Leadership Development, said.

A total of 732 students voted in the election, making this the highest student participation in the executive board election on record. The second highest in vote counts was in 2008 with 666 votes.

“Our main goal is to work on developing and fostering an increased sense of Laker pride. We also want to bring MSG to the student body. In years past MSG has expected the student body to come to them, but I honestly feel MSG should go to the student body,” Molloy said.

The previous president and vice president of the 2011-12 school year were seniors Meghan Hess and Reed Garetto.

“Meghan was really involved all year and is leaving some large shoes to fill,” Allen said.

Molloy and Lombardo’s campaign will focus on school spirit and possible improvements for the Recreation Center next year.

Career Fair offers opportunities Mercyhurst University’s 20th annual Career Fair will take place Thursday, March 29, from noon to 4 p.m. in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

More than 63 companies and organizations will be in attendance including Cleveland Marriot East, U.S. Army, WICUTV 12 and Erie County Office of Children and Youth.

Students who plan to attend should dress in professional attire, bring copies of their resume and/or business card and have a 30-second elevator speech prepared.

For more information about the Career Fair, email Executive Director of Experimental Learning Kyle Foust, Ph.D., at kfoust@mercyhurst.edu

Disney internships available to students The Disney College Program is recruiting Mercyhurst students of all majors for a semester-long, paid internship at the Walt Disney World Resort.

According to Nathan Anderson, Disney internships and programs campus representative, interns will gain on-the-job experience with guidance from Disney leaders to enhance their resumes.

For more information, email Mercyhurst Career Counselor Kristy Jamison at kjamison@mercyhurst.edu.

NEWS

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March 28, 2012

2012 Project pushes for more women in office

By Stacy Skiavo Staff writer

The 2012 Project came to Mercyhurst University and brought awareness to the idea that women need to start claiming positions and opportunities in Congress and state legislatures.

On Wednesday, March 21, former U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper brought the 2012 Project to campus for a panel discussion hosted by the Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics (MCAP).

MCAP is taking part in the project’s mission by encouraging people to consider a career in public life by teaching the art and craft of practical politics.

“The Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics is excited about the opportunity to work in partnership with MEOW (Mercyhurst Equality of Women) to bring Project 2012 to campus,” said Brian Ripley, Ph.D., professor of political science. “Politics can be a powerful force for positive social change if

more people from across the political spectrum get involved.”

The 2012 Project is a national, non-partisan campaign of the Center for American Women and Politics working to increase the number of women in office.

During her presentation, Dahlkemper said, “Women leaders are not better than male leaders, but our country is better served with a more equal representation of both genders in positions of political leadership.”

Despite women making up 51 percent of the U.S. population, only 17 percent of Congress is comprised of women.

“The 2012 Project was eye opening because even now there is prejudice against women in roles of government. For a country where women make up more than half the population, the representation we have doesn’t show,” junior Daksha Cordova said.

In fact, the U.S. ranks 71st for women representation in office, behind countries like South Africa, China and Rwanda.

“I was skeptical of the panel at

Zach Dorsch photo

Dana Brown, Courtney Sullivan, Kathy Dahlkemper and Denise Robison were the panelists for The 2012 Project Discussion at Mercyhurst on March 21. first, especially since I have no interest in running for political office in the near future,” senior Michelle Tatavosian said.

“However, the panel was surprisingly inspirational. The biggest takeaway for me was the quote

from Kathy Dahlkemper regarding the presence of women in the political realm, noting that ‘it’s not that women are better than men, but together (in office), our country is a better, diverse representation.”

Other panelists on the board

included Dana Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University, Denise Robison, former deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and Courtney Sullivan, a Mercyhurst graduate student.

According to The 2012 Project, research shows that women will have more success in obtaining political seats now. It also shows that voting patterns in presidential years tends to increase female candidates.

The panel shared that many women do not obtain these positions because of institutional barriers, cultural barriers and the fact that women are simply not running. When women do run, they seem to win at the same rates and no biases appear to be found.

“It’s not a feminist issue as some would assume; it’s about gender diversity,” Cordova said.

Women are making advances in many other fields, but when it comes to politics, they come up short for holding positions.

International Center opened in Dungarvan

By Liz Zurasky Features editor

Students and faculty gathered on Friday, March 23, as Mercyhurst University President Thomas Gamble, Ph.D., announced the opening of the Mercyhurst International Center in Dungarvan, Ireland.

Mercyhurst has had a long-standing relationship with Dungarvan since the late 1980s when students from Ireland studied in Erie as part of the John F. Kennedy Scholarship Program.

Dungarvan is also the sister city of Erie with a long-standing history.

Gamble was featured on a screen in the Carolyn Herrmann Student Union as he made the announcement from Dungarvan.

“It is important to us to make sure our students have a greater global awareness,” said Gamble.

“This also gives us an opportunity to have partnerships between Mer-

cyhurst University and Irish institutions of higher education.”

Mercyhurst is the first international university in this region of Ireland.

“Mercyhurst is proud to be the first university in this region to have an international campus in Dungarvan,” said Gamble. “We can’t imagine a better place to do this.”

Junior Brian Lombardo stressed that his time in Ireland was lifechanging and expressed excitement about the experiences this will provide for Mercyhurst students in Ireland.

“I think this is a great opportunity for more students to be able to participate in such an incredible experience,” said Lombardo. “It’s a sign of the growth of the program, which remains so popular. This is only going to enhance studying students’ time in Dungarvan.”

Dungarvan’s County Manager, Denis McCarthy, spoke on behalf of Dungarvan and the Irish community.

“As a result of today’s announcement, I am proud to announce

Dungarvan as a university town and a center of academic excellence,” he said.

The new addition of the Mercyhurst International Center in Dungarvan will expand the relationship of Erie and Dungarvan and will bring global attention to Erie, Dungarvan and Mercyhurst University.

Junior Bridget Finn said, “The expansion internationally into Ireland is significant for the sharing of crucial information as well as expanding the knowledge and studies of analytic techniques.”

Lombardo sees the opening of the International Center as a significant step for Mercyhurst.

“This is another huge step for the university and is really a solid example of the bond between Mercyhurst (and Erie in general) and Dungarvan that has been developed in the past year,” said Lombardo.

Junior Alison Palmeri agreed with Lombardo.

“I think that the opening of an International Center for Mercy-

hurst is a great step,” said Palmeri.

“By having this, it gives us students a greater opportunity to study abroad, experience other cultures

and be connected to the world in a way that we couldn’t if we were just learning about it from inside the classroom.”

Possession of controlled substance Tuesday, March 20

McAuley Hall Referred for discipline

Harassment Thursday, March 22

Lewis Avenue Referred for discipline

Liquor law violation Sunday, March 25

McAuley Hall Referred for discipline

March 20-25, 2012

FEATURES

March 28, 2012

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Lit Festival to bring famous authors to Mercyhurst

By Kayla Kelly Staff writer

Mercyhurst University’s annual Literary Festival is the perfect event for those who have a passion for reading, writing or are simply looking for something interesting to do on a quiet school night.

Mercyhurst will be hosting three speakers and holding a Lumen reception for this year’s Literary Festival. A number of authors will be speaking, and after each event there will be a book signing of the author’s collections of work.

The purpose of the festival is to bring accomplished writers to campus to read their works and to interact with student authors.

“This is a great opportunity for students to have a direct encounter with well-known, prize-winning authors,” Associate Professor of English Ken Schiff, Ph.D., said.

The events are open to all, including students, teachers and the public.

In collaboration with the tenth annual Mercyhurst Literary Festival, which is directed by Schiff, Professor of Religious Studies Tom Forsthoefel, Ph.D., and the Erie County Poet Laureate Initiative are sponsoring the first event.

This is Forsthoefel’s second year as Poet Laureate of Erie County, so he is sharing his passion for literature by inviting Jane Hirshfield to speak to the Mercyhurst community.

This event will take place Thursday, March 29, at 8:15 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall. Hirshfield will speak about her most recent collection of poetry, along with her six previous works of literature.

The next speaker during this festival, Terry Bisson, will speak on Monday, April 2, at 8:15 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre.

Bisson is a science fiction writer who just released his new novel “Any Day Now” this month. Bisson has also published six other novels.

He has won many honors in the science fiction field, including the Nebula and Hugo Awards.

The final speaker for the 2012 Literary Festival is Peter Coyote.

Coyote will speak on Tuesday, April 3, at 8:15 p.m. in the Taylor Little Theatre.

Coyote is known for being an actor, author and activist. He is an Emmy Award-winning narrator of documentaries, including Ken Burns’ “The Dust Bowl.”

The Literary Festival will conclude with the Lumen event on Thursday, April 12, at 8:15 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre.

Lumen comes from the Latin word for “light” and “opening,” so this is a time to shed the light on Mercyhurst University’s students’ work. Attendees will celebrate the works of Mercyhurst students, witness the release of the arts magazine, and present writing awards.

The Lumen is Mercyhurst’s student arts magazine, which has evolved into an interactive multimedia DVD that includes visual art, poetry and fiction.

This year’s Lumen has been coedited by seniors Sarah Price and Chrissy Mihalic and designed by senior Casey Krein and junior Jeff Thiede.

The faculty advisers for the Lumen are Schiff, English Professor Marnie Sullivan, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of graphic design Jodi Staniunas-Hopper.

The Lumen reception will include a presentation of the 20112012 Lumen. Cash prizes for the top three literary works will be awarded. After the unveiling there will be an open mic where students can express their creative works.

For a chance to hear great literary works, attend the Literary Festival events starting Thursday, March 29, through Thursday, April 12.

Contributed photo

Contributed photo

Contributed photo

Jane Hirshfield, Terry Bisson and Peter Coyote are three well-known authors scheduled to speak during this year’s Literary Festival. After each event, the authors will sign their works.

FEATURES

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Public Health Month to bring global issues to Mercyhurst

By Liz Zurasky Features editor

When most students think of public health, they think of epidemics and food poisoning.

Public health, however, encompasses so much more than just these tiny details. It is about the global community’s health, both mental and physical, as well as toxins in our environment whether they are on food that we consume or bullying in our school systems.

Public health affects us all. This year, the new department at Mercyhurst will be conducting the first ever Public Health Month to raise awareness and understanding about what public health is and what it entails.

Assistant for the Mercyhurst Institute for Public Health Eileen Zinchiak, along with Brittany Prischak from the Green Team and Greg Baker from Campus Ministry have been working on this event for some time now.

Heading the project, Zinchiak explains what this event is about.

“National Public Health Week, sponsored by American Public Health Association in Washington D.C. encourages universities to create activities for students and the public, to increase awareness of current public health issues,” Zinchiak said.

Multiple events are scheduled for the month to discuss different topics and how they’re affecting us both locally and globally.

The first event is speaker Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis, the executive director of Women for a Healthy Environment. She will give a presentation titled “Healthy Choices, Healthy You: How to Avoid Everyday Toxins” on Tuesday, April 3, at 8 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room.

“The consumer awareness information about toxic substances that Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis will share with us is among the newest wave of health educa-

tion that the public needs informed on,” said Zinchiak.

“We’re thrilled that an environmental professional with her expertise is close by in Pittsburgh, a center of the American environmental movement, and that she was available to speak.”

Along with this keynote speaker, the public health department will display a poster photo exhibit to demonstrate what different cultures across the world consume for food on a weekly basis.

“Our Global Communities, Our Food” will begin April 2 with posters in the Herrmann Student Union, Campus Ministry office and the first floor of the Hammermill Library. The photos being showcased are taken from the book “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats”

by Peter Menzel.

This exhibit focuses on the reality that not all cultures have access to the rich variety of food that Western culture does.

Each poster pictures a family, along with how much food they would typically eat in one week.

Each week the Public Health Month will focus on a different theme dealing with toxins and the impact on health, global food, security and poverty.

Along with all the other events, the public health department is encouraging students to be involved with the “Live Below the Line” challenge. This is an awareness campaign of the Global Poverty Project and is aimed at ending poverty.

On Monday, April 2, and again Monday, April 23, students are challenged to eat only one meal that costs no more than $1.50. This represents the 1.4 billion people around the world that live below the poverty line and how much they can afford to eat on a daily basis.

The Laker will be having special meals that cost $1.50 available for students.

Public health is concerned with toxins in our environment whether they are local, global, physical or mental.

The month of exposure to different types of cultures will surely be an eye-opening experience for those of us that live in the comfort of Western culture.

Public Health Month themes: April 2-8 – Join global fasting: Where every week is Holy Week April 9-15 – What’s in our food, besides food? Food production and ingredients April 16-22 – The obesity epidemic: Are your food choices toxic?

April 23-29 – Global pollution: Toxins in our imported food?

March 28, 2012

DIY College style: 7UP Biscuits Senior Alex Stacey enjoys blogging about do-it-yourself projects.

I have had some pancake mix for a while now, and I really wanted to make something fun with it (other than just pancakes). I always like to try recipes that you can make with primarily ingredients you have, mostly due to my poor college student status.

I saw this biscuit recipe on Pinterest, and seeing as the only ingredient I needed to buy was sour cream, I was all over that. Here is the recipe I followed: Two cups Bisquick mix 1 /2 cup sour cream 1 /2 cup 7up 1 /4 cup melted butter Preheat oven to 450º Cut sour cream into your Bisquick mix, then add 7UP—it will make a soft dough. Sprinkle your counter with a little Bisquick mix then add dough and pat it out.

Melt butter and pour it into a 9-inch square baking pan. Cut your biscuits up and arrange them in the pan on top of melted butter.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

These biscuits are so good. They have a sweetness and a fluffiness from the 7UP, and they are rich from the sour cream. Plus you can’t really beat how easy they are to make. Who would have thought this combination of ingredients would make such an awesome treat? I recommend eating them warm with butter or with some orange marmalade.

For more DIY ideas, visit lavendersbluee.blogspot.com DIY College Style is a weekly column featuring two college students’ blogs on quick and easy tips about crafts and food.

March 28, 2012

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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‘Poetry’ tells of a woman who focuses on the positives

By Mathew Anderson Staff writer

Jill Barrile photo

In Mozart’s “The Impresario,” two divas fight for the title of prima donna. Junior Alianna Whiteaker, sophomore Mathew Anderson and senior Elizabeth Zurasky act in a scene.

Opera double bill delights audiences

By Kayla Kelly Staff writer

If you were bored this weekend, then you missed out. And if you’re thinking “operas aren’t my thing” sophomore Seth Pezar said, “Opera isn’t for everyone, but everyone can find their own way to enjoy it.”

This past Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the D’Angelo Opera Theatre presented “Two ComediesTonight.”

The operas took place at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center and consisted of two oneact operas combined into one performance.

The first part was Mozart’s “The Impresario,” which is from the classical period of music history. The second comedy was “Gianni Schicchi” by Puccini, who composed in the romantic era.

Assistant Professor of Music Brent Weber directed the operas.

Weber said, “As a producer with traditional operatic tendencies, I challenged myself by tying together these very different shows with a common thread.”

The rest of the production team was made up of a mixture of students, dance and music faculty.

The cast was a collection of Mercyhurst University students and local residents, the Rev. Shawn

Clerkin and Michael Miller. The orchestra consisted of many student instrumentalists, conducted by Scott Tomlison, Ph.D. Typically the two operas are set in Florence during the Renaissance period for Gianni Schicchi and Germany during the classical period for The Impresario, but Weber decided to set them in the late 1920s and early 1940s.

A connection was created between the two operas for better understanding for the audience.

Sophomore Chris Gaertner said, “I thought the adaptation of the opera was a welcome change.

I really like how The Impresario was adapted to be performed in the 1900s; it made following the story a lot easier.”

In the first act, the impresario (producer), played by Clerkin, is about to quit the business and become a farmer in the countryside.

Mr. Eager, played by sophomore Mathew Anderson; is an aspiring opera singer who’s eager to be in a performance.

Sylvestra Vesterdal, played by junior Alianna Whiteaker, and Polly Ann Asbister, played by junior Kirstan Orgel and senior Elizabeth Zurasky, were the divas ready to fight for a place in the company.

Lastly, post-bacc Lynn Dula played Buoso “Bucks” Bottino,

a male character who loves to be surrounded by beautiful divas. The act was full of comical arguments supported by well-developed characters.

The second act, “Gianni Schicchi,” is a comedy focused on the mission to find Buoso Bottino’s will. The family was hoping to be the sole heir to his inheritance.

After a frantic search, they find the will and realize that his total estate was left for the divas.

As the family irately sang along about their sorrows, they decide they have to change their misfortune and “fix the will.”

Gianni Schicchi, played by juniors Eric Delagrange and Matthew Tolbert, decided to drag the body off the bed and hide it from any visitors.

Schicchi took Bottino’s place in bed, and the family planned to have him tell the lawyers to make changes to the will in their favor.

Little did they know, Schicchi decided to tell the lawyers to leave most of Bottino’s will to him. This moment had the audience laughing over the irony of the story.

The audience responded quite positively to the performance.

Sophomore Kayla Rehar said, “Everyone did a magnificent job.

I was sucked into the plots of the two acts and how they were connected into one story.”

This week, the Maria J. Langer film series is proud to present the Korean film “Poetry,” which is about a woman, who despite the pessimism of the world around her, chooses to focus on only the upbeat aspects of life.

This is the story of Korean grandmother Yang Mija and her journey to find peace and righteousness on Earth. At the age of 66, Yang is living on government welfare and is occupied by taking care of an elderly man.

On top of this, she has been given the task of looking after Wook, her spiteful grandson who helps run her home.

Yang started taking poetry classes at her local community center and at the advice of her instructor, she began to take notes on the things she sees in everyday life. Wook has a close-knit group of friends from school whom he regularly hangs out with.

One evening after one of her poetry classes, Yang meets with the fathers of the other boys in the group only to find out that the group of boys have been regularly raping a girl from their school.

The rapes went on forsix months before the victim committed suicide. After the death of the girl, it is discovered that she kept a diary, and in order to prevent a full investigation, the families proposed to pay a settlement to the affected family.

Regardless of these trials, Yang cannot help but see the positive in all situations, despite the pain and

frustration she sees in the lives of others. After visiting the mother of the victim, Yang’s resolve to bring the boys to justice only is strengthened.

The decision to condemn the boys also means that Yang will have to revile her grandson as well.

In the course of the investigation, Yang develops an empathic connection to the victim’s mother rather than perceiving wrong doings as an abstract form of injustice. This notion of justice seems to be the underlying message of the film.

“Poetry” is taking on the challenge of finding a solution to unusual social circumstances, and the response to human tragedy. Throughout the story, Yang attempts to retreat to her artistic note taking on the simple happenings of life around her.

Her innocent attempt to reference her lessons and create some meaning in her life and reflect on beauty is a way to cope with turning in Wook.Yang cannot bear to see the consequences of helping the police arrest her grandson, and by acknowledging something as simple as a tree, she is representing her ability to see beauty in even the lowest of lows.

Remarkably, Yang is the only one in her poetry class to complete a poem.

It is precisely because of her ability to seek out what is beautiful in the mundane that leads her to a deeper understanding of poetry and consequently, what it is to see absolute beauty in the world.

“Poetry” will be showing Wednesday, March 28, at 2:15 and 7:15 p.m. in the PAC. Tickets are free with a Mercyhurst ID.

Slantmagazine.com photo

Yang Mija finds beauty in everyday life in the film “Poetry.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

March 28, 2012

‘The Hunger Games’ soundtrack displays full, deep emotion

By Aaron Ullman Staff writer

With this past weekend’s advent of the much-anticipated movie “The Hunger Games” this past weekend, came the simultaneous release of the soundtrack, simply titled: “The Hunger Games (Songs from District 12 and Beyond).”

Producer T Bone Burnett was given the tall order of compiling a soundtrack derived from the complex sentiments and themes of the story.

How then does one convey the self-sacrificing, independent and fierce persona of the story’s main character Katniss in a futuristic dystopian backdrop? Oddly enough, Burnett rises to the challenge by enlisting a variety of musical artists such as Kid Cudi, Taylor Swift and Maroon 5.

Although one might presume there to be a disparity in style and a resulting hodgepodge album, “The Hunger Games” truly captures the powerful feel to the movie/book.

The tracks are unified under an alternative-folk banner, each with their own take on the story’s motifs. The melancholy of the story’s premise—a young girl forced to fight to the death against others her age, while struggling with inward feelings of love and pain—easily resonates throughout the disc.

While there are a few weak tracks on the album, there are plenty of powerful ones to carry the listener through. Two of

Ibtimes.com photo

T Bone Burnett produced a spectacular album, with a wide variety of artists. Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars work together to create one of the album’s most popular songs: “Safe and Sound.”

the best actually make an appearance during the film’s credits.

“Abraham’s Daughter” is a haunting lullaby-like endeavor by Arcade Fire. The use of intense drums and folksy guitar is a perfect fit for the movie’s atmosphere.

“Safe and Sound” is unique in that it is quite different from the usual Taylor Swift offerings. She gets a helpful boost from the likes of The Civil Wars, resulting in a beautifully harmonized, but saddening song.

Maroon 5 likewise takes a step out of their element, following suit with a chilling tune. The song focuses on the cruelty of the games in the story, as the main character is portrayed as a “little lamb come to the slaughter.”

One of the most pertinent tracks is a bluegrass/folk track

by The Carolina Chocolate Drops titled “Daughter’s Lament.”

It fully captures the heartbreak and pain Katniss carries from the event of losing her father.

There are other decent tracks on the disc, but the album finishes on a perfect note with the song “Just a Game,” by Birdy.

It focuses on the complex feelings of love Katniss wrestles with when attempting to survive.

The repeated lyric “Is it just a game?/I don’t know” showcases this part of the story— where Katniss pretends to love someone as part of the game to survive.

As a whole, T Bone Burnett did a fantastic job of entrapping the feel of “The Hunger Games” story into a musical compilation. The album does not disappoint in the least.

OPINION

March 28, 2012

Page 9

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.

We are all Shaima Alawadi Election reflection

By Zainab Javed

Contributing writer Shaima Alawadi was murdered this past week.

The mother of five was brutally beaten with a tireiron until unconscious, her brain swelling irreversibly.

Her 17-year-old daughter discovered her mother near death with a note saying “go back to your country, you terrorist” next to her body.

Her murder hits close to home. When I think of it, I shudder. It could just as easily been my mother or aunt.

They too wear a hijab, a religious head covering, which seems to have become synonymous with “threat” in our society.

This was not an isolated incident.

The harassment and hate crimes against Muslim Americans have been on the rise in a post-9/11 world.

What perpetuates this hatred and distrust of Muslim Americans? Why has a wave of Islamophobia swept the country?

The answer is that the rhetoric in the mainstream forces around us varying from media to politicians paints Muslims as foreign threats to domestic security.

Today we are escorted off airplanes because someone feels like we are “suspicious.” The NYPD spies on our communities by sending undercover cops into our mosques and businesses. They were even caught systematically spying on Muslim students on Yale, Rutgers and other college campuses even though these students were not accused of any wrongdoing; students just like you or me.

You can’t blatantly violate civil rights under the context of counter terrorism. When you single out Muslims, you create a narrative where we are the enemy. It builds a state of fear and paranoia, which then descends to the average citizen who is fed stereotypes of Muslims as terrorists.

Islam is not inherently linked with terrorism.

Juan Williams, formerly of NPR, once said, “If I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know,

they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”

Tell me, Williams, what is Muslim garb? There are over a billion of us. We transcend across hundreds of cultures. So what exactly does Muslim garb look like?

And more importantly, if we wear Muslim “garb,” are we deserving of harassment and death? Did Alawadi deserve to die because of her hijab? No. Many people seem to forget a very important aspect of the term “Muslim American”—we may be Muslims, but we are also Americans. We are your neighbors, your classmates and your coworkers. We pay our taxes, abide by the laws and participate in our local communities.

We love America because it is our home.

I am an immigrant. I moved to the United States when I was three. I could recite the Pledge of Allegiance before I ever learned Pakistan’s national anthem; I even know the Star Spangled Banner in three-part harmony. What I’m trying to say is, I love America and, I’m tired of having to defend my loyalty to this country.

This country is my country. No one can tell me to go home when this is my home.

Fareed Zakeria said, “I am an American, not by accident of birth but by choice. I voted with my feet and became an American because I love this country and think it is exceptional.”

In memory of Alawadi and in solidarity with the countless victims of religiously-charged hate crimes, I will be wearing a hijab for the week of March 26-31. If you see me, stop me and ask me some questions about Islam. Take some time to get to know a Muslim.

The Sisters of Mercy have supported building “genuine trust and understanding between faith traditions in these times of growing political posturing, fear, suspicion and dangerous stereotyping.” Isn’t it time we do the same? Let’s promote knowledge because this country cannot afford to fall victim to fear and ignorance.

We’re all Americans. We’re in this together, sink or swim. An attack on one American is an attack on all Americans. Alawadi was an American.

Today, we are all Alawadi.

Kingston underwhelming

By Courtney Hartline Contributing writer

It is no secret that many students are still bothered over the announcement of Jamaican-American singer Sean Kingston as the musical guest for Mercyhurst’s 2012 Spring Fest.

Every year around this time students wait anxiously to hear who they will be “rocking out” to. This year was no exception. However, the majority of students are underwhelmed.

Entertainment is the sole reason

people look forward to this event.

Sure, it’s free and a famous person is going to be here amongst us Lakers in Erie, Pa. of all places, but that seems to be beside the point. I personally would have to agree with the fact that Kingston is not the most riveting choice when it comes to musical entertainment.

I don’t mean to be the Negative Nancy, but I think we could have done a little better. I’m not saying that we expected a massive performance by an incredibly popular artist—just someone who was a little more mainstream and not discovered on Myspace.

His songs all sound strangely like broken records and are the type of songs that we hate to get stuck in our heads.

Examples of these songs include “Fire Burning,” “That Ain’t Right” and the all too familiar four minutes of mind-numbing repetition, “Beautiful Girls.”

The number one deal breaker, for me anyway, was his song “Eenie Meenie” with Justin Bieber. It always makes me change the station.

Read the entire article online at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

By Caitlin Handerhan Opinion editor

From the epic St. Patrick’s Day block party to the amazing weather, spring 2012 is a great time to be a Mercyhurst Laker.

While Mercyhurst has had many great moments as of late, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) elections that took place last week.

After a productive and inspiring year serving the student body as MSG president, Meghan Hess will be turning the reins of one of Mercyhurst’s most prestigious positions over to newly-elected President Richard Molloy.

This year’s MSG presidential election was one of the first contested competitions for the top spot in many years, and as a student, I was excited to see the hype that surrounded the campaigning on both sides.

To add to the hype, students attended the MSG debate, and we saw support for each candidate on Facebook and Twitter.

Now that all of the ballots have been cast and counted, it is fair to say that this year’s MSG election was one for the books. Great campaigns were run from both sides, and the hype involving the election will set MSG up for a successful 2012-13 school year.

Yes, now is a great time to be a part of the Laker nation.

If you don’t want it printed . . . don’t let it happen.

Editors Kelly Luoma Alaina Rydzewski Liz Zurasky Caitlin Handerhan Spencer Hunt Alex Stacey Chrissy Mihalic Kaitlin Badger Jill Barrile Ethan Johns Max Rivera Bill Welch

@mercyhurst.edu Positions editormerciad Editor-in-Chief newsmerciad News Editor featuremerciad Features Editor opinionmerciad Opinion Editor sportsmerciad Sports Editor A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad copymerciad Copy Editor photomerciad Graphics photomerciad Photo Editor ejohns89 Web Editor admerciad Ad Manager wwelch Adviser

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Page 10

OPINION

March3,28, 2012 September 2008

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.

Religious freedom, Pro-Life values clash

By Carrie Gambino Contributing writer

The men’s lacrosse team continues their reign as the top ranked division team, as they defeated No. 3ranked Dowling during an exciting match that ended in a last-minute victory.

You may notice some changes at the Laker Inn this week. When students purchase fountain drinks, the usually large cups provided are much smaller, leaving students with less for the same price.

As I was driving down State Street on Friday afternoon on my way to pay a pending parking ticket, I was distracted to the point of reckless driving by something on the side of the road.

A crowd of boys and what looked to be parents lined the curb with signs regarding something about religious freedom. After paying my dues for an overdue meter, I decided to see what it was all about before jumping to conclusions. This is where my worst fears came true.

At first I was excited to see residents of Erie rallying for religious freedom; however, I was right in being wary about their intentions for this. So I decided to ask a woman who was holding a sign what the whole commotion was all about. She turned around and showed me the sign. It should be noted that she did not explain to

“

Nothing makes me more upset than to see men being invovled in Pro-Life/ProChoice debates..

”

Carrie Gambino

It wasn’t until I went home and looked up the “HHS Mandate” that was on a few of the group’s signs, that I figured out that they were rallying against President Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, regarding health care and

including contraceptives and sterilization.

It is safe to say that their signs were extremely misleading. And certainly a lack of knowledge by those who were doing the chanting and marching.

On my part, I should have asked multiple people involved why they were there and such, but I was too put off by the group of Cathedral Prep boys who were giving each other high fives and yelling rally cries that I couldn’t understand.

Also, it is such a controversial and serious issue since GOP candidate from Pennsylvania Rick Santorum has brought his Bible-thumping thoughts to the table.

Nothing makes me more upset than to see men being involved in Pro-Life/Pro-Choice debates.

This situation reminds me of a story that one my friends experienced back home when the Occupy Movement was raging. He saw a man in front of City Hall in Buffalo holding a sign that read, “Remember Scott Olsen.”

My friend asked the man who

this Scott Olsen was.

To which the man cleverly replied, “I don’t know…Mary-Kate and Ashley’s dad?”

Had the man been up to date on current events and actually cared about the movement that he claimed to be involved in, he would have known that Scott Olsen is a 24-year-old Iraqi War Vet who suffered a fractured skull due to police action in an Occupy Oakland protest. Olsen became the poster boy for police brutality throughout the Occupy protests.

Clearly the man just wanted to be involved because it was the hip thing for young people to do at the time.

I am not saying that everyone involved was as ill-informed as the man and woman I mentioned.

Simply put, freedom of speech is our right. Exercising it without proper knowledge defeats the purpose.

Know your stuff before you exercise your First Amendment rights.

That’s what the Internet is for.

‘Hunger Games’ is more than meets the eye Comparisons to ‘Twilight’ on social media sites absurd

By Jaslyne Halter Staff writer

For those of you who cannot refrain from your “Team Peeta” and “Team Gale” Facebook posts and Tweets, this article is not for you, because you obviously cannot wrap your mind around the fact that “The Hunger Games” trilogy is not about sex and romance, but real concepts, such the politics of the book in relation to the Ameri-

Online

Students living on East 41st Street had repeated moments of distress when the emergency alert system alerted students via text that a buglarly had taken place on the street, when in fact it had not.

The flip-flopping info was confusing and distressing, leaving students unclear.

me why she was there or explain the mandate they were rallying against.

I noticed on the sign that it said they were Pro-Life supporters who were promoting freedom of religion of some sort.

I said to the woman, “Oh, you’re for religious freedom, but you’re also Pro-Life?”

The woman responded, “Yeah.”

I thanked her and she turned back around.

can politics of today.

One might ask, “How does this apply today?” Here’s the deal: the Gamemakers have supremacy; they are able to influence the mayors of each district to do their requests. Only a handful of Gamemakers exist, but they are authoritative and control just about everything connected to the Hunger Games themselves.

In the current Republican political primaries, there are only a few sponsors backing the candidates.

The point is that the Gamemakers

Government policy on energy perplexing

by Faye Clark Staff writer

in the novel are much like the real gamemakers in the political realm in America, pitting, for sport, one candidate against another. And the real sport, the one with real lives in the balance, is each district pitted against another, not just in the Hunger Games, but in everyday life.

Here’s my plug. If you have yet to read the series, it is really, in my opinion, a great read. If you can get past the soap opera-esque drama and actually read into the novels, I really feel that you can learn a lot.

The author obviously has her opinions about politics; I might be a political science major, but I’m not asking you to care about the political undertones, I am just pointing out that they exist.

That being said, if I see one more person post about “Team Peeta” vs.

“Team Gale,” I will personally find you and throw a copy of the book at you, because you clearly have no idea what the book is really about.

It is about politics and struggle and overcoming obstacles and society.

merciad. mercyhurst.edu/ opinion

Sports

March 28, 2012

Fitness, baseball interest pitcher

By Matt Cirell

Contributing writer When is it a healthy choice to chug a 900-calorie protein shake just minutes before falling asleep?

When is it possible to eat deep fried meats and cheeses without gaining a single pound?

The truth is, these food choices are very healthy when you exercise as intensely as Donald Bowes.

Bowes, 20, is a junior transfer student who earned his associate’s degree in liberal arts from Mercyhurst North East. He is now studying business management at the Mercyhurst main campus.

Bowes is a pitcher for the Mercyhurst University Lakers and is working to improve the speed and accuracy of his pitches every day.

He is a dedicated student athlete with ambitions of making physical strength gains as well as making any batter who steps up to the plate look stupid.

Bowes’ dedication to weight

training has already allowed him to pitch a 92 mph fastball.

His passion for baseball can be traced back to Little League.

“My best memories of my baseball career are from when I played Little League in Richmond Township,” said Bowes. “My dad coached me, and we were undefeated every season.”

“

Mostly I just want to get huge.

”

Donald Bowes The junior pitcher’s workout regimen is unlike any average Joe’s.

He lifts weights three days a week and has baseball practice six days a week.

The rest of Bowes’ teammates are required to lift weights only one day per week, but Bowes puts in extra time for one reason. At only 5 feet 9 inches and 170 pounds, Bowes is the shortest pitcher on the team. But he certainly makes up for it in muscle.

“I want to get big,” said Bowes.

“It helps the tendonitis in my elbow feel a little better but mostly I want to get huge.”

Alex Galbraith, 20, is a close friend and roommate of Bowes who often joins him at his workouts.

“He’s usually drenched when I see him,” said Galbraith, “He grunts a lot too. He is insane.”

When Bowes goes to the gym, he prefers to keep it old school. He lifts free weights such as barbells and dumbbells, and he never leaves the gym unless he feels that he has seriously worked his body.

“My throwing elbow is somewhat out of place, and getting a good lift in every now and then helps it feel so much better,” says Bowes.

Bowes has been playing baseball since he was 6 year old. Baseball and personal fitness are two of his greatest passions.

Bowes and the baseball team will travel to Indiana (Pa) on Friday before returning home to Tullio Field to take on IUP again on Saturday at 12 p.m.

Page 11

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Sports

Page 12

March 28, 2012

How to keep a team focused after winning it all

By Spencer Hunt Sports editor

How do coaches prepare for a new season when they are still on a championship high?

This is the question Mercyhurst University men’s lacrosse coach Chris Ryan has been dealing with since the end of the 2011 season.

Ryan and the Lakers took home their first Div. II National Championship last spring, and they plan to bring home another one this season.

Ryan has been in a similar position.

In 2007, the Lakers had an outstanding year and finished runnerup to Le Moyne in the National Championship game. The team failed to build off the momentum and finished an uninspired 9-4 in 2008.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,” said Ryan. “The first rule is to learn from mistakes you have made in the past.”

Ryan has been adamant about not repeating the mistakes made before the 2008 season.

“We had a pretty stringent fall curriculum to help set the tone for the season,” Ryan said.

The goal of the coaching staff is to prepare properly and not let the team rest on its laurels.

Sarah Hlusko photo

Coach Chris Ryan, left, and the men’s lacrosse team are off to a solid 5-0 start, but they don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. After their comeback win over No. 3 Dowling, the Lakers have another tough match-up against rival C.W. Post.

Once Ryan has looked at past mistakes to remedy them, he needs to pass on a similar mentality to his team.

“We have to instill in the kids that it’s day-by-day and week-by-week,” said Ryan. “We need to work harder than we have ever worked before.”

Ryan and the program have tasted success at its highest level, and they want to stay there.

“At the beginning of this journey we were told we weren’t going

to win,” said Ryan. “Now we need to keep winning to show last year wasn’t us catching lightning in a bottle.”

So far, the Lakers have continued to win. The team has started off the 2012 season a sterling 5-0, including a tight 7-6 victory over No. 3 Dowling. But that’s not good enough for Ryan.

“We still have a long, long way to go,” said Ryan. “We know what’s at the end of this if we work hard.”

With high expectations, the team needs to not look too far ahead.

If the team loses a game or two, it could miss out on the playoffs. The Lakers need to stay focused through the middle of their season.

“Everyone is concerned about making playoffs,” said Ryan. “We are already in the playoffs; this is the playoffs.”

Ryan has instilled a certain mentality in his players. That mentality is showing with the upperclassmen

leading the way.

“We have terrific leaders on this team with high character and maturity,” said Ryan. “We have to trust them.”

In the early season, the team is showing no ill effects of a championship hangover.

“We don’t hear anyone in the locker room talking about anything but the next game,” said Ryan. “It is next game or bust for us.”

One thing for Ryan to worry about as a coach is that his team falls short even when the talent is there to succeed. With 20 upperclassmen returning from the championship squad, the talent is obviously still there.

“My biggest fear was not playing to their potential,” said Ryan. “I can digest winning and losing, but I can’t digest not playing to our abilities and fulfill our potential.”

Every coach can take a page out of Ryan’s book on how to succeed following a championship year. A team changes from year to year, and there is always something to learn from.

“I only get one year to coach each team and get them to play to their potential,” Ryan said.

If coaches learn from past mistakes, keeps their team focused on the next game and prepares their team to fulfill its potential, then their teams will be successful.

Ryan and the Lakers have been successful so far, but they aren’t satisfied yet.

Men’s lacrosse overcomes deficit against Dowling

By Spencer Hunt Sports editor

Sarah Hlusko photo

Senior Kyle Kallay came back from being knocked out to score the game-winner against Dowling.

There are any number of things going through an athlete’s mind heading into a pivotal matchup.

They are thinking of strategies and players to keep an eye on. The Mercyhurst men’s lacrosse team had to deal with a different adversary: buses.

The team was set to leave Thursday for the eight-hour trip to Long Island, N.Y., to play Dowling on Saturday afternoon.

However, those plans quickly changed when the school bus had mechanical problems. The next option was to leave Friday, but there

were no buses in the area that could take the team.

Plan C was to put 32 players in two vans Thursday night and have them spend the night in Binghamton, N.Y. Coach Ryan and the rest of the team drove to Long Island on Friday and arrived with the rest of the team at 9 p.m.

“We had to split the army,” said Ryan. “It was uncomfortable circumstances.”

Despite the travel problems, the team came out strong against No. 3 Dowling. The Lakers took an early 3-0 lead, but it was short-lived.

Dowling roared back to take a 5-3 lead.

“I had said the night before that I expected a slow start, but there was never a sense of panic on the side-

line,” said Ryan. “We just wanted to circle the wagons and chip away one play at a time.”

That’s exactly what the Lakers did.

The team came back and capped it off when senior Kyle Kallay scored the game-winner with three minutes left in the game.

“Kyle got knocked out cold in the first quarter and then has the gumption to come back and win the game for us,” said Ryan. “That’s the kind of leadership we need.”

With all the problems that happened before the team even stepped on the field, the Lakers showed their toughness in the comeback.

“We were happy with the physical effort, but not the execution,” Ryan said.

The tight game came at a good time. This was their first real test of the season and will better prepare them for the impending C.W. Post match-up.

“This was a good game to go back and watch the tape and learn from mistakes,” said Ryan. “The game was played at Dowling’s pace and their conditions, but we definitely earned this one.”

This game was easily the closest of the year, their previous one being a six-goal victory over Mercy.

“All our problems came to the surface against Dowling,” said Ryan.

“They exposed our weaknesses that we had gotten by with before.”

These weaknesses should be shored up just in time for C.W. Post on Saturday, March 31, at 12 p.m.