Spring Welcome Back | 2019

welcome back

the pitt news

volume 109|issue 78

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January 7, 2019

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Cover: Eli Savage | contributing editor

WELCOME BACK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Staff Picks ......................................................4 ICYMI News .................................................6 New gen ed requirements ..............................8 New bio professor .........................................8 LGBTQ+ LLC ...............................................9 Pitt Facebook groups ....................................9 Column: Family and politics ........................14 Vignettes .......................................................17 Events to look forward to this semester ......23 Review: Hamilton ........................................24 Chamber trio ................................................28 Athletic department social media ................31 Baseball preview ..........................................31 Softball preview ...........................................35 Winter break sports recap ...........................37 pittnews.com

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News

FEATURED FEATURES:

EDITORS’ PICKS OF 2018 Mac Miller Coverage

// Trent Leonard, Sports Editor During his life and career, I was never a big fan of Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller. I cast him off as another obnoxious frat rapper and paid little attention to his music or endeavors.

But in the wake of his unexpected and tragic death at the age of 26 this past September, I found myself reexamining my outlook toward Miller. The Pitt News covered the artist’s death and ensuing fan reactions — Miller’s Point Breeze home was mere miles down the road from Pitt’s campus.

In our coverage, I discovered a young man who oozed positivity and radiant energy wherever he went, a rare character about whom seemingly no one had a bad word to say. I discovered an evolving musician, and someone who was adored not just by his native Pittsburgh community but also friends and fans across the globe. As a result, I came away with a greater admiration for Miller as an individual.

2018 Dining Guide

// Sarah Connor, Culture Editor

Everyone needs to eat, and eating is more fun with a special edition to guide students through the dining options, trends and quirks here at Pitt. This year’s dining guide featured a story profiling three successful Instagram foodies — all of whom are Pitt alums or current students. The foodies the story focused on were Hungry Girl, Big City, And a Chocolate Drizzle and Ciltantropist. Each foodie had a story behind why they loved running their pages, from having a personal passion for business to helping in eating disorder recovery. I really loved getting to see the stories behind the young women who ran these pages. It was a very humanizing experience, especially considering how detached from reality social media can feel at times.

Dining guide also focused on the presence of international eateries in the North Oakland neighborhood like the Turkish Grille, Sultan Bey and Bombay Market. Each of these locations is independently owned and offers pa// Jeremy Wang, trons authentic food from an international Assistant Opinions Editor culture. I enjoyed reading this piece because I think that Pitt is a very diverse school, and I While college classes may equip you with the was excited for the culture desk to bring attenskills and knowledge to carry out a job, they tion to diverse eating options as well. don’t necessarily prepare you with interview etiquette, the value of graduate school in your profession or opportunities found in gap years.

A student’s years at Pitt are extremely formative and ultimately meant to give direction to // Janine Faust, Managing professional aspirations. This year’s Pitt News Employment Guide did just that, helping stu- Editor dents elevate themselves from merely college graduates to competitive applicants.

2018 Employment Guide

2018 Midterm Elections Coverage

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This past year’s midterm elections saw a historical turnout of voters nationwide, reaching numbers American politics hadn’t seen in more than a century. Pitt polling stations represented this shift, with voter participation at Posvar Hall, Soldiers and Sailors and the William Pitt Union reaching record highs.

I was incredibly excited about the length to which my coworkers covered this historic event, from a story explaining everything students needed to know about the midterm elections to reporting on the efforts of student organizations to encourage voter turnout.

On the night of the elections, our digital team made a bit of “history” in the office by constructing a graphic tracking national and local election results, a first for TPN’s website. I was also proud of our editorial board’s first-time collective decision not to endorse any particular candidates, a move which we believe represents TPN’s dedication to honesty and objectivity.

2018 Rental Guide //

Christian Snyder, Editor in Chief As students in a neighborhood like Oakland, which is home to residents, professionals, students and visitors alike, it’s important that we remain aware of our impact on the community.

That’s why this year’s Rental Guide focused on how the changing real estate landscape affects Oakland’s various residents.

With stories ranging from explorations of gentrification to columns arguing for a need for higher quality affordable student housing, we hope our Rental Guide helps spark conversation about the area Pitt calls home — not to mention the practical and affordable decorating tips in our Culture section, useful for dorm rooms and apartments alike.

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ICYMI: News from winter break 2018 Joanna Li | News Editor

DEC. 13

DEC. 19

The parents of 17-year-old Antwon Rose, who was shot and killed by former Pitt police officer Michael Rosfeld in June, filed a lawsuit against Pitt. The lawsuit alleges negligence on the University’s part for not properly disciplining Rosfeld when he worked there.

Port Authority opened its Atwood Station on Fifth Avenue in Oakland following months of construction. The newly renovated bus station includes bike racks, leaning rails, maps and two ConnectCard machines that will serve 13 bus routes.

DEC. 14

DEC. 20

Mayor Bill Peduto, along with Gov. Tom Wolf, state Sens. Jay Costa and Wayne Fontana, state Rep. Dan Frankel and council members Corey O’Connor and Erika Strassburger introduced a new bill to ban assault weapons in the City.

Pitt’s Board of Trustees approved a 2.25 percent raise and a $500,000 bonus for chancellor Patrick Gallagher in 2019.

DEC. 15

DEC. 29

The body of a male student was found on the roof of Lothrop Hall. According to University spokesperson Joe Miksch, the cause of death was not suspicious.

A woman reported to Pitt Police that an unknown suspect entered her home on the 300 block of Meyran Avenue in South Oakland in the evening.

The suspect reportedly entered the woman’s apartment and stole money, but fled the scene upon seeing the woman.

DEC. 18

DEC. 31

Pitt’s chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity was placed on an extended probation until April 30, 2020. The extended suspension follows an alleged hazing incident at off-campus fraternity events in October 2018.

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The last day of the year officially made 2018 the wettest year in Pittsburgh history. Pittsburgh was 0.26 inches short of its previous 2004 record of 57.41 inches of rain as of Dec. 30, but downpours in the City on Dec. 31 led to 2018 finishing with a winning total of 57.83 inches.

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JAN. 1

Broadway-hit Hamilton started its 27-day run at the Benedum Center in downtown Pittsburgh. The cast, which includes Pittsburgh native Peter Matthew Smith as King George, saw a sold-out crowd on its opening night.

Mayor Bill Peduto recently worked with state and local politicians to introduce a bill to ban assault weapons in Pittsburgh. Bader Abdulmajeed | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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NEW GEN ED REQUIREMENTS ENCOURAGE CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING Mary Rose O’Donnell Staff Writer

This past semester marked the implementation of a new set of general education requirements for the Dietrich School, the finale of a year-long effort to update requirements that had been in place since 2002.

The new list of GERs, required for students who entered the Dietrich School in the fall of 2018 and beyond, includes a course in diversity in addition to changes to the foreign culture/ international, second literature/art, historical change and philosophy requirements.

According to John Twyning, the associate dean for undergraduate studies at the Dietrich School, the Dietrich School faculty and undergraduate council decided to revise the requirements after realizing that the GERs did not properly reflect the world we live in today and changes were necessary.

The new GERs will be evaluated and their successes and failures assessed by academic departments in the 2019-2020 academic year,

The new general education requirements in the Dietrich School focus on different aspects of diversity, and replace requirements last updated in 2002.

Thomas Yang | assistant visual editor according to Twyning. His office and the un- five faculty members, spent more than a year dergraduate council will review these evalua- reviewing the previous GER curriculum before tions before making any decisions or taking any sending the new curriculum to faculty for approval. The new requirements were passed in future action regarding the GERs. The Dietrich School and its undergradu- January 2017. Since then, the undergraduate ate council, which consists of 12 students and council has worked to plan the implementation

of the new requirements.

The new GERs, though altered, remain largely similar to the past requirements. The only added requirement is a course in diversity, which can be fulfilled by 174 courses from 24 subject areas, ranging from Geology to Music.

One class that can fulfill the requirement is the introductory composition course Seminar in Composition: Topics in Diversity. According to the Department of English’s website, the seminar consists of “readings and writing activities that explore concepts and practices relating to diversity and its established and emerging definitions.” Each section may address issues such as race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religious difference, differences in abilities and economic disparities.

Undecided first-year Bridget Hogue took the course in fall 2018 to fulfill both the seminar in composition and diversity requirements.

Her class learned about rhetoric in the context of hip-hop music and culture, writing about

See Gen Ed on page 10

BIO CLASS ASSIGNED NEW PROFESSOR AFTER PETITION Jon Moss

Contributing Editor A professor of nearly four decades is not teaching an upper-level biology class for the spring 2019 semester, after Dietrich School administrators received a petition claiming unjust grading practices in December.

The petition alleged the professor — Craig Peebles, a Pitt professor since 1982 — gave unfair exams that prevented students from passing the course, resulting in student grades varying dramatically among different teachers of Biological Sciences 1000. Public access to the document was removed two days after its publication.

Instead, Laura Zapanta, a lecturer who See Bio Professor on page 13

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Students created a petition addressing unfair exams and low grades in biology sprofessor Craig Peebles’ Biological Science 1000 class. via crazypaco/wikimedia commons

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STUDENTS USE FACEBOOK TO CREATE COMMUNITY

Jacq Flash

For The Pitt News Facebook began as a platform exclusively for college students — and while today anyone can join, the site’s groups feature has become a way to connect people with similar interests or goals.

Some of these groups exist for students to share funny moments with their peers. A closed Facebook group called PITT memes for LITT AF Pre-Tweens was created just for this. According to its about page, the group exists to share clean memes for Pitt students.

Overheard at Pitt serves a similar purpose, providing entertainment for Pitt students. Overheard at Pitt allows students to post the typically humorous or nonsensical conversations they overhear on Pitt’s campus.

“That’s the goal, to get banned from Canada,” says one post. “my favorite form of self medicating is

eating so much that I pass out [sic],” says another.

Others have more practical purposes.

Pitt Foodshare notifies Pitt students about free food around campus that’s usually leftover after events. With 2,452 members as of Jan. 6, the group gives hungry students opportunities to eat for free.

According to its about page, the group was started by the Student Office of Sustainability, the Pitt Pantry and the Office of PittServes. Its stated purpose is to “reduce food waste on campus and share leftover food with the Pitt campus community.”

Erika Ninos, the sustainability program coordinator for the Office of PittServes, said the group was made with a sustainability focus in mind.

“It is a simple way to direct leftover food from events, meetings or student organization gatherings to students who may be seeking a quick snack or meal while on See Facebook on page 12

The Pitt Student book exchange allows students to buy and sell notes and textbooks. VIA PITT STUDENT BOOK EXCHANGE

LGBTQ+ STUDENTS, ALLIES Neena Hagen

FIND HOME IN LLC

Staff Writer Pitt is home to a plethora of organizations that foster an atmosphere of acceptance for LGBTQ+ students — Rainbow Alliance and oSTEM to name a couple. But until fall of 2018, none of these organizations offered living accommodations to students.

Now, the Gender and Sexuality LLC, which occupies half of the 12th floor of Lothrop, houses 14 primarily first-year LGBTQ+ students in single dorms and boasts the only gender-neutral communal bathroom on Pitt’s campus. It’s a safe space that, according to RA Ryan Ferrante, a sophomore biology major, was badly needed for Pitt’s sizable LGBTQ+ community.

“Leaving home for the first time can

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be stressful,” Ferrante said. “But for LGBTQ+ students, piling on the added weight of wondering if you’ll fit in … or if the college community will accept you for who you are often makes the transition a lot harder.”

At Pitt, applying to the Gender and Sexuality LLC works the same as for any other LLC. The process is contained within the housing application — all students must do is write a brief essay and fill out a questionnaire detailing their housing preferences. According to Ferrante, the LLC is open to anyone who’s dedicated to maintaining a supportive environment — not just LGBTQ+ students.

To ensure that the LLC fosters an inclusive atmosphere, members take part in many LGBTQ+-themed activities to-

gether. Recently, the group embarked on a short excursion to the Andy Warhol museum to view Warhol’s paintings of drag queens and transgender women — all of whom remained anonymous until their names were dug up and revealed in August 2018.

“It’s really heartening for us to see ourselves represented in everyday art and culture. It really contributes to our sense of belonging in the LLC,” Ferrante said. “Educational movies … like ‘Before Stonewall’ and ‘After Stonewall’ that teach us about the history of our struggle for civil rights are also on the lineup.”

The LLC takes full advantage of its learning component, as students in the LLC have the opportunity to take a onecredit course on LGBTQ+ communities

January 7, 2019

taught by professor Julie Beaulieu. The course not only allows students to discuss sensitive topics — like prejudice they may face in their everyday lives — but also educates students about oppressive power structures and explores the intersections between sexuality and other identities.

“Education is key to social and political progress for historically marginalized people,” Beaulieu said.

According to Danielle Jakob, a sophomore bio-med major and the only non-LGBTQ+ member of the LLC, the class has been integral in allowing her to confront her own prejudices and become a more active and understanding ally.

“In class discussions, I often feel like See Lgbtq+ LLC on page 12

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Gen Ed, pg. 8 major artists in the genre and what students considered to be the best rap songs from various time periods.

“I think having a diversity GER is very influential, especially in the first year,” Hogue said.

“It helps open someone’s mind to see a writing course centered around something as historic and influential on the mainstream culture as hip-hop.”

History professor Bernard Hagerty, whose Xenophobia in Modern Europe class fulfills the new diversity, historical analysis, and global

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awareness and cultural understanding: specific geographic region requirements, believes that this new GER is a step in the right direction.

“The diversity GER seems to me sensible and positive,” Hagerty said. “What matters to me is that it be diverse. That is, it should cover all aspects of societal difference, including those which may be less familiar to American students.”

According to Derek Fischer, director of the Dietrich School Undergraduate Studies Advising Center, the transition to the new requirements for advisers and students has gone smoothly due to constant communication with Associate Dean Twyning’s office. The advising

center is kept up to date on the newest courses that are approved to meet the requirements.

“That level of communication has allowed us to effectively relay the new information to our students as we meet with them during their advising appointments,” Fischer said.

Though there are now two sets of GERs that undergraduate students are taking depending on the year they entered the Dietrich School, advisers and students are kept organized and on track using online resources like PeopleSoft.

“We have increasingly made use of the resources available to both advisers and students, such as the academic advisement report, to ensure that we are aware of which requirements

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apply to each student,” Fischer said. “As part of that, we have also made a concerted effort to teach students how to access and understand their advisement report so that they take a more active role in understanding their degree requirements.”

When asked about the new GERs, specifically the diversity requirement, first-year linguistics major Sarah Maenner was unaware of the changes. Although she wasn’t aware that the diversity requirement was new, Maenner said she thinks it’s a positive change that keeps students aware of the world around them.

“It’s good to be able to learn about people who aren’t like you, especially in the present world,” she said.

Other shifts have occurred as well. The foreign culture/international requirement is now global awareness and cultural understanding.

Three courses are still needed to fulfill this requirement, but its sub-categories have changed.

Instead of regional, comparative and global, students must take one class in global awareness, specific geographic region and cross-cultural awareness.

Historical change has changed its name to historical analysis. Hagerty approves of this adjustment, saying the new title more accurately summarizes the requirement.

“I like the Analysis/Change shift,” Hagerty said in an email. “Change is by definition what we analyze. Duh.” Students still have to take multiple class in the arts and literature. Now, one of those classes must fill the creative work requirement. According to the Dietrich School’s website, this means “students are expected to produce some form of creative work, and they will also be trained in the techniques and modes of its production.”

These classes range from public speaking to West African dance.

Finally, the philosophy requirement has been expanded to philosophy and ethics. According to Robert Batterman, philosophy department chair, this adjusted GER drops the emphasis on “classic” texts, which allows for a wider range of authors to be studied. The emphasis on a “philosophical approach” was also scratched.

“Dropping the requirement of a ‘philosophical approach’ is to my mind a mistake,” Batterman said in an email. “Many disciplines are concerned with ethical issues to be sure. These disciplines will allow students the opportunity of satisfying the Philosophical Thinking or Ethics GER without actually learning to do philosophy.”

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Facebook, pg. 9 campus,” Ninos said in an email. “Pitt has a robust food waste diversion and recovery program through Food Recovery Heroes and Pitt Dining by Sodexo, so this is just one more piece of the recovery puzzle.”

While the purpose of the group is rooted in sustainability, students often use the group to find free food. Jasmine Jarrett, a senior studying social science, said the group is important for food security for students.

“People such as myself are investing so much of their resources into getting their education,” Jarrett said in a text message. “The last thing we want to worry about are basic needs such as eating.”

Other groups seek to help with necessities for education. Pitt Student Book Exchange provides a platform for

ing student, said he finds the group helpful but that its applications are limited. “[For] common classes it is very easy to find from someone or to sell,” Piland said. “A lot of classes can be difficult to sell though since there may only be 100 or less people taking that class each semester.”

But despite its limitations, Piland said, the group remains a valuable tool for finding cheaper textbooks.

“It’s always worth a shot to sell that book you don’t want or to find a book for much cheaper,” Piland said.

Other groups offer housing opportunities to students, ranging from sublets to roommates to furniture for sale.

Among these groups is the 12,000-member strong “University of Pittsburgh (PITT) Housing, Sublets & Roommates.”

According to the about page of the Facebook group, the group allows posts

“

People such as myself are investing so much of their resources into getting their education. The last thing we want to worry about are basic needs such as eating.

Jasmine Jarrett

Senior Social Science major

students to buy and sell textbooks and supplies to their peers.

According to the group’s about page, the group exists to give students more cash back for their books than they’d get from selling them other places like the University Bookstore. Near the beginnings and ends of semesters, students post pictures of the books they are selling in the group along with a requested price. Interested buyers send messages or comment on the original post to purchase the book.

Chloe Chappell, a sophomore studying political science, said she used the group to save money on textbooks.

“I wanted to be able to get more affordable textbooks instead of spending so much money at the bookstore,” Chappell said.

Trey Piland, a junior civil engineer-

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about “housing, roommates, parking, sublets [and] property reviews.”

Elizabeth Haeckler, a junior chemical engineering student, used this Facebook group to find her sublet in the fall.

“The way I ended up finding my sublet was that I saw someone that I actually knew from freshman year,” Haeckler said. “Without that site, I wouldn’t have known that she was looking, even though I knew who she was.”

There are many Facebook groups for the Pitt community that benefit students in practical and amusing ways. Social media outlets offer rapid connection to friends and peers, and Pitt students are offering assistance to other students through Facebook groups.

“Help your fellow neighbor when you can and they will do the same,” Jarrett said.

Lgbtq+ LLC, pg. 9

Lothrop Hall houses the 14 students in Pitt’s Gender and Sexuality LLC. Thomas Yang | assistant visual editor the oppressor being the only straight cis person,” Jakob said. “It’s very sobering to hear my peers talk about what they go through on a daily basis because I can’t fully understand … but I can help dismantle the system that perpetuates prejudice.”

Many discussions that take place in the LLC involve members sharing their experiences facing discrimination throughout campus, according to Jakob. The prejudice often isn’t overt, but it manifests itself pretty frequently.

“There seem so be so many instances where trans members are misgendered,” Jakob said. “Recently one of our trans members got a dirty look for being in the ‘wrong’ bathroom.”

Talking through those issues remains one of the most emotionally challenging aspects of being an RA for the LLC, but Ferrante embraces the responsibility with open arms.

“I signed up to be the RA for this LLC so I could provide support to queer people who need it,” Ferrante said. “Discrimination won’t fix itself, but we can bandage the wounds … by supporting each other within the community.”

But according to Beaulieu, larger, more sweeping initiatives at Pitt are needed to grow and better include the LGBTQ+ community.

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“I would like to see more engagement with Pitt’s other programs, including events or partnerships with PQP [Pitt Queer Professionals], Pitt’s LGBTQ+ faculty and staff affinity group, as well as community engagement with local artists, activists and academics,” Beaulieu said. “These forms of mentorship are incredibly valuable given that we, as LGBTQ+ people, do not always have access to queer mentors or elders.”

Jakob firmly believes more allies should join the LLC. “It’s about dismantling … a heteronormative-, gender-binary-supporting mentality that allows prejudice to persist,” she said. “I don’t need to be LGBTQ+ to participate in that … in fact, I think everyone at Pitt, regardless of their gender and sexuality, should participate in inclusiveness training.”

But to Ferrante, until these large scale changes become a reality, raising a greater awareness of the LLC throughout Pitt is a good start.

“The concept of a gender and sexuality LLC is pretty new at most colleges, including Pitt,” Ferrante said. “But I think spreading the word is a crucial first step to growing the LLC … Who knows? Maybe we can even fill a whole floor of Lothrop next year.”

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Bio Professor, pg. 8 joined the Department of Biological Sciences in 2008, will teach the course’s two lectures and nine recitations for the spring semester, according to University course listings.

The petition, created Dec. 4, 2018, as an online Google document, was signed by 33 students within the first two days of publication. It was addressed to John Twyning, associate dean for undergraduate studies in the Dietrich school, and asked him to investigate and remediate the situation.

“We believe as a class that the past two examinations have been extremely unfair with an Exam 1 average of 47% and Exam 2 average of 49%,” the petition said. “Additionally, close to 2/3 of the class achieved less than a 60% or below on both of these exams, which prevents students from achieving a passing grade of a C, per his syllabus grading information.”

Twyning did not respond to multiple requests for comment when the petition was first reported by The Pitt News in December. Joe Miksch, a Pitt spokesperson, did not respond to multiple requests for comment about why the professors teaching the course had changed, or if any actions were taken against Peebles by the University.

Students in Peebles’ class made efforts to contact other administrators within the department, according to the petition.

Valerie Oke, a senior lecturer and assistant chair of the department, was first contacted after the first exam and asked to raise concerns about the grade distribution, the petition said. No changes were made to the course, according to the petition, but one student enrolled in Peebles’ class during the fall semester said Oke secured a 13-question exam rather than a 15-question exam. The student, who requested anonymity out of fear of retribution, said it wasn’t enough.

“The content was harder for this exam and timing was still an issue for some students,” the student said in an email.

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Opinions

2019: New year, same me pittnews.com

column

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS: TALK POLITICS

Julia Kreutzer

For The Pitt News Much of my winter break was spent answering my relatives’ endless questions regarding my first semester of college. From dating to my GPA, it seemed anything was up for discussion — except politics. I welcomed this gap in conversation, thrilled that our Christmas dinner was free of screaming matches and hurt feelings. And I’m not alone.

A CNN poll found only 15 percent of Americans would be excited to discuss politics over turkey on Thanksgiving. This is understandable, considering these conversations often have less than ideal results, whether it’s family ties being severed or worse. Last November, a screaming match regarding the NFL and the National Anthem led a North Carolina father to shoot his son in the hand and leg with a shotgun.

In an effort to avoid such disastrous ends to the holiday season, many families, like mine, chose to opt out of these discussions altogether. But this mentality may not be beneficial, either.

Refusing to confront the elephant (or donkey) in the room only propels political divides and robs families of meaningful and impactful conversation.

On the season finale of HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher,” the host suggested his audience take a note from Barbara Ann Kipfer’s book “14,000 Things To Be Happy About.”

“Baking bread, taking naps, and slumber parties,” Maher said. “Talk about that shit.”

If weighing the benefits of a french baguette versus a loaf of sliced white seems a more appealing conversation than the future of the nation, it is clear

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IMAGE BY: THOMAS YANG ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR

something has gone perilously awry.

Clearly, a middle ground is needed between assaulting family members and discussing baked goods. We have lost the art of conversation with a purpose.

Simple fixes, such as suggesting someone should just “be less offended,” not only are naive approaches but fail to accommodate the complex nature of political opinions. Political divisions no longer exist primarily in perceptions of tax laws or state versus national power. Disagreements on issues like Medicare, voting rights, immigration or abortion threaten more than our political party. We perceive them as attacks on our character and identities.

Just as our political identities have changed, we must radically transform the way such debates and conversations are handled. This key change in our approach to political discourse is the perfect resolution to ensure 2019 is better than years

prior.

Robert L. Leahy, director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, argues we are making seven key mistakes in talking politics.

“Political issues often lead us to escalate our emotionality and respond in ways that leave the other person thinking, ‘she doesn’t understand me.’” Leahy said.

The largest mistakes we are making are labeling, catastrophizing, taking comments personally, letting our emotions guide us, discounting positives, overgeneralizing and predicting future outcomes.

When we dramatically react to our uncles’ comments about immigration or our cousin’s passionate argument for a free college education, we are making our loved ones feel that they are the “other.”

This diminishes our ability to adequately communicate and carefully challenge them.

As tensions between parties continue

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to mount and the 2020 presidential election approaches, the key to preventing a repeat of the chaos of 2016 is normalizing disagreements while maintaining respect and empathy. Clearly, this is easier said than done, but if the past few years have taught us anything, it is that anything is possible. Beyond avoiding Leahy’s seven mistakes, aiming to implement several positive aspects of conversation can be the difference between discussing and fighting.

When asked how she handles political conversations with her parents, Karina Balan Julio, a contributor for “The Edit,” gave The New York Times a fairly straightforward answer.

“I’d like to be able to start discussions from similar standpoints rather than spending whole dinners just arguing about what’s credible and factual,” See Kreutzer on page 15

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Kreutzer, pg. 14 Julio said.

Rather than having a pro-life versus pro-choice debate right off the bat, talk about something seemingly everyone can get behind, such as the need for improved conditions for veterans.

Once you have established a mutual understanding of concurrence, work your way up to topics you may disagree on. This is the perfect way to normalize political discussion and remind loved ones that we are more similar than different.

Dennis Reina of Time Magazine suggests gratitude can go a long way.

“Your neighbor or friend may have opened up to you, sharing deeper beliefs, values and personal truths. Hopes may have been shared, as well as fears.”

Reina said. “Extend a thank you for the willingness to engage and share.”

Regardless of their outcomes, these conversations make us vulnerable and express our commitment to improving our loved ones. Simply thanking someone for their candor and consideration can evoke feelings of solidarity and increase our willingness to further engage.

At the end of the day, the entire purpose of these discussions is to constantly improve ourselves, each other and our democracy. Choosing to challenge our beliefs and those held by those we love allows us to see political issues in an entirely new light and chips away at the divide threatening our union.

This new year, rather than just resolving to spend some more time at the gym, aim to exercise your ability to talk politics and work out the political divide before it is too late.

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PA TO PARIS:

VIGNETTES FROM WINTER BREAK

By The Pitt News Staff

stolen.

I don’t remember that glass panel being there last year, and the church Delilah Bourque, Senior Staff didn’t mention Jesus’ kidnapping in Columnist the December newsletter. But apparently, as my parents explained, baby One activity dominated every othJesus was stolen years ago and the er this winter break — getting lunch. glass-covered display has been there Not just eating lunch, but going out ever since. Come to think of it, I only for lunch with friends and family. faintly remember the 20-foot steel Thursday, Dec. 20: candle display appearing across the I meet an opinions editor from sestreet from my second favorite Wawa. mesters past at Eat’n Park. We plan I can’t place exactly when the minfor 1:30 p.m. and we both show up 15 minutes late, because Henry always iature Christmas trees were added runs late and I know Henry is going to the light posts, or if the city ever to run late. The population inside bothered to take them down after last Eat-N-Park consists of three elderly Christmas. couples and a waitstaff who seems less Time feels strange leading up to than thrilled that people have the auChristmas, and even after, like it all blurs and layers together, leaving me dacity to order food. displaced within it.

Saturday, December 22nd: Once, when I let my dog out in the My friends, Victoria and Lauren, afternoon, I swear I felt time shift. As and I spend 45 minutes looking for I watched him sniff in the direction of parking at the mall. Finding none, we the middle school a block away from my decide to get lunch first, deciding on house, I was instantly transported to the a time-honored classic from our high days of stuffing flare jeans into knockoff school years — Chipotle. Victoria Ugg boots and sliding my LG Neon keyspends the entire time taking minuscule bites from a cheese quesadilla, Toboggan Slide Au 1884 in Quebec City. Maggie Koontz | staff columnist board in and out to remind my classtrying not to disturb her mouth, fresh mates that I had an ultra-cool LG Neon. ents’ house. We debate which salad sounds the best from wisdom-teeth surgery.

I don’t think that version of me anon the menu for 10 minutes, before I remember that Sunday, Dec. 23: ticipated living in another city, surrounded by new Pittsburgh is 500 miles further inland, and that if I My dad and I spend a harrowing hour in a Marpeople, feeling more secure and satisfied with myself want seafood I should probably get it here. than ever before. shall’s trying to figure out how much gift wrap we It feels odd to have memories in completely sepaneed to buy. I offer to treat my dad to lunch at our Allison Dantinne, Staff Columnist favorite Italian restaurant, Illiano’s. If you’re ever in rate places with different casts of characters, almost Middletown, Connecticut, check it out. I order loblike I’ve been living multiple interwoven lives this When I returned home to the Christmas City — whole time. It’s like I have different versions of myster ravioli every time. The guys at the counter know Bethlehem, Pennsylvania — I noticed for the first my dad, and give us free slices of pizza. We end up self. time a glass panel over the nativity scene in front of having to go out for more gift wrap.

I find that all the changes for Christmas — like our church. In the center of the city, on a main road Thursday, Dec. 26: the replacement Jesus and his protective glass panel lined with homes and foot traffic, someone had apMy uncle and I go for a post-Christmas lunch. We — remind me to take stock of who I feel like right now, parently stolen baby Jesus, and the church was trying decide on a seafood restaurant near my grandparSee Vignettes on page 20 to prevent the replacement infant from being

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January 7, 2019

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Vignettes, pg. 17 to be thankful for my many departures from who I used to be and to look forward to all the reincarnations to come.

Maggie Koontz, Senior Staff Columnist Most of my past winter breaks have been spent working to earn money for the upcoming semester. But this year I had the opportunity to travel as a last hurrah before I graduate this spring.

My winter vacation spots ranged from way up north in snowy Quebec City, Canada, to down south in warm Huntsville, Alabama, and then back home to the smell of bluegrass and rain in Louisville, Kentucky.

I went from wearing a heavy winter coat and two layers of pants to a T-shirt and jeans to a cozy sweatshirt and pants, but I had a wonderful time spending my winter break with the people I love.

Out of everywhere that I visited, Canada was my favorite. I journeyed to Quebec City at the beginning of break with my boyfriend’s family.

They graciously allowed me to accompany them to the winter wonderland for a long weekend. We traipsed through the snow-covered streets, looking in all of the quaint shops.

To visit the more historical parts of Old Quebec, we had to climb a steep, slippery hill or take the funicular, which is a cable car much like Pittsburgh’s two inclines. Some notable sights were the gates of the Citadelle, the Chateau Frontenac and a German Christmas market which were interesting because they displayed some of the history and culture of the city.

The gates were imposing and the chateau loomed above us at all times.

My favorite activity was sledding down a man-made toboggan run built in 1884. There are three tracks and we could place up to four people on the toboggan. We piled into the toboggan, careful not to slip down the steep concrete hill. I rode with my boyfriend and two of his sisters. The youngest sat in front of me and the other two sat behind us on the wet to-

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January 7, 2019

boggan. I held her tight with my legs and arms wrapped around her body.

When the man pulled the lever and let the toboggans go, all of us yelled with excitement.

There’s nothing like hurtling down an ice-covered track at 70 km/hr on a toboggan carrying four people while the wind whips your cheeks and bits of ice fly into your eyes. When we reached the end of the track, all seven of our faces were pink and smiling.

Ana Altchek, Staff Columnist After a week of all-nighters, my winter break began with another sleepless evening as I boarded my seven-hour red-eye to Paris.

Nonetheless, the jet lag did not phase me and my sister because we were returning to our second home. Since moving to the States, we rarely visited the country we grew up in, and even less often saw the close relatives who resided there. This made every moment we did spend in our family’s country even more sentimental.

When we arrived at Charles-de-Gaul Airport in the morning, our grandfather welcomed us with open arms and kisses on both cheeks. Despite having not seen him in two years, he hadn’t changed at all, with his brown leather beret marking his signature look. Our grandmother, six cousins and aunts and uncles greeted us shortly after.

One highlight of the trip included the Cathedral de Notre Dame. While we did not enter the cathedral itself, we walked the streets around it and explored the small shops and creperies in the area. The area is filled with a surplus of tourists, and an excess of cliches.

However, my favorite part of Paris remains L’avenue de Champs Elysees — and in the winter around the holidays, it is more exquisite than ever. The string lights that hang over street lamps shine brilliantly, and the window displays in the shops are embellished more glamorously every year. And of course there’s nothing more refreshing than an authentic shopping spree in the fashion center of the world.

Despite our everlasting jet-lag and another crammed seven-hour flight See Vignettes on page 21

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Vignettes, pg. 20 with double the amount of luggage we had when we left, my sister and I felt more rejuvenated than ever. Revisiting our family and place of origin was the best holiday gift we could ask for.

Mackenzie Oster, Staff Columnist This break was my first time stepping foot in my parents’ house since the day I left for college. It had been roughly four months since I had last seen my chaotic suburban hometown, the type of place where you cannot step outside without seeing someone you know and where everyone knows everything about everybody.

I wasn’t sure how it would feel when I finally got back to Johns Creek, Georgia.

I never thought much about it until the plane landed and I was suddenly greeted by the warm sun and an intense humidity that I had nearly forgotten.

Much to my dismay, being back home

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felt like I had just woken from a pleasant dream. My home life and college life are so separate from each other that sometimes college really feels like a fantasy world.

My friends rushed over to my house as soon as I was home and we all shared our experiences with one another, each one so different. Our college choices ranged from Atlanta to Virginia to Pittsburgh and so on. We all spent hours updating each other, talking about rush experiences and what newfound sorority life entails, roommate questionnaires and academics. It felt like the conversation could go on forever.

And even though we each live our new lives in such different places with very different people, we still sat on my bed in my house recounting our time apart and knowing in our hearts that we would always return to this place a little different than we left it. Yet no matter how different we each return, we will always share one thing in common — our home.

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Culture

TPN staff shares 2019 resolutions pittnews.com

TOP EVENTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS SPRING SEMESTER

Sarah Connor Culture Editor

Without the excitement of football season, homecoming week, Halloweekend and Thanksgiving break, the spring semester might seem like a much more dull time than the fall semester. The constant gray skies of Pittsburgh from January through March don’t help the already lackluster expectations that come with a spring semester at Pitt. However, though there may not be football tailgates, costume parties or a reasonable amount of sunshine to look forward to, there are some exciting events for Pitt students to gear up for this spring.

Pitt Program Council’s stand-up show: An Evening With Nicole Byer Hosting a famous comedian for a stand-up show has been an annual spring semester event for PPC. Saturday Night Live cast member and writer Colin Jost graced that stage at the WPU Assembly room in 2017. The 2018 event will feature Nicole Byer, who is known for appearing on the hit MTV show “Girl Code” and hosting the Netflix show “Nailed It!” Byer will perform on Jan. 24, with an opening performance from Pitt junior Kathryn Human, the winner of the “So You Think You’re Funny” competition PPC hosted last semester. Tickets are free for Pitt students at the Oakland campus and go on sale today, Jan. 7.

Local concerts Some big names in music are set to make their way to the Steel City this spring. PPG Paints Arena will house concerts for some of the most successful artists in their respective genres of music, such as Michael Buble Feb. 22, Blake Shelton Feb. 23, Mumford and

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Students gather in front of the stage at last year’s Bigelow Bash. Issi Glatts | multimedia editor event free for students — Bigelow Bash. with candy and costumes, but St. Patty’s Sons March 14 and Cher April 18.

Concerts at PPG Paints Arena can Each spring semester, PPC welcomes a Day festivities can deliver excitement cost a pretty penny, so for the college well-known music artist to perform on throughout the weekend. Pittsburgh has student on a budget, there are shows at a stage set up on Bigelow Boulevard its own traditions to celebrate the very smaller local venues to look into. Stage between the Cathedral of Learning and Irish holiday. An annual parade is held AE will welcome pop singer Poppy on William Pitt Union. Bigelow Bash usu- throughout downtown Pittsburgh, sponFeb. 9 as well as indie band Andrew Mc- ally takes place in late April, and similar sored by the Pittsburgh Irish Network.

Mahon in the Wilderness on Feb. 24. Al- to Fall Fest, is a highly anticipated event This year’s parade will take place on Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. ternative rock band Jukebox the Ghost for students.

St. Patty’s actually falls the next day, Past headliners for Bigelow Bash inwill play Mr. Smalls Theatre Mar. 24 and rapper JID stops at the Rex Theatre Mar. clude MisterWives, Mike Posner, B.o.B, March 17. Those celebrating the holiX Ambassadors, American Authors and day will probably be seen wearing all 9, among many other shows.

Kesha — back when she still stylized green all weekend long as they go barBigelow Bash If all of the previously mentioned her name as Ke$ha. The 2019 headliners and party-hopping in honor of old St. Patty — especially with the Official St. concerts are too expensive for your have not been announced yet.

Patrick’s Day Crawl PGH in the South St. Patrick’s Day budget, you can always look forward to It might not be a spooky holiday filled Side hosted by Bar Crawl Live. another annual Pitt Program Council

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‘HAMILTON’ LEAVES PITTSBURGH AUDIENCES SPEECHLESS review

Alex Dollinger Staff Writer

The pressure is on for the touring cast and crew of “Hamilton” as they bring one of the most coveted and original performances of all time to cities across America. As this production has become more accessible, fans may have questioned if the cast performing in Pittsburgh Jan. 1-27 would meet the towering expectations placed upon it, and my answer is an emphatic yes.

This popular show follows the life of Alexander Hamilton from when he was 19 years old. The audience watches him See Hamilton on page 25

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Actor Austin Scott (center) takes the titular role of Alexander Hamilton in the musical Hamilton. courtesy of hamilton national tour

January 7, 2019

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Hamilton, pg. 24 fight in the Revolutionary War alongside George Washington and navigate the political arena as the first secretary of state. The story is narrated by Aaron Burr, the man who shot Hamilton in the duel that ended Hamilton’s life.

The brilliance of creator, composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda is evident in this adaptation of historical events that shaped the country we live in today. What makes “Hamilton” dif-

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ferent than the average period piece is the modern touches of lively rap music and an ethnically diverse cast. In a theatrical world dominated by adaptations, “Hamilton” does it right by taking ownership of this story and telling it in a way it has never been told before.

Upon entry to the theater at the Benedum Center, guests were greeted by an intricate set of aged brick walls and wooden infrastructure. Set designer David Korins created a simple set that gives actors plenty of room to move

at different levels. However, there was a pleasant surprise for the audience — there was a rotating panel built into the stage.

This rotating floor allowed for several well-executed moments where the actors were in tableau and the stage would rotate them so the image they created was seen from all angles. This aspect of the stage was also used as a treadmill of sorts, allowing actors to walk or dance while still facing the audience. This part of the set was used to its fullest capacity

January 7, 2019

during the show, which was very exciting to see.

Those who are used to listening to the voices of the original Broadway cast will not be disappointed by the powerhouse vocalists of the tour. Miranda’s famous performance as the titular role is a lot to live up to, but Austin Scott brought his own perspective to the role and gave a spectacular performance.

His portrayal of Hamilton is earnest and endearingly awkward at times, See Hamilton on page 27

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SPONSORED CONTENT

THE INNOVATION INSTITUTE

Ready to Kick Off 2019 with Big Idea Blitz and She Innovates Nick Zarras

2019 is here, and students will arrive on campus in early January ready to get the spring semester underway. Luckily for any entrepreneurs on campus, the Innovation Institute’s Big Idea Center will host two events in January, both leading up the highly anticipated Randall Family Big Idea Competition in February and March where students can earn more than $100,000 in cash prizes.

The Randall Family Big Idea Competition applications are already open, with the Feb. 5 deadline fast approaching. For those wanting to get introduced into entrepreneurship at Pitt, or maybe just get warmed up for the Big Idea Competition, the Big Idea Center will put on the Big Idea Blitz on Friday, Jan. 18, and Saturday, Jan. 19. The Blitz will be held at the Information Sciences Building (135 North Bellefield Ave.) on the third floor, and registration opens at 5 p.m. on Friday before the competition begins at 5:45. Students can register online at https://go.innovation.pitt.edu/blitz2019.

On Friday, teams will pitch their ideas to the judges, who will announce top teams later in the evening. Teams can be formed in advance, at the competition, or using the TeamFinder online. The top teams will return on Saturday, and final pitching will take place in the afternoon.

Presentations are not required for the initial pitch, but teams will have time during the day on Saturday to create a simple PowerPoint presentation for the final

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pitch. The winners will be announced at 4:30. Teams will have the opportunity to meet and work with the entrepreneurs in residence on Friday night and on Saturday, and the entrepreneurs in residence will be speaking at the dinner on Friday night at 7. Food will also be provided on Saturday. The winners will get cash prizes, and many teams at the Blitz go on to compete at the Big Idea Competition, so the Blitz will be a great introduction if you are thinking about registering.

For female entrepreneurs, the Big Idea Center, with the Women in Computer Science (WiCS) and School of Computing and Information, will host She Innovates, the only hackathon at Pitt exclusively for women. She Innovates will take place on the third floor of the Information Science Building from Friday, Jan. 25, beginning at 5:30 p.m. to Sunday, Jan. 27. Registration can be found online at go.innovation.pitt.edu/sheinnovates.

Like the Big Idea Blitz, teams can be formed in advance, at the hackathon, or using the TeamFinder. A hackathon is an event where teams work to develop technical projects in a limited amount of time, and She Innovates is open to all skill levels. For those wanting to learn more, an information session will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. in Sennott Square 5317.

She Innovates will kick off at 5:30 on Friday and continue until the closing ceremony at noon on Sunday.

Competitors will be free to come and go

Big Idea Blitz:

January 18 & 19, 2019 Register here: go.innovation.pitt.edu/blitz2019

She Innovates: January 25-27

With Women in Computer Science (WiCs), School of Computing and Information, and the Innovation Institute go.innovation.pitt.edu/sheinnovates

Randall Family Big Idea Competition Deadline Feb 5, 11:59 p.m. go.innovation.pitt.edu/rfbic2019 as they please. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided on Saturday, and breakfast will be provided on Sunday. The opening ceremony keynote will be given

by Nicki Zevola Benvenuti, the founder and CEO at FutureDerm,. Mentors will be available to everyone throughout the competition, and after lunch on Saturday, PNC will give a workshop. Projects are due by 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, and the winners will receive cash prizes.

January 7, 2019

Like the Big Idea Blitz, She Innovates is an excellent chance to participate in a competition prior to the Randall Family Big Idea Competition later in the semester. For those wanting more info on the Big Idea Competition, info sessions will be held on Jan. 11 from 2 to 3 p.m. and Jan. 14 from 4 to 5 p.m. in Benedum 102.

More info can be found at go.innovation. pitt.edu/rfbic2019.

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Hamilton, pg. 25 which had the audience cracking up during his comedic moments and holding their breath for his dramatic ones.

Another standout was Bryson Bruce, who played the roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. He was incredibly funny and kept his energy up through the entire show, switching seamlessly between the two roles. He was complemented during both acts

by Chaundre Hall-Bloomfield as Hercules Mulligan and James Madison.

Hall-Bloomfield spent the first act as the hilarious hype-man who spied on the British, and then completely transformed into the sickly and reserved Madison, which requires a lot of range as an actor.

It was also interesting to see how the iconic Schuyler sisters were played

by Isa Briones (Peggy), Hannah Cruz (Eliza) and Stephanie Umoh (Angelica).

Cruz’s soulful voice is reminiscent of the role’s originator, Phillipa Soo, and she managed to portray the intense emotions this character goes through in a way that looked effortless. Umoh was consistent, giving emotional and intense performances during iconic numbers like “Satisfied” and “It’s Quiet Uptown.” And last but not least, Briones’ brief performance of a reluctant Peggy being dragged around the city by her older sisters was a memorable, though quick, piece of the show.

While they are sometimes forgotten about in the world of musical theater, the ensemble gave one of the greatest and most challenging performances I have ever seen. Not only are they singing Miranda’s complicated, layered harmonies with perfect pitch and tone, but they are doing so while dancing Andy Blankenbuehler’s famously difficult Tony-Award-winning choreography.

These dancers are the essential frame of every picture created by the main vocalists. The ensemble enhanced every number without distracting from the typical setup of an actor planted center stage. They navigated different platforms and often acted as a stage crew, bringing furniture on and off stage.

In addition to the set design, the lighting and costume design were incredibly well executed. Paul Tazewell’s

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simple and effective design gave several characters their own color scheme. This was especially evident with Hamilton.

Once he was able to stop wearing a soldier’s uniform, he continued wearing a green suit that changed slightly with time. His rival, Burr, was often wearing shades of red to contrast.

This costuming technique was utilized with several other characters, most impressively with the Schuyler sisters, who each have a single color they wear throughout the show. Angelica and Eliza both don several gowns

throughout both acts, each more beautiful than the next.

The lighting design by Howell Binkley was gorgeous for every scene, utilizing various styles. For the songs “Helpless” and “Satisfied,” lanterns flew in from above the stage that were meant to simulate candlelight. Those very same lights would burn brighter during certain moments, which was not only beautiful, but showed how detail oriented the creators of the show are. Tazewell’s method of clothing each character in a single color helped create one of the

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strongest images in the show during the number “Non-Stop,” where Hamilton and Burr stood in their own soft green and red spotlights, respectively.

“Hamilton” at the Benedum was an unforgettable performance that was bursting at the seams with talent. When the show was over and the lights came up, several audience members wiped away tears as others immediately jumped to their feet, clapping and cheering. This beautiful story told by an exceptional group of people will stay in your mind and in your heart long after you hear and see it in person.

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CHAMBER TRIO SERENADES HEINZ CHAPEL

Siddhi Shockey Staff Writer

A viola, a violin and a cello had a very meaningful conversation at Heinz Chapel on Sunday afternoon — with the help of the Miller-Kufchak-DeBruyan trio.

The chamber trio, which features Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra-trained musicians Lydia Miller on violin, Michael DeBruyan on cello and Meredith Kufchak on viola, played on Pitt’s campus the afternoon of Jan. 6. Their performance was intended to mimic a conversation between friends, but through the mode of chamber music.

The trio performed three different songs with multiple movements, beginning with one movement from Franz Schubert’s Trio No. 1 in B flat Major, a classical Austrian song. The piece featured a bright tone that highlighted violinist Lydia Miller, while the viola and cello added dimension and harmony to the melody Miller carried throughout the Schubert piece.

Miller admits, however, to the level of difficulty that the trio faced in performing such a

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Lydia Miller plays the violin in Heinz Chapel as one-third of the Miller-KufchakDeBruyn Trio. Sarah Cutshall | visual editor detailed and lengthy piece.

“Since there is no conductor,” Miller said, “we have to know our own parts, we have to know each other’s parts and we have to be very in tune with each other in order to play together.”

After performing their Schubert classic, the trio transitioned to a much longer piece titled Serenade in C Major by Ernst von Dohnanyi, a Hungarian composer. The composition featured five movements beginning with a march, which featured heavy tones from both the viola

January 7, 2019

and cello as to create the sound of a military parade.

Later, the piece featured a viola solo, highlighting Kufchak’s sound that later blended with the violin again to create a warm and smooth rhythm. The fourth movement of the piece featured a darker tone, drawn out by the baritone of DeBruyan’s cello.

As the Dohnanyi piece came to a close, the group once again transitioned to a new piece.

But instead of continuing with the classics, the trio decided to integrate a more modern piece set in the Appalachian Mountains.

“When I decided to perform in Pittsburgh, I heard it was the ‘Paris of the Appalachians,’” Miller jokingly told the audience. “I knew I had to honor this area somehow, so we decided to perform this next song in order to highlight the beauty of these mountains.”

Wrong-Mountain Stomp, written by John Mackey, portrays the conversational side of chamber music. The piece tells the story of a young girl named Jenny who decides that the Appalachian mountains aren’t enough for her See Chamber Trio on page 29

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Chamber Trio, pg. 28 and she wishes to move to the Rocky Mountains instead.

“It’s such a departure from like everything else that we do and it gives us permission to be silly and creative in the way that Schubert doesn’t,” Miller said.

Told in three movements, the story opens with a fight between Jenny and her mother in a section titled “Mama, I’m Leavin.’” The violin and viola speak to each other in bright and strident tones that reflect a quarrel between mother and daughter.

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The second movement, titled “Billy, I’m Leavin’,” tells the tale of a somber break up between Jenny and her longtime boyfriend.

Billy, portrayed by the cello, wails as Jenny tells him she must go. The cello’s falsetto moans as Jenny, the violin, responds in mellow and smooth notes.

The final movement, “The Train’s Leavin,’” opens with a violin solo meant to replicate the sound of a train whistle. As the movement progresses, the violin is met by the sound of a cello creating the noise of train wheels chugging on a track. The trio combines into a constant rhythm, mimick-

ing a ride across the country.

As the performance comes to a close, audience members bobbed along to the chugging of the train, laughing and smiling along with the performers. DeBruyan said “Wrong-Mountain Stomp” is by far the most fun and distinct song of the afternoon.

“We had a Schubert piece, we had the Dohnanyi piece, which are more traditional, like what you’d expect to hear in a chamber music concert,” DeBruyan said. “So the Mackey at the end is such a curveball and it’s a totally different style, and we had so much fun putting

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it together and messing around with the sounds.”

This showcase is one of many that Heinz Chapel features throughout the semester. Karen Sebolt, an event coordinator at Heinz Chapel, was excited to offer more performances as the spring semester continues.

“We really hope that students will take advantage of these shows,” Sebolt said. “We will be offering events ranging from string trios such as what you saw today to jazz groups, choral concerts and more throughout the spring.”

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Sports TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, OH MY! Michael Nitti Staff Writer

If you attended any Pitt sporting event this year, you likely saw plenty of people on their phones — but a few of those people have good reason to be distracted. The Pitt sports information directors and members of the marketing team are in charge of managing the athletic teams’ social media accounts, from live-tweeting events to highlighting individual athletes’ accomplishments. The social media accounts are one of the most important parts of the team.

Pitt Athletics has accumulated 210,000 followers across its main accounts on each of the three major platforms — Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Among the indi-

vidual team accounts, Pitt Football leads the way with 74,400 followers.

In control of these main accounts is Julie Jurich, director of social media and media relations for men’s soccer, wrestling and women’s tennis. Jurich joined the Pitt Athletic department in July 2015 and has cherished her time so far working with her department’s social media.

“What I enjoy most about social media is, for wrestling at least, is live-tweeting matches,” Jurich said. “I’ve had fans and family members of the team come up to me and say, ‘Hey, I really appreciate you giving all these updates when the guys are on the road, I follow them all the time,’ and that’s awesome.”

Julie Jurich, director of social media and media relations for men’s soccer, wrestling and women’s tennis, controls Pitt Athletics’ Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. via pitt athletics

While she gets some good feedback, not everything Juric sees is positive. In the sports world, fans will often take to Twitter to express their displeasure with a team — sometimes politely, but more often with vulgarity. The Pitt Athletics Twitter account has 31,600 followers, but according to Jurich, the Pitt Athletics Facebook page, which has 164,000 followers, is where fans really get mad.

“I feel like a lot of [angry fans comments] is on Facebook, but it’s like that with any sport,” Jurich said. “Facebook is a place where people go to vent. We could be up at halftime for a football game and people will find things to complain about, a lot of the See Social Media on page 33

PITT BASEBALL’S BELL LOOKS TO MAKE NOISE IN FIRST SEASON Griffin Floyd

Staff Writer For the first time since 1998, the Pittsburgh Panthers will begin their baseball season under the leadership of a new head coach. Mike Bell was hired in July to replace Joe Jordano, the winningest head coach in program history, who led the Panthers for 20 seasons before resigning this past offseason.

In his last year as head coach, Jordano led the team to a 29-26 record in an up-and-down season that included both winning and losing streaks of five games. Jordano’s winning record was marred by an 11-19 run in conference play. Despite its less than stellar ACC record, the team made a late run in the conference championships, losing in the semi-finals to Louisville.

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Sophomore pitcher Dan Hammer (18) pitched the second-most innings in the 2018 season.

Thomas Yang | assistant visual editor Bell is an extremely talented veteran coach, who in seven seasons as associate head coach and pitching coach at Florida State led the Seminoles to four college world series appearances. In

his first season at Pitt, Bell will lead a youth movement — hopefully to success. The year’s roster is highlighted by only four seniors and 13 first-years.

“Our guys, whether they’re fresh-

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men, junior college or not, they’re learning something each and every time [they take the field],” Bell said, following a preseason win. “I’m really See Baseball on page 34

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Social Media, pg. 31 time it’s just trolls trying to be trolls, and you don’t feed the trolls.”

But Jurich tries to look at the bright side of having trolls. To her, it shows fans are trying to engage and are paying attention, which is always a positive — even if it is negative.

While she tries to ignore the negative comments, Jurich still looks at them to make sure she hasn’t missed any genuine questions from fans. She also tried to keep the pages kid-friendly by hiding any comments with a lot of swearing, though she says she doesn’t need to do that often.

While Jurich handles specific parts of the social media job, she doesn’t do it all alone. Most social media platforms consist mostly of personal accounts controlled by single individuals, but larger-scale accounts that are under the name of a company, a team or even a high-profile public figure, often utilize a team of people and a process behind the content that’s posted.

Some of those people include the SIDs and the marketing team. Every member of each team is assigned a sport, together they make sure everything is posted. Making sure everything is covered means the departments have to be in constant communication.

The marketing team helps post about promotions, while the SIDs do the press releases. During games, one person may do an Instagram story while someone else posts stats on different social media stories.

“Every sport is kind of different, as far as who’s doing what,” Jurich said. “But it’s always one of the SIDs and someone in marketing.”

To remain active and maintain fan engagement, the SIDs do their best to post highlight videos, award recognitions, alumni news and recruiting announcements. To do that, multiple different departments, including marketing, SID, video and graphic designers come together.

“Our video team does a really great job creating behind the scenes videos or video recaps and posting stuff from the TV show,” Jurich said. “We also have really good graphics designers who put out great stuff, too.”

With 14 teams, it may seem like a challenge to give equal representation to all sports. Jordan Fields, junior triple and long jumper, feels that, despite solid content, the

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Pitt Athletics account could do a better job spreading out the exposure.

“The content is pretty good, but I think the Pitt Athletics Instagram page could post more about the track team,” Fields said.

“We’ve talked about it amongst ourselves and [the account] can be really football and basketball heavy even when the sports are out of season.”

While some athletes may not agree with all of the posts, the SIDs do their best to keep the athletes in touch with social media. While they don’t ask for their input too much, sometimes if the SIDs have a picture

they would like to post, they will ask the athlete if they have any good caption ideas.

They also encourage the athletes to retweet or repost the posts.

“One thing we tell them is that the team pages are the space where we’re going to promote them and their games,” Jurich said.

“And the best way they can try to get their fans at the game is by retweeting our tweets and that kind of stuff.”

For some social media accounts, the team behind the content will try to analyze the success of the post, often based around likes, reposts and comments/interactions.

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While Jurich notices when a post does well, she knows the number of likes is not the end all be all of a good post.

“We definitely look at [number of likes/ interactions] but a final score graphic against a ranked team is obviously going to do better than a preview for an upcoming game,” Jurich said. “But that’s just stuff that we have to put out. We definitely look at that kind of thing to see if we should have posted at a different time of day, or maybe we should have switched up the caption, that kind of stuff, it’s all pretty basic.”

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Baseball, pg. 31 looking forward to it and I know the team is, too.”

Bell’s coaching philosophy is perfect for a young team, emphasizing the learning aspect and mentoring the players as much as trying to win.

While Bell will spend a lot of time teaching his younger players, he will be able to look to some returning players to help anchor his team.

One of those players is sophomore Ron Washington Jr., who batted .284

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as a true freshman last year and played in all 54 games.

Sophomore pitcher and outfielder Chris Cappas batted .298 in limited action in 2018, and showed some of what he is capable in the fall season, recording an RBI and two strikeouts.

The young players will have to step up this season, as the Panthers lost their top two hitters last year. Frank Maldonado, who was the only athlete to hit .300, graduated. And Liam Sabino, infield standout who was second in hitting with a .268 batting average,

was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 35th round of the MLB draft.

Pitt also lost its star pitcher, Matt Pidich, who was drafted in the eighth round by the Cincinnati Reds. Pidich recorded a 3.05 earned run average in 91.1 innings pitched during his senior season.

This season, the rotation will be backstopped by pitcher Derek West, who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 28th round of the MLB Draft, but decided to return to Pitt for the 2019 season. After missing his first

January 7, 2019

and sophomore years to injury, West finished his 2018 campaign with a 3.24 ERA and 47 strikeouts, while giving up 18 earned runs in 50 innings pitched.

West played even better in the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer, with a 1.10 ERA in 16.1 innings.

Sophomores Dan Hammer and RJ Freure, who were second and third in innings pitched last year, with 62.1 and 58.2, respectively, will also return.

Hammer finished the season with a 6.79 ERA and 2-6 record. Freure finished with a 4.3 ERA and 4-1 record.

Also looking to see some time on the mound is first-year Mason Ronan.

Ronan recorded an ERA of 0.65 in 40 innings pitched to go with 84 strikeouts as a senior in high school in 2017.

“I do think that we’re going to be viewed as the underdog this year,” West said. “But don’t be surprised if we do the same thing we did last year, if not better.”

With Bell’s experience as a pitching coach and his pitcher’s past accomplishments, it is possible the Panthers’ pitching will improve this season. Three Seminoles pitchers were drafted into the big leagues in 2018.

Based on the pedigree of pitching that Pittsburgh has seen in recent years, Bell should help the team play to their strengths and excel defensively.

The team showed these new changes in preseason play, beating the Youngstown State Cougars 7-3 and blowing out the Toronto Mets, a professional team, 21-3 in an exhibition game.

Although preseason play doesn’t mean much, the dominance the Panthers showed should not be understated.

Senior outfielder Connor Perry made a name for himself with two home runs, including a grand slam and six RBIs against Toronto, following his transfer from Lackawanna County Community College.

While the Panthers may not make a championship run in 2019, the team’s overall ERA and pitching quality should improve. And the young team should make a name for itself in the ACC. Even with a young roster, things are definitely looking up behind a new head coach and team philosophy.

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PREVIEW: SOFTBALL SLIDES INTO SPRING SEASON

Senior infielder Olivia Gray (10) was named First Team All-ACC in 2018.

Kaycee Orwig | staff photographer

Stephen Thompson Staff Writer

Pitt softball ended its 2018 season in one of the most heartbreaking ways imaginable.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and a two-run lead over Florida State in the ACC Championship game, sophomore catcher Anna Shelnutt hit a three-run walk-off home run to give the Seminoles their fifth conference title in as many years.

The sting of their postseason let-down was compounded by being left out of the NCAA tournament and losing the 2018 ACC Coach of the Year Holly Aprile, who left to fill the head coaching vacancy at Louisville.

Aprile achieved new heights for a program that struggled to gain a foothold in the ACC since joining in 2013. She led the Panthers to three 30-win seasons in the last four years, a stretch which included the program’s first appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2015 and an ACC Coastal division championship in 2018.

Following her departure, the search for a new head coach lasted less than a full month as Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke announced Aug. 7 that former Ohio University head coach Jodi Hermanek would fill the position. In her inaugural Pitt season, Hermanek will try to build on the positive momentum created in the second half of Aprile’s tenure.

“One way we’re going to get past it is to stop talking about it,” Hermanek said. “Because there’s nothing we can do about it … they understand what it takes to excel to that part of a season and win against opponents of that caliber. So we’re going to keep those experiences in our back pockets and ride with those.”

Hermanek comes from Ohio University, a program that, like Pitt, struggled to make a

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name for itself on the national stage. But when Hermanek took over in 2008, things began to take a turn. The Bobcats won three division titles, two conference tournament titles and made two NCAA tournament appearances under her leadership.

Hermanek will take over a Panther program that already has a strong foundation, featuring just a core of players that are talented, experienced and, above all else, hungry. Last season’s disappointing ending left everyone eager to prove this team has what it takes to win an ACC title and more.

Senior infielder Olivia Gray was named First Team All-ACC in 2018, and as she enters her final season at Pitt, she echoed Coach Hermanek’s message of leaving the past in the past.

“It’s important just to keep looking forward and keep our eyes on the prize,” Gray said. “We want to win the ACC and make it to the postseason.”

Gray said she believes everyone in the conference expects to see Pitt win the Coastal division — including the Panthers themselves.

The Panthers graduated five seniors from last year, including their best players on both offense and defense. Star catcher Giorgiana Zeremenko led Pitt in home runs, RBIs and batting average, while workhorse pitcher Kayla Harris led the team in earned run average and wins.

Despite the significant losses, Gray and senior pitcher Sarah Dawson have no concerns about how they will replace their productive predecessors. Dawson spoke highly of the maturity and talent of her fellow pitchers, including senior Taylor Rahach, redshirt sophomore Brittney Knight and first-year Abby Edwards.

“Strong pitching is still going to be what we See Softball on page 40

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PANTHERS PROWL DURING HOLIDAY HIATUS

Nick Carlisano Staff Writer

Multiple Pitt student-athletes didn’t get much of a break this winter. The men’s basketball, women’s basketball, wrestling and football teams were all hard at work, coming back from break with an overall 10-3 record between the four teams. The wrestling team paved the way, going undefeated, including an upset over No. 20 Oklahoma. The men’s basketball team also had a productive break going 3-1 and outscoring opponents 305-209.

Pitt football adds 18 recruits on early national signing day Coach Pat Narduzzi had a busy winter break. After signing 18 recruits on early national signing day, Dec. 19, Narduzzi announced Jan. 4 he fired offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shawn Watson and wide receivers coach Kevin Sherman.

The cuts came after Pitt’s 14-13 loss to Stanford in the Sun Bowl Dec. 31. Watson served as

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the offensive coordinator for the past two years and Sherman as the wide receivers coach for the past four years.

The new coaches Narduzzi brings in will have the opportunity to work with a lot of fresh talent. According to ESPN.com, Rivals.com and 247Sports.com, Narduzzi’s early signing class is a mixture of four- and three-star recruits, containing only two two-star recruits.

Nine defensive players and eight offensive players define the class. There is also one hybrid player, Kyi Wright of Farrell. Wright is listed as an outside linebacker on several recruiting sites, but Pitt has listed him as an “Athlete” on its athletic site.

Quarterback Davis Beville of Greenville, South Carolina, and tailback Daniel Carter of Margate, Florida, both rated as four-star recruits by Rivals.com, were two of the biggest names Narduzzi signed.

Beville is expected to bring hope at an important position the Panthers have struggled

with recently. Carter will enter a backfield with big shoes to fill, helping to replace Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall who each rushed for over 1,000 yards this season.

Also joining the 2019 recruiting class are defensive backs Brandon Hill and A.J. Woods, Jr., both ranked four-star recruits by ESPN.com.

Both were big signs for Narduzzi as Pitt’s secondary is arguably the weakest position on the team currently.

While the 2019 class could grow by a few players, this is the bulk of the class that will look to help elevate the Panthers after an encouraging, yet average, 7-7 season.

Coach Capel’s Panthers dominate going into conference play, but fall to UNC The men’s basketball team displayed an impressive three-game stretch at the Pete over winter break after a hard-fought 69-59 loss to West Virginia in Morgantown.

Over the stretch that lasted Dec. 15-29, Pitt outscored its opponents 245-154 to improve to

January 7, 2019

10-3. Pitt’s win streak ended in an 85-60 loss to UNC in its first ACC game Saturday, Jan. 5. The loss was Pitt’s 23rd consecutive regular season ACC loss, dating back to Feb. 22, 2017.

The Panthers started their break by dominating Maryland Eastern Shore 78-43. Pitt’s bench did most of the damage, outscoring both the opposing bench and the Panther starters.

Senior guard Jared Wilson-Frame notched his first double-double with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. First-year point-guard Xavier Johnson led all scorers with 12 points — Johnson also broke a program, recording 11 consecutive games scoring in double figures.

Pitt earned its next win against New Orleans in a 99-57 blowout. Pitt’s highly touted firstyears, including Johnson, guard Trey McGowens and forward Au’Diese Toney, each scored at least 20 points.

McGowens and Toney recorded career See Sports Recap on page 38

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Sports Recap, pg. 37 highs with 24 and 20 points, respectively, and the three combined for a freshman record 65 points.

The Panthers tied another record by making 22-23 free throws — the first-years accounted for 21 of those. The win marked the team’s ninth win, more than the program had all of last season.

Colgate provided the Panthers with a little bit of a tougher task, but the Panthers still prevailed in their last out-of-conference matchup.

Pitt’s three standout first-years all scored in

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double figures and were joined by WilsonFrame who had 15 points and sophomore center Terrell Brown who had 10 points.

Brown had a program-high nine blocks to go along with his double-digit scoring.

McGowens was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the last week of 2018. The first-year guard led the Panthers in scoring against Colgate for the second game in a row after pouring in 24 points against New Orleans. McGowens also leads the team in steals with 28 this season.

Sophomore forward Shamiel Stevenson announced his intentions to transfer over winter break. Stevenson was a contributor to the

Panthers under Kevin Stallings last season but has been used sparingly under Capel, appearing in only four games. Stevenson has since committed to Nevada, the country’s No. 6 team at 14-0.

“We appreciate his efforts with the Pitt basketball program and wish him well,” Capel said in a statement.

Women’s basketball team has successful winter break The women’s hoops team posted a 3-1 record over winter break, with its only loss coming at the hands of No. 2 Notre Dame.

A superior rebounding effort allowed the

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Panthers to secure a come-from-behind victory over the UNCW Seahawks 60-56. The team trailed by as many as 13 and an 8-0 run erased an eight-point deficit with only seven minutes to go. Sophomore center Cara Judkins led the scoring for Pitt, netting 16 points on 8-11 shooting to go with seven rebounds and three blocks.

The Panthers again came from behind to beat Saint Francis 78-75 in overtime. Down as many as 12, Pitt gave the home crowd a thriller, in large part due to a career-best 20 points from senior forward Danielle Garven. Pitt was able to outscore St. Francis 10-7 in overtime. Junior guard Jasmine Whitney contributed 17 second-half points to aid in the win.

Coach Lance White and his team notched their third straight victory against crosstown rival Duquesne in the annual City Game. The Panthers shot a stellar 60 percent from three, compared to the Dukes’ 19 percent.

Whitney bested her previous game, extending her career high to 23 points while making all eight of her free throws. Senior guard Cassidy Walsh scored in double figures for the third time in as many games.

Sitting at 9-5 heading into conference play, the Panthers lost their first ACC game against No. 2 Notre Dame 100-44. The Panthers grabbed a season-high 19 offensive boards and outscored the Fighting Irish in the fourth quarter.

Pitt wrestling goes undefeated in three winter break matches Pitt wrestling, ranked No. 24, took down West Virginia, Bucknell and Clarion over break to remain undefeated, improving to 5-0.

Seven wins and two forfeits gave the Panthers a 37-3 win over rival West Virginia at the Fitzgerald Field House. Five of the matches went all three rounds, while redshirt freshmen Micky Phillippi and Nico Bonaccorsi won by technical falls.

Junior Demetrius Thomas, ranked 13th at 285 pounds, earned his 15th win of the season in the match.

Pitt then beat Bucknell in a 34-4 blowout. Tenth-ranked junior Taleb Rahmani won 157-pound weight class to improve to 8-2. Seniors Robert Lee, Bonaccorsi, Phillippi and Thomas all contributed bonus points in the match.

The Panthers then beat Clarion 39-3 with pins from seniors LJ Bentley, Lee and Thomas. Pitt finished out winter break upsetting No. 20 Oklahoma to remain undefeated.

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Softball, pg. 35 hang our hat on,” she said. “Our rotation is going to be a huge asset that we’ve never had before. We have the ability to use all four pitchers in every single game.”

Although the Panthers finished 2018 sixth in the conference in batting average, seventh in on-base percentage and fourth in strikeouts, the power coming from the middle of the lineup propelled the Panthers to 258 runs, good for third in the conference. The Panthers finished in the top three of the ACC in both home runs and slugging percentage, but after losing multiple major contributors to graduation, some new faces will have to step into larger roles.

For Gray, that doesn’t require a major change to her skills or her approach. In a sport that plays a lot of games and requires longevity as much as talent, she wants to add stability to the list of adjectives that define her as a player.

“My goal this year is to stay consistent,” Gray said. “Whether that’s at the plate, in the field or in a leadership role on the team.”

But as much as the Panthers hope to win this season, with a brand new head coach taking over, everyone looks toward what the future will hold. Hermanek is in a unique situation, inheriting a program where she is both set up for immediate success while also hoping to build a new team and culture. Her players have already embraced the change.

“From the moment that Coach Herm stepped on campus and met with us, the one word that has come up the most is ‘culture’ and ‘team culture’ and ‘championship mindset,’” Gray said. “And I think the repetition of those words and showing us that this is how champions play, and this is how champions act and this is how champions practice … they made us feel like we will be champions because this is how hard we’re going to work.”

The Panthers are in position to notch another quality season, but fans should also look ahead to how Hermanek lays the foundation for her new program. Building positive culture will take time, but it is always time well spent, according to Hermanek.

“To me, in the first few years, culture is going to seem like a society of rules, and then after that the culture just becomes a way of living.” Hermanek said. “‘Don’t do this’ and ‘don’t do that’ becomes just how you live … Pretty soon, with people who are willing and able, culture will just become a way of living.”

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