5-29-15 by The Pitt News

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Table of Contents

issue 5 Volume 106

Cover photo Theo Schwarz | Visual Editor

NEWS

OPINIONS

A&E

SPORTS

|fresh on campus

|#premedprobs

THE PITT NEWS

33|your Panther card and you 38|How to Pitt Sports 42| East Asian Culture in Pitt 44| Pros and Cons of Pitt Dorms

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50|An Intro Pitt Arts 52|Pittsburgh Farmers’ Markets 54|Korean Nationality Room 58|East Liberty Revival

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Editorial Policies Single copies of The Pitt News are free and available at newsstands around campus. Additional copies can be purchased with permission of the editor in chief for $.50 each. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the students, faculty or University administration. Opinions expressed in columns,- car toons and letters are not necessarily those of The Pitt News. Any letter - in tended for publication must be addressed to the editor, be no more than 250 words and include the writer’s name, phone number and University affiliation, if any. Letters may be sent via e-mail to letters@pittnews.com. The Pitt News reserves the right to edit any and all letters. In the event of multiple replies to an issue, The Pitt News may print one letter that represents the majority of responses. Unsigned editorials are a majority opinion of the Editorial Board, listed to the left. The Pitt News is an independent, student-written and student-managed newspaper for the Oakland campus of the University of Pittsburgh. It is-pub lished Monday through Friday during the regular school year and Wednesdays during the summer. Complaints concerning coverage by The Pitt News, after first being brought to the editors, may be referred to the Community Relations -Com mittee, Pitt News Advisory Board, c/o student media adviser, 435 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260. The editor in chief has the final authority on editorial matters and cannot be censored, according to state and federal law. The editor in chief is selected by the Pitt News Advisory Board, which includes University staff, - fac ulty and students, as well as journalism professionals. The business and edito rial offices of The Pitt News are located at 434 William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15260.

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NEWS

Fresh on campus

A data snapshot of Pittʼs campus

he freshman class of 2019 is hard to pin down. Pitt has hardly any official data on them yet, in part because it is still accepting students for the fall and more are matriculating each day. “Pitt has rolling admissions, meaning many in the upcoming class are still being accepted, or are still contemplating their acceptance,” Pitt spokesperson John Fedele said. According to Fedele, Pitt will release all of the juicy statistics after the add-drop period in the fall. Nevertheless, Chief Enrollment Officer Marc Harding said so far, this year’s freshman class will be more than 4,000 students strong. He could not say how many applications Pitt had received this year, but said freshman applications are expected to surpass the 30,629 Pitt received last year. Pitt is also projecting this freshman class to be “slightly larger and even more diverse than last year,” he said. While we wait for Pitt to release the hard data, here’s a look at the campus that the class of 2019 will join in just a few short months. -Dale Shoemaker, News Editor

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

What PittStart won’t tell you: Advice from the class of 2015 Nerine Sivagnanam Staff Writer Not long after Samantha Nuttall got to Pitt as a freshman, a bus driver told her and one of her friends they were on the wrong bus — in the middle of a neighborhood, far from Oakland. The pair “got off the bus in the middle of some suburb to wait for some bus to take us back to Oakland,” Nuttall said. “It was horrible.” College may seem equally exciting and daunting, but Nuttall, a 2015 Pitt graduate, made it through to the other side and now knows the ins and outs of Pitt life. Like many former students, there are some things she didn’t learn at PittStart that she wishes she would have, such as learning how to navigate Pittsburgh on the Port Authority buses. Nuttall and her friend had been trying to get to the Wal-Mart at the Waterfront to buy supplies for their dorm room but got on the wrong bus.

“We had used the buses maybe twice by After finishing an exam, Kozak shared this point,” Nuttall, a previous anthropol- his thoughts on the test with a friend while ogy and acting major, said. “From all that, walking to the Carnegie Library. I learned to ask the bus driver where the “And I mentioned how strange it was bus is going before you get on the bus, not we didn’t have a question on a particular after,” she said. topic,” Kozak said. Joseph To KoKozak, zak’s disSAMANTHA NUTTALL, also a 2015 may, his Pitt graduate Pitt gradufriend inate who formed him majored that there in physics were quesengineertions based ing and is on of every now in an topic covengineering master’s program at Pitt, of- ered in the class. He had forgotten to anfered some advice from inside the class- swer an entire problem on the back of the room. last page, worth one fifth of the exam. Kozak said he would have benefitted “My friend consoled me as he told me from someone telling him to check all pages there was a fifth question,” Kozak said. of a test before turning it in. This piece of “Since that day I check the back of every advice might seem minor, but would have exam, just in case.” made a big difference for his freshman year For Haley Chizever, a 2015 Pitt gradugrades. ate who majored in psychology and Jewish

Yes, you can order pizza to the library.

Studies, she found embarking on adventures outside of Oakland and buckling down for stressful sessions in Hillman Library are better with a friend or two. While many students expect to make friends with others on their residence hall floors, Chizever said freshmen don’t have to be friends with the first people they meet. “Some people really do find that their best friends are also their neighbors, but not everyone clicks with their floor. And that’s OK,” Chizever said. After she became close with someone, she said, she would meet that person’s friends and the group of them would all hang out together. “If you’re friends with someone, you already like them, so odds are you’ll like the other people they are friends with,” Chizever said. Nuttall’s last piece of advice was to help students push through late night Hillman study sessions. “Yes, you can order pizza to the library,” Nuttall said.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Formalities first How to talk to your professors Lauren Rosenblatt Assistant News Editor The incoming freshmen class will have no trouble sending text messages and writing tweets, but when it comes to composing an email, experience has proven it to be a harder task. According to Pitt professors, one of the worst mistakes a student can make is treating an email like a text message. Professors like Jason Dechant said the best way to avoid unprofessionalism in emails was to make students aware of how they are communicating. So, how do you approach your professors? Below, with advice from three Pitt professors, is how professors wish their students would communicate with them.

Rule number one:

Start off formally, no matter what Until they tell you otherwise, nursing school professor Dechant always tells his students to address their professors formally in order to make a good first impression. Even though he’s a professor himself, he is still formal with some of his colleagues, he said. “The first time you address them, address them formally and usually the person will tell you how to continue,” Dechant said. “The first time I introduce myself to somebody I still use their title.” Different professors have different preferences, Dechant said, and a student shouldn’t write off a professor that wants more formality than others. “Some of it is also a generational thing. I’m in my 40s, so I work with a lot of people who are much older than me, and I still address them by their formal title because when they were trained, that’s just how they did it,” Dechant said. Dechant warned that the younger generation of professors may be easily offended if a student is unprofessional in their communi-

cation because they could feel it is undermining their authority. Physics professor Russell Clark agreed that sometimes students forget who their audience is, and that makes communication more difficult. “This is your opportunity to practice a professional relationship,” Clark said. “You’re dealing with professionals, and you want to interact with them that way.”

or her full name, the class he or she is in and the main purpose he or she is writing early on in the message for all emails. Keeping the message short and simple is easier for professors, but students must include the basics if you want to get a response, Clark said. “The more info you can provide the faster you’ll get a response, otherwise I have to write back and we exchange 6 or 7 emails trying to figure out what you’re asking,” Clark said. Pernille Røge, a professor in the history department at Pitt, said aside from content, she advises students to make sure they use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. Students should also be aware of their connotation and word usage, to make sure they are setting the right tone, she said. “Don’t treat it like a text message. If you address an email that starts with ‘Hey,’ that’s not professional,” Dechant said. “The beauty of an email is that you have a minute to look it over and say ‘What is the tone that I’m trying to set with this?’” As for follow up emails, Dechant said he tries to respond to as many emails as possible, but sometimes a few will slip through the cracks. He recommends waiting a few days to send a follow-up and never bombarding him with emails. Dechant also suggests skipping email altogether and attending his office hours if there is an important question or urgent concern.

Russell Clark

“You’re dealing with professionals, and you want to interact with them that way.” As the semester continues, it’s okay for students to be less formal with their professors, Dechant said. The best move, he said, is to let the professor decide, and they will let the student know if it is OK with them to be more casual. “Address them formally, use their title and within 30 seconds of the conversation you’ll know how to direct your responses and your level of professionalism versus casual,” Dechant said. “As the relationship builds, they may let you in a little bit and may say, ‘I prefer this sort of distinction.’”

Rule number two:

Watch your email etiquette Email can make it easier to communicate with professors, but the electronic medium is a minefield for mistakes, according to Clark. It’s important for a student to include his

Rule number three: Go to office hours

Though it doesn’t set a specific number, Pitt’s Faculty Handbook requires all profes-

sors to set office hours. But according to Clark, many students think talking before or after class is the best time. It’s not, he said — he can’t devote the time and attention the student needs when he is being pushed out of the classroom by another professor or needs to start class. When students do come to office hours, Clark said, they should bring questions, so they can get the most out of their time there. “The professor won’t think you’re not smart if you have a question,” Clark said. “I don’t see questions as a sign of ignorance. I see them as a sign of curiosity.” Dechant said students should know that the experience may be very different than they expect, and that they have nothing to lose. “Professors will have one persona in class that is very cut and dry, but you go them in person, and it’s a very different experience,” Dechant said. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Rule number four: It’s OK to grow close with professors

The bond with your professors can go beyond asking for homework help. When Dechant was an undergraduate student at Pitt, he said, he approached one of his anthropology professors about wanting to learn more about his career. They set up a meeting and the relationship formed. “Most people are excited that somebody else is interested in what they are doing,” Dechant said. Despite extremely difficult exams and mounds of homework, professors are looking out for their students’ successes. Students’ time at Pitt is limited, Røge said, so they should make the most of it. “I would encourage them to find out as much as possible about this place as soon as possible, so they can hit the ground running,” Røge said.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

From far away lands: How students cope with distance Mark Pesto Staff Writer When he was a Pitt freshman two years ago, Manoj Narava was 2,500 miles from home. “I wanted to try something new,” he said. Last fall, Narava was part of the nearly 30 percent of Pitt’s undergraduate student body that came from out-of-state. According to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid’s 2014 Class Profile, these out-of-state students come from all 49 other states, the District of Columbia, two U.S. territories and 102 other countries. Narava, who came to Pitt from Cupertino, Calif., started as a freshman in the fall of 2013 and, despite being so far from home, returned for his sophomore year. While Narava adjusted well to his new surroundings, many students who chose to travel a long distance to attend Pitt struggle with being far from home,

possibly for the first time in their lives. According to Tina Goldstein, an associate professor of psychiatry at Pitt, even if a student is a legal adult or has moved away from home, he or she might not have completed a successful transition into independence and adulthood. “[Many] young adults leave for college with many, but not all, of the skills they need to navigate the challenges ahead,” Goldstein said. “Being able to recognize one’s needs and identifying places to get support, help and guidance are critical elements of successfully navigating the transition to independence when leaving home.” Narava, a microbiology major, lived in the then-brand new Mark A. Nordenberg Hall during his freshman year, an experience which he called “fantastic.” But adjusting to dormitory living can also be a stress-causing factor, which might affect a student’s mental health and well-being, according to Goldstein. “Dorm life presents many exciting

opportunities, including the chance to meet new people and form strong connections,” Goldstein said. “It also presents unique challenges, including limited privacy, distractions and irregular sleep/ wake cycles.” Social media sites, which are integral to the lives of many college students, can also affect how freshmen adjust to college life. Goldstein thinks that social media can either help or hurt a freshman who is far from home. “[Social networking can] serve as a support to help students feel connected to and supported by family and friends far away, and may also contribute to feelings of isolation,” Goldstein said. Narava focused on Facebook’s upside, rather than letting it contribute to any feelings of loneliness. “I definitely think it helped me,” Narava said of his Facebook usage. “I was able to keep in touch with my friends.” In the Fall 2014 issue of the Pitt Pride, a newsletter published by the Dietrich

School of Arts and Sciences, Mary Koch Ruiz addressed the feelings of isolation that attending college far from home can cause. Ruiz, a counselor at the University Counseling Center, said loneliness can result in feelings of disconnection, avoidance of opportunities to connect with others for fear of rejection, self-medication with food or alcohol and several other negative habits. Ruiz advised students to deal with loneliness by, among other tactics, reaching out to others. “Join a student group or organization to meet others,” Ruiz advised students. “Keep in touch with family and friends from home via phone calls, emails and text messages. Talk with someone — a resident assistant (RA) or a counselor in the University Counseling Center.” Ruiz assured students that feelings of loneliness are not permanent. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

It’s cool to be queer: LGBT community strong at Pitt Alexis Mazzeo Staff Writer After Ben Wahlberg wore their first dress, they finally understood themselves. It took until their junior year, but after Wahlberg, who is genderqueer and prefers the pronoun “they,” wore that first dress, Wahlberg felt they didn’t have to hide who they were anymore. “I felt it was something taboo or shouldn’t be talked about. I have very supportive people in my life. I’ve made a space for myself at Pitt,” Wahlberg said. Where Wahlberg found their space, others are too. Through the support of friends and a few key organizations on campus, Wahlberg is one of a growing number of Pitt students who feel comfortable embracing their sexuality and gender in Oakland. These organizations, which include the Rainbow Alliance, the Campus Women’s Organization and the Fourth Wave magazine, all have different missions but share the same message: It’s

cool to be queer at Pitt. The Rainbow Alliance is an LGBT advocacy group at Pitt. Before each meeting, they state safe space rules, such as learning how to address offensive comments. They never assume anyone’s sexual identity or gender, member and former president Allie McCarthy, said. McCarthy, whose preferred pronoun is “she,” said some people use the meetings as a safe space to proclaim their identities, and others like it to be a place where they don’t have to be defined by anything. “As you go you through college, you become yourself. Rainbow was definitely that space for me when I joined as a freshman,” McCarthy said. But this safe space has not come without struggle. In 2012, the Rainbow Alliance began an ongoing legal complaint with Pitt regarding transgender issues, such as letting transgender students use the bathrooms they want and getting their preferred names changed on University documents.

The struggle began when Pitt Johnstown expelled a transgender student for refusing to stop using a locker room that did not match the gender on their birth certificate. The student filed a lawsuit against the University claiming gender discrimination, which they have since settled. Since then, the Rainbow Alliance has worked with the University to make changes to accommodate all students. Now, students have the option to change their names on CourseWeb, Pitt email and the online directory Find People so they can be addressed the way they want to be. According to Pitt spokesperson Ken Service, Pitt is committed to an “ongoing dialogue” and seeks to “balance the interests of everyone at Pitt.” The Rainbow Alliance holds events during orientation week to make its presence known. They have a Meet the Rainbow Alliance event, and they also present themselves at the activities fair. They work to get their message out and let people know that they provide an inclusive space.

Marcus Robinson, whose preferred pronoun is “he,” is the president of Rainbow Alliance and said the social events cover basic topics, like what it means to be trans and what to do or what not to say. Their meetings are where they go into more serious topics, such as what it’s like to be trans while also being a person of color. Similarly, while feminine issues are its main focus, the Campus Women’s Organization is also an advocacy group for gender rights. The organization does work regarding feminist issues, such as representing the interests of Pitt’s women in education, empowerment and reproductive justice and maintaining sensitivity towards individual identity, according to president Suzy Hinkle. Similarly to Rainbow Alliance, at the beginning of their meetings all of the board members will introduce themselves with their preferred pronouns.

LGBT

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

How to get the most pizza for your peso

Pizza is a staple of college life, especially in Oakland. But which shop offers the most pizza for the least of your pocket change? To obtain this data, we calculated the area of each pizza and divided the total area by the price of the pie. All prices are from EatStreet. com, and we used a 16-inch pie as the standard for each calculation. -Dale Shoemaker, News Editor

After cuts, Pitt announces the Year of Humanities Dale Shoemaker News Editor After drastic cuts last year, Pitt will seek to resurrect the humanities. Last year, Pitt cut its religious studies graduate program and suspended admission to its German and classics graduate programs. Now, Provost Patricia Beeson has announced that the 2015-2016 academic year will be the ‘Year of the Humanities,’ just as the 2014-2015 school year was the ‘Year of Sustainability.’ Pitt’s focus on the humanities, though, comes at a time when some professors are questioning the University’s dedication to the very programs it hopes to promote in the coming year. In mid-April, Jackie Smith, a professor in the sociology department, Michael Goodhart, a professor in

the political science department and 76 other professors sent a letter to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher with concerns about his announcement that Pitt should commercialize the results of its research. “We recognize the economic realities facing modern universities ... Yet the commodification of knowledge through intellectual property law can effectively exclude most of humanity from the benefits of our research ... Commercialization has its place, but it also carries substantial risks,” the professors warned in their letter. In response, Gallagher said he had hoped to highlight the fact that commercialization was one method to allow Pitt to have an impact on academia and in the United States. Pitt, he wrote, does not have the same goals as a commercial institution. “We don’t. We are here to educate stu-

dents ... we seek public benefit, not profit ... but when our goals can be advanced by the translation of our research into new products or services ... we should have the capacity to do so in ways that are consistent with our values and our public mission,” Gallagher said. Pitt made the cuts last year, however, because it couldn’t afford to fund the programs. The year is not a response to the Chancellor’s push toward commercialization, Don Bialostosky, a composition professor and chair of the committee that will lead the year, said. “The humanities are not going away. The humanities are not commercializable in the same way some of the other enterprises the University sustains are,” he said. “But they’re fundamental to the education of wide-ranging and creative

undergraduates and graduates.” As for Pitt’s recent announcement of the year, Smith said she hopes she and her colleagues can address the issues they find most pressing, such as capitalism’s role in climate change. “I’m hoping some of our signatories will develop programming that will allow more space to discuss these issues, and the Year of the Humanities offers an opportunity to do that,” she said in an email. Courtney Weikle-Mills, a professor in the English department, said the year is an opportunity to have a larger conversation about the humanities in general. “I think, and hope, it’s about recognizing what we already do as valuable and also

Humanities

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Activism and attitudes: Politics at Pitt Mark Pesto Staff Writer In 1970, Paul Finkelman tied a headband around his forehead that read ‘Strike’ and joined hundreds of other students at Syracuse University protesting the Vietnam War. “[The political environment] was much more intense when I was in college,” Finkelman, now a civil liberties expert at Albany Law School, said. “The issues of the day were much more immediate to college students. If you flunked out of college, you got a plane ticket to Vietnam, and for 55,000 American kids, that was a one-way ticket.” Since then, college political groups have been at the forefront of some of the most important social and political movements in recent American history, Finkelman said. At Pitt, student groups such as Pittsburgh Student Marxist Association, Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), College Democrats and their counterparts, College Republicans, are all part of the long

Katelyn Binetti | Staff Illustrator

tradition of college political action. According to Finkelman, the high cost of tuition is the most important issue facing today’s college students, and Pitt’s student political leaders agree. Finkelman said that sometimes students are discouraged from involving

themselves in politics because they face significant economic challenges. “Disgracefully, the United States government has abandoned your generation,” Finkelman said, alluding to the rapidly rising costs of college tuition.

Gabrielle Hill, president of the Pitt College Democrats, said the price of college is the single most relevant issue facing today’s college students. “Many students don’t realize how much impact local and state government can have on something like interest rates for student loans,” Hill, a junior chemistry major, said. “As a student who pays for her own education, I see what I’m paying for interest. I know it’s unfair. And that matters to me.” But while students from Finkelman’s generation may have rallied against the war in Vietnam or joined a freedom ride, students now are opting for less extreme forms of protests — and ones that will still let them get jobs. While Cameron Linton, a senior economics and political science major and president of the Pitt College Republicans, agreed with Hill that economic issues are key, he argued that the biggest problem college students face is finding jobs after graduation. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

Faith in the Steel City: Religion on campus Emma Solak Staff Writer After years of having their parents decide whether or not they went to church or religious services, many Pitt students are actively taking part in religious organizations of their own accord, and the organizations are thriving. In 2012 the Public Religion Research Institute conducted the Millennials Value Survey, which showed that college-aged millennials are more likely to identify as religiously unaffiliated than the general public. But for religious leaders and Pitt students like Mashal Wakilpoor, faith has guided them through the mysteries of young adult life. Wakilpoor, the president of the Muslim Student Association, said college presented the opportunity to discover what kind of person he was. When he first came to college, Wakilpoor felt guilty going to parties, even though he didn’t drink or smoke, while

still participating in the traditional Islamic practice of praying five times a day and reading the Qur’an. Three years later, Wakilpoor said these struggles led him to understand why certain things were said in the Qur’an. “My religion’s role became more fluid and accepting of mistakes, and it allowed me to become closer to my beliefs in a different way,” Wakilpoor said in an email. “And once I knew the reason [for the rules], it strengthened my belief.” For Hillel Jewish University Center president Zach Schaffer, a junior, faith posed its own questions. Family and culture play a heavy role in Judaism, which Schaffer said thrives on one generation passing the tradition down to their own children. When he came to college, Schaffer questioned whether he would take it upon himself to continue that faith, since his parents were no longer forcing him to attend services or follow the dietary restrictions. Schaffer said the college campus atti-

tude wasn’t a welcoming environment for religious students, and he had to make social sacrifices to stay connected to his faith. “[ Judaism] gained a higher level of importance because it was my choice,” Schaffer said. “I was no longer doing it just because of family pressure or because it was what I’d always done.” Christian leaders, too, at both H2O, a Protestant church designed specifically for college-aged students, and the Catholic Newman Center on Bayard Street, said the college students they interact with are asking deeper questions of themselves and their faith. According to Zakk Roberts, a minister with H2O who has been working with the group since its installment in the fall of 2012, the students in H2O come from a wide variety of backgrounds, majors and beliefs, all drawn together by their want to learn about and question God and Christianity. “College is the perfect time to wrestle through the questions ‘what do I believe

and why?’” Roberts said in an email. The Rev. Joshua Kibler, a Catholic priest at the Newman Center, said he encourages students to ponder life’s deeper meaning. “Answering questions such as ‘what does it mean to love truly?’ and ‘how do I handle fear in my life?’ and ‘what is the truth of things, and is there even such a thing?’ is derived from the kind of person we are,” Kibler said. Kibler said he helps upwards of 1,500 students a year at weekly services and confessions at the Newman Center and St. Paul’s Cathedral, on the corner of Fifth Avenue and N. Dithridge Street, find the answers they are searching for. College is a time when students must decide if their religion is just a practice of their family or a principle of their own choosing, according to Kibler. And for Catholic students who do respond, he said they find a life of giving thanks and recognizing dependence on God. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

How to eat healthy in college: A Q&A with a dietitian by Lauren Rosenblatt, Assistant News Editor

Another thing, sometimes you just have to go outside your comfort level and just start [cooking] — just dive in, that’s how one gains experience. There’s such an interest in cooking shows and the Food Network, so I encourage students to turn off the TV and see what they can whip up in their own kitchen. And it’s a great way to form social bonds, to cook together and eat together.

way from home for the first time, freshmen might have difficulty adjusting to doing basic tasks themselves — like eating well and making sure they’re getting enough nutrients. With one meal swipe, students have access to everything from fries and cheeseburgers to tofu, hummus and a full salad bar. As of 2012, 17 percent (or 12.7 million) of American children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 were obese, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Pitt gives students options, but according to Elizabeth Ruder, a registered dietitian, assistant professor and researcher at Pitt, students should care about their diets. The Pitt News spoke with Ruder to find out if it’s possible to maintain a healthy diet in the Steel City.

Q A

The Pitt News How exactly do you define healthy eating? Elizabeth Ruder I would say that a healthy diet is one that incorporates a variety of foods. It’s not just short lists of good foods and bad foods. You should even include some things one might be quick to categorize as bad foods, but the majority should come from nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Q A

What kind of foods would you recommend people avoid?

Q A

What advice would you give a student struggling to eat healthily in a dining hall?

Q A

Sometimes it’s easier to talk about food that you should be eating. You want to make sure people aren’t hung up on one soda — of the tens of thousands of calories you’re going to eat in a week, the calories that come from one single soda isn’t going to ruin everything. It’s important to focus on the big picture and not just the small steps.

Pitt Dining offers students a variety of choices, so for the mindful eater there are healthy choices to be had there. I would say focus on filling your plate up with the right stuff. Rather than trying to say, “I’m only going to eat healthy foods in the dining hall,” allow yourself to have some of the less healthy choices but be mindful when you’re consuming it. Take a small portion, eat it, focus on it, put down your phone and you’ll get the same amount of enjoyment if you’re mindful as opposed to not being mindful and eating too much. It’s hard to make those choices when there are less healthful things, but allow yourself to have both, and be mindful when you’re eating it. And don’t feel guilty. What advice would you give a student struggling to eat healthy when they cook for themselves? For students who are cooking in their apartment, it can be a challenge to get fresh fruits and vegetables, but canned and frozen are just healthy as long as they don’t have added sugar or salt. There’s nothing unhealthy about frozen broccoli or peas.

Q A

What’s your take on frozen meals? There’s going to be a variety. Different brands are going to have different nutrient profiles for frozen foods. The downside is that depending on a student’s need, that’s not enough food. So if you’re not getting enough energy in your body, you’re going to be hungry and you’re going to walk past a pizza place and not be able to say, “No I’m full.” There can be a time and a place with some frozen meals, but there are some challenges with that as well. They might not provide enough energy for an active young adult. How would you help someone stop overeating? I would tell them to think about why they’re overeating. People might be overeating for a number of reasons, so someone has to stop and think, “Why am I eating too much?” Some people overeat because they’re really distracted while they’re eating. For many people, sitting down at a table and eating from a plate and turning off the phone, computer or TV makes them pay attention to their hunger cues. What’s your take on eating late at night? That’s been researched quite a bit and there’s no substantial difference [between eating early and late]. There are some slight differences in time and how that affects metabolism but not enough to significantly affect weight. What can be problematic is oftentimes the food that people eat right before they go to bed is calorically dense. People often snack while they’re watching TV, and people rarely watch TV eating a bowl of broccoli. So that’s more the problem than the timing of it. What’s your take on the breakfast debate? How much does it contribute to overeating? The long standing guideline is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but there’s nothing magical about breakfast. For many people, it’s a way for them to get energy in their body, so they’re not ravenous by lunch time. But weight control is very simple in terms of calories in and calories out, and some people can do that without breakfast. But most people need breakfast for that to be sustainable.

22 FROM PAGE 16

HUMANITIES about getting ideas to grow and to better communicate what we do to prospective students,” she said in an email. Even still, the humanities, nationwide, are hurting, according to Bialostosky. “I think it’s a moment in the national conversation when humanities education has been devalued,” Bialostosky said. “There’s a cycle about these sorts

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com of moments of valuation and devaluation, but this is a kind of low point amongst students.” The cuts, he said, left some to think Pitt didn’t care about the humanities. “I think the University is eager to reassert its commitment to the humanities,” he said. The focus on humanities is a University-wide initiative and seeks to answer the question “what does it mean to be human?” according to the Humanities Center website.

Bialostosky is chairing a committee that will initiate projects and events, like hosting workshops and speakers, throughout the year. The action of the year will come from a committee of 13 professors from various disciplines and one administrator from student life. Pitt gave the committee $100,000 to dole out in grants for various projects. The committee posted a call for project proposals on the Humanities Center’s website in April. Non-humanities faculty can submit proposals and the com-

mittee will use the $100,000 to match up to $5,000 in project proposals, the website said. Pitt instituted a similar framework for the Year of Sustainability last year, including a call for project proposals, according to its website. But as proof of Bialostosky’s claims, both Pitt and President Obama took definitive stances on the importance of the humanities last January. Within just a few weeks of each other, Pitt announced cuts to several humanities departments and Obama encouraged an audience to pursue a trade rather than a college degree. On Jan. 30 last year, Beeson announced that Pitt would eliminate its religious studies graduate program and continue the suspension of admissions to its graduate programs for German and classics. Pitt had suspended admissions to the three programs in April 2012, The Pitt News reported last year. Sixteen days earlier, at a General Electric plant in Wisconsin, Obama said students would do better to learn a trade than study the humanities. “But I promise you, folks can make a lot more, potentially, with skilled manufacturing or the trades than they might with an art history degree,” Obama told the audience. The nation has listened. As of 2012, the percentage of students graduating college with a degree in the humanities has fallen by half since 1966 — from 14 percent to 7 percent — according to data from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. At Pitt, this trend meant heavy cuts to the religious studies, German and classics departments last year. These cuts, Bialostosky said, “left a possible perception that the University did not value the humanities,” and the President’s remarks hinted at the nation’s attitude toward the humanities in general. Beeson said in a statement that Pitt hopes to redouble its focus on the humanities this coming school year. “We hope that the Year of the Humanities in the University will not only draw attention to this importance, but will also result in collaborations across the University that will enrich the curriculum far beyond next academic year,” Beeson said.

Humanities

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

26 FROM PAGE 22

HUMANITIES The committee includes professors Geri Allen from the music department, humanities center chair Jonathan Arac from the English department, Margaret McDonald from the school of medicine and Terry Smith from the history of art and architecture department. So far, the committee is planning to FROM PAGE 13

LGBT

The Rainbow Alliance has joined the CWO on some of its events, such as the Take Back the Night march against sexual violence, the Condom Casino, where they aim to educate students on sexual health and safety, and the Vagina Monologues. “It’s always been very fun to collaborate with Rainbow. They take their work very seriously but know how to bring fun into the work,” Hinkle, a senior chemical engineering major, said.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com invite speakers and host conferences that it hopes will stimulate humanistic thinking at Pitt. Bialostosky said that Beeson has tasked the committee with identifying connections between formal humanities departments, the sciences and the social sciences. Though it’s not formally on the agenda, one thing that might emerge from the year is the possibility of team-teaching, which would involve two professors from

different departments teaching the same class at the same time. Bialostosky said this could lead to the development of the health humanities, or the study of how medicine and humanities can collaborate. This potential for collaboration is what sets the Year of Humanities apart from the Year of Sustainability, Bialostosky said. “This year is more an intra-university development than it is of developing awareness of something that’s happening

in the world as a whole,” Bialostosky said. Pitt’s timing is good, too, given the nation’s current attitude towards the humanities, Weikle-Mills said — and as the President addressed in his speech last year. “It is disheartening to see the negative press on the humanities nationwide, and I’m happy to see the University taking a lead in celebrating the humanities,” Weikle-Mills said. “It sends a strong message, I think.”

Hinkle, whose preferred pronoun is “she,” said she sees the CWO collaborating with Rainbow Alliance in the future on non-binary advocacy. She says that they haven’t planned anything specific yet due to summer recess, but in the fall, they plan to ramp up as a safe space for transgender individuals and to advocate for issues that directly affect transgender individuals. “I want us to take ownership of that because transgender people can be women also, and that means that they fall into our category of people that we aim to represent,” she said.

The dialogue regarding non-binary advocacies exists in print as well. The Fourth Wave is a feminist intersectional publication at Pitt. Like the CWO and the Rainbow Alliance, it maintains an open environment in its meetings, co-managing editor Taylor Mulcahey said. “Our meetings act as an open conversation. It’s important to have that safe space to talk about issues and knowing that people are there and they are going to listen. The members aren’t going to belittle anyone’s issues, and they are not going to judge anything,” said Mulcahey, a junior political science major, whose

preferred pronoun is “she.” Even if judgment exists elsewhere on campus, Wahlberg said they wear feminine clothing to class at least half the time. “It’s what adds a little bit of boost to my day. If you present yourself the way you want to, you attract the friends you want,” they said. For Wahlberg, these spaces allow young queers to pick who to have conversations with and keep up a dialogue with, as well as build a strong community of support. “People don’t give enough faith that their college community is accepting. The only way to know is to try,” they said.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

OPINIONS

COLUMN

How to survive pre-med without compromising yourself

Bethel Habte Assistant Opinions Editor Pre-med. For some students, it was a lifelong dream. But for those like myself, it was acquired in a serendipitous stumble. I, being an extremely indecisive person, applied to 15 colleges, all strewn haphazardly across the nation. All had excellent psychology programs, which at the time I was sure I wanted to pursue. But the summer before beginning at Pitt, I summoned my parents and declared, “I want to be a doctor.” My mother, who had long determined that medicine was my destiny, gave me a self-satisfied grin. “I always knew that you were going to be a doctor,” she insisted, going on to note, “you even have bad handwriting like a doctor.” My father shrugged, but shook his head in approval anyway. Still, the physicist in him had to mutter, “Well, it’s not physics, but that’s OK.” And just like that, I was pre-med. But the past two years have shown me that there are a number of snags lining that path. Out of those snags, however, I learned a few lessons:

What you did in high school doesn’t matter.

The first week of my Freshman Biology lecture, our professor faced the class and asked, knowingly, “How many of you were in the top 10 percent of your class in high school?” Hands popped up throughout the lecture hall, filling the majority of the space. She went on to declare that we were among the “best of the best,” but would no longer be considered “special.” Yet, her explanation was unnecessary — the realization had already struck us. College is not like high school —

it’s significantly more difficult. Many students will struggle, regardless of how easily they excelled in high school. Don’t arrive at Pitt expecting to breeze your way through college. Odds are, you won’t. Instead, use the opportunity to develop necessary study skills and acclimate to the academic rigor.

If you want to make a lot of money, go into business. Don’t become a doctor.

A new version of the MCAT, the Medical College Admission Test, launched on April 17. Changes to the exam included the addition of a Psychology and Sociology section, as well as a Verbal Reasoning section focused more intensively on the humanities and social sciences. It is now more necessary than ever for doctors to be socially conscious, and not simply knowledgeable. When you choose to pursue a medical profession, you have to understand that you will often be the only connection between suffering patients and a contentious health care system. You must also understand that a variety of social factors will have touched a number of patients you encounter. Those situations can’t be treated with a prescription. If you’re not innately passionate about working with people and helping people, the experience will only be emotionally taxing, for you and your patients.

your interview rounds for medical schools, interviewers are going to ask you about the items on your resume. Don’t allow pre-med expectations to be the only reason you choose to pursue an experience. There’s a reason why advisors recommend experiences like research, volunteering, leadership and community work. But if you can’t see the value of an experience to your personal development, don’t pursue it. You would just be wasting your time, and the lack of passion will result in lackluster work. Instead, find opportunities that fit your passions. Even if those pursuits stray from the purely scientific, they will give you a unique perspective that will shape the way you approach medicine. At the end of the day, medical schools absolutely require only one thing — completion of the coursework. Everything else is completely up to you.

Dreams are always great to have, but don’t allow them to dictate your experiences at Pitt.

Find what makes you unique.

When you eventually make

Work hard, but not too hard.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.” That goes for any career path one may choose to pursue, including medicine. You will face obstacles that will push you, frustrate you and test your resolve, so arrive at Pitt prepared to work hard. It’s also important to maintain a work-life balance, though. After all, you don’t want to run the risk of “burning out” in undergrad, long before the

pressures of medical school, residency and the profession itself demand new degrees of intensity. So, make time for friends, exploring Pittsburgh, food, sleep and all of life’s little pleasures, but don’t aimlessly waste away the day’s hours.

Spend time with patients.

Pursuing medicine is akin to online dating.

Patient interaction is a key aspect of treatment, but attaining “patient skills” is nowhere near as clear-cut a process as attaining knowledge. To supplement your education, pursue experiences — like volunteering and shadowing — that will put you in direct contact with patients. Through this, you are able to communicate with patients to get a sense of their concerns, grievances and needs. Observing doctors as they work will also provide you with a model of effective methods for communicating information to patients. Patients are ultimately autonomous beings. As a doctor, making sure that your patients understand and feel comfortable with their treatment is the most that you can ever hope to do.

I’m sure you already have your dream medical school in mind, but it’s likely not the medical school you end up attending. Dreams are always great to have, but don’t allow them to dictate your experiences at Pitt. If you focus on crafting yourself into the perfect medical school applicant, you miss out on the opportunity to discover yourself and your interests. Swipe right or left? That’s for a medical school to decide. Bethel primarily writes about social issues and current events for The Pitt News. Write to Bethel at beh56@pitt.edu.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

The Panther Card: Your wingman and jovial friend Anna Tomani Columnist

Tuition rates are rising. Everything comes with a fee. You’re paying far too much money for a cramped dorm room and potential roommate drama. As a student, it’s not hard to feel that your school is taking advantage of you. Except when it comes to your Pitt ID. You already know that your Pitt ID, or Panther Card, is how you use your meal plan and get into your room if you live on campus. And you’ve probably been told that it doubles as a bus pass and can be used as a debit card with Panther Funds. But it’s so much more than that — your Pitt ID is your wingman, your gal pal, your carefree shopper, your studious study partner and a jovial friend. For dates Say you meet a lovely lady or charming man during O-Week — take them to Phipps Conservatory. Phipps is a large greenhouse in Schenley Park, and it’s barely a ten-minute

walk from the Cathedral. There’s the Summer Flower Show and the seasonal Butterfly Exhibit — and the best part is, you get free admission into Phipps with your Pitt ID during the school year. Afterwards, buy your date a smoothie from Nicola’s Garden in the Schenley Cafe, which is in the basement of the William Pitt Union.

Since you’ll be using your Dining Dollars, it’s basically already paid for. Or, you can add a little class and take your date downtown to a show in the Cultural District. Alumni fund Pitt Arts, which offers “Arts Encounters” — students can attend shows like the opera, ballets, galleries and theaters

for free. With Arts Encounters, you also get a free meal and a chance to talk to the artists or complete a workshop. Though Pitt Arts’ “Cheap Seats” program, you can buy discounted tickets to off-Broadway shows, shows at the Pittsburgh Ballet The-

Card

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CARD

atre, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Pittsburgh Opera and more. But you will need your Pitt ID to sign up for these events or buy discounted tickets. To get downtown, use your Pitt ID to catch any 61 or 71 Port Authority bus. After the show is over, take the T to the bottom of Mt. Washington and ride up the incline to see a classic view of the city at night where you can take some very Instagram-worthy pictures. Not to mention you get to take both the T and the inclines for free, too, with your Pitt ID. For shopping If Mom and Dad don’t want to load up your debit card but are willing to set you up with some Panther Funds, you can always just use your Funds to buy a Visa gift card at 7-Eleven. But you don’t need to work the system to make the most of your parents’ investment. There are plenty of community vendors around Pitt’s campus that accept Panther Funds. Eating out, grocery shopping and late-night runs to Rite Aid have never been easier. But if the shopaholic in you craves options, hop onto a free Port Authority bus over to the South Side or the Waterfront. These areas are set up as small centers surrounded by a variety of shops, like Forever 21, Target, Marshalls and Urban Outfitters. The shopping hubs offer plenty of opportunities to indulge in some real retail therapy, although they don’t accept Panther Funds. For studying If you don’t feel like using that hour in between classes to study, don’t just spend it watching Netflix, either. Head down Forbes Avenue to the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History. The Natural History Museum has the third-largest dinosaur collection in the world, and the Art Museum often features traveling exhibits. The best part is that admission into both these museums is free. And if you do decide to hit the books, take a seat and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere for studying. If you’re studying late at night, you’ll need your Pitt ID to get into Hillman Library or the Cathedral of Learning, so don’t forget it at home! After you finish studying, wait for a shuttle in front of the Cathedral of Learning or William Pitt Union. The shuttles run until nearly 3 a.m., whereas Port Authority buses stop running around 1 a.m. So don’t forget your Panther Card — it’s your key to late night study sessions.

For friendship You’re going to be on a college budget, so planning free or cheap things to do with friends will become a habit. Grab some friends and head down to the North Shore and check out contemporary art museums like the Andy Warhol Museum or the Mattress Factory, which features installation art. With your Pitt ID, you can get into both of these museums for free. Similarly, the Carnegie Science Center offers $2 off admission for college students. This museum features hands-on science exhibits, an OmniMAX theater and a planetarium where

you can see laser shows — the most popular being Midnight Floyd, shown on Friday and Saturday nights. Lots of locations offer student discounts, too. Ask at the ticket window at movie theaters for a student discount. During the winter season, there’s an ice skating rink at PPG Place — located Downtown, right next to Market Square — that offers a student discount on Wednesdays. To make the most out of your first year at Pitt, utilize your Pitt ID to the fullest — it’s your passport to our city.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

T P N S U D O K U

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May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

How to immerse yourself in Panthers sports culture Rebecca Peters Columnist

New students, welcome to the City of Champ-yinz. From the Immaculate Reception to Bill Mazeroski, Pittsburgh knows sports drama — and this fall, you’ll have a chance to join the tradition. There will be a full stadium of college students rallying for their team at Heinz Field. Clad in blue and gold for their beloved Panthers — down to stickers on girls’ faces and “Hail to Pitt” painted on male chests — the students will be ready to watch some football and maybe sing a bit of “Sweet Caroline.” Sports at Pitt are a great way to spend time with friends, relax and get some free T-shirts. But as a new student, you must first acquaint yourself with the sporting culture at Pitt. From August to April, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know your student

athletes. Although Pitt doesn’t release team schedules until mid-June, it’s a good idea to make sure you know where you are going and how you are getting there. The fall semester is home to men’s and women’s soccer, football, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country. Men’s and women’s soccer teams play on Ambrose Urbanic field at the Petersen Sports Complex, which is behind Trees Hall. Games usually begin in the evening on weekdays and in the afternoon on weekends. They are free, and all you need to get in is your Pitt ID. Pitt football plays downtown at Heinz Field, where the Pittsburgh Steelers also play. Sitting in the student section puts you not only in a great mood, but in great view of the Pittsburgh skyline. Senior Deanna Felicissimo, a marketing and supply chain management major, said it’s simple to travel to games because of the bussing system Pitt offers students on game day.

“They have buses at the Cathedral waiting for students. All you have to do is show your ID and you get dropped off at the field,” she said. “Make sure you get there early enough because they have a tailgate for students outside the stadium and everything is free.” Because of recent NFL stadium rule changes, bags and open containers are not permitted in the stadium. Heinz Field concession stands do not take Panther Funds, so have cash or a credit card ready if you plan on buying food or anything else inside the stadium. Women’s volleyball brings a crowd to the Fitzgerald Field House. Sophomore Angela Seman, an early education major and libero on the volleyball team, said the team holds a number of events throughout the year to get students involved. “We have a Dig Pink game in October to support breast cancer awareness, along with some spirit nights and a Hawaiian night,”

she said. “Last year we had the Spike and Slam Madness where we played Florida State University.” Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams practice at Schenley Park every morning in the fall. They travel for most of their races, but Carnegie Mellon does host a race toward the end of the season at Schenley Park. The meet is a great way to spend some time outside, familiarize yourself with the park and cheer on your fellow Panthers. As the months get colder, the sports get better. The winter season initiates men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, women’s tennis, women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball and wrestling. The basketball teams play in the Petersen Events Center and offers lots of perks for coming up and supporting the teams. At some games there are promotional T-shirts, gift cards or drawstring bags to pick up on

Peters

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PETERS your way in. Last season, men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon gifted boxes of donuts and coffee to the fans who waited all day in the Pete before gametime. During the games, cheerleaders throw T-shirts into the stands, too — so don’t worry if you didn’t get one before the game. Swimming and diving sports compete in Trees Hall. The men’s and women’s teams host the Pitt Invite, which is a chance for teams to get together and compete outside of the ACC. For the Invite, Pitt has hosted schools like Drexel, West Virginia, Wesleyan and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The meets last all day and schedules and heat sheets, including who is racing in what section, are available online the day before the competition. Pitt’s women’s tennis team hosts matches at an indoor facility at Alpha Tennis & Fitness of Pittsburgh in Harmarville, and an outdoor facility in Washington’s Landing. These locations are accessible by Port Authority buses. The team holds the regional Nishan Vartabedian Invitational each January in its indoor facility. Women’s gymnastics competitions are held in the Fitzgerald Field House. They host around five competitions a season and provide a fascinating show. Entry to all events in the Field House requires a Pitt ID. Wrestling competitions also take place in the Field House. After Christmas break, the team competes in Pitt Duals, a low-key invitational. In early March, at the Petersen Events Center they host ACC Championships, which they won in 2011, 2012 and 2014. The team is looking stronger than ever for 2015. Make sure you don’t miss it. Baseball, softball and men’s and women’s track and field close out the end of the school year. The baseball and softball teams play at the Petersen Sports Complex, the former on the Charles L. Cost Field and the latter on the Vartabedian Field. The games require a Pitt ID only, so there is no need to worry about buying tickets. Open containers are not allowed and the snack bar doesn’t take Panther Funds. The baseball and softball teams play Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with the occasional doubleheader on Saturday, all weather-permitting. During the game, there are opportunities to win gift

cards, T-shirts and memorabilia, so make sure you know your trivia. Track and field holds the Blue-Gold Meet every winter before Christmas break in the Cost Sports Center and the Field House to generate food donations for the local food bank. Entry requires a can of food to either location. The meet lasts two days and the schedule of events is available the week prior to competition. Although their season lasts until May, the teams travel for every competition because there is no home track or field, so make sure you see them while

you can. As a new student, you have a whole range of athletics to watch. What better way to show your school spirit than to support your fellow Panthers by going to a game? So grab your Pitt ID and get ready to sing “Sweet Caroline” this fall. Focus on the city, the scenery and the amazing athleticism and dedication in Pitt’s athletes. New students, you’ve been initiated. Rebecca Peters writes satirical and political columns for The Pitt News. Write to Rebecca at rcp30@pitt.edu.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

Fighting nostalgia: Experience East Asian cultures in Pittsburgh Shengyu Wang Columnist On my first day in Pittsburgh, I found myself struggling with two 28-inch suitcases in the summer heat and a sick stomach unadapted to Western meals only including salad and bread. Seeking reprieve, I dashed into Tong’s Cuisine on Semple Street to find comfort in sitting down and slurping up a bowl of hot wonton soup. When I first came to the U.S., I was fearful that I’d need to say goodbye to East Asian culture altogether. After two years studying and living in Pittsburgh, though, I can now say that there is a range of opportunities to experience other cultures and their foods in this diverse city — particularly concerning East Asia. If you are an East Asian student suffering from homesickness, you can experience a slice of home in some of the Asian

restaurants, markets and clubs around campus. If you are an enthusiast of East Asian culture, you also have a chance to get in your zone. I, personally, found solace in the pockets of Asian culture strewn throughout Pittsburgh. At Tong’s Cuisine, after a 14-hour flight, the shop owner asked me where I was from. Zhejiang, I said. When I ordered the wonton soup, she asked me how people make it in my hometown and proceeded to make it the same way. Thanks to her, I had my first meal with a hometown flavor in a place far from home. Later, she told me that they personally enjoy cooking in Cantonese and Szechuan styles, but they don’t set specific styles for their dishes. Instead, they mainly try to cater to the taste of their customers. So, if you go to Tong’s, don’t feel surprised if the food is actually Americanized Chinese food, which is normal in many

Chinese restaurants in this country. Feel free to speak out about the style you want, though, as they will often cater to your preference. As you walk along Forbes Avenue, you’ll see Golden Palace Buffet. There, you can sample a buffet with miscellaneous choices of Chinese food, such as stir-fried vegetables, spicy chicken and General Tso’s Tofu, all for just about $7. This is much cheaper than a meal in Market Central, which cost between $9 to $13 per meal. In addition to the buffet, Golden Palace also offers Cantonese food. On Atwood Street you’ll find Hunan Bar, which serves awesome Szechuan and Hunan cuisine — perfect for people who enjoy spicy flavors. At Hunan Bar, you can order Szechuan specials like Chongqing diced chicken with chili peppercorn and braised fish fillets with Szechuan chili sauce. There are also Hunan specials at Hu-

nan Bar, such as steamed whole fish with chopped chillies and Chairman Mao’s red braised pork belly. You can also order hot pot, an East Asian variety of stew. Hunan Bar, along with Tong’s Cuisine and Golden Palace Buffet, are suitable options for meeting up with friends and ordering traditional East Asian meals. There’s also a hub of East Asian restaurants at the top of the hill on Oakland Avenue, including Oishii Bento, Szechuan Express, Fuku Sushi and Sushi Boat. These restaurants are good places for having a quick, delicious meal on weekdays. Oishii Bento mainly serves Korean food, such as bulgogi bento and spicy pork bento, combined with some Japanesestyle food, like ton-katsu bento, chicken katsu bento and sushi. Szechuan Express serves various options for Chinese dishes in single-sized

Wang

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Rentals to fit your life

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May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

Homes away from home: Pros and cons of freshman dorms Patricia Scott For The Pitt News

There’s a stereotype for a college dorm — it’s tiny, sloppy and the walls are so thin that Mother Teresa would surely blush if she heard what was happening on the other side. But at Pitt, the dorms might just exceed your expectations. Every freshman, with the exception of commuters, has the privilege of living in some sort of dormitory building their first year. Each dorm has its pros and cons, and some are worse than others. However, it is your unavoidable home for an entire year. Below, I’ve compiled a list of everything you need to know about each respective building before you haul in your belongings. Holland Hall Pros: Sometimes, living with all girls can be fun. You can walk around your floor — or any floor — with a face mask

on or your hair in a towel and not worry about running into any guys. There is a plethora of fun activities that Resident Student Association hosts in the 11th floor lounge for everyone, such as makeovers, mixers with all-male floors from different dorms and Valentine making. In addition, a majority of the rooms are larger than other dorms, and many of them come with large closets and fullsize mirrors. Each room has a different layout depending on its location on the floor. The building is right in the middle of campus in the quad between Forbes Avenue and Fifth Avenue, so the walk to class, wherever it may be, is never too painful. There is a laundry room in the lounge, so you never have to leave the building to do your wash. Cons: There is a chance you’ll get placed in a triple room or even a quad room in Holland — and three or four girls in one room is just not a great idea. I saw way too many fights about space my

freshman year. Although I listed no boys as a pro, it can also be a con. All girls — all the time — can be a bit overwhelming. Meeting guys can be difficult when there aren’t any around. The bathrooms become surprisingly gross as time passes: hair on the walls of the shower and in the drains, tampon wrappers on the ground and unflushed toilets. There are no eating locations in the building, but Oakland Bakery is in the quad right next to Holland Hall and Market is a short walk away. There is also no gym in the building, but residents of Holland are permitted to use the gym in Brackenridge Hall, also located in the quad. Probably one of the hardest parts about living in Holland is the lack of air conditioning — bring lots of fans if you’re living here! Litchfield Towers A, B and C Pros: Although the floors are singlesex, there are still people of the opposite gender in the same building, so it adds more variety to your living space than

Holland. Market Central is in the basement of all three towers, so you don’t even have to go outside to get food — no lack of coat, flip flops or pajamas will inhibit you from getting to your food. You also have access to the mailroom, a gym, printers, a coffee shop and Quick Zone all in the same building — talk about convenience. There are several lounges in each tower, rather than one communal lounge like in Holland. You’re guaranteed to only have one roommate in Towers A and B, or a single in Tower C. Having no roommate may sound like a negative thing at first, but trust me, it definitely has its perks. Having your own space is important with or without a roommate, but when you live on your own, you don’t have to set boundaries, which is convenient. In addition, you’re very close to all of the academic buildings and Forbes and Fifth — right in the center of most on-campus action.

Scott

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

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WANG

portions. Sushi Boat mainly serves Japanese sushi and some Chinese food, such as wonton soup and minced pork rice. Sushi Fuku specializes in serving all kinds of sushi rolls, such as California rolls and golden dragon rolls. You can also order specific rolls by selecting the type of rice, what goes inside and the sauce on top.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com If you live off-campus and want to make Asian food by yourself, there are two food markets you need to check out — Seoul Mart and Lotus Food Co. Seoul Mart is a grocery store on the corner of North Neville Street and Fifth Avenue, mainly serving Korean food ingredients. There, you can find special ingredients such as kimchi and miso paste. It’s a good place to shop for all other ingredients as well, including rice, ramen noodles and Korean-style dumplings. It takes about 30 minutes by bus

to travel to Lotus Food Co. in the Strip District from Oakland and less than 10 minutes by car to get there from campus. You’ll feel like you are in a market in China while listening to Chinese songs inside the shop and walking among shelves of traditional Chinese ingredients. In addition to food, students can participate in East Asian clubs on campus to meet Asian friends or students who are also interested in the same cultures. These clubs include the Japanese Culture Association ( JCA), the Korean Students

Association (KSA), the Chinese American Student Association (CASA), the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) and the Taiwanese Scholar Society at Pitt. These associations offer social events to help others learn about those areas’ cultures, including food, language and etiquette. For example, in KSA’s Traditional Han-Bok Fashion Show, students can learn the culture of Korean national costume. In CSSA, people celebrate Chinese traditional festivals together. Whether you’re an international student who’s suffering from nostalgia or a native student enthusiastic about Asian culture, these clubs are good choices to find your comfort zone. It’s summer again, and new students are arriving. Sitting at home, finally offcampus, I realized that college life made me grow up — I’ve had to adapt to a culture that wasn’t my own. As an international student from an Eastern Asian cultural background, I’m glad that I chose Pitt. I can still explore the new culture in Pittsburgh that I’m continually immersing myself in, but I can still get a little taste of home here and there when I need it. I’m sure you’ll find the same. Shengyu Wang primarily writes about culture and social issues for The Pitt News. Write to Shengyu at shw81@pitt.edu. FROM PAGE 44

SCOTT

Cons: The rooms are pretty small in all three towers and each one is shaped like a massive pie slice due to the cylindrical shape of the buildings. The average elevator wait time is around 10 minutes, depending on the time and what floor you’re on. Tower A has 19 floors, Tower B has 22 floors, and Tower C has 16 floors. Leaving 10 minutes before class from the 21st floor in Tower B? Good luck, you’ll be late. Towers’ elevators are slow and they tend to need maintenance fairly often. The line to swipe your ID to get into Tower A and Tower B can be 20 people long during peak times, such as after 8 a.m. classes or around 5 p.m. dinner time, and especially on a Friday or Saturday night around 9 or 10 p.m. when everyone is signing their friends into their dorm. Read the rest online at Pittnews.com.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

ARTS and ENTERTAINMENT

ART

To the Point

Three Rivers Arts Festival gives students a taste of the artistic side of Pittsburgh

Nick Mullen Staff Writer Next month, Downtown Pittsburgh will transform from a bustling metropolis into a world-class festival and celebration of the arts. Sponsored by Dollar Bank and produced by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Three Rivers Arts Festival will take place downtown at Point State Park, Gateway Center and in the Cultural District from June 5 to 14. Founded in 1960 by the Women’s Committee of the Carnegie Museum of Art, the festival has grown from a small art show into a world-recognized mammoth of creative expression and entertainment. The festival showcases and celebrates a multitude of different art and artists, and will be free and open to the public daily from 12 to 8 p.m.

Music, arts and crafts: Three Rivers Arts Festival has it all. Theo Schwarz | Visual Editor

The festival contains a broad and diverse lineup of artists from many backgrounds and disciplines, including performing artists, like musicians and dancers, large, life-size art installations and other exhibitions. The festival also hosts an artists’ market, where festivalgoers can interact with local artists, and admire art from almost any medium, including sculptures, photography, paintings, jewelry and more. Musicians performing this year include singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis, Canadian

pop band Alvvays and guitarist/singer Benjamin Booker. Also at the festival this year is the induction ceremony of the “Black Rock Negative Energy Absorber,” a sculpture series by the New York City-based artist Rudy Shepherd, designed to “remove the negative energy from the people of Pittsburgh so that they can function from the higher aspects of their personalities,” according to the festival’s website. The sculptures are large, dark, stationary, outdoor monuments coupled with

performers decked out in black spandex full-body suits and rock-like headgear. They will be on display at the Cityside Lawn during the whole festival, from 12 to 9 p.m., even though the festival ends at 8 p.m. An Induction Ceremony will take place on June 5 at 5 p.m., where Shepherd and musical collaborator Elias Einhorn will accompany a performance with live music. The festival will also feature a public art walking tour which will highlight many

Three Rivers

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

ART

Pitt Arts decorates student life with culture and class Chang Zuo For The Pitt News

For Pitt student Stephanie Liang, one of her most memorable experiences at Pitt Arts was watching a 4D play. As an audience member, she and other students got up on stage and followed the actors of “Tamara” at Quantum Theater while they watched scenes unfold. “It showed me how far people can push the limits of art and what a play is,” Liang said. “It was the most unconventional thing I’ve ever seen and the best play I’ve ever experienced — probably since I got to be a part of it, in some way.” Hosting more than 110 organized activities per year, Pitt Arts guides students through discounted or free art adventures within Pittsburgh with programs such as “Art Encounters,” “Free Museums” and “Cheap Seats.” Approaching its 20th anniversary, Pitt Arts is busy preparing for another year of events and activities to help students broaden their horizons in Pittsburgh.

With Pittsburgh’s budding art scene, stu- Pitt Arts opportunities by the 2009-2010 acadents need to take advantage of the cultural demic year. Last year alone, students enjoyed a opportunities going on in the city around performance of “Macbeth” at the PICT Classic them. Theatre in the fall, and tours of the Frick Art Annabelle Clippinger, director of Pitt Arts, & Historical Museum in the spring. With free said that it’s important to connect students to catering from restaurants like The Porch and the local culture. gourmet boxed lunches from Girasole, there’s “The no such Univerthing as ANNABELLE CLIPPINGER, sity bebeing a Director of Pitt Arts lieves it’s starving . . . imartist. portant Simto gain ilar to knowlPitt Arts edge and p r o appreciagrams, tion for the conthe vis e r vabrant, historic and modern city identity that tory at Point Park University combines realmakes Pittsburgh unique,” Clippinger said. world experience and training that connects Since the program began in 1997 with its students with the urban art atmosphere 3,632 participants, just shy of 50,000 students that covers programs of dance, cinema arts and faculty members had taken advantage of and theater arts. A comprehensive art pro-

It’s important to gain knowledge and appreciation for the vibrant, historic and modern city identity that makes Pittsburgh unique.

gram on an urban campus is crucial to helping students become a part of the city. “Art Encounters,” one of the most popular programs, allows undergraduate students at Pitt to attend concerts, plays, symphony orchestra and other cultural events for free. The “Free Museums” program grants students free access to museums and art exhibits in Pittsburgh, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory Art Museum and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Students can simply sign up at the “Get Involved” tab on Pitt Arts’ website to start receiving weekly emails. The “Cheap Seats” program is a student’s ultimate coupon book of luxurious art events. The program slashes an expensive show ticket in half or more — for example, instead of paying $40 for a ticket, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s the Sound of Modern Symphony costs students $5.

Pitt Arts

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

52 CITY LIFE

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Farm-to-table frenzy: Farmersʼ markets pop up in Pittsburgh Walter Howard For The Pitt News

This summer, farmers’ markets are sprouting up like cucumbers and tomatoes. A mile off the Allegheny River, in the heart of the historic Market District, rests the Pittsburgh Public Market. A throwback to old-school merchandising where customers can meet and buy directly from a diverse group of vendors in one setting, this indoor market is open year round. With more than two dozen vendors daily, the Pittsburgh Public Market is fully capable of meeting a wide slate of tastes with contributions from local farms, bakeries, restaurants and breweries. The Public Market is one of more than a dozen farmers’ markets available to locals this summer. Farmers at Firehouse on Penn Avenue represents the city’s largest organic market, this year adding Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream to its roster. Bedner’s Farm and Greenhouse on Bower Hill

Farmers’ Markets are year-round events in Pittsburgh. Christine Lim | Staff Photographer

Road is a family run business with a variety of services, including a winery. Nancy Bianchi, who works at Bedner’s,

said the farm offers a myriad of options, from a friendly staff to homegrown beef and produce.

“It’s all one stop from farm to market,” said Bianchi. And the list of markets doesn’t end there. Grow Pittsburgh is a non-profit organization that teaches people how to plant and grow food for themselves and their community. The Citiparks Farmers Markets are open in seven locations between May and June, including Squirrel Hill, East Liberty, South Side, Carrick, Beechview, Downtown and North Side, promising fresh produce, meat, cheese and assorted baked goods. Often, these places can feel like walking into a picturesque movie scene. Farmers markets boast produce that is fresh and flavorful, with a value on regional promotion, variety, lower prices and, perhaps most emphatically, a healthier selection of food. Also, having so many small vendors in one area helps local businesses capture

Market

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FEATURE

New nationality room to celebrate shared Korean culture

“[The Korean Heritage Room committee] wanted to unify the nationality, as we hope it will be unified in the future,” Park said. After he moved from Tokyo to Pittsburgh South Korean organizations have emwith his wife and children to attend graduate braced this new nationality school at Carnegie Mellon, Jim room. One such organizaNakajima visited the nationality tion, The Korea Foundation, rooms twice. Though he considincrementally donated about ers the Austrian Room his favor$250,000 to the room’s conite because of its regal decor, he struction as needs arose feels a special connection to the throughout the duration of the Japanese Room. project’s planning. There are “[The Japanese room] reno counterparts of the Korean minds me of Japanese culture,” Foundation in North Korea, so Nakajima said. “It makes me miss the country hasn’t officially Japan — in a good way.” recognized the room. The 29 existing nationality Still, the Korean Heritage rooms will welcome a new addiRoom, like the Nationality tion to the family this fall: the KoRooms before it, is a product rean Heritage Room. The long- The Korean Heritage Room will open as the 30th nationality room this November. | Photos courtesy of E. Maxine Bruhns of a dedicated community. awaited room, initially approved Members of Pittsburgh’s Korean in 2007, will finally open on November 15. the Hall of Enlightenment, which was the The committee chose this time period, community, many of whom are Pitt alumni, E. Maxine Bruhns, the Nationality Room main lecture hall of the Royal Academy in in part, because it shows an era when Korea Room 63 Program’s director since 1965, has worked the 14th century. The lecture hall now ex- was one nation.

Kelechi Urama For The Pitt News

closely with the Korean Heritage committee to raise an estimated $850,000 to re-build room 304 of the Cathedral. The committee, chaired by David Kim and Sang Park, is modeling the space after Myung-ryoon-dang,

ists as part of Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul. In 2014, Pitt approved construction of an Iranian Room, punctuated by a five year deadline.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

CITY LIFE

East Liberty revived with quirky, caffeinated renaissance Brady Langmann For The Pitt News

Two years ago, East Liberty was in the middle of a community-wide redevelopment project, and many of its new businesses weren’t sure if they were going to succeed. Zeke’s Coffee on Penn Avenue was about as claustrophobic as a Towers dorm room, with 11 seats and a couple tables outside, if you wanted to sit down. The shop offered a full drink menu, baked goods and whole bean coffee, but options were limited to what was on its small chalkboard menu that day. If you asked any of the macho-looking baristas about the neighborhood’s redevelopment efforts, they would’ve pointed at vacated buildings and told you rumors of what each one was going to be. Today, East Liberty is nearly unrecognizable. The streets are now bustling with locals, young professionals and visitors from other neighborhoods, and new businesses are thriving in the community’s once-vacant buildings. Earlier this year, Zeke’s moved to a larger location on Penn Avenue, and now has a sprawling menu of single-origin and blended brews, as well as a comfy, roomy interior for new customers to enjoy their coffee. Chris Rhodes, the shop’s owner, said that Zeke’s now has more seating available, bathrooms and air conditioning. The menu offers more variety than it used to, and Zeke’s plans FROM PAGE 48

THREE RIVERS pieces of public art around Pittsburgh, including Agnes R. Katz Plaza, Allegheny Riverfront Park and Memento Mori, which is a series of billboards behind the Benedum Center reminding viewers about their mortality. Veronica Corpuz, the director of festivals and special projects for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, said the festival is designed to present a broad range of performances and exhibitions for the city. “We seek to present an inclusive and diverse lineup that resonates with all individuals of all backgrounds,” Corpuz said. She added that a programming team

Bakery Square parallels East Liberty’s urban renewal. Meghan Sunners | Senior Staff Photographer

to start serving breakfast and lunch in the near future. Zeke’s turnaround represents a larger revival that has made East Liberty one of the most upward-trending — and overlooked

— neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. Adam Munroe, a cheery barista at the coffee joint who plays in the local shoegaze band Welsh Beauty Pageant, said the area is only getting better. “I think that East Liberty is going to be-

come an important place for Pittsburgh because a lot of really young, innovative and talented people are coming this way,” Munroe

made up of several jurors and curators at the Cultural Trust discusses the full lineup of artist, from the music to the visual art. The Three Rivers Arts Festival has hosted numerous visual and performing artists throughout its 54-year history. Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Allen Ginsberg and many other historical artists have graced the festival, as well as contemporary artists such as Nora Jones, Wilco, the Avett Brothers and the Black Keys. Not only will there be visual and performing art, but as Pittsburgh becomes more of a food town, culinary art will also grace the festival. A food court specifically curated for this event will serve up standard festival fare like funnel cake and lemonade. Food trucks, the names of which have not been released yet, will grace the

festival on June 5 and 12, on “Food Truck Fridays.” A specialty dinner will also be available at Eddie Merlot’s, a fine dining restaurant in Gateway Center that serves beef and seafood. Many Pitt students say that they love the festival, and attend it every year. Pitt student Theo McCauley, a rising senior studying nonfiction writing, said the Three Rivers Arts Festival is one of the most distinctive art festivals in the country. “It’s a point of pride for Pittsburgh. The festival showcases the talents of many Pittsburghers,” McCauley said. Pitt student Megan Raymond, a rising junior studying chemistry and both global and urban studies, added that it provides students a great opportunity to explore a new area of Pittsburgh.

“It really opens up Point State Park, the Cultural District and Downtown to students,” Raymond said. The Three Rivers Arts Festival is a fun and exciting event for any Pitt student looking to broaden his or her horizons and discover the world of art just minutes from campus. The festival allows attendees to support many local artists and get an exclusive and intimate look at many different works of art. “To see the work in person, to talk to the artist and to learn about their process: you can’t get that on the Internet or at the mall,” Corpuz said. “This is real-time personal engagement learning the stories of the artists and the beautiful work they have created.”

East Liberty

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 58

EAST LIBERTY because a lot of really young, innovative and talented people are coming this way,” Munroe said. While Pitt students often visit popular retailers in the area, such as Whole Foods and Target, many often miss what the rest of the neighborhood has to offer. When recent Pitt graduate Destiny Johnson found a job opening at Social in Bakery Square, a new restaurant opening in East Liberty’s emerging office and shopping center, she was only familiar with the community’s reputation for crime. But, she quickly noticed East Liberty’s potential and welcomed the opportunity to explore the location. “I was excited to work there because there’s a huge community,” she said. “East Liberty was actually one of the neighborhoods that, before I moved here, I didn’t know much about.” Last year, USA Today named East Liberty as one of the best up-and-coming neighborhoods in the nation. However, the town wasn’t always so celebrated. After enjoying success as the third-largest shopping destination in the state during the 1940s and 1950s, East Liberty suffered an extended depression when Pittsburgh rerouted traffic away from Penn Avenue as part of a bigger redevelopment project to stop businesses from moving into the suburbs. The decision led to the downfall of East Liberty’s marketplace, which is now isolated from the rest of the city. In the following years, businesses continued to suffer in the neighborhood, and crime dramatically increased. In 1999, East Liberty Development Inc., a corporation that seeks to revitalize the community, set out to revive the area. In the next decade, they brought Home Depot and Whole Foods to East Liberty, and built new mixed-income housing throughout the neighborhood. With these stepping stones, more families moved back into the area and started looking for nearby jobs. As pedestrian and motor traffic started to flow back into East Liberty, local startups such as Team Tassy moved into the area’s abandoned storefronts and turned them into office spaces. Local development firms restored an old beauty shop on Penn Avenue into a chic co-working space, aptly named the Beauty

Shoppe, where small business owners could work online in a communal office setting. These places often act as startup incubators and supporters for new companies. Cameroon Football Development Program, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that uses sports to create social and economic change, was one of the first groups to take residency at the Beauty Shoppe. The program’s CEO, Justin Forzano, said East Liberty was “the perfect sort of environment for a startup.” “One of the first things an underserved area attracts is artists and entrepreneurs,” Forzano said. “The Beauty Shoppe played an important part in the buildup of that community.” East Liberty changed even more when Google arrived on the scene. In summer 2010, the tech juggernaut opened an office in Bakery Square. Besides Google, Bakery Square is now home to UPMC’s Technology Development Center, Pitt’s Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology and Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute. The area’s seen many popular restaurants open in the past five years as well. There’s Union Pig & Chicken on North Highland Avenue, which is known communitywide for its brisket mac and cheese. Local restaurant chain BRGR opened has a location on Centre Avenue, and has been popular ever since. Although new businesses occupy many of East Liberty’s buildings, there are similar nods to the neighborhood’s storied past scattered throughout the area. There’s still the East Liberty Presbyterian Church, a Gothic-styled landmark that the churchgoers call “the Cathedral of Hope.” The Kelly Strayhorn Theater, named after East Liberty-native Gene Kelly and jazz legend Billy Strayhorn, just celebrated its hundredth anniversary last year. According to Tony, an East Liberty native who recently moved back to the area after a period of travel, the neighborhood is still undergoing a lot of changes. “[It’s] unfamiliar in a lot of ways, [but has] a lot of positive changes,” he said, mentioning the diversity of the locals as one of the community’s best features. “[East Liberty’s restoration is a] combination of change and familiarity, which is nice to have.”

East Liberty

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 54

ROOM

will pay for a majority of the final cost of the room. A pamphlet will list the details of the final budget at the room’s November opening. The room will feature a traditional wooden ceiling, beams, pillars and frosted glass windows designed to block views of the outside. The room will also have two doors: one for the outside corridor, and one on the inside of the classroom room with traditional Korean decorations, which the committee will later determine. The inner door will be able to be lowered and raised with a lever, controlled by a key to which only the classroom professor will have access. The room’s decor will “keep out Western influence,” Bruhns said. The committee originally planned for the room’s building materials to come from Korea, but had to alter its plans when about one-quarter of the wood imported from Korea arrived mildewed. The committee will replace the damaged wood with cheaper wood imported from Oregon. Arumjigi Culture Keepers, a Seoul-based nonprofit designed to preserve Korean heritage, will pay for the material. However, six Korean architects, carpenters and craftsmen will build the room. Arumjigi, also one of the project’s main donors, has taken an active role in coordinating the construction of the room and bringing the carpenters from Korea. In the 1920s, then-Chancellor John Bowman envisioned the Nationality Rooms as a way to entice prospective students by reflecting Pittsburgh’s increasing, diverse immigrant population. In 1926, he appointed Ruth Crawford Mitchell, a sociology professor with extensive experience overseas and an interest in immigration, to serve as the director of the program. Mitchell worked with cultural committees and oversaw the creation of the first 19 Nationality Rooms by 1956. Since then, Pitt has added 10 more FROM PAGE 62

EAST LIBERTY As for Zeke’s? For now, the coffee shop will continue to be a part of the neighborhood’s ongoing development by holding events such as their weekly “Tiny Business Tuesdays,” where they offer discounts to

rooms, with the Korean Heritage room marking the 30th room. Pitt recently gave the Iranian Room committee permission to begin planning the next nationality room, a process that can take between three and 10 years, according to Bruhns. Committees also remain active past construction, hosting events such as the annual Polish festival every November and Indian Independence Day on August 17 in the Cathedral. As part of the Nationality Rooms program, the individual rooms also offer scholarships every year, which allow students to study abroad in each room’s respective countries. The rooms themselves are also a tourist hotspot. Between 20,000 and 25,000 tourists pay to view the nationality rooms each year, with adult tickets at $4 and tickets for youths 6 to 18 years old at $2. Michael Walter, the tour guide coordinator, has personally given numerous tours to visitors who find the Nationality Rooms on lists of Pittsburgh attractions. “People’s reactions [toward the rooms] are overwhelmingly positive,” Walter said Late last year, Walter gave a tour to Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius and his wife, Janina Butkevičius. “[They] were beaming with pride that the Lithuanian room exists, and that it was very familiar to them,” Walter said. For many visitors, seeing the extravagant and detailed nationality rooms is often an overtly cathartic experience. Bruhns remembers giving an exceptionally emotional tour to a group of Israeli tourists. “We took them to the Israeli room, and it’s so authentic and life-like that they broke down and cried,” she said. Bruhns is hopeful the new Korean room will have a similar effect. “Everyone came from somewhere,” Bruhns said. “As they go through the rooms, they will feel an attachment to something, whether it’s a mosaic or a painting. People will come away with a better idea of who they are.” small business employees. Munroe, the barista, said the neighborhood’s development won’t slow down anytime soon. “I think where it was once really a historical bastion of Pittsburgh, it’s going to be like a huge kind of a technological marvel,” Munroe said. “I kind of love what’s happening around here.”

64 FROM PAGE 52

MARKET patrons as they aimlessly stroll through the markets. There’s a science behind the success of these quaint markets, too. Dr. Kathleen Zatavekas, a nutritionist at UPMC, said farmers’ markets have less overhead (transportation of produce from vendors to the marketplace) than regular supermarkets. Whereas supermarkets might ship food from all over the country, at farmers’ markets, there is less time between when the food is harvested and FROM PAGE 50

PITT ARTS The program’s “Artful Wednesdays” also help students celebrate the local art scene. Every Wednesday from 12 to 1 p.m. at Nordy’s place in the William Pitt Union, Pitt Arts puts on a free show for students. Past performances have included jazz bands, dancing, multicultural shows and more.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com when it’s on sale. This allows farmers to be more patient with the produce. “Farmers can watch their produce reach its peak of ripeness, a point in which the fruit or vegetable is fully developed and yields the most vitamins and nutrients,” Zatavekas said. Overhead also influences price. The less time and resources spent to deliver the goods, the less expensive they will be for the customer. At farmers’ markets, patrons can buy straight from the person that grew and prepared the food. Farmers markets present a chance for small business exposure, too. Deanna Soost, owner of Good L’Oven

Cookie Shop in Bellevue, a business that specializes in quirky cookies, said that farmers’ markets are great for local businesses. “They support us on slower months,” Soost said. Between holidays, farmers’ markets help keep her cookies in the public eye. For example, a customer on his way to buy fruit and vegetables might not be able to help himself from stopping for one of her cookies. She currently sells her goods at the Market Square Farmers Market Concert Series, which runs Downtown every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Something to look for this summer are her

traditional cookies and her newer cookie cakes, topped with chocolate chips, Reese’s cups, walnuts or M&Ms. Farmers markets can also foster a cohesive community dynamic, letting patrons meet and connect with vendors. One can easily pretend they are entering a quaint village where you can hold conversations with small business owners or farmers, rather than the corporate alternative. If you are from Pittsburgh, local farmers’ markets represent a chance to support your city and its independent businesses. If you are not from Pittsburgh, they represent a great chance to experience the city and its culture.

Students can enjoy a break between classes and a free lunch, too. “We do it all,” Clippinger said. Pitt Arts doesn’t exclusively cater to art students, Liang said. “Even if you don’t like art or you think you don’t like art, all of these events are free to students, so you have nothing to lose.” Liang said. “I’m really happy that I get to go out and enjoy all of these cool shows here in Pittsburgh. It’s such a great hub for artists.”

Students who participate in the events in the programs often become an important part of them, through interactive elements or acting as a Pitt Arts host. “Once the lights go off, curtain goes up, our student leaders enjoy the show just as much,” Clippinger said. “It’s an environment students can connect with their fellow peers who have similar interests and appreciation for art.” Jonathan Kenneson, a Pitt Arts student

host, has hosted over a dozen events in the past year, from “Bugs Bunny” at Heinz Hall to a pumpkin glass blowing event at Pittsburgh Glass Center. “I love Pitt Arts because their events always provide a relaxing, enjoyable experience. Being able to wind down after a long week of classes or work with a free dinner and a nice show is a great start to the weekend.” Kenneson said. “And [for the] fellas, it’s a great date opportunity!”

The Pitt News Crossword, 5/29/2015

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com ACROSS 1 Passé movie rental need 4 Defeat decisively 9 Fixtures that may have claw feet 13 “__ you in or out?” 14 On top of things 15 Blazing stars 16 Word in four state names 17 Oscar-nominated song from “The Little Mermaid” 19 Rose __ 21 Steve Martin film based on “Cyrano de Bergerac” 22 Melville novel 23 Circus prop 25 Friend of Wyatt 26 Tie the knot 29 Fixed (on) 30 Charlemagne’s domain: Abbr. 31 Peaty land 32 __-Coburg, Bavaria 33 Jewelry alloy 36 “Toodles!” 38 City NNE of Austin 39 Managed care gp. 42 Half of a Billy Idol #1 song 43 Alertly eager 46 Gardner of film 47 Debt securities 48 Invasion time 49 Tries to reach again, old-style 51 Rejects 53 Card game that literally explains this puzzle’s circles 56 Super Bowl highlights 57 Anise-flavored liqueurs 58 “Toodles!” 59 Originally named 60 Flew 61 Article of faith 62 Audition, with “out”

By Robyn Weintraub

DOWN 1 “The Starry Night” painter 2 Morning pitcher 3 Did over, as a manuscript 4 Japanese libation 5 Mattress size 6 Defense gp. since 1948 7 Dash of flavor? 8 Van Dyke role 9 Forum garb 10 Measure discussed on the EPA’s SunWise web page 11 Including everything 12 Choose 15 “Wait till __ year!” 18 Clutch 20 Word from Homer 23 Glasgow native 24 Included free 27 Texter’s “Here’s what I think” 28 Paris pronoun 29 Rancid 32 Hotel keycard opening 33 Route 34 Comedy material

5/27/15 Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

35 23-Down’s “Golly!” 36 Watergate subterfuge 37 Not lucid 39 Curbside water source 40 Wind, as a country road 41 Post-Trojan War epic 42 Former Philippine president

5/27/15

43 Ill humor 44 Fight temptation 45 University URL suffix 47 Sets down 50 Name on a sport shirt label 51 Eye trouble 52 H.S. exam 54 “Golly!” 55 Egg source

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FOOTBALL

SPORTS

Steel Panther After playing career,

JERRY OLSAVSKY finds passion in coaching Jasper Wilson Senior Staff Writer

Photos courtesy of Pittsburgh Steelers

Jerry Olsavsky thought that area. After playing at the highest often about what he’d level, he now coaches there, working do after his career with inside linebackers for the Steelers, playing in the NFL where he’s been in a coaching capacity ended. Not because since 2010. he liked to, but “I was fortunate that I didn’t really because common have to start looking for a real job until sense just dictated I was 32 or 34, about then,” he said. “My it. first job was a pretty good job.” “You could get While still active as a player, though, hurt at any moment, his future plans existed as such — in the and your career would future. He helped out at camps in some be over,” Olsavsky said. offseasons, but that was the extent of The 1989 Pitt gradu- his transition into his next profession. ate, who Then, majored in inin 1993, he formation scigot an unence, enjoyed expected, a decade-long unwelcome spell playing the preview of game he loved at life without its highest level. Nine of football, those seasons came with suffering the Steelers, who drafted a seasonthe linebacker in the 10th ending round of the 1989 draft. knee injury “You’re really living a in an Octodream. You’re playing in ber game the NFL and you’re like, ‘I against the don’t want anyone to wake Olsavsky, a Pitt graduate, has been Cleveland me up yet,’” Olsavsky, who coaching since his retirement in B r o w n s . played in Super Bowl XXX, 1999. He would said. “But if you’re too inspend the volved in that dream, it can haunt you.“ next year recovering. Olsavsky hasn’t let it. He knew he’d At some point during this period, stay in sports once he finished playing, longtime Carnegie Mellon head football but he didn’t know how. The man who coach Rich Lackner heard of the linewas always known as a coach on the Olsavsky 71 field would pursue a second career in

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

Looking back: A topsy-turvy year in Pitt athletics. Chris Puzia Assistant Copy Chief

Everybody wants to brag about their school. Maybe it’s just human nature to want your friends to know that your school’s sports teams are better than theirs. Regardless, you better make sure that if you’re going to brag about Pitt athletics, you know what you’re talking about. That being said, let’s recap the past year in Pitt sports so you know which ones to talk about and which ones to avoid. My freshman year followed Pitt basketball’s infamous 2011-2012 “CBI Year,” so I didn’t have much boasting to work with in the men’s basketball department. After this past year, neither do you. The Panthers finished last year 1915 and ducked out in the first round of the NIT to George Washington — the

school, not the president. If Washington were still around, Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon probably would have tried to recruit him as a junior college center transfer already. But, somewhat surprisingly, the women’s team took their place by making the NCAA Tournament this past year. Second-year head coach and resident campus badass Suzie McConnell-Serio took a Panther team that had lost 32 straight conference games before her arrival (yes, 32) to a No. 10 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament. I like to think she saw the men’s team struggling, put on some dark sunglasses and said, “I got you, Jamie,” before riding away in a Maserati. But the real story this past year has been football. Scratch that, last season was pretty unremarkable in terms of the Wrestling has been a rare constant at Pitt in terms of both quality of play and fan interest. Nate Smith | Senior Staff Photographer

Puzia

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FEATURE

Former Steelers bring art to Homestead

Baron Batch and John Malecki, below, created there own art studio in August 2014. Theo Schwarz | Visual Editor

Joe Rokicki For The Pitt News For most NFL retirees, life after football is a more direct continuation of the sport — analysts, anchors and coaches all apply the knowledge obtained from their youthful days into a respective postplayer genre. However, for entrepreneurial artists and former NFL players Baron Batch and John Malecki, it’s much more intuitive. The arts activists opened Studio AM in August 2014. Since then, the studio has evolved into a showcase of culinary, carpentry and visual art forms in Homestead, minutes from Pittsburgh’s historic industrial hub, the Waterfront — an area which has transformed from steel to become an entertainment hotspot. Batch and Malecki have also invested their knowledge

and experience from the gridiron into an equally influential sphere — Pittsburgh’s art scene. “We’re now opened as a gallery on evenings. We do brunch service on weekends. We want as many people as possible to come and enjoy this,” Malecki said. Malecki, known by friends as “The Builder,” fabricates and sells custom furniture pieces. His masterful creations showcase a meticulous craftsmanship, a perfection of a different kind of block. “With football, you can w o r k on your craft, but you only put your pads on for two hours a day, and that’s how you get better in those realms, on somebody else’s time,” he said. “Now, I can go in the shop and work on joinery for as long as I want.” In woodworking, joinery refers to the

Studio

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 68

STUDIO process of combining pieces of wood to build a supportive structure in the overall project — like the four corners in the frame of a table. Collectively, wooden joints must also be strong, durable and flexible to prove effective — much like an offensive line in the scheme of run or pass protection. A self-taught craftsman, Malecki also graduated with a business degree in marketing from Pitt in 2010. He attributes his recent success and opportunities to his fruitful football career, which provided him with the intangibles to succeed in both his craft and business. “Anticipation is a skill I take from football and apply it to business and woodworking,” Malecki said. “I played offensive line and I worked very hard at studying coverage principles or linebacker depth.” Malecki approaches business in the same way. “You have to anticipate anything. You should have a well thought out approach to most of the positions you’re getting into,” he said. Batch played running back at Texas Tech, and the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Around the studio, the entrepreneur is simply known as “The Artist.” “[Football] is a great game, and it draws out the best attributes in a person, but at the same time, those are skills and attributes that you can apply elsewhere,” Batch posited. The Artist combines his creative innovation and athletic determination to form a hue of expression and validation upon his canvas. “I always try to outdo the last piece I did, but at the same time it’s all about being able to say something through my work rather than just making something,” Batch said. In addition to his professional football pedigree, Batch attests to his consciousness and passion for his artistry. “I was always artistic and could always express myself ,” Batch said. “But I knew at that point in my career that it was only a hobby, and then when I transitioned from football, I made it my full time thing. I

have the best job in the world.” Malecki and Batch insist their time in the NFL offered them an excellent opportunity to apply to the rest of their lives. Batch wants to pursue other artistic fields, as an author and an actor. Malecki serves his Pittsburgh community through youth football camps and charities. He wants to establish himself as a network to offer others similar opportunities. “I want to show kids that there is opportunity in sports, with sports and without sports,” Malecki said.

FROM PAGE 66

OLSAVSKY backer’s injury. Lackner had recruited the Youngstown, Ohio, native out of high school, and Olsavsky even applied to CMU. But Pitt offered him a scholarship late in the process, which Olsavsky accepted. “And, boy, what a good move that was,” Lackner, the coach since 1986, recalled more than 20 years later.

71 Olsavsky went on to become an AllAmerican his senior year, recording at least 100 tackles in each of his last three seasons, finishing his career with 367 stops — at the time, fourth-most in program history. Now, Lackner again had an opportunity to help his program with the addition of Olsavsky. He made a phone call. “Jerry O,” who lived close to campus, in Shadyside, would spend roughly eight

Olsavsky

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

Five key obstacles to tackle for new athletic director Barnes Dan Sostek Sports Editor

When Pitt introduced Scott Barnes as Pitt’s athletic director in late April, he assumed the face of an entire athletic department fielding numerous questions — especially following the dismissal of former director Steve Pederson. As Barnes prepares to begin his tenure at Pitt on June 15, here are the five things that Pitt fans will be looking for him to accomplish as Pitt Athletics’ new head.

Branding

This past football season, Steve Pederson made waves by, seemingly out of nowhere, changing Pitt football’s logo from the block lettering to the script lettering seen in years past in Pitt sports. Still, the football team was the only program to adopt the new logo. It will be interesting to see how Barnes handles the moniker debacle. Will he see it as an opportunity to rebrand the entire University?

Will he have all other athletic teams adopt the retro logo? Surely there is a lot of revenue to be made from blue and gold script merchandise, and fans have been clamoring for more availability of the items since the logo had been gone.

Game Day Transportation

This isn’t to say that Barnes’ goal is to determine whether or not to build an oncampus football stadium. This is to say that Barnes needs to do a better and clearer job of dispelling those hopes as pipe dreams. With all the yearning for a Pitt football stadium in Oakland over the years, Steve Pederson was not able to make the unattainable demand go away. Instead, what Barnes needs to help accomplish is facilitate a more efficient system of transporting students to and from games. It is possible to have a great game day environment without having an on-campus stadium — Barnes just needs to help prove that reality.

The Scott Barnes resume

1988 Fresno Flames

World Basketball League General Manager

1989 West Coast Conference Director of Athletic Development

Humboldt State University

California Collegiate Athletic Director Athletic Director

This particularly applies more to the football program, as the program has had more turnover in the head coaching department in the past handful of years than some programs have in decades. Barnes needs to help establish some type of stability at the helm of Pitt football, and that will focus on new head coach Pat Narduzzi. Maintaining Narduzzi will help solidify Pitt as a destination job, not a launching pad for higher positions. He’ll also have to remain vigilant with men’s basketball. While Jamie Dixon absolutely should not be in danger of losing his job, the recent downtick over the past four years is something that Barnes needs to keep an eye on.

Establish Stances

Within the current state of the NCAA, there are many pressing issues that have risen to the forefront of sports discourse. From athlete compensation to transfer rules

1990

University of San Diego

1997

Program Stability

Big West Conference Associate Athletic Director

Eastern Washington University Big Sky Conference Athletic Director

Build the Buzz

It’s a weird dynamic to have, but Barnes needs to continue to build off of the work that head coach Pat Narduzzi has begun in terms of establishing and improving Pitt’s standing with the fanbase and on social media. Barnes should try to mimic Narduzzi’s willingness to put himself out there with fans, students and alums. Increasing visibility of himself increases visibility for the program in general.

1995

University of the Pacific

1999

to alcohol sales at games, many of these debates have blurred lines between right and wrong. Without going into what stances I think Barnes should take, it would be nice to see a leader of an institution like Pitt’s athletic program help propagate change in some of these areas. Barnes, who already has a national presence as the former chairman of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Selection Committee, could use his voice to help alleviate some of the Association’s riddling problems.

Iowa State University

Big 12 Associate A.D. for Development and Special Projects

2005 University of Washington

Pac-12 Associate A.D. for advancement

2008 Utah State University

Mountain West Conference Athletic Director

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

FOOTBALL

Undersized Arajuo-Lopes finds chance at Pitt Jeremy Tepper Staff Writer

At times, it was hard for Rafael Araujo-Lopes to not get stressed. After all, the wide receiver from Winter Park High School in Florida was doing his part. Playing wide receiver and running back and functioning as his team’s top playmaker, Lopes ran for 1,015 yards, accumulated 511 receiving yards and scored 21 touchdowns as a senior. Still, Lopes didn’t receive any Division I interest out of high school. At 5 foot 9, Lopes is a short receiver, which he believes hindered his recruitment. Mostly, though, Lopes believes this lack of interest was a result of the flawed recruiting process. “The recruiting process isn’t perfect,” Lopes said. “There’s not a formula to the recruiting process and I believe there are a whole bunch of athletes across America that get overlooked.”

Presented with limited options, Lopes more than happy to take Lopes. As a full qualitook a piece of advice from one of his coaches, fier out of high school, Whited said he was Sinclair Brown, and chose to go the junior col- surprised that a player with Lopes’ abilities lege route and attend Reedley College in Reed- could slip through the cracks, though he was ley, Calif. Similarly to Lopes, Brown wasn’t pleased to provide Lopes an opportunity to recruited impress much out college RANDY WHITED, of high coaches. Reedley head football coach school. “ I After a think year at he had Reedley, to come Brown out here was able a n d to attend prove to the Unipeople versity of that he Central Florida on a football scholarship. could compete at a high level at his size,” “He told me if you go to Reedley and if you Whited said. do what you’ve got to do and you stay focused, At Reedley, it was familiar territory for then you’ll be all right, things will take care of Lopes. On the field, Lopes was a standout, itself,” Lopes said. catching 74 passes for 1,229 yards and 17 Reedley head coach Randy Whited was touchdowns. Still, Lopes couldn’t generate

I think he had to come out here and prove to people that he could compete at a high level at his size.

much interest from college coaches. Lopes trusted the recruiting process, but it was hard for him to keep faith. “I’m not going to lie, it was very stressful. I was very stressed at points. I was very impatient at points,” Lopes said. But on April 25, Lopes received a surprising phone call from Tim Salem, Pitt’s tight ends coach. Salem expressed to Lopes Pitt’s need for another receiver and that he was impressed with his film. “They said that in my film, I showed that I could get the ball and make an explosive play out of a short route. They liked that I could find the zones in the defense that were open,” Lopes said. When assessing himself, Lopes said he’s very strong with the football. “A lot of 5 foot 9 wide receivers are just shifty, but me, I have a balance of shiftiness and football strength. I have a low center of

Lopes

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Q&A

Shelby Pickett by Jess Boddy, Staff Writer

QUESTIONS

Redshirt junior infielder on Pitt’s softball team Hometown: Temecula, Calif. Major: Business

ANSWERS

Who’s your favorite athlete?

Andrew McCLUTCHen (McCutchen, but that’s what I call him!)

Did you play any other sports growing up?

I played soccer and softball until I was nine and then continued with softball. I got into cross country and basketball in middle school and high school.

What is your favorite workout besides softball?

I really enjoy upper body lifting in the weight room.

What drew you to the sport of softball?

I never really chose to play softball, my dad put me into this sport when I was six years old, and it just stuck with me.

What is your favorite place to eat on Pitt’s campus?

My favorite place to eat at on campus would definitely be Chipotle. We eat there multiple times a week.

What TV show(s) do you watch every week?

I actually hardly ever watch TV, but when I do I am usually watching “Criminal Minds” or “Law and Order: SVU.”

What is the last good movie you watched?

The last movie I saw in theaters was “The Longest Ride” and yes, I cried the entire movie.

What’s been your favorite class at Pitt (so far)?

My favorite class at Pitt has been my American Sign Language class, where I not only learned an incredible language but also learned about an amazing culture.

Where is your favorite place to play besides Pitt?

Vartabedian Field [at Pitt] is the most beautiful field I have ever played on, but during spring break this year, I really enjoyed playing at Florida Gulf Coast’s field.

What was your favorite moment from this past season?

I have two favorite moments from this past season. The first was when we beat Notre Dame in the ACC tournament and also when we found out we were going to NCAAs.

Do you have any pre or postgame rituals? If so, what are they?

I have had pre-game rituals my entire life. Some of these include wearing my hair a certain way, listening to certain music and warming up the same way before every game.

Read the rest online at Pittnews.com

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

Giving 110 percent The coach

If these three Pitt sports hope to succeed next year, their coaches will be looking for these players to produce in a big way.

The player

FOOTBALL

Pat

Narduzzi

Pat Narduzzi, in his first year as a head coach after being hired away from Michigan State’s defensive coordinator position, says he’ll be bring smash mouth football to Pitt. That makes junior running back James Conner and his affinity for TD’s (26 last year, a Pitt record) a great weapon.

James

Conner

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Jamie

A disappointing season for Jamie Dixon, posting his lowest career winning percentage and missing the NCAA Tournament for only the second time, means the pressure will be on for junior forward Mike Young to perform to his high expectations.

Dixon

Mike

Young

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Hoping to build of a surprising tournament run, Suzie McConnell-Serio will need her young rebounder, forward Stasha Carey, to continue to develop as a player in her sophomore season.

Susie

McConnell-Serio

Stasha

Carey

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 73

LOPES

gravity, and my legs are very strong.” After talking to some of Lopes’ coaches at Winter Park, Lopes said Salem also learned of his high football IQ, another factor in Pitt’s interest. Two days later, Pitt offered him a scholarship. Lopes didn’t know much about Pitt at the time, but he was extremely interested after talking to Salem, head coach Pat Narduzzi and several other Pitt coaches. A little over a week later, Lopes took an official visit to Pitt for the weekend. And on May 9, Lopes committed to Pitt. This was Lopes’ first time in Pittsburgh, and he was impressed with the city and the campus. “The city of Pittsburgh is beautiful,” Lopes said. “Being on campus, it felt like people loved to be there at the University of Pittsburgh.” Planning on studying mechanical engineering, Lopes was also impressed with Pitt’s engineering program. On the football side, Lopes was inspired by Pitt’s coaching staff, of whom he had high praise. “This coaching staff has got to be one of the best coaching staffs in the country — as people, as well as football-wise. These are truly genuine, good people,” Lopes said. “It really felt like a family. The whole coaching staff just had a really good vibe.” “They really expressed that they’re trying to change things and trying to light a spark in Pittsburgh,” Lopes added. Lopes will arrive at Pitt on June 20, and when he gets here, Lopes said Pitt’s staff has given him the inclination that he’ll compete for the third receiver slot and kick and punt returner spots. Narduzzi spoke generally in a press release, saying that Lopes “has the ability to make an impact in both the pass and run game” and that he’ll “add depth and competition to our wide receiver position immediately.” Lopes said learning the playbook and adapting to a pro-style offense will be the biggest adjustment for him, though he said that the increase in speed and size will be a factor as well. Whited believes Lopes’ competitiveness, attention to detail and strong mentality will help temper the adjustment. “He plays on game day just like he practices everyday,” Whited said. “He’s got a tre-

mendous competitive spirit and he does a great job of taking care of himself mentally and physically.” Whited also pointed to Lopes’ intensity as something that will help him make the leap to college football. “I don’t think he’ll have any problem handling the intensities because he’s a very intense guy,” Whited said. “He’s intense in the weight room, he’s intense on the practice field, he’s intense on game day, he’s intense in the classroom.” Making a pit stop at Reedley, Lopes said,

improved him “emotionally, mentally and psychologically.” Though Lopes doesn’t think he’s made huge leaps in his play, Whited said the improved level of play at the junior college level will help mitigate the jump to college football. “One thing I try to make really clear to these young guys, a lot of them come here and think it’s just a lateral move because it’s only a junior college,” Whited said. “But who they play against on Saturdays is everybody’s high school all star team. What they find here is that every time they line up, they’re challenged by

77 the best players.” Lopes is unflinchingly confident in his ability to make an impact in the upcoming season, as he said his football IQ will allow him to quickly adjust to the higher level. Lopes carries that same resolute credence in his belief in how Pitt’s football team can perform in the upcoming season. “If we get the whole University of Pittsburgh and the community of Pittsburgh to buy in to Coach Narduzzi and what the coaching staff want to do, we can win the ACC championship game,” Lopes said.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com

COLUMN

Strong finishes needed by both team and fans for success Stephen Caruso Contributing Editor It’s a tradition as old as the sport itself. I encountered it at my first Pitt football game, a 41-13 drubbing at the hands of Florida State University and one young quarterback by the name of Jameis Winston. At the end of the third quarter, the score was 34-13 in favor of the visitors, the subdued crowd came to life at the first notes of “Sweet Caroline.” My R.A., who had brought the whole of my freshmen floor to the game, assured us it would be worth the wait. After getting over my reservations about the song as a Yankee fan (the Red Sox famously play the song at Fenway Park), it was a fun bonding experience. I felt as if I were one with my new peers. But the feeling was quickly interrupted by the proddings of my R.A.

“Okay, time to leave, we have to beat the rush,” she said. And off we went, introducing me to the tradition of leaving games early. Pat Narduzzi, and the rest of Pitt’s athletic department, have taken notice of this practice, as any Pitt students who check their emails regularly might have noticed. “Finishing strong is the emphasis of the football team here at Pitt ...That is why we implemented the ‘4th Quarter Conditioning Program’ this summer,” Narduzzi was quoted in the email. It’s hard to see the email as anything but a wink and nudge to the Pitt fan base about the habit of only staying for three quarters, rather than all four when it comes to game day. Joe Rood, Pitt’s director of marketing, said the campaign is about more than just the unusually silent quarter. “There are talks about doing [things], not just the 4th quarter program, but from

the time students get off the buses there to when they get back on and come back to campus,” he said. “[It’s about] what can we do with those six days to make it a fantastic experience for the students.” Regardless of what is planned, you have to have a little compassion for Pitt students. Not to advocate for the tearing up of Schenley Plaza and the building of Pitt Stadium II, but the commute to Heinz Field can be killer. Lines for buses extend from Bigelow Boulevard to Towers two hours before kickoff, and if you decide to wait until the very end of the game to go back to campus, expect to spend at least an hour in total between the ride and queuing. But even past the students’ experience, Rood pointed out that the campaign is also about making “an exceptional home field advantage for [Pitt].” Narduzzi described in the email that he considers the “Panther Pitt to be a vital

part of our team.” And he has a point. According to an ESPN poll of 99 college head coaches, the teams with the best home field advantages read like a who’s who of college football power houses: LSU, Texas A&M, Oregon, Alabama and Ohio State, along with ACC rival Virginia Tech. The argument could be easily made that these teams’ success spawned their raucous home crowds, and not the other way around. I’d probably agree with you. But the stats show that home field advantage is a quantifiable thing, even if slight, and any team hoping to “win ACC Championships and compete for national titles,” as Narduzzi said in his email, should take every bit of advantage it can get. Whether it’s the crowd helping cause a few penalties against opponents or a missed field goal, it can make a difference — especially when home teams outscore

Fourth

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 71

OLSAVSKY months assisting the Tartans as a volunteer, coaching linebackers. “Very down to earth unassuming kind of guy. He wasn’t one of these holier than thou ‘I’m a pro football player, I walk on water.’ He was very approachable,” Lackner said. “I was just always impressed with how the guy carried himself ... To me, to the kids, he was just Jerry O, you know what I mean?“ After he left the game for good, retiring in June of 1999, it didn’t take long for Olsavsky to begin his second career. Bill Cherpak, his college roommate and teammate, has served as head coach at Thomas Jefferson High School in Clairton, Pa., since 1995. Cherpak told him if he ever had any interest in helping out to come by. Olsavsky did so for a season. Again serving in a volunteer capacity, he’d take the bus out to Thomas Jefferson and help out however he could. He was infatuated with the work. Cherpak, beyond seeing the genuine

enjoyment his friend took from the job, sensed an innate ability to communicate effectively, a crucial skill in coaching. “The thing that he did very well was he related everything to the kids. So the things that he wanted to teach them might have been techniques that he learned in college and the pros,” Cherpak said. “But he made them transition to the high school kids and was able to teach them and get them to understand.“ The following year, he returned home to Youngstown, where he volunteered at his alma mater, Chaney High School, to coach linebackers, the offensive line and special teams. Olsavsky would go on to hold a voluntary position at Duquesne, his first paying position at UNC and then at Youngstown State. Jon Heacock hired Olsavsky at YSU, where he was head coach in 2003, and had him on his staff for the next seven seasons. “He was really a part time coach with full-time coaching responsibilities,” Heacock said. Initially, Heacock sensed Olsavsky

struggled to convey his wealth of knowledge in the limited amount of time available at the college level. “All the different stuff that you have [to offer] isn’t worth anything unless you can get it to a player. Sometimes that’s a harsh reality, and I think it is for all of us, still. I’ve been doing this 30-some years,” Heacock, who currently serves as defensive coordinator at Toledo, said. Heacock said the hardest thing is realizing you’re not in a pro locker room. “You’re not a professional, anymore. It’s college. You have to take yourself back,” he said. “And again, I think he was able to do that after a while.” The Steelers hired Olsavsky as a defensive assistant the next year. “I’m just a kid from Youngstown that went to Pitt and liked to play football,” he said. “It’s been really good to me.”

80 FROM PAGE 78

FOURTH their opponents by 3.5 points on average. And if teams like Virginia Tech and Iowa are in the coaches poll, yet haven’t been anywhere near relevant for national titles in the past few years, then there has to be something to a loyal fan base. While logically, yes, it might make sense to leave after the love fest known as “Sweet Caroline” to get back to your

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com dorm and finish up some homework before a Saturday night, there is more to sports than logic. The point of being a fan is giving up some of that logic. Being a fan is a bit like being Sisyphus — keep pushing that boulder of hope up the hill of reality until it rolls right back in your face. So if that means staying until the end of a 41-13 blowout by the future national champions, then so be it. It can also mean staying until the end of a comeback you never saw coming.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com FROM PAGE 67

PUZIA

team’s record (6-6 for the fourth straight year in former head coach Paul “Neat” Chryst’s final season). However, after Chryst left to coach Wisconsin, Pitt brought in a new coach with an even better nickname, which I just made up: Pat “#PITTISIT #PATSIGNAL” Narduzzi. The former Michigan State defensive coordinator brought with him an all-new coaching staff, all of whom love social media more than Chryst loves vanillaflavored ice cream, probably. Seriously, look at linebackers coach Rob Harley’s Twitter account. He recently traveled to Delaware to recruit, and while there he made a Wayne’s World reference and a Keep Calm reference in the same tweet. That’s hard to pull off. Last season, the Panthers were in classic Pitt form by winning some tough games and losing some head-scratchers. They beat Miami and Virginia Tech, but lost to Akron.

That’s not even mentioning the historic collapse to Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl on Jan. 2. Pitt led 31-6 early in the fourth quarter, but Houston surged back and won the game 35-34. Now, if you really want to impress your friends, let’s dive into some nonrevenue sports. Arguably one of Pitt’s best and most consistent programs over the past decade has been its wrestling team. Two dominant seniors, Tyler Wilps and Max Thomusseit, led the way for Pitt in what was a bit of a down year by head coach Jason Peters’ standards. Pitt finished 8-8, but only one of those losses came to an unranked team. Unfortunately for Pitt fans wanting to keep the Backyard Brawl alive, that team was West Virginia. Wrestling is as much an individual sport as a team sport, however, and Wilps was the national runner-up in the 174-pound weight class, losing to Penn State’s Matt Brown in a controversial and dramatic finish.

Puzia

82 FROM PAGE 81

PUZIA

Brown earned two points in the final 10 seconds from stalling and locked hands calls that went against Wilps. Still, with the appearance, Wilps became Pitt’s first national finalist since Keith Gavin in 2008. Wilps finished his Pitt career with an 87-31 record, and Thomusseit had a 91-27 mark.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com But now that they’re both gone, a couple names for you to watch on next year’s team to carry the squad are Nick Bonaccorsi and Dom Forys. The team that shares the Fitzgerald Field House with wrestling, Pitt women’s volleyball, played well last season but came up just short, a phenomenon you may begin to hear referred to as “Pitting.” The Panthers finished 25-6 and 13-5 in the ACC, but barely missed out on an NCAA Tournament bid. Early in the sea-

son, Pitt lost some close five-set matches to top-ranked teams like No. 12 North Carolina and No. 4 Florida State. Next year, keep your eye on names like Casey Durham and Maria Genitsaridi, who hails from Greece’s 11th High School of Heraklion. I know, even better than the 10th High School of Heraklion. On the soccer pitch, if conference relevance is the English Premier League, both Pitt’s men’s and women’s teams are still stuck in America’s MLS. The men’s side finished 0-6-2 in the

ACC and the women’s group went 2-8. The women’s team is also losing leader Jackie Poucel and will need promising young players like Hanna Hannesdottir and Taylor Pryce to step up next year. That about covers it, though you still have 93 days between the release of this publication and the first day of fall term. I expect you to spend each of those days intensely studying Pitt athletics so that you can dominate your friends and peers in Pitt sports knowledge. Good luck.

May 29, 2015 | The Pitt News | www.pittnews.com