STAY SINGLE WHEN IT COMES TO PITT DORMS Neena Hagen
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roommate left campus a couple weeks after moving in for no apparent reason As a first-year moving into Tower B, — so we never got past the introduction my first day of college mirrored every- phase. Knowing Panther Central could asone else’s — I scampered gleefully into sign me a new roommate with a day’s Towers garage to retrieve my housing notice, I braced myself to host another cart and impatiently waited for the eltransient houseguest. But as each day evator that would take me to meet my passed and people settled into their roommate. But unlike everyone else, my dorms, my chances of having a room-
Sylvia Freeman |
FOR THE PITT NEWS
Senior Staff Columnist
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mate grew slimmer — and that’s when I began to appreciate living on my own. Some may think living alone is a choice only made by those who can’t get along with others, or people who are the solitary type. But living with a roommate is stressful, and first-year students should avoid it if possible. During first-year orientations, administrators promote doubles — dorms that house two students in the same room — as the best way to make friends at a new university. Because everyone on each floor is a first-year, they’ll supposedly want to join in with awkward ice breakers and silly floor activities. Close quarters certainly form convenient friendships, but they don’t forge tight, long-lasting bonds. According to psychologists in the U.K., the secret to establishing close friendships is mingling with people who share your interests and personality traits — meaning extracurriculars you enjoy contribute the most to your social life, not living within shouting distance of students your own age. But Myrt Westphal — director of residential life at Swarthmore college — believes having roommates is necessary to foster collaboration among students. She continues Swarthmore’s residential tradition, which mandates that all firstyears and sophomores live in doubles. “A bunch of our students are scientists. They’re going to work in labs where they will have to share and work cooperatively,” she said. “The work world is cooperative. If you live with a partner, it’s a cooperative venture.” Thousands of Pitt students are science majors — but Westphal makes a faulty comparison. Home life is significantly different from work life — it’s more personal and private. Living with a spouse or friend is far more comfortable than sharing a couple-hundred square feet with a complete stranger. A single certainly allowed me to complete college coursework more efficiently.
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Suddenly, I could study without worrying about a drunk roommate blundering in at 3 a.m. — a common occurrence that hurts many students’ academic performance. According to The National Bureau of Economic Research, students who drink frequently lower their roommate’s GPA by an average of 0.28 points out of 4.0 and make them 8.6 percent more likely to binge drink. With college binge drinking rates hovering around 40 percent, doubles only ensure that students with bad habits will negatively influence their peers. Because Pitt randomly assigns many roommates, you never know if you’ll end up with a party animal or a studious academic. The uncertainty can be stressful — and that stress isn’t worth enduring when you don’t actually have to share your living space. At Pitt, you can make the transition to single life without making a dent in your bank account. Tower C and Lothrop Hall — Pitt’s largest singles dorms — cost roughly the same as the average double at $3,200-3,500 per semester. So you’ll get more space and privacy for a similar price. Still, it’s clear why University administrators continue to advocate for doubles despite their obvious downsides — singles cost 25 percent more to build. But most colleges believe ensuring better academic performance is worth the extra cost, as more colleges choose to invest in single dorms. Building dorms takes time, though. For the many first-years who will inevitably be forced into a double this school year, websites like RoomSync and roomsurf allow them to find a compatible roommate by comparing mutual living preferences. But if presented the option, students shouldn’t take on this extra stress. If they want to enjoy college like the students in Pitt’s housing catalogs, they should choose to live in a single.
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PITTSBURGH RESTAURANTS NEED MORE STUDENT DEALS Delilah Bourque Staff Writer
The best part of being a Pitt student is the endless dining options available around campus — and the deals that come with them. Whether it’s late-night, halfprice pizzas at The Porch or Stack’d’s halfoff appetizers during weeknight happy hours, you’re sure to satisfy your hungry stomach without emptying your bank account. Yet despite all its perks, there’s one thing Oakland dining lacks — variety. Restaurants outside Oakland aren’t limited in this way — options include specialty tea shops, quaint bakeries and ethnic food galore. But unlike Oakland restaurants, these places don’t tend to have student deals, meaning they miss out on serving a large, hungry popula- tion in their area. Pitt students are deal savvy in the extreme — they’re the first to capitalize on new discounts at Oakland restaurants.
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If restaurants across Pittsburgh offered more student deals, they’d surely lure the massive student population in Pittsburgh to their doors. It’s not like students aren’t willing to leave Oakland to go find something to eat — everyone eventually gets sick of Oakland dining after two or three years at Pitt. But students unfortunately get stuck with the same restaurants along Forbes and Fifth because few restaurants in the City offer student-friendly prices. Trips to the outside world to get a bite to eat tend to be limited to special outings with friends, date nights and visits from parents. And that’s upsetting — one of the best ways to discover new parts of Pittsburgh is by going to restaurants and bars. And with Pitt’s fare-free bus pass, little else is stopping students from going out with See Bourque on page 61
In the heart of off-campus dining on Oakland Avenue, Fuel & Fuddle offers cheap late-night American-style food from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. every day. Anne Amudson | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
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FREE FOR STUDENTS: ART, EXERCISE, BUSES AND MORE! The Pitt News Staff
Christian Snyder|EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
One of the best perks of being a student at Pitt is the Panther Card. In addition to all of the traditional purposes a student ID serves, like holding dining passes, granting access to dorms and registering for on-campus events, a Panther Card can be a ticket to a new world of entertainment for students to explore — for free. From the museums that the Pitt Arts program allows students to visit for free to on-campus spots, there are plenty of options. The Andy Warhol Museum // Sarah Connor, Culture Editor Sitting just blocks away from PNC Park in Pittsburgh’s North Side is a museum displaying the works of Pittsburgh legend — and the king of pop art — Andy Warhol. Other artists are also often featured at this seven-story universe of bursting colors, vintage photography, video and paintings. From Warhol’s classic Campbell’s soup artwork to artifacts from his days managing rock band The Velvet Underground, there is something to catch the eye of guests at every corner. My favorite aspect of the Warhol museum is how interactive it can be. There is a booth where guests can record their very own silent, blackand-white screen tests and a whole room dedicated to giant, metallic balloons floating through the air. Guests are encouraged to tug and swing the balloons, and look at their reflection in the metallic shimmer. Port Authority Buses // Joanna Li, Staff Writer The bus might not be a shining, artistic museum, but the journey is better than the destination — an old lesson with several variants that seems just like another philosophical adage. But with a Pitt ID, this adage is literal — and there’s nothing more real than Port Authority. Whether taking the 61D to Downtown or the 75 to Shadyside, the entertainment on the bus is of the same caliber as Broadway. When stepping onto the crowded bus, there’s always that person who takes up two seats — sitting on the aisle seat and placing their bag on the window seat. After finally finding a seat, the man across the aisle gets a phone call — and for the next 10 minutes what was supposed to be a private phone call is now definitely public. With Pitt IDs, students are able to ride the Port Authority buses wherever they please. But no matter if you use one app or five, the buses are unpredictable — giving a constant rush of high
hopes when the roar of an engine or the hiss of air brakes coming from around the corner. The Mattress Factory // Prachi Patel, Staff Writer Take a bus across the Allegheny River to the North Side and you’ll find The Mattress Factory. Beyond the building’s brick facade lined with ivy and graffiti, you’ll find rows upon rows of mattresses. Just kidding — while the building used to be an actual Stearns & Foster mattress factory, during the late 1900s, it was converted into a contemporary art museum with a focus on installation art work. Unlike a painting hanging on a wall, installation work occupies an entire room. For instance, as you wind through the museum, you’ll come across the work “610-3356” by Sarah Oppenheimer, which features a room with a gaping cylindrical hole — a ‘wormhole’ — cut out of the fourth floor’s wooden floorboards, giving a glimpse of the street below the museum. At The Mattress Factory, you won’t always find white, pristine gallery walls. Instead, the creaking floorboards and rooms remind you of a place you can get comfortable — like entering your best friend’s home. Center for Creativity // Elizabeth Donnelly, Staff Writer Heading off campus for entertainment is always fun, but for students with busy schedules like me, it’s often difficult to balance work and play. Pitt’s Center for Creativity, conveniently located in the basement of The University Store on Fifth, has a wide variety of artistic materials available to any student with a Pitt ID. One free swipe is all it takes to enter a world of artistic
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imagination. Other available items for students are iPads with Apple Pencils, Arduino open-source computing kits and a full 3-D printer. If you don’t have much time to spare, the Center for Creativity is a great place to go to de-stress and have fun, whether you’re alone or with others. Phipps Conservatory // Salina Pressimone, Staff Writer Butterflies and flowers and botany, oh my! At Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley Park, escape is free with the swipe of a Pitt ID. The green oasis showcases flower exhibits, light shows, sustainable architecture, glass art and outdoor gardens, and is open to all Pitt students. Whether taking in the sweet smell of orchids — some of which promise the scent of chocolate — or posing under a European fan palm for a photo, they can evoke a sense of tranquility among students. Phipps can rescue students from exams and essays, and serve as a quiet alternative to the noisy tables in Starbucks. Phipps encourages visitors to walk leisurely and aimlessly as a way of unravelling and de-stressing for a while. Phipps also brings sustainability to the Steel City with its Center for Sustainable Landscapes, which is one of the world’s greenest buildings. So don’t stress out or get caught up in what can feel like a monotonous routine of work, class and often icy Pittsburgh weather — because the sun is always shining at Phipps. University Fitness Centers // Janine Faust, Contributing Editor If you’re like me and don’t enjoy running outside, where the weather isn’t always great and it’s too easy to get held up by crowds or stop
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signs, being able to exercise in an air-conditioned room on campus for free is a gift. With their Pitt ID, students can swipe into a Pitt fitness center for no cost, including at the Petersen Events Center, Bellefield Hall and the William Pitt Union. Those living in certain residence halls such as Litchfield Towers or in the Schenley Quad dorms have designated fitness centers open 24/7. Each fitness center varies in size but usually offers several treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and other sorts of equipment, enough so that you’ll never have to stand around waiting for someone else to finish their workout. The Baierl Student Recreation Center in the Petersen Events Center also has dozens of different weights and strength-training equipment available to everyone, not just to student athletes. Carnegie Museums of Art and National History // Victoria Pfefferle-Gillot, For The Pitt News Just down Forbes Avenue, right across the street from our beloved Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel, lie the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History. For everyone else, a glimpse at the exhibits in the Carnegie Museums means shelling out a sweet $20 — meaning inevitable, repeat visits quickly add up. But thankfully, not for Pitt students. During the fall and spring terms, one scan of a Panther Card can get you into one of the top natural history museums in the country for free. The exhibit that always draws me back to visit is the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems, gifted to the museum by the same American billionaire who gifted Pitt its library — Henry Hillman.
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use. “[To use OERs] is to take that initiative, continue to do the research, continue to make formal connections to some of these networks that already exist to develop Open Educational Resources and to create internal incentives for programs and faculty in particular to develop materials specifically designed to do that,” Wilson said. When SGB passed the OERs resolution, Wilson attended the meeting and walked up to the stage to shake the board members’ hands. Wilson uses OERs in his own classes because he can’t justify having students pay for material that exists for free online, and also understands the financial aspect of this issue as a parent with a child in college. He said that the cost of textbooks and the cost of college in general “hurts the capacity for students to learn.” “How much does it cost for you to go? You know, there’s tuition that keeps going up, we just have to look at data and see how big the loan burden is on students and it’s so significant that it be-
Students that have been through the program also have praise for it. Yelena Wermers, a senior marketing and supply chain management major, said she highly recommends going to the events the IPP has to offer. “Unlike when you go to career fairs and you’re just one of over 100 students that talk to a recruiter, at IPP events you are part of a much smaller crowd and are able to be more personal with recruiters,” Wermers said. “From these smaller events, I was able to learn more about companies that I never would’ve looked into otherwise.” Liam Brown, a senior marketing and supply chain management major, said he was at first skeptical of the program’s value — but that later changed. “The IPP program won’t place an internship in your lap, but it will guide you toward the right people and events to allow you to grow and genuinely earn one for yourself,” Brown said. “It didn’t seem like it was anything of importance or help while participating within it, but deciding to use the resources provided
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comes an actual hinderance for people to go to school in the first place,” Wilson said. “When you go, get your degree and you have a huge debt, and you can’t find a job to pay off your debt? There is something wrong with that picture.”
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by the IPP program was one of the most defining moments of my college and professional career.”
Liam McFadden|STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
Internship, pg. 47
Liam McFadden|STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
OERS, pg. 36
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PITT THEN & NOW
In last year’s New Student Guide, we included photos of Oakland’s past — and this year, we’re doing the same thing all year. Here’s a taste of what you c a n e x p e c t w h e n o u r a u d i e n c e e n gagement editor continues our Retro Pitt prog ra m with we ekly Instagram posts. BY: TPN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Housing carts take over the Schenley Quadrangle as students relocate their belongings on a moving day in 1962. (Photo courtesy of University of Pittsburgh Historic Photographs)
Forbes Avenue leads to the Cathedral of Learning with the iconic Litchfield Towers on the left alongside Gidas Flower Shop and the Strand Bowling Alley. (Photo taken May 14, 1975, courtesy of University of Pittsburgh Historic Photographs)
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In 1969 the U.S. Office of Education gave the University a $5.6 million grant for the construction of the Learning Research Development Center. Designed by architectural firm Harrison and Abramovitz, the building stands at a 45-degree angle on O’Hara Street. (Photo taken August 25, 1972, courtesy of University of Pittsburgh Historic Photographs)
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PLAYERS WITH PROMISE: CAPEL WELCOMES 3 TOP-100 ATHLETES TO PITT Tessa Sayers
For The Pitt News The first things Trey McGowens noticed were the bridges. He had never been to Pittsburgh before — but everyone in Pittsburgh already knew who he was. Just 28 days after Jeff Capel was named the head coach of Pitt’s men’s basketball team in late March, he was about to officially sign McGowens, Pitt’s first top-100 recruit since 2013.
Capel said he isn’t sure what he said that resonated with McGowens, but it had to be good enough to get him to commit before he even stepped foot in Pittsburgh. “I talked to [McGowens] about … the things I’m looking for as we rebuild this program and how I thought he embodied all of those things,” Capel said. “I’ve enjoyed watching him play, watching him compete.” Capel also told McGowens what it
bit with the process.” Nine players requested a transfer release — permission from Pitt to transfer and play basketball for a different college or university — when Kevin Stallings was fired March 8. But after talking with Capel, six of those eight decided to stay at Pitt, including rising sophomore guard Khameron Davis. “When coach Stallings first got fired, I kind of was sad initially and I didn’t think they gave him enough time with us,” Davis said in an interview. “I knew [Capel] was a good coach, but my opinion didn’t change yet. Obviously I wanted to meet him and I was open enough to meet him at first before makTrey McGowens ing any big deciPitt Basketball Recruit sions, but initially my reaction was still sad about the last Gowens said he knew there was a pos- coach.” When Davis sat down with Capel, sibility he would end up in blue and gold because he knew what Capel had done in Capel told Davis what he thought he was capable of on the court and what he the past. “I knew the work he did at Duke, all thought they could accomplish together. “He said he believed I could win dethe players he worked with and helped develop,” McGowens said. “And I just felt fensive player of the year,” Davis said. “And that sticks with me to this day.” like it was the right place.” According to Davis, Capel also told But Capel didn’t consider McGowens to be his first recruit — Capel had to win Davis he wanted to win immediately — over the team’s existing players before he and his strategy didn’t have much to do with strategies on the court. could do anything else. “One thing that stood out was a lot of “Really the first group of people I thought I was recruiting when I got here the times he was talking about this stuff was the current players,” Capel said. that had nothing to do with basketball, “Obviously there was a lot of frustration or at least on the court,” Davis said. “A lot by the current players over the firing of of things were we need to change the way the guy who recruited them and then the locker room is, we need to change the coached them, and maybe some a little See Recruiting on page 59 would mean for him to be the first player to say “yes” to being a part of this process — a rebuild that will be the team’s effort as much as it will be Capel’s. “It was about our vision of what we can do and doing it together,” Capel said. “And him being the first to say yes and what that means and what that will mean as we go forward as we get this thing going again, how that will always be something that will be with him for the rest of his life.” Before he even talked to Capel, Mc-
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“He said he believed I could win defensive player of the year, and that sticks with me to this day.”
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Recruiting, pg. 58 way we act around each other … that’s what interested me a lot because I believe in off-the-court balance helping on the court.” Capel has since signed two more players to join McGowens in the incoming class — guard Xavier Johnson from Bishop O’Connell High School in Arlington, Virginia, who verbally committed to Pitt on April 28, and Pittsburgh’s own North Allegheny point guard Curtis Aiken, who verbally committed to Pitt May 3. Their achievements as guards have earned them national ranks — Aikens is ranked 53rd in point guards and Johnson is ranked 19th in combo guards by 247Sports. Regardless of their individual achievements and rankings, each of these players has a specific quality Capel wants his players to embody. “Toughness,” Capel said. “When you look at the history of Pitt basketball, that’s the thing that always jumped out to me from afar … That was kind of the thing with the Pitt program. And we want to build it around guys that are tough.”
Trey McGowens reaches for the hoop in high school. PHOTOS COURTESY OF TREY MCGOWENS
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Bourque, pg. 50
Stack’d offers late-night student deals -– one of few places in the City. TPN FILE PHOTO
friends to try out a new eatery. Marketing new deals isn’t challenging either — news of discounts travels fast among the student population. Practi-
cally the day an eatery begins offering half-off drinks after 8 p.m., Pitt students’ social media accounts light up with notifications. And through student-based apps like Pocket Points, many local deals can be acquired with a school ID. Offering student discounts is favorable to restaurants in several ways. It’ll definitely increase foot traffic, especially at later hours and on the weekends when college students tend to be out. A business that offers a discount to a large number of students is sure to make more money than a business that sells pricier food to fewer customers. With Pitt students’ access to farefree public transportation, a business located Downtown or in neighborhoods like Squirrel Hill and Shadyside might seriously benefit from offering student discounts that will attract many of Pitt’s 19,000 undergraduates, as well as students from surrounding universities. Besides being good for businesses, students would also benefit from dis-
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counts outside of Oakland. Not only would they get to taste new food at cheaper prices, they could also familiarize themselves with the City. Instead of holing up in the campus bubble that first-year seminar classes encourage students to escape from, they’ll zip down to Noodlehead in Shadyside or Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville. Restaurants located outside of Oakland that offer student discounts would be mutually beneficial for students and businesses. Students would get the chance to break out of their on-campus shells and taste new foods at reasonable prices while restaurants would get more foot traffic and rake in cash. One of Pitt’s biggest draws is the opportunity it offers for those who attend to live fluidly between the campus and the City — something few colleges, even other ones located in Pittsburgh, have the luxury of offering to their students. The best way to explore a new city is to eat in it — and if restaurants outside of Oakland would offer student discounts, the benefits would make Pittsburgh a more welcoming — and appetizing — city for us all.
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PITT SCHOOL OF MEDICINE PUTS ON ‘BEAUTY AND THE YEAST INFECTION’ Shahum Ajmal
Contributing Editor It’s a tale as old as time — itching, burning and pain during sexual intercourse. This is how WebMD describes the symptoms of a yeast infection, which the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine took to the stage with a satirical production called “Beauty and the Yeast Infection.” The classic tale of “Beauty and the Beast” was revamped to showcase witty songs, live music from a large orchestra, original choreography and technical spectacles. The play is put on by Scope and Scalpel — the largest and longest-running amatuer theater company in Pittsburgh. “Beauty and the Yeast Infection” was Scope and Scalpel’s 64th annual production, stemming off past productions that included “The Gunner Games,” “Forrest’s Lump” and “Phantom of the OR.” These annual plays are put on by graduating fourth-year Pitt medical students as a way
“Cheerleader” by OMI, “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, “(U) Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer and “Confessions” by Usher filled the auditorium with laughter through the show. The two-act play had a total of eight scenes, and took place at Central Catholic High School. The play followed a plot that centered on breaking a research-obsessed medical school climate in hopes of encouraging exploration of other types of physician practices, such as family care. Comedic videos streamed in between set changes to keep the audience engaged, and two awards were handed out during intermission — the Golden Apple Award and the Staff Aureus Pittsburgh medical school students take a break from the classroom to Award. Both awards were given to honor and perform in the annual Scope and Scalpel play. This year’s production highlight the faculty members who contributed was “Beauty and the Yeast Infection.” most to their experience as students. PHOTO COURTESY OF EDDIE BOYO Dr. Susan Dunmire was given the Golden The multifaceted group put on an overall Apple Award and Laura Jeannerette was given to celebrate graduation, reflect on their last four years and pay gratitude to those who made the gracious tribute, and their intimacy and tal- the Staff Aureus Award. Dunmire walked on journey possible, including family, friends and ent got the chance to shine. Music numbers stage, thanking the crowd and laughing as she that were inspired by modern-pop songs like faculty. See Medical School on page 67
Pittsburgh medical school students take a break from the classroom to perform in the annual Scope and Scalpel play. This year’s production was “Beauty and the Yeast Infection.” Photo courtesy of Eddie Boyo
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DON’T TRIVIALIZE RECREATIONAL CLUBS Grace McGinness
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For The Pitt News
Before students even set foot on campus, they’re hit with the same phrase a thousand times — “college will be the best four years of of your life.” While cliche and outdated, that saying accomplishes its intended, albeit dangerous, goal — to cajole us into embracing college with open arms. Yet when we finally begin college, gleeful and innocent, that phrase morphs into a new, more nefarious one — “how are you going to build your resume?” Instead of basking in the best four years of our lives, we turn our focus toward a distant, unpredictable future, and we must constantly work toward our next goal — employment. Students are encouraged to build their
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resumé through extracurriculars focused on their majors — but sometimes, joining a club just for fun can be the best way to improve academic performance. As a psychology major — the most common college degree — I’m no stranger to this social pressure. Many people have urged me to join the Psychology Club because it’ll demonstrate my extensive interest in the subject to employers. But then I’m told showing interest isn’t enough — I need leadership skills, job experience and hundreds of hours of lab time too. The message from our college culture is abundantly clear — every minute outside of class should be devoted to building professional skills and experience. In some ways, this message makes sense. Our country’s growing
Sylvia Freeman|FOR THE PITT NEWS
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See McGinness on page 69
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Medical School, pg. 62 took the mic. “This is the best show we’ve seen in 30 years,” Dunmire said. Johnny Wang, the performance’s 27-yearold music director and graduating Pitt medical student, was so captivated by the process of putting on the play he saw during his first year of medical school — “Modern Family Medicine” — that he could not wait to use his creativity to do something that would stick in people’s mind for a “long, long” time. “I feel like this is really a time where we all during our medical training have done rotations and kind of been split apart,” Wang said. “This is our chance to come back together and to unite again for one last time. To just be around each other — have each other for company.” Positions such as director and producer are voluntary, while auditions were held to assign cast roles. This meant those seen on stage and in the orchestra were mostly from Pitt’s medical school. Wang had a vague understanding behind the process in creating a band, doing rehearsals and conducting due to his prior experience training classically in piano, and partaking in his middle school’s band. “This is my first time actually conducting an orchestra, actually making multiple instrument arrangements for people. I think it’s gone together pretty well with a lot of hours,” Wang said. The group agreed that “Beauty and the Beast” would be a story people could follow easily, given that the characters and music numbers are well known since a live adaption of the musical came out just last year. This was director Joseph Israel’s first year being involved with Scope and Scalpel, aside from seeing some of its shows in the past. The Squirrel Hill resident majored in lighting design management during his undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon University, and wanted to make this year’s performance a musical, drawing from both his theater and backstage theatre experience. “I never dealt with the acting side of things,” Israel said. “That was a steep learning curve. To try to figure out how to balance everything. Just making sure I was seeing the big picture, as opposed to focusing on smaller [things] like what I would do with lighting and technical things in the past.” “Beauty and the Yeast Infection” was in the works for over a year, and began when Israel first assembled a team in May 2017. The overall
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team of about 60 individuals, 54 cast members, 20 orchestra members and 5 crew members began brainstorming ideas in October. The bulk of the script writing began in January and February, which led into March, when auditions and rehearsals began. “The vocal rehearsals, the casting, the costumes, the poster design — everyone really just came together and put it through, which is incredible,” Wang said. The production brought together non-Pitt med students who did video, sound and lights. The performing arts director of Central Catholic High School also lent some of his instru-
ments to the Pitt orchestra. “If you count everyone who at some point [had] been involved and touched the show, it really is an outstanding number of people,” Wang said. Eva Chernoff, a 26-year-old Pitt medical student, landed the role of Belle in this year’s production, drawing on her interest to be a part of Scope and Scalpel and her experience in the medical school’s a capella group. “My journey has been a little nontraditional, as I actually took this year to get my master’s in public health,” Chernoff said. “I had an amazing time at Pitt Med and met amazing
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people in my class that I know I’ll continue to be in touch with long after med school ends.” The production poked healthy fun at medical school, and allowed for those involved to reflect on their experiences — to notice how far and how much they have all accomplished since they started. “I think the highlight was being able to spend so much time with my classmates before everyone graduated,” Chernoff said. “During our third and fourth year, everyone can get a little scattered, so it was such a wonderful experience to all be reunited and really end our experience on such a high note.”
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