5.1.14 Yellow Jacket by The Yellow Jacket

SPECIAL COMMENCEMENT ISSUE

MAY 1, 2014 | VOL. 91 NO. 22 | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

STUDENT PRODUCED SINCE 1924

Walking On

Seniors fund largest class gift in WU history By KARA BEMER Staff Writer

gowns upon entering the dining hall. During this time, graduates are also expected to pick up honor cords and academic excellence pins in the old gym. These are available until 1 p.m. According to documents obtained from Student Senate records regarding a policy instituted by the university last year, students are permitted to wear cords issued by the registrar’s office, the Waynesburg University Honors Academy or approved na-

In the days approaching graduation, the class of 2014 made one final contribution to the university that will continue to impact students for years to come. The 2014 graduating class announced its class gift as the Endowed Scholarship Fund, the largest class gift in university history. Fifty-two graduating students, families and Alumni Council members contributed a total of $5,000 to the scholarship, meeting their monetary goal for the class gift. The scholarship will not just be offered next year, but for years to come, and it will continue to grow through interest and future alumni donations. Vikki Beppler, alumni relations representative, led the fundraising efforts for the Endowed Scholarship Fund. “I’m very excited about this fund,” said Beppler. “This is the largest senior class amount raised to date and the scholarship is so unique because something like this has not been done before. The impact of this gift is great due to the nature of the scholarship, and students can easily identify with it.” Beppler encouraged the senior class to donate at least $5,000 towards the fund, if the senior class met this goal, the university would then match the amount to provide a $10,000 scholarship. Once the senior class met

See GRADUATION on AA5

See GIFT on AA3

James Little, Yellow Jacket

Students process between lines of faculty members after receiving their diplomas during commencement last spring. On Sunday, May 18, more than 600 Waynesburg University students will graduate.

University to recognize more than 600 graduates during commencement May 18 By NICK FARRELL Executive Editor

Approximately 600 undergraduate and graduate students will walk at the 163rd Commencement at Waynesburg University Sunday, May 18. Commencement Day festivities begin at 10 a.m., when graduating students and faculty members are asked to report to the Marsh Center in Roberts Chapel, according to the official commencement schedule on the Waynesburg University website. Once there, Dr. James Bush, assistant

faculty marshal, will assemble the speaker. procession line for the baccalaureStudents do not need to wear their ate service, which begins at 11 a.m. caps or hoods to the baccalaureate in the chapel. service. The procession line For a complete Following the service will begin to form at Commencement Day in the chapel, graduat10:30 a.m.; at the same schedule, see AA5 ing students and two time, guests will be guests may attend the permitted entry to the Read up on this Graduate Luncheon in chapel. The procession year's graduates in the Benedum Dining Hall. begins at 10:50 a.m. Spotlight section, D1 According to the official for the baccalaureate commencement schedservice, which will feature the Rev. ule, the luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. Thomas M. Hall, pastor of First Pres- and students are to present the tickbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, as the ets they received with the caps and

R.I.P. Dead Week: Commencement speaker stresses power of choice No senior events planned after finals By ERIC BOST

Managing Editor

By NICK FARRELL Executive Editor

For the first time in several years, the activities calendar for dead week is barren. According to Mary Cummings, executive vice president for Student Services, the university has elected to not offer activities for students during the days between the conclusion of finals week on May 8 and commencement on May 18. Cummings said this decision is based on a data analysis of student participation in planned activities over the last few years, which she said was relatively low. “When we looked at the data of what participation we actually had in activities, it wasn’t high. In some cases, it wasn’t even measurable,”

said Cummings. Additionally, Cummings said complaints from parents also played a role in the decision to eliminate dead week activities. She said parents who filed complaints were often upset that their son or daughter did not return home to start working after their education concluded. “I got a fair amount of parent calls—probably more on this subject than I did on any other subject, including discipline,” said Cummings. “There was a mix of perceptions coming from the parents, and I will say that’s not the full reason [for eliminating dead week activities], but that probably triggered the thought in the first place.” See WEEK on AA5

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it’s a matter of choice.” Every day that Laura Ellsworth walks into her office at Jones Day in Pittsburgh at 7 a.m., she sees that quote by Jeremy Kitson taped above her desk. The quote is not only her

derstand the power of choice that lies within all of us,” said Ellsworth. Ellsworth did not live a normal life growing up, probably because her father wasn’t a normal dad. A world famous doctor who Ellsworth said was the “top man in his particular field in the world,” her house was See ELLSWORTH on AA4

Baccalaureate speaker redefines being a hero By KIMMI BASTON Staff Writer

On Sunday, May 18, graduating Waynesburg University students will be honored during a baccalaureate service at 11 a.m. in Roberts Chapel, prior to commencement. Inspiring the students at the baccalaureate service will be the Rev. Thomas M. Hall

INSIDE

WU WELCOMES NEW CFO

Commencement. . . AA1–AA8 Campus. . . . . . . . . . A1–A3, A6 Editorial/Op-ed. . . . A4–A5 Entertainment . . . . A7–A8 Region. . . . . . . . . . . B1–B4 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . C1–C4 Spotlight. . . . . . . . . D1–D4

John Olon brings his background in higher education—and a mindset founded upon teamwork and faith—to Waynesburg.

inspiration for “The theme of her speech durthe remark is that ing Waynesburg ever ything has University’s comhappened to us in mencement cerlife involves our emony on Sunday, choice, how we May 18, but it is choose to react to her inspiration for it, how we choose life, a certain powto find ourselves in er that has existed the first place, and Ellsworth in all of us since it is talking about the dawn of time: the power different stories in my own of choice. life that has helped me un-

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II, senior pastor of 30-year career as the First Presbyan Air Force coloterian Church of nel. Pittsburgh. Hall’s sermon at Hall became a the service is titled, part of this church “Where have All in 2009 after earnthe Heroes Gone?” ing his masters “We live in kind degree in divinity of a self-centered from Pittsburgh age where people Hall Theological Semiare called heroes nary in 2008. Prior to this, by being themselves, and Hall retired in 2004 from a that’s who we hold up as

SOCCER COACH LEAVES

heroes,” said Hall. “But we actually believe in a God who gave up being God and he stepped into our world.” Hall believes we as a society have lost sight of what being a hero truly means. “We’ve kind of turned the idea of hero inside out and upside down,” said Hall. “It used to mean someone who See HALL on AA3

PRESIDENT LEE REFLECTS

Carl Griffiths, the reigning Presidents' Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, is leaving Waynesburg for Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. See C1

After an historic first year as the campus' leader, University President Douglas G. Lee recounted some of his favorite experiences and memories.

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Commencement

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May 1, 2014

Educators honored for teaching excellence Career Services offers assistance for landing first job WAYNESBURG, PA– A Waynesburg University faculty member was honored with the title of professor emeritus, and three others received the university’s 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Awards during the university’s Chapel Service in Roberts Chapel Tuesday, April 29. On behalf of the university, President Douglas G. Lee conferred upon Dr. Robert LaCount, professor of chemistry, the title of professor emeritus. LaCount retired from his full-time position in August 2013. He joined the university in 1965, and during his 49 years of service to the university, he eagerly incorporated the education of Waynesburg University students into his groundbreaking research. The Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Awards are awarded annually. One award recognizes a faculty member with a history of teaching excellence. A second award recognizes a faculty member with a relatively recent history of teaching excellence, whereas the third award is given to a non-fulltime faculty member at any Waynesburg University site. Dr. Gordon McClung, professor of marketing and chair of the university’s Department of Business Administration, received the 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a faculty member with a history of teaching excellence. A colleague stated, “Although a tough professor, the students have nothing but respect for [Dr. McClung]. He understands all aspects of business and incorporates real-life scenarios into class room learnings whenever possible.” Additionally, the nomination stated, “[Dr. McClung] empowers his faculty members. He wants each of us to be successful and will take whatever means necessary to help us be successful.” Another nomination not-

By JENNY SCHOUPPE

Online Content Editor

Chad Green, University Relations

Dr. Gordon McClung, chair of the Department of Business (left) and Dr. Chad Sherman, assistant professor of communication, pose after receiving their LucasHathaway Teaching Excellence Awards in Roberts Chapel Tuesday. ed that Gordon has “dedicated an inordinate amount of time to both the university and his students.” McClung, who joined the university in 2007, holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh as well as a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a master of business administration from West Virginia University. Dr. Chad Sherman, assistant professor of communication, received the 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a faculty member with a relatively recent history of teaching excellence. A student nomination stated, “In class, he has great patience with his students, teaches the material in a relatable manner and maintains a fun learning environment. When not in class, I have seen numerous occasions when he stays later than scheduled to help a student with a photography or design concept.” Another nomination said, “Let us not forget how [Dr. Sherman] stays consistent

with the school’s passion for service, going on multiple mission trips with the school. He has a passion for everything he does and exhibits the character of Christ.” Sherman also serves as the advisor of Lambda Pi Eta, an honors society for communication students. He joined the university in 2011 and holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and Ph.D from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Carol Guthrie received the 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a non-full-time faculty member. Guthrie is a lecturer of mathematics. “[Carol] has consistently shown a genuine love and dedication to teaching,” a colleague stated. “She always has current and former students in her office being tutored.” A student nomination noted, “She doesn’t just teach the book, the mundane lessons and the repetitive formulas, she engages her students and pushes them to better understand math.”

The nomination continued, “She has made a difference in the teaching climate of Waynesburg by simply showing her passion for what she does. You can clearly see the love she has not only for math, but for her students each and every day she teaches.” Guthrie joined the university in 2009 and holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master of Education in mathematics and computer science from California University of Pennsylvania. The Lucas-Hathaway Charitable Trust has established an endowed fund that provides two annual teaching excellence awards for full-time faculty members and one award for a parttime faculty member. Faculty members were nominated by students, faculty or alumni. Each recipient of the LucasHathaway Award for Teaching Excellence received a commemorative plaque and a $1,200 award. The Trust is funded by J. Richard Lucas and C. Joan Hathaway Lucas, members of the class of 1950.

With Waynesburg University’s job and graduate school placement percentage being so high, the Career Services office is taking steps to make sure those numbers stay that way. Waynesburg has a 96 percent job and graduate school placement within a year of graduation. According to Marie Coffman, director of Career Services and Placement, there are many steps a student can take to find a job after graduating. “A résumé and cover letter are the first steps to finding a job,” said Coffman. Those graduating this spring who do not have a job lined up yet should begin with creating a professional résumé consisting of work experience and skills that will fit the position they are applying for. Coffman emphasized that finding a job will take time and effort. “Looking for a full-time job is a full-time job,” said Coffman. “Do something every day that will further your career.” With technology so prevalent today, there are numerous ways to find employment opportunities. Coffman encourages students to create a LinkedIn account, “clean up” other social media accounts, and Google yourself to see what comes up. LinkedIn profiles should consist strictly of professional material, including a professional-looking profile picture. In addition, LinkedIn profiles can be used to explain work experience more deeply than a resume. Coffman said some of the

more minute details in a profile matter to employers as well. Email addresses should also be appropriate and cell phone messages should sound professional. “I think technology is so helpful, but can hinder in other ways,” said Coffman. “It allows so many ways to find jobs and network but there is also nothing better than meeting employers face to face.” A major strategy that Career Services has taken this year is providing students with the opportunity to attend multiple job fairs, even some that were focused towards certain majors. “Sadly I think students do not take advantage of the job fairs,” said Coffman. “We bring prospective employers to the students and I feel they don’t take the time to meet with them face to face.” According to Coffman, students need to be proactive in taking advantage to what the university offers. Though the opportunities that Waynesburg University are very useful, they are not always guaranteed to get someone a job. Students need to be able to promote themselves and show future employees that they are the complete package. “It’s the whole package that employers are looking for,” said Coffman. “They need someone to fit their corporate image and they know exactly what they want.” Through the opportunities Waynesburg University offers its students along with students’ abilities to be proactive and promote themselves, Coffman believes all Waynesburg students can find a job they love. “Waynesburg graduates have all the requirements to be successful,” said Coffman.

President Lee emphasized bonds with students in first year By NICK FARRELL Executive Editor

At his fall press conference, University President Douglas G. Lee admitted that his experiences as president have grabbed him more fully than any previous professional endeavor. While reflecting on his entire first year as president, Lee said the feeling has not changed . “It’s not because it’s new and it’s not because it’s different. It’s deeper than that,” said Lee. “I think it goes back to seeing what a great opportunity we have to impact the world as an institution. Very few positions give you the opportunity to feel that you are really actively engaged in making a difference on a daily basis, and this certainly does.” In a year that included an inauguration and several recognitions on an individual and campus-wide scale, Lee said his favorite part of the presidency is interacting with the people who make up the community. “I really have enjoyed the time I have been able to spend with the students,” said Lee. “They have inspired me and motivated me to work hard to make this university a great place. That’s been a real memory for me.” Lee has made it a point to interact with students on a regular basis, something that was exemplified prior to his inauguration when he and his wife Kathy worked with students at various sites during the Day of Service. Lee believes forming relationships with students is a critical part of his role as president, because he said both parties benefit from the relationship. “I think I learn more from the students than I teach them,” said Lee. The president noted specifically that he learns more about the university’s identity

Jenny Schouppe, Yellow Jacket

University President Douglas G. Lee addresses the congregation at his inauguration March 25. The inauguration of the university's 15th president capped an historic first year of Lee's presidency. each day through his interaction with the student body. “Some of the greatest representatives of the institution that we have are our students,” said Lee. “When I go out and speak about the university, typically what I do is speak about the students, the faculty and the staff. In my experience, that is the piece of information other people respond to and are most interested in. Spending time with the students gives me that ability to tell others about what great young people we have here, and what I see as great hope for the future.” Lee said he does not place so much emphasis on the students because his job description requires it. Rather, he said he has made a conscious decision to focus on it.

“I like doing it; I just enjoy it,” said Lee. “It’s very inspiring, it’s very motivating and they’re very engaging. I enjoy spending time with them.” Lee said he has also reached out to alumni to form relationships, and added that his knowledge of what they are doing has also given him a better understanding of the university’s identity. “Every time you talk to an alum, it’s like reading another biography, because they talk to you about their life and they talk to you about how Waynesburg played a role in their life. You really get a sense of the impact of this place through all of those people,” said Lee. “You see what they’re doing in their walks of life and how we at Waynesburg shaped and

directed them. It is amazing to see how much of a reach this place has.” Lee advises future graduates to reach out to alumni and build relationships with them. “I think that’s critical,” said Lee. “Networking is the key. As an attorney, I learned that first hand. It’s the connections that you make that are the most important determiners in how you do in a career path.” Lee admitted the week of his inauguration carried many memories with it, but he said one memory shines brighter than all the others. The faculty and staff of the university presented a stained glass window of the lamp, a symbol of Waynesburg University, to Lee during the all-campus worship service the evening before his inauguration. To Lee, this gift serves as a reminder of his duty to serve every member of the university community, and he said he is honored to fulfill that calling. “Another great memory is of this beautiful gift my wife and I were given on behalf of the faculty and staff, and just that amazing show of support that was so humbling to both of us,” said Lee, looking at the stained glass window. “I can’t express how much that meant. It sits in my office, and everyday I look at it and get inspiration from it.” With commencement upcoming, Lee offered a piece of advice to future graduates. “Be confident in what you do, in any situation you are in. Be positive. Know what your strengths are and develop those, and know what your weaknesses are and either compensate for those weaknesses or work on making them strengths,” said Lee. “The key is, I think, to try to do a little better everyday in your life. Try to live your life a little better than you did the day before.”

Commencement

May 1, 2014

Summer events planned for alumni By SAMANTHA PEER Staff Writer

With graduation fast approaching, seniors are preparing to end one chapter in their lives and begin a new one. With this new chapter comes a new title. Seniors will no longer be considered Waynesburg University students, but alumni. They will be welcomed into a community that has some perks, too. With the chaotic schedule surrounding commencement, attending an alumni event for recent graduates may be the farthest thing from the minds of seniors. However, Alumni Relations Representative Vikki Beppler shared that attending such events can reap many benefits. “Attending these events is a great way to stay connected with the university [and learn]about what is happening on campus,” said Beppler. “The main reason that I believe people should attend these events is that most of

“After students graduate, no matter where they move, there is probably going to be some type of event close to them.”

VIKKI BEPPLER

Alumni Relations Representative

these events are free.” While the Alumni Relations office holds many events for alumni of all ages, recent graduate events are tailored specifically to alumni who hold an undergraduate degree from Waynesburg University and are up to 10 years out. The next recent graduate event is a Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Mets game at PNC Park taking place on Saturday, June 28 at 4:05 p.m. Beppler shared that attendance at recent graduates events is typically pretty strong, with nearly 75 people in attendance for last year’s Pirates game. While many events for recent graduates are held in Pittsburgh, there are various other events in numerous

locations across the United States held for alumni. “After students graduate, no matter where they move, there is probably going to be some type of event close to them,” said Beppler. “If they move to North Dakota, we don’t go there too often. However, if they are looking to find someone who lives in North Dakota that is an alumnus, we can help them to do that.” Besides staying connected, Beppler shared that recent graduate events offer recent graduates the opportunity to network. “It is also a great networking opportunity and a great opportunity to meet other alumni who have graduated, even if it is in 2013,” said Beppler. “We have graduates

from all the years that come to these events, so it is a great networking opportunity.” Another alumni event occurring soon is the Networking Lunch that will be taking place on July 30 from 12-1 p.m. at McCormick and Schmitz in Pittsburgh. “The alumni lunch has been really successful in the past,” said Beppler. “It is a great opportunity to network if you do not have a job and it is also a great opportunity to meet alumni.” The Networking Lunch is open to all alumni, not just for recent grads. However, Beppler shared that recent graduates are greatly encouraged to attend. Tickets for the Pirates game are $37 each and are first-come, first-served. 100 tickets are available in Sections 129 and 130. Details have not yet been made, but there will be a party beforehand near PNC Park. Graduates can buy up to two tickets by visiting Waynesburgunited.com/pirates14.

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Admissions already preparing to welcome next freshman class By KIMMI BASTON Staff Writer

As high school students reach the deadline for applying to colleges, Waynesburg University is looking ahead at enrollment for next year’s incoming class. At this time, Director of Admissions Jessica Sumpter predicts next year’s class will have about 400 students. Currently, there are more females enrolled than males, but Sumpter said male responses typically come later in the summer. It will be determined in July whether a wait list will be implemented for the incoming class. According to Sumpter, the current freshman class was the first class in Waynesburg’s history to require a wait list, which becomes necessary when housing and classes are too full. May 1 is the national deadline for applying to colleges and universities, and Waynesburg’s Office of Admissions has been particularly active this year in versity students. promoting the university to “This gift isn’t something high school students. tangible,” said Horvath. According to Sumpter, a “This gift is an opportunity prospective student recently to change someone’s life–an tweeted, “@WaynesburgU: I opportunity to give someone can’t wait until you stop conelse the chance to get their tacting me after May 1.” education at Waynesburg. I Sumpter doesn’t see this may never meet the people reaction as an entirely negawho get this scholarship tive thing. in the future, but I’m excited “It does go to show that we for them to get the same are being as proactive as poswonderful education and sible at recruiting students,” experience I received and to said Sumpter. join me as a Yellow Jacket. New to the recruiting The class of 2014 also sends process this year is the use special thanks to Beppler of sponsored tweets. George and other staff members Cicci, director of Integrated involved for working with Marketing, worked with the the committee to make this Office of Admissions to use year’s gift possible.” Twitter to urge students to Horvath also hopes the accept their admission to gift will continue to grow and Waynesburg and to make develop in the future. followers aware of the two “I hope that we will look deadlines for preferential back and remember that housing: March 1 and April Waynesburg is a part of each 15. of us,” said Horvath. “I’m exSumpter said the departcited to have a scholarship ment also pushed important from my graduating class dates this year with more that we created together and targeted call and email lists, can donate to in the future. in addition to mailed inforI hope our class uses this as mation. a way to stay connected to “We take kind of a multiWaynesburg after our lives communication channel take us many different ways.” approach to hit accepted Anyone interested in con- students in every medium tributing to the fund may do- possible,” said Sumpter. nate online or by calling the “We specifically target acOffice of Alumni Relations. cepted students who have “This is something that expressed a higher interest to I would love to see being us through phone calls with donated to every year and their admissions counselor.” grow,” said Beppler. “I hope this gift will also inspire the class of 2015, 2016 and beyond to find a gift that will continue to give back.”

Gift: Graduates create Endowed Scholarship Fund Continued from AA1

this goal, Beppler reached out to alumni in hopes that they would support funding the scholarship. The alumni did support the scholarship and matched the $5,000 amount. Beppler said one incoming freshman will receive a scholarship from this fund, beginning with the 2014-15 school year. “The scholarship will go to a student every year and is a lasting investment,” said Beppler. Brittany Nimal, senior business major, looks forward to assisting future students through the endowment fund. “The class of 2014 is leaving our legacy through cre-

ating a scholarship fund for future students attending Waynesburg University,” said Nimal. “The class gift is a way for the graduating class to come together and show our support and gratefulness to Waynesburg by giving back. Waynesburg has been a wonderful place for my education and future to start. I have received a lot of help and support at Waynesburg over my time here and I want to give back and help someone like I was helped.” The senior class takes much pride in its senior class gift, as does the president of Waynesburg University. “I know this senior class gave a lot of thought into the meaning and purpose of the gift, and I think they arrived at an excellent idea because it connects the stu-

dents together and [creates] a legacy gift that will be coming from this class for a very long time to future students,” said University President Douglas G. Lee. “I think that’s encouragement to the future students to know what their response should be to the financial support they receive while they’re here, and as they go out into the world and become successes in whatever they do, that they do it remembering the university and helping to advance the students here in the same way they were helped.” Kylee Horvath, senior information technology major, was one of the students who supported the scholarship and felt passionate about providing an opportunity for future Waynesburg Uni-

The sponsored tweets were also intended to promote visitation days. Kari Calvario, assistant director of Admissions and overseer of overnight visits and special visitation days, believes promoting visitation is an essential part of the recruiting process for Waynesburg. “[Visitations] play a crucial role,” said Calvario. “The best way to see campus and to see if it’s the right fit for you is to actually set foot on campus and really get the experience of what it would be like to be a student here.” A student’s visit to campus includes a campus tour, lunch (depending on timing) and a meeting with an admissions counselor. Students can request additional activities, and Calvario said the top two requests are to meet with a professor and attend a class. Students are also encouraged to meet with the Rev. Carolyn Poteet, director of Faith and Mission, to get the faith-based aspect of campus, or to meet with an athletic coach. The feedback to admissions counselors from students who visit seems to indicate it is an effective method of recruiting. “We get really, really great reactions,” said Calvario. “They’re always really impressed with how friendly our campus is. People hold doors open for them and smile at them, and it’s just kind of the nature of our campus to be welcoming. It’s definitely something families notice.” Although Waynesburg’s approach to the process of recruiting and admitting students does not vary much from year to year, the type of students being recruited does change. As such, the Office of Admissions makes adjustments based on reactions from prospective and accepted students. “We let the class dictate what it’s going to be like,” said Calvario. For instance, Calvario said it seems this incoming class is a bit slower in its communication with the university than in recent years and is taking longer to make decisions. After talking with other colleges and universities, Calvario concluded that See ENROLLMENT on AA4

Hall: Pittsburgh minister will speak at Baccalaureate service Continued from AA1

gives away what they have for other people.” As part of a church that has been sending out missionaries for over 200 years, Hall sees giving to others as an essential part of Christian life. He oversees missions at the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, and he also participates in service himself. So far, Hall has completed mission trips to Southeast Asia, Palestine and the West Bank and Turkey. “I’ve been on several mission trips; its part of the ethos of Pittsburgh [Theological] Seminary,” said Hall. “They try to give students a short term mission experience to give them a heart for missions.” Because of his deep involvement with missions, Waynesburg University will be presenting Hall with an honorary degree, a Doctor of Humane letters, which Hall said is “very humbling.” Although Hall has never had a connection to the university before, he does have a friendship with Dr. Larry

Stratton, director of the Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership. Both of them are graduates of Leaders of Pittsburgh, a ten-month program that brings together 60 leaders from different areas to meet with one another and delve into the problems facing the region. From this program, Hall learned that many American Christians are told they are supposed to hide their faith from the public. “It’s a few people saying it, but the voices are loud,” said Hall. This is one reason why Hall said he admires Waynesburg University and its mission of incorporating faith into the classroom and the careers beyond. Hall therefore hopes he can build a lasting relationship with Waynesburg and its people during his visit. “I hope I can learn more about Waynesburg and build some new relationships and friendships,” said Hall. “And I hope to meet new colleagues who love God and country and who want to encourage people to live out their faith in the public square.”

Commencement

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May 1, 2014

Campus actively strives for accreditation Dept. of Education By JACOB MEYER Staff Writer

According to the dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, the university’s accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education has a much larger effect on students than many may realize. “Your degree is actually worth something if you go to an accredited institution,” Dr. Jamie Jacobs said. “It means there is an outside, independent, non-governmental entity that is verifying the degrees and that the institution is a real higher education institution. If an institution loses its accreditation it’s very hard for them to recruit students because the degree kind of isn’t worth the paper that it’s written on.” It will be determined whether or not Waynesburg University will continue to be accredited by MSCHE in March 2015. Before that decision, the university must submit a self-study, which is an assessment by the university on how the institution is performing compared to

their expectations. “What we do is look through all of the things that we’re doing across the institution and we do a self-audit [to see] if we are actually doing the things we say we’re doing,” Jacobs said. “So we verify that we are performing all the services, planning for the future and fulfilling our mission in the ways that we have set out.” Jacobs said the university has created steering committees made up of several staff members. Each member is head of a subcommittee in charge of a specific section of the self-study and they are doing an analysis of how the university is doing in that area. To obtain student input for the self-study the university conducted four focus groups, two of which were held on April 14. Dana Baer, member of the steering committee and professor of criminal justice, Genna Steele, executive assistant to the provost, and Jacobs conducted the focus groups. The composition of the students in the focus groups

was overseen by Baer and was randomized. To obtain the best possible information from the students, the focus groups contained between five and ten students. “My attempt was to make it as random as we could make it so we were getting representation from a broad spectrum,” Baer said. “We actually ended up with what we were looking for. It was a comprehensive composition of constituencies.” Baer said many graduate schools will only accept students who come from accredited institutions. Jacobs said a huge part of the self-study is hearing from every department at the university. “That’s why we have faculty and staff on the steering committee, but we also want students involved,” Jacobs said. “Part of the way we involve students is by the focus groups and we’re also looking at the surveys students have taken.” The Board of Trustees will review a draft of the self-study at the end of May. That draft will then go to the

Middle States visitation committee chair before he visits the university June 12. After that, the university will get back to work revising the draft to be approved by the Board of Trustees in September before officially sending it in to MSCHE. Once MSCHE has reviewed the self-study, a group from MSCHE will conduct a site visit in November. After the site visit, MSCHE will write a report and formally decide if the university will continue to be accredited in March 2015. MSCHE may make recommendations on things the university should change and will check back in five years to see if the suggestions were applied. Jacobs said the self-study process is one that students at many universities would not be interested in, but that is not the case at Waynesburg University. “One of the things that I’m really grateful for here is that students have shown an interest,” Jacobs said. “I’m grateful that everyone is willing to participate, from students to staff to faculty.

says farewell to Kefferstan, Boyd By HANNAH MORRIS

For the Yellow Jacket

Each spring brings something to an end while starting the growth of something new. The Department of Education is in the process of bringing something to an end, as two of its teachers will retire at the end of this semester. “Dr. Robert Kefferstan and Dr. Francis Boyd will be leaving us after serving us diligently over the last several years,” said Debra Clarke, chair of the Department of Education. “They will be greatly missed by the students, faculty and myself.” Francis Boyd, associate professor of education, has served Waynesburg University's Department of Education for the past three years. “I had wanted to work at Waynesburg several years ago, but it did not work out at that point,” said Boyd.

“When the opportunity to apply for my current position came up, it was an opportunity that I could not ignore.” According to Clarke, Boyd has been instrumental in revamping some of the department’s literacy curriculum. She also works with several students as they complete their student teaching requirements. “We prepare the students very well academically, but we also provide hands on experience through student teaching,” said Boyd. “As they student teach, I come alongside and provide guidance and encouragement.” Part of Boyd’s job was to come alongside students as they worked in the classroom and give the extra support student teachers need. “She had such confidence in us. Many days she had more confidence in me than See PROFESSORS on AA5

Ellsworth: Speaker hopes to share inspirational memories with graduates

Continued from AA1

consistently filed with some recognizable names. “We grew up in New York and he had a lot of fancy friends—Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra—I grew up with them as my Uncle Bob and Uncle Frank,” said Ellsworth. While a variety of talented individuals were around Ellsworth when she was younger, the one that she looked up to the most was the one she shared a bloodline with. To Ellsworth, her father was the one who showed her just how powerful choices could be. One day, when her dad was in his office, she walked in on him looking over a pile of resumes for a fellowship to work with him. While his head was in his hands, she looked down at the resumes, which all had lines of Apluses from prestigious universities and colleges around the country, and she asked, “Wow! What’s your problem? These look amazing.” “You don’t understand,” her father responded. “I work with a disease where 80 percent of the children die. I’m looking at these people, and I’m having trouble finding anyone who’s ever failed.” His response was odd. Why would he want someone who has experience with failure? “When 80 percent of your patients are going to die no matter what you do, if you have never failed that will destroy you; and you won’t be able to do what I do if you haven’t experienced failure and learn how to overcome it,” he answered her. His answer shocked Ellsworth initially. She said that day she learned that great accomplishment could come

from choosing how you deal with failure. “If you choose to deal with it in a way that makes you stronger and better and able to deal with life or challenges, you will ultimately be able to do greater things, because great things are really hard, and you will inevitably fail at great things,” said Ellsworth. “But if you learn to grow from that and choose to do it again, and you choose to make changes in yourself as a result from you failures, you will ultimately be able to achieve great things and, more importantly, you will never be able to do them had you not failed in the first place.” While she was studying to get her Bachelors degree at Princeton University, a very enticing offer came Ellsworth’s way. Ellsworth was studying theatre at the time, and was approached by someone for a role on a soap opera. After initially wanting to take it, Ellsworth’s dad quickly brought her dream back to reality. “I went home and reported to my dad that I’m going to go be on that soap opera, and he said he didn’t pay that kind of money so I could have our years of Princeton so you can be on TV,” said Ellsworth. “He said to go to law school and see how it goes, because I could always be on TV. So for 20 years after, when I’d have a really bad day at work and I’d pop on the TV, there would be my character. But in the long run, I’m glad I got it right.” After turning it down and graduating from Princeton, Ellsworth made another crucial choice that would change the course of her life. She moved to Pittsburgh with her boyfriend at the

Enrollment: Office of Admissions prepares for incoming class

Continued from AA3

“[high school] seniors this year are just still undecided.” Indecision is, in large part, why visitation differs between the fall and spring semesters. “Visits in the fall are a little more exploratory,” said Calvario. “It’s a lot of times a first introduction for students. In the spring, what happens on their visit could ultimately decide whether or not they’re going to attend, so you see a little more urgency.” Similarly, communication is directed differently during each semester. In the fall, it

is more important that high school students are promptly completing the application process before spring arrives. “A lot of it is about applying,” said Sumpter. “They need to go through the whole process [in the fall] to make a decision in the spring.” Calvario emphasizes the significance of all communication with prospective and accepted students for successfully recruiting students all year long. “We’re always making sure that the things we’re mailing out portray Waynesburg exactly how we want,” said Calvario. “Any contact we can have is super important.”

time – the man is now her husband – and applied to law school for what she said was a lack of anything better to do. “I got to Pittsburgh, and on the first day of law school I opened the law book and I was just blown away. I found my passion that day, just by coincidence,” said Ellsworth. “So that day I made the choice that this is what I was going to do with my life, and here I am over 40 years later doing something that I never saw myself doing prior to that self discovery.” Since then, Ellsworth received her juris doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating magna cum laude in 1983. Ellsworth joined Jones Day, an elite international law firm, in 1992, and is now the partner in charge of their Pittsburgh office. She also serves as the vice chair of the board of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and on the boards of three other organizations. In 2008, Ellsworth was named one of Pennsylvania’s “Best 50 Women in Business” and currently is involved extensively in electronic discovery, serving on the Jones Day e-Discovery Committee. Ellsworth said she chose Waynesburg because she saw a lot of herself in the university’s students after working with them at various points in her life.

Photo Courtesy University Relations

Dr. Bruce Bickel delivered the commencement address last year on the Miller Hall lawn. This year's speaker is Laura Ellsworth. “You can choose to do something big in the world; don’t be afraid of doing something big. Sometimes, it’s that joy and conviction that you can do anything, it’s that power and personality that can really change things, and I’ve seen that 100 times

in students at Waynesburg,” said Ellsworth. “There are a lot of scholastic organizations I could choose to get involved in, and the reason I’ve been so captivated by Waynesburg is because Waynesburg students have an amazing personal power,

a spark, a very quiet conviction. I’ve seen it with such consistency in the students that I’ve met from the university that I believe there are people there who are like me; someone who no matter what it takes, they’re going to [succeed].”

Commencement

May 1, 2014

Page AA5

Initiative could grant students up to $2,000 Week: No activities Act expected to aid students in upcoming year By JOHN LYDIC

Editorial Assistant

With the Governor’s new initiative, Pennsylvania students could see an increase in financial aid for the 2014-15 academic year. The Ready to Succeed Act proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett’s in February will allocate $25 million for post-secondary education to students from Pennsylvania. This $25 million will be coupled in addition with the $345 million apportioned by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. According to director of Financial Aid, Matt Stokan, this was an initiative that many did not expect. “I was in Harrisburg about it in February and they said they did not think they would get the funds for it,” said Stokan. “I went to a meeting about a month later and they were more optimistic about it.” According to Stokan, PHEAA committed $25 million to the initiative after the governor approached them. The new initiative would provide a possible $2,000 in

state grant money to students in Pennsylvania whose family income is under $110,000. The student will also have to be sophomores, juniors or seniors who have completed 24 credits, according to Stokan. An additional requirement to be awarded this scholarship is a minimum grade point average of 3.25. This program has students like senior criminal justice and political science major, Daniel Czajkowski, seeing the commitment being made by the government. “I think that the governor’s Ready to Succeed, certainty on its face is a investment in the future of Pennsylvania,” said Czajkowski. “I am really pleased to see that the governor is investing more money in Pennsylvania students, especially college students as well.” Even with the new funds being allocated for more money to Pennsylvania students, Stokan advises people to file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid as early as possible. “The final condition is it is on a first come first serve basis,” said Stokan. “The re-

ality is that the anticipated number of students who may qualify for this you may have students who apply and don’t receive because they applied too late.” According to Stokan, the application is the FAFSA. When a student turns in his FAFSA determines the date a student applies for the scholarship. Students that do not usually apply until later are being encouraged by Stokan to apply early because of the opportunity to earn more state grant money. “We have to do everything in our power to push all students and all families to complete the FAFSA even if they don’t receive a federal grant, state grant and they say ‘I don’t want loans,’” said Stokan. “Here’s a reason to do it and a reason to it as soon as possible in the New Year.” Stokan does caution that students understand all the conditions associated with the new proposed initiative. Students can receive up to $2,000 of state grant money, according to Stokan. If students are processed and receive a certain amount in state grants, they can earn as

much additionally from the Ready to Succeed Act up to $2,000. According to Czajkowski, this allows families like his to receive financial aid despite pieces of paper that say his family can support him in college. “This is an act that understands that, and it gives students an opportunity on merit to get a little more money to put towards education,” said Czajkowski. As the act moves closer to becoming legislation, Stokan hopes this is a sign of things to come in financial aid support for students. “I’d like to see more initiatives like this, not just on the state level but the federal level,” said Stokan. “I think its kind of talking out of both sides of your mouth when you as a, legislator talk about student loan indebtedness and default rate, but your not coming up with additional funding or free money for students and their families to pay for their education.” Students will not see the affects of this until late in the fall or even the spring of the 2014-15 academic year. Corbett will publicly discuss the initiative May 9.

Professors: Two education instructors set to retire Continued from AA4

I had in myself,” said Morgan Brumbaugh, senior education major. “I will miss her sense of creativity, personality and encouraging spirit.” Robert Kefferstan, professor of education, has been at Waynesburg University for

10 years. “I knew I wanted to be part of the faculty here as soon as I heard about the job,” said Kefferstan. “Luckily I was offered the job.” According to Clarke, Kefferstan also helped redesign some of the curriculum. “Dr. Kefferstan was the calmest teacher I have ever

had,” said Lauren Boscaljon, a senior education major. “This is an important lesson to learn going into the education field where things can be very challenging.” Part of the ability to teach is also helping students grow in areas that they may be weak in, explained Clarke. “He cared so much for his

students that he even took the time to show me where I could do something better,” said Hannah Szymanik, senior education major. Boyd hopes to continue teaching in some way while pursuing her love for crafting while Kefferstan plans to spend time the extra time with his wife and family.

planned following finals

Continued from AA1

The university announced plans to eliminate dead week from the 2014-15 academic calendar about a month ago, but Cummings said the lack of participation in dead week activities is only a small reason for the proposed restructuring to that portion of the academic calendar. “The change to the academic calendar was really driven by the academic side, but I did give input about the fact that I had received parent calls,” said Cummings, who noted the new academic calendar will give graduates an additional two weeks of summer to start their careers or spend time with family. Cummings said she believes the new fall break, scheduled for Oct. 11-19 in 2014, will provide students with a better experience than past dead weeks. “If there’s going to be a week, that week in October really gives us some possibilities,” said Cummings. “It’s not a peak travel time, and learning opportunities and service opportunities can be folded into that week, as well as a well-needed rest for students. That, to me, is the more logical place to put a week of downtime, not the week after graduation.” The fact that no dead week activities are planned does not mean graduating students are not allowed to reside in their dorms until commencement. Cummings said students with a hardship who completed an extended housing request form will still receive permission to

remain in residence halls until commencement; however, the fact that students who filed to extend their stay on campus were staying to participate in an activity not planned by the Student Activities Board led her to believe involvement in dead week would once again be low. “We put the form out there to say ‘if you need to stay, fill out a form and tell us why you need to stay,’” said Cummings. “Some students who are staying are already involved in an activity, so they don’t need other activities.” Had the response to these forms been higher, Cummings said she would have reconsidered the elimination of dead week activities. “We thought we would make the decision based on need, rather than putting the activities out there and then trying to fill the activities,” said Cummings. “We wanted to find who needs to stay, for what purpose and then if their need to be activities for that, do it, but otherwise, it’s a good year to transition away from it since it won’t happen next year.” Cummings, who joined Waynesburg in an executive position in 2012, said she understands that dead week originated as a way for out-of-state students to stay on campus until commencement, thus saving them the hassle of coordinating travel plans. Students who received clearance to remain in residence halls until commencement are reminded that no food services are available after finals week.

Graduation: University to recognize more than 600 degree candidates Continued from AA1

tional collegiate honorary societies with a Waynesburg chapter. No other adornments may be worn. This, according to University Provost Dr. Jacquelyn Core, is done to “keep graduation appearance uniform” during commencement exercises. “It is accurate to say that students may wear only university-sanctioned honors cords,” said Core in an

email. “The policy has not changed.” According to Kerry Purnell, assistant provost, cords are awarded to students based on their cumulative grade point average. “Students are only allowed to wear traditional honors cords for cum laude, manga cum laude and summa cum laude,” said Purnell. She added the academic excellence pins are for nursing undergraduates who meet certain qualifications.

According to the official commencement schedule, bachelor’s degree candidates will robe in the old gym at 1 p.m. in preparation for the procession at 1:55 p.m. Graduates are expected to wear full academic regalia for commencement. Any graduate who is late must receive special orders from the registrar and will receive his or her diploma after all other names are called. Commencement will begin at 2 p.m. on the lawn of

Miller Hall, with the rain site being the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. Laura Ellsworth, partner at Jones Day international law firm, will address graduating students. If the university elects to conduct commencement exercises in the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, each graduating student will only be permitted two tickets for guests. All guests without tickets are encouraged to utilize one of the remote viewing sites in various buildings on campus.

Remote viewing sites are available on campus for both baccalaureate and commencement. According to Jim DePriest, event coordinator for Information Technology Services, Alumni Hall and the Good-

win Performing Arts Center will serve as remote viewing sites for both ceremonies. In addition, Roberts Chapel will be converted into a remote viewing site for commencement after the baccalaureate service is complete.

COMMENCEMENT DAY SCHEDULE Sunday, May 18

10 A.M. Graduating students and faculty members report to the Marsh Center in Roberts Chapel 10:30 A.M. Procession line forms for baccalaureate service in Roberts Chapel; guests may begin entering chapel 10:50 A.M. Procession begins for baccalaureate service 11 A.M.

Baccalaureate service begins

11:30 A.M. Benedum Dining Hall opens for Graduate Luncheon; graduates and up to two guests my provide luncheon tickets at the door 1 P.M. Deadline to pick up honor cords and academic excellence pins in the old gym; procession line for commencement ceremony begins to form in the old gym 1:55 P.M. Student procession for commencement ceremony begins 2 P.M. Commencement begins on the lawn of Miller Hall (inclement site: Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse) APPROXIMATELY 4 P.M. Graduating students receive diplomas, become Waynesburg University alumni

WHAT TO WEAR Baccalaureate: Students do not wear caps, hoods or gowns Commencement: Students wear full academic regalia, including gowns, caps and hoods; additionally, students are permitted to wear university-sanctioned cords granted by affiliated honors societies or by the university based on cumulative grade point average

WHERE TO WATCH Baccalaureate: Service in Roberts Chapel; remote viewings available in Alumni Hall and Goodwin Performing Arts Center Commencement: Ceremony on the Miller Hall lawn (inclement weather site: Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse; tickets required); remote viewings available in Roberts Chapel, Alumni Hall and Goodwin Performing Arts Center

Commencement

Page AA6

May 1, 2014

Yellow Jacket seniors reflect Find pride in the 'I call myself the college journeyman' people and enjoy every moment James Witte

Columnist

“I learned what I want to do now with my life and without Waynesburg, I probably would still be searching for myself. ”

James Witte

Eric Bost Columnist

When I sat down to write this, I thought this would be the easiest thing I would ever write for the Yellow Jacket. Instead, I have sat down every day for the past seven days, I’ve looked at the computer, and I’ve put my hands on the keyboard. And every single day, nothing. It’s not that I don’t know what to say. I have so much to reflect on from my last four years at Waynesburg University, but I can’t choose just one thing. So instead of talking about me for the next 400-500 words, I’ll take that space to thank everyone that’s helped me through this amazing journey. The first goes to Professor Richard Krause. (For the record, this is not me trying to suck up for a better grade in class, I swear.) He sat me down the first day I visited this campus and told me about the school newspaper and its history. He gave me my first introduction to the world of journalism, and it’s been an interesting ride ever since. Professor – soon to be Doctor – Brandon Szuminsky has taught me almost everything I know about newspaper writing. Not only was/is he a great teacher, but I’m glad that I can call him a mentor and a friend. (Now please just finish your dissertation so I’m not wrong about the whole ‘soon to be doctor’ thing, because I don’t want to be a story you tell future students about a guy who awkwardly gave you a title that you never received in a column.) Speaking of which, I knew

someone that visited La Roche College. While Szuminsky taught me what I know, Sarah Bell, executive editor of the Yellow Jacket last year, got the ball rolling as far as my career is concerned. To put it simply, she gave me the motivation I needed to get involved after literally doing nothing my first two years at this university. Pretty much she yelled at me every time she knew I needed to do work and yet I kept procrastinating. There’s a reason she was the mom of the executive staff. The rest of the Yellow Jacket staff and the rest of the Department of Communication family has become just that: a family. I know for a fact that when I leave here in a couple of weeks, I will leave with some of the greatest friendships that will continue well into my future. Some of them – like Nick Farrell, Chad Green and Cori Schipani – I’ve known for years. Others – like Chelsea Dicks, Kara Bemer and Olivia Latimer – I have only known for a short time. Heck, an actual family member became one of my best friends for life. I won’t mention names, but he always delivers every morning on 99.5 The Hive between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. What’s funny is that of all my friends I’ve made here, my greatest friend Tori isn’t part of the department. Even though I don’t have siblings, she’s like a sister to me, and I treat her as such. The people at this university, more specifically this department, are amazing. I thank God every day that He led me here and has surrounded me with some of the greatest individuals I will ever know. See Thanks on aa7

Where do I even begin? I honestly don’t know. If you had told me when I was a senior in high school that I would eventually wind up graduating from Waynesburg University, I probably would have laughed. Like honestly, I would have laughed. My story starts there: se-

Op/Ed Editor

nior year of high school at Waynesburg Central. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. Heck, I didn’t take my SATs until the winter of my senior year. I just knew I didn’t want to stay in my hometown. I looked at applying to

Georgetown University. I stared at that long application process and the thought of living in Washington, D.C. and had a reality check. Next I applied to California University of Pennsylvania and that was the only place I applied.

I was a Criminal Justice major and then through the advice of my social studies teacher, switched my major to Political Science. Not even in college yet and I already switched majors; really off to a great start. I wasn’t really set on Cal U to begin with, and after a year there, from the suggestion of one of my best friends, I transferred to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he also attended. See journey on AA7

Swing for the fences, and you'll always win Kyle Oland Columnist

“You can’t hit the home run unless you swing for the fences. Chances are you will strikeout, but you will never hit the home run unless you swing with all your might. Even if you do strikeout, keep swinging for the fence, because when you hit that home run, everybody will forget the times you struck out.”

I adapted this quote as a personal mission during my sophomore year at Waynesburg University. After incurring some personal obstacles during my first two years of college, I realized that I needed to re-shape my focus on life. I had been ‘striking out’ with the decisions I was making, but I realized if I kept ‘swinging’ I would eventually succeed. I am a sports guy and sports have become my profession and the way in which I will make a living once I graduate college. The quote

not only represents my passion for sports, but the unwavering attitude one needs to succeed in life. In life we face obstacles and challenges – it’s part of the human experience. At times we will fail, and fail miserably. However, the beauty of life is we always have a chance to step back in the batter’s box and swing again. As my time at Waynesburg comes to an end, my hope is that I exemplified my quote and personal mission. It’s something I wanted to pass

on to those around me – especially the younger students in the Department of Communication who I worked with during my time as the Sports Editor for the Yellow Jacket. Whether you are a freshman or a rising senior, it is never too late to take a swing for the fences. Your dreams may seem unattainable, but you can never reach your dreams unless you go for them. Don’t let your fears or doubts keep See Quote on AA7

Faith, friends are there when needed most Matt Giardina Columnist

Never be afraid of who you are. As a graduating senior, those are my parting words: “Never be afraid of who you are.” Because over all the years and experiences, I believe that is the most important lesson I learned at Waynesburg University. As a prospective student, the academic rigor is what drew me to Waynesburg, not its deeply rooted Christian mission.

“I did not find faith through my upbringing, or in a church, or even with a pastor. I found it through my friends and peers, and in being surrounded by the strong Christian mission of Waynesburg University. ”

Matt Giardina

Advertising Director

In fact, I dreaded the faithoriented aspects of this campus. As a Catholic school graduate, the mere thought of more bible classes, highstrung believers and preachers of sin did not seem too appealing. What I did not realize was that eventually I would depend on it. Sur-

rounded by Catholicism’s piercing guilt in my household, I felt like Waynesburg University would contain much of the same. However, I discovered many other denominations and beliefs that I trusted more. Like most college stu-

dents, I was struggling with my understanding of faith and trying to come to terms with being a homosexual in a prominently Christian institution. Filled with an already bleak outlook on homosexuality and sin, I visited other churches for an answer. Unfortunately, my answer came loudly and clearly from a pastor addressing his congregation. “You can’t be a homosexual and a Christian.” Over and over he kept shouting it, his heightened fiery voice scaring me. So I ran, I stood up and ran out the door and onto the See faith on aa7

Yellow Jacket

May 1, 2014

So long, senior staffers

Page AA7

Long drives lead to necessary reflection

many chances as a student to get dressed up for things other than speeches and preColumnist sentations. Sadly, this spring, that formal was canceled, but it You may not recognize my does not detract from the name within the editorials of fond memories I have of that this paper. I do not expect event and the time I spent you to. with friends and fellow stuThe last time I wrote a dents. story for the Yellow Jacket As you read this, realize was in 2011. that there are many people You may not expect me who bring you this publicato be writing a column, yet tion. I have had a hand on every The staff writers, the stuedition. I am the distribution dents in journalism classes, manager the editors, the designers, I deliver the newspapers. the photographers, the adEach Thursday morning, vertisement manager and I drive out of the disWaynesburg tribution t o Un i o n - I feel like part of manager. town to pick something greater than It is up the news- myself when placing this team papers from of people these papers on their the printer. t h at put It is one of stands throughout the their time the highlights community and on and efforts of my week. I into this have a lonely campus. paper and hour and a give me a half roundreason to trip, but I use that time to make that drive every Thursreflect. day morning—my hour and As a senior communica- a half of reflection. tion student, I have much to Thank you, Yellow Jacket reflect upon. staff, and thank you, readers. During the trip, I pass There is a beauty to the exfarm land after farm land change of information over a and recall the summer after medium such as paper. It is my sophomore year when I an element of a civilization. worked on a farm. This was It makes us human. the summer that I discovered We read to be informed that I am not called to run a and to feel a sense of emlarge-scale farming opera- pathy for those behind the tion. stories. I pass the old Hatfield’s I feel like part of someFerry Power Station that thing greater than myself closed during my tenure as when placing these papers a student. This station ran on their stands throughout on the burning of coal. I the community and on camempathize with both sides pus. affected by the closing of this Since you are reading this station. now, you know that I have I imagine the ways that completed my task for the our country is moving slowly year. I will be graduating toward cleaner energy sourc- soon, and I will be moving es such a natural gas. Perhaps on to new ways of contributwe will even see a more ef- ing to civilization. I ask you ficient form of solar energy to do the same. soon. Use your own gifts and I hope the closing of this discipline to contribute to station is just a small step in society. bringing our society to use of Whether it be on the farms renewable energy sources. sustaining our civilization, in Across the road from a research of clean and renewlandfill along my route is the able energy sources, in poliLakeside Party Center where tics supporting camaraderie I attended the Spring Formal within a society and between sponsored by the Student societies, or in journalism Activities Board three years telling the stories of this in a row. civilization, do so legally, This was one of my favor- ethically, morally and with a ite events to attend during sense of what is greater than the school year. There are not yourself. Chad Green

Jenny Schouppe, Yellow Jacket

There are currently six seniors on the Yellow Jacket Executive Staff: (Back row, from left) James Witte, Cori Schipani, Matt Giardina and Kyle Oland; (front row, from left): Eric Bost and Chad Green.

Cori Schipani Resident Creative

I'm a designer more than I'm a writer. I perfer Photoshop to Word and don't care for words. So instead of a column, here is a haiku.

Journey: The end destination may not be expected Continued from AA6

When I went to orientation, I went down memory lane when the U.S. Army ROTC program held a presentation. I remembered in middle school my dream of how much I wanted to join ROTC and become an officer and go into the Army Rangers. The first semester I was a cadet in ROTC and I did all sorts of cool stuff. I was pushed off a diving board blindfolded, was part of cannon crew at an IUP football game, marched in the Veteran’s Day parade and at field training exercises (FTX) at Camp Ravenna in Ohio, I

repelled off a 40-foot tower. (In actuality, my captain kind of pushed me off the edge, but it did help conquer my fear of heights.) Yet, I could never pass my physical training tests. It turned out that I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder and I could never do enough push-ups in two minutes. The fact I could not pass my PT tests depressed me. In my melancholy state, I left ROTC. I sought a change of scenery at this point. At the behest of my parents, I came back home-to Waynesburg University. In the summer before my junior year, I got a job as a se-

curity guard at gas well sites. I sat up at night for 12 hours listening to the radio. There, I developed an interest in radio and communications. When I came to Waynesburg in the summer with all the incoming freshmen, what little enthusiasm I had for college when I was a freshman at Cal U was long gone. I met with my advisor, Dr. Richard Waddel and we talked. A little bit later, I added a Communication minor. This turned out to be one of the smartest moments of my college career. I took Understanding Media and I had to do practicum hours; a required number of hours involved in communi-

cation department events. Through the somewhat forced suggestion from Professor Richard Krause, I became involved in the Yellow Jacket and I haven’t looked back since. I learned what I want to do now with my life and without Waynesburg, I probably would still be searching for myself. I call myself the college journeyman. These past two years I went from not knowing a soul and not really caring, to be given the nickname “Jimmer.” I like it. When everything is said and done, I like it here. I’m glad I’m here- Maybe not where I began, but where I’m glad to have ended up.

Faith: Finding yourself is filled with ups and downs Continued from AA6

street in the pouring rain. And here I was trying so hard to be a Christian — to live like Jesus. I remember thinking how silly I was to think I belonged in a church or belonged at all. I cried that day. Depression sunk in and, like an iceberg, a mere cold fraction of me emerged. It was like I finally understood that there was no reality where I could coexist with Christianity and there was something severely wrong with being who I am.I

stayed in that icy cocoon for months, a shell of myself. My close friends chipped away at it an attempt to break it open. The day they succeeded came before a race when a teammate handed me an old, regular rubberband with the words “Be Strong Phil 4:13” handwritten in ink. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” A new message resonated in my head, a positive one. I finally began to understand the true meaning of what it is to be Christian. I did not find faith through my upbringing, or in a church,

or even with a pastor. I found it through my friends and peers, and in being surrounded by the strong Christian mission of Waynesburg University. I owe so much to this institution, and an appreciative thank you to my teammates, coaches, professors, friends

and fellow communication students for helping shape me into who I am today. The faith instilled so profoundly on this campus, I believe, has a way of seeping into our lives and changing them for the better. I now live my life never being afraid of who I am.

Thanks: Be grateful for friendships forged

Continued from AA6

Even though I failed to mention every name, everybody I’ve met here over the last four years here are just as important to me as the next. It has been an honor to not

only be a part of the Yellow Jacket for four years, but to be able to contribute in making it an award-winning newspaper again as well. I thank everyone I have met at Waynesburg for helping make this journey one that I will never forget. God bless.

Quote: Swing mightily Continued from AA6

you from running towards your dreams. There is a chance you will strikeout along the way, but if you keep swinging, you will

hit the home run. Then once you hit your home run, all the strikeouts will seem like a distant memory. So step into the batter’s box, take a big swing, and maybe you will hit a home run and achieve your dreams.

Newspaper policy Editorials in the left-hand column on page A4 represent the views of the Yellow Jacket. Letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements on this page or the editorial page do not necessarily reflect the position of this newspaper and university.

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Commencement

May 1, 2014

section A

May 1, 2014 | waynesburg university | theyellowjacket.org

Murphy Relay for Life unites campus, raises money to fight cancer visits WU, explains new bill By Nick Farrell Executive Editor

As a former psychologist, U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy said he will always have a connection to those who suffer from severe mental illness because he worked with people to help them overcome their adversity. “I have seen so many times when some people’s lives change for the better by getting treatment and change for the worse by not having access to it,” said Murphy. “I think when I was practicing, I saw some of the worst human conditions and what people would also do to each other. That’s part of my drive.” Now a congressman, Murphy hopes to provide better access to life-changing help for mentally ill Americans through his new Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, which is currently up for deliberation in the House of Representatives. During a presentation in Alumni Hall April 23, Murphy identified several areas where mental health care in America lacks and said his bill will reshape these deficient areas if passed. Murphy noted that of the estimated 9.6 million Americans suffering from severe mental illness, nearly onethird do not receive proper treatment. This, he said, is caused by two factors: the federal government is not responsible with the $125 billion it spends on mental health, and there are not ample means to provide every mental health patient with appropriate See Murphy on A6

Olivia Latimer, Yellow Jacket

Cancer survivors take a lap of honor around campus with their banner after being recognized onstage at Waynesburg University's Mini-Relay for Life to support the American Cancer Society.

Cancer survivors honored as community gathers to raise money at annual event By Olivia Latimer Assignments Editor

Each year, more than 1 million people across the United States are diagnosed with cancer, according to he American Cancer Society. More than 7.6 million individuals are afflicted by more than 200 different kinds of cancer across the world every year, per World Cancer Day. Relay for Life is an event created by the American

Special Olympics returns to region By John Lydic

Editorial Assistant

One Waynesburg University professor’s passion has led to a renewed effort to bring back the Special Olympics to Greene County. James Tanda, instructor of criminal justice at Waynesburg University, found a passion for the Special Olympics during his 25 years as a federal law enforcement special agent, and this, he claimed, led his drive. “I thought I could bring the contacts, energy and connections to Waynesburg and particularly Greene County, who had lost its program,” said Tanda. Once he arrived, Tanda started discussing the chance of his plan being put to action by talking with the department chair and faculty members, where he found full support for the plan. The next step was to discuss with the students in the criminal justice club about the opportunity to get involved with service and also connect it to the Department of Criminal Justice. The students thought it was something important to bring back to the county. “I think it’s important for the university to get involved,” said Cody Peebles, junior criminal justice major. “One of the biggest things in Greene County is the university, so I feel it is up to us as students to get involved and use the university as a resource.”

Students got involved in the fall semester with the Polar Plunge in Pittsburgh. Ten to 15 students, including Tanda, jumped into the Allegheny River and raised a lot of money. The commitment by the students and Tanda to the program convinced Greene County that Waynesburg was serious about volunteerism and service, and they decided to partner with the university to attempt to bring back the Special Olympics. Tanda credits the students who have become involved with the chance to get this program going. “I couldn’t have done this without the students,” said Tanda. “The students came forward and embraced the idea.” Peebles believed it is a commitment from the department to be involved in something that is so valuable to law enforcement. “I feel as criminal justice majors, [the Special Olympics] needs to be our thing at the university,” said Peebles. “Everywhere you go that has Special Olympics, criminal justice is involved. So I feel like we can do our part in Greene County as criminal justice students and possibly get ourselves in the door with other departments through doing the Special Olympics.” The next step to bring back the Special Olympics was the construction of See Olympics on A3

Cancer Society dedicated to raising money and awareness so that one day, a cure for cancer may be discovered. Near the end of each spring semester, Waynesburg University’s Colleges Against Cancer chapter sponsors a Mini Relay for Life. The 2014 Mini Relay event was held Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Johnson Commons. “We are a service-based institution, and Relay for Life is definitely a service-based event. It spreads awareness

and almost everyone is affected by cancer in some way,” said Theresa Butler, junior accounting major and president of Colleges Against Cancer. “A lot of students are affected by cancer either directly or indirectly. The event is right in the middle of the school so many students stop by to support their friends who are involved or affected. It’s like a domino effect.” Throughout the day, 34 teams set up tables where each of them sold various

goods and offered games and prizes to raise money for the cause. Items like cotton candy, snow cones, nachos and buffalo chicken dip were among the favorite items for sale. Students, faculty and the Greene County community were able to participate in games like corn hole, dunk tanks, throwing pie in the face and more. According to Butler, the Mini Relay for Life is the largest event that happens on Waynesburg’s campus

each year. “The students are incredible. Year after year they come out and embrace this event and the cause,” said Kelley Hardie, assistant dean of student services and advisor of the Colleges Against Cancer chapter. “This year we had 34 teams of very diverse organizations and groups throughout campus who really support the program and make it very successful.” See Relay on A6

‘Lifelong student’ chosen as new CFO Olon admires commitment to faith, learning By Nick Farrell Executive Editor

When John Olon envisioned his future as a young man, he didn’t see himself becoming as invested in higher education as he is today. “I always told myself I didn’t want to be a doctor because I didn’t want to go to school forever, but that’s what I ended up doing,” said Olon. Now a self-proclaimed “lifelong student,” Olon said he is a big believer in education, and a proprietor of education rooted in faith. So when he recently searched for a new road to follow on his career path – which already included seven years of professional work in higher education with the Education Management Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – he said he was magnetized by Waynesburg University’s mission and campus, and he applied to become chief financial officer. “When I was interviewing and talking to folks, I could tell there was something special about Waynesburg. I was drawn to the campus,” said Olon. “I was talking to a number of different companies about my next role, and in talking with [University President Douglas G. Lee], there’s just something special going on down here, and I want to be a part of it.” Olon’s resume boasts cor-

porate experience tems and manage at ALCOA Inc. financial planning. and Dick’s SportOlon said another ing Goods along portion of his duwith his tenure as ties will likely ina vice president at clude working to EDMC. keep Waynesburg’s He also received tuition affordable. a master’s degree That’s important in industrial planto Olon, who said ning from Carnhe appreciates the Olon egie Mellon and a approach Waynesbachelor’s degree in finance burg takes to integrate faith from Penn State. and learning because he was Mary Cummings, execu- educated in a Catholic eletive vice president for Stu- mentary school in his homedent Services and head of the town of Erie, Pennsylvania search committee at Waynes- as a child. burg University, said Olon’s Now a father of two, Olon credentials immediately set sent his children to Catholic him apart from the rest of elementary school so they the pack. could also receive an educa“He hit our top 10 right tion rooted in faith. away with his nice mix of “Faith is different for evbackground,” said Cum- erybody, but I like the intemings. “Then we did phone gration of faith into studies interviews, and by telephone because I’ve been taught he also came across as some- to do the right thing,” said one who really could provide Olon. “I hope we continue a lot of value here. The entire to teach students that.” committee felt very strongly Lee said he was impressed that he was our top candi- by Olon’s view of faith in date.” education and said it speaks Lee shared Cummings’ volumes of his mindset. opinion of Olon and said his “It’s the understanding that personality and ideals also there are things more imporset him apart. tant than one’s career, that “My initial impression of family and God are critical him is that he’s a great team factors,” said Lee. “To have player,” said Lee. “I’m com- that kind of prioritization in mitted to building a strong your life, I think, reflects the team because the team can fact that you have the right do so much more than an in- idea.” dividual. I think his ability to Olon admitted that anothserve as a team player is criti- er enticing quality of the unical in the whole process.” versity was the way students Lee said the university’s interacted with him. new chief financial officer, He recounted an experiwho officially assumed the ence where he and his daughposition April 14, will han- ter, who is preparing to make dle the institution’s budget, her college decision, visited review internal finance sys- Waynesburg together. He de-

scribed the students as “open and very friendly” because many greeted him without knowing who he was. “One thing we noticed when we got on campus was whether the students said hello to us or not. They didn’t know who we were, but the students here said ‘hello’ to us,” said Olon. “When you step on the campus, you feel something, and that’s what I felt when I got here.” Olon said he wants to meet more students because he believes knowledge of their preferences will have a direct impact on his work. He cited an experience when working with ALCOA where the plant manager relocated his office closer to the factory floor in order to better interact with employees, a tactic Olon would like to implement in some way with the student body. “In my past within corporate America, you have to talk to the customer,” said Olon. “Whether it’s for-profit or non-profit, those are still words on a page. If you can’t make the money to support it, then you can’t continue on the mission.” Lee and Cummings said they searched for a seasoned businessman to fill the position, but a reliable team member who valued working in higher education. Olon is grateful they’ve given him the opportunity to travel down a new road in higher education. “In talking to everybody, there’s a warm leadership team here,” said Olon. “I’m happy to have been asked to join the family.

Yellow Jacket

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University stricken by loss of longtime Facilities Manager By Nick Farrell Executive Editor

Members of the university community are mourning the recent loss of a long time employee. John Burke, who served as director of Facilities Management for 16 years, died last week at age 63. In his role as director of Facilities Management, Burke assisted the students and faculty of Waynesburg University through his work. “John had faithfully served the university for 16 years, and we will always be grateful for his service and dedication to the place he loved,” said the Rev. Carolyn Poteet,

director of Faith and Mission at Waynesburg University, in an email statement to faculty and staff. A member of the maintenance staff who worked closely with Burke recounted his impact on the campus community. “I knew John before I came here, and in my year and a half I spent here with him, he was certainly a well liked member of the college community, and he will be sorely missed,” said Terry Sattler, the current director of Facilities Management. Burke is survived by his wife Rosa, his three sons Chad, Chane and Chaun and his daughter Chastity.

May 1, 2014

Chapel

Tyler Wolfe, Yellow Jacket

The Importance of Rebuilding

Waynesburg University Chancellor Timothy R. Thyreen spoke about his presidency and carrying out the university's mission at Waynesburg's final chapel service of the semster in Roberts Chapel Tuesday. He also delivered words of advice to seniors in attendance.

Poteet reflects on her impact, plans future changes By Austin Anderson For the Yellow Jacket

In less than a year, the Rev. Carolyn Poteet has used her gift of biblical knowledge to help amplify Waynesburg’s idea of faith. She uses her gift to oversee Upper Room, chapel and the Campus Ministry Assistant program. She also is currently teaching a biblical course. On top of that, she is leading practicum and independent studies. One of the programs she oversees is the weekly Upper Room worship service. Bassist Derrion May has been pleased with the level of oversight Poteet has placed on their team. “Since Reverend Poteet came in, she has really communicated and encouraged us along the way,” May said. “She has given us more opportunity to worship and lead worship.” Another program Poteet oversees is the chapel services. Poteet said she was challenged by finding the right speakers for chapel. “It’s been interesting to be trying to get into the rhythm in students wanting to connect with,” said Poteet. “I’ve enjoyed that we have done two sermon series over the semester, and having people plugging into that.”

Jenny Schouppe, Yellow Jacket

Rev. Carolyn Poteet speaks to those gathered at Chapel Feb. 25. Poteet took over for Rev. Donald Wilson following his retirement in December. Poteet also said she is pleased with the third program she oversees: the Campus Ministry Assistant program. “I am really grateful for the [Campus Ministry Assistants] and all of the work they’ve put in day in and day out of the dorms,” said Poteet. “I want to continue to develop that program and figure out how to do more training with them, and continue to do development with

the team.” Some of the activities Poteet is involved with are not in the public eye. Poteet said she enjoys leading Waynesburg students in independent studies and practicum projects. “It’s been good to work with [Dylan Ziegler, Jimmy Law, and Cassy Dowler],” said Poteet. “And to see the practical aspects of ministry and to be able to share some of my own experience with

them.” During these sessions, Ziegler said he is amazed by how much knowledge Poteet has. “A lot of things you can’t learn in a textbook she has a vast knowledge of,” said Ziegler. Ziegler also appreciates Poteet’s warm personality, and how easy it is to build a relationship with her. “I would say just the fact that she really cares [is an

Students offered exclusive leadership training

Program by Boy Scouts forces leaders to break out of comfort zones By John Lydic

Editorial Assistant

A national Boy Scout program is giving the chance for Waynesburg students to increase their leadership skills, while experiencing a high adventure course, according to a Waynesburg official. The Wood Badge presented through the Boy Scouts of America is an executive leadership training course offered at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M. There is an opportunity for eight Waynesburg students to attend this course, one that Waynesburg Provost Dr. Jacquelyn Core believes has valuable benefits. “Over the course of my professional year I have been through a lot of executive leadership training sessions,” said Core. “This one is head and shoulders better than all the rest of them. It is absolutely the best opportunity. I think what differentiates it from other leadership trainings I have been to is that in addition to delivery of modules and lecture, the course runs in a way that requires you to practice what you’re being taught.” At Philmont, participants will be split into patrols to perform modules, after completing a large group lecture, working with people from all around the country. The course is being offered to Waynesburg students dur-

ing a weeklong training Aug. 18-23. The cost to students is $495, including air fair, according to Core. Students must also be a registered member of the Waynesburg Venturing Crew through the Boy Scouts of America, or be an adult leader with their home Boy Scout troop. A limited number of $250 scholarships are offered by Waynesburg to help offset some of the costs. This course is the only national course offered by the Boy Scouts of America, according to Core. She said this program offers multiple different skills including teambuilding, listening skills and communication, conflict management and developing mission and values, skills that are applicable to Waynesburg University. It is also valuable in other ways because it offers challenges, according to Taylor Garrett, freshman education

major. “Regardless of what age you are, whether you are new to adult scouting like I am, or you’ve been in scouting for 20 or 30 years, Wood Badge puts you in a patrol where you don’t know who the people are,” said Garrett. “I think its especially valuable for adults, because it puts you in a situation where you have to conflict solve and where you have to be flexible with who you’re working with.” Besides the benefits of the leadership training and challenges presented, the course has additional incentives. “Another huge benefit to it is the connections the students are able to make by attending the course,” said Core. “The course director is Ernie Carey, the director level vice president of AT&T. As I think about our students participating in an activity like this, what better reference could you have?” Also the course is different and challenging because it

CORRECTION

The article “Escaped through the underground” printed in the Feb. 14 edition of the Yellow Jacket featured quotations misattributed to James “Fuzzy” Randolph. The quotations should have been attributed to an article published in 1884 in the Washington Observer newspaper. Also, the article states that Ermin Cain, who helped many along the Underground Railroad, was a student at the college without proper citation or substantiation. Cain is considered to have been a barber and janitor at the courthouse. The Yellow Jacket regrets the errors.

makes you apply what you learned, according to Core. As part of the badge requirement, students must apply what they have learned to a practical course of action, by organizing five leadership projects to complete. Core hopes these projects will be completed on campus to help the campus community. “I think there stands to be a really positive impact on the campus community as a result,” said Core. “I think it will allow students to practice leadership skills in a way that a traditional academic education is going to allow them to do.” For more information about the Wood Badge and the opportunities it provides, visit www.circle.10.org.

important quality of hers]. Our first five, 10, 15 minutes of our meetings are about what’s going on in my life, where I am at, how is my week going,” said Ziegler. “[She focuses on] just personal things that she is not required to ask about. She cares about each individual person and to remember what’s going on in each person’s life.” Of all of the tasks Poteet does on campus, she said she has the most difficulty teaching biblical courses due to the quick pace. “To cover all 27 books [within the New Testament] in 15 class periods has been a real challenge,” said Poteet. “I am used to going in depth [in a book] for three or four months, and to only have one week to cover the book of Romans, it is not the teaching that I am used to.” The work Poteet is doing on campus has not gone unnoticed. Ziegler said he has seen improvements with many of the Christian aspects on campus. He also has enjoyed some events Poteet introduced to the community. “A lot of things have changed. Chapel for one, has changed a lot. The order of worship, the flow of worship has improved since Reverend Poteet came,” said

Ziegler. “Also we’ve had our [first] stations of the cross, an interactive [activity] for Lent. We also had our first communion on Waynesburg’s campus in years. She was adamant enough to push that through the administration; to get that approved.” Poteet said she knows there is much more work to be done with faith on campus, both in the chapel and on other parts of campus. “I’m continuing to work on chapel and how to make that an experience that people can really look forward to engaging. I feel like I’ve made some changes to make that more student friendly, but I’ve got more work with that,” said Poteet. “A long-term goal is figuring out how to integrate faith into learning in service—not just lip service, but how to truly make that what we do here.” Poteet is quick to give thanks to the Lord for all of the successes she has on campus, and can summarize this year with a biblical verse. “My theme verse for this year has been: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness, [2 Corinthians 12:9],’" said Poteet. “I’ve had so much to learn and grow with and figure out. But I’ve seen God’s grace in the midst of it all.”

Yellow Jacket

May 1, 2014

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Criminal Justice learn true meaning of service Annual GNP concert will continue band’s tradition on May 10 STAFF Report

Jeff Strider, Yellow Jacket

(Left to right) James Tanda, instructor of criminal justice, Cris Okulanis, Kacey Bence and John McIlwain, instructor of criminal justice, pose with Officer James Kuzak, who was injured while on duty.

Students view ‘Heroes Behind the Badge,’ get visit from officer By Anthony Conn

For the Yellow Jacket

“This may sound silly now, but there are tissues up front and in the back, in case you need them,” said Kacey Bence, senior criminal justice major. Despite the evident anticipation for the event, many may not have been prepared for the documentary they were about to see. On March 28, Waynesburg University’s Criminal Justice Club hosted Heroes Behind the Badge, an event highlighting the dangers of police work. The event featured the video documentary, “Heroes Behind the Badge,” which focused on the stories of four police officers who were injured on duty, two of whom sacrificed their lives. “We show this type of tape so students understand what they are getting into,” said John McIlwain, instructor of criminal justice. “You go

in with your eyes open, not closed.” Officer James Kuzak, one of the surviving officers featured in the documentary, was present at the event, which was held in Stewart Hall. McIlwain knew Officer Kuzak because of his service in Peters Township, where McIlwain lives. This was Kuzak’s second time at Waynesburg University. He visited in the fall of 2012 and spoke to students about his injury. On April 4, 2011, Kuzak’s life was changed when he was shot while responding to a call in Clairton. Kuzak was shot five times, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. “Heroes Behind the Badge” explained Kuzak’s incident and showed how it has affected him and his family. After the video ended, the room became almost completely silent. The only sounds were the sniffling

of noses and the rustling of tissue boxes. The room finally erupted with applause as Kuzak made his way to the front of the room in his wheelchair. However, Kuzak did not look for pity. He responded to questions from numerous students, with entertaining answers and stories. “ To come to college students and be able to joke around about it, it takes a lot,” said Andy Kobert, freshman criminal justice major. “His mental strength is insane.” Kuzak’s question and answer session lasted almost half an hour, and ended with students personally thanking him for his service and engaging in casual conversation. “He can still have a smile on his face and talk to his peers, which is very inspiring,” said Tino Napolitano, sophomore criminal justice major. Kobert and Napolitano both agreed the video docu-

mentary and Officer Kuzak’s story offered those in attendance a new appreciation for life. “I didn’t realize what a sacrifice they give,” said Kobert. “It makes you think about how fortunate you are. It humbles you.” Kuzak shared with the students that he enjoyed talking to people and getting to know them while accomplishing his duties. “It wasn’t just a job for me,” said Kuzak. “It was a career I loved.” Kuzak’s friendliness and openness to talk about his injury added to the effectiveness of Heroes Behind the Badge. Those in attendance not only watched a video about American heroes, but met one as well. Kuzak was equally grateful for the event. “To show that something I went through get to be immortalized like that,” said Kuzak. “It was just awesome.”

Olympics: University's service leads to return of event Continued from A1

the bocce ball courts. After meeting with the Greene County Board members, it was decided that the Greene County sport they would sponsor is bocce ball, which the students fully supported, according to Tanda. Waynesburg used its connections to acquire the ma-

terials needed to build the courts, according to Tanda. The criminal justice department used the Waynesburg Day of Service during the Presidential Inauguration to build a prototype of the bocce court. The goal of the department was to have practices with the Greene County athletes sometime this semester.

According to Tanda, due to weather and other delays in scheduling, the plans were pushed back into the summer or next fall. Tanda sees this connection as one that will benefit all those involved with the program. “I think this type of activity and service is fully in sync with the university’s

mission towards connecting students by faith and service to the community,” said Tanda. “We are being good servants towards the university’s mission of service, but there is also a great deal of personal reward and professional incentive for criminal justice students to connect with the region’s law enforcement professionals.”

Since 1970, every year the Gross National Product and Friends have graced Waynesburg University with a show that is unlike any other on campus. Members of the community and students alike fill the Goodwin Performing Arts Center to listen to a variety of musical styles. Bill Molzon, director of Television Operations, is more than excited to put on another concert with his band of friends that began in Middleton, New Jersey nearly 48 years ago. “I’m looking forward to putting on another GNP reunion concert,” said Molzon. “The show has become a nice town-gown event. People from the community and the university attend the concert for a night of quality performances.” GNP began not as a concert but as a light show when Molzon was just a freshman at then Waynesburg College. A group known as the Creative Idea was in search of a light show to bring to campus, and Molzon jumped on the opportunity. “When they said they wanted a light show, I told them not only did I have a light show, but I had a band that came along with them,” said Molzon. The light show developed from the psychedelic rock era in San Francisco and eventually made its way east. Much like the light show would suggest, GNP is home to some psychedelic rock songs such as work from Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company. These days, GNP and Friends play contemporary rock, jazz, country blue grass and more. The GNP Annual Concert is not only an opportunity to share music with the university and community, but Molzon said the concert serves another purpose. “The show is a multifaceted event,” said Molzon. “People attend it, enjoy it and tell their friends. But it’s an instructional opportunity for our communication students. For instance, our students use the school’s TV

production truck to produce TV coverage of the concert. Because of that, I am appreciative of the Department of Communication Chairman Richard Krause for his ongoing support because he sees the value in the educational part of the show.” One sophomore communication student who is absent from the truck is Waynesburg University Sports Network producer Creg Milko. Usually in the truck, Milko is now preparing for his second GNP performance. “When Bill asked me to perform at GNP for the first time, I was a little bit nervous, I had no idea what to expect. But upon arriving at my first rehearsal and meeting all of the band I was amazed at the diversity of performers,” said Milko. “I played with a very distinguished Pittsburgh jazz musician Lee Robinson, and everybody I played with was very talented. I realized that people come from as far as Colorado and Texas to be a part of this. I realized GNP is something special.” Not only do playing members come from miles around, but many of them do it out of their own pockets. “I am touched by their loyalty and their dedication that they show,” said Molzon. “They know what is involved, they take vacation days and some even dip into their own pockets to get here. But there is something about doing this show that gives them that satisfaction, that they all return every year.” Perhaps the greatest draw to GNP is the family atmosphere that Milko believes the show creates. “I think part of what makes GNP such a success in the community is the fact that they can feel the bond we all have on stage,” said Milko. “By the time I was done playing the show last year I felt – much like all the members of GNP feel – like I was a part of a family. That’s how I think a lot of the loyal fans that come out to see the concert year in and year out feel.” The concert will take place in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center May 10 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

FINALS WEEK SPRING 2014 Good luck from the Jacket staff!

MONDAY MAY 5, 2014

TUESDAY MAY 6, 2014

WEDNESDAY MAY 7, 2014

THURSDAY MAY 8, 2014

FRIDAY MAY 9, 2014

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 9 a.m. 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday/Thursday at 9:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 8 a.m. 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday/Thursday at 8 a.m. 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Make-up exams and/ or other conflicts 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 11 a.m. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Tuesday/Thursday at 1 p.m. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 10 a.m. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Tuesday/Thursday at 2:30 p.m. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

RESIDENCE HALL CLOSING PROCEDURE

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at noon 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday/Thursday at noon 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 1 p.m. 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Independent Studies 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 2 p.m. 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Any classes meeting at times not listed 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Monday/Wednesday/ Friday at 3 p.m. 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Classes that meet Monday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Classes which meet Tuesday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Classes which meet Wednesday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Classes which meet Thursday evenings 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

• • • • • • •

The examination schedule is based on the days of the week and time of the class. Examinations will be given in the room where classes normally meet. Final examinations for classes that meet at times other than those listed above are to be scheduled through the Office of the Registrar.

All residence halls close at noon Clean your room Close all windows and curtains Check-out with your RA or RD Rearrange all furniture back to its original state Take everything off the walls Have a great summer!

Yellow Jacket

Page A4

A Student News Publication Since 1924

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Nick Farrell Eric Bost Chelsea Dicks Kyle Oland Rob Longo Carson Fox Olivia Latimer James Witte John Lydic Cori Schipani Megan Potosky Creg Milko Abby Wernert Jenny Schouppe Matt Giardina Molly Winters Chad Green

Advisors Richard Krause Brandon Szuminsky Editorials in the left-hand column represent the views of the Yellow Jacket. Letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements on the editorial page do not necessarily reflect the position of this newspaper and university.

editorials

Here's the chapel, where's the people?

The Rev. Carolyn Poteet is said to be overall confused as to why students are not attending chapel. “I wish I knew the answer to that, because then I would fix the problem,” said Poteet after five months as Director of Faith and Mission at Waynesburg University. Juniors and seniors on campus argue chapel is not the same compared to their freshmen years. They claim today’s service as “traditional, rigid, and unwelcoming.” A junior marketing major who does not attend chapel because of the more formal and structured environment is one example. “My freshman year, the speakers were easier to connect to, songs were contemporary songs, and there were no hymns,” said an anonymous student. “More cheerful and uplifting describes our era today, so chapel needs to meet that standard for us to attend again.” This anonymous student did not feel a connection with hymns. They, along with other students, no longer attend chapel because it has changed into a “church service” with hymns and a formal atmosphere. Poteet is upset with the small number of students attending chapel Tuesdays at 11 a.m. “I brought in an intelligent speaker who I thought would bring students, but we had less students than the day we had a blizzard, and it was a beautiful day,” said Poteet. “It’s hard because I am not sure of the problem, and have been doing a lot of praying and soul searching.” However, it is not Poteet’s fault. There is no doubt the issue is two sided. First, students need to realize they cannot leave chapel because they are not “being fed.” Students should focus on what can be received by the Holy Spirit through the speaker. Besides, Poteet said President Douglas G. Lee wants a blended service with both contemporary music and hymns, so chapel’s worship will be consistent. The speakers are called to carefully articulate a message to the congregation. The hymns, and contemporary songs, go alongside the prepared sermon.

In the Bible, Jesus commissions in Matthew 28:1920, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Jesus desires not only an individual Gospel presentation, but also one strengthened by the community. Your primary call in the church is to contribute, not to just consume. It is more than just taking information. You also must “make disciples.” Acts 20:28 reads, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” Our slogan for Waynesburg University entitles us to serve others. Most importantly, students do not see the importance of community in chapel. Chapel is one family full of many characters. Although families argue, they always stick together. Especially during hard times. In the New Testament, Paul addressed church conflicts in his letters while in jail. Nowhere did Paul write to the church that moving to another church would make it easier. He encouraged the communities in how to be saved together, like referenced in 1 Corinthians 4:14, “I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.” Poteet said the students and faculty should come together to fundamentally honor the Lord. “When we worship, we need to honor each other and learning how to accept each other’s spirits, such as the elderly liking hymns for they feel the spirit’s presence,” said Poteet. “A lot come to chapel knowing they must honor the language of the students too, so they all must come to be with the Lord.” Attend chapel because it is your campus family. The family can bring people to Christ. We were created for a greater purpose. “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Do you declare God’s glory in the way you selflessly serve the chapel community?

Newspaper policy The Yellow Jacket is the student-operated newspaper of Waynesburg University funded by student fees and advertisements and is intended for the entire college community. The Yellow Jacket is produced by the student staff on a weekly basis during the academic year. The office of the Yellow Jacket is located in room 400 of Buhl Hall. It is the right of the Yellow Jacket to print all material deemed newsworthy and gathered in a fair and unconditional manner. No advance copies of stories will be shown, and reporters' notes are considered confidential. No "off the record" information will be accepted. advertising policy Anyone wishing to advertise in the Yellow Jacket should email the advertising director at jacketads@waynesburg.edu. Ads must be submitted by the Monday before publication date and not conflict with the university mission.

May 1, 2014

Can we re-create the campus-wide feel of Relay? nick farrell Columnist

Every year, there’s one day I look forward to. It’s not commencement, though I’m sure that will change next year when it’s my turn to walk. Rather, I always find myself excited for the Relay for Life, not because I’m a team captain, or because I support loved ones through my participation. (Thankfully, my family has remained relatively free from cancer’s grip over the last two decades.) What excites me most about the event is the community environment that surrounds that special Sun-

day each year. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t anticipate the Relay like a child eagerly awaits Santa’s arrival on Christmas morning – I’d only do that if the Relay meant professors wouldn’t assign homework that weekend – but I do look forward to the event each year, quiet though I may be. After all, what’s not to love about a campus-wide party? For each of the last three years I’ve been associated with the Relay, we’ve had fantastic weather and a fantastic turnout for a cause that’s worthy of the yearlong fundraising projects that are tied to the event. Students represent their activities and organizations through booths and fundraisers and sell food and fun

to students for 12 hours in Johnson Commons. This year, I ate cotton candy and hot dogs, drank lemonade and pop, listened to live music, watched a classmate become Mr. Waynesburg, laughed as my announcing partner was dropped into a tank of cold water nearly a dozen times and supported a group of cancer survivors, which included at least one current Waynesburg student. And I’m not the only one who enjoyed these things; hundreds of Waynesburg students joined together Sunday to run booths, walk around the quad, play games, pie professors in the face and share laughs with their classmates. Of course, all the fun and

games stem from every participant’s desire to raise money for cancer research in the hopes of one day making the Relay for Life a celebration of the cure, not of hope. In this way, the Relay is indicative of Waynesburg’s commitment to service, because all the proceeds the American Cancer Society receives from Waynesburg’s contributions go directly toward funding cancer research. To me, the atmosphere surrounding the event sends a message even more powerful than the reason for the Relay: by participating in the day-long event and interacting with each other, students showed they truly are part of See RELAY on A5

Hot button issues lead to nothing but hot heads chelsea dicks Columnist

“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” Gun control, gay rights, abortion, universal healthcare etc. are all debated arguments in today’s society. Both sides polar opposites, and both sides 100 percent convinced their side is right. Now don’t worry, I’m not going to argue any of these

issues, because honestly as a writer my purpose is to have as large of an audience as possible read my work and by taking a stance on any of these issues I am losing a large majority no matter what. Instead I want to try to end the social media screaming matches, friendship-ending arguments over these issues that never do anything but harm. I deal with these arguments daily where I work, with my friends and in the classroom. We have all been there and, as we all know, these “arguments,” as we call them will never end. But why is that? Why don’t people get as hot and heavy over issues such as driving regulations and such? Is it because they are polar opposites? Is it because

people are too stubborn? Is it because of governmental conspiracies and cover-ups? Or, maybe, it’s something much simpler than all that. Maybe it is because these issues and subjects aren’t the things being attacked here, it is the person. All of these issues have something much bigger happening behind them then whether a person should own a gun or if everyone should have healthcare. These issues not only deal with rules and regulations but deal with a person’s moral code and ethics—a person’s set global ideas of what is good and what is bad. That is why they are so heavily and hotly debated. They hit home on both sides. And in America, we have diverse people who live by

many different morals and ethics. “That is how I grew up, that is what my religion says, that is what I have experienced,” etc. These things have created the worldviews each one of us have. Rules, regulations and cultural entities change easily; a person’s way of life, of thinking, the foundation for what they believe as right or wrong and good or bad, are much harder to change, if they ever do. That is why arguing about these issues is pointless in many cases. I am not saying you should just hide these issues under the rug or not voice your opinion, but what I am saying is that do it and consider See ISSUES on A5

Walking by Faith: Mark Christner Editor's Note: The following is an interview with Men's Basketball Coach Mark Christner, as part of a series of weekly conversations with members of the campus community about living out vocational faith By Samantha Peer Staff Writer

Q. When did you first come to Waynesburg and what led you here? A. I came here in April of 2010. At the time, I was hired as the head men’s basketball coach. The opportunity to continue to work at a Christian college appealed to me because I was coming from Calvin College, which is a Christian college in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The opportunity professionally to have my own program and impact young men in a lot of ways was a very big pull. The administration and I also had very similar ideas of what a basketball team should be about. Q. How did you find out about the position? A. It was posted on the NCAA website. There were

some people in the conference that weren’t at Waynesburg but were member schools that I was able to get in touch with and investigate a little more about the situation at Waynesburg. That helped the process too. As it turned out, the Vice President of Student Services at the time had a son that attended Calvin College so that was a valuable connection as well.

Q. In what ways do you demonstrate your faith as the head men’s basketball coach? A. I try to act with integrity, so I try to treat my players, officials, opposing coaches and players, servers in restaurants and bus drivers with respect. There are so many people that you come into contact with on a regular basis, especially during the season. Parents and perspective student athletes are who I mostly come in contact with during the off season. Firstly, I try to act with integrity. I try to be who I am all the time. That means not saying one thing to one person then turning around and changing your story. This happens often with recruits. I try to

avoid telling our recruits one thing because I do not want them to get here and find out that it is much different. We try to encourage our guys through our oneon-one meetings to grow in their faith. I always ask them where they are at and how I can help them. For some guys, it is easier to respond to that than others, which is fine. I would like guys to be further along on their faith journey when they leave than when they came. I think relationally to have someone who asks students questions or who helps to guide them in a way is really important. I fully recognize that it is not always me though. But hopefully we ask to see who it is and go from there. Q. Is it ever hard to keep consistent or faithful when the referees make bad

calls?

A. The language is always a struggle. I know in my heart what I am about and what I believe. I believe that Jesus is my savior and there are times that I say things that I wish I hadn’t. There are times that you speak in the heat of the moment and you aren’t consistent. However, that is when you realize that it is not always perfect, and you do desperately need forgiveness and that you need people to hold you in check too. If you don’t have those realizations, you can go through life with a sour attitude and an attitude inconsistent with what you believe. We encourage our guys to not judge each other and to forgive. Those are our two major rules in our program, and they are biblically See faith on A5

Letters to the editor Letters to the editor are encouraged as a method to bring issues of concern into the public eye. Letters should be typed, limited to 300 words, signed and include a phone number for confirmation. Letters may be submitted to 400 Buhl Hall, sent to the Yellow Jacket via campus mail or via email to jacket@waynesburg.edu. Letters may also be sent to Yellow Jacket, 400 Buhl Hall, Waynesburg University, 51 W. College St., Waynesburg, Pa. 15370. All letters must be received by 5 p.m. the Monday of any publication week.

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news digest

Cheat Sheet: Clippers owner in hot water over comments Editor's Note: The following is a synopsis of a recent topic trending in world or national news.

On April 25, celebrity gossip website TMZ.com released an audio clip in which L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling told his girlfriend V. Stiviano that he did not want her bringing African Americans to his team’s games. In a heated argument with Stiviano on April 9, Sterling was upset she had posted a picture with Magic Johnson to her Instagram account. In the audio Sterling states “…Don’t put him [Magic] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don’t bring him to my games.” Stiviano, ironically is African American and Mexican. “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that

you’re associating with black people,” said Sterling. “Do you have to?” Sterling and the Clippers organization released a statement to TMZ that stated they heard the audio and questioned whether it had been doctored and that Sterling is not racist. “We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered,” the statement reads. The statement continues, “We do not know that the woman on the tape – who we believe released it to TMZ – is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family, alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would ‘get even.’” Magic Johnson took to twitter to respond to Sterling’s comments.

“.@cjbycookie [Johnson’s wife] and I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner,” read the tweet. Johnson continued by tweeting, “I feel sorry for my friends Coach Doc Rivers and Chris Paul that they have to work for a man that feels that way about African Americans.” On Sunday, April 27, sports website Deadspin. com posted an extended, 15 minute version of the conversation between Sterling and Stiviano. Also on Sunday, Michael Jordan, majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, released a statement about Sterling. “As an owner, I’m obviously disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold such sickening and offensive views,” said Jordan. “I’m confident that [NBA Commissioner]

Adam Silver will make a full investigation and take appropriate action quickly.” Jordan continued stating, “As a former player, I’m completely outraged. There is no room in the NBA – or anywhere else – for the kind of racism. I am appalled that this type of ignorance still exists within our country and at the highest levels of our sport. In a league where the majority of players are African American, we cannot and must not tolerate discrimination at any level.” The Clippers that had a playoff game against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, removed their shooting shirts and revealed inside out warm ups, hiding the Los Angeles Clippers logo, which was seen as a silent protest against Sterling. Sterling’s estranged wife, Rochelle, told TMZ that her

“family is devastated by the racist comments made by my estranged husband.” Rochelle Sterling added that she and her kids do not share his “despicable views or prejudice.” On Monday, April 28, Sterling’s son-in-law, Director of Basketball Administration for the Clippers Eric Miller, told TMZ Sports that his father-in-law is ignorant and racist. “I find the statements and representations made by the Clippers’ team owner to be deplorable and disgusting. There is no room in sports or society in general, for racism,” said Miller. Miller stated to TMZ Sports that if his comments cost him his job then so be it. “If these comments should happen to cost me my employment with the team, it is

a small price to pay to speak out against ignorance and racism,” said Miller. On April 29, Silver announced at a press conference that Sterling was to receive a life-time ban from associating with the Clippers and the NBA, and was fined the maximum of $2.5 million. In addition, Silver said that he has asked the Board of Governors to force a sale of the Clippers. Silver said that the NBA’s investigation included an interview with Sterling, who confirmed that it was his voice in the audio tape. Silver called Sterling’s words “deeply offensive and harmful.” Information curated by James Witte Op/Ed Editor

In the news: Ten headlines you need to know this week Editor's Note: The following is a summary of the 10 stories from last week that a college student needs to know.

1. Tornado system tears through Midwest On Sunday, at least 31 tornados were reportedly seen ripping through Oklahoma, Iowa and Arkansas. Arkansas reported 16 deaths, while Oklahoma and Iowa each reported one. At least 150 homes were destroyed in Faulkner County, Arkansas, alone. Meteorologist Kevin Roth of the Weather Channel predicted that worse twisters are still yet to come, and residents from Iowa to the Carolinas to the Gulf Coast should be on the lookout. – NBC News, April 28 2. PBS Awards Waynesburg Alumnus Ryan Devlin, a 2007 alumnus of Waynesburg University and winner of the 2013 award for Pennsylvania’s Best Teacher, was chosen as one of 100 teachers for the 2014 PBS Learning Media Digital Innovators Program. The program rewards educators who regularly use digital media in their classrooms, and Devlin’s 11th grade English classroom in Brockway,

Pennsylvania, is 100 percent paper-free. The participants will receive opportunities for professional development for the next year, including a trip to Washington, D.C., for a summit with other states’ educators. – Waynesburg.edu, April 24 3. Internet Explorer vulnerable to new attacks On Saturday, Microsoft released an advisory detailing a weakness security firm FireEye found with Internet Explorer web browsers. The flaw, which involves a loophole in Adobe Flash Player, affects Internet Explorer versions six through 11, which comprise 56 percent of the total browser market. However, hackers are specifically targeting versions nine through 11. It is known as a “zero-day” threat, because there was no time between the discovery of the threat and the first instance of a hacker exploiting it. – Washington Post, April 28 4. Congressman indicted for fraud U.S. Congressman Michael Grimm, a Republican from Staten Island, New York, was charged Monday with wire fraud, mail fraud,

perjury and obstruction of justice, among other things. The former Marine and FBI agent opened a restaurant in 2006 and has since concealed thousands of dollars in receipts for the restaurant and underreported employee wages. This involved keeping two sets of payroll records and paying many employees in cash. He then lied about his actions under oath in January 2013. Grimm is expected to be tried in Brooklyn’s Federal District Court. – The New York Times, April 28

5. Plans unfold to permanently contain Chernobyl After the reactor explosion that occurred in Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986, a temporary structure was built to cover the radioactive remains. Now, a stainless steel arch tall enough to cover the Statue of Liberty is being built to more permanently contain the site. If the project goes as planned, the arch will be pushed over top of the temporary structure in 2017, and the ends will be closed off. The new structure will prevent radioactive dust from escaping if the internal structure collapses. According to the New York Times, workers will then begin the difficult task of cleaning up the radio-

Letter to the editor Dear Waynesburg University community, With the end of the academic year upon us, that means the end of my time here at Waynesburg as well. First off, I just wanted to thank everyone so much for everything they have done for me since coming to Waynesburg as an undergraduate in 2008. After earning my degree in communication in 2012, I was afforded a wonderful opportunity to stay at Waynesburg University as a graduate assistant in Sports Information. It has been a distinct pleasure to continue to work and grow here alongside faculty, students and staff. Working to promote our student-athletes has been a tremendous experience for me and I would like to thank everyone else involved. It has been a real blessing to get to work with our student-athletes and help strengthen our office as well. The ability to work with and supervise the students from the Department of Communication has also been something I have really enjoyed as well. The last two years have continued to validate the love and appreciation I have for our great university. I have nothing but good things to say and wouldn’t hesitate to come back here if the appropriate role arises. I have a tremendous passion for everything this university stands for and the people here are truly one of a kind. I look forward to following everything that happens on campus and returning for Homecoming. Go Jackets and God Bless. - Aaron Thompson Waynesburg University Sports Information Graduate Assistant

Relay: Our campus is a community Continued from A4

a community. Furthermore, that community showed it is more like a family by coming together to support a cause, and creating some lasting memories through the process. Families – at least the good ones, I guess – have fun all the time. So why do we limit our fun to just one weekend a year? Why can’t we rally around our sports teams before big games, particularly before the football team’s annual meeting with hated rival Washington & Jefferson? Why can’t more students

participate in more Student Activities Board events, especially concerts or other events that lend themselves to an environment similar to Relay? What’s stopping us from coming together as an entire community more often to celebrate life and the college experience? I’m well aware of the months of planning that go into the Relay, but I’m certain students would support simpler weekend events that coincide with big sporting events or even made-up holidays that only Waynesburg kids celebrate. If you think that’s silly,

consider this: nearly every local university has multiple staple events that are unique to their campus. Waynesburg has one in the spring, but why do we only have one? As we approach the end of the year, remember the buzz that surrounded the campus Sunday during the Relay. Then think about what it would be like to come back to a campus that buzzes monthly, or even weekly. A man can dream right? That dream could come true with a little more effort from students who share this mindset and want to breathe life into the campus scene on the weekends.

active wreckage, which could take 100 or more years. – The New York Times, April 27

6. Pittsburgh bishop attends canonization On Sunday, April 27, Pope Francis canonized two popes on the same day for the first time in the history of the Catholic Church. More than 800,000 people, including 750 bishops, were in attendance. One such official was Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, who had a personal relationship with Pope John Paul II; he was invited to meet with the pope spontaneously on a trip to Rome. Although Zubik never met Pope John XXIII, he remembers the naming of John XXIII as the pope in 1958. He felt that both men made large impacts on humankind. – The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 27 7. More U.S. sanctions against Russia Although President Vladimir Putin denies Moscow’s involvement in aiding rebellions in the Ukraine, United States President Obama has imposed a third round of sanctions against Russia. The White House specifically issued sanctions against seven

Russians close to Putin and 17 Russian companies. The U.S. will also deny export licenses for high-technology items that might assist Russian military efforts. – Reuters, April 28

8. Deadliest day in 2014 for NATO forces On Saturday, a British helicopter crashed in Kabul, Afghanistan, resulting in the death of five British NATO troops. It was the single deadliest day this year for coalition forces. Although the cause of the crash has not yet been determined, a Taliban spokesman claimed credit for shooting it down in a text message to journalists. NATO is planning to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan by the end of this year. – Associated Press, April 26 9. Update: Search for MH370 suspended Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Monday the several month search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will be suspended temporarily. He said that none of the search efforts so far have succeeded in unearthing any wreckage of the missing flight. Private contractors will soon com-

mence the next phase of the search, scouring more than 60,000 square kilometers of ocean depths, which will cost millions of dollars and take months. The search will not stop altogether, however, as Abbott and other officials want to find closure for the families of the passengers. – CNN, April 28 10. Ferry disaster leads to PM's resignation Chung Hong-won, prime minister of South Korea, resigned on Sunday in response to the tragic ferry accident that took place on April 16. The Sewol appears to have sunk partially as a result of lax enforcement of safety regulations. As of Sunday, nearly 200 passengers were found dead and at least 100 more were missing. The majority of the passengers were high school students on a trip, which has made the incident particularly traumatizing for the nation. Chung publically apologized and offered his resignation to the president at a news conference in Seoul. – The New York Times, April 27 Information curated by KIMMI BASTON Staff Writer

Issues: Love is the only solution Continued from A4

the others in the room. Do not let your emotions get the better of you, do not come off as knowing the absolute truth, and most importantly remember this is a person in front of you. They believe the way they do for a reason; life, and all the good and bad that it includes, has formed the person and their beliefs in front of you. We all know where we stand on these issues. But seriously think about this, have you ever seen

any good come from these discussions on Facebook, Twitter or in the classroom? I know I haven’t; all I have seen is people getting mad and hurt. Mad because they are so frustrated that people could be so blind to the “truth” and hurt because the way they percieve the world was just attacked. Their worldview was told it is wrong. No one likes being told they are wrong even when it pertains to the simplest of things, so how do you expect people to act when you tell them their whole way

of percieving life is wrong? Attacking comments and screaming louder over one another will never solve anything. The only solution is love. No I am not pulling some hippie Beatles rendition of life, I am serious. Show by example what you believe. I have found this has a much more positive impact on someone else, then belittleing them. Listen and be considerate of one another—and step into the other persons shoes if only for a few minutes.

Faith: Do work well and not worry Continued from A4

based. Q. Have any specific moments with either players or faculty members here affirmed your faith or touched you spiritually? A. Watching our guys grow in terms of being able to lead devotions or bible studies through Fellowship of Christian Athletes or just in their dorms has been neat to see. When someone has the audacity and the courage to step out and lead a small group or to proclaim the good news amongst peers it’s

great because it is difficult, even on a Christian campus. My first year, the team had a pretty active group. This past year, we’ve had guys involved in FCA. In the meantime of those two years in between, we didn’t have a lot of that. To be able to see growth and to see my players touching other students and being able to articulate their faith to other people is really neat. Q. Do you feel that you are where God wants you to be? A. I think at this moment, yes. I think that is a journey and a process. My wife and I try to ask if we are doing what we are supposed to

be doing and if we are we where we need to be. We try to be faithful despite our own wants and our own goals that we have. The voice of the Holy Spirit may be trying to tell you something, but your own thoughts are getting in the way. I think it is important to try to have some solitude and some respite in terms of what you should be doing. At this point, I do feel that I am doing what I should be doing and that I am where I am supposed to be. The goal is to make sure that other people don’t make that decision for you. You just have to try to do your work well and not worry about anything.

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Relay: Event raises funds, honors cancer survivors and victims Continued from A1

Throughout the 12-hour event, hundreds of students gathered together in the commons, walking laps around the campus and supporting the various team stands in an effort to raise money. Faith, love and hope united the community together for the cause. “One reason this event is so large on our campus is that the cause is so touching regardless of gender, age, and so on,” said Hardie. “Cancer can affect anyone at any time and we all want to find a cure for it. This hope is what brings us all together.” According to Hardie, this year’s attendance of the event was among the best in recent history. Butler said that even though the cause is something terrible, the event is something fun for everyone to participate in to raise awareness for that terrible cause. Butler and Hardie are both hopeful that this year, the CAC will surpass its fundraising goal. “When we first started the event, it raised between $20,000 $25,000. Lately, the event has raised a little under $20,000 and is still successful,” said Butler. “I think we are going to exceed our goal of $18,000 this year. We are already at $12,000 and that doesn’t include the day of or any final donations. No matter what kind of money we

make, we are still successful because we are able to raise whatever money we can for this cause. I think this year we will make more and Relays in the future will get back up to the amount they have made in the earlier years.” One of the final events of the evening was the survivorship hour, which included the honoring of several people at or surrounding Waynesburg University who have battled and defeated or are still battling some form of cancer. During the hour, several of the survivors spoke to the crowd. Members of Colleges Against Cancer read poems, quotes and other readings in honor of survivors or loved ones who had been touched by cancer. The hour concluded with the survivors taking a lap around the campus together carrying a banner that contained a message of hope. The Mini Relay for Life makes getting involved in a great cause very accessible and convenient for students; however, Waynesburg University’s Mini Relay is not the only way for students to help out the cause. “Colleges Against Cancer does awareness activities throughout the year like Think Pink Week where we have Quack for a Cure,” said Butler. “Another thing is the Greene County Relay for Life that takes place at the fairground during our finals week, so students can go stop by there and support the cause that way.”

Tyler Wolfe (Top) and Olivia Latimer, Yellow Jacket

(Top) Participants walk laps to support Waynesburg University's Mini-Relay for Life. (Middle) Contestants in the Mr. Waynesburg competition give answer questions: (Left to right) John Flanigan, Daniel Czajkowski, Josh Dains and R.J. Tonks. (Left) Freshman Cheryl Sesay sings some of her favorite gospel songs as part of the Relay's entertainment. (Right) Assistant Dean of Student Services Chris Hardie and Greg Reinhart, graduate assistant in Integrated Marketing, run laps to support the Relay.

Murphy: Congressman plans to reform mental health practices

Continued from A1

care. Even in cases when care is available, some patients have to wait up to two years to receive appropriate medical attention. According to Murphy, treating more mentally ill Americans could ultimately save lives. These mental health patients would become more stable with treatment, and Murphy said that would reduce their risk of acting violent actions 15 fold. “If you identify someone early, it doesn’t take a lot of treatment. Sometimes a little medication, adjusting that appropriately for the person [and providing] appropriate counseling to help them understand [it’s] something that is manageable, we can make a big difference,” said Murphy. “But unfortunately, we don’t get to them.” According to Murphy, some potential patients choose to forgo treatment because of the stigma sur-

rounding mental health care in America. He said the best way to counteract that stigma is to make care more accessible. “When people recognize effective treatment is there and it starts with going to see someone who is knowledgeable, respected and you will get treated, that stigma goes away,” said Murphy. Murphy emphasized this point in light of numerous violent acts that occurred in schools over the past few years; most recently the stabbings at Franklin Regional High School, and most notably the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012. The aversion of similar events in the future, according to Murphy, is better teaching and family education. Educating teachers on gun violence in schools is not enough, Murphy said. Instead, the emphasis should be on action taken after an at-risk student is identified. Providing mandatory outpatient care and more accurate diagnoses to mentally ill

children could also lead to the prevention actions similar to those of Adam Lanza during the Sandy Hook incident in the future. “Adam Lanza was taken to multiple places for help, and he didn’t follow through,” said Murphy. “There was no mechanism in that state to say you’ve got to get care. That would have been one of those cases where assisted outpatient care would have helped immensely. Murphy believes the lack of child psychiatrists in America also played a role in the stabbings at Franklin Regional and other similar occurrences, noting there are only 7,000 registered child psychiatrists who must care for the 15 million school

aged children in the U.S. Murphy said his new bill includes a clause that could lead to an increase in mental health practitioners in order to provide more care to atrisk citizens. “It’s not necessarily an enticing career; it’s a lot of stress, there’s a big demand and it doesn’t pay as well as, say, a plastic surgeon, but it’s also very rewarding,” said Murphy. “I’m trying to change that also putting some things in this bill that allow loan forgiveness to those who go into the field of dealing with severe mental illness.” This bill still has a long road ahead of it before the federal government will implement any of Murphy’s

planned changes. Mur phy is adamant, though, that the heated political debate surround President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act will not stymie the progress of his bill in the House. In fact, he says his unrelated health care act is necessary because of stipulations in the Affordable Care Act that makes mental health

care unaffordable for some. “Basically, if it’s a person who is otherwise physically healthy, they have to pay $6,000 before anything kicks in, so it has effectively reduced access to treatment,” said Murphy. The congressman said the next step for his bill is to pass a vote in the House and then move onto the Senate. He hopes this action will

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WEEKLY CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS

1 Big-eyed birds 5 Spanish house 9 Witchy woman 14 Toy in the sand 15 For whom the memo is intended 16 Window sticker 17 Frozen breakfast brand 18 Pre-perform. audio test 20 Zap, as leftovers 22 Carnival city 23 Bunny features 24 Gallery display 25 Marked with police tape 28 New England whitefish 30 Pipe joint 31 “Huzzah!” 33 Singer Ronstadt 36 Puddle-bottom earth 39 Objects of worship 40 Historic timespan 41 Theater platform 43 Bench for flock members 44 Zapped while resisting arrest 46 Turbaned Punjabis 47 Quick hellos 48 Concur 50 Disturbing potential 54 Lbs. and ozs. 57 “All __ Jazz” 58 Crew blade 59 Spread out ungracefully 61 Best possible poker hand 64 Athletic shoe brand 65 Many a low-budget flick 66 Bassoon cousin 67 Steam outlet

68 Horror or romance, e.g. 69 Sunbeams 70 “Understood”

DOWN

1 La Scala production 2 Put money (on) 3 Lasers at a rock concert 4 Gin flavoring 5 Fidel or Raúl of Cuba 6 From __ Z 7 __ und Drang 8 Sharpshooter Oakley 9 Atlanta-based health org.

10 Fix, as a shoe 11 Humpback whale’s home 12 Mother-of-pearl 13 Lodge fellows 19 Supplied medicine to 21 Word puzzle that involves a quotation 26 Waits at a light, say 27 S chool reunion organizer 29 Swindle 31 Shrill bark 32 Star pitcher 34 Wrath

35 French Open champ 36 Cause a sensation 37 “Blech!” 38 __ Moines 42 Bit of business attire 45 Demand from

47 Windbag’s bagful? 49 Overdoes the praise 50 Glistened 51 “Surprise Symphony” 52 Heroic behavior 53 Vacation island off Ven.

55 Package-fastening rope 56 Fine-grained rock 57 Math course with sines 60 Sitarist Shankar 62 “Do the Right Thing” 63 __ milk

LAST WEEK'S SOLUTION

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY MAY 2, 1963 Walter resigns from his position as “head of all academic matters.” Soon, though, the position became no longer desirable and or tenable. The trustees began to put many restrictions on his position, and after he applied for resignation, the trustees quickly accepted.

MAY 6, 1879 A.B. Miller told the trustees of Waynesburg College he needed to be paid by them for things he began to pay for out of pocket. He paid $30.50 of his own money for advertisement for the college in newspapers outside of the county. Miller told the committee of his “pressing financial need” and requested “immediate receipt.”

MAY 9, 1854 In the early years of the college, the literary societies published a journal of high quality. The first journal titled, “The Literary Visitor,” was published on this date. It contained poetry and articles dealing with social problems, religion, great men of the past and female education in Japan.

Source: The Waynesburg College Story by William H. Dusenberry

A J B C X K U W Z U B L S U J

Z E I Y O D T J A C O B E W W

H N S F M R X J Q O R U M Z G

ABBY CARSON CHELSEA CORI

YELLOW JACKET STAFF

E N Z L N C I X L O P M A Z A

K Y Z J E A I V I L O G J Q Y

P C M O G H N R K F A L H B V

CREG ERIC JACOB JAMES

D W I H D I C F X Y G V B S I

M P K N X G Z G E P Q A L U I

Z X F I N B L Q K F X P A B M

J W D A M G Q K Z Z P I C F Q

O W G Q H M Y L B J A A V U M

I E F M F L I F I F R D P H L

JENNY JOHN KIMMI KYLE

M F V N E L N S E S S G Z O W

C I R E Q U U G O A K E H X L

MEGAN NICK OLIVIA ROB

MUSIC DOWNLOADS Week ending May 3 #1 ALBUM TOP SONGS

"Frozen Soundtrack" by Various Artists 1. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams 2. “All Of Me” by John Legend 3. “Talk Dirty” by Jason Derulo 4. “Dark Horse" by Katy Perry 5. “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel

TOP FIVE BEST SELLING BOOKS 1. “The Collector” by Nora Roberts 2. “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt 3. “The Space Between” by Diana Gabaldon 4. “NYPD Red 2” by James Patterson 5. “The Fixed Trilogy” by Lauren Paige

J I X W H A W N B T A C R E G

Yellow Jacket

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May 1, 2014

THE BACK PAGE

Graduation Garb

By Olivia Latimer Assignments Editor

Looking around in a sea of black robes at commencement can be a little overwhelming, especially if you are spending the whole time trying to understand the significance of the different gown styles and other academic regalia traditions. What robe style means what, and where did all the colors come from? Check out here where it all began and where we stand today with graduation attire.

Regalia worn today Robes or gowns There are three different styles of gowns and robes worn, each signifying the highest level of academic degree held by the person wearing it. The gown worn by someone holding a bachelors degree has pointed sleeves and is worn closed during ceremony. The gown worn by someone who has attained a master’s degree had oblong sleeves which are open at the wrist with the base hanging down. They can be worn open or closed with fasteners. Doctoral robes include velvet panel trimmings down the front with three velvet bars worn on the sleeves. Traditionally, all robes no matter the degree are worn in black. Today, some universities and colleges elect to invest in robes in their school colors.

Hoods

History Academic regalia began in the 12th and 13th centuries when universities began to form. The standard dress no matter student or teacher was clinical garb. In 1321 the University of Colombia required all degree holders to wear gowns. Colors were not assigned to signify field of study until the late 1800’s. The American Council on Education reviewed and revised the costume code in 1959. Later in 1986, it was added to the code that PhD holders wear dark blue.

What the colors signify:

Made out of the same fabric as the rest of the gown, academic hoods are traditionally black as well. The length varies with degree, doctoral hoods being the widest. They are often lined on the inside with school colors. The edges are often lined in velvet colored by field of study.

Drab: accounting, business, commercial science, industrial and labor relations

Tams

White: arts, English, sociology

Significant of doctoral degrees, made of velvet with ribbon over the fabric. Number of sides may vary and is ‘poofed’ at the top. They generally come with tassels and one or two buttons.

Light Blue: Education

Cap or mortarboard Flat and four sided worn on top of the head. They come with a single button at the top where a tassel hangs from which usually is colored to signify the institution.

Blue-Violet: architecture, city, regional and urban planning

Scarlet: Divinity and theology Silver: Oratory and chiropractic Orange: Engineering Crimson: Communications Gold: Sciences Dark Blue: Philosophy and political science Purple: Law Salmon: Public Health

Sources:

Citron: Sanitary and social science, social service

Academicapparel.com Oakhalli.com

Design & Photo by Megan Potosky

SECTION B

MAY 1, 2014 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

Photo compilation by Chelsea Dicks

Local man elected into hall of fame After illustrious career in Arena Football League, Waynesburg native Greg Hopkins granted honor By CARSON FOX

Sports Editorial Assistant

After an illustrious 11-year career in the Arena Football League, in which he recorded 10,206 receiving yards, 213 touchdowns, 26 interceptions and was awarded titles such as Ironman of the Year, Top 20 Greatest Player and First Team All-Arena Waynesburg’s own Greg Hopkins was awarded with the honor of recently being inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame. He joined Chicago Bears linebacker Bill George as the only athletes from Waynesburg to be inducted into a professional sports league’s hall of fame. “It’s obviously a humbling honor, but it’s nothing I ever dreamt about as a kid,” said

Hopkins. “Dreaming about professional football or catching touchdown passes are all things you dream about. Being inducted into the [AFL’s] Hall of Fame is above and beyond any childhood hopes or wishes you dream about. It was a great honor with a great group of guys that were inducted this year. I’m honored to be a part of that group.” After finishing his career at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, where he was a three-time All-American, Academic All-American and where he set nine school records in addition to receiving two letters for wrestling, Hopkins joined the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League. According to his former coach Mike Dailey,

who now is the defensive coordinator at McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland, and is a Class of 2012 Arena Football League Hall of Famer, Hopkins almost missed out on his chance of being in the league. “I distinctly remember him coming in his first year,” said Dailey. “Coming into training camp, I wasn’t sure he was going to make it. He was playing behind a couple guys that were pretty good players, and ironically, he had a hand injury. Then, quickly, you started to see that this guy’s going to be special.” Dailey said Hopkins always displayed what he deemed as “football character,” which included not only athleticism, speed, strength

and toughness, but he played through injuries, was intelligent and had football savvy that allowed for him to play both ways and even on special teams. Hopkins was a part of Dailey’s 1999 Albany team that was voted as the greatest Arena Football team of alltime. According to Dailey, if Hopkins were not a part of that team, Albany would not have won the championship that year. Hopkins believes it was his work ethic that enabled him to become a standout athlete because of the hard-working community from which he was raised. Growing up on a farm became part of his work ethic, which translated both to the gym, field and even the mat.

“In wrestling, it’s kind of a one-man show that you get out what you put in,” said Hopkins. “I spent a lot of years-little league, junior high, varsity and even collegiately wrestling-and that helped my work ethic as well and kept me grounded in what I needed to do in order to be successful. That also comes from the strong wrestling background we have here in Greene County. Growing up where I did was probably the biggest factor.” Head coach Jeff Metheny, who is now at Bethel Park High School, coached Hopkins during his senior year at Waynesburg Central High School. Along with his dad, Hopkins mentioned Metheny as one of his mentors during his induction

speech at the Hall of Fame ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa on Good Friday. “I’m extremely excited for him and his family,” said Metheny. “He’s a young man that is quite deserving of that honor for sure. I coached him in ’89, and to this day, still, [he’s] the best athlete I’ve ever coached, and even a better person. His family has done a great job. He’s been so invaluable to the community of Nineveh and Waynesburg, and all the places around there really. He’s a great example of what hard work can do, and doing things the right way.” After moving from the Albany Redbirds to the Los Angeles Avengers in 2002, See FAME on B4

University assesses recently purchased High St. building By NICK FARRELL Executive Editor

University maintenance crews and external contractors are now working together to assess a building recently purchased by Waynesburg University. According to Terry Sattler, the director of Facilities Management, the old county office building on E. High Street in Waynesburg has sustained substantial water damage in the years it was left vacant. “When we took over the building, there was a roof leak and significant structural damage, so a lot of water worked its way into building and all the way into basement,” said Sattler.

The leaks in the building caused damage in various parts of the interior, according to Sattler, who also noted that several ceiling tiles on the main floor had loosened or fell showing the serious damage. In addition, Sattler said an architect located several deficiencies in the building’s exterior, specifically noting areas where loose bricks on the exterior are falling off the building. The building, according to Sattler, poses a threat to members of the community who utilize the sidewalks and alleys that surround the structure. “In inspecting the building See OFFICE on B4

Abby Wernert, the Yellow Jacket

GRAND OPENING OF PEEBLES

The new department store in Waynesburg had its grand opening this past Thursday April 24. The store offers items from men, women and children's clothing, to kitchen appliances and home decor items. The stores hours are 10-9 p.m..

Free college tuition through lottery fund given to students By ERIC BOST

Managing Editor

After a ruling by the state’s House of Representatives, all high school graduates in Tennessee will be receiving free tuition to a community college or technical school in the state of their choosing, beginning in 2015. The plan, called the Tennessee Promise, will be funded by $300 million from the state’s lottery fund. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the state expects 25,000 students to apply and the estimated cost would be around $34 million

a year. The Tennessee Plan is the first of its kind and has already garnered other state’s interest levels as well. The same idea has reportedly been discussed in various other states throughout the United States, including both Oregon and Mississippi. Per the Tennessean, the overall goal of the bill is to boost college graduation rates and build a more educated workforce while making higher education more affordable. “I do think that there’s definitely an emphasis

“Different proposals have been set from different states, so I think there is definitely a push to making sure that higher education is affordable and obtainable for all populations so I wouldn't be surprised if it does spread.”

JESSICA SUMPTER

Director of Admissions

within state government, and federal government as well, to make higher education more affordable,” said Jessica Sumpter, director of Admissions at Waynesburg University. “Different proposals have been set from different states,

so I think there is definitely a push to making sure that higher education is affordable and obtainable for all populations, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it does spread.” While other states have shown interest, Pennsylvania would not be able to create

the funding for a similar plan to take effect. The state budget is spread very thin as it is and the proceeds from the state lottery go toward programs that help the elderly, like AARP. However, while the bill sounds like it helps the affordability of higher education, there are various criticisms of it. One of the biggest issues officials have of the bill is the fairness of it. Tuition for community college is now free; however, a student that wants to go to a four-year institution has to pay tuition, usually through

loans that have to be paid off once the student graduates college. “My biggest complaint would be, what about the students who don’t want to go [to community college],” said Matthew Stokan, director of Financial Aid at Waynesburg University. “What if they want to go to the University of Tennessee or Vanderbilt or the other private schools they have there? How is it fair to just say ‘We’ll get a student who wants to go to community college free education but See TUITION on B4

Yellow Jacket

Page B2

May 1, 2014

Netflix to raise prices by dollar

Heartbleed virus only 'the tip of the iceberg'

By ANNIE MCGLAUGHLIN Staff Writer

Technological viruses stealing information becoming more popular By MATT GIARDINA Staff Writer

Scrolling through the pages of Amazon searching for a buy, enrolling in classes and even paying bills online. In recent years, online activities started to become more popular than their non-digital counterparts. People give up running errands around town to the ease of doing it all from the comfort of their computer. People do it every day, openly sharing our passwords, social security numbers and credit card information to the Internet. Once viewed as a safe haven, that perception has been jeopardized with the new Heartbleed bug.

Last month, Heartbleed, a severe security bug, spread throughout online content. This virus is capable of leaking private information, like credit card numbers and other key material. Sophomore computer science major, Matthew Kenney elaborates on what information is at risk. “Anything that uses an encryption process is vulnerable, this includes primary and secondary key material and protected content,” said Kenney. While computer viruses are not all that uncommon in this age, Heartbleed has made a name for itself. “The name ‘Heartbleed’ evolved organically as a way to describe the vulnerability

it causes to usernames and passwords,” said Kenney. “Bugs in computer programs happen all the time. Just ask anyone who uses Windows 8.” However, this emerging online pandemic is significantly different than other viruses. “What makes Heartbleed significant is the problem it points out in open source programming and how over all exploitable it is,” said Kenney. “This is an extremely widespread bug. So many different devices function using OpenSSL, as it is free and open source encryption are acceptable.” Abby Lutcher, senior electronic media major, recog-

nizes the severity and infectious of Heartbleed. “I thought the sites I was using were safe enough to give my username and passwords to,” said Lutcher. “But now with this new bug, it’s becoming clear that the Internet maybe isn’t as safe as I thought. It’s a disconcerting feeling to be mistrustful.” Although Heartbleed just recently caused a general wariness towards online content, it has been circling the web for over a year. “Heartbleed was discovered by Google and Codenomicon engineers, but has allegedly been around the Internet for about two years now,” said Kenney. The widespread digital disease is most likely not go-

ing away anytime soon. “The only way to truly prevent leaks is an updated version of OpenSSL,” said Kenney. “This would have to be installed by the provider of every individual source.” In an era where people have come to depend on the Internet, Heartbleed sent out a strong message for people to interpret. “The biggest lesson we can take from this is how dependent we are to volunteer programmers who make these kinds of programs simply to make the Internet a better place,” said Kenney. “The surprising thing about heart bleed is not that it happened, but that it does not happen more often.”

For college students, movies and television are a popular way to spend free time. Netflix is a cheap and convenient way to stream various movies and television series over the web. Currently, customers are paying a low price of only 7.99 per month. The company has recently announced their plan to increase the price by one or two dollars per month in the future. What is the reasoning behind the increase? Netflix also produces many popular original series such as “Orange is the New Black” or “House of Cards.” Original programming for Netflix has been a huge success and some series have won major awards. “If we want to continue to expand, to do more great original content... we have to eventually increase prices a little bit,” said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in a conference earlier last week. See MOVIE on B3

Borough's needs to be updated through comprehensive plan By ABBY WERNERT

Chief Photographer

A $45,000 grant has been approved by the Department of Community and Economic Development for Waynesburg Borough to renovate its comprehensive plan, which addresses the primary needs of the borough. “It’s an overall view, a planning document for review of the borough’s need,” said Mike Simms, Waynesburg borough manager. The borough has been awarded the grant by the DCED’s Municipal Assistance Program. The MAP website states that it provides funding to

“It's an overall view, a planning document for review of the borough's need.”

MIKE SIMMS

Waynesburg Borough Manager

assist local governments to plan for and efficiently implement a variety of services and improvements. According to Simms, the plan that is currently in place is the need of remodeling, as it has not been renovated since before 1970. Items of importance -such as zoning ordinances- have not been reviewed recently and need to be updated. With the renovation, general plan elements and activities will be addressed as is required by the Municipal Planning Codes. Such elements include assist in organizing a steering committee, existing conditions and studies, socioeconomics and demographics and plan components required by the MPC. For existing conditions and studies, inventories will be conducted to gain an understanding of already existing studies, plans, statistical data and GIS information that is relevant to the planning process. According to the comprehensive plan, an analysis of demographic and socioeconomic variables will be included; the analysis will include trends and projections of target area data with

county and state dates. Components required to be reviewed by the MCP include transportation, community facilities such as public and private education and hospitals, and natural and historic resources and energy conservation. However, general elements are not the only things being focused on. More specific elements that are considered high priority are also going to be addressed in the plan. Downtown and Main Street Revitalization, Comprehensive Sewer and Stormwater Strategy, Form Based Zoning Analysis, Housing Plans, and Trails and Economic Impact of Land Use will be heavily focused on. In order to thoroughly revise the plan and keep the public’s interest in mind, the plan will involve public participation implemented through town meetings to get ideas about residents desires, surveys published online to get feedback, and coordination with other bodies prominent to the borough. Simms said the plan is estimated to cost around $105,000. Waynesburg University, Waynesburg Borough and Greene County will provide the rest of the money to complete the plan. All three bodies will have equal representation and equal parts on the committee. The university will have an active part in the planning process as the borough recognizes the importance of coordination with the university due to the university’s well standing presence in the community. Waynesburg University and the borough are working with Scenic Pittsburgh to conduct a scenic inventory for the community. The Greene County Department of Planning and Economic Development will also be involved with the renovation of the plan. The renovation of the plan is aiming to focus on the short, middle, and long-term goals within the borough. According to the plan, these goals will work to manage and support growth opportunities within the borough.

Photos courtesy of David Mirkovich

To the left is a before picture of the house that the inmates worked on and to the right is a picture of the work they did and the results. The plan is to make these houses livable once again.

Man awarded $600,000 to develop and build program to rehabilitate old homes By JACOB MEYER Staff Writer

When David Mirkovich became the executive director of Redevelopment Authority for the County of Greene in May, 2012, he had high hopes for the good the program could do for the community. According to its website, RACG “is a statutory agency of the Commonwealth, which operates within Greene County, Pennsylvania. RACG was activated to increase affordable housing and home ownership opportunities, re-develop blighted areas and, in conjunction with other County, State and Federal entities, provide for community revitalization in Greene County.” For the first year and a half, Mirkovich was not able to achieve RACG’s mission, which is “to assist the Greene County community with economic development, community revitalization, affordable housing initiatives and home ownership opportunities,” because of a lack of funds. “Basically starting off with no people and no money it was difficult to do much,” Mirkovich said. “What I started doing was looking for properties in the tax repository, which means they’ve gone through the tax sales and no one has wanted them, or those that have been foreclosures or donations of property. Any way I could get my hands on some property for cheap, or for free.”

To acquire the funds, Mirkovich, the sole employee for RACG, applied for and was awarded a $600,000 Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation grant. According to its website, “P.H.A.R.E. is legislation that amends the existing Housing Agency Finance Agency Act to develop programs to build, rehabilitate and preserve homes for low to moderate individuals and families, seniors and people with disabilities in Pennsylvania.” Mirkovich said RACG was awarded the grant because of the amount of people contributing to RACG. “As a condition of the grant I said I have the county, some of the boroughs and municipalities contributing money, as well as a bank that is going to give me a line of credit for any shortfalls.in addition,” Mirkovich said. “They realized that there’s a lot of people contributing in this, which means they’re more likely to give you money if you have other sources of funds joining in as well.” In the grant, Mirkovich identified 20 properties and parcels, some of which he owned and some he wanted to acquire, that he wanted to get the house back on market, get the blight taken care of and to be revenue generating assets for the county, as well as give someone an affordable, livable home. The first house to be worked on by RACG under Mirkovich’s supervision is a house at 193 Adelaide Street

in Bobtown, Pennsylvania, which has been vacant for nearly a decade. Mirkovich said the house was a dead asset to the county, but he thought it had some potential so he put a bid in for $50 and became the new owner of the house. Since houses in Bobtown are not hot items, said Mirkovich, it is unlikely the house will sell for a highdollar amount once RACG did rehabilitate it. According to Mirkovich, the house did not have a furnace, water tanks, a water meter, a gas meter, kitchen cabinets or plumbing and all the electric wiring had been ripped out. In addition the house was vandalized, and walls needed plastered, repaired, drywalled and painted as well as the floors needing carpeted and tiled. The challenge for Mirkovich now was how does he fix all the problems with the house without spending too much money. “We could’ve easily put $70-80 thousand if I would have hired contractors,” Mirkovich said. “We ended up hooking up with SCIGreene prisoner community work program using the inmates and they provided free labor for me for about three months over the past winter, starting in December. They basically worked full time for three months.” In the community work program were three to five SCI-Greene inmates along with their supervisor. Con-

tractors were hired to do more advanced work on the house, but the majority of the work, according to Mirkovich, was done for free by the inmates. “The end is I didn’t have to pay out of this labor, so the money I have in this house is significantly less than if I had hired somebody to do all the work. That will enable me to sell it for what I have in it, and I may have a chance to make a small profit on it,” Mirkovich said. “They’ve been a tremendous help. House is night and day compared to the house that it was and now it is a nice looking, affordable home. I could use them full time if they were available.” Mirkovich believes the community work program for the SCI-Greene prisoners is a great program. “They’ve made some bad decisions and this gives them a chance to learn some skills so when they get out of prison they’ll be young enough and they can do some things and get a job,” Mirkovich said. “[They can] make something out of their lives and be productive members of society.” The B obtow n hous e has yet to be finished, but Mirkovich plans to have it on the market this summer. Mirkovich said he is currently looking for another employee to assist him with RACG. The position would be a working supervisor, which would require the See CYS on B3

Yellow Jacket

May 1, 2014

Page B3

Bullying 'it's nothing new and is never going to change' By KYLE DAWSON Staff Writer

One student stabbed 22 people in the span of five minutes at Franklin Regional High School in Pennsylvania just over two weeks back. As with other violent acts at school and even at home with acts of suicide, bullying is a hot topic that comes up and did come up with this particular one, involving a sophomore, male student and two kitchen knives. Since that traumatic day just over two weeks ago, it has been determined that bullying may have occurred after being originally ruled out. According to Dr. Larry Kushner, chair of the graduate education program at Waynesburg, the amount of bullying that may or may not have been present does not diminish the importance and seriousness of the problem at hand: bullying in schools. While Kushner acknowledged that bullying may not have had anything to do with the events at Franklin, he did say that it is important we don’t stop educating students and even adults on bullying prevention and being aware

of the problem. “Everyone, at some point, has dealt with bullying; they’ve been picked on, done it themselves, or whatever,” said Kushner. “But, bullying is a problem, and as we all know, it’s nothing new and it’s not ever going to go away. Bullying is a hot-topic when things like this happen, but it needs to be discussed and prevented all the time. It’s that simple.” Kushner, who was previously the principal at Brentwood Middle School in southwestern Pennsylvania, emphasized that the awareness side of bullying is the side that needs more attention. He also said means of prevention in schools could be a lot better than they are and that there are simple ways to do that. “There are a lot of things that you need to do and we did at Brentwood,” said Kushner. “For example, if you have a mandatory rule that teachers, counselors and other educators have to be in the hallways between classes, you’d be amazed what kids won’t do with eyes on them. We, as educators and adults, would hear things, see things

and those things allowed us to intervene, and that’s a must. You have to intervene.” Kushner said there are many other things they did at Brentwood as means of prevention. He cited examples such as having advisor time during the day and just looking for students that seemed generally upset that may be getting teased or bullied. “We assigned students a teacher as their advisor,” said Kushner. “Then every day, we had a 15 minute time slot for students to go and talk to their advisors about whatever they needed. Sometimes it was bullying, others not. But getting kids to talk is key.” If there is one thing that Kushner thinks must be done to prevent bullying, it is seeing it before it becomes a problem. “You have to be aware of kids that are unhappy,” said Kushner. “It may be bullying, it may be things going on at home or it may be something else. But being aware of kids that are unhappy is the most important thing in preventing bullying.” In Pennsylvania there exists groups called Student Assistance Programs, or SAP

teams, and Kushner said that these teams do exactly that in their work. They look for those struggling kids and also look for other situations. “They identify students who may be victims of bullying, but they do a lot more,” said Kushner. “Other things they may do are walk the cafeteria and see who is sitting alone, or kids being separated from being in groups or having friends. It’s simple things like that.” Other topics that come up with school violence are ones such as security and laws. Kushner said he is against putting in metal detectors at every entrance. “Metal detectors being in every school is not good,” said Kushner. “You don’t want to create a prison-like environment that students don’t want to wake up every day and come to. You want it to be open and friendly as a place that students feel safe without all that extra stuff.” However, he did acknowledge the need for more security in other areas. “You definitely need more security,” said Kushner. “Things like more security cameras would work.

You could put cameras in hotspots like stairwells, or wherever needed. Those help more than people think.” Laws are another animal according to Kushner. One proposed piece that was very recently introduced by Pennsylvania State Representative Jesse White, involves giving more power and leeway to the victims of bullying. White’s support website, supportjesse.com, cites a story of a South Fayette student who recorded his bullies bullying him. The student brought the recording to administrators as evidence, but instead of being helped, he was charged with disorderly conduct for recording without the permission of the aggressors themselves. So the bill, “Christian’s Law,” would provide protection for situations like that if passed. The proposed legislation states that, “a bullying victim, or a witness to bullying, would be able to record any electronic or oral communication while on school property or at a school-sponsored event, if that person is under a reasonable suspicion that evidence of bullying may be obtained from the record-

ing.” In an interview about the legislation, White said that the bill is about closing the loopholes in existing laws and make sure students and administrators have the means to combat bullying. “Victims should never be made out to be criminals,” said White. “The idea behind Christian’s Law is about moving past the incident and focusing on the issue, which will hopefully turn an unfortunate incident into a teachable moment for everyone.” Kushner said he is allfor this legislation because he thinks it will be a major help simply because it allows proof of what is going on and a means for the victim to get to the very problem. In the end, Kushner acknowledged that there is no way to completely eliminate bullying from the world today. “There is just no way around it. Unfortunately, victims have no way to get away from it,” said Kushner. “Now-a-days you have social media, cell phones and even the Internet in general that allow bullies to continue to pick on their victims; it is a big problem.”

Movie: Prices to raise Ryerson Station State Park moves plans Continued from B2

However, current customers will be grandfathered into paying the current price for a substantial amount of time. Although the increase is small, the extra dollar or two per month will add up over time. How will that affect customers that use only Netflix as a cable provider because of its convenience and pricing? “Netflix is a necessity for a typical college student, you have everything on your schedule. The price increase isn’t very large so I will keep my subscription due to how often I use it and it’s convenience,” said freshman nursing major Kylie Blum. The will to pay for control of what and when is apparent in the students who stay in the dorms because cable is provided to them through Comcast. On the contrary side of the argument, junior sociology major and commuting student, Cody Hillberry believes the prices are already unreasonable. “Netflix increased their prices a few years ago and lost me as a customer,” said Hillberry. Although the increase previously was minimal like the one now, people all around still cancelled subscriptions. An option for customers not willing to pay the increase is to split it with another person. An account can have up 2 streams or devices at once. Or using the family plan that includes two accounts and the customer

CYS: Man builds home Continued from B3

person to know how to do some remolding, renovation of homes, drywalling, etc., so more work can get done. The working supervisor would coordinate whatever workers are on the site, said Mirkovich. While the Bobtown house is only the first house to be rehabilitated by RACG under Mirkovich’s supervision, he hopes to only grow from here. “The Bobtown house is the first one to get done and hopefully we’ll be able to show the good work that’s been done and get some positive results,” Mirkovich said. “[That] will reflect well on my program so people will want that to happen in their communities.”

would get four devices or streams. The family plan is currently 11.99 per month but being split between two people would be around six dollars per month, which is a dollar less than the price now meaning the dollar can be saved using this method. Sure, it costs more to have two accounts, but the difference could mean actually saving money especially when the price increases. The argument comes down to whether people believe Netflix is worth the money per month. With thousands of options at your fingertips it’s hard to say people are going to leave. Inevitably customers will be lost because of prices. However more will join because of ease of accessibility. Compared to cable prices, Netflix is not an expensive cost, but combined with cable it may push some over a budget. Yet with just a few tricks or just paying the extra money a month, Netflix is here to stay.

to reconstruct lake further into May By MOLLY WINTERS Staff Writer

One year ago, an agreement was made to reconstruct the dam at Duke Lake at Ryerson Station State Park. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is still waiting for a permit to begin with the dam restoration. “Ryerson Station State Park is an important resource for residents in Greene County and the region for outdoor recreation,” said Christiana Novak, DCNR spokeswoman. “The lake provided opportunities for boating and fishing that are very important to residents in the community.” The permit was applied for through the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Dam Safety Division. Due to ground movement at the site more than eight

years ago, a new dam will replace the current 45-year-old structure. DCNR has made much positive advancement while waiting for their permit. “Since the lake draw down, DCNR has improved trails in the park, increased educational programming and extended the hours at the park swimming pool to offer alternative recreational opportunities,” said Novak. DCNR currently plans to upgrade the campground area at the park, including a new shower house, sewer lines, roads and parking, along with three new camping cottages. Along with the numerous progressions, DCNR also has a major issue that needs to be resolved. There is an estimated five feet of sediment from the lake bed that needs to be removed and properly exposed.

“Until we receive the DEP permit, it is difficult to provide a time frame,” said Novak. “We are in the processing of finalizing arrangements for the removal of silt in the bottom of the lake and should have an announcement about that later this year.” Former DCNR Secretary, Richard J. Allen, said the department planned to have the lake finished by 2017. Agreements were made to restore the lake between DCNR and Consol Energy Inc., which caused the dam to stop functioning. In July 2005, DCNR had to drain the lake in order to expand cracks in the concrete frame. Near the park, longwall mining was taking place due to Consol’s Bailey Mine. DCNR reported a claim against Consol, attributing the damage to them.

Both parties came to an agreement, in which Consol agreed to pay $36 million to replace the damaged dam and give DCNR eight parcels of land totaling 506 acres beside the park. Consol was then granted to return to the site and continue to drill for natural gas using horizontal drilling. Consol also agreed to pay DCNR an 18 percent royalty for the gas produced from wells by the park, totaling an estimated $13.7 million. If Consol would not have obliged, Novak assured the public there are a number of different funding sources for infrastructure at state parks including capital budget dollars, the Keystone Fund and the Oil and Gas Lease Fund. The $36 million was transferred to DCNR right after their agreement and is ready to be used for the dam project as soon as the permit is passed.

Yellow Jacket

Page B4

'MODELS OF LEADERSHIP'

May 1, 2014

Fame: Hopkins and others recall career

Continued from B1

Photos courtesy of the Greene County Relay for Life

Local community members come out for one of the biggest events in Greene County, the Rely for Life that takes place at Waynesburg High School.

The Waynesburg community will host their own Relay for Life By KYLE DAWSON Staff Writer

As Waynesburg University wrapped up its Relay for Life campaign with the mini-relay on Sunday, Greene County is looking forward to the “big relay” this Saturday. On a smaller scale, the mini-relay is a big stepping stone going toward the bigger scaled Greene County event. Amy Brooks, an American Cancer Society Relay for Life specialist in Greene County, said that the community should learn a lesson from the Waynesburg students and the mini relay. “It highlights one of the best things about Waynesburg and that is it’s university,” said Brooks. “The community the students create is inspiring and the Greene County community can learn from that. Waynesburg’s kids were the models of leadership. They were so organized, enthusiastic and gracious in the mini relay. They were the spirit of Relay.”

After the mini relay raised a significant amount of money, the big relay is well on its way to its fundraising goal. The Greene County Relay for Life event is scheduled to begin this Saturday, May 3, at 8:00 in the morning. It will be a 24 hour event. Brooks said the event will be themed this year as a sort of “carnival theme,” similar to Waynesburg’s mini relay with games and fun to be had while maintaining their ultimate goal of raising money and awareness for all forms of cancer. “While we have the theme this year, we still want to stay true to our goals,” said Brooks. “There will be opening and closing ceremonies, a survivor lap, luminaria ceremony and fight back ceremony.” According to the event website, the opening ceremony will begin at 10 a.m., and will “bring everyone together for a high-energy event kickoff to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, to inspire hope by sharing recent accomplishments

and progress and to remind everyone that while we are winning this battle, fighting cancer is a year-round priority.” The Survivor Lap will then kickoff at 10:30 a.m. “The Survivor Lap is when the survivors of cancer who are at the event take the first lap,” said Brooks. “It is a chance for us to celebrate their win against whatever type of cancer they battled.” According to the event website, every other participant will line the track for this part of the event. That is when the running, walking and heart of the event will take place. At 9:00 at night, there will be a Luminaria ceremony. According to Brooks, this is similar to a candle-lit ceremony. Participants will be given a quiet space to remember those who have suffered with cancer. “It can be for those who survived cancer, who currently have cancer or those who have lost to cancer,” said

Brooks. “We will read all the names of those people and have a beautiful ceremony to honor them.” At midnight, the FightBack ceremony will get under way. According to the event website, this ceremony symbolizes the emotional commitment people make to the fight against cancer. It also describes it as the action by taken what people are willing to do for themselves, loved ones and the community to fight cancer year-round and to commit to saving lives. The event will then conclude with the closing ceremony to “remember the lives of those lost and to celebrate that each of us has committed, through our participation in a Relay event, to fight back against this disease over the next year.” The event’s goal is to raise a lofty $171,000 for the American Cancer Society, and they are well on their way with the big relay coming up so quickly.

Office: Safety issues lead WU to buy building

Continued from B1

with an architect, he pointed out areas in which structure is loosening,” said Sattler. “There is a brick veneer on the outside of the building, and that brick has started to

fall of. We found brick in the alleyway and alsoon the sidewalk. That’s probably the single biggest safety issue.” Sattler noted maintenance crews are in the middle of an asbestos abatement; a typical

procedure that occurs anytime the university purchases a building. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asbestos exposure can lead to the development of lung disease. According to the Waynes-

Tuition: Free education may catch on Continued from B1

the students that go to other schools don’t get anything?’” Community colleges usually act as a stepping-stone to a four-year institution or a way to obtain an education for a trade job. However, by making community colleges even more affordable than they already are–community colleges are heavily subsidized with state taxpayers dollars, making tuition significantly less as is– it is as if they are competing with four-year schools. “From my perspective working in private higher education, I think students should be given choice. I’d rather see tax dollars go to the student and he or she would be able to make the choice on how they want to spend those tax dollars,” said Stokan. “Personally, I believe that the education they would receive at a private institution, even though it would be more costly than a community college, would be a far better education and would serve them better for their future.” Also, Tennessee already uses the lottery money to

fund its Hope Scholarships, and the bill calls to reduce the amount provided to freshmen and sophomores at a four-year university to $3,500, down from $4,000. According to Sumpter, Tennessee must put emphasis on the services for the students once they are enrolled, including counseling and help transferring to a four-year school. “If the overall purpose is to increase bachelors degrees, while it could be free tuition, sometimes credits are not always transferrable. Once you get into major specific courses, sometimes it’s difficult for those to transfer in,” said Sumpter. “Sometimes students end up going to school longer than four years as a result of trying to complete that bachelors requirement at the school that the student would try to transfer those credits into.” Sumpter said because of the bill, she would not be surprised if attendance to community college grew in Tennessee. However, she added that there are far more important factors that should go into choosing a school besides money.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more students in the state of Tennessee that would decide to go to community colleges versus a four-year public or private school, just because of the cost of it,” said Sumpter. “But ultimately more schools within that state would still be pushing the fact that it is things other than the class itself that makes you who you are to make it in the work force. If we were positioned in Tennessee, that’s what I would be saying.”

burg Borough deed records, Waynesburg University purchased the lot on E. High Street from John C. McNay for $410,000 in March. The university has not formally announced plans to demolish or renovate the building.

Hopkins was paired up with quarterback Tony Graziani, who had a six-year career in both the NFL and AFL before becoming Hopkins’ teammate. Graziani said Hopkins was not only the best twoway player to ever play Arena football, but was an even better person. “He’s one of those guys that you trust with your family,” said Graziani. “I have two sons, and if they grow up to be anything like Greg Hopkins, I’ll be a happy guy because he was just phenomenal with what he did, how he acted and he really lived his life the right way on and off the field.” Graziani said Hopkins was always the first guy to be there and the last guy to leave, which spoke to his work ethic. He said Hopkins put in the time studying film and working out, never missed a rep in practice and that he became the best player on the team because he outworked players, even when he was taking a beating on both sides of the ball. This kind of perseverance was put on display March 30, 2003 when Graziani and Hopkins’ Avengers squad was losing to the Orlando Predators, then coached by Jay Gruden, who is now head coach of the Washington Redskins. The Avengers were able to score three consecutive touchdowns in the final two minutes of the game to win the game. After recovering the onside kick, Graziani decided to throw a Hail Mary to Hopkins in the back of the end zone. The ball ricocheted off the net, and Hopkins caught it with three receivers and three defensive backs in the vicinity as time expired. The play came in at number 19 on the Arena Football League’s 20 Greatest Highlights Countdown. “That was one of the most memorable plays I ever had in Arena Football,” said Graziani. “We actually worked on throwing the ball up as a Hail Mary play. It never really worked in practice, but I was able to elude the rush a little bit, throw a good ball off the net and [Hopkins] did a great job of bodying out the defender and made a great catch with no time left on the clock. That play very rarely happens and works out well, but that’s just Greg Hopkins in a nutshell right

there. When you needed him most, he came through.” On June 17, 2007, Hopkins’ No. 82 jersey was officially retired by the Los Angeles Avengers during a halftime ceremony while he was a member of the team’s coaching staff. He never anticipated having his number retired at the Staples Center with such household names. “That one brought tears to my eyes,” said Hopkins. “To be on the field and see your jersey go into the rafters with the likes of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Wayne Gretzky-guys that are more renowned athletes-to have my name up there with so many of those guys was something I never expected to see.” Hopkins said when he looks back on his playing career, he compares it to a roller coaster ride whose peaks and valleys mimicked each week of every season. He said his experiences from the battle on the gridiron have helped him to deal with problems with more of a level head since his playing career has ended. “I’ve held the World Championship Cup over my head and celebrated as a world champion, and I’ve played with a guy by the name of Al Lucas,” said Hopkins. “I saw him take his last breath on the field. It was a tough one for me to swallow-me and the rest of my teammates. Those extreme emotions, from highs to lows and everything in between, it helps you later on in life deal with real-life situations that are outside of the huddle.” Hopkins said he has a ton of stories from high school, collegiate and professional football and is thankfully able to share them with the many friends he’s made over the years. But he’s thankful for his blue collar, 12-hour workday kind of mentality, which was instilled in him because of his upbringing in Southwestern Pennsylvania. After running for the Republican nominee for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ 50th Legislative District in 2006 and 2008, Hopkins met his wife, and since, they have had two children. He said his main goal today is to lay a solid foundation for his family, and politics are on the back burner right now, but he still keeps a close watch on it. “If the stars align correctly one of these days,” said Hopkins, “I may get back into it.”

SECTION C

MAY 1, 2014 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

Louco repeats as Track & Field MVP Griffiths leaving

Yellow Jackets

Men finish fourth at PAC Championships

2013 PAC Coach of the Year takes job at Belhaven

By NADINE LEISHMAN For the Yellow Jacket

The Yellow Jacket men took third place at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference track and field championship meet this past weekend at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. “Taking third in the PACs is a good accomplishment for the men’s program, but it is still very disappointing; no one likes losing,” said junior sprinter Byrum Louco. “I thought we did pretty well as a team, but there were some areas where we could have done better, but that happens. You just need other people to step up and people did. Overall, I think we had a good team season.” Louco had an outstanding performance at the meet. He took home the PAC Track MVP award and the PAC Track & Field MVP award. “ [ L ou c o ] won t he s e awards last year as well, but this year was his best performance yet,” said head coach Jason Falvo. “I am proud of the effort and improvements he made. Now we are focused on nationals.” Louco won two gold medals: one in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.87 seconds and the second in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 54.17 seconds. The Wexford, Pa. native also added a third-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.96 seconds. The Jackets 4x400-meter relay team came home with a gold medal, breaking the tape in 3:24. The team was

Kimber Blair, Yellow Jacket

Junior Byrum Louco won the 400 (48.87), 400-meter hurdles (54.17) and was part of the winning 4x400-meter relay team (3:24.19) at the PAC Championships. made up of Louco, junior Lorenzo Mikulin, freshman Patrick Martin, and sophomore Zakk DeCarlo. “[I] knew we had a strong team, we just needed an opportunity to run well,” said Falvo. “The men stepped up and ran a great race, and I was very happy for them.” The 4x400-meter relay team also has qualified for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championships. The 4x100-meter relay team received Honorable Mention All-PAC awards. The quartet crossed the finish line with a time of 43.32

seconds. The team was made up of Louco, DeCarlo, sophomore B.J. Durham, and sophomore Colin Roble. In the field events, the Jackets had many different place finishers. Graduate student Kurt Bonnet placed second in the discus with a throw of 41.38 meters. The former Waynesburg University basketball big man earned second-team all-conference because of his performance. “This was bittersweet for [Bonnet],” said Falvo. “He was the three-time defending champion in discus, so taking second was hard for him.

He is a great competitor and leader. I know he will be able to bounce back as we focus on the postseason with him.” Junior Travis Schubert placed first in the javelin throw with a toss of 52.98 meters. “[Schubert] did great in javelin,” said Falvo. “He and assistant coach Sheri Pettit have been working very hard to get his form back where it needs to be.” The Jacket men return to action Friday at the Gator Invitational, hosted by Allegheny College The start time for the meet is still to be determined.

This past year, the school was approved to become a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level. Belhaven will play the 2014-15 athletic season as a member of the NAIA and will transition to NCAA Division III at the start of the By KYLE OLAND Sports Editor 2015-16 season. Griffiths, the 2013 PresiAfter two seasons as the dents’ Athletic Conference men’s and women’s head Men’s Soccer Coach of the soccer coach, Carl Griffiths Year, replaces Brian McMais leaving Waynesburg Uni- hon as the head coach of versity to take over the men’s Belhaven’s men’s soccer team. soccer program at Belhaven McMahon became the head University. coach of NCAA “A lot of what Division II Palm excited me about Beach Atlantic coaching at a place University (Fla.) like Belhaven Uniin February. versity is just the McMahon heritage and the spent two seahistory of that men’s sons with the soccer program and Blazers, leading just soccer in genBelhaven to the eral at Belhaven,” 2012 NAIA Nasaid Griffiths. “It is tional ChampiGriffiths a very rich history; onship. they have [won] two national During his tenure, Mcchampionships and there is Mahon compiled a career just a real excitement and record of 35-11-3 and led focus on that men’s soccer the Blazers to the Round of program.” Eight in the NAIA National “We always encourage any Championship this past seaof our coaches, especially son. In 2012, he was named our young coaches, to suc- the NAIA National Coach of ceed and go forward,” said the Year. Larry Marshall, WaynesAfter coaching two burg’s athletic director. “It’s teams while at Waynesburg, a step ahead from the way Griffiths’ new role allows him he will be coaching one team to focus on just one team. instead of two. For him, that’s Griffiths inherits a team that a great step; we are tickled for brings back six players who him and we think he will do started at least 17 games for a great job.” Belhaven last season. Located in Jackson, Mis“I think this is going to be sissippi, Belhaven University an opportunity for me to reis a member of the National ally focus and put all my enAssociation of Intercollegiate Athletics. See GRIFFITHS on C4

Three Jacket men earn silver at PAC Championships Freshman Harris teams with Cochran in No. 1 doubles to finish second By MATT KOLL

For the Yellow Jacket

After a rather disappointing regular season, the Waynesburg University men’s tennis team concluded its season on a high note by placing fourth out of eight teams at the 2014 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships. “We had a tough season for a variety of reasons, but I felt good coming into the tournament,” said head coach Ron Christman. “With our performance, we let people know we were there.” Leading the way for the Jackets in singles play during this year’s tournament was junior Philip Littlejohn at third singles, and freshman Tim Harris at second singles. Both finished with second-team All-PAC status because of their performances in the tournament. “I came into the tournament very determined,” said Harris. “We didn’t have the season we wanted, so I wanted to make up for it and have that extra drive to win.”

Success in singles play did not come just because of pure determination for Harris, as he had to make some adjustments to his game to compete at a high level. “The players in this conference are different from my game,” Harris said. “I like to hit hard and hit winners but these players slice more and hit softer so I needed to change my style and learn how to beat them. I think I did a much better job of that in the tournament.” Christman was not the least bit surprised by Harris’ play at the championships. “Two years ago, I knew he could do this,” said Christman. “He just needed to make the change from just hitting the ball hard to setting up his points and changing the pace of the ball.” Harris’s modifications were also showcased in doubles play. He teamed up with junior teammate Isaiah Cochran, and the duo reached the number-one doubles title, but faltered 8-3. “We’ve been really hot and cold this year, and we got down in the first two matches but we pulled it together,” said Cochran. “When we’re playing well, we’re the team to beat, but if we’re not playing well, anyone can beat us. It’s all about consistency. When we’re consistent, we are tough to beat.” See TENNIS on C3

E.J. Coleman, Yellow Jacket

Freshman Timothy Harris serves during a previous match. Harris took second in both number-two singles and number-one doubles at the PAC Championships.

COMMENTARY

Seasons, careers ending around Waynesburg KYLE OLAND

Sports Editor

This past weekend, six Waynesburg athletic teams competed in various Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship events, signaling the near end to the 2014 spring season. Just as these seasons come to a close, my season comes

to an end this week. This week’s edition of the Yellow Jacket marks my last week of working for Waynesburg’s award-winning student newspaper. Over the last two years, I have had the pleasure of serving as the Sports Editor for the Yellow Jacket. It has been a great ride for me. I would be lying if I said everything about this job was great. On an average week, I put at least 20 hours into

this job. On a weekly basis, I missed out on hanging out with my friends, sleeping in and just being able to relax. There were times I questioned why I took this job. Yeah, I was getting paid – if you could call it getting paid – but there were moments where I felt like all the work my staff and I put in each week went unnoticed by the campus community. But then I would see a student sitting in the library

or sitting in Stover reading the sports section. I would get an e-mail or comment from a coach or player who thanked me for our coverage of their sport. I would see the hard work and dedication of younger students who worked for me, often for no compensation. Then I would think to myself, “This is why I do this.” I made hundreds of memories covering Jacket sporting events, talking with players

and coaches, working handin-hand with Waynesburg’s sports information professionals Bobby Fox and Aaron Thompson, teaming with a fantastic newspaper staff and spending way too many late nights on the fourth floor of Buhl Hall eating cookies. I think back over the last two years and realize the number of relationships I created because of this job. If I hadn’t served as the Sports Editor, I don’t think I would

have become friends with the two hardest-working men in Waynesburg’s athletic program: Fox and Michael Kabay. Kabay, the athletic facilities and equipment manager at Waynesburg University, may be one of the most underappreciated individuals at Waynesburg. He works with all 18 varsity sports on campus, making sure every See SEASONS on C3

Yellow Jacket

Page C2

May 1, 2014

Lacrosse falls in PAC semifinals Women finish

fourth at PAC's

By CREG MILKO

For the Yellow Jacket

Sowers wins second-straight javelin title

The women’s lacrosse team finished out its season Friday in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament, falling to the Thiel Tomcats 17-6. Despite the outcome, head women’s lacrosse coach Maria Shepas was not discouraged by the loss. “It was a great way to wrap up the season,” said Shepas. “We had a couple tough games to wrap up the season. After we beat Washington & Jefferson, those next couple games weren’t our best. We redeemed ourselves in the tournament.”

By KYLE OLAND Sports Editor

Kimber Blair, Yellow Jacket

Senior Toria Shepherd, shown in a previous game, ended her collegiate career as Waynesburg's all-time leading scorer and set the single-season goal record. Senior Toria Shepherd scored two goals in the game, after setting the single-season scoring record (34 goals) in the team’s April 22 game against Franciscan University. Shepas was proud of her senior captain and former teammate’s solid work. “[Shpeherd] has worked hard,” said Shepas. “She is a two-sport athlete and a nursing major, so she has a lot going on. She loves being out on the field and being the highest single-season scorer in team history. She plays because of her love for the game and her love of being a Division III athlete.” Junior Nadine Leishman expressed how much the team will miss all four of its seniors. “It’s definitely going to be hard to lose all of them,” said Leishman. “They definitely played a huge part in the program. [Shepherd] scored a lot of our goals and losing

Maddie [Pierienger] and Morgan [Desmond], who makes good transition plays, and losing Amanda Bell is going to be really hard to overcome, but we are looking to the future.” Also notching two goals for the Jackets was sophomore Makayla Vidosh. In net, junior JoHanna Phillips tallied seven saves, while freshman Kaitlyn Wetzel made four saves in 18 minutes played. Shepas was proud of the team’s record-setting three wins this year, citing the freshman class as a big reason why the team was able to eclipse its previous best record. “I definitely attribute a lot of that to the recruiting class that came in,” said Shepas. “Our team dynamic has changed. The other girls who were here have one more year of extra experience on

the lacrosse field. I think the combination of that and the fact that we really changed the team attitude last year. This year we came out with a clean slate and took a step in the right direction.” On a team in which 58 of the team’s 105 total goals were scored by freshmen, Shepas explained what this class has brought to the team beyond scoring prowess. “ This freshman class brought competition to this team,” said Shepas “That’s not to say that that is the only thing they did, but that is the kind of atmosphere you want to have on your team. You want your teammates to push you and make you better before you go out and play your opponent.” Although the losses of four seniors will create a void for the Jackets, Shepas believes that filling their place next year is just a part of the game.

“It’s going to change the team dynamic just like it does on any team,” said Shepas. “It’s a challenge, but it is something we just have to adjust to and deal with. We have to continue to get better. It’s not just about playing games. We need to practice better, understand the game better. It’s about having a better attitude. It’s the small things that make a strong team.” With another year in the books, Shepas and the women’s lacrosse team will look to continue what they began building this year. “I’m just looking to raise the bar and bring our program one step further,” said Shepas. “It’s about being more complete. Lacrosse isn’t all about playing on gameday. Gameday is a reward for all the other stuff you have to do first.”

After winning its firstever Presidents’ Athletic Conference Track and Field Championship in 2013, the women’s track and field team entered this past weekend’s PAC Track and Field Championship looking to defend its title. With a young team facing the departure of a number of key contributors from the 2013 PAC-winning squad, head coach Jason Falvo knew it would be a tall task for his team. After the conclusion of the two-day meet, the Yellow Jackets fell short of repeating as champions, tying for fourth place with Geneva College. The Yellow Jackets managed 53 team points over the course of the two days. “[The women] tying for fourth, we were a little disappointed, but not terribly,” said Falvo. “We did pretty solid as a whole, but we slipped a little in some events. It was no way our best meet of the year.” Senior Megan Sowers was the lone Yellow Jacket to bring home an individual title, winning her secondstraight championship in the javelin. Sowers bested the completion by more than nine feet, recording a throw of 118-08. “I was really excited with what [Sowers] did winning the javelin,” said Falvo. “She was competing in a driving rain storm and gale force winds and threw one of her best throws of the year.”

In addition to her firstplace finish in the javelin, Sowers took third in the shot put (35-10.75). “That throw was her lifetime best,” Falvo said. “It’s really not an event for her; she is just doing it because we needed a second event.” On the track, freshman Katie Latimer continued her strong first season for Waynesburg. Latimer took third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. In the 10,000-meter, senior Megan Ferrick finished fifth, becoming the first Waynesburg woman to earn points in the event in five years. “That is the first time we have had anyone score in the 10,000 since Megan Grover back in 2009,” said Falvo. “I was really excited about her performance because she actually pulled her hamstring in the middle of the race and still ran her best time. It was a really gutty performance on her part.” Another Yellow Jacket to claim a top performance came from junior Amanda Hobe, who took third in the triple jump. The jumper’s junior season has been mired by injury, causing her to struggle in 2014 after winning the triple jump in 2013. “Hobe is coming off an injury and it was a rough season for her,” Falvo said. “She got hurt and it is what it is.” Grove City College took home the team title, totaling 222 team points. Westminster College placed second with 163 team points and Washington & Jefferson rounded out the top three with 103 team points. Grove City sophomore Emily Rabenold earned the conference’s most valuable performer after recording See TRACK on C3

Yellow Jacket

May 1, 2014

Weekly Awards

The combination of the two-sport athletes reigned again this past week, earning Waynesburg University Athletes of the Week awards for the second time in three weeks. Shepherd Louco Junior track athlete Byrum Louco led the Jackets at the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships on Saturday, by taking home both the PAC Track MVP and the PAC Track and Field MVP for the second-consecutive season. The Wexford, Pa native served as a double threat for Waynesburg, earning individual gold medals in both the 400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, breaking the tape in 48.87 seconds and 54.17 seconds, respectively. Louco also received honorable mention All-PAC laurels in the 100-meter hurdles after finishing with a 15.96 time, which was good enough for third place. His efforts were also showcased in Waynesburg’s first place finish in the 4x400 meter relay. The team victory qualified the quartet for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships on May 16. Senior lacrosse player Toria Shepherd finished a brilliant career this past week, scoring a team-best seven goals in just two games. She also recorded two assists in the Jackets’ heartbreaking 16-15 loss to Franciscan University earlier in the week. The Maryland native has been the model of consistency over the last four years in both soccer in the fall and lacrosse in the spring. After her performance last week, Shepherd became Waynesburg’s all-time single-season leading goal with 34 goals compiled in this her final campaign. Shepherd also helped make team history, contributing greatly in Waynesburg’s three wins, which were the most for a single-season in program history.

Seasons: Time at Waynesburg ending

Continued from C1

athlete has the equipment he or she needs. He attends every home sporting event, sets up the field and makes sure everything runs smoothly. The thing about Kabay is he never asks for attention. I asked if I could write a story about him once, highlighting all he does for the Yellow Jackets, but never wanting to be the center of attention, Kabay declined the offer. Well, Mike, this is my thank-you to your hard work. Thanks for everything you have done for me over the last two years. Whether it was sending me pictures of the football team or letting me into the gym when I didn’t have my key card. The second man I have come to know because of my position with the Yellow Jacket is Fox. Fox also is one of the most underappreciated faculty members at Waynesburg. In his role, he provides coverage and exposure for all of Waynesburg’s varsity sports. Fox gets nearly zero recognition for the countless hours, and I do mean count-

less, he puts in for the athletic program. Like Kabay, he is at every home sporting event. He gives up his weekends and nights for the athletic program. Any request I made of Fox over the years, he has always bent-over-backwards to accommodate me. Not only has he become someone I admire here on campus, but he is someone I would call a friend when I leave Waynesburg in two weeks. He helped shape my career aspirations and whether he knows it or not, he revealed the tireless nature needed to succeed in a sports-related profession. So to you Bobby Fox, I say thank you. I could go on and on about other people I have gotten to know during my time as Sports Editor, but unfortunately I do not have the space. When I look back on my time as Sports Editor, I won’t remember the sleepless nights or loss of time with my friends, but I will remember the relationships I made and the wonderful people at Waynesburg who exemplify Waynesburg’s mission of faith, learning and service.

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Softball's rough season ends with sweep Jackets defeat Chatham in final two games of 2014 season By LUKE CAMPBELL

For the Yellow Jacket

The Waynesburg University softball team concluded its season on a strong note Saturday afternoon, as it swept the Chatham Cougars in Presidents’ Athletic Conference action by scores of 1-0 and 5-1. Dave Miller, ADM Photography

Senior Carrie Maier finished her collegiate career throwing a three-hit shutout against Grove City in game one of Waynesburg's doubleheader Saturday.

In game one, the Jackets were paced by senior pitcher Carrie Maier, who threw a complete-game. Those seven innings of work were accompanied with an impressive 11 strikeouts. “The whole day was absolutely heart breaking,” said Maier. “Words cannot explain what it meant to pitch a shutout for my final complete-game on the mound. I’ll carry that moment with me for the rest of my life.” The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning, when freshman second baseman Ash-

ley Demarco reached based safely on a fielder’s choice, ultimately allowing junior pinch-runner Emily Sorton to score. “[Maier] has been a dominant performer for four years,” said head coach Lou Giachetti. “She didn’t have one of her best seasons this year, but she has always been a great pitcher and went out there and did what she normally does.” Waynesburg’s offensive production increased in game two, as the Jackets out hit Chatham 14-to-5, and they were able to put five runs on the scoreboard. Strong pitching performances in game two by Jenn

Lingg, Stephanie Kotomski, Lyndi Gareis and Maier allowed for the Jackets to pick up a decisive victory. The Jackets finished the season with a record of 1022 overall, but never lacked confidence from the start. “The girls were awesome all year long,” said Giachetti. “We did the best to win all those games, but things didn’t quite work out. We expected to win every time we went out.” However, the most meaningful part of Saturday was honoring the 11 seniors prior to both games for their years of service to the softball program. Maier, along with infielder Madison Presto, and

outfielders Jenna Dorazio and Jasmine Blackwell were all honored. “Being able to share all four years with such amazing people has been the greatest experience,” said Maier. “I know we will be friends for the rest of our lives because of the experiences we’ve had on the field together.” Giachetti recognizes the sacrifices and contributions they have made over their careers. “They are all very foc us ed individuals and have great heads on their shoulders,” said Giachetti. “It was just a pleasure for me to coach them for the past four years.”

Presto, Tracy pace Jacket golf teams Pair of Jacket golfers earn All-PAC STAFF REPORT For the second-consecutive season, the Waynesburg men’s golf team finished seventh out of eight teams at this year’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference Spring Championships, which was held at Cedarbrook Golf Club in Belle Vernon, Pa. this past weekend. First-year junior Tyler Tracy, who fired a two-day score of 159, led the Jackets. Tracy finished 12th out of the 44-man field, which was good for an All-PAC Honorable Mention. As a team, the Jackets carded a 668 score over 36 holes. Saint Vincent completed the lowest 36-hole total of the weekend, firing a secondround team score of 312. The Bearcats claimed the team title after recording a two-day score of 623. Saint Vincent also secured the 2013-14 overall title, com-

Dave Miller, ADM Photography

Senior Madison Presto carded a 36-hole score of 184 to finish seventh out of the 33-woman field at the 2014 PAC Golf Championships. piling 1,211 strokes between the spring and 2013 PAC Fall Championships. The Bearcats now earn a trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship, which will be held May 13-16 in Greensboro, N.C. For the first time in recent memory, the women’s golf team competed as a team at this year’s PAC Championships. Previously, players had to compete individually.

The Jackets took sixth place out of seven teams, with a four-player score of 887. Waynesburg was led by senior two-sport athlete Madison Presto, who shot a 92 in each round. Her 36hole score of 184 secured her a seventh-place finish out of the 33-woman field. Because of her finish, she earned AllPAC laurels for the fourth time in her career. Freshman Paige Lane also earned All-

PAC credentials because of her 11th place finish. Grove City posted the lowest team total at this year's spring event, with a total score of 748. That mark, combined with the Wolverines' 721 at the 2013 PAC Fall Championships, gave Grove City this year's overall team crown and an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III National Championship.

Tennis: Men surprise competition at PAC's

Continued from C1

The strong showing in the tournament comes as a sigh of relief for the Waynesburg squad. It was predicted to finish third in the PAC standings this season, but fell short of those projections by going 3-8 overall and 1-6 in conference play, finishing the year seventh in the standings. “There were plenty of factors that went into some of

the struggles this season,” said Christman. “Over half of the team was first year players, so there’s a learning process that needs to take place. We also had some injuries and illnesses along with academic commitments and stresses. There’s a lot of reasons why someone can be not fully focused that day.” The harsh spring conditions were another thorn in the side for this team, as many practices were can-

celled because the team did not have the luxury of practicing in an indoor facility. “The weather this spring made things tougher on us to get in practices,” said Cochran. “But even with very minimal practice, we still did very well in the tournament.” The Waynesburg players will look to build upon their performance in the championships, and improve their game for next season, as they head out for summer break.

“We are going to try to play as much as we can over the summer and in the fall," said Cochran. “Just playing and practicing when we can will help us improve.” For Christman, the end of the season does not mean the job comes to a halt. “People ask if I’m going to take a breath now that the season is done,” said Christman. “I tell them no. I’m going to go stuff some things in a bag, and go recruit.”

Track: Women can't repeat, finish in fourth

Continued from C2

three of Grove City’s seven wins. She won the 10,000 (40:8.29), the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a meet-record time of 11:12.09 and also took first in the 5,000 (18:10.84). Grove City freshman Katelyn Hess captured field athlete of the year laurels, winning the triple jump with a

best leap of 34-03. She also took third in the high jump (4-10 1/4) and fourth in the long jump (16-3 1/4). W&J senior Cheyenne Mangold and Westminster senior Haley Gabor were selected as Co-Track Athletes of the Year. Mangold finished first in the 400 (57.35), second in the 400 hurdles (1:06.50), third in the 200 (25.71), seventh in the 100 (12.91) and was

member of W&J’s secondplace 4x100 (50.01) and 4x400 (4:02.04) relays. Gabor was first in the 200 (25.25), second in the 100 (12.50) and 400 (57.48) and ran on Westminster’s firstplace 4x400 (4:00.51) and third-place 4x100 (50.34) relay squads. Gabor’s 200 time also established a new conference meet record. Grove City fourth-year

head coach Todd Gibson earned the conference’s Coach of the Year award. The Jackets return to action Friday, when they compete in the Gator Invitational, hosted by Allegheny College. The meet will give the Yellow Jackets one more chance to qualify for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships, which take place from May 15-16.

Yellow Jacket

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Baseball hurts PAC chances Jackets drops two of three to Grove City By KYLE DAWSON

For the Yellow Jacket

Going into the weekend, the Waynesburg baseball team controlled its own fate to make the postseason. But as the final out was recorded Sunday afternoon in Grove City, Pennsylvania, the Jackets found themselves in the opposite situation. Dave Miller, ADM Photography

Junior second baseman Neal Yakopin turns two against Grove City. The Jackets dropped two of three games against the Wolverines over the weekend.

Things looked to be going as planned for Waynesburg on Saturday, as sophomore pitcher Brian Resnik recorded a complete-game shutout of Grove City in game one of a home twin bill. Waynesburg’s ace recorded his seventh win of the season while giving up just four hits, walking one and striking out four. Waynesburg took the first game of the series 3-0. In game two, sophomore pitcher Connor Furwa toed the rubber for the Jackets and aimed for the doubleheader sweep. Unfortunately for Waynesburg, Grove City was able to get to Furwa, and chased him out of the game after only one inning. In that inning, the Wolverines scored three times on five hits. Freshman Colton Lippencott was then able to hold them there for six innings. Unfortunately for the Jackets, three runs would be all Grove City needed, as its top pitcher Eric Locker matched what Resnik did in game one, throwing a complete-game shutout. Grove City was then able to ride that momentum into Sunday’s rubber match, and picked up a 7-4 win over the Jackets. The game went fluidly for the first three innings before Grove City got on the board in the fourth inning off Waynesburg’s starting pitcher Luke Carter. Anthony Marnejon, who

entered the day for the Wolverines 0-2 and with an ERA over eight, stymied the Jacket bats, as he carried a perfect game into the fifth. Head coach Mike Humiston was discouraged by the offense Sunday and said that it was a matter of a lack of adjusting to what he thought was average pitching. “It seemed as though our guys weren’t willing, or couldn’t make adjustments all weekend,” said Humiston. “When you don’t make adjustments, you don’t win very often. That’s what happened to us this weekend.” After Grove City added a run in the fifth, Waynesburg’s bats woke up and it took a 3-1 lead, thanks to a leadoff homerun from senior catcher and captain Mark Timmons, and then RBI hits from freshmen Nathan Mori and Jonathan Kletzli. For Kletzli, it was his 30th RBI of the year, which leads the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Things then got shaky for Waynesburg in the home half of the seventh. Carter started the inning with a walk, was able to get a flyout but then gave up a base hit to the nine hitter. It was after that hit that Waynesburg turned to last week’s PAC Pitcher of the Week and reliable closer Derrick Zavatsky. Zavatsky came in with two inherited runners, who eventually scored. He then gave up two of his own, but it wasn’t all his fault, according to Humiston.

“We felt [Carter and Zavatsky] both pitched well and better than the stat line says they did,” said Humiston. “None of the four runs in the seventh were earned. We didn’t make the plays behind our pitchers. They did their jobs; others did not.” Dropping two of three games to Grove City puts the Jackets in a rough position in their push for the PAC Tournament. “We hurt ourselves with the results this weekend,” said Humiston. “We aren’t taking advantage of other teams losing. Waynesburg’s baseball team hasn’t made the PAC Tournament since 2005. Even in the situation they are in now, the Jackets still have a chance to make the tournament. “We still have a chance to make the tournament,” said Humiston. “We just have to take care of our end from here on out and hope the pieces fall into place.” With three games remaining in the regular season, the Jackets sit in fifth place in the PAC standings, trailing Saint Vincent by one game. The Bearcats finish their season with one game against third-ranked Thomas More and two games against topranked W&J. After being rained out yesterday, Waynesburg is scheduled to play W&J today. This weekend, the Jackets finish the regular season with three games against Westminster.

May 1, 2014

Griffiths: Soccer coach leaving WU Continued from C1

ergy into this elite program that really wants leadership that can continue on with that heritage,” Griffiths said. “Focusing on one program will allow me to focus more and connect more on a deeper level tactically, technically and management wise of the program.” During his two years with Waynesburg, Griffiths compiled a career record of 3529-6 between the men and women. In 2012, he guided the women’s team to an appearance in the PAC Tournament. This past season, Griffiths coached the men’s team to the best season in program history, finishing the season with a 10-4-3 record. In 2012, Griffiths’ first season, the men’s team finished 8-81. Prior to Griffiths’ arrival, no Waynesburg head coach had ever won at least eight games in consecutive seasons. “I never intended my time to be as short as it was at Waynesburg,” said Griffiths. “It has really been a tough decision to leave, but I am excited to see the growth that has occurred over the last two years and I hope and pray it continues to go in the right direction.” After receiving the offer early last week, Griffiths informed his players last Thursday night of his decision to accept the Belhaven position. “It was a really tough conversation, but I wanted to be the one to tell [the players],” said Griffiths. “I wanted to tell them face-to-face, and I just let them know that this is an opportunity from a career perspective, and it is going to be a good fit for my family with me being able to focus on one program.” When the men’s and women’s soccer teams heard the news from their head coach, they were shocked Griffiths was leaving Waynesburg after only two years. “[Griffiths] has been such a great coach and we have learned so much from him in just the short amount of time he has been here,” said Taylor Bombalski, who start-

Michael Kabay, Waynesburg University

Carl Griffiths talks with Victor Browne during a 2012 match. Griffiths, the 2013 Men's PAC Coach of the Year, is leaving Waynesburg to become the head men's soccer coach at Belhaven University. ed 13 games for the Jackets last year. “We are really sad to hear he is leaving.” “It was a pretty big shock,” said Brandon Daughtry, the starting goalkeeper for the past two seasons. “We didn’t see it coming. Everyone is uncertain of where we are going to go from here.” “They were very gracious and very mature,” said Griffiths. “The hugs and the tears meant a lot to me because this has been a really tough decision. The players really mean a lot to me, and they have affected my life probably more than I have affected their lives.” To date, the Waynesburg athletic program had not begun a search for a new coach, but Marshall cited the search would begin in the coming weeks.

“I met with President Lee last week and went over what we are going to look for,” said Marshall. “We probably are going to go with two coaches if it meets our needs. With the expected birth of his second child, Griffiths said he won’t be moving to Mississippi until June. As he begins to pack up his office and move his family, Griffiths said he would have fond memories of his time with the Yellow Jacket soccer program. “If people remember me as the coach that really got the programs on the right track and really helped move them forward, not only as soccer players but as successful people, that would be something that would make me really happy,” Griffiths said.

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MAY 1, 2014 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

Multiple mission trips help Szymanik gain life experience By JACOB MEYER Staff Writer

Students attending Waynesburg University are encouraged to go on mission trips because it broadens the mind to experience other cultures. Hannah Szymanik is one of many Waynesburg students who exemplifies this theory. Szymanik, early childhood education major, has gone on five mission trips as well as another trip to Ghana via the Vira I. Heinz scholarship during her career at Waynesburg. She went to The Pittsburgh Project, Nashville, Tennessee, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and right here in Greene County for her mission trips and traveled to Ghana with the support of the Vira I. Heinz scholarship. “I’ve definitely been able to learn something from each trip I’ve been on whether it is about myself or the world around me, there’s definitely things that you can’t learn in the classroom,” Szymanik said. “Whether it is an international trip or a domestic trip I think people should definitely go on mission trips. People should go on mission trips because of the life experiences you can gain.” While in Ghana, Szymanik taught math and English to approximately 40 first grade students. Szymanik was born in Quakertown, Pennsylvania and lived there for about five years before moving to Walden, Vermont. She lived there for about ten years before moving back to Pennsylvania again and graduating from Boiling Springs High School. “I chose Waynesburg first

Photos courtesy of Hannah Szymanik

Hannah Szymanik went on five different mission trips during her four years at Waynesburg University. During those trips, she was given a chance to broaden her diversity, while also reinforcing her want to be a teacher. when I decided on being an education major. I knew PA was a good state to get an education degree from,” Szymanik said. “I also knew I wanted to go to a small school because I visited my brother and sister at Liberty [University] and I was overwhelmed because it was a big school. Also, I wanted a Christian atmosphere, which narrowed it down even more and I eventually got the best financial aid from Waynesburg.” Szymanik said teaching was not the reason why she became an education major, but rather whom she would be working with. “It wasn’t necessarily that I wanted education, it’s that I wanted to work with kids,” Szymanik said. “If that meant psychologist, if that meant social worker, I just knew I wanted

to work with kids, so [being a] teacher seemed like a logical choice. Even if I don’t get a teaching job I’ll be happy with whatever I’m doing as long as I am working with kids.” A driving force for Szymanik going on the mission trips was the positive influences she gained from being a Bonner Scholar. “It’s honestly been such

a blessing. I am able to use what I’m learning in my major and take that into my service sites,” Szymanik said. “I did a lot of after-school tutoring and I was in a regular public school classroom. These extra ten hours a week let me take what I love to do, which is spending time with kids, that I may not have otherwise been able to do by just sitting in the classroom.

There’s a lot of friendships that come from the Bonner Program and we’re really our little Waynesburg community, which I really enjoyed.” In addition to being an education major and a Bonner Scholar, Szymanik was also an RA for two years. Her sophomore year she was the third Floor RA in Denny Hall, whereas her junior year she was the 1st Floor RA in Burns Hall. “I really like people and I like making people feel welcomed and valued and as an RA my job was to love people,” Szymanik said. “I got to build relationships as an RA and that’s my favorite part of being an RA. Just being a support system as they’re going through college really meant a lot to me.” Szymanik had to quit being an RA because of her expected responsibilities as a

student teacher at Graysville Elementary School, where she creates lessons and teaches them. She was in a special education placement in kindergarden through fifth grade life skills classroom in January and February, whereas the rest of her work has been in a third grade classroom. Szymanik was also a member of Kappa Delta Pi, which is the international honors society in education. If Szymanik has one piece of advice for her peers still waiting to get their college degrees it would be, “to really know what you want.” “I knew I wanted to be an RA, but I knew first and foremost God was calling me to work with kids so my energy and my focus and my determination had to be focused in as a student teacher,” Szymanik said. “Know when to say no, but don’t be afraid to say yes.” After she graduates, Szymanik plans to get a teaching job either in Pennsylvania or Virginia, as those are the two states she has family in. She is eligible to teach pre-kindergarden through 4th grade and since she received her special education certification she is qualified to teach that up until 8th grade. “I really enjoyed my time at Waynesburg because of the people that I’ve met and the experiences that I’ve been able to have,” Szymanik said. “[I’ve met] so many different people from so many different walks of life and created friendships that will hopefully last past graduation. I’m excited to see what God will be doing in the lives of these people I know. Without Waynesburg University I wouldn’t have been able to do half of the things or gained half of the experience I have.”

Della Loggia finds Scarry grows as a leader through service home in university's small community By JENNY SCHOUPPE

Online Content Manager

By ERIC BOST

Managing Editor

In life, choosing what college you will attend is one of the decisions people could make; a lot of factors go into the choice: location, size and affordability to name a few. However, when it came to picking the college she wanted to go to for the next four years of her life, Dana Della Loggia made it very easy for herself when she picked Waynesburg University. “I went to a small private high school. I liked the fact that I could get really involved, so I knew I would transition well into smaller private college,” said Della Loggia. “I narrowed down my choices to all small private colleges. It came down to Waynesburg and Messiah College, and Messiah is only 45 minutes from my house, and I didn’t want to go home every weekend so I picked Waynesburg.” Della Loggia, a senior business major, was used to city life growing up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, only 10 minutes outside of the state capital, Harrisburg. Della Loggia said that she wanted to become more independent during her time at college, and that she did, only visiting home once per semester by the time she became a senior this past year. “I probably only go home once per semester, so I got the full Waynesburg experience,” said Della Loggia. “That probably helped me become more independent,

having to stay here. It’s hard, cause you always wish you [could go home]. Each year I went home a little bit less each semester because you don’t miss it as much.” D u r i ng h e r t i m e at Waynesburg, Della Loggia has become involved in a number of academic and athletic clubs on campus, including being a member of the university golf team and choir, while also being the events coordinator for the Student Activities Board for the past three years. Getting ready to graduate, Della Loggia plans to live at home for some time while still finishing her internship over the summer. She plans to transition into a job with Brown, Schultz, Sheridan and Fritz, an accountant and business advisor firm very close to where she lives, in September. Della Loggia said the opportunities Waynesburg University gave her outside of the classroom were just as valuable during the job search and in her getting her upcoming job as the actual classes themselves. “I think being involved almost means more than going to class and getting good grades. Being involved at your university is what develops you as a person even more than going to classes,” said Della Loggia. “Being social is one of the most important things. I’ve learned so much in my involvement in the Student Activities Board and Choir that I would have never learned in my classes.”

K Scarry realized early into her college career that she wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. She has now left Waynesburg University knowing she has the experiences and tools to do so. “I feel like Waynesburg really gave me opportunities to get my hands dirty- understanding the justice issues that face our community and our world, constantly challenging me to figure out what it looks like to put our faith into action,” said Scarry. The senior biblical ministry major from Herndon, Virginia attended Oakton High School before making the decision to attend Wayesburg University. “I chose Waynesburg be-

cause I wanted to try living in a place completely different from where I grew up,” said Scarry. “I was drawn in by the authentic, warm community here, the opportunities to grow in faith where it wasn’t forced and the chances to really serve the community.” According to Department Chairperson and Professor of Biblical and Ministry Studies Dr. Jeffery Kisner, Scarry took her academics seriously along with her goals to help people. “K is intellectually curious and superior academically,” said Kisner. “She has a strong commitment to serving people in need, both internationally and domestically.” During her time here, Scarry led the Upper Room team, was an RA, was a Bon-

ner Scholar for a few years, and was given the opportunity to go on multiple mission trips and be involved in many service sites and Bible studies. Through all the hard work Scarry has done throughout her years at Waynesburg, she has gained many memories that will last a lifetime. “My favorite memories include all the times that I was able to really just grow alongside fellow students from doing the cupid shuffle in the Denny hallways before every biology test, to late night chats in Jamaica about justice, to all-nighters addressing wedding invitations with my best friend, to being able to worship alongside students at upper room every Sunday - the moments where I was reminded of the truth that loving God and

therefore loving His people is what I am here for,” said Scarry. Scarry finished her academic course work in the Fall 2013 semester and has since started working for Veritas Church in Columbus, Ohio, with She Has a Name and their efforts to fight human trafficking. Right after graduation she will be moving back to Waynesburg to work towards opening a safe home for women who are trafficked in Southwest Pennsylvania and Morgantown, West Virginia. “She has ample organizational skills and a desire for all people to be recipients of God’s justice and mercy,” said Kisner. “So the safe home for women she envisions for Waynesburg is a natural application of her abilities and interests.”

Marine returns home to pursue nursing By CARSON FOX

Sports Editorial Assistant

Of the furthest roads travelled by this year’s graduating senior class of nursing students, one would be hard pressed to find one who has had a journey like Michael Campbell. Campbell was born and raised in Washington, Pennsylvania, where he currently resides and commutes to and from school. Campbell graduated from Trinity High School in 2002, attended Bowling Green State University for two years and then joined the Marine Corps Reserve in August of 2004. From there, he attended boot camp, and was eventu-

ally deployed to Iraq in 2006. By 2011, he knew he did not want to make make a career of being a Marine. He has been a volunteer firefighter/EMT-B for South Strabane Township for almost ten years and through this experience, he found that he really enjoyed the medical side of the job. He said he then looked into applying to Waynesburg University because of the nursing program’s reputation and because a fellow firefighter had gone through the program. “I am part of the national nursing honor society, Sigma Theta Tau, which if you knew me earlier in life, you would never have thought I could achieve such a goal,” said

Campbell. “Education was not on my top priority list and I only did what I needed to get by in my previous schooling. Now I realize how important schooling is and I strive to do my best at all times.” Last summer, Campbell did an internship at St. Clair hospital for ten weeks and he said it was the best decision he has ever made while in school. Through connections within the hospital, he has now been hired to work at St. Clair after he graduates. “This is where I learned the most regarding my clinical skills and reinforced knowledge that the university’s nursing program has instilled within me,” said

Campbell. Campbell said he has felt the challenges of raising his son, keeping his family happy and well-supported, working two jobs, and maintaining his focus on becoming a nurse during his career at Waynesburg. “I have overcome this challenge because when I find something that I want to do, I make it happen, and learn to adapt to accomplish my goal,” said Campbell. “I have learned this through the military. It is best to work hard, challenge yourself, and to achieve the goal you are striving for to make a career and to support your family. No challenge could stop me from supporting my family.”

Yellow Jacket

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May 1, 2014

Morgan Business major finds perfect fit at Waynesburg accepted coach's challenge By OLIVIA LATIMER Assignments Editor

By CHELSEA DICKS Managing Editor

Zachary Morgan, senior business major, loved the sport of soccer. When looking for a school, he had a checklist: a good soccer program, a Christian school and something that took all of his credits from the community college he attended. He said that Carl Griffiths, head coach of the Waynesburg University soccer team, challenged him in a different way than anyone else had, which made Morgan choose Waynesburg. “He said you know you can go there and fit the mold or you could come here and be challenged and challenge other people and see what kind of affect you can do on the community and the team,” said Morgan. “And that fits the model of Waynesburg I feel like, with the service and learning.” Morgan said playing with the team was one of the best experiences while here at Waynesburg. He was part of two of the best seasons Waynesburg soccer has had, and was voted captain of the team his senior year. Beating Washington & Jefferson and Saint Vincent are two of the best memories he has of soccer. With his love of sports he knew he wanted to do more than just be a teammate. “Sports have always been my life,” said Morgan. “I wanted to do something more with sports, so when I was looking at Waynesburg I decided on sports management, which fit perfectly.” Morgan is not only a fulltime student and an athlete, but is also a Bonner Scholar. “God gives each one of us different talents and gifts, and I think if you have a passion for something and you take the talents and gifts He has given you, then He will guide you for the rest of your life,” said Morgan about his mentality towards the future. He plans to do just that, as Morgan will be a part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes upon graduation, raising funds and then heading out into high schools to speak to the students as a missionary.

Condello finds time for music By JAMES WITTE Op/Ed Editor

Though Ryan Condello is a Business Management major, he was able to fit music into his time here at Waynesburg University. Condello, who also has minors in finance and economics, has played alto saxophone as a member of the Symphonic Band for all four years at Waynesburg and also has been a member of the Jazz Ensemble. "Ryan is a wonderful student and a great musician," said Ronda DePriest, chair of the Fine Arts Department and director of the Music Program. "There's no doubt in my mind that his life will be very successful." Among other things, Condello is also the vice president of the Investments club, a member of the business club, ENACTUS and a Student Senate representative. One of Condello’s favorite memories from Waynesburg occurred recently when Dr. Jordan Kassalow was invited to campus. “I thoroughly enjoyed being invited to join President and Mrs. Lee and BusiSee CANDELLO on A4

Not only has Waynesburg University been a home for Julie Collins to explore academics and learn in the classroom, but it has also been one of the significant building blocks in the foundation of her faith. Originally from West Newton, Pennsylvania, Collins made the decision to come to Waynesburg University to study mathematics upon graduating from Yough High School. Collins will be

graduating with a major in mathematics and minors in both accounting and finance. Upon graduating from Waynesburg, Collins will be moving to Washington D.C. for a position as an intern with the United States Census Bureau over the summer. “With my major, I wanted to be able to do something with analyzing or statistics,” said Collins. “As an intern with the U.S Census Bureau, I will be a statistician.” Richard Leipold, chair of the department of Mathematics and Computer Sci-

ence believes this internship is a great fit for Collins. “Julie is very good at all kinds of math, but especially at statistics. That’s what the Census Bureau is all about,” said Leipold. “She also knows how to ask the right questions about mathematical analyses, so she should do very well.” D u r i ng h e r t i m e at Waynesburg, Collins has been a member of the choir all four years, participated in softball her sophomore year and has been a member of Colleges Against Cancer and

a Relay for Life captain for the past two years. Leipold describes Collins as a “very personable, excellent and careful student with a great personality.” Leipold also said she will finish with the highest grade point average in the mathematics department and will receive a prize for this accomplishment. Collins also enjoyed many great times while at Waynesburg. “My favorite memories definitely involve choir and getting to tour with them,”

said Collins. “It has been an awesome experience in shaping my faith and what I want it to be.” Collins believes strongly that Waynesburg University has prepared her for what is to come upon entering the work field after graduation. “I think WU was a great foundation for my faith and what I want my faith to be in the workplace,” said Collins. “It’s made me more independent and self sufficient and I can honestly say that I feel prepared leaving Waynesburg.”

WU senior finds inspiration from high school teacher By ROB LONGO

Assistant Sports Editor

“You just think differently.” Growing up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, school subjects for senior chemistry major Tiffany Onifer didn’t quite add up. She repeated third grade after failing the statewide proficiency test and was placed in a classroom labeled for special needs learners. When freshman year of high school rolled around, it took the confidence of Ms. Miranda Weimer, Onifer’s Algebra I teacher, to utter those four words and help Onifer become the best problem solver possible. “Ever ything clicked,” Onifer said. “It just all made sense. It just took a teacher to believe in me. Since that point, I was the top math student from freshman year to senior year, taking every advanced mathematical class offered.” After excelling in math and all other major subjects, Onifer fell in love with the athletics at Waynesburg when she was recruited by cross country coach Chris Hardie. The two emailed

Photo courtesy of Tiffany Onifer

After excelling in the math courses taught at Waynesburg, Tiffany Onifer took her talents to Vanderbilt University, where she conducted extensive research on Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry. each other almost every day, try my strength,” said Onifer. Fletcher. Her hard work and and soon Onifer was set “I didn’t want my weakness experience, along with the on spending four years in to stay a weakness. I took mentoring by Fletcher, alsouthwestern Pennsylvania, AP chemistry in high school, lowed her to earn an interndespite Waynesburg not be- and it was probably the hardship with Vanderbilt Univering her top choice. est class I ever took. But I sity in Nashville, Tennessee Onifer soon decided to realized that I didn’t fully this past summer, where she major in chemistry, even understand it, so I wanted conducted extensive research though it was one of her to major in it to fully grasp on Ion Mobility Mass Specworst subjects in high school. the material.” trometry. Where many would major in Just like high school, Currently, Onifer is in the a subject they excel in, Onifer Onifer shined in the field, process of writing a paper welcomed the challenge. conducting research as a on the research, which will “I wanted to make chemis- freshman with Dr. Heidi soon be up for publication

after its completion. Despite all of the hard work Onifer puts in, she doesn’t consider herself a perfectionist. “I definitely strive for excellence,” Onifer said. “I’m okay if something’s not perfect, because there’s a point in time when you have to stop and move on. I wouldn’t say perfectionist, but I definitely pay attention to detail.” Following commencement at Waynesburg, Onifer will take her attention to detail and return to Nashville on June 18 to begin her doctorate work in analytical chemistry. Onifer hopes to finish her work on polyurethanes before the start of classes in August, and also hopes to break the record for the shortest amount of time to earn a doctorate degree from Vanderbilt, which is 2.94 years. After earning her Ph.D., Onifer hopes to pursue a post-doctorate at another university and would eventually like to become a liaison in the medical field, improving instruments and machines physicians have access to, in order to treat patients better.

Criminal justice major ready to Baker strives to enter the work force in D.C. further education By JOHN LYDIC

Editorial Assistant

As senior criminal justice and political science major Daniel Czajkowski gets set to graduate from Waynesburg University in a few weeks, he knows he will be leaving here with a background for any endeavor. “I think academically, Waynesburg has prepared me in that we do have academics that are comparable, if not better, than any other college,” said Czajkowski. “I think the academic rigor, both of the criminal justice department and the Stover scholarship program has prepared me well to think critically about challenging issues in the fields of criminal justice and political science.” The Fredrick, Maryland native attended Spencerville Adventist Academy before deciding to come to Waynesburg University. Upon arriving at Waynesburg, Czajkowski immersed himself in many activities including the Stover Scholars, Student Senate, Peer Educa-

tors and the Forensic and Criminal Justice Clubs. This involvement has helped Czajkowski to achieve his plans for after graduation. Upon graduation, Czajkowski will move to Washington D.C. to partake in the Hertog Political Studies program. According to Czajkowski, he

“Waynesburg has prepared me in that we do have academics that are comparable, if not better, than any other college.”

DANIEL CZAJKOWSKI

Senior criminal justice major

will go through an intensive study of politics and foreign policy. He is also awaiting word on a number of other opportunities he has applied for. No matter where Czajkowski goes, Adam Jack, chairperson for the Department of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences, knows he will be well prepared.

“Whether [Czajkowski] goes into some type of law enforcement, federal service, or if he decides to go the political route, I think all the things he learned are tools in his tool belt that he can utilize if he has to go into any other type of job,” said Jack. “I think that Daniel could flourish in any criminal justice position, but he may have other things on his horizon.” As Czajkowski gets set to embark on his future life plans, he is thankful for all the memories provided at Waynesburg. “Some of my favorite memories about Waynesburg University can be found in the everyday things,” said Czajkowski. “Things like walking across Johnson Commons and running into the President and being able to have a conversation with him before I run to class or my roommates waking up early to put decorations throughout the house before I wake up. Those are the things that I will always remember about Waynesburg.”

By OLIVIA LATIMER Assignments Editor

Aside from being in the classroom and pursuing his major involving computer science, one aspect of Waynesburg University that Bradley Baker enjoyed the most was meeting and hanging out with friends, soccer and other sporting activities. The Tarentum, Pennsylvania native majored in computer security and forensics during his time at Waynesburg. While at Waynesburg, Baker has worked at the Information Technology help desk since the fall of 2011, played soccer and various other intramural sports. Richard Leipold, chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, said that on top of completing a senior project on “Distributed Denial of Service Attacks,” he will be receiving the prize for highest GPA in the area of computer science. Upon his graduation from Waynesburg, Baker wants

to find a job before heading back to graduate school to attain a master’s degree in information security. “I agree with his plan. To get a top-notch job in security these days, a student really needs a master’s degree or some certifications from nationally recognized organizations,” said Leipold. Baker said he is ecstatic about graduating. “I can’t wait to be done with school,” said Baker. “I just want to get out there, start my life and get a real job and house and go from there.” Not only is Baker excited to start a life outside of school after graduating, he feels that Waynesburg has helped him prepare for what is to come in the real world life. “Obviously Waynesburg taught me everything that I need to know in my major,” said Baker. “Overall, a lot of my professors helped me figure out real world applications for what I’m learning and what to expect when I get out there.”

Senior looks to begin new journey after time at WU By ERIC BOST

Managing Editor

For Brittany Nimal, there is only one word that can sum up her last four years at Waynesburg University. “Adventurous. Adventurous means full of risk, requiring courage, bold and daring. College is a time that fits all of those words. A lot of risk comes with taking that leap to attend school and leave home,” said Nimal. “Students face a lot of challenges in college and have to learn to cope with all the changes that college brings. College has been a

roller coaster with its ups and downs, but it has been the best adventure of my life.” While her experience at Waynesburg came with ups and downs, Nimal, a senior business major, certainly didn’t have any issues initially choosing Waynesburg University as the place where she wanted to get a college education. “When I first visited Waynesburg I had that ‘moment’ as people call it. I walked on campus and just knew this was where I wanted to go,” said Nimal. “I really enjoy the small campus that Waynesburg offers. I went

to a small high school and looked at only small schools for college. I like the personal connections and relationships that can be built compared to a big school where you can only be a face in the crowd.” Because Waynesburg has a smaller campus, Nimal took advantage of the vast amount of opportunities the university has to offer, while also taking the time to stand out among her peers and make new friends. While working toward her degree, Nimal was also heavily involved in the university band – she was president of

the organization for the past two years – served as an Orientation Leader, was in six different on-campus organizations, including Student Senate, Forensic Science Club and Sigma Beta Delta and tutored in accounting. Nimal also served in the Waynesburg community as well as participating in three separate mission trips with Habitat For Humanity and had an abstract for a research paper accepted for a national conference. Now that her Waynesburg career is coming to an end, Nimal is looking forward to beginning a new chapter in

her life by attending graduate school at Carlow University in Fraud and Forensics. Nimal credits Waynesburg for giving her all the tools and opportunities she needs to succeed in her future. “Waynesburg gave me the work ethic to succeed in a graduate level program and additionally gave me the educational and hands on foundation to succeed at an entry-level job,” said Nimal. “All of these opportunities and the great connections that I have made with friends and colleagues have made my time at Waynesburg very special.”

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Senior eduaction major May able to make a Senior accomplishes name for herself at Waynesburg University goals, plans to move to NYC in summer By JACOB MEYER Staff Writer

Kelsey May is happy with her four years at Waynesburg, but she still has one regret. “I should have done more activities than I did,” said May. “I was almost too involved in my studies that I didn’t have as many opportunities as I wished I would have had.” Despite her regrets, May was still involved in a multitude of extracurricular activities during her four years at Waynesburg University. A resident of Mill Run, Pennsylvania, and graduate of Connellsville Area High School, Waynesburg University was an easy choice for May. “I always said I wanted to be a name, not a number,” said May. “I wanted it to be a small school and I liked that it was a Christian school and my sister went here also so it intrigued me to come here.” Another big part in her decision to attend Waynesburg University was the education program, which she is a part of as a middle level English and science education major. An activity May was very ingrained in was Habitat for Humanity. She went on a mission trip with Habitat her freshman and sophomore years and then was the vice

president for Habitat for Humanity at Waynesburg her sophomore year. May then wanted to take her service to the next step her junior year and go out of the country. She decided to go on the trip to Guatemala over Thanksgiving break. “I knew that I wanted to go out of the country and I wanted to do something with kids,” May said. “I knew that Guatemala was a popular trip and I felt that was the one I was led to go on. Going to Guatemala during Thanksgiving was a great experience for May because the culture is so different. “It was neat to see how grateful they were,” May said. “We went over Thanksgiving and holiday season. Americans are so greedy and it was so humbling to spend a holiday in a third-world country that doesn’t have anything, yet they’re so grateful for what they do have.” May also worked in Student Services and the mailroom during her career at Waynesburg, as well as being a member in the Kappa Delta Pi international education honors society. May student taught at at Margaret Bell Middle School in a 7th grade science classroom and at Waynesburg Central Elementary School in a 5th grade classroom, which she said really confirmed her love of science.

By KIMMI BASTON Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Kelsey May

Instead of going home to see her family for a part of Thanksgiving break her junior year, Kelsey May decided to go on a mission trip to Guatemala. After she graduates, May will continue her education at Waynesburg to attain her graduate degree in special education. When she finishes graduate school in a year, she hopes she can be a middle school teacher for many years. “I hope not to have to move too far,” May said. “It doesn’t have to be in my home school district. I re-

ally like middle school. That’s where I feel like I’m meant to be; 6th, 7th or 8th grade. I’ll be happy with English, science or special education, but I prefer science.” Even though May did not achieve everything she would have liked in her four years at Waynesburg, she believes the experiences she has gained will guide her well after graduate school.

LeCain planning to obtain doctoral degree By ROB LONGO

Assistant Sports Editor

For Elizabeth LeCain, finding a college with what she wanted exactly was a chore. Searching for a small Christian school that also carried the major of forensic science was not an easy task. For the forensic science and chemistry dual major, Waynesburg seemed like the perfect fit – even though it was hundreds of miles away from her Andover, Massachusetts home, which resides roughly a half-hour north of Boston. “I visited in February of my junior year of high school and met with [professor Mike] Cipoletti, and he talked my ear off – like he had nowhere else to be,” LeCain said. “I really liked the atmosphere. I applied to other schools, but Waynesburg got back to me first.” At first, LeCain was primarily focused on forensic science. However, department chair Evonne Baldauff convinced her to double major, something LeCain is

grateful for. “[Baldauff] kind of convinced me to do it, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it,” said LeCain. “I added it my freshman year, but I didn’t get interested in it until my junior year. A lot of stuff I do on campus is for the chemistry department.” With the experiences she had at Waynesburg, LeCain was able to spend last summer driving halfway across the country to intern at the Colorado School of Mines, where she conducted research in organic chemistry. With commencement on the horizon, LeCain will only get busier. She plans to return to New England, where she will attend the University of Rhode Island to earn her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. If graduate school looming in the near future wasn’t enough, LeCain also plans on getting married to her high school sweetheart in July. Although LeCain claims she has changed as a person in her four years at Waynesburg, she said she would pick the school 10 hours from her

As a student looking to work with television, senior communication major Kelly Witas was impressed with Waynesburg University from the start. The equipment and opportunities in the television department were immediately attractive for Witas. “I came for media day junior year of high school and I saw everything they have and I thought, ‘I love this place,’” said Witas. From there, Witas became an active member in many areas of the Department of Communication. As an Electronic Media major, Witas is the General Manager of WCTV, the department’s television station; President of Lambda Pi Eta, the communication honor society; and Vice President of Waynesbur’g student chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. “I’m very heavily involved [in the department],” said Witas. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s too much.” According to Richard Krause, chair of the Department of Communication, Witas has been extremely influential in the TV department. “She has contributed so much in terms of outstand-

Senior embraced college experience By DANIELLE SCHYULER For the Yellow Jacket

Photos courtesy of Elizabeth LeCain

Elizabeth LeCain double majored in forensic science and chemistry since her freshman year at Waynesburg University. After graduation, LeCain is getting married over the summer, then plans to attend the University of Rhode Island to pursue her Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. home again in a heartbeat. The atmosphere she fell in love with when she first stepped on campus resonates the same today.

“If I could stay here the rest of my life, I would,” LeCain said. “I’ll be back eventually. I don’t know what for yet, but we’ll see.”

ing leadership, time and vision to WCTV,” said Krause. “During her tenure [as General Manager] we made significant strides in offering quality programs.” When she arrived at Waynesburg, Witas had two key aspirations. “I wanted to get a solid education that would really help me for my future,” said Witas. “And since [the university] is so small, I expected to make good relationships with teachers.” Witas said the professors in the Department of Communication helped to fulfill both of these goals. Assistant Professors of Communication Bill Molzon and Dr. Chad Sherman particularly influenced her, both academically and personally. Witas said what she will miss the most after graduating is the people. She feels the friends she has made at Waynesburg have greatly impacted her college experience. “The communication department is such a family,” said Witas. “I love nights in [the Yellow Jacket] office. I remember the greatest things.” After graduation, Witas is moving to New York City to search for a full time job while freelancing for the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

For many forensic scientists, autopsies are a part of the job, but forensic science senior Brittany Brown has not only grown accustom to it, she finds the experience exciting. Brown has embraced the multitude of opportunities offered to her at Waynesburg University with enthusiasm. As a member of the Forensic Science Club during her four years, and the current treasurer for the organization, Brown has continuously taken a professional approach to her field. “I think that Waynesburg University has been able to prepare me for the work load that will present itself to me in graduate school,” said Brown. “Some of the classes within the Forensic Science department were not easy classes. The difficulty of the classes, I believe, has taught me to persevere through all the challenges that have come

my way.” The friends she has made at this university have helped her get through a lot these past four years, according to Brown. “I do not think I could have accomplished some things without them,” said Brown. As a resident of South Amherst, Ohio, graduate of Lake Ridge Academy, and soon-to-be graduate of Waynesburg University, Brown is thrilled to start her career. Continuing to pursue her dream of being a firearms examiner, Brown will attend graduate school at Nebraska Wesleyan University. As a departing Yellow Jacket, Brown advises current students to, “stick to what you want to do and do not let anything get in the way of achieving your goals. If your major or life is giving you some difficulties, really ask yourself if it is what you want, and if it is, do not let anything get in the way of you reaching your goals.”

Regotti finds friend, mentor in professor, former Pirates broadcaster Stahl hoping to get By KIMMI BASTON Staff Writer

Of all the reasons to choose a college or university, the chance to be taught by your childhood role model doesn’t often come up. This is reality, however, for Nate Regotti, senior sports broadcasting/sports information major. At Waynesburg, Regotti had the chance to build a friendship with Lanny Frattare, former announcer for the Pittsburgh Pirates and special assistant to University Relations at Waynesburg University. “Lanny has been my role model and my hero since I was a little boy,” said Regotti. “I can remember playing kickball in my backyard and we’d listen to the Pirates game and hear Lanny’s voice. We would pretend we were the players and Lanny was calling our names.” Regotti’s four years here have turned Frattare into more than a role model for

him. “Not only is Lanny my role model, hero, mentor, he’s one of my best friends in the entire world,” said Regotti. “If I mess up, not just in broadcasting, but in life, he’s there to help. He’s truly a best friend that is there for me through everything.” The chance to work with Frattare, in addition to the facilities and equipment in Waynesburg’s Department of Communication, made Regotti’s college decision an easy one for him. Regotti’s involvement with the Department of Communication has included being Sports Director for the campus' student-run radio station WCYJ-FM and working with WCTV, in addition to his former role as a Student Ambassador for the university and host of Waynesburg Idol and other campus-wide events, as well as studentproducer of WUSN. Involvement in these activities was spurred on by

Regotti’s desire for an education that will help him in all areas of his life. “I came to college for an education,” said Regotti. “I expected to learn stuff in the communication department, but at the same time learn things about life and in other areas that will help me in my knowledge and become a better broadcaster in the end.” While Regotti came to Waynesburg with a dream of broadcasting, he also hoped to become a leader on campus. “I wanted to work my way and earn my keep and eventually be those guys on TV announcing, just like I ended up doing,” said Regotti. “I wanted to take a leadership role within the department and further the department not just for myself but for the other students to make it better for them in the future.” Richard Krause, chair of the Department of Communication, believes Regotti has

achieved this goal. “Nate has been greatly involved within the department and is someone who invested a lot of time and made great strides in helping the department become better,” said Krause. In the process of becoming such a leader for other students, Regotti had the chance to build life-changing relationships. “I’ve been so lucky to make some of the best friends in the entire world here at Waynesburg,” said Regotti. “I came here for an education and to propel my career, but I left here with a lifetime of memories and friends. And those will never go away.” After graduation, Regotti will continue to work for WJPA Radio in Washington, Pennsylvania, where he has worked for more than a year. In addition, he will begin a job in May as the play-by-play announcer for the Pennsylvania Rebellion National Pro Fastpitch team.

dream job after WU By DANIELLE SCHUYLER For the Yellow Jacket

Waynesburg University students are continuously encouraged to get involved with what the campus has to offer, in and outside their majors. Senior forensic science major Samantha Stahl has adopted this suggestion and vigorously involved herself in multiple activities and organizations on Waynesburg's campus the last four years. “During my time at Waynesburg I have been involved in the Forensic Science Club for all of my four years,” said Stahl. “This school year, I have participated as the club’s secretary. I have volunteered for the mock crime scenes and CSI camp performed by the Forensic Science and Criminal Justice departments. I am also a member of the Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honor Society. I also volunteered as a Fiat Lux

mentor this school year.” Some of her favorite memories as a Yellow Jacket include hanging out with friends, annual events such as Relay for Life and school sponsored trips. Stahl feels her classes have adequately prepared her for professional situations and her professors have given her advice that has made a positive and permanent impact. Stahl has accepted a job as a chemical analyst at Geochemical Environmental Services and will start once she graduates. In the future she would like to attend graduate school and get her master’s degree in cell and molecular biology. This education will prepare her to analyze DNA in her dream job of a Forensic DNA Analyst. Stahl is from the small town of Somerset, PennsylSee STAHL on D3

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May 1, 2014

Variety of classes, people allow Mitrik continues to grow at WU Ayers to enjoy college lifestyle By CARSON FOX

Sports Editorial Assistant

By JOHN LYDIC

Editorial Assistant

As a pre law major from the Charleroi area, Chase Ayers enjoyed Waynesburg’s big college education with the small college appeal. Ayers came to Waynesburg as a pre law major, but it wasn’t just the education that allowed him to enjoy his experiences. “Cumulatively, the discussions I have everyday with people,” said Ayers of his best memories of Waynesburg. “I think just talking with people and getting an understanding of how they feel and what they experience helps me form a better opinion about myself and just have a better outlook on life.” Richard Waddel, professor of political science, said there are many things that set Ayers apart. “He does everything exceptionally well with a really positive and gung-ho

attitude,” said Waddel. “His grades are perfect, he is still running a perfect 4.0 [grade point average]. He always has a smile on his face and he’s personable to everyone.” While at Waynesburg, Ayers was involved with the Stover Scholars program, served as president of the Law society and was a member of the Young Republicans. After graduation, he plans on attending Duquesne Law School to further his education. Waddel knows Ayers will find success at what he does because of the way he was at Waynesburg. “He is focused and knows what to do,” said Waddel. “He is organized and puts together a good plan. He’s disciplined and gets things done and the big factor is he is very good with other people.” Ayers believes that each class at Waynesburg allowed

him to further round his personality as he moves on in life. “Each class offers a unique experience and challenge on its own,” said Ayers. “Since I took classes outside of my major, it challenged me and made me have a better way of thinking about things that I didn’t normally know about. So going forth and combatting new problems I can do better because I have had this experience.” When he reflects back on his time at Waynesburg, Ayers leaves a thought to returning Waynesburg students. “Don’t be negative and take every opportunity you have to evaluate where you are and look around,” said Ayers. “I feel like we get tunnel vision and all we want is graduation and then when graduation gets here we’re like ‘where did the time go?’”

Associate Professor of Nursing, Dr. Sara Clutter has served as senior nursing student Shayla Mitrik’s academic advisor since her freshman year and has had the honor and pleasure of watching her grow from a shy, freshman student, uncertain of her choice to enter the nursing profession, into a confident, competent and caring soon-to-be graduate nurse. “[Mitrik] has worked very hard during her four years at Waynesburg University,” said Clutter. “She has been a model student, a competent and caring nurse, and a true ambassador of Waynesburg University’s mission. [Mitrik] is one to watch for positive contributions to the profession of nursing.” The 22-year-old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native has also accompanied Dr. Terri Small twice on the Department of Nursing’s winter mission trips to Nassau,

Bahamas. According to Small, Mitrik has been instrumental in fundraising activities for both trips. “It truly made me realize that I have more than I thought,” said Mitrik. “It makes me thankful for what I do have. The first trip was amazing, so I had to go back a second time just to see how much we could help those people and be a blessing to them.” In addition to being a Leadership Scholar, receiving the Kathy Garrison Award her junior year and making the dean’s list, the North Catholic High School graduate says she is most proud of her accomplishments as President of the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania. “I guess you could say we started to rebuild it this year and lay the foundation for the years to come,” said Mitrik. “We’ve grown from roughly, I’d say in the teens, to 58 members. We raised a lot of money this year, had a lot of

successful fundraisers and built it so that it will be successful in the future.” During her time as the President of SNAP, Mitrik raised money and eventually attended the national conference in Nashville, Tennessee. in April. The organization has also already achieved its goal of $1,000 for Relay for Life, by raising $1,500. “I’m going to miss it,” said Mitrik. “For me, I love watching the younger students grow and become more involved because I wish I would’ve had that in my beginning years here. To watch them want to be involved and become better nurses really makes me happy.” After working with a pediatric’s office the past two summers, Mitrik] said that experience solidified her decision to work for UPMC Children’s Hospital after she graduates. She has had talks with a transplant unit but will hear back more once she passes her boards.

Series of tough decisions benefit Buzzard Shaley embraces university mission By JACOB MEYER Staff Writer

Dan Buzzard knows better than anyone what it is like to be busy. Coming in as a freshman he was a baseball player, a soccer player, an education major and a Stover Scholar. That workload came to be too much for him. Growing up in New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Buzzard went to Redbank Valley High School. He chose to come to Waynesburg because it was the only school that he could play two sports. He also liked the university’s education department. After splitting time with the soccer team and appearing in 19 games for the baseball team his freshman year, Buzzard came back his sophomore year trying to continue all of the commitments he had the year before. After the fall semester Buzzard realized he needed to cut back on something. “After a while my body literally just got worn out,” said

Buzzard. Buzzard then made one of the toughest decisions of his life; he stopped playing baseball. “[Quitting baseball was] super tough because baseball in high school was the only thing I based my college decision off of,” Buzzard said. “I was getting recruited by a bunch of schools and baseball was all I cared about because I was young and stupid. That one was a really hard decision and sometimes I think if it was the right decision or not, but I know it was because I could focus on my academics.” Buzzard could not give the game up completely though, as he still plays in the summer so he can get his baseball “fix.” Buzzard continued on to play two more years for the soccer team before quitting this year, his senior season, because of the stress he was putting on his body. Baseball and soccer will always be a passion for Buzzard and he shows that by helping

coach his high school baseball and soccer teams in any way they need him. Another passion of Buzzard is helping others by using the knowledge he has. This is why he came to Waynesburg: to be a secondary education major. “I was giving a presentation in 8th grade about the Battle of Lake Erie and my teacher told me ‘You would be really good at this,” Buzzard said. “I think I made the right choice I’m student teaching right now and I really love it.” Buzzard student taught 10th and 11th grade U.S. History at Carmichaels High School. With his major he can teach any history, sociology, world cultures, psychology, geography and economics in grades 7-12. The Stover program was another aspect of Buzzard’s life at Waynesburg that enriched him. “The Stover program is a fantastic program,” Buzzard said. “I came in the same time Dr. Stratton came in so

I kind of got to grow with the program as he grew with it and he has done some amazing stuff. Meeting everyone from Governor [Tom] Corbett and Supreme Court Justice [Sonia] Sotomayor was incredible. It’s been an awesome experience.” Buzzard hopes to move home after he graduates and get a teaching job at his former high school and maybe even teach in higher education. “Redbank Valley High School is my goal to go back there and teach,” Buzzard said. “I already help coach two sports, but if that doesn’t work out I will sub, and if I have to I will consider moving and getting a job somewhere else to gain experience to then try and come back to my high school. Maybe someday I will want to be an adjunct professor.” Buzzard’s advice for other students who are very busy like he was his four years at Waynesburg: “Just really make sure it’s in your heart that you want to do that.”

Paul stands out both in nursing and track By CARSON FOX

Sports Editorial Assistant

As many college students come to find out, college is all about time management. Since she is both a standout student for the Department of Nursing and a standout athlete on the track for the Waynesburg University track team, time management is the name of the game for senior Bre Paul. “[Paul] is simply amazing,” said Dr. Sara Clutter, associate professor of nursing. “Throughout her senior year, [Paul] has worked hard to successfully time manage playing track and field, working 12 hours a week at a local hospital, being a successful senior nursing student and nurturing a relationship with her new fiancé. [Paul] is energetic, intelligent, person-

able and a great leader both on and off the field.” The Irwin, Pennsylvania, native said she is proudest of keeping her GPA above a 3.5, which will allow her to graduate with honors; getting an internship, which led to an eventual job with Jefferson Regional Medical Center as a registered nurse; running an 18:50 in the 5k and winning the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title last season with her teammates. She is also a recipient of the Department of Nursing’s departmental scholarship, the A. B. Miller Scholarship and Tammy David Seto award. She’s involved with the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania, Newman Club and Colleges Against Cancer Relay for Life. “I think my leadership skills have really grown,”

said Paul. “We had a nursing leadership class, which really helped us learn how to prioritize and delegate. I was also captain of the cross country team this year. I think my leadership skills will definitely help me once I start working in a hospital, because a lot of nursing programs-if it’s not a BSNthey do not do the leadership teaching.” Paul also believes the leadership aspect of the Department of Nursing’s curriculum sets graduates apart, aside from their high percentage of students who pass their NCLEX exams. “The clinical that goes along with the leadership rotation is really helpful,” said Paul. “They put the students with a nurse, and you basically take on that nurse’s patient assignment. I did

my leadership rotation in the emergency department down at Monongahela General Hospital. By the end of the semester, they were giving me a room and pretty much said ‘Bre, whatever comes in here, you’re taking care of them for the day.’” She also participated in service trips with the track team in Wilmington, N.C. and has built life-long friendships with her teammates through competing and faithfully serving. “Just being able to spend your college years, which are some of the hardest years of your life, with a group that’s that supportive of you, physically, spiritually, and everything,” said Paul. “That just really helps you get through this time of your life. I think that’s definitely had an impact on my experience here.”

By JENNY SCHOUPPE

Online Content Manager

For senior Biblical Ministry major Karl Shaley, the past four years at Waynesburg University have been filled with hundreds of hours of service, growing in his faith and making memories with friends. The Pittsburgh native graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School before deciding to attend Waynesbug University. The main thing that attracted Shaley to Waynesburg was the Biblical Ministry department. “I had a friend majoring in youth ministry here which drew me into visiting,” said Shaley. “I liked the program above all others.” According to Department Chairperson and Professor of Biblical and Ministry Studies Jeffery Kisner, Shaley has grown in his faith and his ability to lead others to know Christ. “Karl insists that everyone be included in God’s agenda for creation and has an outspoken leadership for this concern,” said Kisner. “He genuinely loves people.” When Shaley was not focusing on his studies, he was serving the community through the university’s Bonner Scholarship Program.

“I’ve learned a lot about the real world through the Bonner Program,” said Shaley. Kisner admires Shaley’s ability to multi-task between school work and service. “He has probably amassed the most service hours,” said Kisner. “I admire Karl’s resilience to juggle his Bonner requirements, class demands and a unique home situation to complete his degree work here.” Shaley was also a member of the Students Activities Board for two years, Student Senate for two years, Alpha Pi Omega for two years, was a Relay for Life captain for three years and a Christian Ministry Assistant for one year. Though Shaley kept busy during his four years, he made sure to make time for friends. “The times I’ve had with friends and the adventures we’ve been on are some of the best memories I have,” said Shaley. After graduation, Shaley plans to attend Pittsburgh Theology Seminary and is looking forward to working with youth one day. “Karl has great compassion for youth who, like him, have had unique family circumstances,” said Kisner.

Stahl: Senior plans to get job as DNA analyst Continued from D3

vania, and graduated from Somerset Area High School. As she prepared to graduate Stahl shared advice with her fellow Jackets. “Plan out homework so that it does not pile up and overwhelm you,” said Stahl. “Any time you have any ques-

tions about schoolwork or about a future career, your professors are the best resources you have and make great mentors. My final piece of advice is to participate in as many activities as possible while you are still attending this university. Four years go by fast and it is important to make memories before it is over.”

Condello: Waynesburg helped strengthen faith Continued from D2

ness Department chair, Gordon McClung, among others for dinner in the Goodwin house when the university hosted Dr. Jordan Kassalow,” said Condello. C ondel lo, t han ks to Waynesburg University, strengthened his faith. “ The people here at Waynesburg have certainly provided an atmosphere of

integrity and solid Christian values upon which, in conjunction with the academic curriculum, I was able to maximize the growth of my own personal faith and knowledge base,” said Condello. Condello, who is originally from Texas and has lived in Upper Saint Clair for the past eight years, will begin his career with the SherwinWilliams Paint Company after graduation.