Mercyhurst ranks high for international

students See Page 3

Ethan Magoc photo

Dr. Peggy Black leads extensive

sociology department

Page 4

Cavani teams with ‘Hurst art, dance, music departments

Page 5

Opinion:Generation Y faces tough economy

Page 6

$150K softballfacility

upgrade approved

Page 8

Worldwide acclaim

NEWSPage 2 January 26, 2011

Domenica Catelli, celebrity chef and frequent judge on “Iron Chef America,” provided cooking tips for college students on Friday night at the Taylor Little Theatre.

The presentation included a cooking demonstration, audience participation and a question-and-answer session. Afterward, students 21 years and older were invited to a wine-tasting session in the Faculty Dining Room in Egan Hall.

Catelli’s talk was sponsored by the Mercyhurst Student Govern-ment (MSG) Distinguished Speaker Series. The annual event consisted of two speakers this year–Catelli and Steve Lopez, author of “The Soloist,” this year’s freshman read-ing requirement. He spoke at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center in October.

MSG Event Coordinator Colleen O’Hara explained how this year’s speakers were chosen.

“(They) were both received as recommendations back in the spring of last year,” she said. “I had received great interest from the col-lege community about Steve Lopez and continuous interest about Chef Domenica.”

Unlike past MSG speakers, Catelli presented in the Taylor Little Theatre rather than the Perform-ing Arts Center due to a schedul-ing confl ict with the Cavani String Quartet’s campus visit. The theatre was half full.

During the presentation, Mer-cyhurst students’ cooking skills impressed Catelli. A quick poll revealed that 75 percent of the stu-dent audience cooked at least once a week, and several students cooked more than that.

Nevertheless, Catelli challenged students to cook twice a week. She said that the small change can make a difference in healthy eating habits.

“We are watching food on TV more than ever before and we are cooking less than ever before,” Catelli said.

She said that she wants to remind people that preparing and sharing food is something fun and easy.

Catelli recently released her fi rst cookbook “Mom-a-Licious,” which teaches people to cook simple but healthy recipes that she describes as “fresh and fast.” She signed copies of her book after the talk.

Among other tips, Catelli told students to take advantage of col-lege services such as taking the shuttle to Wegmans and eating at Egan Dining Hall, which is a “phe-

nomenal cafeteria,” she said. For the cooking demonstra-

tion, Catelli made a one-dish meal of chicken and vegetables using chicken tenders from Wegmans and vegetables from the cafeteria salad bar.

Catelli had help from two stu-dent volunteers, juniors Shannon Kissel and Max Korczyk.

Catelli had the audience giggling throughout the demonstration.

Kissel said, “It was really fun how she had everyone interact during the presentation.”

During the cooking time, Catelli answered student questions, which ranged from cooking pasta and silicone cookware to “Iron Chef America” stories and her favorite food.

She gave away several cooking instruments, including a cutting board, lemon squeezer and toaster oven.

Among many other tips, Catelli advised students to cook meat at high temperatures, salt pasta water until it “tastes like the sea,” and heighten fl avor without adding calories by using fresh herbs and spices.

Korczyk said, “I learned a lot actually, and I cook all the time.”

An hour in, many students seemed eager to test out their new knowledge.

By Jennifer McCurdyStaff writer

Celebrity chef offers cooking tips for students

Residence Life hall directors and members of the mainte-nance staff conducted health and safety inspections last week at Mercyhurst College.

The goal of these inspections, which occur once a term, is to check that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly as well as look for potential safety issues, Vice President for Student Life Dr. Gerry Tobin said.

“If that’s not getting done, that’s not a good thing,” Tobin said.

Despite Tobin’s concern for the safety of students, not all inspections were properly conducted.

The inspection at senior Claire Hinde’s East 41st town-house consisted of a hall director and maintenance staff member asking if the residents had any problems that needed addressed.

“They didn’t even come inside,” Hinde said. “I could have

left my Christmas lights up.”The staff conducting the health and safety inspection at

junior Chris Sands’ Lewis Avenue apartment went inside, but they did not check the smoke and carbon monoxide detec-tors.

“I think Residence Life and Maintenance failed to meet the objectives of health and safety inspections,” Sands said. “The health and safety inspections were pointless. They didn’t really check anything out.”

Staff conducting the inspections should do visual checks for items including candles, Christmas lights without the pro-tective covering, an excessive amount of alcohol, drugs and kegs, Director of Residence Life Alice Agnew said.

The staff also checks to make sure there is not a signifi cant amount of trash in the apartments that would cause health concerns, she said.

“The concern is, as you can imagine, is both for safety of occupants and the well being of property,” Tobin said.

To be able to do a full visual check, these inspections should take at least fi ve minutes per residence and should cover every

room and fl oor of the residence, Tobin said. Even though every room should be inspected, the staff

conducting the checks will not open cupboards or drawers. The only instance they would do this is if they found some-

thing illegal. In this case, they would call Police and Safety and conduct a further search of the apartment.

“I think it’s fair to say our goal is not to catch people,” Tobin said. “If our goal is to catch people, we wouldn’t give a week’s warning.”

The smoke and carbon monoxide detectors were checked at junior Amanda Chance’s Highland Square apartment, but when she told the staff that the outside door and bathroom door do not shut, nothing has yet been done to fi x them.

This was not the fi rst time Chance and her roommates informed maintenance about the issue with the doors.

Students who were not pleased with the effectiveness of their Health and Safety Inspection can notify Agnew at aagnew@mercyhurst.edu.

“We certainly want to follow up on that so we better under-stand what’s going on,” Tobin said.

By Kelly LuomaManaging editor

Inspections fail to please: Staff doesn’t uphold health and safety requirements

Celebrity chef Domenica Catelli offered cooking tips and demonstrated making a one-dish meal to Mercyhurst students in Taylor Little Theatre on Friday.

Tyler Stauffer photo

Page 3January 26, 2011 NEWS

Mercyhurst College enrolls one of the highest percentages of inter-national students among the best regional universities in the North, according to U.S. News & World Report.

At six percent enrollment of international students, the college has tied for ninth place out of 172 colleges that made the list.

Mercyhurst currently has 226 international students from 46 different countries. They come from countries such as Ireland, Poland, Vietnam, Nepal and many others.

Eric Evans, the director of inter-national admissions, knows why Mercyhurst is such a popular choice for international students who come to study in the U.S.

“It’s really the same for inter-national as domestic students,” Evans said. “Quality education, wonderful campus and affordable price.”

Information about Mercyhurst is spread internationally “through the college website, word-of-mouth by

current and past international stu-dents and direct recruitment in the home countries of the students,” said Evans, who is now working on recruiting students in Central America.

There are only a few people who know better than Evans why Mer-cyhurst is one of the top choices of international students—the students themselves. There are many reasons students from abroad choose to study in the U.S.

“The universities in Jamaica are excellent institutions, how-ever there are very few of them,” junior Nicole Pryce of Clarendon, Jamaica, said.

“So many students opt to study abroad. I chose the U.S. because I wanted the experience of studying abroad as well as the unique oppor-tunities that colleges here offer.”

Junior Killian Bowe from Dublin, Ireland, is of the same mind as Pryce.

“I thought, ‘Why not study inter-national business internationally?’” Bowe said. “Also, going to another country would help me broaden my horizons and learn about a different culture.”

Many of the international stu-dents who study in the U.S. are

interested in not only earning a degree, but also learning a new lan-guage and culture.

“I chose to study in the States because my bachelor’s degree will open many doors and give me more opportunities in my future life,” senior Srdjan Popovic of Montenegro said. “Also, I wanted to learn the language, experience new places, meet other cultures etc.”

Domestic students at Mercy-hurst also gain experiences from having international students on campus.

“We’re proud that students from 46 different countries have chosen to attend Mercyhurst College from among the hundreds of top-tier institutions in the United States,” said Dr. Michael Lyden, vice presi-dent for enrollment.

“These students fi nd a welcom-ing environment here and contrib-ute much to the experience of our domestic students.”

It seems international students who chose Mercyhurst are glad they made the choice they did.

“I think Mercyhurst is great, especially the people and the array of activities to take part in,” Bowe said.

By Lynn DulaStaff writer

Mercyhurst ranks high for international students

Junior Nicole Pryce is a biology and pre-health major from Jamaica. Senior Srdjan Popovic is a hospitality management major from Montenegro.

Ethan Magoc photos

Correction The Dec. 15 issue of The Merciad contained a story titled, “Cost of play: How Mercyhurst funds its varsity athletics.” In that story, several key fi gures were incorrectly reported. Those false fi gures were addressed in the Jan. 5 issue. Additionally, an illustration on page two of the Dec. 15 issue featured a breakdown of game-day expenses by sport. The dollar fi gures for the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs were inadvertently switched. The men’s lacrosse game-day expenses were $91,200 in 2009-10, and the women’s lacrosse game-day expenses were $50,284. The Merciad apologizes for this inaccuracy and any confusion it may have caused.

FEATURES January 26, 2010Page 4

International students: Why

did you choose to come to

Mercyhurst?

“I chose Mercyhurst because my best friend and I got basketball scholarships and we’ve had a chance to study and live together.”-Srdjan Popovic, senior

“I chose Mercyhurst because of the diverse and close community atmosphere. The college also has a very strong Irish background.” -Killian Bowe, junior

“I like the small com-munity-like environment, ther student-faculty interaction, and most international students get really great scholar-ships, which is another incentive.” -Nicole Pryce, junior

Teacher Feature: Dr. Peggy Black

Peggy Black, Ph.D., department chair and associate professor of sociology and social work, provides her students with the tools to create a better world, one individual at a time.

“I’m passionate about social work, and about creating a socially just world,” she says. “I like to be able to give people tools to change their environment.”

An Erie native, Black earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Geneva College, her master’s degree in social work at Case West-ern Reserve University and her doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

She also served as a clinical social worker in a variety of hospitals and nursing homes in Erie prior to join-ing Mercyhurst in 2001.

Black’s work focuses on the needs of older adults who face such issues as chronic illnesses and nurs-

ing homes.She teaches several introductory

courses for sociology and social work as well as higher-level courses. Her teaching methods include role-playing, simulations of situations and discussion-based activities.

Black has earned several awards in her career, including the 2002 Social Worker of the Year: North-west Division of PA-National Association of Social Worker and honorable mentions for the 2006 and 2007 Mit Joyner Award for Innovative Programs in Gerontol-ogy.

She has also served as a Penn-sylvania delegate and guided policy about aging concerns.

Yet she remains humble with each opportunity.

“Working with families and alle-viating their stress and trauma is equally rewarding,” she says.

“We represent the mission state-ment more than any other major at Mercyhurst,” Black says about the sociology and social work depart-ments. She says sociology students learn to handle social problems and

give strength to people struggling with illness, family issues and other problems.

In other words, she gives stu-dents the tools to transform into successful and competent social workers. She says, “It’s rewarding to watch the transformation from

wanting to do something and being able to do it.”

She acts as co-adviser to the Social Work Club and helps with Flourishing Child, a series of pro-grams that raise awareness of youth social issues.

Black is active both on and off campus. She works closely with local social work institutions and offers professional development seminars.

“One of my missions is to make sure there are opportunities for social workers to continue their education,” she says.

Black also makes sure her stu-dents have a great start on the edu-cation front. Sociology and social work students who earn a degree at Mercyhurst may have advanced standing for master’s programs. Social work students can work in almost any environment, Black says, and the major is very marketable since the need for social work will never go away.

In her spare time, Black enjoys reading, listening to music and vacationing with her family.

By Jennifer McCurdyStaff writer

Horoscopes won’t change yet, or ever

How often do you read your horoscope?

Although I don’t read mine often, my mom swears I will be a Gemini forever.

Geminis are curious, have a vari-ety of interests and are good at communicating. Geminis are also quick, clever, impulsive and crave novelty, which means they grow bored easily.

Why were my mom and I even talking about horoscopes at all, or about the fact that I will always be a Gemini? Well, if you haven’t heard, a Minnesota astrologist, Parke Kunkle, has found a new sign in the sky, called Ophiuchus, the serpent holder.

After this began to get media attention, people were in a huff—no one wanted to change their signs.

Turns out, there are actually two

different types of astrology: the sidereal variety that does take the position of the stars into account, and the tropical variety. Most Westerners use the tropical variety, which does not use the position of the stars in relation to the planet to determine the astrological signs.

The precession of the Earth, which is the incremental wobbling the Earth does on its axis, is not believed to change the Earth’s relation to the constellations, especially since the constellations had been named and followed for more than 2,000 years.

The Washington Post’s staff writes that the real signifi cance is, “Your sign doesn’t change when the Earth wobbles.”

Most astrologists would agree that Kunkle’s theory doesn’t have merit, meaning that there are only 12 astrological signs, and no one’s sign will change.

So I am a Gemini, and always will be a Gemini, no matter what an astrologist in Minnesota says.

By Alaina RydzewskiFeatures editor

Dr. Peggy Black is the sociol-ogy department chair.

Jill Barrile photo

A Minnesota astrologist claimed there was a new astrological sign, but other astrologists have since rebutted his claim.

istockphoto.com photo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 5January 26, 2011

Cavani String Quartet mesmerizes audience with collaboration piece

The Cavani String Quartet per-formance in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Friday, Jan. 21, was well attended and met with rave reviews from audience members.

The quartet members played with technical brilliance and passion.

“It was impressive how animated and lively the Cavani String Quartet

was,” said senior Heather Gorres.The concert opened with a strik-

ing rendition of Antonín Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96,” a composition in four move-ments. Next came “Midnight Child,” a bluesy piece by Charles Washington.

The highlight of the evening, however, was the collaborative pre-sentation that followed intermis-sion.

The Cavani String Quartet’s rendition of “Canandaigua Quar-tet,” a score composed by Albert

Glinsky, Ph.D., was combined with artwork by professor Daniel Burke and mesmerizing dancing by SoMar Dance Works.

“Dr. Glinsky’s score was amaz-ing,” said senior Meghan Geci. “It was really impressive.”

Glinsky’s score takes its name and inspiration from Canandaigua Lake in western New York and the beauty of the surrounding scen-ery.

A new twist was put upon this idea with the incorporation of Burke’s bird-themed art and bird-like movement within the SoMar choreography that mimicked the art.

The art pieces were incorporated into the visual presentation in a variety of ways. Some were carried in by the dancers and hung in space, and others appeared in Santilliano’s projected video montage. Addition-ally, birds were attached to PVC pipes and used by the dancers in their movement.

“The artwork was so detailed that I wanted to get up onstage to look at it closer. I always like to see the blending of various art forms and it was a neat idea to have the dancers actually carry the art onstage,” said junior Anna Daught.

The fi rst movement of the piece,

titled “Sundance,” and the third movement, called “Spinout,” were both lively and enthralling, with energy built up by both the music and the dancers.

The second movement, “Noc-turne (West on 90),” was softer and more refl ective with a beautiful, subtle sadness.

The Cavani concert proved to be very special for the SoMar dancers, who dedicated their performance to the memory of former SoMar dancer Jenni-Lyn Watson, whose tragic November death has deeply

affected the members of the dance department.

This feeling was most evident in the second movement and made for an especially stirring performance.

Overall, the whole concert was very well received by the audience.

Junior Melissa Sheffi eld said, “It was a great collaboration. The Cavani String Quartet played beau-tifully. I enjoyed the composition by Dr. Glinsky paired with the art-work. The SoMar dancers added another layer and danced beauti-fully, of course.”

By Sarah MastrocolaStaff writer

Erie Art Museum offers exciting changes, classes

The Erie Art Museum has been at 411 State St. since 1980, and fol-lowing recent expansion, is set to continue as one of the main down-town cultural attractions.

Plans to expand the museum have been in the works since 1992, with ground being broken last May on the $11 million proj-ect. What came out of this proj-ect were three times the exhibit space (enough for 12 galleries), a new performance area and a café.

“I believe that the renova-tions to the Erie Art Museum are extremely beneficial to the upcoming generations,” said

Mercyhurst freshman Jordan Ste-venson.

Along with the new expansion comes the distinction of being the fi rst building in the region to become LEED certifi ed.

One of the biggest benefi ts to come out of the recent expan-sion is a brand new performance space—the backbone of the new Open Stage Nights, the fi rst of which will take place Feb. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m.

“They’re open to any artist. Visual artists can have their work projected. Musicians are welcome, dancers, anything artistic,” said Art Museum Director of Mar-keting and Development Carolyn Eller.

Unlike traditional open mic nights, Open Stage Nights are open to all kinds of performers. They are

free to both attendees and perform-ers.

In addition to Open Stage Nights, the Erie Art Museum continues to host art classes open to the public. Classes are held for many media, including photography, painting, dance and clay.

Freshman Rodolfo Claros thinks the classes the museum offers are a value to young artists.

“Art takes practice, and I believe these classes will help amateurs become better artists,” Claros said.

Classes have already started for the winter quarter, but there is still time to register for the spring quar-ter starting on March 28. Classes are open to the public.

For more information on classes or Open Stage Nights visit the Erie Art Museum website at erieartmu-seum.org or call 459-5477.

By James JacksonContributing writer

The Erie Art Museum has undergone extensive renovations, and now offers many new services.

Ethan Magoc photo

Dancers used movements that imitated birds to complement Burke’s bird-themed artwork.

Tyler Stauffer photo

The multimedia presentation included the Cavani String Quar-tet, SoMar Dance Works, Dr. Albert Glinsky and Daniel Burke.

Tyler Stauffer photo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 5January 26, 2011

Cavani String Quartet mesmerizes audience with collaboration piece

The Cavani String Quartet per-formance in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) on Friday, Jan. 21, was well attended and met with rave reviews from audience members.

The quartet members played with technical brilliance and passion.

“It was impressive how animated and lively the Cavani String Quartet

was,” said senior Heather Gorres.The concert opened with a strik-

ing rendition of Antonín Dvořák’s “String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96,” a composition in four move-ments. Next came “Midnight Child,” a bluesy piece by Charles Washington.

The highlight of the evening, however, was the collaborative pre-sentation that followed intermis-sion.

The Cavani String Quartet’s rendition of “Canandaigua Quar-tet,” a score composed by Albert

Glinsky, Ph.D., was combined with artwork by professor Daniel Burke and mesmerizing dancing by SoMar Dance Works.

“Dr. Glinsky’s score was amaz-ing,” said senior Meghan Geci. “It was really impressive.”

Glinsky’s score takes its name and inspiration from Canandaigua Lake in western New York and the beauty of the surrounding scen-ery.

A new twist was put upon this idea with the incorporation of Burke’s bird-themed art and bird-like movement within the SoMar choreography that mimicked the art.

The art pieces were incorporated into the visual presentation in a variety of ways. Some were carried in by the dancers and hung in space, and others appeared in Santilliano’s projected video montage. Addition-ally, birds were attached to PVC pipes and used by the dancers in their movement.

“The artwork was so detailed that I wanted to get up onstage to look at it closer. I always like to see the blending of various art forms and it was a neat idea to have the dancers actually carry the art onstage,” said junior Anna Daught.

The fi rst movement of the piece,

titled “Sundance,” and the third movement, called “Spinout,” were both lively and enthralling, with energy built up by both the music and the dancers.

The second movement, “Noc-turne (West on 90),” was softer and more refl ective with a beautiful, subtle sadness.

The Cavani concert proved to be very special for the SoMar dancers, who dedicated their performance to the memory of former SoMar dancer Jenni-Lyn Watson, whose tragic November death has deeply

affected the members of the dance department.

This feeling was most evident in the second movement and made for an especially stirring performance.

Overall, the whole concert was very well received by the audience.

Junior Melissa Sheffi eld said, “It was a great collaboration. The Cavani String Quartet played beau-tifully. I enjoyed the composition by Dr. Glinsky paired with the art-work. The SoMar dancers added another layer and danced beauti-fully, of course.”

By Sarah MastrocolaStaff writer

Erie Art Museum offers exciting changes, classes

The Erie Art Museum has been at 411 State St. since 1980, and fol-lowing recent expansion, is set to continue as one of the main down-town cultural attractions.

Plans to expand the museum have been in the works since 1992, with ground being broken last May on the $11 million proj-ect. What came out of this proj-ect were three times the exhibit space (enough for 12 galleries), a new performance area and a café.

“I believe that the renova-tions to the Erie Art Museum are extremely beneficial to the upcoming generations,” said

Mercyhurst freshman Jordan Ste-venson.

Along with the new expansion comes the distinction of being the fi rst building in the region to become LEED certifi ed.

One of the biggest benefi ts to come out of the recent expan-sion is a brand new performance space—the backbone of the new Open Stage Nights, the fi rst of which will take place Feb. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m.

“They’re open to any artist. Visual artists can have their work projected. Musicians are welcome, dancers, anything artistic,” said Art Museum Director of Mar-keting and Development Carolyn Eller.

Unlike traditional open mic nights, Open Stage Nights are open to all kinds of performers. They are

free to both attendees and perform-ers.

In addition to Open Stage Nights, the Erie Art Museum continues to host art classes open to the public. Classes are held for many media, including photography, painting, dance and clay.

Freshman Rodolfo Claros thinks the classes the museum offers are a value to young artists.

“Art takes practice, and I believe these classes will help amateurs become better artists,” Claros said.

Classes have already started for the winter quarter, but there is still time to register for the spring quar-ter starting on March 28. Classes are open to the public.

For more information on classes or Open Stage Nights visit the Erie Art Museum website at erieartmu-seum.org or call 459-5477.

By James JacksonContributing writer

The Erie Art Museum has undergone extensive renovations, and now offers many new services.

Ethan Magoc photo

Dancers used movements that imitated birds to complement Burke’s bird-themed artwork.

Tyler Stauffer photo

The multimedia presentation included the Cavani String Quar-tet, SoMar Dance Works, Dr. Albert Glinsky and Daniel Burke.

Tyler Stauffer photo

September 3, 2008 OPINIONPage 6 January 26, 2011

@mercyhurst.edueditormerciadnewsmerciad

featuremerciadopinionmerciadsportsmerciad

entertainmentmerciadphotomerciadphotomerciad

ejohns89copymerciad

admerciadwwelch

bsheridan

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of

finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the

letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

If you don’t want it printed . . . don’t let it happen.EditorsEthan Magoc Kelly Luoma Alaina RydzewskiVictoria GricksNick GlasierAlex StacyKaitlin BadgerTyler StaufferEthan JohnsChrissy MihalicDaniela CarcamoBill WelchBrian Sheridan

PositionsEditor-in-ChiefNews Editor

Features EditorOpinion EditorSports EditorA&E EditorGraphics

Photo EditorWeb EditorCopy EditorAd Manager

AdviserAdviser

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Generation Y faces unfortunate economy

Let’s face it. We are the genera-tion of entitlements. Our genera-tion is the one that helped Barack Obama reach the White House in 2008.

My intention is not to bash President Obama or the current level of entitlements. Instead, I want to give a realistic outlook on where we, Generation Y, are taking this country.

Do you expect to retire at the age of 60 with full benefi ts, a pen-sion, Social Security and Medi-

care? If you do, I really feel sorry for you. Unless you are America’s next billionaire (you could be, you never know), you will most likely not get any of these things.

Despite the great provisions in the new health care law that ended many discriminatory practices of the insurance companies and employers, we are still not going to have a sustainable market for retirement benefi ts. Just about the only people who retire with full benefi ts are union workers (and that is going to change real fast).

Like I said, with the baby boom-ers retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day, this year and beyond, employ-ers who still offer retirement cov-erage for health benefi ts are going

to be hard pressed. That’s right. Because your par-

ents and grandparents decided to retire with full benefi ts, they will affect your chances in the job market. Employers will hire less or just not offer health coverage. Both scenarios are likely.

Now, let’s talk about pensions. Unless you’re in a union – God help you if you are – you will not be seeing any kind of private pen-sion. Even the governments are moving away from pensions.

What you will most likely have is a 401K or 403B. 401Ks are the most popular type of employee retirement accounts, because they are basically an investment port-folio that you put money into, and

your employer often matches your contributions. These are becom-ing more popular alternatives to pensions.

In regard to Social Security and Medicare, I really feel sorry for you if you expect to see these. They are unsustainable programs that will be bankrupt in the coming decades: Medicare by 2017, and Social Security sometime in the 2020’s-2030’s.

You all probably hate me for ruining your retirement dreams. But hey, if you want to retire in comfort and style and be a social parasite, why not head up to Soviet Canuckistan where they have free everything?

This brings me to my last point.

Where are our jobs going to be? Well, we’ll be working for the commies. No, I mean it. At the rate of Chinese investment in our economy, you can expect China to be a major employer in this coun-try in the coming future. So get ready to be reading Mao’s little red book and singing Lenin’s favorite tune, the “Internationale.”

I know this sounds depress-ing, but we can prevent this. My next column will feature what you can do to prevent your retirement dreams from going up in fl ames.

Don’t worry. I’ll tell you my student economic secrets so you won’t have to work as a greeter at Wal-Mart when you’re 83 years old.

By Mike LadoContributing writer

News coverage is unsatisfactory

Whether you love or hater her, Sarah Palin is always in the news.

As someone best known for her reality show, Twitter page and being a ‘mama grizzly’ who is just one of the folks, Sarah Palin has become a cultural phenomenon.

Given her rise in popular-ity since leaving public office, why does Sarah Palin continue to remain as such an entrenched figure in our political culture?

Yes, Palin is a former governor (who resigned before the end of her first term), and a former vice presidential candidate, but what has she contributed to American political discourse that is any-thing of substance?

It seems that the amount of news coverage she has been receiving is not reflective of the substantive work she has done as a politician. As someone who is the center of a speculation regarding a run for the White

House in 2012, what exactly is her vision for the country beyond conservative talking points?

All too often it seems that hard work and political prow-ess are often overlooked in the mainstream media and pop cul-ture. Many public figures find their work overlooked due to the attention we tend to pay to sensationalistic and controver-sial things, such as the Palin per-sona.

For example, why is it that little has been said about Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, who worked on the recently passed 9/11 Health and Compensation Act? How about Sen. Olympia Snowe and Rep. Tim Ryan, both of whom have been advocates of tougher trade policies with China?

Or what about Rep. Dave Reichert, one of the few Repub-lican House members to defy his party and vote for the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’? Why haven’t these politicians pen-etrated pop culture and received the mainstream attention their work deserves?

With our news sources being instantaneous and continuous, the old adage, “if it bleeds, it leads” seems to hold true. Our sensationalistic culture calls the most shocking and controversial to the front, and self-promoting Sarah Palin is just that.

Unless you are a total politi-cal junkie, I’m guessing you did not pick up this week’s edition of The Economist for your enter-tainment purposes.

The political game has its highs and lows; at times it has the intensity and high drama to garner widespread attention. Unfortunately, much of politics is viewed as mundane by the masses; therefore, due atten-tion is not paid to the progres-sive and substantive work being done.

In a culture in which many are able to name all eight members of the volatile show “Jersey Shore” before naming eight members of Congress, Sarah Palin will con-tinue to make the news, whether you love or hate it.

By Caitlin HanderhanStaff writer

For more articles, visit merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion.

Sports Page 7January 26, 2011

Shields attempts to recapture championship

In 2009, Mercyhurst College senior Josh Shields won an NCAA wrestling title. He won it during his sophomore season and remains the only athlete at Mercyhurst to hold an individual NCAA title.

“It’s an awesome feeling knowing that the work you put in the past 18 years has paid off,” Shields said. “I have worked almost my entire life to be an NCAA champion, and I accomplished that goal.”

Head coach Mike Wehler, who has been coaching at the college level since 2004, came to the Lakers in 2007. He says that Shields is the toughest kid he’s ever coached, and his mental toughness is unmatched.

“I don’t think you can top him winning,” Wehler said.

His winning capabilities is pos-sibly the reason why Shields has landed top fi ve in the national tour-nament each year he has been in competition.

During his fi rst year of competi-tion, he wrestled in the 174-pound weight class and placed 4th in the national championships.

In 2008-09, Shields went to 165 and since then has only lost to two Division II opponents.

“He makes my job a lot easier,” Wehler said. “He’s the type of guy that leads by example and is also vocal.”

For Shields, winning might not stop at one title.

“I believe if I go out there and put everything on the line, there is no one in this country that can stop me,” Shields said.

For some athletes, the chance to

claim another title may seem like a daunting task. What may be intimi-dating to others though is what Shields uses to help him attack his goal.

He also uses those emotions to help get him through the tough

training his teammates and he endure.

“I know there are a lot of kids out there that want to be an NCAA champ, so to beat them I must out-work them in the practice room” he said.

What motivates this champion is his last name.

“When I fi nish up my career and people look back and see what I accomplished, I want them to think that kid gave it everything he had. You have to have pride in what you do.”

In Wehler’s eyes, Shields is unmatched. It is not just how hard he works, but it is how he perfects all the extra things the right way.

“You always tell people what to do to win championships – but they take shortcuts,” Wehler said. “Josh doesn’t take shortcuts.”

Shields, a senior from Lower Burrell, plans to graduate in May with a degree in international busi-ness and a minor in economics. After graduation, he plans to either accept a job offer from Douglas Labs in Pittsburgh or continue his education at Mercyhurst while serv-ing as graduate assistant for the wrestling team.

By Rachel O’ConnorStaff writer

Mercyhurst College senior Josh Shields is attempting to capture the school’s second individual NCAA title this season.

Ethan Magooc photo

Mercyhurst sophomore Jake Schuppe traveled all the way to Egypt and the Nile River to race in a prestigious rowing competition from Jan. 13 to 16.

Schuppe competed at the bow seat on the U.S. men’s team, earning a bronze medal.

The event featured such national teams as Egypt, Algeria, France, Germany and Sweden.

Egypt was the leading contender, winning 11 gold medals, six silver medals and two bronze.Tunisia was second in the fi nal rankings with one gold medal and three silver medals.

The U.S. team did not manage to get to the top three in the rankings,

but with Schuppe’s help, they were able to acquire one bronze medal.

Schuppe, who is a sports medi-cine major at Mercyhurst, earned the Rookie of the Year title last year while he competed in the fi ve seat.

There, he helped the team win a national championship in the men’s Lightweight 8.

Schuppe attended Middleton High School in his hometown of Verona, Wisc., where he was elected captain his senior year for his lead-ership skills and achievement.

Over the summer, Schuppe attended a rowing camp in Phila-delphia where he learned that a U.S. men’s rowing team was being formed to compete in the Inter-national Nile Regatta in Luxor, Egypt.

“This is a festival type race,” said Mercyhurst rowing head coach

Adrian Spracklen. “It is an effort by FISA to bring the sport of rowing to countries where it is not very popular.”

In French, FISA stands for “Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron,” which trans-

lates to International Federation of Rowing Associations.

“It is a tremendous honor to have Jake represent this team and this school in Egypt,” said coach Spracklen.

The Egyptian government was gracious enough to host the event and make the athletes feel right at home.

“They paid for our equipment, travel, meals, hotel, everything,” Schuppe said. “I had security guards with me everywhere I went. I was a little skeptical at fi rst but I was hon-ored and taken back when I got to meet the Egyptian president.”

Schuppe and the rest of the col-legiate athletes from the U.S. com-peted against the national teams from Egypt as well as Germany, France and Kenya.

“The teams I competed against

had athletes with experience rang-ing anywhere from competing in national championships to the Olympics,” said Schuppe.

Being able to compete against other national teams in Egypt was a humbling experience for him.

Seeing the competitiveness of all the teams gave Schuppe an inside look into what lies ahead if he wants to compete at a higher level.

The coming years will be exciting for the Mercyhurst men’s rowing team because it is no secret that they will have athletes such as Sch-uppe competing.

“No matter what happens in my career, I will never regret going to Egypt and competing,” he said. “If going to the Olympics is an oppor-tunity that opens up to me, I will not hesitate to take it.”

By Matthew CirellContributing writer

Jake Schuppe rows like an Egyptian

Sophomore Jake SchuppeSports Information photo

Sports Page 8January 26, 2011

College to develop softball fi eld The Mercyhurst College softball

team will have a new place to call home in the near future.

The college recently informed the softball team that it will build the Lakers a new fi eld at East 35th and Wallace Streets. Construc-tion could begin in early summer, according to Sara Headley, assistant athletics director and head softball coach.

Players and coaches have described the team’s current playing fi eld as being less than adequate for a Division II program.

“Most high school and junior col-lege fi elds were in better conditions than ours,” sophomore Amanda Walker said.

Headley agrees with Walker about the state of their facility near Sam Jethroe Field at East 41st Street and Old French Road.

“We have traveled to some fi elds over the years, and ours is by far the worst I have seen,” Headley said. “When other teams come to our fi eld, it is an embarrassment. A lot of the teams actually jeer us about our fi eld.”

Headley and her players said a new fi eld is overdue, though plans for an

upgrade have been in the works for at least fi ve years.

The college purchased the land parcel at East 35th Street for $232,000 in May 2005 from Saint Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church.

The fi eld’s construction would cost approximately $150,000, according to the athletic depart-ment?

In the past 10 years, Mercyhurst’s baseball, soccer, football and hockey teams each saw improvements to

their facilities, while the softball team has been stuck in limbo.

The City of Erie owns and main-tains the current space near East 41st Street.

“It has been a catch-22 for us, as we do not own our current fi eld so

we could not make any signifi cant improvements to the fi eld,” Head-ley said.

The fi eld’s condition often com-promises recruiting efforts.

During the past few seasons, players and their parents would complain to the administration and plead for an improvement.

“A number of parents took an active role in lobbying and writing letters to the school administration encouraging construction of a new fi eld,” senior captain Kara Gorgos said.

After much hard work, the Erie Zoning Hearing Board approved use of the area as a softball fi eld at its Jan. 11 meeting.

“I was pretty excited. I’m just hoping that I will be able to use it,” junior assistant captain Jen Bower said.

Headley said she thinks a new facility would be a great help in taking her program to the next level.

The cost of the fi eld for a sport that generally doesn’t bring in much revenue might draw criticism from some at Mercyhurst, but Headley is not fazed.

“If a school is offering a pro-gram, it has to be funded properly,” she said.

By Nick GlasierSports editor

This snowy expanse at East 35th and Wallace Streets could become a softball fi eld construction zone as early as this summer.

Ethan Magoc photo

In the recent history of the Mercyhurst College softball program, the team’s facilities have been subpar for the program’s advancement. At left, the softball programs’s fi eld before 2005 was located in the current baseball fi eld’s right fi eld At right, softball now plays at East 41 Street and Old French Road.

Ethan Magoc photoMerciad fi le photo