The Merciad, May 2, 2007

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 2, 2007

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The Mercy Suites freshman residencehalls will soon receive a makeover.According to Associate Director of

Residence Life Justin Ross, the suiteswill undergo a complete renovation thatinvolves removing a wall to make for aliving room. The current setup of each suite

includes: three bedrooms, one bath andone large closet.

Ross said the future setup will include:two bedrooms, one bath, a living room

and a study room.According to Ross, the renovation willbe based on designs submitted by theInterior Design Studio II class.

Ross said these designs include ideasfor painting, carpet, furniture andlighting.The renovation will leave two bed-

rooms that are 13 feet, 11 inches by 11feet, 5 inches.

It will also make for a living roomarea that is 15 feet, 5 inches by 11 feet,5 inches, and a study area that is 11 feet,3 inches and 9 feet, 2 inches.

Ross noted that the suites will stillaccommodate six people with threestudents in each bedroom.

Ross said the Residence Life Ofceis looking into different beds and loftsthat will accommodate three people inone bedroom.

He said, however, that constructinga living room makes the bedrooma bedroom.According to Ross, s design will be

nalized in the upcoming weeks andconstruction should start in mid-May.

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929

Vol. 80 No. 22 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie Pa. 16546 May 2, 2007

Mercyhurst senior winsErie Idol competition

Eries newly crowned Idol, 21-year-old Kayti Ostromecki, graduatesfrom Mercyhurst College in May with

a communication degree but, if thestars continue to shine on her, she maybe communicating as a pop vocalistrather than a PR professional.

Kayti won the Erie Idol contest,sponsored by WFXP-TV, on thestrength of two performances: ArethaFranklins Natural Woman placedher among the top ve out of 20 in theIdol nals on Thursday, April 26, and

Whitney Houstons I Wanna Dancewith Somebody sealed the win.

Pi Sigma Alpha welcomesDr. Morton Coleman

In celebration of the induction ofnew members and graduation ofsenior members, the Mercyhurst chap-

ter of Pi Sigma Alpha political honorsociety welcomes Dr. Morton Cole-man to campus on Monday, May 7.

Coleman is the Director Emeritusof the Institute of Politics at the Uni-

versity of Pittsburgh and will delivera lecture on Politics: The Dilemmaof Media Consolidation and Frag-mentation in Taylor Little Theatreat 8 p.m.The talk is free and open to the

public.

Seniors asked to take agreen pledge

Graduating seniors on the Erie andNorth East campuses still have timeto sign the Graduation Green Pledgethat states:

I pledge to explore and take intoaccount the social and environmentalconsequences of any job I considerand will try to improve these aspects

of any organizations for which Iwork.

The pledge program stems from theefforts of Si ster Michele Schroeck,RSM, director of service learning, and

students: Nadine Beres, Julie Hranica,Vanessa Diaz, Jen Helbig, StephanieProhaska and Zack Ufnar.

Erie students can sign now throughFriday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 1p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. in the bookstore.Graduates at Mercyhurst North Eastcan sign May 14-16 in the foyer ofthe Ridge Building from 10 a.m. to3 p.m.

Students who sign will receive apledge card and their names will beposted on Mercyhursts graduation

Web site. Contact Sister Michele [email protected] formore info.

Compiled by editorial staff/from mercyhurst.edu

Campus news briefs

Design suggestions for the Mercy Suite renovations were

submitted by the Interior Design Studio II class.

Andy Finkel Photo

Center to enhancecollege community

Springfest 07 will take on a Cinco De Mayo theme.

Photo courtesy of Kelly CoFrancisco

Springfest 07to be red hot

With a platinum-selling artist, freefood and countless activities, Spring-fest 2007 is sure to be a hit. Springfest2007 is being sponsored by SAC andMSG and will be celebrated on Cincode Mayo.As always, lawn inatables are included

in the celebration. The usual inatablessuch as the Bungee Run, the DeluxeBouncer, Bouncy Boxing and the Gladi-ator Joust will all be available as well asseveral new toys.A 93-foot long Titanic Adventure

Slide, a Super Size Twister Board andThe Screamer, a roller coaster simula-

tion ride, are new activities at this yearsSpringfest. A caricature artist, Old Tymephoto booth and airbrush tattoos will

also be part of this years celebration.I am really excited about the rollercoaster simulation ride, said KellyCofrancisco, SAC Chair and coordina-tor of thi s years Springfest. Wevenever had anything like it so it shouldbe a lot of fun.

Cofrancisco also said the mostrequested activity was the Slip NSlide that was last included in the 2005Springfest. The Slip N Slide will benext to the Student Union on the hillleading down to the Grotto.

Please see on Cinco on Page 3

By Casey GreenContributing writer

By Joshua WilwohlEditor-in-chief

The Mercyhurst mens lacrosse team further distinguished its

season by adding to their long list of accolades, in what may become

the programs most successful campaign. Please see page 12.

Mens lacrosse

ofcially voted #1

Don Eighmey Photo

Renovations on freshman housingMercy Suites to start in mid-May

Mercyhurst College President Dr.Thomas Gamble announced Tuesdaythat the college will develop a Multi-Cultural Center.

The Multi-Cultural Center (MCC)is a comprehensive office that sup-ports and assists with the educational,

cultural, social and personal, needs ofall students, states the proposal forthe center.

The primary focus of the ofce isto develop leaders and scholars. Otherareas of focus are to create campus wideawareness in regard to socio-economicissues and to bridge the gap betweenstudents and faculty.

The proposal states the Multi-Cul-tural Center will increase awareness ofdiversity.

The office advocates educationalgrowth through scholarship, leadershipand service. The MCC strives to imple-ment retention and personal enhance-ment programs that are instituted forstudents to promote academic successand professional development, statesthe document.

Vice President for Student Life Dr.Gerry Tobin said the idea for a centerstarted several months ago.

After meeting with a number ofconstituencies, Cathy Anderson beganthe search for a multicultural center and

were bringing this forward, he said.In a summary proposal about the

multi-cultural center, Associate Vice

President for Alumni Relations Cathy Anderson said the center is much-needed for the campus.

The most consistent/persistent mes-sage regarding the how to of improv-ing issues surrounding diversity on theMercyhurst campus requires havinga person/ofce where leadership toresolve these challenges is intentional,personied, comprehensive, and consis-tent, she said in the proposal.

Dedicating resources, space, salaryand focus would show that the collegehas chosen to visibly deal with theseissues as a college.Tobin said the location of the center

has not been determined, but noted itwill be located in a high trafc area suchas the student union.

Please see Promoting on Page 3

By Joshua WilwohlEditor-in chief

Brick House Cofee,

this weeks I HeartErie

CAMPUSLIVING

Page 5 Page 13

Top Ten SportsMoments of2006-2007

SPORTS

YearinReview

Storiesthattopped

headlines,page14

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PAGE 2 THE MERCIAD May 2, 2007

To contact: [email protected]

Compiled by

Jessica KocentFrom BBC News

World BriefsInternational news

April 24Larceny/Theft3828 Lewis Ave.Closed

April 25Criminal Mischief742 East 40th St.Closed

April 25Larceny/TheftBaldwin HallOpenPending Investigation

April 25Burglary

Athletic CenterClosed

April 26Criminal Mischief

Hirt CenterClosed

April 26BurglaryBaldwin HallOpenPending Investigation


April 28Larceny/TheftBaldwin HallOpen

Pending Investigation



April 28Criminal Mischief3937 Briggs Ave.ClosedCollege Discipline

April 30Liquor Law ViolationBaldwin HallClosedCollege Discipline


Police and Safety Log

Shia gures have said theprince will be targeted.

Prince Harry to be

deployed to IraqPrince Harry will be deployed

to Iraq with his regiment, thehead of the British army hasconrmed.

Gen Sir Richard Dannatt saidhe had taken the decision person-ally but stressed it would be keptunder review.

He called for an end to thesomewhat frenzied media spec-ulation around this issue...There have been fears for the

safety of the prince in Iraq amidapparently worsening tensions inthe country.

Dannatt added I will ofcourse keep that decision con-

tinually under review, and ifcircumstances are such that Ichange that decision, I will makea further statement.

Hundreds of Somalis, many in desperate conditions, have beenreturning to the capital, Mogadishu, since the end of the ercestghting seen in years.The BBCs Mohammed Moalimo said many returnees were very

distressed and had no shelter and a shortage of food. The rst talks since Ethiopian forces and interim government

troops defeated Islamists and Hawiye clan militia ghters took placeon Sunday.The Somali president and Hawiye elders agreed to a ceasere and

more talks.

Somalis returning to capital, Mogadishu

The US Supreme Court has refused to hear a case lodged by twoGuantanamo Bay prisoners who sought to challenge the legality ofUS military courts.The court gave no reason for its decision but three out of nine

judges said they would have heard the case.A total of four votes would have been sufcient to have the case

heard by the Supreme Court.

U.S. court rejects Guantanamo case

Turkeys Prime Minister Recep

Tayyip Erdogan has appealed fornational unity in the row that haserupted over the disputed elec-tion of a new president.

He said an atmosphere ofstability was essential.

Erdogans r uling Islamist-root-ed AK party has put forwardForeign Minister Abdullah Gulfor president. But the army hashinted it may block him.

Last week Gul was backed in avote in parliament, but the con-stitutional court has been askedto annul the vote.

It says it hopes to rule on thepetition before the next round ofthe vote is due to take place on

Wednesday.

Turkish PM makesappeal for unity

Erdogen has backed Gulfor the Turkishpresidency.

Israeli Prime Minister EhudOlmert has been criticised fortaking Israel to war in Lebanonlast year hastily and without acomprehensive plan.A government inquiry panel

found him and other leadersguilty of very serious failingsin handling the war. About 1,200 Lebanese and

160 Israelis were killed after Is-rael launched operations againstHezbollah militants who hadcaptured two Israeli soldiers.

Olmert said in a TV address hehad no intention of resigning.

He said that instead he wouldwork to implement the conclu-sions of the report, admittingthat mistakes were made.

Israeli leader, Olmert,rushed to war

Olmert has no intention ofresigning.

Three airlines have cancelledor changed ights to Sri Lanka aday after Tamil Tiger rebels car-ried out an air raid on the capital,Colombo.

Hong Kong airline Cathay Pa-cic and Dubai-based Emirateshave suspended flights, whileSingapore Airlines will only yinto Colombo during the day.

Meanwhile, 12 people werekilled in two clashes between SriLankan forces and the Tigers onSunday, ofcials said.

Airlines cancel SriLanka fights

Ofcials say little damagewas caused by attacks.

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The Ambassador Club hasbeen working on an interestingfundraiser since the beginningof April. The entire Mercyhurst Com-

munity as well as some localbusinesses really pulled togetherto help the March Of DimesFoundation.The fundraiser captured ve

participants from their ofcesand apartments Thursday, April26. They were then taken to theStudent Union, and asked toraise $50 before they could bereleased.

Participants who were placedunder lockdown included

Ambassador Club President

Kyle Linehan, MSG TreasurerRyan Palm, Assistant Directorsof Residence Life Justin Rossand Joe Howard and AssociateProfessor of Philosophy, Dr.Ludlow Brown. Associate Vice President Ty-

rone Moore, and Associate Pro-fessor of Religious Studies, Dr.Daniel McFee also helped outbehind the scenes. Altogether they raised over

$700, which far surpassed the

anticipated amount.We want to thank the facultyand staff members for their gen-erous donations, Papa Johns forproviding lunch and all those thathelped out with the lockdown.

We had an extremely successfulfundraiser, said co-chairpersonfor the fundraising committeeLeah Sefcik.

By Jessica KocentNews editor

Students and

faculty on lockdown for charity

On Monday, April 23, Dr. ChrisMagoc, Chair of the History De-partment, was presented with therst ever Sustainability Award, byPresident Dr. Tom Gamble, Sis-ter Maura Smith and the Green Team at the rst annual SisterMaura Smith lecture.

Magoc has been a vital partof the environmental efforts oncampus since coming to Mercy-hurst College.

He helped to found the GreenTeam in 2000, and most recentlyhas helped to spearhead a Green

Team initiative, which is await-ing approval by the Board of

Trustees.

The initiative will add a $15 feeto student tuition to increase theGreen Team funds to institutenew environmentally-friendlyprograms on campus. These programs may include

increasing wind power, investi-gating the use of wind energyon campus, expand the use ofsolar power on campus andinvestigating a number of otherpossibilities.

Magoc said, While I am deeplytouched and personally gratiedby this award, the sustainabilityadvancements are really a tes-tament to the success of thecollege.

He wants to, in fact, receive the

award on behalf of all the effortsput forth by the whole campus.From the spirit of Sister

Maura Smith to the leadershipof Tom Billingsley and President

Gamble to the daily efforts ofKen Stepherson and his physicalplant staffto the impassionedand inspired leadership of the

students on the issue of greenenergywe now seem to bemoving toward establishing acollege that will increasingly beknown for its environmentalresponsibility and stewardship,said Magoc.

Magoc will be handing over hisresponsibilities of Green Teamadvisor to Dr. James Snyder, As-sociate Professor of Philosophy,at the end of this year. He stillplans to be involved in a few par-ticular projects on campus.

It is exciting to see the studentsall charged up, said Magoc.

I believe that in and out ofthe classroom, the campus isreally honoring the mission of

the college and the vision of theSisters of Mercy.

Magoc awardedfor green effortsBy Jessica KocentNews editor

Graduation is approaching rap-idly and many seniors are prob-ably already feeling stressed andoverwhelmed by all the formsthat need to be lled out, and allthe arrangements that need tobe attended.

Friday, May 11, the celebrationstarts with the Senior-DinnerDance at the Avalon Hotel.

The dance will start at 7 p.m.and end at midnight. Dinner willbe served and transportation willbe provided by MSG.

If you would like to sign yourgroup of friends up for a table,you will need to go to the Stu-dent Union during the week of

April 30. Ten people are allowedat each table. Further questionsabout the dance should be di-rected to the Mercyhurst StudentGovernment.The fun continues Thursday,

May 17, when the seniors head toCedar Point Amusement Park.The day after the Cedar Point

trip will be another eventful dayfor the seniors. Friday, May 18,the Dedication of the SeniorClass Gift will be underway at3 p.m.The ceremony will be held

between Briggs and Lewis alongEast 41st Street, and includethe dedication of the multi-pur-pose court as well as memorialbenches for Sara Pieszak andMatthew Milgate. The SisterDamien Spirit Award will also be

presented here.Later that day, the Welcome

to the Alumni Reception will beheld in the Student Union from7.30 to 9.30 p.m.. This event isfree of charg e and welcomesseniors, parents and faculty.Reservations are required withticket pick-up in the bookstorebeginning Monday, May 7. Alsoremember that dress-code isbusiness casual.

Saturday, May 19, a familypicnic in the grotto will be ar-ranged by the MSG. The eventis for the graduating studentsand their families. Sign-ups arebeing held in the Student Unionuntil May 16.As most of you already know,

Sunday, May 20, is the day ofgraduation. Numerous events

will be held this day, with thecommencement starting at 2 p.m.in the Tullio Arena (Erie CivicCenter). Following the gradua-tion ceremony, a farewell recep-tion will be in Egan Dining Hall.

This will be the last Mercyhurstevent for seniors.

Remember that graduates mustbe checked out of campus hous-ing by noon May 21, so makesure you get back from the barsin time

By Bjorn AlnaesContributing writer

Reminders forall graduatingMC seniors

Dr. Chris Magoc

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NewsMay 2, 2007 THE MERCIAD PAGE 3


The Green Team is consistentlylooking for new ways to bringthe Mercyhurst campus to a

whole new meaning of ecologi-cal-friendly. Recently they founda new way, and it is up to youto help.As far as the expansion of the

Union goes, the Green Teamdisagrees on the matter. JuniorMegan Rulli, who runs the Green

Team, says there has been noopen dialogue on the issue.

As a leader, no one came tous to ask our input, said Rulli.This seems like an internal MSGproject.

Rulli also said she has seen noreal push to get the students

input either. A small survey

was sent out, but that was theextent.Is the expansion really nec-

essary? Does it meet peoplesneeds? Rulli asked.The Green Team also asks if

the expansion is at all environ-mental friendly, or has an envi-ronmental design.As far as the land in the Grotto

goes, Rulli said the expansion andthe ecological impact were notfully thought out. Flooding inthe Grotto and the health of thetrees comes largely into play.The Green Team is also in the

process of getting the Board ofDirectors to agree on their GreenEnergy Renewable Land Fund.

Along with Rulli, the other stu-dent-force behind this is junior

Angela Phillips.

The plan has already passed

through the students by theMSG elections. It was agreed aseparate fee of $15 per student,per year would be added onto thetuition bill for these students.This $15 would help increase

the wind energy Mercyhurst pur-chases from 10 to 20 percent.The team would like to get an

Advisory Committee together,composed of students, facultymembers, administration andGreen Team advisors to repre-sent everyone on campus.A proposal they have already

received is a Green Roof, wheretrees, shrubs and grass wouldactually be planted on top of abuilding on campus.

This would help the buildingstay warmer in the winter, coolerin the summer and would even-

tually lower our energy bills,

said Rulli.The less heat we use the lessenergy we use and the tuitionshould decrease in the future,explained Rulli. The library, Hirt Center and

DAngelo Performing Arts Cen-ter on campus are already geo-thermal buildings.

Rulli said she would also liketo see the wind energy actually

visible on campus.This way, students would have

more of an understanding withwhats going on.

We would just like to trans-form the campus to be environ-mental friendly, said Rulli. And

we want to make the students apart of this as well.

Andy Finkel photo

On Monday, April 23, 26 Mercyhurst Student Government

representatives were sworn in. MSG will have their frst

meeting of the 2007-2008 school year on Monday, Sep-

tember 3.

Continued from page 1

This years Springfest seemslike it is going to be really fun,said Ricki Proper, a sophomore

Art Therapy major. I cant waitfor the caricature artist and SlipN Slide.

Chris Cagle is this years guestperformer. Cagles popular songsinclude Laredo, Miss MeBaby and Chicks Dig It.

Students attending the daytimeactivities will be given a chanceto enter a rafe to win a Meet N

Greet with Cagle after his per-formance. Ten Meet N Greettickets will be given away.

Coffey Anderson will be open-ing for Cagle. Cagle and Ander-son will perform in the MAC at8 p.m.

Because the festival falls onCinco de Mayo and the perform-er is a country star, the theme is

TEX-MEX. In accordance with

this, the barbeque will featurenot only the usual hotdogs andhamburgers but chicken, pork,baked beans as well as chipsand salsa provided by El Canelorestaurant.

Zach Pekor, a member of SAC,explained that the committee hada lot of fun planning this yearsSpringfest.

It the most exciting event weplan all year and it should reallybe a blast.

As with all other SAC events,everything at Springfest is of-fered free of charge. The dayactivities will be located outsidethe student union, beginning at 1p.m. and going until 7 p.m. Thebarbeque will be in Garvey Parkfrom 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.

SAC and MSG will be offeringtickets for the Springfest concertin the Student Union from 11a.m. until 6 p.m. all week. There

were 50 faculty and staff membertickets, 1400 student tickets and

350 guest tickets available at thebeginning of the week. After twodays of sales, over 600 studenttickets and 20 staff tickets havesold. Guest tickets have com-pletely sold out.

Doors open for the perfor-mances at 7:30 p.m. and theconcert will begin at 8 p.m.

The concert will be held in theMAC.

Continued from page 1

Assistant Vice President forStudent Life and Director ofResidence Life Laura Zirkle saidthe creation of a multi-culturalcenter is an on-going focus.

All we had was the Diversity101 club, said Zirkle. Nowthere is the creation of a multi-cultural center.Tobin said the center will be

led by Assistant Director ofResidence Life and Diversity101 adviser Pertrina Williams-Marrero. Williams-Marrero, who will

begin her duties as director of

the multi-cultural center on July1, said she will leave her positionas assistant director of residencelife.According to Tobin, Williams-

Marrero will continue to adviseDiversity 101.

Gamble said Williams-Marrerois the best choice as director forthe center.

Trina has been an importantand vibrant part of Mercyhurstsefforts over the years, he said.Trina continues to grow as a

professional and I am confi-dent that multicultural affairs atMercyhurst College will do thesame.Williams-Marrero said she will

strive to increase diversity aware-ness on campus.According to Williams-Mar-

rero, she plans to continue eventssuch as the international foodnight that includes foods fromall over the world.Williams-Marrero also said she

has new plans such as creating aDinner with Six Strangers.

She said the dinner wouldencourage people to meet newpeople from the community.

This is to enhance who we

are and that we are MercyhurstCollege, she said. And we dohave diversity here. Williams-Marrero said she

wants the center to be a hub forculture.

I want it to be a place whereconversation happens and a place

where we can grow and learnabout each other, she said.

The virtual reality roller coaster is sure to be a Scream.

Promoting diversity

MSG reps sworn in

By Courtney Stuempges

Contributing writer

Cinco de Mayo takes over the Hurst

Mercyhurst green team unhappywith Union expansion plans

May 14th thru May 16th(Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m.Thursday, May 17th

8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

*Also buying books from previous terms*

Photo courtesy of Darcy Kemp

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 2, 2007

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CAMPUS

Living To contact: [email protected]

PAGE 4 May 2, 2007THE MERCIAD

Juniors Will Swafford and Jeff Allen are riding around on their crotch rockets.

Photo contributed by Andy Finkel

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and make no payments until 12 months after you graduate. Apply online today

at campusdoor.com to receive an approval usually in less than a minute. Spend

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And so is the money to pay for it

_ _ - -

Since 1998, Mercyhurst has

had the honor of Sister GeriRosinskis presence on campus.

Sister Geri has faithfully andpassionately been the CampusMinistry Director, helping to

make this school the ne institu-tion it is today.

In countless ways she has af-fected the lives of thousands ofstudents, through her warmth,devotion, kindness and hugs.

With great sadness, however,Sister Geri is being called toa new and different ministry

within her faith and communityin Rodchester, NY.Although she will readily admit

that serving and working amongthe Mercyhurst College commu-nity has been one of her happi-est positions, she leaves without

reservation, because she trusts inGods ultimate plan.

Sister Geris faith is both out-standing and strong, and sheallows it to guide her wheneverand wherever she goes.Although she will greatly miss

the students and faculty at theHurst, she knows that where she

is going, she is needed.So many people on this campushave been touched by her loveand concern for others. Whetherit is a freshman who is looking to

t in, or a senior who is nervousabout his or her future, SisterGeri is always open and ready tohear the student body.

Her genuine personality andlikeability has helped to make herone of the most loved persons

on campus.Few could refute what a won-

derful campus minister she hasbeen, and all will agree that who-ever takes her place next will have

very large shoes to ll.So many students and faculty

have stories they could tell aboutthe role Sister Geri has played in

their lives, and there are manywho could tell of how much theywill miss her.

Offered below are only a veryfew who have known her, lovedher and will miss her dearly.

Dr. Thomas Gamble, presi-

dent, Sister Geri has been agreat blessing to campus minis-try, to our students and to Mer-cyhurst as a whole. Im sure you

will hear about her enthusiasmand passion from everyone you

talk to. I just want to add thatshe has been a personal blessingto me, and for that I will alwaysbe grateful.

Sister Michele Schroeck, ser-vice learning, Sister Geri hasexpanded the opportunities for

religious activities to includemore retreats and student initi-ated projects. She is a real Mercypresence who supported justiceand outreach activities includingthe alternative breaks. She will

be greatly missed.Fr. Jim Piszker, college Chap-lin, Sister Geri and I both cameto Mercyhurst at the same time in

August 1998. Having never metbefore, we were able to establishan excellent working relationshipand I have come to appreciate

Sisters skills as a gifted pastoralminister. She will be greatlymissed, most particularly by thecentral object of her great love,

compassion and mercy thestudents.

Daniel Cabanillas, director ofliturgical music, Sadly, there willbe no more hi darlings. Sister is

very passionate about what she

believes. She took her job waybeyond the call. She did morethan was ever asked of her, andmore than seems humanly pos-sible.

Dr. Gerard Tobin, vice presi-dent of student life, Besides

having the loudest laugh oncampus, Sister Geri also hasone of the largest and most

tender hearts. In moments oftragedy and profound sadnessespecially, Sister Geri has blessedMercyhurst with a ministry of

presence and an abiding faiththat reassures us that all will be

well. The Division of StudentLife has been so grateful for Sr.Geris generous spirit and all ofus will miss her and wish her wellin her new ministry.

Paul Macosko, campus minis-ter, Sister Geri has a remarkable

way with people. She knows howto make people feel comfortable,how to empathize, and how tobuild connections and relate

to them no matter what age,socio-economic status, gender,

or situation someone may ndthem self in.She has been a personal men-

tor to me for the past eight years

and she gave me my rst oppor-

tunities to explore ministry. Forthis and for the many things shestaught me regarding ministeringto others, seeking Gods will, andliving out what you believe, Imincredibly grateful.

By Chelsea Boothe

Campus living editor

Director of Campus Ministry, Sister Geri Rosinski, will be leaving at the end of the year.

Photo courtesy of Paul Macosko

What do you do if youre

mugged? First, stay calm anddont panic. Thankfully the mug-ger only wanted your belongingsthat can be replaced. And take off the iPod, or at

least turn it down when walking

down the street or on publictransit.

Be careful, thats what I alwayssay. It can happen any time, oranywhere.

Sometimes, the best defense is

a good offense.Good planning can go a long

way in ensuring that you wontbecome a muggers next victim.Bring a team of friends with youso you dont travel alone.The mugger isnt playing fair,

and may cheat bringing alongothers meaning to inict harm.Happily, after speaking with

Mercyhurst Police and Safety, the

ofce is open, 24 hours a day andseven days a week. They were very helpful and

concerned, pointing out thattheir doors are always open,ready to support the well beingof the public.

In the Communications Cen-

ter, the surveillance cameras arevideotaping the campus and,with digital technology, are able

to capture deviant acts on lm.

Mercyhurst Police and Safetyalso work with the Erie PoliceDepartment . So, dont worry,

theyre watching, and ready toprotect and serve.We seem to take it for granted

that, it wont happen to me,but it does happen to men and

women alike. And it could be

any time of the day or night,according to Mercyhurst Policeand Safety. Just because its welllit, doesnt mean it cant happen.If it does, report the crime rightaway. The best statement is afresh one.

A mugging is merely slang for

robbery, as classied in the Stateof Pennsylvania. Reporting the

crime to start the investigationcan bring retribution, hospitaland monetary. You may qualify

for indemnication (payment) bythe State of Pennsylvania. Through the Victim Witness

Services of Erie County victimsare also provided services includ-ing, Crisis Intervention, Sup-portive Counseling, Assistance

with Filing Victim Compensa-

tion Forms, Accompaniment toCriminal Justice Proceedings andHomicide Survivor Groups.The Director of Health Ser-

vices, Chris Dimperio, urges vic-

tims to get injuries documentedimmediately because insurancecompanies go back to the origi-nal documents when negotiatingcompensation.

If you know of anyone whohas been victimized, be a friendand steer them to the health

center, Dimperio said.Its also important to know,

youre not alone. But, you mustreach out so people know thatyoure suffering. A strong sup-port system is offered right here

on campus. And the situationdo get better.

Keep your eyes open and beaware of your surroundings, sothat youre not taken unawares.

Jesus told us that in one wayor another. And I do suggest

prayer. A happy heart is a ful-

lled heart. Victim Witness Services of

Erie County has a 24 HourHotline: (814) 455-9515 and islocated at 125 West 18th Street,Erie, PA 16501.

By Carla Hart

Contributing writer

Watch out for muggers

Sister Geri says

goodbye to Hurst

By Joshua Wilwhol

Editor-in-chief

Motorcycle gang takes Hurst

Vrrrooommm. The soundsof the motorcycles fly threwcampus.You can hear them a mile away,

but motorcyclists Jeff Allen andWill Swafford dont care theyre

hitting the open road.Swafford and Allen are only

two of the several students oncampus who enjoy the door-free

vehicles and the brush of airconstantly hitting their face.

Swafford said he has been rid-

ing for three years and has put

15,000 miles on his 2003 HondaZVR.

Allen recently bought his 2007Harley Davidson Sportster lastmonth.

Swafford said he bought his

motorcycle when he was in themilitary and had extra money.

He also noted he wanted toanger his girlfriend and mother,

which, he said, succeeded indoing so.Allen said he always wanted

to own a motorcycle since he was young, but never got onebecause he didnt have anyone

to ride with.Swafford said he enjoys riding

in Erie, Pa., despite the city roadsnot being great.

Its a good town to ride in withnice scenery, he said. If you go

15 miles outside of Erie, its farmcountry and a nice ride.Allen, however, said he prefers

the New York roads.The air is fresher in New York

than in Erie, he said.

Swafford said he rides 200miles at a time.

Swafford and Allen said theyhave many more roads to exploreacross the country and in Erie.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 2, 2007

5/14

CAMPUS

LivingTo contact: [email protected]

May 2, 2007 PAGE 5THE MERCIAD

Cookie recipesWith Meg

andKyle

I

ERI

Need some

energy for

fnals? Try

Brick House

coffeeBy Adam HicksContributing writer

Ingredients Equipment

Directions

Cookie Cake

One coupon per party per visit at participating unitsowned and operated by subsidiaries of Pizza Hut,Inc. Delivery charge may apply. Limited deliveryarea. Not valid with any other offer. 1/20 cent cashredemption value. 2007 Pizza Hut Inc.



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There are only two more weeksof school left, and by the end ofthe year, everyone wants to cel-ebrate, whether it be the comple-

tion of another year, graduation,winning an award or landing yourdream job.This recipe can be the center of

any great celebration party. This recipe came from my

mom, who has made this recipefor every celebration throughoutmy life.

It tastes delicious and can be

personalized by decorating eachcookie for an individual.The most important thing is to

get together with your friends atthe end of the year to celebrate allof the years accomplishments.

And who doesnt love a giantcookie to share with friends?

1 cup butter Large bowl

1 cup creamy peanut butter 2 pizza pans

1 cup sugar Wooden spoon

1 sup brown sugar Spatula

2 eggs Measuring cups

1 cup our

1 tsp. baking powder

tsp. salt

Photo courtesy of Kelly Logan

Mercyhurst Fashion Promo-tions class held its annual fash-ion show on Friday evening ina nearly sold-out Taylor Little

Theatre. Featuring both vintageand contemporary pieces, theshows title was A Walk fromthe Past. The show was a hit Friday

night, despite mild ticket salesearlier in the week, and numer-ous other events happening oncampus.

We were very surprised andpleased with the turnout, saidsenior Kate Ruemler, who wasin charge of admission. Approximately 30 student

models strutted down the make-shift runway to a mixture of mu-sic from previous decades. Themodels, both male and female,kept the audience entertained

with on-the-spot dances, andcheesy facial expressions. The show was split into sec-

tions, each dedicated to a differ-ent decade: the 1940s throughthe 1980s.

With the help of local retailers,including JCPenney, Urban Be-havior, New York & Company

and Classic Consignment, thevariety of outts was perfect toobtain the look and feel of lifefrom each decade.

Poodle skirts in the 50s, remi-niscent of Grease fame, tie-dyein the 60s and leggings in the 80sall came together to portray thehottest trends from the era.

Musical selections made theshow fun and energetic. Eachdecade was comprised of a col-laboration of tunes reminiscentof music of years past. Put oncompletely by the 14 students inthe class, the show was a success,especially for being put togetherin a short eight weeks.

We all had our own individual

responsibilities, and worked sohard to create a fun show, saidjunior Shelley Turk. It wasstressful, but it was worth it. Additional fashion majors

assisted backstage as dressers,keeping track of models outtsand line-up.

Proceeds from the show nearly $750 were going to bedonated to senior Megan Wells

and her family to help pay theburdensome post-surgical ex-penses after her fathers recent

lung transplant. Sadly, however,Megans father passed away onSaturday.

Instead, the Fashion Promo-tions class will donate the moneyto a cause close to Wells. Shehas said that she wants to set upa fund on campus to help otherstudents and families who arefacing similar situations.

Theres a need beyond myfather. I want to help otherfamilies who are going throughthe same thing, Wells said pre-

viously.Despite the sad news of her

father, the fashion departmentis pleased to donate its proceedsfrom the show to a good cause.

And, of course, fashion stu-dents are excited for next yearsshow, hoping it will be as excitingand successful as this years.

The show is a chance topresent our love of fashion tothe rest of campus, said Turk.Each year we hope it gets betterand better.

By Jen Gildea

Contributing writer

Fashion takes the runway

With so many corporatecoffee shops opening, it ishard to get a good cup ofcoffee these days. AlthoughStarbucks may offer a decentcup of joe the atmosphereis extremely lacking as thecorporate world hustles in andout of the premises.

In a constant quest tond the ideal coffee shop, I

followed a tip by graduatestudent Michael Mancinellito visit Brick House Coffee,located at 3741 W. 26th Street.

Owned and operated byJeff and Rebecca Weeks, thisestablishment is the perfectblending of fantastic coffeeand a relaxing atmospherethat every coffee connoisseurdreams of nding.The Brick House opened its

doors on April 4, 2005, whenJeff and Rebecca moved tothe location, and decided tobring coffee to Erie.The house itself, construct-

ed in the 1880s, was com-pletely renovated to completethe perfect atmosphere.

We are kind of our ownlook, describes Jeff. Withinthe house there are two roomsfor patrons to enjoy their bev-erages: the Bistro Room andthe Daily Grind.The Bistro Room is a com-

fortable coffee house styledroom with tables and chairsfor patrons to enjoy the tradi-tional atmosphere.The Daily Grind offers large

style club chairs, a book casefull of reading materials and atelevision. Both rooms offerfree WiFi for the more work-

oriented customers.In addition to the two

rooms, there is a porch thatwraps around the house forcustomers to enjoy the out-doors. Even after the shopcloses for the night, patronsare welcome to stay at theirleisure on the porch until pastmidnight, in some instances.

Here at Brick House, wepride ourselves on the qualityand avor of our drinks, Jeffproudly states.According to the owner, the

style of the coffee is similar to

Starbucks prior to it becominga chain franchise. Being a lo-cal business, the Brick Housecan focus on the customerand bring top quality coffee ata reasonable price.The shop offers mocha,

espresso, frappe, hot choco-late and chai tea in a varietyof avors. During the weekthere are soup and sandwichand salad specials. The soupsinclude such favorites as To-mato Pesto Orzo, Italian Sau-sage and Caribbean Chicken.All of the desserts are

homemade, and I strongly

recommend the brownie. It isa generous portion of brown-ie and cookie batter mixed

with caramel and chocolatechips and baked to create anincredible avor.

Brick House also sellsroasted beans to take home,along with mugs and t-shirts.

For anyone looking for afantastic cup of coffee or adelicious dessert, I stronglyrecommend a visit to theBrick House. The constantpatronage is a testament tothe success of this establish-

ment. According to ownerJeff, In the two years we havebeen open, there have beenno problems, the customersare always happy.The Brick House is open

Monday, Tuesday andWednesday from 6 a.m. to7 p.m., Thursday and Fridayfrom 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. andfrom 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. onSaturday.

For more information youcan access their website athttp://www.brickhousecoffee.net/.

Brick House Coffee on 3741 W. 26th Street.Photo contributed by Adam Hicks

1. Beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown

sugar together until they are light and uffy.

2. Add the eggs and mix well. Then add the our,baking soda, and salt and mix well into the batter.

3. Finally, stir in the oats and the M & Ms until theyare evenly distributed through the batter.

4. Spread the batter into the two pizza pans and

bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Above: Fashion Promotions

students, Leslie McAllister,

Shelley Turk, Jen Gildea,

Jimmy Mason, Meghan

Oxenreiter, Laura Pusateri,

advisor Amy Weaver-Kaulis,

Stepfanie Skinner, Jess

Shane, Stacey Laveen, Kate

Reumler, Sunita Mathur,

Kelly Wilson, Abbey Rowe

and Marissa Riccelli.

Right: Fashion models,

Katie Cahill, Kathy Teelak,

Caitlin Collins and Tamara

Putney get ready backstage

before the show.

Photo courtesy of Jen Gildea

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 2, 2007

6/14

CAMPUS

Living To contact: [email protected]

PAGE 6 May 2, 2007THE MERCIAD

Left, Senior

Jeremy Ivey at a

rowing regatta.

Photo contributed

by Jeremy Ivey

A b o v e , E l i s e

Yablonsky (right)

s i t s w i t h h e r

friend Leah

Zahner (left).

Photo contributed by Elise Yablonsky

Senior Zac Ufnar, history major.Photo contributed by Zac Ufnar

Senior Abby Brennan, HRIM major, will be moving to San Francisco this fall.

Photo contributed by Abby Brennan

Seniors:

Where areyou goingnext year?By Chelsea BootheCampus living editor

Every year Mercyhurst graduates men andwomen who go on to do fabulous and interest-ing jobs; yet, few Hurst students actually know

where the alumni go after school is out.This page offers a few examples of the widespectrum of opportunities and careers that thestudents of this institution are going into and thepeople they are becoming. Some seniors gradu-ate without any idea of what they are doing.Some people have short term plans, while othersknow exactly where they are going in their lives.

Following are four very different stories aboutjust a few people which we hope will give youa glimpse of both where the class of 2007 isheaded, and the future of this entire generation.These are the dreams of four classmates that

are now becoming a reality. In each story there isthe promise of youth and the excellence of fourhard years of work.Though it is not a sweeping biography of

every graduating senior it is meant to be a smallexample of a few.

ELISE YABLONSKYElise Yablonsky graduates with a degree inpolitical science, and she will be attending OhioState.At OSU, she will gain a dual degree in both city

and regional planning and public policy manage-ment within the Gleen School of Public Affairs.She has been offered a university fellowship thatcomes with full tuition, a stipend her rst year,and a paid internship with an organization inColumbus.Yablonskys story begins at home with her

father. I am my dads daughter.Mr. Yablonsky is a director of economic devel-

opment at a non-prot organization in down-town Cleveland, so Elise grew up under theseconditions.

However, she started out at Mercyhurst as apre-med major her freshman year. Then she

went to a speech by Thomas Hilton who dis-cussed redeveloping cities and communities andthe importance of civic involvement.As she listened, she realized that his topic was

exciting and impassioning, more so than her eldof study. So she switched majors.

Her graduate degrees offer her many differentoptions, but she is very interested in city renewaland urban affairs.Yablonsky said she plans to go back to Cleve-

land. They are trying to redevelop, and I want tobe a part of that.

She grew up in downtown Cleveland, and feelsthat her experience in this environment shapedher future.

A lot of people who live in an urban areadont see the urban part. Its not just somethingI like; its something I love.

In ve years she hopes to be in Cleveland atan entry to mid-level position in the city govern-ment planning department to help develop thedowntown area; however, she is open to non-prot organizations.Yablonskys love for her city and obvious intel-

ligence will aid her in helping Cleveland achievethe potential she sees in it.As guidance to those younger, Yablonsky said,

Be careful about taking peoples advice. Thereis no one path for everybody.ZAC UFNAR

Zac Ufnar graduates as a history major with aconcentration in social studies education.

Next year, before Ufnar joins the paid workforce, he will be giving a year of service throughthe LaSallian Volunteers which is run by theChristian Brothers.

His placement is in Tulsa, Okla., at the SanMiguel Middle School.

Ufnar says he is doing a year of servicebecause, I want to give back, and experienceanother way of livingsimply. It is also a goodtransition between college life and completeindependence.Also, while he may not be a paid teacher, he

will still be teaching social studies to middleschool.

Ufnar started at Mercyhurst as a political sci-ence major, but he decided he wanted to work

with kids, and also he learned to love education.He decided to put his two passions together andbecame a teacher.

Middle school students, while to the out-side world seem riddled with high amounts ofhormones and unwarranted drama, are the agegroup Ufnar feels called to serve.

He believes they need extra attention and agood deal of mentoring as well. Ufnar feels he is

able to address the needs of these students dur-ing this tumultuous time in their lives.The key, Ufnar says, is, having respect for the

kids. They want to be seen as adults, but alsokeeping them in check so they dont grow up toofast.When done with his year of service Ufnar

wants to teach English in foreign countries, buthe eventually would like to settle down in Pitts-burgh.

He said, I want to teach at private/charterschools that have the exibility to try new meth-ods of instruction and also attend to the growingneeds of students.

In ve years he hopes to be traveling and

teaching.His parting advice is, I hope for everyone tobe able to understand that education is some-thing that exists in and out of the classroom. Tolove it and appreciate it is something that willenhance your life.

Unfar leaves Mercyhurst to enhance the livesof young students all over the world. Althoughthis is a hefty challenge, he seems willing andready to step up to the bat.JEREMY IVEY

Jeremy Ivey graduates with a degree in sportsmedicine, and will be attending Smith College inMassachusetts.

It is a two-year program, and he will graduatewith a master of science in exercise and sportsstudies. The program focuses on preparingcoaches for intercollegiate teams. As such, dur-ing his rst year he will be the assistant coach

for the womens varsity rowing team, and duringhis second year he will be the head coach of thewomens novice rowing team.

As a rower at Mercyhurst, this is the idealposition for Ivey. He said, I love rowing. It isa huge passion of mine. I want to create a dif-ferent avenue of health promotion by using myknowledge of sports medicine to help coach.The program at Smith College ts him well,

and he feels it is the best option for him rightnow.While Smith is an all-girls undergraduate

school, their graduate program is coed.Smith is also a small liberal arts school, which

Ivey feels is very similar to Mercyhurst.Ivey found the program, and while he thought

it would be perfect for him, he felt it was a longshot. However, he said, I had so much supportfrom Mercyhurst.

He feels he was better prepared than many ap-plicants thanks to Bob Hvezda and Kyle Faust incareer services, who were very helpful. Also, hiscoaches, Adrian Spracklen and Anne Dinshah,prepared him by asking interview questions.Both allowed him to feel condent when he wentto Smith for his interviews.While Ivey is a native Newfoundlander, he

hopes to work some day in the States as an as-sistant coach in rowing and work his way up ata successful Division I college. However, he isopen to going back to Canada and working solelyin the eld of sports medicine.

His advice to the younger generations is, Justbecause this is your undergraduate degree, youshould still apply yourself, and give 100% ineverything you do. Also, you should create goodrelationships with the people in your department,because they offer help and support.

Ivey leaves the Hurst to help mold youngerathletes to be as competitive and successful as hisown career demonstrates that he was.ABBY BRENNAN

Abby Brennan graduates as a hotel, restaurant,

institutional management major.After surveying her many options on both theEast and West coasts, Brennan took a job as theSales CMT at the Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco.She will start by learning the job and will eventu-ally become the sales manager.A sales managers job is to plan and book

events at the Hyatt Hotel.Brennan started at Mercyhurst with a contract

major for wedding planning, but switched toHRIM because she was convinced that the skillsshe would learn in the major would help her as a

wedding planner.In high school when she was ying back from

Italy, she saw the movie Wedding Planner withJennifer Lopez and decided that she wanted toplan weddings as well.

Brennan has a love for visual things, and awedding is so beautiful.

While she really has an eye for wedding plan-ning, Brennan is not completely sure what shewants to do with the rest of her life.

However, what she does know is that she isinterested in sales. With this in mind, she irts

with the idea of real estate or perhaps opening acookie caf in San Francisco.

No matter which direction, she will eventuallygo, her start at the Hyatt Hotel will be a greatstep in the general direction of her future.

Brennan is an ambitious and bright woman,who has great ideas and has provided herselfwith the background to help achieve those goals.

As she parts, Brennan leaves the Hurst withthis advice, I came into school wanting to be a

wedding planer.I created my own way, so others shouldnt feel

constricted either.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 2, 2007

7/14

This article is one of the many lasts Ill be ex-periencing over the next three weeks. Im sad about

writing SportsCenter for the last time, although notas upset as Ill be after my last Wednesday nightat the Cor-n e r s t o n e .Regardless, I

want to thankeveryone forall the feed-back Ive re-ceived. Whileit was mostlypos i t ive , Ihave received some comments characterizingme as a manhater and a feminist. Interesting asthese accusations are, theyre false. Manhater? Letsbe honest here, Im just as critical of stupid womenas I am of stupid men. For every fault men have,

women have just as many. Guys, I feel bad thatyou have to deal with our mood swings and ourindecisive behavior. Im sorry that we lead you onsometimes and play hard-to-get. Just blame it onthe estrogenAs we walk across the stage to get our diplomas,

our eyes will inevitably fall on those individualsin the crowd whove shaped our past four years.Some of those faces will make us happy, some willmake us sad, and some might not even return ourglances. It is my hope, however, that as you lookout at the crowd at these select few, you have noregrets. We must appreciate all of our experienceshere, whether they were good or bad, and learnfrom our past as we move into our future.

If youre like me, youre anxious to see whereyour life will take you. This may be the rst timein our lives where knowledge of our future is so

uncertain. Where will we live in ve years? Whowill we be with? How many bad dates, blind datesor weddings will we have to sit through until itsour turn to nd The One?

As a child of the 80s, Im reminded of the seriesof books called, Choose Your Own Adventure,

where the reader had the opportunity to selectwhich path the main character would follow. Whatif wecould choose our own paths in life? Would

we make our lives as challenging as they are now,or would we choose the paths of least resistance?Presumably, wed choose the easy paths. Wed takeour supposed dream job, wed never lose lovedones and wed marry our rst loves.

But where would we end up down the road? Wedlikely be miserable and wondering about all thosepaths we didnt take. I dont think that everyoneknows whats best for him or her, but thats wherefate comes into knock us around a little bit.Fate makes things hard for a reason; hardships andbreakups give us character. And no matter how hardit may seem at the time, I truly believe that thesethings happen for a reason. When it comes down toit, I dont think anyone truly wants to know exactly

where their life will take them. Perhaps its best ifwe just sit back, enjoy the ride, and not worry somuch about the future.As I sign off on what has become a controver-

sial, yet fun little column let me leave you with myfavorite quote: I wanted a perfect ending. NowIve learned, the hard way, that some poems dontrhyme, and some stories dont have a clear begin-ning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing,having to change, taking the moment and makingthe best of it, without knowing whats going tohappen next. Delicious ambiguity.

With May upon us, wedding bells will be ringing

since the month is a popular time for weddings,along with October, falling in at close second. Asfriends approach graduation and the next phase oftheir lives, they have chosen paths such as graduateschool, AmeriC o r p s o rPeace Corps,service proj-ects and be-ginning onthe c a re e rpath for post-g radua t ionperiod. How-ever, quite afew people graduating this year have chosen thepath of marriage. My own family members havechosen this route in combination with a career andother decisions.

As a female, with various options available to women now for post-bachelor education, I amproud to see so many people pursuing a varietyof paths. However, when I hear of people myown age planning weddings for months soon aftergraduation, I am somewhat caught off guard in myresponse. A maturing person in his or her twentiesis probably the most neglected demographic. Yes,the teenage years can be dramatic and college is atime between growing up and your teenage years,but I cannot help but feel overwhelmed in the ag-ing process. Post-graduation time holds so many

opportunities. Still, in the rst 20 years of life, I

cannot help but view my peers still as teenagers, andsome still as kids. Marriage is something adults do,along with jobs and mortgages and taxes.

It is hard to view my age group as adults, whichincludes added responsibility and overall require-ments to grow up, in contrast to my 10- and11-year-old cousins, who send text messages ande-mails explaining their wants to be in college andfreedom from parents. I cannot help but tell themto halt all desire to grow up, hold onto the timeyou have left to enjoy three months off in thesummer and not have to worry about GRE andLSAT scores. Enjoy your youth, as there is lots oftime to work and be an adult.While reminiscing of childhood as something to

be cherished, we must hold onto the time we haveat present and pursue it with every ambition andeffort, as we would in a pick up game of socceror whife ball.

Marriage is one of the steps in life that screamsresponsibility at the top of its lungs. Not only is aperson committed to oneself, there is now anotherbeing to whom you are legally bound. Whether it isthe commitment or the events that commonly fol-low, such as family and house payments, the choiceof marriage seems a bit extreme at such an earlyage. However, nothing in this life is permanent;tattoos can be removed, marriages annulled andcareers can be changed mid-life. Whatever pathyou decide to lead, just make sure you are happyin the process.

OPINIONMay 2, 2007 THE MERCIAD PAGE 7


MERCIADJoshua Wilwohl Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

Jessica Kocent News Editor [email protected]

Chelsea Boothe Campus Life Editor [email protected]

Allison Moore Opinion Editor [email protected]

Ryan Palm & Matt Jackson Sports Editors [email protected]

Melissa Brandt A&E Editor [email protected]

Andrew Finkel Photographer [email protected] Diley Production Editor [email protected]

Melissa Brandt Advertising Manager [email protected]

Noelle Lelakus Copy Editor [email protected]

The Merciad is the student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. It is

published throughout the school year, with the exception of midterms week

and nals week. Our ofce is in the Old Main, Room 314. Our telephone

number is 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 t. Letters are due the

Thursday before publication and may not be longer than 300 words. Submit

letters to box PH 485.

The

The Good, the Bad, & the UglyThe Good

Congratulations Class of 2007. Since this is our last issue, we wish you success and happiness.

The Bad

Spring has sprung and so has maintenances muddy, fertilizer mess. Not only is this unpleasingto the eye, but it makes walking to class a messy endeavor as well. No, that smell in class isnt thetrash, its your shoes.

The Ugly

The earthworm blanket on the sidewalks is disgusting. Though the weather is nicer, the earth-worms are not. Watch your step.

Contributing writer

EllenKoenig

Wedding bells and whife ball

I feel like SportsCenter for women is oftenright about the dating scene and is a well-writtencolumn. However, it usually contradicts itself.

One week SportCenter for women is telling us,as guys, to be nice and respectful and the next weekit talks about wanting a muscular cocky guy. Whenis the columnist going to make up her mind? One

week she is excited to meet someone new, the nextweek she delights in saying good-bye. Maybe thelargest underlying factor for those who read (and

write) SportsCenter for women is having someconsistency in what you desire in a man and Mr.Right will walk in to your life. Maybe women onthis campus should stop making analyses of menand just be happy and roll with the moment athand. Maybe then the 180s or the end of cloud nine

would never happen. I am by no means a romantic,but it is time to just make a decision.As I approach the end of my junior year at Mer-

cyhurst, there are some observations that I havemade. If you do not play football, hockey, wrestling,etc., it seems like you are at a disadvantage. If youdo not have a crusty pair of sweat pants or dirtyshirt that almost every girl on campus seems tohave that states team member she is dating, you

are a nil.Why is it that those focused on academics and

other extracurricular activities are nonentities onthis campus? I think it is time for the females toreevaluate their criteria for dating. Why is that superjocks who wear Nike shorts with ip ops whenit is snowing have better chances than me when I

will be 10 times more successful than most of thefuture gym teachers of America?The second observation is that this schools dat-

ing scene consists of the chase. You either are thechaser or someone else is chasing you. When willthis ever end? Man-up and end the games of stupidaway messages, or the jealousy games at the bar,and just tell the one you are chasing you like them.

Also, everyone focuses on the future with dating.Most girls on this campus ask where a man will bein a year after knowing him for two weeks. Just stopit, you are in college; live for the day.

If you enjoy someones companionship today, itis likely that you will continue to in a week, monthand so on. If it ends because of circumstances suchas gradation or summer breaks, then so be it. Butyou will never know if you dont try because you

were too afraid of being hurt. Just because whatyou build could be destroyed overnight, you mightas well build anyway.

Response to SportsCenter, the male perspective

SportsCenter for women:Delicious Ambiguity

Contributing writer

JessicaLamb

By Bill SwaffordContributing writer

When I rst agreed to participate in the This IBelieve series, I wasnt really sure what I was goingto write about.

Throughout my life, and especially during myfour years at Mercyhurst, my belief systems haveevolved as I was exposed to new surroundingsand new ways of thinking. A few ideas and draftslater, I still found myself searching for the righttopic. Little did I know I would nd it where Ileast expected.

Last week, my great aunt passed away from can-cer. As I sat there during the funeral Mass, I listenedto the priest deliver a touching sermon highlightingthe amazing aspects of my aunts life.

Pointing to the casket, he posed the question,What are people going to be saying about us

when we get here? In the end, isnt that what lifesall about?

He went on to talk about how as humans we oftenlose sight of the little things in life. We spend ourtime dreaming of opportunities to make big im-pacts, and while being a positive force on a grand

scale isnt necessarily a bad thing, we usually neglectthe little impacts that, in the end, can truly shapethe legacy one leaves here on Earth.

In our fast paced, individualistic lives, it is easy tobecome wrapped up in yourself; it is easy to createyour own little self-interested universe where yourneeds and wants are put above all else.

Unfortunately, this is how most people live theirlives, and while they may not realize it, our societyactually perpetuates and encourages self-absorp-tion.

So as I sat there listening to the priest speak Ireally gave his question serious thought. What willpeople have to say about me when Im gone?

Listening to loved ones recall fond memories ofmy aunt, it became clear that she never neglectedthe little things. She would never forget a birthday,anniversary, holiday or special occasion. She wouldgo out of her way to ask you how you were doing,

make you feel important and, in true Italian form,would never let you leave hungr y.

With tears welling up in my eyes, I looked aroundto see all those who would miss her and realizedthat they were mourning these small gestures. Myaunt never cured a disease, ended a war or stoppeda famine, although she cooked enough to probablydo that. She was a simple beautician and housewife

who, through a genuine effort, brought joy to ev-eryone who knew her.Then it hit me: I believe in the power of little

gestures.

Throughout my life Ive tried to make a positiveinuence on those around me, but like many others,I have found it is often difcult to take a step backfrom your own life and problems. But the beautyof little gestures is that one can easily adopt them

without having to restructure their entire life.Its as simple as asking someone how they are,

smiling at a stranger, sending a card, saying thankyou, cheering up a friend, calling your parents orletting someone know you love them. Sure there arebig problems in this world that need addressed.

But think of the immediate improvementsthat would come from no longer neglect-ing the little gestures. So go ahead . . . af-ter all, how do you want to be remembered?Allison Moore is a senior political science major with a minorin history. In the fall she will begin work on her mastersdegree in Political Management at George WashingtonUniversity and hopes to have a career in government.

Allison Moore: Little gestures

DearMerciadEditorial Staff,

In the last edition of theMerciadin the Opinionsection, you noted that a lot of complaints havebeen heard from students regarding online votingfor MSG (supposedly, many students were notable to vote).

Since I was the person in charge of these repre-sentative elections, and put a lot of effort in makingsure that everything ran smoothly, I felt obligatedto provide an explanation to Mercyhurst students.First of all, I would like to state that online votingactually increased the voter turnout four timescompared to regular ballot voting.The problem occurred, for some students not

being able to vote, because a certain number ofstudents simply have more credits than their class-mates. MSG gets the voter lists from RegistrarsOfce, which places students by the number ofcredits, not the year they entered school or g radu-ation date. So, for example, if a student has creditsto be a senior but this is his/her third year, he/she

will not be able to vote for the candidates from thejunior year, because this student would be placedin the senior voter list.

I was aware that this problem existed, even whenMSG did not provide online voting. For that reason,I put my name, e-mail address and phone numberboth on the MSG Website and voting Website, tell-ing students to contact me if they have problems

voting. I checked for messages ten times a dayduring the elections period, just to make sure thateveryone could vote. Twenty-ve students con-tacted me and I checked their detailed class status,put those students manually in the software, andthen called them back to let them know that they

would be able to vote. I would also like to add thatthis problem did not happen during executive boardelections, because everyone can vote during thoseelections since that election does not go by class.The only way this problem would be solved is

that if I, a month before representative elections,go through every single student from freshmento junior class (approximately 2,100 students) andcheck manually, one by one, if they have morecredits than their class and place them appropriatelyon their respective class ballot.

I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience, es-pecially to the students that may face this problem,and I promise I will do my best to nd a solution

in the future. Also, I would like to recommend toany student who has voting concerns or campusissues in general to feel free to contact me or anyother executive board members.

Sincerely,

Mihailo Jovanovic MixaMSG Vice President

Letter to the editor:

This I Believe continued...

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OPINIONPAGE 8 THE MERCIAD May 2, 2007


this i believe

Chelsea Boothe: Save the worldI believe that everyone has a responsibility to

save the world.Over Easter break I held my new nephew, slowly

rocking him to sleep, and as I looked at his sweet,

innocent face, the delicate ngers wrapped aroundmine, all I wanted to do was to nd a way to shield

him from the pain of the world. I want him to livein a world without war, pollution, abortion clinic

bombings, hate rallies, children running around

with AK-47s or holy men and women being killedfor what they believe.

I believe that it is not acceptable to wait forsomeone else to make the changes that are neces-

sary to provide a better world for those who areyet to come. We have a responsibility to both the

very young and the unborn.All too often, it is easier to say that our own

personal problems and worries are too consuming

to worry about the pain that goes on around us.But, I believe that it is because of this ego-cen-tered viewpoint that we allow so much hate and

discrimination. I am well aware that there are manydistractions in our daily lives. Some of us are eco-

nomically poor and have to worry about bills andthe rising price of gas. Others have ailing parentsand friends in Iraq, and are totally consumed by

worrying about their specic lives.

As important as each of those worries are, as Ilistened to my nephew breathe in and out, I real -ized he may be called some day to ght in the waron terrorism, because it isnt going to end any timesoon if we, the American people, dont do anythingabout it. He may have to live in a world where there

is not enough fresh water even in America, becauseour political leaders arent doing enough to helpght the national and global pollution problem.

There are many scenarios in which I believe he

may have to live, but I also believe that each of us,

especially the well-educated, have the responsibilityto make sure that he doesnt have to.

In March, I asked Bishop Gumbleton, a world-renowned promoter of peace and justice, how one

person can make a difference and change the world.His reply was to go into downtown Erie and servethe poor, stop buying clothes made by children in

sweatshops and to essentially change my lifestyle.It is not enough to simply wish for a better world,

and it is not enough to wait for others to create a

better world. I believe that it is essential to be the

change.The Buddhists are right in their philosophy thatwe are all connected. Your suffering is not uniqueto you, and the African woman with AIDS does

not suffer alone either. We all suffer together, andby realizing this we should begin to help stop thesuffering. It is not enough to end our own suffer-ing; we must work for an end to everyones.

Chelsea Boothe is a Senior History Major, with Minorsin Creative Writing and Religious Studies. Chelsea will bedoing a year of service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corpsin Raleigh, North Carolina.

Adam Hicks: With a little helpOh, I get by with a little help from my friends-The Beatles-I believe that the most vital aspect to an individ-

uals success is the support of a mentor. Life is adifcult journey full of invisible twists and turnsand individuals require assistance, whether from

friends or family, in completing their passage. When I was in middle school, I transferred

to three different schools. The experience wasexciting at rst, until I realized that my previous

friends were gone. The feeling of being a socialoutcast, simply for not attending the school in

years past, was extremely painful. It was during

this time that I rst reached out to my family formore than just advice on my homework. In thisperiod I learned a vital lesson, no matter how young

or old, each person has wisdom to offer.From my father, Michael, I learned the value of

seless hard work and dedication in every task Itake. From my mother, Sheila, I learned to care,and more importantly to verbalize that support

to others. My brother, Kyle, changed my life witha simple question, Why do you only care what

other people think about you? You need to caremore about how you see yourself. Finally, myyounger sister Paige showed me the everlastingdepths of courage that each individual retains intheir heart. Through her life- long battle with her

Juvenile Arthritis, a crippling disease, she continuesto smile and face every day with unfaltering opti -mism. Family members are a shining example ofmentors: they are there to offer a kind word or a

helping hand, and theyremain your closest friendseven when others are gone.In college, with the majority of students far

from home, friends and teachers form the base ofmentors. I remember moving in my freshmen year,alone and nervous of the social interactions, but I

was immediately welcomed by the other residentsof third oor McAuley Hall. To this day, four yearslater, many of us still live together and remain inclose contact, supporting each other though thedifcult timesserving as mutual mentors.

The knowledge that another individual cares is

extremely powerful; it can mean the differencebetween studying for the next exam or droppingout of school completely. It can also mean the

difference between life and death. A mentor of-fering care and support may have, given a student

new hope, possibly preventing a horrible tragedylike what recently occurred on the Virginia Techcampus. In experiencing the pain of being sociallyostracized rst hand, I believe that such drastic

measures are a desperate cry for a helping hand.

The violent actions are a call for help, a plea for amentor, for anybody, to reach out with a kind word

or an act of compassion.Therefore, I challenge the reader, be it a coach,

student, teacher, administrator or even family mem-ber, to reach out to those on the social fringe and

positively acknowledge them. Becoming a mentordoes not require more than a minute of your time;it is as simple as saying hello, and may have a

resounding reaction in the life of another. I ampersonally in debt to the strong support of mentorsthroughout my life. I only wish that through this

essay their message of hope and positive reinforce-ment persists. What lies behind us and what lies

before us are small matters compared to what liesin us. Ralph Waldo EmersonAdam Hicks is a Senior Intelligence Studies Major, with

Minors in Russian Studies and Religious Studies. He hassecured a position with Northup Grumman and will beginworking in Northern Virginia in July.

Hope Randall: The real worldI just found out theres no such thing as the

real world.Just a lie youve got to rise above.

Who would have thought John Mayer lyrics would

be my personal mantra for the months precedinggraduation? But I happen to believe them.Most of us have been hearing about the real

world of responsibility all our lives. My personal

experience is, I believe, fairly typical.In kindergarten, I was told that rst grade was se-

rious business. No more group tables or snack time;

it was a world of solitary desks and independence,and the description frightened me to death.

In fourth grade, the transition to the dog-eat-dog

world of middle school may as well have been arite of passage to adulthood. Teachers, we were

warned, would no longer hold our hands throughour homework or tolerate any petty excuses.

Then there was high school, the eld of prepara -tion for that ultimate real world known as college.

A new atmosphere away from home, preparationfor a specic career and the harrowing experienceof doing our own laundry, certainly seemed like

elements of the real world if a checklist ever ex-isted. And yet, we each found our own comfortableroutine in this new place.The mystique surrounding college vanished when

we learned proper study habits (or rebelled against

them), made friends, gured out how to keep ourshirts the same size before and after laundry day.Most of us have wondered along the way if per-haps college isnt the terrifying real world it wascracked up to be.

This realization brings me and the rest of thisyears seniors to this moment in time, to the lasttrimester before our entrance into the real

world? Ive grown skeptical of the concept.

Why frighten us about the pressures of the realworld instead of encouraging us to shape our worldmoment by moment? Clearly, the real worlds of

elementary school, middle school, high school andcollege were not as formidable as some would haveus believe. We have pieced together the puzzle stepby step, and there is no reason that our future ap-proach need be any different.

I believe faith and optimism are far more effectivemotivators than fear and doubt. We should teach

the upcoming generation to embrace the future inhope, instead of frightening them into timidity. Our

lives are not some preparation for a cataclysmicreal world moment, but a journey of growth.

The real world is, after all, what we make of it,and we have proven thus far that we have what ittakes. Seniors, I believe we can look ahead with con-dence to making the real world a place worthy

of pride. Embrace that world thatyouchoose toconstruct with your lives. Carpe Diem.

Hope Randall is a senior English major who hopes toattend graduate school and pursue work in the museumeld.

Graduating Seniors

I believe in taking your time. Weve all been guilty of pouting inline as the person in front of us debates whether they want a doubleshot of espresso or the coconut soy chai to jump start the day. More

often than not, its seems like the faster we want to go, the longer thatperson takes to decide, the more our anxiety grows and the less weare able to think about anything other than this perceived mini-crisis.

All to often were unable to see anxieties that weve created and totake the time to notice everything weve been missing.

I can recall a summer about two years ago in which I had beenworking particularly long shifts as a bus boy and kitchen worker. Ihad fallen into a banal routine that consisted of mostly eating, sleep-ing and working. So, when I saw that I nally had gotten a long

weekend off from work, my father and I decided that wed take a

few days to rejuvenate ourselves by heading into the wilderness for

some camping, hiking and rafting.Our rst day was dedicated to white-water rafting. Since it was only

my father and I, we were paired with a family. I should note thatthe father of this family was quite serious about his rafting. As myfather and I soon found this out, he had designated himself captainof our boat and shouted things like Pull! Right my right! Just

let me do it!Wed spent the day paddling hard and making our way around

some challenging rapids, so by the last hour of our journey down

the river we had grown quite exhausted. As we came near the endof our route, there remained one last obstacle in the river a hugeboulder shaped like a spike set directly in the middle of the river.Our captain frantically shouted orders, Go left! No, right! As Ipanicked, looking at the boulder in front of us, I stopped, attempt-

ing to compose myself, and I saw an image that I will never forget.I looked at the boulder and followed its sharp tip into the sky as ifit was pointing to the huge mountains straight ahead that seeminglydevoured the river that ran through them.We passed the boulder, with no real assistance of the captain. In

fact, amidst the confusion on the boat, as we all let go, the rivernaturally took us past the boulder without incident.After we passed that point in the river I asked, Did anyone else

see that?The Captain replied, Of course, we almost hit the damn thing!

The Captain in all of us is often too concerned with controlling thedirection of our own hypothetical boats when in fact letting go is all we

need to move on. We all have boulders in our lives that seem so daunt-ing and overwhelming that we cant see what lies beyond them, but

when we let go and take the time to notice whats around us, werealize everything weve been missing.

Jason Sepac is a senior double major in English and Religious Studies. He willbegin his graduate work in English Literature in the fall at Boston College and hopesto eventually earn his Ph.D. and to teach at the college level.

Jason Sepac: Take your time

Richard Sadlier: Believe it allI believe in everything. Myths, monsters, legends,

truth, ction theyre commonplace in my everydaylife as much as they are staples of my imagination.I feel as though I can see this world, this existence

we are enduring, from every angle.When I began my college career, now almost four

years ago, I remember with uncanny clarity the

sensation that I stood on a ledge. The task aheadof me would prove a dening time in my life, both

simply as a mammal leaving the familiarity andsafety of his pack, but also as a quar ter-life tabula

rasa, my mind wide open to new knowledge andexperiences. And I truly believed that by the timeI graduated, not only would I know what I wantedout of life, but I would know exactly where I stoodon all of lifes issues.

By the winter of my rst year, not only was I no

closer to enlightenment, most of the space on myblank slate was quickly being lled with questions,

not answers.The subsequent year was exactly the same. Every

corner of consciousness that I examined, expectingto nd some conveniently shaped piece of informa-tion that would t perfectly into the hollow quartersof my character, either wasnt the right shape orbelonged to a different puzzle completely.

Finally, my frustration at the imposing quantityand varying nature of knowledge itself peaked,and I decided to take a stand. If I couldnt decide

where I stood on religion, politics, ethics, morality,

even literary theory, I wouldnt decide at all. Andfor a considerable amount of time, this is where Ifound myself a nihilist, alone on a very large and

very frightening sea. I became one of the intel-lectually homeless, too proud to accept the charity

of competing beliefs.Throughout this time, I never displayed any

outward hostility toward people who enjoyed somestability in their views. On the contrary, I wouldoften nd myself envious of their conviction andability to throw themselves so selessly head-rst

into a belief system that was ultimately uncertain.I envied equally the Catholics and the Muslims,the Modernists and Post-Modernists, Stoics and

Hedonists, Republicans and Democrats.One day, while reading Nietzsche (more speci-

cally a work of his describing the ctional natureof most of humanitys most cherished institutions

and ideas), I slowly became aware of having madea tremendous mistake. I t is a strange sensation, to

be inspired toward faith by the man who wrote,God is dead.

But, at that moment, I realized just as I hadmonths before there is no absolute truth. This

time, instead of abandoning millennia of knowl-edge, study and the glory of human imagination, Idecided to do something equally drastic embrace

all of it.If I couldnt gure out one single truth, why

not have four or ve? Which raises the question:should faith be exclusive? Is my commitment anyless sincere or meaningful if I chose to read the

Wall Street Journaland The Nation?Am I less of a liberal if I nd myself relating

with a conservative? My answer, of course, is acondent yes . . . and no.

Richard Sadlier is a senior English major. After graduation

he intends to pursue his passion of music and art. Eventuallyhe plans to pursue graduate work in English. But for now, itsa life of simplicity and travel.

Mercyhursts Ethical Reection Committee has initiated this series to encourage reection within the entire college commu-nity on the values by which we live. We hope that these will inspire reective discussion in a variety of venues. We suggest

that faculty introduce appropriate essays into class discussion; we encourage students to bring these thoughts to classes; weinvite administrators and staff to explore these in department meetings. Or, if you wish, you may respond directly to ourcommittee chair, the Rev. Lyta Seddig: [email protected]. The ERC also requests that you let us know how youhave used these thoughts in your life on this campus. This I Believe is now linked to the college Website. All essays canbe found at www.mercyhurst.edu/ne/special-events/believe_essays/index.php.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, May 2, 2007

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In a world where the nightlynews is constantly filled withharrowing tales of violence anddisaster, most of us turn to en-

tertainment for a pick-me-up andto sometimes get away from thedaily grind.

Being commonly compared tobands such as Queen and Scissor

Sisters, UK act Mika seems to llthis role perfectly.

Born in Lebanon, he moved with his Lebanese mother andAmerican father to Paris at agenine.

Constant bullying and other

incidents such as his father beingtaken hostage at Kuwaits Ameri-

can Embassy affected Mika (bornMichael Holbrook Penniman) somuch that he stopped talking and

was pulled out of school for six

months.During this time music becamehis life, and he started taking

voice lessons.He began studying with the

Royal Opera House, but eventu-ally dropped out to concentrateall his energy on pop music,inspired by numerous artists,including Prince. Although his debut album,

Life in Cartoon Motion, which

includes the hit single GraceKelly, was released back inFebruary, I was just recentlyintroduced to it by a fellowMer-ciadwriter and music buff in herown right.

This is denitely pop music,but like bands such as Cartel,

Mika is pop music done right.Not to say that the two sound

similar, they just know how tomake enjoyable, up

The Merciad, May 2, 2007

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