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NEWSPage 2 October 31, 2012

Monday, Oct. 22

Criminal mischief

3807 Briggs Ave.

Closed

Monday, Oct. 22

Larceny

Warde HallClosed

Wednesday, Oct. 24

Possession of controlled substance

Lot #2

Referred for discipline

Mercyhurst

University

Police & Safety

Police Log

Thursday, Oct. 25

Larceny

Bike rack at Rec CenterClosed

Saturday, Oct. 27

Liquor law violation

McAuley Hall

Referred for discipline

Saturday, Oct. 27

Criminal mischiefLot #15

Closed

Sunday, Oct. 28

Deant trespasser

Lot #8

Criminal charges led

Sunday, Oct. 28

Liquor law violationMcAuley Hall

Referred for discipline

Sunday, Oct. 28

Controlled substance

3829 Lewis Ave.

Res-life incident

Mercyhurst introducesfirst doctoral program

After 22 years in the making, Mer-cyhurst will now offer a doctoral pro-gram in anthropology, which will makeit the first small school in Pennsylvaniato do so.

Director of the Mercyhurst Archae-ological Institute James Adovasio,Ph.D., the director of the Mercyhurst

Archaeological Institute, has beenworking to make a doctoral programat Mercyhurst since he began workinghere in June of 1990.

The program will consist of three

tracks, archaeology, geoarchaeologyand forensic anthropology. Each trackwill admit two students per year, total-ing six students all together.

The proposal for the doctoraldegree program does not requireadditional faculty, funds or resourcesbecause Mercyhurst is fully equippedto handle such a disciplined program.

The department is very wellfunded and we envision no need foradditional funding, said Adovasio.We are extraordinarily well equipped

and well supported both internally andexternally.

The Archaeological Institute hasgrown at Mercyhurst since its cre-

ation.The program has grown to become

what is widely regarded as the finest ofits kind in any small to medium-sizedcollege or university in North America.Our laboratories are widely regarded asthe finest in any school of any size inNorth America, Adovasio said.

The doctoral program at Mercy-hurst will allow students to do high-end research in a small environmentthat allows them to have more one-on-one time with professors and equip-ment.

Perhaps the most exciting ele-ment of the new program will bethe presence of a small number ofhigh level doctoral candidates, said

Adovasio. Such students add tothe intellectual excitement of anydepartment, school or universityand add a stimulating dimension tothe intellectual life of their fellowmasters degree and undergraduatestudents.

If Mercyhurst finds success in thisdoctoral program, there is hope that

more programs will come from it. Thisprogram is also a way to welcome inthe Year of the University by show-ing that Mercyhurst, a small school,

can achieve big things.The creation of a Ph.D., program

in the liberal arts has been under dis-cussion for more than three years,said Adovasio. It represents anotherunique aspect of Mercyhurst Univer-sity by which it can be distinguishedfrom other such institutions in north-

western Pennsylvania, specifically, andthe tri-state area, generally.

The department is ready and theschool is supporting the new pro-gram.

Theres a sense when Mercyhurst

does something, we do it all the way.We already have an international rep-utation in anthropology and archaeol-ogy and this new degree program willserve to further expand that, Presi-dent Thomas Gamble, Ph.D., said.

A program application has beensubmitted to Middle States Com-mission on Higher Education forapproval. The program will begintaking applications in fall 2013.

By Caitlin MacBrideStaff writer

The Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute will offer Mercyhursts first doctoral program, which has been

in the works for 22 years.

Zach Dorsch photo

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Page 3October 31, 2012 NEWS

Intel professor recognized for game-based learning

Associate Professor of intelligencestudies Kristan Wheaton, J.D., hasacted as a pioneer in game-based learn-ing, especially in regard to IntelligenceStudies.

Wheatons advocacy of gamingskills has put the Institute of Intelli-gence Studies at Mercyhurst Universityon the pages of USA Today, featuredhim (Wheaton) as a subject-matterexpert in notable academic publica-

tions, and allowed Mercyhurst to beranked in the nations 10 best collegesfor game-based learning by bestcol-legesonline.com.

This has hit a chord with students.I personally like games in the

classroom, especially during reviewsessions. It helps refresh the mate-rial in my mind and reinforce so thatI remember it better. Games are alsomuch more interactive than the typicallecture, and often times are hands on,

which is what I really like, freshmanChuck Robinson said.

In his Strategic Intelligence class,Wheaton likes to incorporate well-

known games, such as Clue andWorld of Warcraft, because they takestrategy and make you think.

He also uses Defiant Russia, aboard game based on the 1941 German

attack on the Soviet Union, and theonline musical puzzle, Auditorium.

Wheaton emphasized that he is notthe first professor to use game-basedlearning.

Some professors might not use itto the extent that I do, but Im surethere are others on campus using

games of some sort, he saidHe offers the game-based learning

as a part of a voluntary game lab stu-dents are welcome to participate in.

The lab has become pretty pop-ular, said Wheaton. The fewest

weve had is four; the most, 20. Id saywe average around 10 to 15 studentsweekly.

Although his research is incomplete,Wheaton said the introduction of gamesappears to have strengthened his stu-dents critical thinking skills, expandedtheir ways of thinking about intelligenceproblems and helped them to discoverbetter solutions to problems.

If the end-game is to elevate the qual-ity of students work and produce better

and more confident analysts, Wheatonfigures hes on the winning track.

Wheaton has presented his aca-demic approach to gaming at theGlobal Intelligence Forum in Dun-garvan, Ireland, the Game EducationSummit at the University of SouthernCalifornia and most recently, a presen-tation on The Five Myths of Game-based Learning at the American

Association of University Professorsannual conference in Washington, D.C.

Wheaton is also the author of a pop-ular blog among intelligence profes-

sionals, Sources & Methods at http://sourcesandmethods.blogspot.com.

By Jaslyne Halter

Staff writer

Congressional candidatespeaks at Mercyhurst

Democratic U.S. CongressionalCandidate Missa Eaton spoke atMercyhurst University in the MercyHeritage room on Tuesday, Oct. 23.

The town hall format discussion was

sponsored by the Center for AppliedPolitics. Eaton is running for a seatin Pennsylvanians third congressionaldistrict, in which Erie and six other

counties are located.

Eaton started off the evening withher personal history. She discussedhow she went from retail to real

estate, even owning her own cosmet-ics business. She eventually went backto school and entered the education

field, where she has spent her last 15years, eight of which as an Assistant

Professor of Psychology at Penn StateShenango.

She said she believes that this wide

range of experiences would make her a

great representative of Pennsylvaniasthird district.

Im not just sitting in an ivory tow-erI feel like Ive been where a major-ity of the district has been, Eaton

said.

She said she went through collegeas a single mother and lost her home,

along with 1,200 others in her county,

in just that month.

She also talked about her modest

roots, that her father worked in a meatpacking plant before going off to servein Vietnam and that her mother was a

secretary.

Eaton then gave a brief overviewof her running platform. She is aself described centrist Democrat. She

would like to invest in all levels ofeducation because, as she said, everydollar we invest in our educationcomes back eight or nine times.

She would like to protect seniors andveterans to support things like social

security and Medicare. She believesin sustainable energy and affordable

access to health care.

When Eaton was asked about the

biggest difference between herself

and the incumbent Congressman MikeKelley, she responded with, I think

we need to have fair taxation, and Ibelieve he thinks we need to have notaxation.

When asked on how he believed theevent went, Brian Ripley, Ph.D., a Mer-

cyhurst political science professor said,I think its great for students to havethe opportunity to meet these people

and ask questions. I think its great to

have these events and we have to havemore in the future.

Mercyhurst Center for Applied Pol-itics (MCAP) extended the same initi-ation to speak to Representative MikeKelley, but he was unable to make it

due to scheduling constraints. MCAPis non-partisan and does not endorse

any candidate.

By Mark VidunasStaff writer

Kristan Wheaton, Ph.D., advocates using gaming skills for his classes in the Institute of Intelligence

Studies.

Kyle Briggs photo

Know of someone atMercyhurst who deserves

recognition? Now they can bewith Laker of the Month.

Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG)

and the Merciad ask students, faculty and

staff to nominate an outstanding student

who deserves recognition.

MSG members and the Merciad staff are

exempt from being nominated.

Send nominations to

lakerofthemonth@lakers.mercyhurst.edu

with a brief summary of why that person

deserves the award.

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NEWS October 31, 2012Page 4

News Briefs

Woodward event postponed

Due to Hurricane Sandy, award-winning journalist Bob Woodwardwas unable to leave Washington, D.C. for the event at Mercyhurst onMonday, Oct. 29.

Mercyhurst University President Thomas Gamble, Ph.D. appointedInstructor of Communications Brian Sheridan to reschedule theevent. Sheridan is coordinating with the Washington Speakers Bureauto reschedule the event at a time that is best for Woodward and Mer-cyhurst.

Those with tickets should hold them. Tickets will be honored at

the rescheduled event.

Students encouraged to complete survey

Full-time undergraduate students at Mercyhursts Erie and NorthEast campuses are asked to complete the online National CollegeHealth Assessment survey.

Executive Director of Wellness and Director of Health andCounseling Centers Judy Smith, Ph.D., encourages students to take 15minutes to complete the survey.

Smith explains that the survey is part of a well-known nationalsurvey by the American College Health Association. The data gath-

ered will help provide understanding on a national and college levelof what students are experiencing.

Its your health, get your voice out there, Smith said.The link to the survey can be found in an email sent out to stu-

dents and should be completed before Wednesday, Nov. 7.Responses in the survey are anonymous, but students that complete

the survey may be randomly selected for a variety of prizes.For more information about the survey, contact Smith at (814)

824-2037.

Women file complaints with universityfollowing Merciad story on sexual coercion

Two women have filed complaints with Mercyhurst Universityofficials following the Wednesday, Oct. 24, story When she says noand he says yes.

The two students took the action with the universitys Title IXenforcement office. University officials are now conducting a fullinvestigation into the matter.

If you have been a victim of sexual violence or sexual coercion, oreven if you suspect you may have been, there are several people you

can see for advice or to make a report.Contacts include: Erie Police Department, (814) 870-1125; yourRA; Police & Safety, (814) 824-2304; Title IX Coordinator attorneyMeredith Bollheimer, (814) 824-3363; Title IX Deputy CoordinatorTina Fryling, (814) 824-2352 and the Counseling Center, (814) 824-3650. A counselor is always on call even when the Counseling Centeris closed.

Conference examines

womens quality of life

The Womens Roundtable will behosting the 3rd Erie Conference onthe Status of Women Saturday, Nov.3, 2012.

The conference will run from 8:30

a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will be held at theHirt Academic Center at MercyhurstUniversity. The cost to attend the con-ference is $30.

Mercyhurst students with a mealplan, however, may attend the confer-ence free of charge though it is rec-ommended that they register with The

Womens Roundtable since they arenot paying to attend.

Previous conferences, the lasthaving taken place about 14 years ago,prompted the need for another con-ference to meet to talk about topics

of interest to Erie women. Thirty pre-senters, womens agencies and groupswill gather to go over the concernswomen face in these changing times.

The official goal of this confer-ence, and others like them, is a call toaction to improve the quality of life of

women.The 3rd Erie Conference aims to

improve the quality of life of women

in northwestern Pennsylvania in par-ticular.

Some of the topics that will becovered include improving qualityof life for women in Erie, financialsecurity, leadership, education andhealthcare.

Several Mercyhurst faculty pre-senters will be presenting at theconference, such as Public Health

Administrative Assistant EileenZinchiak, Assistant Professor ofCommunications Meghan Corbin,Executive Director of Wellness JudySmith, Professor of Psychology Mar-ilyn Livosky and Professor of WorldCultures Alice Edwards.

Zinchiak notes that these con-ferences are especially importantbecause they give women an oppor-tunity and a platform to speak upabout their concerns rather thanlisten and be lectured to, which many

women may not ordinarily get a

chance to do so.(The conference) creates a daywhere women executives, thoseinvolved in higher education, leadingagencies, etc. (can come together to]serve womens most urgent needs,said Zinchiak. [As well as] learn andshare information.

Smith, selected by The WomensRoundtable as woman of the year in

2007, became familiar with the organi-zation from this nomination and willbe teaching a workshop on assertive-ness this time around.

Its a great idea to have an oppor-tunity for women from different pro-fessional backgrounds to get togetherfor a day of networking and learning,Smith said.

Womens Round Table Presi-

dent-Elect 2012-2013 Marsha MacKinnon agrees with Smith.

We need to find ways to improveeconomic opportunities, especially forthose who need job training or retain-ing, and available child and day care,so they can improve their skills, MacKinnon said.

Women represent half of thework-force and deserve the same eco-nomic opportunities as the other half,she said.

Its preferred that those wishing toattend register and pay online through

Paypal at www.wrterie.com.The Womens Round Table alsoaccepts checks to this address: The

Womens Roundtable, P.O. Box 3922,Erie PA 16508.

For any registration concerns orquestions, contact Hospitality Co-Di-rector Barbara Brown at (814)-397-3916.

By Kierston BromleyStaff writer

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FEATURES Page 5October 31, 2012

Haunting at the HurstIts that time of year for scary

movies, ghosts and haunted houses. AtMercyhurst we seem to have our ownhaunted house all year long. Everyoneknows of the rumors of Mercyhurstbeing haunted, contributed by the var-ious deaths and strange occurrencesthat have happened throughout the

years on campus.Just walking around Old Main andEgan throughout the day can seema little creepy with the statues thatseem to be staring you straight in theeye and the elevator older than yourparents in Egan. Now imagine stay-ing in these buildings until the nextmorning. The Merciad staff took onthe frightening task and stayed in theconnecting buildings until 3 a.m. toobserve if any thing eerie might occur.

The night started off after a tediousassembly of the latest issue of theMerciad around 11 p.m. We all metup in the main lobby of Old Main,awaiting for the night to take off. Thedecision was then made to split up ingroups and continue our adventure.

Walking through halls of Old Mainwe ran into a cleaning lady who gaveher insight on the matter of whetherthe campus was haunted.

No, I havent seen anything spookyin this building, but those that clean inBaldwin have told me they have there,Denise Snyder said.

As we continued our adventure wefound some very creepy locations in

the buildings. Headed to the lowestlevel of Egan we found a creepy, tinydoor. It was unknown what was onthe other side, but by the looks of it, Ididnt really want to know.

Near the mysterious door we cameacross a room that resembled a sceneof a slaughter film. Water was drip-ping and a filthy staircase that led toanother unknown room. We peered upmost of the stairs, but decided goingmuch further was not an option. Thesituation was getting a little too creepyfor our liking.

Soon we reunited with the rest ofthe crew, who had not experiencedanything too spooky, just also sharedsome creepy atmospheres. Then it wastime for Ouija to begin.

The best reading occurred in thegirls bathroom in Egan. Sports editor

Joe Chiodo and entertainment editorMat Anderson volunteered to see whatghosts they could conjure.

As the game begins you ask thespirit if they are from the sun or themoon, meaning if they are a good orbad spirit. The spirit let us know it was

from the sun, meaning it was a goodspirit, and that it was a female. Thequestion of her name was then asked.

We all stared in awe as the triangularplastic piece spelled out N-O-R-A.

Things were starting to feel real asthe propeller fan went crazy in thecorner of the bathroom. Nora thenrevealed she had died in 1946 and stillremained on campus for revenge. She

told us she sought out revenge fromher brother Duncan who had killedsomeone. That was enough informa-tion for us, as we then wished the spiritgoodbye.

Our experience in Old Main andEgan was a very creepy one just asmany other students have experiencedthroughout their time as a student oncampus.

Sophomore Michael Starry recallsthe time he became a believer of theHurst being haunted.

I was walking into Old Main andheard the piano playing, but didnt seeanyone playing it, Starry said.

Senior Abby Robinson shared asimilar story when she was participat-

ing in phone-a-thon calling.As we were all in the room for the

phone-a-thon a gust of wind blewthroughout the room and all of thepapers and pens flew off the desk, butall of the windows were closed. Weall freaked out and got out of thereimmediately, Robinson said.

Others just hope to have a paranor-mal experience before they leave the

Hurst.Unfortunately, Ive never had anyscary encounters on campus. I totallybelieve that Mercyhurst is haunted and

would love to have some sort of scaryencounter on campus. Ive walkedaround late at night by myself, went toall the haunted places alone, and haveeven participated in a sance fresh-man year, but still have never had anencounter with the paranormal, saidambassador and junior Chris Gaert-ner. Im holding out hope though. I

want to have a scary encounter before

I graduate next year.Several well known stories existaround campus. Many of which aretold at Haunted Hurst each year. Oneof the most well known tales is thestory of the ring.

The legend states that many yearsago a couple was engaged at Mercy-hurst. The man proposed and gaveher a ring for their engagement rightbefore he was shipped off to war.

While he was away at war, the womanreceived a telegram stating that herhusband-to-be was killed in battle. The

woman was devastated, removed her

ring and became a Sister of Mercy. Shethen placed the ring on the statue ofbaby Jesus in the chapel, as a symbolthat Jesus was now her true love.

A few years later her love returnedand she discovered he was still alive.Unfortunately, she was now a sisterand was unable to marry him. Hys-terical, she made the rash decision tohang herself in the tower of Old Main.Since then, the rumor continues thatshe haunts the building and that the

ring is cursed.It is rumored an engaged Mercy-hurst student decided to steal the ringyears later to wear it when her fiancarrived to visit her at the college.

The day of his expected arrival, sheanswered the telephone while wearingthe ring to hear the terrible news thather fianc had died in a freak automo-bile accident.

Ambassador and senior Aldyn Stew-art has celebrated Haunted Hurst forseveral years. Her favorite is the tale ofthe sisters body in the South Parlor inOld Main.

The room was used in the past as aspace to store the deceased as a view-ing room. One day a deceased sister

was placed inside the room in hercoffin for the night. When the sistershad returned the next morning theyfound that the coffin was empty. Thetwo main doors were open and foot-prints were found leading away from

the room. The mystery was neversolved of what exactly happened, butthe doors have remained permanentlyclosed since.

Many wonder if these stories arejust stories, but Stewart is a believer ofthe tales.

I totally believe parts of Mer-cyhurst are haunted especially aftertaking a Ouija board to randomspots around campus my freshmanyear, said Stewart. I had never

believed in that kind of stuff butafter experiencing some weird thingsthat my logical and rational braincouldnt explain, I guess it kind ofjust stuck and now many places oncampus creep me out at night and Ifind myself walking through themquickly.

Whether the tales are true or notthe Haunted Hurst event is still oneenjoyed by all. It gets everyone in theholiday spirit for Halloween and addscharacter to our school.

I love the uniqueness of theHaunted Hurst event and how itbrings the community together forsome seasonal fun with the twist ofhistory. I enjoy working it and havingthe opportunity to make it fun, and alittle scary, but mostly fun, ambassa-dor and senior Joe Pudlick said.

To see more pictures go tohttp://merciad.mercyhurst.edu.

By Stacy SkiavoEditor-in-Chief

Cagle and Handerhan talk to the spirits, using a Ouija board,

outside the Mercyhurst Christ the King Chapel.

Staff photo

I was walking into Old

Main and heard the

piano playing, but didnt

see anyone playing it.Michael Starry

Mat Anderson took a picture in room 222 of McAuley Hall in 2010and a mysterious face appeared over his right shoulder. Anderson

believes it was a Mercyhurst spirit.

Staff photo

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September 3, 2008 FEATURESPage 6 October 31, 2012

Sustainability office

begins compostingThe Mercyhurst office of sustain-

ability started the operation of its owncampus composters on Oct. 18.

These green Earth Tubs arelocated at the south-eastern corner ofthe Warde Hall parking lot. The tubs

turn food waste into compost for vari-ous projects on campus.

Its something that every campusthats going green does, sustainabilityofficer Brittany Prischak said.

This is the newest addition theoffice has undertaken, having beeninvolved in geothermal heating inHammermill Library and variousprojects at the Mercyhurst Westfarm.

The Mercyhurst farm provides pro-duce that is used in Egan and is soldin farmers markets. The land also has

various research sites.Prischak supervises the project and

works with a small group of workstudy students. These students helpoperate the system and make sure theprocess is successful. The work stud-ies receive a packet with instructionson how to work the machine, and

what to do once they have finishedtheir task.

The campus composters use thehot compost method, which is when

compost is kept in an enclosed spaceand kept somewhere between 120and 130 degrees Fahrenheit. To main-tain the temperature, water is addedto the system, but it is important tokeep around half of the material dry.Mercyhurst uses sawdust donated bylocal lumber mill to maintain moisturelevels.

The system they are using includesa bio-filter that reduces the smell ofthe compost. It works by funnelingthe scent to an enclosed tub filled withpine bark. The cooking process takes

around 20 to 40 days. Then it takes anadditional 20 to 40 days for the com-

post to cure, this is when the compostbecomes stable.

Around $19,000 was spent gettingthe project operational and it was paidfor by grant money and the studentsustainability fund. While the projectdoes not create direct profit, it willsave the campus money in the longrun.

Currently, the waste is supplied by

Parkhurst Dining, the food provider toEgan and the Laker Inn. It is the prep

waste from Egan, but the sustainabilityoffice would like to expand into takingstudent waste from Egan and otherareas.

The problem with this is that thematerials that come from student

waste could affect the time it takesfor materials to compost. Meats, oilyfoods and paper affect how long ittakes for it to be composted.

The office is trying to work out amethod for gathering more materials

to increase the amount they can pro-duce at one time.

By Derek SmithContributing writer

Students attendscience conference

Senior Veronica McCoy, graduateAshley Russell and Mercyhurst Admin-istrative Member Darlene Melchitzkyattended the annual Society for Neu-roscience (SfN) conference in NewOrleans, on Oct. 13-17.

The SfN hosted an annual meetingproviding the worlds largest forumfor neuroscientists to debut researchand network with colleagues throughlectures, symposia, workshops and var-ious events.

The event was held at the ErnestN. Morial Convention Center; 28,500people attended. This event is thelargest international conference, andMercyhurst presented two posters onresearch they had been conducting fortwo years prior to the conference.

The research was an extension ofthat conducted by Susan Erickson ofthe University of Pittsburgh. McCoyand Melchitzky presented on the con-nections from the medial temporallobe to the lateral mediodorsal tha-lamic nucleus. Russell and Melchitzky

presented on the role of the hypothal-

amus.McCoy is a psychology major with aneuroscience concentration and a biol-ogy minor at Mercyhurst, and AshleyRussell who graduated this past year, isnow attending the University of Buf-falo for a masters degree in BehavioralNeuroscience.

The posters that Mercyhurst pre-sented were located in the generalposter session, so they were among

hundreds of others. McCoy and Rus-

sell each worked with Melchitzky foralmost two years before they presentedtheir findings.

It was very overwhelming at firstbecause there were 28,500 people inattendance, so it was the largest con-ference I have been to but I definitelyenjoyed it, McCoy said.

The conference offered lectures,and symposia all relative to the fieldof neuroscience. There were someposter sessions and talks that had todo with specific themes or subtopicsof neuroscience, so attendees coulddecide to attend which-ever they pre-ferred.

I learned a lot while I was there. Iwas able to talk with graduate schoolsas well as learn about the newestresearch going on in the field on neu-roscience. It opened up my eyes tohow expansive the field of neurosci-ence really is and made me realize thatall of the opportunities that exist inthis field, McCoy said.

The next conference will be heldin 2013 in San Diego, and hope fullyMercyhurst will be represented nextyear.

By Abigail Robinson

Staff writer

Melchitzky and McCoy at

neuroscience conference.

Contributed photo

Senior Caitlin Handerhan enjoyed blogging about her Haiti trip.

As I stepped off the plane into the Port-au-Prince airport, I dont knowwhich surprised me more - the band of musicians playing as we entered the

warehouse converted into a terminal or the wave of humidity that greetedus after 12 hours of air travel.

Let it be noted that I suffer in humidity. My personal woes with the

weather aside, I can honestly say this first day in Haiti has been more of anadventure that I could have ever imagined.

For starters, I was stopped

at immigration and not allowed

through because I had written

convent, Gros Morne as myHaitian address since the street

names and numbers are virtuallynon-existent.

The immigration officer Iencountered was not satisfied

with that answer, and demanded

specifics. When I could producenothing more than a few sputters

and the sign of the cross, I wassent to the service desk.

No computers were in sight,and I was merely told to re-

do my immigration papers. I

wrote exactly the same thing, went to another line to avoid the first officerI encountered, and was admitted into the country without so much as a

cursory glance at my forms.

After claiming my luggage, weighed down by laptops and ink cartridges

for the students Mercy Beyond Borders sponsors, we headed to our car forthe four hour trip from the capitol to the northern town of Gros Morne. As

we drove through the countryside, we encountered such entrancing sights.Fighting my urge to sleep, since sleep was elusive on my over-night flight, I

was shocked at what I was seeing.

You can read about Haiti, hear the economic statistics or see clips of the

extreme poverty on the news, but my first world exposure to this place didlittle to prepare me for the sights I would see.

As I sit now, free from the bouncing confines of our car transport, whatstrikes me most about the drive up here was the garbage. The garbage withgoats on top. The garbage with the goats next to a house. The garbage with

the goats next to a house where young children were playing.

The living conditions of the Haitian population were deplorable, evenwhen we passed thorough more affluent urban areas.

Although I have yet to see much of Gros Morne, I suspect this will be thecase at the homes of the girls MBB has on scholarship here.

This evening we are resting, and becoming acquainted with the sisterswho are hosting us for the week, but tomorrow I suspect will bring evenmore surprises.

Stay tuned to learn more about Caitlins trip to Haiti in upcoming columns.

Hurst to Haiti:

Hot in Haiti

Handerhans first-hand view of

poverish conditions in Haiti.

Contributed photo

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 7October 31, 2012

Online Full list of events can be

found on the PAC websiteView upcoming performances:

www.pac.mercyhurst.eduwww.merciad.mercyhurst.

edu/arts_entertainment

Art Gallery presentsMillcreek art exhibits

The Mercyhurst University Cum-mings Gallery is featuring the work ofartists who teach visual arts in the Mill-creek Township School District.

A public reception was held for theartists on Thursday, Oct. 11, from 7 to9 p.m.

The participating artists includedTimothy Blair and Robert V. Werder ofMcDowell Intermediate High School.

Bethany Krowsoski and Michael

Prather of McDowell High School,Jackie Platz, teacher at both McDowellIntermediate and Belle Valley Elemen-tary School, Jennifer Dunham of J.S.

Wilson Middle School and Maria Cross

of Grandview and Chestnut Hill ele-

mentary schools.Also featured were retired teachersAndrea Jacoby and Mary Rosiak ofMcDowell Intermediate and MarshaLangman Cisek of McDowell.

The Millcreek Township schooldistrict has hosted 14 exhibits since1985, following the innovative edge ofnearby colleges and universities.

The exhibit portrayed a variety ofworks in diverse media from water-color on aqua-board, acrylic on canvasand colored pencils to ceramic, pho-tography and collagraphs.

The ceramic work of MichaelPrather had a commanding presencethat captured the audiences attention.

He experimented with different tex-tures and surface treatments such as

glossy finishes, smoked exteriors and

spray that conferred to each piece aunique emotion, design and story.Jackie Platzs watercolors on aqua-

board convey the appearance ofbeing close range snapshots of plantsand flowers.

Also of outstanding appeal wereMarsha Langman Ciseks metal weav-ings, which consisted of corrodednuts, screws, wire and metal interwo-

ven into single cohesive units.The exhibition will be on display

until Oct. 28, in Cummings Gallery,located in the lobby of the MaryDAngelo Performing Arts Center.

The Art Gallery is open Mon-day-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. andSaturday & Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m.Call 824-2092 for more information.

By Alejandra ZeronStaff writer

Cummings Art Gallery is displaying works of art by the faculty of the Millcreek school system. Many

of the works are abstract pieces with deep emotional connections, others seem to be reminiscent of

Halloween.

Sarah Hlusko photo

Dance show is

Beyond Words

Last weekend, Mercyhurst BalletTheatre and SoMar Dance Works puton a collaborative event that show-cased their versatility and ability tocreate stunning visual art that contin-

ually raises the standard expected ofthe arts at Mercyhurst.Starting with a preview concert

on Friday, the performances lastedthroughout the weekend with rela-tively large crowds each night. Thetwo groups performed all differ-ent genres of dance from ballet tomodern.

The Mercyhurst Ballet Theatrestarted the performance with multi-ple acts of expression from abstract

to creative and comical dance works.A piece that really stood out in

regards to the rest was the incrediblycreative selection titled Its Alive!

The Halloween-esque, spooky featureincorporated Dance faculty Mark andSolveig Santillano along with a greatnumber of the Mercyhurst Ballerinas.Solveig played the role of the madscientist with Mark as her bumbling,

stumbling assistant.The rest of the performers on stage

were dressed, very convincingly, likezombies. It was almost shocking howclosely the girls resembled the move-ments of what one would consider azombie to move like. Overall the per-formance of the Mercyhurst Ballet

Theatre and SoMar Dance Works wasone that truly embodied the declaredtheme for this academic season: Free-dom Season.

By Mathew AndersonA&E editor

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September 3, 2008ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 October 31, 2012

On Screen/ In Person: DislecksiaIn this comic documentary director Harvey Hubbell V

explore the latest scientific knowledge about dyslexia and

the experiences of dyslexics. The film gives dyslexics and

their families hope as well as a crash course in how to keep

smiling.

Taylor Little Theater

Friday Nov. 9, 2012 - 2:15 p.m. & 7:15 p.m.

pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

Cloud Atlas, a challengingyet compelling experience

There are not many ways to fullyexplain the detailed plot of Cloud

Atlas within the confines of a 400-word review, so Im not going to try.

Instead, Ill give you some point-

ers and observations to keep in mindwhile seeing the film for the first time.

Cloud Atlas, based on the novelof the same name, is a massive inde-pendent undertaking written anddirected by the Wachowski siblingsand their colleague Tom Tykwer.

The film debuted this past weekendto varied critiques, ranging from loveit to hate it and many falling in theneutral zone.

The film follows six separate storylines that connect to each otherthrough the actions of a multitude of

characters.Interestingly enough, we meetabout 40 characters, all of whom areeach played by one of only five verytalented lead actors.

These actors performances (led pri-marily by Tom Hanks and Halle Berry)are breathtaking, and at many times Ifound myself struggling to recognizethe actor behind the makeup.

While there are a couple specificinstances where this can be distracting,theyre justified by the impressive illu-sions.

The writing of the film is so intri-

cate that it seems to also be somewhatfragile. The novel was originally con-sidered to be unfilmable, and now Ican definitely see why.

The interweaving story lines transi-tion quite frequently, and at times theystruggle to emphasize themselves.

However, if anybody could attacksuch a challenging story, its thesefilmmakers. Tykwer and the Wachows-

kis exercise an ambitious amount ofeffort into making visual sense of thenovel, and ultimately their message isconveyed.

Make sure that youre fully awakewhen watching this film; the fast-paced rotation of the six timelines canbe somewhat difficult to keep track of.

The films nearly three-hour run-time proves a challenge for those witha short attention span as well.

Since the films sections were eachdirected by only one of the threedirectors, you nearly feel like youre

watching three separate films at once.Each section reflects the style of

its respective director, luckily thoughthese sections eventually unify abouthalfway through the movie.

Opinion aside, theres no denyingthe incredible amount of work anddedication it took to make Atlas.

The scope of the film is far-reach-ing so much so that it will unfortu-nately leave a lot of viewers cold. Forthose who can brave such challenges,however, a visual and thought-provok-ing treat awaits.

By Matthew TelehaStaff writer

Titus Andronicuss Local Business:0% Shakespeare, 100% Awesome

It seems that often I pick the albumsI want to review in the same way a five-year-old may pick out cereal.

Truly it is all about what is on thebox.

Now most of the time this leadsto me choosing albums that I abso-lutely hate, but on rare occasions I findsomething wonderful.

This happened to me recently whenI found an album cover that simplysaid, Local Business against a redbackground.

The name of the band wasnt evenon it. Feeling curious, I looked up thealbum not knowing what to expectand to say the least Local Business,the third album for the band Titus

Andronicus, did not disappoint me.Named after a Shakespearean trag-

edy, Titus Andronicus is an Indie-Punkband that hails from Glen Rock, N.J.

Unlike previous albums by this band,who offered 15 minute epics about theCivil War, this album is very much onthe punk side. Honestly, the first thingthat I picked up on this band was howmuch they sounded like the 70s GlamRock band The New York Dolls. Bothbands have gruff vocals thrown overtwangy, overdriven guitars, and hugegang vocal choruses that hit you likeHurricane Sandy making land fall.

The track that really got my atten-

tion right from the first listen was, Ina Big City.

This song starts out with this twangfilled electric folk guitar, and is soonfollowed by the lead singers confes-sions of life in a big city.

Moved over to the other side ofthe river, now Im a drop in a deluge ofhipsters, says a little about his experi-ences of living in the big city.

My Eating Disorder is worlds

apart from In a Big City. It is a heart-felt way of explaining one of the bandmembers struggles, and is structuredmore like a big rock epic which lasts alittle over eight minutes.

This track hosts a wide variety oftempo changes and even has this hairmetal, dual lead guitar part.

I found both of these to be a sur-prise as well as proof of this bands

versatility. The last track worth check-ing out is Ecce Homo, which has alighthearted guitar line compared tomost of the other tracks and a simple

rhythm beat. The pure simplicity ofthe song is what really stands out com-pared to the other tracks.

This album is definitely worth lis-tening to, though it will be hard to likethe whole album, due to the lack ofspark in some of the other songs.

This should not be seen as a deter-rent to this band or their other works.So go ahead invest some of your timein Local Business.

By Zach DorschPhoto editor

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OPINION Page 9October 31, 2012The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or

the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Editors

Stacy Skiavo

Alicia CagleKayla Kelly

Caitlin Handerhan

Joe Chiodo

Mat Anderson

Chelsea Schermerhorn

Samantha Link

Zach Dorsch

Ethan Johns

Laura Fiegelist

Bill Welch

Positions

Editor-in-Chief

News EditorFeatures Editor

Opinion Editor

Sports Editor

A&E Editor

Copy Editor

Graphics

Photo Editor

Web Editor

Ad Manager

Adviser

@mercyhurst.edu

editormerciad

newsmerciadfeaturemerciad

opinionmerciad

sportsmerciad

entertainmentmerciad

copymerciad

photomerciad

photomerciad

ejohns89

admerciad

wwelch

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstUniversity. It is published throughout the school year, with the exceptionof 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 signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit theletters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submitletters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.

Student finds deplorableservice, truly offensiveattitude in mailroom

Bundles and bundles of mail comein everyday, but somehow it seems 50percent of these packages go missing.

Is it too much to ask for a safe deliv-ery of our birthday presents, absen-

tee ballots, and maybe some greeting

cards?What is happening to this mail? I am

not sure, and I dont want to point fin-gers. All I know is its not me.

The mailbox numbers have beenswitched to lessen the number of mail

thefts because your roommates are

now your mailbox partners.

Recently, myself and the two otherroommates who I share a mailbox with

have had letters go missing.The three of us went to the mail-

room and politely asked where they

could have gone.One persons mail was from Sep-

tember and another two were from

three weeks prior.

To our surprise and frustration,

the mailroom worker gave us someuncalled for attitude.

He told us that they would neverlose mail and maybe our roommates

had stolen it.

We all looked at each other thinking,but were all here, how did we steal it

from each other?

He then proceeded to tell us that we

needed to confront each other because

that is the only way mail would go

missing.

I dont know about everyone else,but I dont take kindly to being called

a thief.

I was fuming, so I decided to talk

to others.

Junior Samantha Goldbach said,

my mom sent my sister and me let-

ters in early October. My sister got

her letter two days later, I still haventreceived mine.

Another source said she still hadnt

received birthday cards from last year.Junior Kiana Micari said, I was sent

$150 last year, it never showed up.I am not sure what is happening, but

something needs to be done

How are students supposed to votewhen their ballots dont show up?

Are parents love and money beingmisplaced?

The mailroom clearly needs a better

system for sorting mail, considering

how many people are complaining

about it.

Maybe they should revamp theirsystem before pointing the finger atinnocent students. Its just not right.

By Caitlin MacBrideStaff writer

Missing packages, confusion prevails

MIAC responds to The Bad post

I am writing to you in regards to

your October 17, 2012, Opinionpage expressing a dislike to the venuechange of the Maria J. Langer Film

Series.I wonder if the person expressing

such an opinion has actually seen amovie at the Taylor Little Theater.

This year saw the creation of the

Mercyhurst Institute for Arts & Cul-ture (MIAC) which oversees the artsprogramming accomplished by the

Mary DAngelo Performing ArtsCenter, the Walker Recital Hall and the

Taylor Little Theater.

MIAC manages the planning andexecution of artistic and cultural

events on campus in coordination withfaculty and students.

The Institute is creating a lot of

excitement on- and off-campus, but

has been woefully over looked in yourrecent arts packed edition.

Over the course of the summerMIAC was busy improving the TaylorLittle Theater and repurposing it into

the place to see movies on campus.

In addition to cosmetic changes to

the theatre, the University installed anew sound system and Blu-ray pro-

jector which provides viewers with the

maximum picture resolution and best

audio possible.

These changes along with the inti-

mate environment of the theatre helpto provide a unique viewing experi-ence.

MIAC has also changed the LangerFilm Series screenings to Friday. Inlarge part the change was made to

accommodate the Universitys stu-dents who found it difficult to attendthe films on Wednesdays.

We hope, in the end, our film seriesbecomes an active part in the campuscommunitys night life and arts scene.

And after all you come to a good

film, to see the story on the screennot because it is being shown in a

particular venue.I hope you give us a real chance to

prove your opinion wrong.

By Jamie GradyMIAC Director

We hope our film

series becomes an

active part in thecampus communi-

tys night life and

art scene.

- Jamie Grady

Editor rebuttal

In response to Mr. Jamie Grady of

the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts &

Culture, I have to say I was shockedto receive such a defensive statement.

Each week one of the most read

sections of the Merciad is the Good,Bad and Ugly, which details studentconcerns on and off campus.

On Oct. 17, as the opinion editor,I made the decision to use an often

heard complaint from students, and

stand by my decision to run material

about the Maria J. Langer film seriesbeing moved to the Taylor Little The-ater.

He boldly questions whether or

not I have attended a film in TaylorLittle, which is a moot point consid-

ering my opinion has little bearing on

the formulation of these briefs each

week, as they are a culmination of

student concerns, but I will address it

none the less.

Yes, Mr. Grady, I have attendedfilms in Taylor in the past, and in myhumble opinion it is a less than ideal

venue for any event.

As the president of two RSCOs oncampus, I would never intentionallyhold an event or show a film in TaylorLittle for my groups.

In sum, I feel Mr. Grady should

not be upset with the Merciad staff, or

myself for posting it, but rather should

consider the student opinions that

prompted the post in the first place.If my opinion was the only one that

mattered, Mr. Gradys self-indulgent

response would be The Ugly this

week.

By Caitlin HanderhanOpinion editor

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OPINION October 31, 2012Page 10

Pulitzer Prize-winning jour-nalist Bob Woodard wasscheduled to speak beforea sold-out crowd on campusthis week, but couldntleave D.C. due to massiveflight cancellations cour-tesy of Hurricane Sandy.

The Mercyhurst communitysurvived Hurricane Sandywith no massive power out-ages, no structural damageon campus and no can-

celled classes. While Hurstofficials are glad classesremained on schedule, stu-dents feel otherwise.

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

The hurricane brought

flooding to several resi-dence halls, apartmentbuildings and academic

buildings on campus thenight of the storm. Afterspending approximately$9 million on the brandnew Center for AcademicEngagement, it is reallycomforting to see waterstreaming down the insideof the picturesque win-

dows. Luckily the builder isstill responsible for repairs.

Minority groups targeted bycommon phrases unknowingly

One of dictionary.coms definitionsfor the word slur is a disparaging

remark or a slight.

This is a broad category than can

include all sorts of insults such as

loser or ugly or other hurtful com-

ments; however, there is a category ofslurs that I hear around campus that

particularly concern me.

I hear students saying thats so

gay referring to a disappointing foot-

ball game in which the team they were

rooting for lost.

I hear I must be retarded when a

student does poorly on a test or doesnt

quickly understand something that is

supposed to be easily understood.

I hear that was crazy to describe

negative and positive events andpeople, and so-and-so is an insane

grader to describe a professor who

has difficult tests and/or strictly gradessaid tests.

All of these phrases are a common

part of many students vocabularies.Many think nothing of saying them

because, as is often said, everyone usesthese words.

However, a troubling aspect of

words like gay, retard, crazy,

and insane is that they are harmful

to minority groups who are often tar-

geted for bullying and other kinds of

violence simply because they are notheterosexual, have a learning disabilityor a mental disorder.

Of course, this list does not take

into account all identifiable minoritygroups, but the words I listed are

the words I most often hear around

campus.

These slurs, and others, are used

to label people in minority groups as

other and thus basically slap a sign

on their backs that says kick me to

the rest of the population. While this

does not necessarily mean physical

violence all the time, words are alsoa vehicle of harm that many peoplesometimes forget about.

I do not think that most students

intend to harm someone when they

say that was so gay or I must be

retarded. I do think, however, thatmany are not as careful with their lan-

guage as they could be because words

are too often seen as harmless.

A punch thrown is immediately felt

and a black eye is easily visible as wellas remembered.

However, words, too, can causelasting mental and emotional anguish

that stay long after the black eye fades

away.

I often hear the sentence but its

just a word, youre being too sensitiveor that the First Amendment says that

people can say whatever they like inresponse to being asked not to use

hurtful words.

First, when people say youre being

too sensitive, they are saying myright to say this word matters more to

me than your pain to the person their

hurtful words harmed.

This is a stance of privilege, wherethe person saying hurtful words

believes they can say, or do, whatever

they want no matter the cost to others.Secondly, when quoting the First

Amendment as an excuse, one should

actually understand what the First

Amendment of the Bill of Rights of

the United States Constitution actu-ally says: Congress shall make no law

respecting an establishment of reli-

gion, or prohibiting the free exercise

thereof; or abridging the freedom ofspeech, or of the press; or the rightof the people peaceably to assemble,

and to petition the government for aredress of grievances.

Yes the First Amendment includes

the words freedom of speech, but

who must respect this freedom of the

people?

The government. This meansthat the government may not tell the

people what they can and cannot say,but this does not mean that a regular

citizen, such as myself, cannot speak

out against the use of these slurs.

People always seem to forget thatfreedom of speech is a two-sided

sword that cuts both ways. If it is

acceptable that people can use their

words to hurt with impunity because

of freedom than others can also

speak out about this practice by the

same token.

Truly, is it all that difficult to simply

open a dictionary and choose anotherword that is not only not hurtful to

minority groups but also more specificin describing how one is actually feel-

ing? I think not.

By Kierston Bromley

Staff writer

Slang terms offensive to many

All of these phrases

are a common part

of many students

vocabularies.

- Kierston Bromley

Have an opinion?

Want to make $10?

Opinion writers wanted!

If interested, email

opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu

Drugs playing role in election

by Zack Yost

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

7/29/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 31, 2012

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SPORTS Page 11October 31, 2012

Mens hockey searchesfor seasons first win

On Saturday, Oct. 20, the Lakerstraveled to Big Rapids, Mich., to playthe Ferris State Bulldogs. The Lakersput up a solid fight against the Bull-dogs, refusing to lose in the 3-3 tie.

Currently, the Lakers hold a record of0-2-1, with the majority of the season

still to come.

Sophomore forward Ryan Misiakscored the first goal of the game,

which was his second of the sea son.

Misiak has two goals and two assistsover the last three games, and is opti-mistic on the rest of the season.

Although we may not have a dish inthe win column as of yet, we just need

to get back to doing the little things we

did last year that made us successful.

Misiak said.

Despite the winless season, the

Lakers confidence has not diminishedin the least bit.

The teams morale has not

decreased whatsoever, it may actually

be stronger. Adversity is somethingthat brings a team closer together,said Misiak. This is the closest knit of

guys I have ever played with, and as afamily we know that the sky is the limit

if we all pull together and continue to

work hard and improve in all aspects.After time had expired in the game

on Saturday, both teams competed ina shootout. Although unofficial inthe eyes of the National Collegiate

Athletic Association (NCAA), theLakers won the shootout with a goal

by sophomore forward Nardo Nag-tzaam.

It was a big learning lesson for

our group as a whole, but we know

a win is a win. I couldnt be more

proud of the guys, with the heart and

pride they showed Saturday night,

Misiak said.

The Lakers will search for their firstofficial win of the season on Friday,Nov. 2, against Sacred Hearts Pioneersin Bridgeport, Connecticut.

By Joe ChiodoSports editor

Lakers earn spot in DII E. Championship

Having a season record of 19-5 isan accomplishment for any team, espe-

cially for the mens water polo team.

We have a better team this year. Weare a year older with a lot of key play-

ers, so we have matured a lot in thatway, Coach Curtis Robinette said.

With an addition of five new fresh-men, the Lakers are looking to mature

more with key young players. The cap-

tains this year leading the team to such

a successful season are junior Matt

Cote and senior Josh Rodriquez.With some significant transfers on

the team, and some maturing players,

the Lakers are stepping up their game,

trying to take it all the way to the East-

ern Championships in Princeton, NewJersey over Thanksgiving break.

We have a lot of key players on theteam, everyone really does their part.But some of the players that have beensticking out this year as being key con-

tributors are transfer juniors Garret

Schoeman, Isaac Ogloblin and Brett

Luehmann, Robinette said.

With their two wins this past week-

end at the Division II Eastern Cham-pionships against Salem InternationalUniversity, 19-14 and Gannon Univer-sity, 18-5, the Lakers are positive they

will be able to reach their goal of the

Eastern Championships.Our goal from day one was to go

all the way. With a record of 15-10 lastyear, we were looking to really make a

name for ourselves, and were lookingforward to the season with a mature

team, Robinette said.With the CWPA Southern Cham-

pionships this weekend in Bucknell

Pennsylvania, the Lakers are looking

to keep their seven-game winstreakalive, and earn a spot against the com-petition.

What makes us really unique is the

fact that we have such a geographicdiverse roster, with three differentinternational students. We dont just

play Division II schools. Everyoneplays everyone, mostly because waterpolo is such a rare sport to play, said

Robinette.We play a lot of Division I schools

such as Harvard University. Our best

game so far would have to be against

Harvard. We were down by two and

won in regulation, 3-0, in the last twominutes. That was a big accomplish-

ment because we had lost to them pre-

viously in the season.The Lakers look forward to compet-

ing in the DII Eastern Championships,and testing their strength as a team.

This year is a great year for our

team. We really have rounded out a lotof the edges, Robinette said.

The Lakers next game is Friday,

Nov. 2, against John Hopkins Univer-sity at Bucknell, Pa.

By Samantha BanteStaff writer

Think you knowabout sports?

Write for

The Merciad.

Get paid $10 per story to coverthe campus sports you love.

Proficient writing skills and reliability required.

For information:

Meetings are in Hirt L120Bon Mondays at 8:15 p.m.or email

sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.Ryan Misiak makes his way along the boards in the Lakers game

against Ferris State.

Jen Coulomee photo

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Sports October 31, 2012Page 12

Womens soccer ends

season at 7-10-1On Wednesday, Oct. 24, The Lakers

traveled to Lock Haven Universityto compete against the Eagles. The

Lakers ended the game with a vic-tory of, 1-0, with the sole goal being

recorded by freshman forward Lauren

Testa.

It was a great feeling, and a bigaccomplishment for me to contribute

to the win, Testa said.

Being a freshman, Testa took thechallenging transition into college

soccer with great stride.

At first it was a challenge, I wasa little home sick. It was weird play-

ing with girls that I had never playedwith. Now that Im all settled in, Ireally enjoy it and its a great experi-

ence, Testa said.

Testa attributes her success on

the field to her father, who has sup-ported her since she picked up the

sport.

Hes been there for me ever sincethe beginning. He went from coach-

ing me through the years, to being my

biggest fan on the sidelines, Testa

said.

Unfortunately, the Lakers fell to

Gannon in their season finale onSunday, Oct. 28. Subsequently, theLakers ended their season with a solid

record of 7-10-1 overall.It was a tough loss. Everyone was

disappointed, but we arent ashamed

by the way we played. We all gave 150percent, and no one gave up. Its just

too bad that the end didnt turn out in

our favor, Testa said.Although the season is over for the

Lakers, prospects are high for next

year. Testa anticipates a great next

season for the team.

We will build off of this season.

The entire team started to work really

well with each other toward the end,

and Im hoping that we continue this

for the future season, said Testa. Im

looking forward to playing with all of

the returning girls, as well as meeting

the new ones.

The Lakers aim to have an evenmore productive season in the spring,

with many veteran players returningand a positive year to improve off of.

By Dan TarrContributing writer

Golfers receive

PSAC AwardThe Pennsylvania State AthleticConference (PSAC) has awardedjunior womens golf member Kristen

Vidmar and senior mens golf member

Jake Pilarski the prestigious PSACChampion Scholar Award. PSAC givesthis award to the student-athlete with

the highest grade point average com-peting in a PSAC Championship.

Vidmar, a chemistry major with a

3.8 grade point average, is humble inher recognition by the PSAC.

It was an honor to be awarded this

title, and it was a bit of a surprise because

I know how hard my teammates work in

their studies, Vidmar said.

Juggling academics and a sport like

golf would be a tough task for anyone,

but Vidmar manages it with great suc-

cess.

I would have to say that having theprofessors and good friends who offer

to explain the material I have missedwhile on the road has really helped me

to succeed in academics, said Vidmar.

As for golf, my teammates are a

huge support system for me, and wevegrown to become a family throughout

the past years. I know I can always

count on them to have my back,whether on the course or off. I could

not thank them enough.

With the fall season over, Vidmarcan reflect on the achievements of herteam and looks forward to the spring

season.

The fall season for our team was,

overall, a success. We won the Cali-fornia Invitational and we placed thirdat the PSAC Championships, said

Vidmar. We have a lot of young talent,and I know the program is only going

to improve. I cannot wait to see whatthe spring season and the rest of my

career at Mercyhurst is going to bring.

Madeline Erickson

contributed to this article.

We all gave 150 per-

cent, and no one gaveup.

Lauren Testa