The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

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>>PAGE 3

OCT. 24, 2007 Vol. 81 No. 9

Whats inside

A&ELeap and bound

into the PAC >> PAGE 11

OPINION

NEWSWhere do the

light bulbs go? >> PAGE 2

FEATURESSummer internships

set new record >> PAGE 7

Swafford:

Stepping on toes

SPORTSWater polo conference

co-champions >> PAGE 18

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

In the know: MRSA

>> PAGE 15

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NEWSPAGE 2 Oct. 24, 2007

He has always been a promi-

nent member on the Mercyhurst

College campus, just not an offi-

cial one.

The school officially ren-

dered the license to our beloved

mascot, Louie the Laker, with a

price tag of $1,000.

The license was made possi-ble with the help of Mercyhurst

Student Government.

MSG Secretary Jacquelynne

Brown said the school published

a picture of the mascot on the

Internet over the summer with-

out giving proper identification

of rights to the company who

made the mascot costume and

ultimately owned the rights of

the image.Treasurer of MSG Christina

Coovert said this became an

issue, and MSG decided to takeimmediate action.

During the summer the

MSG Executive board when

setting goals for the upcoming

year, wanted to improve spirit

on campus through promotion

of the mascot, she said.

MSG realized that the license

for the mascot was not pur-

chased with the purchase of the

mascot costume.We contacted Main Street

Characters, the company from

which the mascot was purchased

and were told the Mascot could

be purchased for a $1000 which

would allow MSG and the Col-

lege to print the image or the

likeness of it, said Coovert.

The $1000 fee will also

include a Vector image of the

Mascot. The proposal to buy the

rights was passed in September,

and the payments began on thelicense shortly after.

We needed the rights to allow

the school to use the mascot for

PR, and not worry about getting

in trouble, said MSG President

Marissa Starin.

This past week, MSG set up

a meeting with the public rela-

tions department who agreed

to do a photo shoot of the

Mascot, which included over300 pictures in the various

sports apparel the mascot has:

Football, Basketball, Baseball,

and Ice Hockey.

The pictures will be avail-

able to numerous clubs and

organizations.

With the photos we received

we will be able to put more

images on the Web site, flyers,

posters and give a ways, saidCoovert.

By Ashley Pastor

Staff writer

Louie the Laker now part of Hurst family

Mercyhurst recently purchased rights to the Louie the Lakermascot have been officially purchased for $1,000.

Scoot Williams photo

If a light bulb burns out

the obvious solution is to ex-change it for a new one, right?

Just toss the old one in the

garbage without any thought

and call maintenance for a

new one.

Some may not be aware of

Mercyhurst Colleges new light

bulb policy. Now students are

asked to return their burnt-out

bulbs to maintenance before they

can be issued a new bulb.

Returning students may have

noticed the switch from the

standard incandescent light bulb

to the energy-efficient com-

pact fluorescent light bulbs,

which is the reason behind the

new policy.

Mercyhurst College, in its

best efforts to become an envi-

ronmentally friendly institution,

has implemented the new light-

ing system to address various

issues, explains Associate Vice

President of Administration

Tyrone Moore.

If a light bulb burns out in

the late hours of the night or onthe weekend and students are

unable to return bulbs Resident

Assistant or Assistant Directors

of Residence Life should be the

next to turn to.

Junior Emily Donovan is al-

ready unaware of the policy.

I live in the Warde Town-

houses so maintenance is a far

walk for me, said Donovan.

Hopefully my light bulbs dont

decide to burn-out in blizzard

conditions.

Although this may seem in-

convenient when you live in

areas of the campus located

far from maintenance, the

new policy should not be a

major issue.

The life of the fluorescent

light bulbs is upwards of 8,000to 15,000 hours, which is around

eight to 15 times the life of an

incandescent bulb.

Due to the long lives of the

fluorescent light bulbs, a war-

ranty was issued with the bulbs.

Therefore, to ensure the bulbsare working properly the war-

ranty calls for the school to

return faulty bulbs.

Returning the bulbs is im-

portant due to small traces

of mercury that fluorescent

bulbs contain.

Proper disposal and recycling

of the bulbs is a priority for

the school.

While the bulbs may seem to

cause small inconveniences for

some students, the overall switch

benefits the college and the envi-

ronment in many ways.

These light bulbs are also very

energy efficient in the manner

that they use less than 25 percent

of the power that incandescent

light bulbs use.

By our change in light bulbsthe lighting demand was reduced

by 75 percent, said Moore.

This in turn reduced our light-

ing cost by 75 percent.

Senior Denny Porter said that

he supports the switch to fluo-rescent light bulbs.

I think its pretty awesome

that the school is trying to im-

prove energy efficiency, ex-

plained Porter. Mercyhurst is

definitely on the ball when itcomes to stuff like that.

By Ashley PastorStaff writer

Burnt out light bulbs mean long walks for students

Freshman Meghan Pidgeon smiles as she screws in her newflourescent light bulb from maintenance.


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PAGE 3NEWSOct. 24, 2007

Mercyhurst College students

should take the extra time to

check on their hygiene.

At least thats what Mercyhurst

College Cohen Health Center

Director Chris Dimperio rec-

ommends to avoid Methicillin-

Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

or MRSA.The Centers for Disease Con-

trol and Prevention Web site

states MRSA infections are

skin infections that may appear

as pustules or boils which often

are red, swollen, painful, or have

pus or other drainage.

The CDC Web site also states

the infection is transmitted

by direct skin-to-skin contact or

contact with shared items or sur-

faces that have come into contact

with someone elses infection

(e.g., towels, used bandages).

Dimperio said the infection is

showing up lately in athletes.

Clarion University in Clarion,

Pa., two hours from Erie, hadtwo football players test positive

for the infection on Oct. 17, said

Clarion University Assistant Vice

President for University Rela-

tions Ron Wilshire.

Wilshire said all the athletic

facilities at the university were

cleaned and all athletes submitted

to screening for the infection. No

other cases were reported.

Dimperio said the infection

is treatable, but is also resistant

to certain antibiotics such as

penicillin.

At first the infection presents

pimple or spider bite-like bumps

on the skin, she said. As the

infection continues, it opens upand drains.

Dimperio said sulfa and doxy-

cycline are two common antibi-

otics used to treat MRSA.

She said students should use

hand sanitizer, wash often and

keep athletic gear clean to avoid

the infection.

Dimperio said Mercyhurst

experienced a case of MRSA

two years ago with one of the

athletic teams.

Mercyhurst College Director

of Athletics Craig Barnett said

the colleges athletic department

is aware of the infection and is

taking every precaution to pre-

vent it from occurring.We informed our athletes dai-

ly (about the infection), he said.

We educate student athletes on

what they have to do to prevent

the infections such as cleaning

uniforms regularly.

Barnett also said the ath-

letic department has Tullio Field

chemically sprayed every year to

prevent disease.

Dimperio said the infection

is not one that is reportable to

the Erie County Department

of Health.

She said the closing of cam-

puses is also not appropriate.

Were not seeing a grand

amount of this at the healthcenter, she said.

Dimperio said she encourages

anyone with skin lesions to make

an appointment with the health

center.

By Joshua Wilwohl

Editor-in-chief

Hurst takes precautions for MRSA infection

The Pride of Pennsylva-

nia ROTC Battalion took on

a challenge.

The local Battalion, consisting

of students from Mercyhurst,

Penn State Behrend and Gannon,

participated in the annual RangerChallenge competition held this

past weekend in Fort Indian

Town Gap, Pa.

Ranger Challenge is an event

in which 20 ROTC teams from

New York, New Jersey and

Pennsylvania compete in differ-

ent physical challenges over two

days to take home the title of

divisional champions.

The event is held to allow

teams to prove their physical

capabilities and skills working

as a team.

Each team consists of the 10

best cadets from each Battalion

and one team member must be

female.

In preparation for the event

the 10 members of the Pride

of PA ROTC team practiced

five days a week, doing anything

from six-mile runs to building

rope bridges.

Preparation for challenge

exceeded the six to seven weeks

of training completed this fall,

explained junior Dan Piechocki.

Training for most of the mem-

bers started at the end of last

years competition and continued

through the spring and well into

the summer.Senior Marty Wallenhorst

thought the practice paid-off,

saying, I cant imagine going

through all of the training and

competing and not coming out

on top.

Five of the 10 members on

the team came from Mercyhurst:

Sophomore Steven Krysevig,

junior Mike Piccini, junior Dan

Piechocki, sophomore Kirk

Shoemaker, senior Will Swafford

and senior Marty Wallenhorst.

Over the two-day challenge the

teams competed in a 10K Road

March, Army physical fitness

test, a rope bridge challenge,

obstacle course, a patrolling

writing exam, weapons qualifica-

tion and weapons assembly and

disassembly.

Participating teams received,

scores for each event. The Pride

of PA team received first place

in the obstacle course event.

The teams time was also record-

breaking for the Challenge.

The bond the team has is

strong, said junior Mike Piccini.

It was evident at the competi-

tion that we all got along better

as a team, which helped not only

win but to enjoy the experience

more than the other teams.

The team ended the compe-

tition with a divisional win, a

trophy and the satisfaction of

knowing that their physical abili-

ties and teamwork skills are the

best in the region.

All of the other teams were

soft compared to the Pride of

PA Battalion, said Piccini.


The Pride of ROTC PA Battalion battled it out to win first place in the Ranger Challenge this

past weekend.

Contributed photo

Local ROTC steps up to Ranger Challenge

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PAGE 4 Oct. 24, 2007NEWS

Business, engineering & entrepreneurial

students are eligible for

$15,000 in cash prizes

through the 3rd Annual Collegiate

Business Plan Contest.Cash prizes can be used by students to help with school

and/or business development expenses.

Individual students and integrated student teams develop a

brief business plan through the academic 07/08 year.

Please visit www.kizerie.com for additional

information.

Hola, ciao, oi, Het hallo andhei are only a few ways some

Mercyhurst College students sayhello.

The Cultural Awareness Com-

mittee (CAC), a MercyhurstStudent Government commit-tee, work with the other clubs,

especially those that representdiversity, towards a common goalof highlighting the various cul-

tures on the global stage and hereat the Hurst, said sophomoreCAC chair Dinorah Sanchez.

CAC works along with otherRecognized Student Clubs andOrganizations (RSCOs) such as

Diversity 101, Mercyhurst Inter-national Student Association and

Gay-Straight Alliance to helpwith fundraising and supportingtheir activities.

Sanchez explained, Past

CACs have laid some foundation,but this years CAC is really goingto go out and put on programs

for the entire student body andcommunity, while getting stu-dents involved and interested in

different cultures.

Senior Amelia Diaz, a CACmember, said that CAC is cur-

rently helping an Asian Aware-ness club get started.

CAC wants to help other cul-

tures organize their individualclubs as well.

The diversity present hereat the Hurst is immense and

I, along with fellow students,faculty, staff and administrators,feel that it is time we embrace

and celebrate all of our cultures,said Sanchez.

The members of CAC believe

these clubs are a good way toallow students to be culturallyinformed and knowledgeable.

One upcoming event organized

by CAC is Did You Know.This campaign is designed to fur-

ther involve students in culturalawareness.

The campaign consists of

random trivia questions placedin the table tents at Egan DiningHall and the Laker Inn. The

questions about each culture willfocus on one region at a time inorder to cover as many areas as

possible.The Did You Know table

tents will be a fundamental part

of distributing information andgetting students involved but areonly one of the many things to

come from CAC this year, saidSanchez.

Freshman Grazia Padgett is

one of the many students excitedabout the new campaign.

Being Honduran makes mefeel out of place since mostpeople cant even point to mycountry on a map, Padgett

said.Hopefully this organization

will make people more cultured

and aware of things that happenin other parts of the world.

According to Sanchez, theDid You Know table tents willbe a monthly addition at each

dining table in the cafeteria andthe Laker.

There is incentive for students

to participate in the Did YouKnow campaign.

There will be prizes but the

number of prizes will depend

on the number of total entriesand the grand prize will be Laker

Loot and a mystery prize, San-chez said.

The completed questions can

be turned in at the MSG Repre-sentative Office on the secondfloor of the Student Union by

the MSG and SAC offices.The last day to turn in entries

for the current Did You Know

table tents will be Nov. 5.Other students such as senior

Jack Thearle are indifferent about

the Did You Know campaign.Thearle said he does not typi-

cally read the announcements on

the table tents and the campaignmay not be the best way toinform students.

Still CAC is hopeful that stu-dents will take part in the cam-

paign and start reading the tabletents for some fun facts aboutother places and cultures.

Anyone who has questions

or comments about CAC cancontact Dinorah Sanchez [email protected].

ByJaviera Cubillos Caroca

Contributing writer

Hurst gets culturally aware

Hamot Medical Center, in

conjunction with MercyhurstCollege North East, opened anew $2.9 million health center.

The Mercyhurst College Exec-utive Vice President of Mer-cyhurst North East, Dr. Gary

Brown, is excited about the newaddition.

I think its a win for Mercy-

hurst North East because thenour students get to have an infir-mary on campus, he said.

The facility houses a wide variety of health services from

vaccinations and physical examsto appointments with on-campusdoctors.

Not only will the medical

center benefit students and thecommunity, it will also advancethe Mercyhurst North East

nursing program. Students havethe opportunity to log actualmedical facility hours with real

patients.

We can partner with Hamoton the development of some

new academic allied health pro-grams, said Brown.

A new curriculum is ready to

be rolled out for the fall 2008school year. These classes willpertain to positions such as med-

ical lab technician, occupational

therapy assistant and respiratory

therapy assistant.The hands-on experience will

prove to be invaluable to the

future graduating classes.Brown feels the medical center

will greatly benefit the North

East area.

I think its a win for the com-munity as well because they have

a state-of-the-art medical facilitynow in their community to useand they dont have to drive to

Erie all the time, said Brown.The Hamot Health Center at

Mercyhurst North East is offer-

ing TRAC Rehab services withnew high-tech aqua-exercisetherapy.

In addition Hamot imag-ing services also offer x-ray,mammography and ultrasound

services with the potential forexpansion into CT scans andMRIs in the future.

Mercyhurst North East stu-dents are not be responsible forpaying for the services offered.

Students do not pay a fee touse (the health center), explained

Brown.Right now our agreement

with Hamot is that our studentsare permitted to use the facil-

ity for free. Obviously if theyhave any insurance they will billthe insurance but there are no

co-payments or things of thatnature.

By Amanda ValauriNews editor

North East joins

Hamot Medical

laker briefs

MNE Talent ShowMercyhurst North East will stage its Fall Talent Show on Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. in Alex

Theatre on the MNE campus.

Haunted HurstDo you know the story of the smoking nun? How about the story of the ring? Learn these

tales and more as you take a haunted tour of the Hurst. You may never walk through Egan aloneat night again! Tours start at 8:30 p.m. in the Student Union on Saturday, Oct. 27. Enjoy other

activities in the Student Union while waiting for your tour!

-lakernet.mercyhurst.edu

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PAGE 5Oct. 24, 2007 NEWS

The 35th annual Collegiate

Golden Harvest sponsored by

campus ministry will take placeOct. 22 through Oct. 26.

Mercyhurst College, Penn State

Behrend and Gannon University

will uniting to stop hunger in the

city of Erie by walking door to

door in surrounding neighbor-

hoods asking for donations of

canned goods and non-perish-

able food items.

Campus Minister Amanda

Zechman said, Our goal thisyear is to surpass last years

collection of 9,167 pounds of

food. I would like to see all three

schools collect 10,000 pounds of

food this week, Zechman said.

Last year Mercyhurst collected

3,679 pounds of food, Gannon

collected 4,279 pounds and Penn

State Behrend collected 1,209

pounds of canned items.

Mercyhurst students, athletes,volunteers, faculty and other

staff members have begun col-

lecting food for the Second

Harvest Food Bank of North-

western, Pa.

This food drive is very impor-

tant because the Food Bank

needs enough food to feed 275

agencies, Zechman said. The

food needs to be collected in

time for the holidays.Zechman also explained that

volunteers will be awarded ser-

vice learning hours for their

time.

Student volunteers have

reported that the first day of the

food drive was a success.

Senior Jessica McNurlen said,

There was an overwhelming

response. There were only a few

houses that did not give anything.

Most gave at least two cans of

food or had bags of food already

prepared for pick-up.

Freshmen Kara Gorgos said,

Everyone we asked seemed verygenerous and were willing to help

out however they could. It really

is a simple and easy way to help

a good cause.

From 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

every day this week, volunteers

are asked to meet in the office

of Campus Ministry.

Volunteers will be assigned

local streets and given plastic

bags for the collection. Partici-

pants are asked to wear Mercy-

hurst College apparel and are

urged find their own form of

transportation.

Any student can donate food

or money to the Second Harvest

Food bank by placing non-per-

ishable items in designated bar-

rels placed throughout campus

or at the drop-off station found

at Mercyhursts front gate.

By Elizabeth MaierStaff writer

Barrels to deposit donated

food are found all over the

Mercyhurst campus.


Members of the Mercyhurst

College faculty and student body

took place in WQLNs annual

Collegiate Challenge live from

the Mercyhurst Performing ArtsCenter last week from 6 a.m. to

1 p.m.

The Collegiate Challenge is an

annual, week-long fundraiser, in

existence since 2002.

This event engages local col-

lege communities and alumni in

a competition to see which in-

stitution Mercyhurst, Gannon,

Penn State Behrend, Edinboro

or Allegheny can raise themost funds in support of public

broadcasting.

The station broadcasts live at a

different college each week while

the challenge takes place.

The fundraiser gives members

of each college the chance to

market their college, programs,

personnel, etc., while at the same

time seeking support for WQLN

public radio.During the Challenge, regu-

larly scheduled radio programs

are held and selected college

members have two to 10 min-

ute breaks where they helped

WQLN raise money.

Most faculty members gave

testimonials about the value

of public broadcasting and the

programs they enjoy, from NPR

News to JazzFlight.

Mercyhurst On-Air Talent

included: President Dr. Thomas

Gamble, Biology Department

Chair David Hyland, Director of

the Mary DAngelo Performing

Arts Center Michael Fuhrman,

Director of the Student Union

Darcey Kemp, Director of the

Mercyhurst Public Safety Insti-tute Art Amann, Special Educa-

tion Professor Ruth Auld, Politi-

cal Science Chair Randy Clemons

and Special Assistant to the VP

of Advancement Brady Louis.

This was Kemps first year par-

ticipating in the Challenge.

I had a lot of fun; it was a

piece of cake, said Kemp. I

would do it again next year in a

heartbeat.On-Air Talents were encour-

aged to talk about events and

activities at their respective

schools.

Mercyhurst College professor

of Psychology Rob Hoff is the

host of WQLNs JazzFlight.

Hoff went live during his regu-

lar program hours Wednesday

night, which gave Mercyhurst

supporters another opportunityto call in their pledges.

Phone lines during the event

were staffed by students from

each school.

Mercyhurst students who par-

ticipated included: Junior Chelsea

Buckley, Sophomore Andrea

Conlon, Senior Ashley Her-

rmann, Junior Jenna Kauffman,

Freshman Laura McCarty, Fresh-

man Allison Nodes and Senior

Jillian Perfetti.

Supporters were able to make

donations via the WQLN web-

site for the Challenge.

Last year Mercyhurst won the

WQLN Collegiate Challenge by

raising 55 percent more money

than it had raised in 2005, with

a huge jump from $6,963 to$10,782.

Mercyhurst Media Relations

Manager and Campus Coordi-

nator of the Challenge Debbie

Morton said, I am very pleased

to see that last years record gain

for Mercyhurst in the WQLN

Collegiate Challenge was not an

anomaly.

This year Mercyhursts efforts

raised $10,095 of the $80,000goal, which was reached suc-

cessfully by the five participating

schools.

We were able to raise nearly

as much this year as we had last

year, reflecting a consistency in

our giving level that we should

be very proud of, said Morton.

Hopefully next year we will

drive toward the winners circle

with even greater momentum.Morton expressed great grati-

tude to everyone who helped

with the event, saying, On

behalf of the marketing and

public relations department,

Id like to thank everyone who

gave up their time and energy in

support of this fundraiser, from

Dr. Gamble to faculty and staff

to students who manned the

pledge lines.


Mercyhurst

takes part in aGolden Harvest

Mercyhurst raises $10,000

for public broadcasting

Police and Safety LogHarassment

Intelligence Center

Oct. 18

Pending investigation

Larceny/Theft

McAuley Hall Dorms

Oct. 16


Harassment

3940 Lewis Ave.

Oct. 17


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PAGE 6 Oct. 24, 2007FEATURES

Food FixWith MegI

ERI

Get to know...

Cesar Ordonez

Mr. Sub

rivals other

sub favorites

Many of us college studentswork within the Millcreek Mallcomplex and outlying busi-nesses.

Retail may not be a dream jobbut it sure adds up to extra cashand easily pays the bills.Whether or not you work at

the Millcreek Mall, be sure tocheck out Mr. Sub. With its primary restaurant

on State Street, Mr. Sub hasopened a second location atthe Millcreek Mall introducinggreat subs and warps at afford-able prices.

Sergey Khodzhayan openedMr. Sub about six years ago on10th Street next to Peccadillos

Dance Club. The store has now moved

to a larger location directly onState Street that is accompanied

by a large sit-down area for

customers to enjoy their lunchor dinner. With help from his wife

Rose and sister-in-law Lola,Khodzhayan was able to openthe Millcreek Mall location toaccommodate his customersbetter.

Standing in front of the es-tablishment located near theBazaar Court and JC Penney

concourse, the eyes of hungrycustomers peruse the vastmenu.

Every day of the week thestore offers daily specials fea-turing 6-inch subs for $2.79 and12-inch subs for $4.50.

Oven-baked subs like thePhilly Steak is a hit with Mill-creek Mall customers.

Gyros, including specially

seasoned meat, tzatziki sauce,lettuce and tomato on a 9-inchpita, are priced at $4.25 andhave been a very popular choice

among customers.

The menu also includes coldsubs, low-carb wraps, salads,pocket pita sandwiches, crois-sant sandwiches and soup.

Dine in, carry out or let yourorder be delivered to you.Within the Millcreek Mall

delivery is free; therefore, if youare working at Charlotte Russeor Abercrombie, call (814)864-9191 and let your meal be

delivered directly to your storefree of charge.

We want to keep our cus-tomers happy, says LolaKhodzhayan. We provide theservice free of charge for thatreason.

Mall hours are 10 a.m. to9 p.m. and hours for the StateStreet location are 10:30 a.m.to 8:00 p.m. Monday through

Saturday.For delivery or pick up from

the State Street location call814-454-0603.

By Shelley Turk

Staff writer

Halloween is just around thecorner. Do you want a spookydessert to share at your Hal-loween party?

It is commonly known asDirt and has probably been

seen with gummy worms com-ing out of it.There is always the option of

using food coloring to make thepudding orange, but if you usethe Halloween Oreos you canjust skip that step.Add some gummy worms or

other creepy candy to achieveto the Halloween effect.

This is a perfect Halloweentreat, especially with the orangeOreos, said senior Katie Sam-mon.

To make this dessert a littlehealthier use fat-free or low-fat cream cheese and whippedcream, which reduces the fat without really changing thetaste of the dessert.

-Meghan Dolney

Directions

Ingredients

Oreo Dirt Dessert

1 package Oreos, crushed1 container Cool Whip1 package cream cheese1 package vanilla pudding3 cups milk

1 cup powdered sugar cup butter

1.) Blend the cream cheese, butter and pow-dered sugar together, using an electric mixer.

2.) In a larger bowl, combine the milk, pud-ding mix, and whipped cream.

3.) Add the cream cheese mixture into thelarger bowl with the other ingredients and mixtogether.

4.) Put in a large bowl, layering the mixturefirst, then the crushed Oreos, then anotherlayer of the custard, and finally the last of theOreos.

5.) Refrigerate for at least one hour beforeserving.

Name: Cesar Ricardo Ordonez

Year: Senior

Major: Information Systems ManagementHometown: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Favorite thing about Mercyhurst: The people, profes-

sors, students, and the staff are helpful and friendly. The

best decision I have ever made in my life was to come here

to Mercyhurst. No regret at all.

Least favorite: The snow, which is pretty to watch and play

in but not to walk to work or class.

Campus activites: Phi Eta Sigma Senior Advisor.

Interests: Music, tech stuff, horror movies and traveling.

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Mercyhurst Career Serviceshad a record number of stu-dents participating in intern-ships this summer with 258students placed around thecountry in 22 states from 28majors from both Main campus

and Mercyhurst North East.Director of Career ServicesRobert Hvezda said that intern-ships are growing nationally inpopularity and Mercyhurst hasbeen part of that trend.

The popularity of the intern-ship experience continues toincrease for a few reasons,Hvezda said.

It is great to put the experi-

ence on a resume, students cantalk about the experience duringan interview, theyll receive twoto three letters of recommen-dation from the internship siteand theyll receive academiccredit towards a degree.

Some internships are requiredand others are strongly encour-aged.

In accordance with the ben-

efits Hvezda mentioned, manystudents find that the experi-ence benefited them personally,beyond the academic credit. Junior Tim Knecht had an

internship in Pittsburgh thispast summer with the Pennsyl-vania Young Democrats work-ing with Executive DirectorPaul McKrell.

I personally benefited the

most by seeing what politics was like first-hand, Knechtsaid.

Senior Hillary McCormickhad an internship this pastsummer at a small office calledConRuhr at the German Con-sulate building in New YorkCity.

Her job was to promote threeGerman universities to Ameri-can students, find alumni and

build relations.My internship helped me

learn to be independent,McCormick said. My boss toldme what she wanted and I hadto do it. It didnt really matterhow it got done, just that thefinal product was good.

McCormick continued, youjust have to work hard and behonest. If there is something

you dont know, asksomeoneand they will gladly help you.Everyone knows interns arestill learning, so they are willingto answer any questions.

Senior Esther Claros had agraphic design internship withUnited Way of Erie.

It was great to have a realclient to work for. It was alsoreally rewarding to be able to

work with people in the busi-ness and have them enjoy yourwork, Claros said.

Hvezda is proud to see matu-rity and class in the studentsplaced in the program andCareer Services continues toexpect a lot from students.

A lot of what Im hearingfrom our internship employ-ers is that Mercyhurst students

are very knowledgeable, havea strong academic foundationand have a certain professionalrespect when they come to theinternship site, Hvezda said.

As students look to get intoan internship, they should havea positive attitude, a strongwork ethic and impress uponthe employer that they have athirst for learning. Our students

come ready to learn and theyreenthusiastic to contribute andproduce.

Knecht agrees that a goodwork ethic is necessary for theinternship.

A good work ethic includedshowing up on time and beingable to work and learn newthings in a matter of seconds,said Knecht. I had to work with prominent politicians in

all fields and their grassrootsmovements.

Claros also had some adviceto share on her work ethic.

You have to be committed.If you say youll have a projectdone by such a date, youll haveto finish it by that date or ear-lier, she explained. You try tobe a team player because it willbe to your greatest advantage if

you learn to work in a real-lifesetting.Students are eligible to partic-

ipate in an internship after theirsophomore year, but Hvezdasaid that Career Services typi-cally see more juniors andseniors participating becausethey have a better foundation

of coursework behind them.It was good to put every-

thing I learned in theory topractice, Claros said. I wasthrown for a loop sometimes,but I had to try and use whatI had learned to be the bestproblem solver I could be.

Evaluations are done by theemployers on the studentsperformance and the comple-

tion of self-evaluations is alsorequired.The evaluations consistently

rank between 3.5-4.0 on a 4.0scale, Hvezda said. Wereseeing students ranked on theirperformance between excellentand outstanding.

Students who think that they

have the knowledge, back-ground and desire to learnthrough an internship shouldvisit Career Services on thesecond floor of Old Main tolearn about summer or school-year internships.

Information can also befound on the Mercyhurst Website.

Our department has been

averaging over the last threeyears about 360 students ininternships per year, Hvezdasaid. The participation we sawthis summer leaves us expect-ing about 100 students duringthe fall and spring terms. For aschool our size, this is rockingand rolling.

FEATURES PAGE 7Oct. 24, 2007

Mercyhursts Annual

Study AbroadNight

Wednesday, October 24th8:00p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Zurn Hall, Room 114.

For more information contactEric Evans

in the International Student Center

Student internships on the riseBy Jen HelbigStaff writer

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

8/20

FEATURESPAGE 8 Oct. 24, 2007

What many students areunaware of is that MercyhurstCollege offers online classesthat fit requirements for thecore courses.The only fallback is that these

online options are only avail-able to graduate, adult and postbaccalaureate students.

We began by offering appliedintelligence courses two yearsago and did not want to offertoo many courses until wehad a better sense of how it works, said Dr. Mike Lyden, Vice President for Academic Affairs. We wanted to look

and see if there was sufficient

evaluation and instruction forthe course and determine if thestudents felt the instructor wasaccessible.Although students may think

that online courses would allowfor greater ease with theirstudies, these courses tend tobe more demanding than theclassroom style, with which tra-ditional students are familiar.

The expectations for thesecourses are the same as theywould be in the classroom. Itis a great option for seriousstudents, but you have to be willing and really keep at it,Lyden said.

During the winter term, thereare online classes offered forgraduate and adult students

only. These courses fill require-ments for students in the spe-cial education department, acore class for the adult educa-tion center and the organiza-tional leadership program.

Dr. Richard ODell, who will be teaching an onlinecourse in special education, was approached by students

last year with the idea of atechnology based class due toexcessive absenteeism fromharsh weather conditions.

Many of our graduate stu-dents commute from NewYork and other far locations,ODell said. Here at Mercy-hurst, we do try to accommo-date. Rather than attempt tomake up missed classes over

the term I scrambled and usedBlackboard to post additionalreadings, my lecture notes,powerpoints and links.Teaching World History next

term, Dr. Cindy Nimchuk saysshe uses Blackboard as theclassroom interface for onlineclasses, but may also require afew meetings with students toshow important videos.

Textbook readings, discus-

sion boards and lecture notes

are all relevant in order for theonline system to work.

Overall, the students do notlose in terms of the quality oftheir overall education, saidNimchuk. And I have foundin the past several years thate-mail communication allowsthe students to connect withme as well as face-to-face meet-ings do.These classes were developed

strictly for the graduate, postgraduate and adult studentsbecause it is harder for themto come to campus during theregularly scheduled times.

Many of these students havefull-time jobs or children theyhave to take care of, so onlineclasses gives them the oppor-

tunity to earn a degree whilestill having some flexibility,said Lyden.

Even though online classesare not offered to undergradu-ate students, some studentsthink having the option forpost graduate studies is a greatopportunity.

I think its a good idea, saidsophomore Courtney Nickel.

It would save time plus it wouldnt be too bad takingclasses in your pajamas.Although, not all students feel

they would be able to learn byusing solely the Internet.

I dont know how I feelabout online classes because Ilearn better through visual aidesand taking out the human ele-ment may hinder my progres-

sion in the class, said juniorTim Hucko.

Mercyhurst hopes to addmore online courses in thefuture.

As the technology improves,well be able to incorporatemore interaction with stu-dents, said Lyden.

For a complete list of onlineclasses for next term, refer to

the academic schedule.

Hurst offers online classes for someBy Stacey MinchinStaff writer

Freshman Dominique Nicholson tackles an online quiz.


8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

9/20

PAGE 9Oct. 24, 2007 FEATURES

Hasten to do now what will profit you for

eternity

- Rule of Saint Benedict

520 AD

The Benedictine Monks of Saint Andrew Abbey in

Cleveland, (only monastery in Ohio) invite young

men who are

interested in personal spiritual growth and in

seeking Divine

guidance for their life and vocation toparticipate in the

Living with Benedict weekend retreat program:

November 2-4, 2007 ..... ...(Theme: Keep death

daily before your eyes)

January 18-20, 2007 .......(Theme: St. Benedict

and Pope Benedict)

Contact Fr. Gerard: [email protected]

216-721-5300, ext. 210

Halloween costume trends get creativeBy Sandy WatroStaff writer

The Halloween holiday isquickly approaching and forcollege students it seems tobe making a large dent in theirbank accounts.

Most store-bought costumesexceed $50 and specialty cos-tumes are even higher, at amedian of $80.

For this excessive price range,a number of new innovativecostumes can be purchased bymen and women.

In the male category, newcostuming options arise frompopular movies and televisionshows.

For instance, the film 300

spurred a costume that is aburgundy Spartan uniformcomplete with an authenticheadpiece.The costume retails for $49.99

and is licensed by WarnerBrothers, Inc. The television show, Dog

the Bounty Hunter, has also

capitalized on its popularityby creating its own licensedcostume.This costume includes a vest,

wig, badge, fingerless glovesand a plastic knife holster thatis affixed to a belt.

Dogs costume is priceddecently at $39.99, but the catchis that buyers must supplementthe leather pants and boots

themselves.In the genre of specialtycostumes there is a plethora ofoptions, ranging from a chickmagnet in which a semi circlefoam magnet is attached to at-shirt, to a human breathalyzertest; the description is selfexplanatory.Womens costumes are always

interesting.

One can accurately attest tothe complexity in locating acostume, which is both uniqueand somewhat appropriate.

Senior Marissa Anne Davittsays that it is sometimes diffi-cult to find the right costume.

Rarely do we find femaleHalloween costumes to be

scary or gruesome, Davittsaid. Its like every characterthat possibly exists somehowhas been spun into a sexy Hal-loween version.

Even favorite old-time car-toon characters are taking ahit, such as Rainbow Brite andStrawberry Shortcake.

In fact, Strawberry Shortcakeis not a thing of the past; her

cartoon was reintroduced in2006 on CBS.Now every little girls dream

can be finally realized on Hal-loween night when she stum-bles upon a real live StrawberryShortcake wearing a three-and-a-half inch skirt.Thankfully this is not the case

in all instances. There is hope in finding a

humorous and halfway decentcostume.Senior Kelly Wilson is going

to dress up as another child-hood favorite.

I am going to be a ninjaturtle, Donatello to be exact,because he was my favorite asa child, Wilson said.

Overall costume selectionsfor men and women alike seemto be on the expensive side.

However, for those few stu-dents who choose to opt outof this popular holiday ritual,money, and perhaps reputation,can be saved.

Mens attire seems to havereceived some innovative andinteresting additions for thisyear, while the womens marketcontinues to capitalize on thepromiscuous trend of scandal-izing every possible costumeoption.

www.forwardedge.com

Dog the Bounty Hunter

www.spirithalloween.com

Strawberry Shortcake

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

10/20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPAGE 10 Oct. 24, 2007

tHeBuZzOCT. 24. Tori Amos.

Sheas Theatre, Buffalo.

OCT. 24. Dr ive-ByTruckers. Beachland Ball-room, Cleveland.

OCT. 25. Lewis Black,Sheas Performing Arts

Center, Buffalo.

OCT. 25. The Saints.Beachland Ballroom,Cleveland.

OCT. 25. Pat MethenyTrio. Center for the Arts,Buffalo.

OCT. 26. Particle. Rex

Theatre, Pittsburgh.

OCT. 26. Lisa Lampan-elli. Lorain Palace The-ater, Lorain, Ohio.

OCT. 27. The Wiggles.HSBC Arena, Buffalo.

OCT. 27. David Crosby/Graham Nash. SenecaEvents Center, SenecaNiagara Casino, NiagaraFalls, N.Y.

OCT. 28. The Rat PackShow. Warner Theatre,Erie.

OCT. 28. Anuna. AllenTheatre, Cleveland.

OCT. 28. Comedy. D.L.Hughley. Center for theArts, Buffalo.

OCT. 29. Ryan Adamsand the Cardinals. Carn-egie Music Hall, Pitts-burgh.

Courtesy of Goerie.com

Choir to perform sacred choral concert

The DAngelo Departmentof Music is performing a SacredChoral Concert, featuring music

written by John Rutter.Mercyhurst College Concert

Choir and the Carpe Diem

Chorale will perform in Christthe King Chapel on Sunday,Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.

The concert choir will bedirected by Rebecca Ryan andthe chorale will be directed by

Brent Weber.Every term, the choir

performs in different venues

like the Taylor Little Theater orthe DAngelo Performing ArtsCenter to allow for different

acoustics and a variety for every

performance.For instance, the Sacred

Choral Concert incorporatesthe organ into the majority ofthe pieces because the chapel

enables a dynamic sound toemerge and fill the entire area,said Ryan.

Ryan chose to feature musicalpieces by Rutter because shesays they are beautiful and the

compositions are vast. Jim Rudisill, the assistant

director and accompanist, is

a graduate student this yearand decided to return toMercyhursts Music Department

to help out with the programbecause he enjoyed it so muchas an undergrad.

Being involved in the concertchoir is such a great experience.

We do things that most peoplehave never heard of and getgood exposure because of that,Rudisill said.

Rebecca Ryan has been sowonderful to all her students, sothis is a way for me to help her

out, he said. As part of the requirements

for the music department,

students must participate in what

is known as a large ensemble

such as concert choir.However most students in the

choir like participating for otherreasons.

Junior Kara Stadelman said,

I enjoy being part of theperformance because it is anaccumulation of all our hard

work throughout the term.Each time we rehearse we

dig into each piece and perfectit so that we can accuratelyperform each note and rhythm.Everyone works together and

has to carry their own part. Weare an intense team, she said.

The concert not only

incorporates vocal talent, butinstrumental musicians as well.

There will be a string quartet

playing with the concert choir

including instruments such asthe cello, violin and viola.

Blending one or more ofthese elements together is reallyexciting, said senior musician

McKenzie Midock.Its also very important to

have performances like these

at the college. Having a qualityLiberal Arts education requiresnot only knowledge in science,

history and math, but exposure

to the arts, literature and otherlanguages. The student and

professional performances oncampus are just one way we cantake the knowledge we gain in

the classroom and transfer it tothe real world.

Music majors are not the only

students who can participate inconcert choir. Anyone who is

interested can do so.Students will decide if

its right for them. Peopletend to weed themselves out

because it is difficult and a hugecommitment, said Ryan.

Other students who are not

involved in the choir appreciatethe concerts for what they bringto the college.

These events always draw

the community and studentstogether and it also showcases

what the students have beenworking on, said junior HaylieStarin.

Junior Nicole Kochmanski would like to encouragestudents and members of the

Mercyhurst community toattend a performance because itis a great opportunity to come

and appreciate music.

If these performances areattended with the right attitude

of openness to whatever wehave to offer, any audience canreceive much from what we

have learned in rehearsals, asmusic has the ability to inspireany person no matter where

they are in life, she said. All of the performances put

on by the Mercyhurst ConcertChoir and Carpe Diem Choraleare free and open to the public.

By Stacey Minchin

Staff writer

On Sunday, the DAngelo Department of Music will feature music by John Rutter.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 11Oct. 24, 2007

What would you do if you

found out you were terminally

ill and were about to leave your

entire family behind? Would

you make the ultimate sacrifice

to ensure your familysstability?

After the Wedding depicts

the relationship between

two men and a chance of

coincidence that will change

their lives forever.

The film begins with

Jacob, a dedicated man who

is desperately trying to keep

the orphanage he runs in

India open and to continue

to support the children in

India. When Jacob realizes

that the orphanage needs

financial assistance in order to

continue operating, he travels

to Denmark to meet Jorgen, a

successful businessman who

owns his own company and

has the ability to financially

assist Jacobs orphanage.At the meeting Jorgen

initially offers Jacob an annual

donation of $1 million a year

for four years. After the two

men meet Jorgen invites Jacob

to his daughters wedding

since he doesnt know anyone

in town.

When Jacob arrives at the

wedding, he notices a familiar

face in the crowd. The woman

is Helene; his former girlfriend

who coincidentally is Jorgens

wife. At the wedding reception,

Jorgen and Helenes daughter

Anna comments on how Jorgen

is not her biological father.

At this point, Helene

and Jacobs eyes meet and

Jacob knows that Anna is his

daughter.Helene explains to Jacob

that she and Jorgen raised

Anna. Despite attempts to

locate Jacob in India, they were

unable to find him.

After the Wedding will

be shown at the Mercyhurst

College PAC today at 2 and

8 p.m. Tickets are FREE for

Mercyhurst College students

with ID (one ticket per ID).

By Megan OHareStaff writer

This weekend the MercyhurstCollege dance department willpresent Leaps and Bounds,

featuring celebrated performerand choreographer Bill Evans.

The performance will feature

many different types styles ofdance, ranging from classicalballet to innovative modern

choreography.Jen Kitchens, a dancer in the

performance, says, The fall

concert features a wide varietyof dances, including somethingfor everyone to enjoy.

During the past week, thehighly-acclaimed Evans has

been in residence with the dancedepartment. During this time he

set his piece Passion Song ona small group of dancers. Thispiece consists of contemporary

choreography.Given Evans wealth of

talent and experience, the dance

department is excited andhonored to be presenting hiswork in the fall dance concert.

Dance Chair Tauna Huntersaid of Evans, He is a highlyintelligent human being, always

gracious, and has a great senseof humor. Bill is an amazingperformer and his choreography

ranks among the best in thefield. He has been a role modeland inspiration to me for many

years.

Evans and assistant professorof dance MarkSantillano will

also be performing a tap duet.Erie choreographer and

Christina Maria will also present

a piece in Leaps and Bounds.Marias Old Time Religion,

set to music by the Five Blind

Boys from Alabama, is a spiritualpiece with praising enthusiasmand lots of energy.

Old Time Religion isdifferent from other pieces thatshe choreographed in the past.

My biggest inspiration wasthe music, she said.

In addition to guest artists

work, Leaps and Bounds will feature choreography byHunter, Santillano and dance

department faculty memberMichael Gleason.

Hunters piece, For Loss

of Renee, was choreographedin reaction to the tragedies of9/11 and in honor of Renee

Vicary. For Loss of Renee issure to touch hearts through itsdedication.

Santillano will display hischoreographic talents in a new work. Santillanos piece, set to

jazzy blues music, is sure to

keep the viewer excited with itssassy character and innovative

partnering.Finally, the performance

will close with Symphonie

Italienne, a ballet choreographedby Gleason.

With its stunning costuming

and beautiful classicism, thisprogram-closer is likely to please

any lover of ballet.Leaps and Bounds will

be performed in the MaryDAngelo Performing ArtsCenter Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2

p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday,Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.

Tickets range from $5 to $15

and can be purchased at thePAC box office.

By Sarah Mastrocola

Staff writer

Junior Lauren Stenroos performs in Symphonie Italienne.Mark Santillano photo

Dancers present concert, Leaps and Bounds

PAC to show After the Wedding

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

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OPINIONPAGE 12 Oct. 24, 2007

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Minute Meals!

I have come to realize my new

family that has rooted in my col-

lege roommates.

These chosen family mem-

bers guide us down lifes paths

and influence the choices that

establish our future way of life.

I call this chosen group

family because, unlike my family

whose flaws and different tastes

I have grown to love over time,

these college friends were found

through similar interests and

mut ual relationships.

I have worked to mold my

identity based on criticism

rooted in love from my new-

found brothers and sisters. We

help each other work through

issues that confront us daily aswe evolve and progress through

college together.

Unlike much of our fami-

lies at home, this college family

experiences daily life with us

and is absorbed in the same

rollercoaster that is our college

experience.

We take classes together that

harp on the misfortunes that

have been created by our exist-ing society. If we seek changes,

we must unite as a family and go

forth with our goals by finding

strength in each other.

In times our parents may not

support our visions as radi-

cal change seems necessary to

shake our situation, so as others

may look to maintain the status

quo, we can look to our family

here to fight for the individuals who are suffering throughout

the world.

I have been taught to see suf-

fering in the world as a reflection

of what the past and present has

created.

I believe that our generation

carries forth the responsibility to

help those less fortunate by not

disengaging from the ignorance

and satisfaction of mediocrity

that has led us to this point in

history.

I urge us to keep close as weshare our meals, our music, our

tears and our laughter.

We shape ourselves and our

identities from those with whom

we chose to spend our time.

These are the people we build

our dreams of the future with,

so dream smart and stay stead-

fast in the vision that peace is

possible.

Open up to these family

members.

Do not be scared to bear your

soul. It will only strengthen the

relationships and bonds that will

endure through time.

As we prepare to influence

society, embrace the qualities

that make us each unique indi-

viduals but never forget we rely

on each other to accomplishmajor change.

College gave us all a chance to

start anew and rebuild an image

with a conscious awareness

of the effects that our choices

have.

In the end after the pomp and

circumstance, if distance ends

up separating us, my new family

will be held close at heart and

mind, as I believe in the powerof change through the influence

of united individuals with the

passion and zeal to search for a

better way for all people.

It is on us to believe in each

other and steer our peers on the

paths to create a beautiful and

peaceful world through realizing

our potential with the knowl-

edge we have access to.

Perhaps we can get togetheras a family, students, faculty and

administration once a week for

a forum or town hall meeting

to discuss how we can implant

our values of self-reflection

and contemplation of human

behavior, to promote balance

of mind, body and spirit and

ultimately offers the opportu-

nity to develop a moral compass

for a life of integrity.

By Jerrod Markle

Staff writer

College friends are family

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

13/20

Mr. Mike Malpiedi, 81, has beenPresident of the Mercyhurst College

Alumni Association since 2001,and serves on the Board of Trusteesas well. He and his wife have three

adolescent adult children. He is Gen-eral Sales Manager of Connoisseur Media. His favorite aspect about

Mercyhurst College is its ability tomaintain a small campus atmosphereeven as it has progressed and grown

to be renowned in many academic set-tings. The beautiful setting and famil-iarity/longevity of the personnel has

always made it a welcoming environ-ment for current and past students.

Going back to our earliest

memories, we have all been

taught to believe in something.

Our parents taught us to believe

in family, religion and respect.

Our educators taught us to

believe in knowledge, disci-pline and structure. Our friends

taught us to believe in trust,

brotherhood and love.

By the time we reach adult-

hood, we are filled with beliefs.

In all reality, many of these

beliefs are learned instead of

formed. By the time we have

formulated our own set of

beliefs, we have married, started

a family and perpetuated thecycle by instilling these beliefs

in our children.

Im not saying that learned

beliefs are wrong. They are

symbolic of the environment

in which we were raised and

become a very big part of who

we are.

I dont think we realize the

impact of those beliefs until we

have become adults ourselves.I still vividly remember my

parents saying, Someday when

youre older youll understand,

or, Wait until you have children

of your own and well have this

conversation. Statements that

seemed as pointless as the argu-

ments we were having, at the

time.

It wasnt until life threw me

a curve and my beliefs were

shaken that I made a conscious

effort to really understand what

I believed.My mother died suddenly in

1999. I decided the minute I

received that phone call that I

somehow needed everyone to

see her through my eyes. At her

funeral, I stood at the pulpit and

explained to the congregation

that if a historian reviewed her

life, she would be deemed an

ordinary woman. She grew up

in a middle class family, mar-

ried, had children and became a

housewife and mother. It wasnt

what she did that made her so

special, it was how she lived.

Her personality would never

dominate a conversation and

her presence would never stand

out in a crowd. But, from my

earliest memories, my mother

lived for her family. When my grandfather died,

she gave up the home that was

built for her and moved our

family to care for my blind

grandmother, her mother-in-

law. She battled cancer and heart

disease, yet was always more

concerned about her children

and grandchildren than herself.

My mother taught me toalways look for the good in

others, to never be ashamed to

show emotion, to give everyone

the benefit of the doubt. She

taught me that family was the

most important thing and that

true love never has conditions.

She taught me that you can

care for others without losing

yourself.

My mother didnt verbalize

any of these things; it was the

way in which she lived.

I still mourn her to this day,

and I think it is largely due to the

fact that I wasnt done learning.

I still see her face and remember

her ways.

I find myself trying to evalu-

ate situations through her eyes.

I may not have my mothers

patience or calm demeanor. I

may not have her unquestion-able faith or unconditional love,

but I am a better person because

I had someone to emulate that

possessed such great poise and

garnered such great respect and

love.

Although Id like to think my

beliefs are uniquely my own,

they are a compilation of what

I have witnessed, what I have

learned and what I aspire to be.

I dont wear them or recite them

or preach them, I live them.

Now that my children are

making decisions for them-

selves, I can only hope that their

beliefs are built on a similar

foundation of love, faith and

respect that they have witnessed

through their mother and me.

PAGE 13Oct. 24, 2007 OPINION

Joshua Wilwohl Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

Casey Greene Managing Editor [email protected]

Amy Zielinski & Amanda Valauri News Editors [email protected] Gildea Features Editor [email protected]

Merissa Frank Opinion Editor [email protected]

Chris Davis & Brittany Jackett Sports Editors [email protected]

Nicole Cerilli A&E [email protected]

Scoot Williams Photographer [email protected]

Tiffany Cook Production Editor [email protected]

Leslie Ruchala Advertising Manager [email protected]

Noelle Lelakus Copy Editor [email protected]

Lenore Skomal Advisor [email protected]

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

week. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B.

Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed

and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the

letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are

due the Thursday before publication and may not be longer than

300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485.

MATH LAB

Located in the

Library 304 A & B

OPEN:

Sundays

through

Thursdays

CALL:

Ext: 2078

For exact hours

TUTORIAL HELP

FOR ALL YOU

MATH NEEDS!

Everyone is

talking about

it before classstarts.

You think it is

wrong.

Dosomething.

Send your

opinion to

opinionmerciad@

mercyhurst.edu

This I believe: My beliefs are a compilation

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

14/20

I love how the Merciad

descended into such a state of

sensationalism that there are

now four pages of opinions;

William R. Hearst would be so

proud.

Normally I would never

respond to an attack in a public

forum because all it will do is

fan the flames of hostilities but

Power Elite Rule Five statesthat, when a member of the

Power Elite is challenged, he

must retaliate.

My hands are tied. So what

does it take to make a fun-loving

guy respond to the vituperative

machinations of an inferior

man? Errors of logic.

I do not deny I am a com-plete egotist in every sense of

the word. I am the personifica-

tion of Howard Roark from the

classic, The Fountainhead. But

that point is a digression of my

polemic.

I was trying to raise awareness

for an event that cost thousands

of dollars on campus, yet the

launch of Halo 3 received more

press coverage.Am I the only one who sees

something wrong with that?

Now to the heart of your argu-

ment.

Mr. Markle, are you aware

that the majority of the popula-

tion does not vote for the presi-

dent? Is his position in jeopardy

because of voter apathy?Candidates running for elec-

tion win based upon plurality

and not majority, something akin

to my ascension. There are over

3,000 people currently enrolled

at this college. How many times

have you seen 3,000 people

agree upon a single issue?

So instead of speaking for

the college I will speak for

myself and maybe I will influ-ence and connect with people,

much like yourself who was so

influenced by my article.

If that isnt power, I dont

know what is.

I do enjoy the title of King

of the Power Elite, and Im sure

that statement will bring a smile

of affection to some faces.

In the penultimate, I must

thank you for your venomagainst the scholarship positions

on campus. But, oh wait, arent

you an Ambassador? Its funny

how that was not mentioned.

The taste of ink is getting old,

so I leave you with a quote from

Voltaire: I have never made but

one prayer to God, a very short

one: O Lord, make my enemies

ridiculous. And God granted

it.

OPINIONPAGE 14 Oct. 24, 2007

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Lately, we have been more

than agitated with the level of

respect our classmates have

shown.

Hopefully your parents have

taught you to show respect.

If they have not, that should

be one of the many things you

take away from college.

Aretha Franklin even sang a

song about it that we are sure

you have belted out, but obvi-

ously had no idea what you were

saying.

There have been a number

of instances where we have

just wanted to chuck our water

bottles across the room at

disrespectful students.

In Applied Ethics, we were

learning about genocide when

Frick and Frack in the back

of the classroom were playing

Hangman or drawing rainbows

and butterflies.

They were blatantly laughing

out loud, not giving a crap about

what was being taught.

We are sure this doctor

went through numerous years

of school to have two jerks

annoying everyone else in the

classroom and distracting him

from an important topic.

The night Thomas Moore was

flown in and spoke at the PAC,

he did not receive the respect he

deserved.

We do not know how many

students got up while he was

speaking and walked out on

him.

Some even talked through

the whole thing, annoying those

who wanted to be there.

This was rude to bring in a

speaker, only to have half of the

students there disrespect him.

Teachers should not be send-

ing students who only come for

a ticket to prove attendance in

order to receive extra points.

Are those two extra points

really worth our schools

reputation and is it going to help

your D average?

On another note, what is

going on with this educational

coup?

Students expect to be spoon

fed, even at the senior level.

When they do not get their

way, they try to get the teacher

fired.

Try that in the real world.

Please try to get your boss

fired and then see what hap-

pens.

If you are really that bored in

class, please daydream about the

upcoming Man Talk rather

than annoy the rest of the class.

It is considerably less

annoying for you to work on your

failing grade than to bring down

the rest of the class.

By Deanna Fletcher &

Daniella Nunnally

Dont be that student: Respect is necessary for everyone

Most people can say that they

have been on both sides of this

game that seems to be on the

rise in the world of relation-

ships. Its not a very nice game

and normally doesnt turn out

too well for any of the parties

involved, yet it still happens all

the time.

The game that I am talking

about is where we dont want tobe with a person until we can no

longer have them.

Let me paint a picture for you

of what Im talking about; Im

positive it will sound familiar.

Joe and Susan are really good

friends. Joe likes Susan and tells

her this but she claims that she

just wants to remain friends.

After months of rejection, Joe

meets Kara and starts datingher.

Upon hearing this news, Susan

is upset that Joe is dating some-

one, even though she wouldnt

date him herself.

Why is it that once a person

we never wanted to date starts

dating someone else, we sud-

denly want to be with that

person? We act as though they

are doing something wrong by

finding happiness with some-

one else. Its almost as though

knowing that someone else likes

the same individual is a form

of approval that that person isworth being with.

Why is it so hard to see what

we have when we have it, instead

of after we let it go? I have to

admit, my friends and I have

played this game a time or two,

as well as been the victim, and

nothing good ever comes from

it. I think that it has to do with

the rejection factor.

Nobody likes being rejected,or the feeling that a person they

care about is perfectly fine with-

out them.

This factor then takes over

any chance of acting rationally

and in a desperate attempt to

feel needed in that persons life

again, we try to suck them back

in.

We know its not a nice thing

to do and that we really dontwant to be with this person, but

we just dont want them to be

with anyone else either. Makes

sense right?

After looking back at the

experiences that I have person-

ally had with this game, I think

we all need to start figuring out

if we want something while we

have it, instead of waiting until

its too late.

By MichelleLaSlavicStaff writer

Get it before you lose itBy KeithNemethStaff writerpolitical analyst

An Ad Hominem from the heart

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

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The other day I sat at the bartalking to a friend about thesenior and junior class girls that

have seemed to have hooked upwith at least one member of agroup or team on campus. We

all know who these girls are. Butthey seem to fly far below theradar. These women randomly

leave your roommates room at9 a.m. When questioning your

friend about the girl, he is under

the belief that he is the man andpossibly hooked up with a girlsolely on his looks. The truth is,

you find that this same femalehas hooked up a member of the

lacrosse team, a ROTC guy, afootball player or a wrestler.

These women are the ones who concern us about the

spread of STDs on campus. While some of these womanthat I describe might be some-

what attractive, for the mostpart many of them are unat-tractive. They are predators who

seek their prey. Their prey are

the drunk and the vulnerable.

These women know that inreal, sober life they would haveno chance with any man that

has more than three teeth. Nev-ertheless, with alcohol involved

anything is possible. They havenow been able to go from hook-ing up with men who look likeDrew Carey to Brad Pitt.

It is good that these womenexist. They make for goodlaughs with friends and give us

men the ability to make fun ofour friends.

The true concern is what do

these women think the next

morning when they do the walk

of shame with messy hair andheels on?

Do they truly believe that they

are Gods gift to men?Alternatively, do they accept

their stalker-like behavior as away life? We will never know.

Men, let us take a strongstand, watch your alcohol intake

and reject these women. Whenyou are the last one at the barand she is there tell her you have

standards.Leave the bar by yourself

with your head high. Let these

women stick with the Drew

Careys.

The Good

We al l seem to berefreshed after a longweekend.

The dance department

is featuring a famous cho-reographer, who will alsoperform in this weekendsconcert.

The Bad

The weather seemsto have taken a turn forthe worse. Who knowsthough, it could be 80again next week.

The Merciad spelledmaintenance wrong lastweek. We hate it when thathappens.

The Ugly

There is a possibility ofbroken glass in the sand volleyball court becausesomeone broke a window.

Mr. Moore has correctedus: The Office of Resi-dence Life and area direc-tors have lightbulbs. If aperson chooses to secure a

light bulb from the main-tenance department that issimply another option thatthey now have.

Please e-mail any suggetions to

[email protected].

The GB&U is a compilation of

student opinions.

The Good,the Bad &

the Ugly

OPINION PAGE 15Oct. 24, 2007

There you are standing in line

at Subconnection when you turnaround to witness a pair of col-

lege students swapping saliva.You not only notice that they

are making out but that they are

touching each other in a mannerthat might make you want tovomit.

This middle school behaviorcan be found everywhere youturn on campus.

Honestly I can remember

this being an issue in the hallsof public schools when you had

nowhere else to display youraffection.

Furthermore, to make the sit-

uation worse, the members of

our school who partake in thisbehavior likely have never made

out with a girl until they got tocollege.

I might be mistaken; however,

I am certain that every studenton campus has some form ofquarters in which one resides.

A students residence is thelocation in which I would sug-gest that this grotesque activity

take place. It is here that you

can make out with your signifi-cant other without 500 peeping

eyes staring at you. What makesthis behavior unfortunate is thatthere are no rules that prohibit

public displays of affection. It

is to my belief that it is a socialnorm that PDA is wrong.

It is time for us as a studentbody to assemble a PDA patrol.It can be a reality TV show for

Hurst TV. If students wish toshow public displays of affec-tion then do not just show those

around you while making out.Share the experience with

everyone on campus and the

town of Erie. If the TV show

does not work because of thethought of invasion of pri-

vacy, let us take a stand.When in the position of wit-

nessing PDA I choose to stare

until the couple feels as uncom-

fortable as I do. There is nothing more

uncomfortable than havingsomeone stare as you make out. Just simply speak out and tell

these horny teenagers to endthe madness and get a room.

So if you are a PDA participa-

tor beware; hopefully the read-ers of this article will make youfeel more uncomfortable than

you make them.

By BillSwaffordStaff writer

PDA participators beware of peeping eyes

After a series of comments

made by a fellow columnist I hadsome serious girl talk leading tothe following: life as an upper

classman is not always exciting.State Street becomes dull weekafter week. The people become

similar. If you are not careful,you can fall into a routine. Youcan still have girl or man talk.

However there becomes a needfor variety.

At Mercyhurst, the girl toguy ratio is high, as it is at mostuniversities. A series of articles

mentioned one night stands. Icame to think certain guys atMercyhurst get around. Is this

a gender phenomenon? Are wewitnessing a transfer of genderroles?

Will women refer to men whobrag about one-night stands asthe village bicycle?

When people speak of mul-

tiple sexual partners, you cannothelp but wonder what infections

are being spread around the Eriesocial scene Wednesday throughSaturday nights.

Mercyhurst is a Catholic col-lege. Some feel the Catholictradition should be respected:

abstinence until marriage. Truthfully, some students arehaving sexual relations on an

impersonal basis.In many cases emotion has

been taken out of the act and it

simply becomes an act seeking

pleasure. The need for sex canbe attributed to a longing for

community and finding a sig-nificant other.

Appealing to the female audi-

ence reading this article, andsome men, be careful who youlet between your sheets. A

reputation will last a month,but a disease can last far beyondgraduation. When you are at a

party or at the bar and have hadtoo much to drink, simply becautious of the so-called bicy-

cles.

By Ellen

KoenigStaff writer

Men as bicycles: Do not jump into bed too hastily

By BillSwaffordStaff writer

The promiscuous few: Look before you leap

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007

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PAGE 16 Oct. 24, 2007SPORTS

By Stephen DugganStaff writer

Womens soccer wins on road Mens soccerfalls again

A famous soccer player once

said, Failure happens all the

time. It happens every day in

practice. What makes you better

is how you react to it.

The Mercyhurst College

mens soccer team has had its

fair share of successes and

failures this season, but each

time the men seem to hit a road

block, their heads never fall.

With the admiration and drive

to succeed, a loss on the score

boards never sets these men

back in their minds.

On Saturday the Lakers fell

to Ohio Dominican 2-1. The

Panthers entered the match witha 12-1 record including 12 shut

outs meaning they have only

been scored on in one other

game.

On paper the Panthers

defense looked like there was no

way anyone could get through

it, but that changed when the

Lakers took the field.

In the 75th minute of the game

sophomore Kurt Young becamethe second player to break

through the Ohio Dominican

defense this season and slipped

the ball into the back of the net.

With Youngs goal the Lakers

were tied against the Panthers

after they scored with only 13

seconds left in the first half.

The Lakers junior Danny

Mudd came up big in the game

against Ohio Dominican witheight saves. Unfortunately with

only four minutes to go in

regulation time, the Panthers

were able to slip one in the net

for the game winner.

We played well (against

Ohio Dominican), we were just

really unlucky with our shots

and getting the ball into the

goal, said freshman goalkeeper

Michael Wells.

By Katie WaldinStaff writer

As they approach the final

games of the season each match

becomes more crucial than the

last for the Mercyhurst womens

soccer team.

With a record that stands at

13-3-1, the ladies have given

themselves every chance of

going to the NCAA playoffs.

This means every game is a

must-win for the remainder of

the season. The Lakers, coming

off of a weekend in which the

swept the opponents, went on

the road for two games this past

week.

On Wednesday Mercyhurst

traveled to Amherst, New York

to play Daemen College. TheLakers put on the pressure right

from the start, registering 10

shots in the first half. This was a

sign of what was to come as theLakers piled on the shots again

in the second half.

However it took Mercyhurst

63 minutes before they would

find the back of the Daemen

net.

Senior midfielder Jacque Sluga

found junior Sarah Powell, who

made no mistake in front of

goal.

The game opened up for the

Lakers and with most of the

pressure relieved they went in

search of another goal.

Powell blasted a shot on goal

that hit the post; the rebound

fell to junior Christine Rehnart

who duly finished.

The Mercyhurst defense

closed out the game for the win

and the clean sheet. Junior goalkeeper Rebecca

Heintzman had a quiet day

in goal, only being called into

action three times. The Lakersout shot Daemen 20-6.

The next stop for the Lakers

was Indiana, Pa. to play Indiana

University of Pennsylvania

(IUP), who carried a record of

11-5 going into the contest.

Powell scored 20 minutes into

the game to give Mercyhurst

the advantage. IUP struck back

before halftime to level the

game.

In the 65th minute freshman

Jamie Schroter found

sophomore Taylor Hilinski for

another Mercyhurst goal. This

was Hilisnkis tenth strike of the

season.

Only eight minutes elapsed

before IUP struck back with a

goal from Mellissa Karnock.

The game would end up 2-2 andovertime beckoned. The Lakers

dug deep and Schroter grabbed

her ninth assist of the season by

finding Rehnart for the Lakergoal and the win.

The Lakers out shot IUP 20-

14 in the game and held an 8-6

advantage in corner kicks.

We had two tough games

this weekend and are happy to

come out 2-0, said Heintzman.

We showed a lot of fighting

spirit, especially to beat IUP in

overtime.

The Lakers are now finished

with their away schedule for the

2007 season. They finished 7-

3-1 on the road and are 13-3-1

overall.

With a lot of drama this

weekend the Lakers return

home with two more wins under

their belt.

The ladies will play their last

regular season game at homeon Sunday against local rivals

Gannon University at 2 p.m.

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PAGE 17Oct. 24, 2007 SPORTS

Freshman Meghan Agosta (87) attempts a shot in an earlier game this season against

Boston University.

Scoot Wililams photo

For the Mercyhurst College

womens hockey team, this

weekend meant seeking revenge

on an opening playoff loss to

Minnesota Duluth just severalmonths ago.

The Lakers traveled to

Minnesota this weekend carrying

their best start in school history

at 5-0.

It marked the first time that

these two teams have met

during the regular season and

unfortunately for the Lakers the

weekend did not turn out the

way they had hoped.On Saturday Mercyhurst

battled through overtime to end

the game in a 1-1 tie and Sunday

did not fare much better as they

fell 3-1 to the Bulldogs.

The Lakers only goal on

Saturday came from senior

captain Stephanie Jones 2:40

into the second period.

Freshman Vicki Bendus was

credited with the assist on the

first goal scored on the Bulldogs

this season.

UMD tied the game 1-1 in

the 3rd period with just 4:38

seconds left to send the game to

overtime.

Mercyhurst senior goalkeeper

Laura Hosier stopped 23 of

24 Bulldog shots in holdingMinnesota to just one goal.

Jones goal in the second

period was her third goal on the

year.

Sunday did not turn out quite

the way the girls had hoped, as

Minnesota toppled the Lakers

3-1.

The lone goal by the Lakers

was scored by sophomore

Meghan Agosta making it herfifth goal of the season.

The goal was scored early in

the first period and it looked as

though the Lakers were going to

control the game.

Bendus was credited with

assisting on the goal giving her

three assists on the year.

UMD finished the game with

three unanswered goals, to give

them the victory and ending

the Lakers six-game unbeaten

streak

The Bulldogs capitalized on

powerplays, scoring twice on

seven chances.

Unfortunately the Lakers

were unable to score on five

powerplay chances of their

own.The team is coming together

pretty well as a unit but we

are young and still learning

everyday, said senior Jackie

Jarrell.

The Lakers will look to regain

their winning edge as they

take on Colgate on Friday and

Saturday.

The games will start at 4:30

p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, inthe Mercyhurst Ice Center.

The Lakers took down the

Raiders both times they played

last year and are 9-1-2 overall

against Colgate.

The team is looking to

improve on a lot of areas heading

into this weekends game, said

Jarrell. Mainly we need to

focus on having consistent play

for the entire game.

By Kyle CraigStaff writer

Hockey falls to UMD

Tip-off dinner to

take place Oct. 31

Looking for something to

do on Halloween night? Think

no further then the Mercyhurst

College 20th Annual Basketball

Tip-Off Dinner.

The Merc

Documents

The Merciad, Oct. 24, 2007