Opinion: Kelly dodges straight answer at forum

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Athletes get the spotlight in the

classroom

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Take our online poll on athletes registering early

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

NEWSPage 2 October 26, 2011

Winter athletes register with seniors

A little less than 90 winter ath-letes registered for classes on Monday, Oct. 24.

This number includes senior, junior, sophomore and freshman athletes who were able to register for classes the same day as the rest of Mercyhurst College seniors.

The athletes cleared to register early were hockey players, basket-ball players and wrestlers.

According to Dean of Faculty Brian Reed, Ph.D., athletes were able to register for classes with seniors because athletes aren’t able to take classes scheduled later in the day.

This winter term is the fi rst time

athletes had priority registration because it is the fi rst term affected by the extended class times, which are in response to being out of contact hour compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Edu-cation. The later class times inter-fere with athletes’ practice, travel schedules and game times.

With the extended class times, athletes have fewer class time slots that fi t in their availability.

“What we tried to do was make this schedule time bearable for ath-letes,” said Reed. “We didn’t want to do this, but it was going to be a problem.”

According to Andrea Barnett, assistant vice president for Aca-demic Affairs, allowing athletes to register with seniors “was a response

to a confl ict that was brought to our attention.”

Reed emphasized that allow-ing athletes to register early was a decision made due to the change in contact hours. He said the cal-endar system, university status, the 2020 strategic plan and the core classes are being worked on at the moment.

“All this stuff is happening. It’s really exciting but also kind of crazy,” Reed said.

Athletes explained how the early registration is benefi cial.

Sophomore Adele Campbell, a basketball player, said, “Register-ing early has made it less stressful, knowing I will be able to get into my fi rst choice classes since the classes available outside of practice times are already extremely limited.”

She explained the diffi culties of scheduling practices with the later class times.

“Having a team full of stu-dents with different majors makes scheduling practice around classes extremely diffi cult, especially with

the small size of Mercyhurst with a narrow range of classes offered each term,” she said.

Freshman Catherine Willard, a fi eld hockey player, said, “As an ath-lete, I agree that they should be able to register fi rst, since students have a more fl exible schedule than I do, and I have to miss more classes.”

Barnett said athletic administra-tors met with the Offi ce of Aca-demic Affairs once the new class times for winter and spring terms were announced.

Reed explained the reason for the late notice of the change.

“It was done thoughtfully and because of that, it took some time,” he said. “It wasn’t done light heart-edly.”

Faculty received notice of this decision Friday morning through an email.

Faculty then had about two days to advise their freshmen and sopho-more athletes. Reed said juniors and seniors should have already advised for classes by this time.

Non-athlete students were not informed of the decision. Barnett said there wasn’t a lot of time to notify students. Also, students are not always informed of college changes.

When asked about whether this will affect registration for non-ath-lete students, Reed said, “My hope is that it does not.”

He elaborated saying, “My feel-ing is it’s not going to have a huge effect on how they prepare for reg-istering. That’s my hope.”

Reed said he thinks there wasn’t much of an effect on non-athletes because even though about 90 ath-letes registered Monday, some were seniors who would have registered regardless.

“It’s not really that many in winter,” he said.

Even if the number of winter athletes isn’t very high, the number of spring athletes is about 50 more than winter athletes, Reed said.

However, when calculating the number of members on the base-ball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s water polo and men’s and women’s rowing teams, the total number of players equaled 180.

Some students seemed to under-stand the need for athletes to regis-ter early, but they were concerned about how this change will affect them.

“Freshmen registering before upperclassmen is not fair,” junior Mark Vidunas said. “I don’t have to worry too much because I’m taking mostly political science classes. I understand why they’re doing it, but I don’t think it’s fair.”

Junior Trish Armstrong said, “A lot of my classes were fi lled, I think mostly because seniors are trying to fi ll their core classes. Yes, I under-stand the need, especially for upper-classmen athletes, but it does put a damper on those of us pursuing double majors or contract majors.”

Reed said he doesn’t think seniors were affected by this change, but he said he isn’t sure if the other classes will be affected.

He said upperclassmen were not likely affected because the freshman and sophomore athletes were not registering for upper level classes.

Barnett explained that even if athletes did not register with seniors, “You are not guaranteed you will get the class you want.”

“We recognize that all students have challenges when it comes to scheduling,” she said. The main goal of this change was to relieve the diffi culty of registering for ath-letes and not to “be a detriment to the students.”

Other students didn’t think the change was fair at all.

“I didn’t have many expecta-tions about my schedule, but this certainly doesn’t help. As a fresh-man, I expect to be unable to get every section but don’t feel it’s right that certain athletes get precedent,” freshman Leah Voit said.

One good piece of news for stu-dents who have trouble registering for classes due to the athletes reg-istering early is that this isn’t neces-sarily a permanent change, and no decisions have been made for regis-tration next year.

“We’ve committed to winter and spring this year,” said Reed.

Barnett said she welcomes feed-back from students regarding the registration changes.

What we tried to do was make the sched-ule time bearable. We didn’t want to do this, but it was going to be a problem.

Brian Reed, Ph.D.”

“

Athletes cleared for early registrationBy Kelly LuomaEditor-in-chief

Page 3October 26, 2011 NEWS

Sexual harassment and assault can be very traumatic experiences, but thankfully, there are many options for Mercyhurst College students dealing with these situations. One of those options for coping is Mer-cyhurst’s Sexual Harassment Griev-ance Panel.The Sexual Harassment Griev-

ance Panel sits for cases ranging from name-calling and harassment to indecent assault and rape. The panel consists of two students

appointed by Mercyhurst Student Government, two faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate and two administrators. Associ-ate Professor of Criminal Justice Tina Fryling is the college’s sexual harassment and affi rmative action offi cer and also serves as chair on the Sexual Harassment Grievance Panel.Fryling said the panel is very simi-

lar to the college’s judicial board. Many cases dealt with by the panel are “he said/she said” incidents, and the panel members try to be

very sensitive to these situations and carefully consider the testimony of all parties involved.Fryling can also direct victims

toward support services and help make life easier for students after going through such a diffi cult expe-rience.“There might be certain options

(the victims) didn’t consider,” said Fryling. “As sexual assault offi cer, I try to make sure that the victim isn’t in the same classes as the accused or living across the hall from him. It’s hard if they’re in the same major, but we do whatever we can to make it so they’re not in class together at 8 a.m. every day or a situation like that.”Sanctions for sexual harassment

and assault range anywhere from a fi ne and community service to expulsion. The panel has not had any incidents this year, but accord-ing to Fryling, the panel normally receives a maximum of one to two incidents per term. However, this type of case is often

underreported, and keeping this type of case a secret can be very emotionally damaging to victims. “So often a victim won’t bring

it up for several months until it’s

become a major problem in their lives. If something happens to you, tell someone you trust so that you’re not going through it by your-self,” Associate Vice President for Student Life Laura Zirkle said. Fryling strongly encourages vic-

tims to go to Mercyhurst’s free Counseling Center and to talk to her as soon as possible. “If it feels like you were the victim

of sexual harassment, come talk to me. Don’t let someone tell you, ‘No, no, it’s fi ne,’ or ‘I think you’re overreacting.’ I’ll never think you’re overreacting,” Fryling said.Zirkle said students should talk to

a resident assistant, the Counseling Center or Police and Safety imme-diately after a sexual assault, even if the victims or their friends have been drinking underage. “The truth is, in almost every case,

alcohol is involved. In that situa-tion, we’re not worried about the drinking at all,” Zirkle said.Both Zirkle and Fryling empha-

sized that victims have full control over the situation and want them to know that coming forward will not create a snowball effect. “It used to be the feeling was, you

automatically go to the police and the hospital,” said Zirkle. “Now we strongly encourage this, but we bring in a counselor to explain those options before we do anything.”Mercyhurst Police and Safety is

able to connect students with the college’s emergency counselor 24/7 and will contact the Erie Police Department immediately if a stu-dent reports a rape or assault.Mercyhurst College Chief of

Police Robert Kuhn said misde-meanors such as nasty texts from an ex-boyfriend or inappropriate touching are handled by offi cers

within Police and Safety.Kuhn said that even if victims

don’t want to press charges, they should come forward in order to protect other students. “If they are a victim of this crime,

there’s a good chance that the guy that did it is going to do it again to somebody else,” Kuhn said.If you have been the victim of

sexual harassment of any kind, contact your resident assistant, the Counseling Center at extension 3650, or Police and Safety at exten-sion 2304. All calls are strictly con-fi dential.

By JoEllen MarshStaff writer

Campus panel deals with sexual assaultWhat to do if you’re a victim

of sexual assault:� Tell someone: an RA, a parent, a friend–anyone you can trust. The sooner you tell someone, the better.� Call Police & Safety, inform them of the incident, and ask them to contact the emergency counselor. or go straight to Mercyhurst’s Counseling Center. � The counselor will be able to give you options, but it is in your control if you want to press charges or go to a rape victim’s center.

Dangers of prescription drug use discussed

David Dausey, Ph.D., a Mercyhurst alumnus who is now a professor of public health and director of the Institute for Public Health at Mercyhurst College, was recently quoted in the Erie Times-News regarding student abuse of Adderall and Ritalin in order to cram for exams.

Adderall and Ritalin are prescription drugs used in the treatment of attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Dausey stated in the article that the untested presump-tion is that “these drugs that help kids with ADHD will also enable non-ADHD students focus better for exams, but that has never been proven.”

Dausey explained that “a lot of the research that’s been done out there on the prevalence of this practice has been done within big university settings, so how much of this actu-ally happens at smaller liberal arts colleges...who knows, and that’s really part of the challenge here.”

According to Dausey, Ritalin and Adderall are drugs people can acquire more easily than illicit drugs and can sometimes be found in some homes or friend’s medicine cabinets.

“This is something that is sort of done in secret, and we don’t have any idea how much or little of it is actually being done,” Dausey said.

Dausey explained the use of Ritalin and Adderall as danger-ous because they can cause many problems, such as cardiovas-

cular health issues.The drugs, “can cause seizures, heart attacks, high blood

pressure, stroke and even death. Clearly, we need to be con-cerned about students who are doing this,” he said.

Despite the concern, there is no proof of students at Mer-cyhurst taking these drugs.

“There is a chance that none of this is happening at Mer-cyhurst at all,” said Dausey. “I’m personally unaware of any abuse cases, but that could well be because I’ve technically only been a full-time faculty member since Sept. 1.”

Ironically, Dausey said he hopes that media attention of the issue won’t have the reverse effect in that students, after hear-ing about the drugs, will want to partake in Ritalin or Adderall use for studying purposes.

Mercyhurst senior Jaclyn Ropelewski, who has a 4.0 grade point average explained her study habits.

“Studying for important tests can be a daunting task and for some students it involves last minute cramming and pulling all-nighters. However, I like to study for 1-2 hours every day about a week before the test,” she said.

She said that “following this study pattern has worked very well for me, and I never feel pressured to cram all night before a test.”

She also commented on students using prescription drugs and admitted that she has heard about the Ritalin and Adderall use by students wishing to stay up and study.

“I personally have never heard of this sort of drug abuse at Mercyhurst, but I am sure it happens at universities all across the country. If students really feel the need to stay up all night

and study, whatever happened to good old coffee?”One Mercyhurst student said he uses Adderall because “it

keeps me awake. I tend to put everything off until the last minute, and I’d rather be awake to get my stuff done. It’s like coffee.”

The student, who asked that his name not be used, said he doesn’t use Adderall more than once a term, if that, and mainly around fi nals time. “I know like 40 people who either use Adder-all for studying or recreationally. I haven’t noticed a rise in the usage of Adderall from my freshman year though,” he said.

Social networks may also have a big role in the spread of prescription drug abuse.

Dausey said that “the problem is that abuse spreads through social networks as an OK thing to do, and just because some-one else reacts to a drug a certain way doesn’t mean you are going to react the same way. This casual spread through social network is dangerous.”

Dausey gave his best advice. He said, “If somebody gives you a pill and tells you to take it… don’t. Don’t assume any-thing when it comes to those types of things. If you’re going to pull an all-nighter, stick to coffee.”

The best thing to do “is to keep up with things and don’t cram, or if you’re having problems, go to the health center and talk to Judy Smith and her staff,” he said.

Executive Director of Wellness Judy Smith, Ph.D., said, “While to the best of my knowledge based on what we see here at the Counseling Center and Health Center, I do not think that abuse of Ritalin or Adderall is prevalent on this campus. Educating people about the substances and their potential for misuse is always a good thing.”

By Mike GallagherStaff writer

NEWSPage 4 October 26, 2011

Larceny/theftMonday, Oct. 24

REC CenterCollege discipline

Liquor law violation Sunday, Oct. 23

3937 Briggs AvenueCollege discipline

Possession of controlled substanceSunday, Oct. 23

Parking Lot #8College discipline

Oct. 23-24, 2011

Mercyhurst College has been taking extra safety precau-tions and has developed a safety team.

The idea was developed by the Human Resources Depart-ment, and from there a nine-person team was created this past spring.

The members of the team include employees, management and staff, which consists of Irene Boyles, secretary of the education department; Carl Voltz, laboratory manager of the chemistry department; Elizabeth Morgan, administrative assis-tant of the athletics department; Roy Ridondelli, deputy chief of Police & Safety; Rick Sadlier, fi re safety offi cer; Michele Bille, administrative assistant from the human resources department; Jim Tometsko, director of human resources; Ken Stepherson from the maintenance department; and Larry Kerr from Aramark.

Bille said the team will be benefi cial for the college in order

to “decrease the insurance rates and have a safer environ-ment,” she said.

The team was trained under the instruction of an Erie Insurance representative to promote safety and health. The representative told the team about hazard investigation and safety inspection procedures.

The training involved informative processes and pro-cedures lessons to help make the campus safer. The team learned how to identify hazards and how to conduct an investigation.

The team is in the process of certifi cation through the Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Bureau.

The idea of the program is to look at ways to decrease injury and illness by doing investigations and looking at how to address the issues. With this kind of knowledge it will help keep students safer on campus. The team will also help give students better access to the buildings.

“We’re just getting started, but the potential is limitless,” Tometsko said.

Mercyhurst students seem to approve of the measure.

“I think the team is a great idea because the administra-tion wants to keep the students safe and secure,” junior Kyle Lawton said.

Junior Kaylyn Stack said, “School safety isn’t something we give much thought about on a daily basis, so having a team looking out for us doesn’t alleviate all of my worries, but it defi nitely makes me feel more secure.”

Several projects to increase safety on campus have already been completed.

A sinkhole behind the Grotto was repaired to avoid the chance of someone tripping or falling, and the handicap ramp behind Old Main was fi xed. Cracked and potentially hazardous side-walks were fi xed along with broken handicap buttons as well.

“As a member of this team, my training in hazardous mate-rials handling, and lab safety protocol plays one part in the overall expertise of the team. It is the hope of the team that students of Mercyhurst will benefi t from a safer school envi-ronment,” Voltz said.

Committee members will change annually, so new ideas and thoughts will be brought to the team each year.

By Stacy SkiavoStaff writer

Safety team formed to improve campus

Rep. Kelly partakes in student forum

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., addressed a full house during the town hall meeting Thursday, Oct. 20, in the Cummings Art Gallery.

Kelly was invited by the Mercy-hurst Center for Applied Politics (MCAP) to its Public Affairs Forum.

MCAP is divided into two parts. Half is dedicated to polling and researching public opinion, and the other half is the Public Affairs Forum. The Public Affairs Forum is a non-partisan event in which stu-dents can hear from public leaders in the community.

Director of the Public Affairs Forum Brian Ripley, Ph.D., said, “I believe a respectful, open-minded exchange of political views is essen-

tial for the health of our political system, and we hope to model that kind of civility whenever we invite a speaker to our campus.”

Kelly is in his fi rst term and is a Republican from the Third District of Pennsylvania. He serves on three committees and numerous sub-committees. The three committees are Oversight and Government Reform, Education and the Work-force and Foreign Affairs.

“I was delighted Congressman Kelly accepted our invitation and chose to make Mercyhurst one of his visits in the district,” Ripley said.

Mercyhurst College students were welcome to attend and ask the congressman questions about current issues. Students asked questions from an array of topics, including corporation regulations, tax increases, small businesses, education, same sex marriage and healthcare.

Kelly also presented some information about the debt and offered a small quiz about the government.

Junior Brian Lombardo and freshman Zainab Javed were two students who attended the forum.

“I went to Congressman Mike Kelly’s talk because I thought it would be interesting to see a point of view different than mine,” Javed said.

Lombardo added, “People were well researched and came in to the town hall with knowledge so they

wouldn’t simply just buy everything Kelly was saying.”

Ripley was also impressed with the students who attended the forum.

“I was proud with the quality of questions asked by our students: well-informed, penetrating and articulate,” said Ripley. “It was a good example of what politics can and should be about.”

There was also disappointment

among some of the students at the event.

“While I thought it was good the congressman came to listen to students’ concerns, I also thought he answered many of the ques-tions in generalities and gave only his own opinion,” Lombardo said. “Like any politician, he cited facts that could be taken in many other contexts and used them to support his ideas.”

By Alicia CagleStaff writer

Rep. Mike Kelly visited the Mercyhurst campus Thursday, Oct. 20, to address students at a public affairs forum.

Jill Barrile photo

FEATURESOctober 26, 2011 Page 5

Morewell Gasseller, Ph.D., is a physics professor at Mercyhurst College.

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Gasseller came to the U.S. in 2002 to receive his Ph.D. in physics at Michigan State University.

He graduated in 2009.He came to the U.S. with his wife

and two children - both boys, ages 12 and 5 years.

Before his career here, he was a visiting assistant professor of phys-ics at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“This means my American expe-rience has been only in very cold places,” he said.

After living in Michigan for eight years, he said, “I still hate snow.

“I am already apprehensive as the snow season approaches.”

Eager to teach future courses, Gasseller says, “So far I am teach-ing general physics courses and labs (PHY 201 and PHY 203).

Next term I will teach the con-ceptual physics courses and labs.

“With time I will be able to teach all the physics courses offered here.”

Gasseller is proud of the work he has produced.

“Perhaps my biggest accomplish-ment was that when I was a gradu-

ate student at MSU, I designed and built a cryogenic scanning tunneling microscope that is being used to do some groundbreaking research,” he said.

He also adds that “so far two people have graduated with their Ph.D.’s using that instrument.”

Gasseller is a very enthusiastic educator.

When asked about what he likes most about teaching, he said, “to see my students succeed.”

He elaborates by adding, “There is nothing more satisfying than knowing/ hearing that one of your students has gone on to graduate school and has graduated with a Ph.D. or that one of your students is now the CEO of such or such organization.

Just the idea that I play a minor role in the development of my stu-dents is most satisfying.”

He is also more than happy to help students, should physics pres-ent a problem in their courses.

“Students should feel free to come to me any time or stop me in the corridors.”

He says that he “will be happy to help them with physics issues.”

Gasseller is hoping to start a small research group in the near future specializing in scanning tun-neling microscopy.”

The advice Gasseller provides for students is, “get your education fi rst and everything else will stick to you like dust.”

By Brianna CarleStaff writer

Teacher Feature: Morewell Gasseller

Morewell Gasseller, Ph.D., was born and raised in Zimbabwe.Zach Dorsch photo

The Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics has had its fi ndings featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Lancaster Intelligencer and several other highly respected publications, but many Mercyhurst students don’t even know about the Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics (MCAP).

MCAP is a non-partisan political group on campus that works to spread political awareness.

“The idea is to give our students an opportunity to interact with political leaders and contribute in a posi-tive way to public policy and debates,” Brian Ripley, Ph.D., said.

Ripley is in charge of coordinating political speakers who come to campus for MCAP.

Recently, Congressman Mike Kelly participated in a town meeting at Mercyhurst thanks to MCAP.

“We are non-partisan,” said Ripley. “We don’t endorse any candidates. The idea is to give our students an opportunity to interact with political leaders and contribute to public policy and debate.”

The center plans to have a few political speakers attend campus every term.

“We’d like Mercyhurst College to be known as a place where intelligent debate about political issues takes place,” Ripley said.

The other aspect of MCAP, the part that is getting mentioned in big name publications, is the opinion polling.

Since last year, student members of MCAP have been performing telephone research to gather opinions about important political issues from local residents.

“Major papers have picked up results from our research,” Ripley said.

The research is done solely by Mercyhurst students.Junior Carrie Gambino has been involved with the

MCAP opinion polling.“We call Pennsylvania residents about information

regarding issues in the state,” said Gambino. “Specifi -cally this time, we asked about fracking, the economy and bullying.”

Students must undergo an orientation before they are able to start with the opinion polling, but Gambino recommends the experience.

“It’s defi nitely an interesting experience listening to people of different walks of life and hearing their opin-ions about controversial topics,” she said.

The Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics is associ-ated with the political science department, but it is not just for political science majors.

All students are welcome to participate in the pro-gram after going through the orientation, and all students are welcome to attend the speakers that are brought to campus by MCAP.

“We’re still new…” said Ripley, “but expect to be seeing more from MCAP.”

By Brady GreenawaltStaff writer

Center for Applied Politics gets statewide attention

FEATURES October 26, 2011Page 6

Senior Alex Stacey enjoys blogging about do-it-yourself projects.

I love having bright colors on my fi nger nails, and in browsing Pin-trest lately, I have been seeing some really cool ideas. Pinterest is an online social photo-sharing community. I saw this photo a few months ago, and I knew I had to try it.

First I painted my nails. Most people recommend a neutral or pastel shade. I chose a bright, robin’s egg blue color.

Then it says to soak your fi ngers in rubbing alcohol, but I found it’s easier to just dip them. You just need to coat your nail. Then, press a piece of newspaper onto the nail so that the alcohol soaks it.

Peel off the paper gently, and then see how the newsprint trans-ferred.

At this point, you can still rub the newsprint off, so you should cover it with a topcoat. This will make the words not as dark and may smudge them a bit.

This is an easy and subtle way to give your nails an enhanced look. Everyone that has seen them has thought that they were those little Sally Hansen stickers. Same look, yet if you have the nail polish and get a newspaper, it costs nothing.

For more DIY ideas, visit lavendersbluee.blogspot.com

DIY College Style will be a weekly column featuring two college students’ blogs on quick and easy tips about crafts and food.

DIY College Style:Newspaper Nails

Longnecker nominated for local Athena award

Junior Christine Longnecker was one of four can-didates for this year’s local Athena Young Professional Award.

This prestigious award was established in 2007.The Athena Young Professional Award is an exten-

sion of the prestigious Athena Award, which was estab-lished in 1982 and has been presented to more than 6000 women leaders.

“All of the local colleges chose a student to be rep-resented, and I was lucky enough to be the student chosen from Mercyhurst,” Longnecker said.

There are several qualifi cations to be nominated for the award, and Longnecker demonstrates all of them.

Some of the qualifi cations to be nominated for the award consist of leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative.

Also, nominees must contribute time and energy to improve their community through service and serve as a role model for young women.

She met the criteria for the award and was nominated by Assistant Professor Shelly Freyn.

Longnecker is an intelligence studies major, but there is much more to her than that.

She is on the dean’s list and participates in several extracurricular activities.

She was chosen to attend a conference in the summer in Washington, D.C., which focused on software for intel-ligence analysis. Longnecker is also among the authors of Insights and Analysis in 10 Minutes (or Less), a book published by the one of the intelligence studies classes.

Longnecker’s community service activities relate to her passion - the love of horses. Since 2007, she has vol-unteered for the Therapeutic Riding Equestrian Center (TREC), a local non–profi t organization in Erie.

She assisted in horse care and helping with classes for the disabled. From 2008-11, she ran an annual horse show, The Ultimate Cowboy Race, raising over $2,000

each year for TREC.Longnecker also is a distinguished expert marksman,

one of only seven members in the Erie area, and one of only three women with this honor.

She shoots competitively, which is a unique trait, especially as a male-dominated sport. Her success helps empower women to learn the skill.

Overall, Freyn believes Longnecker is a role model and mentor for young women, constantly striving for excellence academically and achieving it.

Although Longnecker did not receive the award, being a nominee is a huge honor.

Longnecker said, “I could not have been more hon-ored when I was selected as the nominee for the award. I will continue to strive for greatness in all that I do, and I will continue to help empower other young women to do the same.”

By Kayla KellyStaff writer

Junior Christine Longnecker was one of four nominees for this year’s local Athena Young Professional Award.

Sarah Hlusko photo

Senior Marysa Casey, juniors Melba Martinez and Serge Augustin, Dennis Kennedy (Founder of the National Diversity Council), Assistant Professor of Business Kim Zacherl and freshman Tara Acharya attended the Annual Diversity and Leadership Conference in September.

Contributed photo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 7October 26, 2011

Musical ‘Oliver!’ highlights students, community members in what proves to be a family favorite

This weekend the Mercy-hurst Theatre Program presented “Oliver!” the musical. A well-known novel by Charles Dickens with music by Lionel Bart, it is the perfect entertainment for the whole family.

There was an excellent turn-out with audience members of all ages. The impressive cast included young children and Mercyhurst students acting together on the stage of the Taylor Little Theatre.

The children in the cast were excellent for being so young – some looked as young as 5 or 6. They knew where to go, what to say or sing and were convincing yet ador-able orphans.

Ethan Craig, 13, played the role of Oliver. He did not look at all nervous or uncomfortable on the stage. He is no rookie to stage pro-ductions–he has appeared in many Erie Playhouse productions such

as “The Music Man,” “The Secret Garden” and “Tom Sawyer.”

As Oliver he was convincing and made those watching sympathize with the poor orphan. In his song, “Where is Love?” you could see the sadness and longing in his face as

he wished for a companion and a home.

Even though Dickens’ story of an orphan may not seem like a family-oriented show, the Mer-cyhurst Theatre Program made it work well.

Certain elements such as the rela-tionship between Mr. Bumble and the Widow Corney, the orphanage caretakers, or the actions of The Artful Dodger made for a humor-ous side to the tragic tale.

The music was memorable and catchy. Both of the songs “Con-sider Yourself ” and the heartfelt “As Long as He Needs Me” stuck with me after the show.

“Oliver!” had two different lead-ing casts, with one performing on Friday night and the Saturday mati-nee and the other performing Satur-day night and the Sunday matinee.

In the Friday evening and Sat-urday matinee cast, Rebecka Bani Kerr played Nancy, the troubled yet kind barmaid who helps Oliver fi nd his way to his rightful home even though it ultimately leads to her demise.

As the role of Nancy’s villain-ous boyfriend Bill Sykes, Matthew Tolbert was daunting and ominous, and his voice projected through the theatre in his song called “My Name.”

Katie Cecchetti had a clear sing-

ing voice and believable acting abili-ties as the role of the giddy Widow Corney.

The Artful Dodger, a likeable yet sneaky character, was played by Kristian Hill. He was eager and full of a sort of mysterious kindness. Initially Oliver is not sure whether to trust him or avoid him.

The plot twist in the second act creates a suspenseful atmosphere. As it turned out, Oliver’s long lost family member, Mr. Brownlow (played by Barry McAndrew), real-izes Oliver is his grandson after seeing a locket that belonged to his daughter who died during child-birth.

Oliver is eventually reunited with his grandfather and is taken to a loving and safe home.

Sophomore Emily Reed said of the show, “I thought it was a won-derful display of the talent found not only here at Mercyhurst but also in the Erie community.”

All in all, “Oliver!” was a won-derful production, showcasing the singing and acting abilities of many students and community members.

By Emma RishelStaff writer

Tony Bennett croons with the stars in ‘Duets II’

At the ripe old age of 85 and with more than 70 previously released albums, Tony Bennett is still making great music.

His latest offering is the second album of his featuring various col-laborations with other musical fi g-ures.

“Duets II” showcases 17 tracks with different big-name artists.

It should be noted that few, if any, of the renditions compare to the Sinatra versions.

The Chairman’s phrasing, into-nation and mellifl uous voice just cannot be surpassed. This, however, does not take away from Bennett’s talent at all.

The best track far and away is “The Lady is a Tramp” featuring Lady Gaga. She steps out of her usual cotton candy pop music mold and really shows off her talent.

The song has enormous swing and bravado from the opening “She gets hungry for dinner at 8” to the last “That’s why this chick is a tramp.”

Gaga and Bennett even throw in a few new lyrics midway through the song that vary from the origi-nal version. This, plus the playful interaction between the two artists, makes for an extremely enjoyable listen.

Following right on Gaga’s heels, is John Mayer’s cameo, performing a rendition of “One for My Baby” with Bennett. This track is sub-stantially “bluesifi ed,” yet it fi ts the song well. The lyrics allow for the mellow, coffeehouse feel that Mayer gives off.

Yet another incredible col-laboration is “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” with Michael Buble. Both crooners feed off each other, giving the song an incredible amount of energy.

Read the full story at merciad.mercy-hurs.edu/arts_entertainment.

By Aaron UllmanStaff writer

Sophomore Mathew Anderson played the role of Fagin.Jill Barrile photo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 8 October 26, 2011

Pianist Yoo wows audience at Faculty Recital Series

“Dr. Yoo’s recital was the perfect showcase for how incredibly tal-ented the Mercyhurst music faculty is. Her performance was fl awless,” said Lynn Dula, post-baccalaureate.

Jaws dropped and eyes widened throughout the piano performance in the almost packed house at the Walker Recital Hall on Thursday when Shirley Yoo, Doctor of Music Arts, showed us all what mastery of an instrument truly sounded like.

The Washington Post stated that Yoo is a pianist that has “extraordi-nary sensitivity and technical skill.”

Yoo graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from John Hopkins University and later received her Master of Music degree at the Uni-versity of Maryland.

After attending the Royal Acad-emy of Music, she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Peabody Conservatory.

She is a founding member of the Annapolis chamber players and the League of the Unsound Sound (LotUS), which is dedicated to per-forming contemporary and experi-mental music.

Highlights of her performance career include concerts at Steinway Hall, London; the Penderecki Fes-tival, Banff; Tata Theatre, Mumbai; Societa Filarmonica, Trento; and Arts Centre, Seoul.

Yoo is now assistant professor of piano at Mercyhurst, and couldn’t be luckier to have such paragon of music as an educator of the Mercy-hurst student body.

According to Adam Ferrari,

junior music education major, “She was fantastic through and through. I had to stop a second at the end and just say, we know her…she taught me.

“It’s amazing because she’s just so crazy talented.”

For the music students, to be able to see the talent that their pro-fessors possess gives them a sense of respect for the people who teach them.

They see what can happen from years of hard work, dedication and practice.

The program itself opened with “Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland” (Come now, Redeemer of the Gen-tiles) composed by Johann Sebas-tian Bach.

What followed could only be described as the repertoire of a true master of piano, such as, “In the Mists” by Leoš Janáček, “Images” composed by Claude Debussy and “Image de Moreau” written by Louis Andriessen.

This magnifi cent recital was topped off by an absolutely breath-taking Beethoven Sonata, op. 57 (“Appassionata”) that left the audi-ence speechless.

“Her performance was fl awless, and she is an inspiration to all stu-dents.

“Watching her perform was an emotional experience, and the audi-ence could defi nitely tell music was a passion of hers,” said sophomore music education major Marisa Jacobson after witnessing Yoo’s memorable performance.

This will certainly be a recital that will be remembered by all those who attended as one of the best they have seen or will see for years to come.

By Mathew AndersonStaff writer

Senior dancer discovers passion for choreography

Like many dancers, senior Eden Mishler initially chose Mercyhurst because of the school’s distin-guished dance department to fur-ther her ballet technique and grow as an artist.

Once she started at Mercyhurst, she soon realized she was also extremely passionate about chore-ography, the art of creating dances.

Ultimately, attending this institu-tion enabled Mishler to discover an interest she hopes to pursue after graduation.

Prior to attending Mercyhurst, Mishler trained with the Johnstown Concert Ballet for 16 years in addi-tion to taking classes at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (PBT) and the Allegheny Ballet Company.

In order to get to PBT, this dedicated ballerina commuted two hours each week.

Nonetheless, this intense com-mitment led Mishler to Mercyhurst, for the friendly and knowledgeable faculty in the dance department won her over.

Like numerous other students, Mishler was also attracted to the college for its Catholic background, since she had attended private Catholic school growing up.

As a dance major at the ‘Hurst, Mishler says that her favorite performance experiences were

“Giselle” during her freshman year and watching her own piece being performed in Raw Edges last year.

In regards to the latter Mishler claimed that after taking courses in choreography, she discovered that she had a natural talent for creating dances and thus decided to pursue the choreography track.

When asked what inspires her choreography, the artist stated that she, “loves watching Mark, Ms. Hay as well as my fellow dancers create dances.”

Needless to say, after graduating Mishler plans on becoming a chore-ographer, “preferably in New York City, after dancing with a company for a few years,” she said.

In regards to other favorite classes at Mercyhurst, Mishler was enthusiastic about her introduction to psychology class because “learn-ing about the inter-workings of the mind was highly interesting,” as well as her global issues class because “it was helpful and informative to gain an awareness about the system of world politics,” she said.

Mishler was equally excited about sharing her thoughts on some dance related questions:

What major challenge do you face as a dancer, and how has Mercyhurst helped you to over-come it?

“I have always suffered from back problems and I am also prone to injury, so learning how to prop-erly align my body and having teachers who place a great emphasis

on proper technique in general has defi nitely helped out.”

What was your worst on–stage moment?

“One year when I was dancing in Waltz of the Flowers in “The Nutcracker,” the stitches on the back of my costume began to come undone. While dancing around in a circle formation one of my friends attempted to “fi x” my costume mal-function… It didn’t work out.”

Do you ever get nervous before you dance, and do you have any pre-performance rituals?

“I personally do not get ner-vous before I dance, but I do when watching my choreography because it is out of my control. Being close with the department is very helpful because it makes me motivated to perform and creates a sense of con-nection within the cast. ”

What would you do if you weren’t a ballet dancer?

“I would probably become a chi-ropractic doctor because my family has a long history of back issues, and I would enjoy helping others who have to deal with this issue.”

What is it that you will miss most about Mercyhurst and what advice would you give other stu-dents?

“I am defi nitely going to miss the faculty and the close friendships I have made. In terms of advice, I would have to say follow through with your goals and believe in your-self with whatever it is that you are trying to do.”

By Ashley CookStaff writer

Eden Mishler loves to perform, but her true passion is choreographing different dances.Contributed photo

Read more onlinemerciad.mercyhurst.edu/

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EditorsKelly LuomaAlaina Rydzewski Liz Zurasky Caitlin HanderhanSpencer HuntAlex StaceyChrissy MihalicKaitlin BadgerJill BarrileEthan JohnsMax RiveraBill Welch

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

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

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

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

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September 3, 2008 OPINION Page 9October 26, 2011The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad

or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

As Director of Libraries and a committed member of the college community for the past 20 years, myself and the entire library staff have strived to meet the wishes of all college constituencies and their needs for library services and resources.

That being said, economic chal-lenges have required that the library do more with less as well as work to meet demands for services and content within the context of what can reasonably be achieved. Within that plan, we as an institution have been successful.

As with most goods and services today, costs are rising at a higher rate than funding can be allocated. To that end, choices are made as to

which services to support. In response to the lack of access

to the New York Times, in the spring of this year (2011), the New York Times cancelled all institu-tional digital subscriptions.

All universities and colleges, except the very top tier, were left without access until such time as a new pricing model could be offered by NYT.

As with all academic libraries the loss of the institutional subscription was challenging. At that time, the library posted an announcement on the library homepage that access to the NYT was cancelled until further notice.

My decision at that time and the directive I prepared to the staff was to keep an eye out for the larger institutions, as they would certainly advocate for all libraries and work to negotiate with the NYT for reso-lution. Since that time, progress

has been made and access will be restored to the New York Times.

As for the Language Lab and its content, it is important for the col-lege community to understand that while this building is primarily a library, we do house other services that do not fall under the purview of the library.

For example, the Center for Student Excellence “lives” in the library, yet it is not part of the library, and the same is true of the Language Lab.

They are as I refer to them “ten-ants of the library.”

Your concerns about services and content will need to be directed to those who are responsible and I have every confi dence that Mer-cyhurst will do everything within reason to secure the resources you are in need of.

Your comments about the age of the collection should be addressed

in the following way. Libraries today are vibrant information centers that offer a wide range of services and content that are easily accessed and disseminated. Without having actual access to individual topics, it can be challenging to recreate a par-ticular search.

I did however, go to the ’Hurst Search box, type in Arabic – limit it to the “catalog only – so I only search for books” and asked for the publishing date of 2005 to current. My results came back with 145 titles in both bound and eBook form.

For future reference, the library has many places that can be accessed from our homepage where concerns and suggestions can be forwarded. If you feel so inclined please feel free to stop in for a chat. My door is always open.

By Darci JonesDirector of Libraries

Librarian responds to criticism

Thanks to the efforts of Mer-cyhurst political science profes-sor Brian Ripley, Ph.D., acting in his capacity as head of the Public Affairs Forum of the Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics, Mercy-hurst College has recently been host to talks by Mike Kelly. The current U.S. Representative for Pennsylva-nia’s Third Congressional District, which includes all of Erie County, joined one of his predecessors, Phil English in speaking to the college community this term.

The differences in style and sub-stance of the two discussions, one from a former elected offi cial and one from a current offi ceholder, both Republicans, were both reveal-ing and illustrative of one of the fl aws of our political process.

English, who served from 1995 to 2009, gave a talk on Sept. 17, in observance of Constitution Day.

He gave a frank and forthright talk, open to the general public, in which he discussed his time in offi ce, what he has done since leaving offi ce and the main topic of his speech, constitutional issues that the U.S. is faced with. For example, English openly acknowledged that since leaving offi ce, he has been serving as a lobbyist for natural gas com-panies interested in the Marcellus Shale. He also provided thoughtful answers to questions posed by audi-ence members.

Kelly, on the other hand, was very much the politician when he addressed his audience, restricted to Mercyhurst College students, faculty and staff, on Oct. 20.

In response to many of the ques-tions posed to him, Kelly showed the political skill of avoiding a direct answer to the question or answering in such a way to tell the questioners what he thought they might want to hear.

A Mercyhurst graduate student asked about Republican attempts at repealing the 2010 healthcare bill,

which would revoke her ability to keep her health insurance as pro-vided by her parent’s policy.

Kelly told her that he was in favor of people having health insur-ance but since graduate students often had diffi culty maintaining their parentally-provided insurance, this would have little effect on the general public. While this may be true for the general public, it would clearly have an effect in her particu-lar case.

This contrast in speaking styles illustrates a major fl aw in the politi-cal process. It is in the best interests of politicians who wish to further their political career to keep their constituents pleased by attempting to convince them that the politi-cian is always working in their best interests.

It is in the best interests of the general public to have forthright political fi gures who would plainly describe their own views and let the public choose, on that basis, whether to support or reject them.

By Jerry JohnsonContributing writer

Discussions reveal major fl aws in political process

By Alicia CagleStaff writer

While it is not specifi cally the fault of the Hammermill Library, the lack of services and current material is inconvenient for students who are trying to make advances in their education.

It is unfortunate that funding is not available, and I do hope that progressive steps can be made so our library can be something we can be proud of and that will com-plement our university status.

Library rebuttal

September 3, 2008 OPINIONPage 10 October 26, 2011The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad

or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Classes for this term are almost over, which would not be the case if we were on a semester system and stuck in the same classes until Christmas.

Despite much anticipa-tion for the event, a perfor-mance by comedian David Sedaris was ill attended by students and resulted in some leaving the per-formance after being of-fended by his material, which was lost on a college audience.

Winter term athletes were eligible to register for classes, regardless of class rank. So much for upperclassmen and hon-ors students having the privilege to register fi rst.

Onl

ine Gender inequality rising

in IndiaBy Jaslyne Halter

Staff writer

Last Thursday Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa, spoke at Mercyhurst Col-lege as a guest of the Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics and its Public Affairs Forum. The event was advertised as a town hall meet-ing “exclusive to the college com-munity.”

While I commend Mercyhurst for providing the opportunity to hear Kelly speak, I could only laugh as I read the criteria necessary to attend.

Soon after Kelly was sworn into offi ce, he spoke to constituents at a town hall meeting at the Blasco Library in Erie. Unfortunately, I could not attend because a sudden snowstorm made venturing out near impossible.

Since that meeting on a cold, blustery morning in mid-Febru-ary, Kelly’s local presence has been slim. But eight months after his fi rst open forum in Erie, Kelly returned to speak at a (let’s face it) closed-door, invite-only, ID-checked-at-

the-door meeting.Thankfully I am a graduate stu-

dent with the necessary identifi ca-tion that made bypassing security a breeze.

Kelly began with a PowerPoint outlining what he thought were the major fl aws in the current adminis-tration. Kelly was sure to empha-size the current defi cit and even provided a terrifying graph of what we, as young, bright citizens, will eventually inherit if we don’t vote the Democrats out of offi ce: an 800 percent increase in national debt.

Thank you, Congressman, for beginning your “meeting” on such a positive note. Since I have seen these Republican scare tactics too many times before, I sat patiently in the second row waiting for the opportunity to ask Kelly a ques-tion.

Kelly began the question-and-answer session with cheerful com-ments stressing his empathetic spirit and if students were prepared to ask a question, he would be more than happy to answer.

I chose to ask Kelly a question that applied not only to me, but to all the students in the room. I

described life as a college gradu-ate, unable to fi nd a job in my fi eld, waitressing and applying daily for jobs all over the country. Because of former Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper, I was able stay on my parents’ health insurance during this transitional time. Dahlkemper was responsible for the article within the Affordable Care Act stating that dependents under 26 can remain on their par-ents’ health insurance plan.

I asked Kelly why, in his effort to repeal “Obamacare” as he so inelo-quently and immaturely called it, would he want to take this opportu-nity away from my fellow students who could be in the same position next spring as I was this past year?

Kelly shot back by saying that he was not in Washington during health care reform. Had he misunderstood my question? I quickly clarifi ed that I was referring to the current effort by Congressional Republicans to repeal health care reform. That was the last clarifi cation I could add.

Kelly continued on a seemingly endless preapproved speech about how health care reform may look good on the surface, but there’s nothing there. Really? There’s noth-

ing there? Because I recently went to the emergency room and if I remember correctly, the hospital accepted my insurance card.

Twice during Kelly’s response I tried to clarify my question to get a straight answer. How naïve of me. Kelly would not answer my question. And why, fellow Mercy-hurst students, do you think that is? Because the current Republi-can agenda is to repeal health care reform, taking with it our oppor-tunity to remain on our parents’ health insurance while we navigate the job market.

Not surprisingly, Kelly would not tell a group of students that he wants to repeal what may be our only option for affordable health care next year. Instead, he could only lambast the current admin-istration and try to shock us with outrageously infl ated statistics.

When I graduate next year, I’ll be 26 and will no longer qualify to stay on my parents’ health insur-ance plan. But to the hundreds of Mercyhurst students under 26 who graduate next year, wouldn’t you like to know who’s trying to take away your opportunity for coverage?

By Courtney SullivanContributing writer

Kelly dodges straight answer at forum

In light of the holiday season, I wanted to cast a shadow on some of the darker elements of Hallow-een. I returned to my apartment the other night only to fi nd a black cat bolting across the parking lot. Now, for many this is a sign of bad

luck, but I didn’t give it a second thought.

Superstition is any belief that is inconsistent with the known laws of science or with what is considered true and rational, such as a belief in omens or the supernatural.

I fi nd these to be nonsense, and I do not consider myself supersti-tious.

Numerology has always fasci-nated me, but no number is more

feared than dare I say it – 13. The fear of the number 13 is still

common today and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do not have an offi cial 13th fl oor, and many people avoid driving or going anywhere on Friday the 13th.

It is important to note that super-stitions aren’t always about the glass being half empty.

You may fi nd luck in carrying a rabbit’s foot around or fi nding

good ole Abe heads up in a parking lot – I pick up the pennies regard-less, don’t you know they still spend the same?

Whether it’s omens or old wives tales, I like to stay grounded in the rational. So this Halloween, I’ll plan to keep my salt in the salt shaker, pet the next black cat that crosses my path and will continue to disre-gard superstitions.

By Larae TymochkoStaff writer

Casting light on dark superstitions

Refl ection needed as troops come home

By Brian LombardoStaff writer

Sports Page 11October 26, 2011

There are many attributes that separate a good team from a great team.

A good team beats the teams they are supposed to and loses to the ones they aren’t. The great teams beat everyone, no matter who is favored.

The Mercyhurst men’s water polo team is currently in the good team category.

“We are right where we are expected to be, winning the games we are supposed to,” Coach Curtis Robinette said.

The part that is surprising about this Lakers team, currently 13-8, is that they are creeping closer and closer to the line that separates them from being great.

“We played three and a half really good quarters against a tough Brown team and were only one minute away from beating Har-vard,” Robinette said.

Finishing games is something that will come with experience, something they lacked heading into this season. The team consists pri-

marily of underclassmen, but they continue to perform well and are stepping into bigger roles as the season winds down.

“The younger guys are stepping into that leadership role and are becoming more vocal, especially after the tough weekend,” Robi-nette said.

Tough is a generous way of put-ting the weekend. The Lakers lost to Harvard 10-9 but were win-ning 9-8 with only a minute left. However, the team was playing its second of three games in a two-day stretch.

The Lakers then fell to Massa-chusetts Institute of Technology,

13-5.“Three games in two days can be

tough, but after the Harvard loss we were spent both mentally and physically,” Robinette said.

But there could be a silver lining to the defeat, one that could help the team going forward.

“Hopefully, the sting of the Har-

vard loss will carry over,” Robinette said.

The Lakers only need it to carry over a few games.

The team just wrapped up the Division II Eastern Championships with a 12-2 victory over Salem and a 13-12 win over Notre Dame Col-lege later in the day.

“Going in as the number one, we expect to come out with the cham-pionship,” Robinette said.

The team had to worry about looking past Notre Dame College of Cleveland to their game against Johns’ Hopkins, which affects seed-ing for the Southern Champion-ships.

After dropping 10-2 to Johns’ Hopkins, the Lakers need to focus on the Southern Championship Nov. 4-6. With a top-four fi nish, the Lakers would then qualify for the Eastern Championships on Nov. 18-20.

“We have never qualifi ed for the Eastern Championships, but we know we can compete with these teams,” Robinette said. “The guys are pretty self-motivated.”

The team will travel to Princeton for the Southern Championship.

By Spencer HuntSports editor

Men’s water polo making major strides

Sophomore Brett Luehmann continues to lead a young Lakers team as they head into the post-season. According to Coach Curtis Robinette, Luehmann is the team leader in points with 69 and is evolving into a leader both in the pool and out.

Sports Information photo

Athletes do not always get the best reputation when it comes to grade point average.

Most athletes are judged more on completion percentage, shoot-ing percentage or average yards per reception.

Just ask Maurice Clarett, Terrelle Pryor, Reggie Bush or any number of collegiate athletes who made bad decisions and failed in the classroom or in some other capacity. But there are others who are unjustly put into the same category. Most Ohio State Buckeyes would agree.

In the past few years, a few Mer-cyhurst athletes have been recog-

nized for being outstanding both on the fi eld and in the classroom. These athletes cover a wide range of sports.

In 2010, women’s hockey player

Vicki Bendus won the Elite 88 award given to the player with the highest grade point average at an NCAA championship. Bendus earned her award, posting a 3.937

cumulative GPA while majoring in biology/pre-medicine.

Bendus began a string of win-ners.

Following suit was Bethany Brun and Ian Wild, from rowing and lacrosse respectively. Wild also earned the inaugural Pete Nevins Scholar Athlete of the year award in 2010 for football.

Brun was a religious studies and sociology major, while Wild is cur-rently an international business major.

This string of recent winners shows Mercyhurst has not only excelled academically but has also improved in athletics.

These athletes would not have been recognized had their teams not made it to the championships in their sports.

A more telling statistic is that last season, Mercyhurst had 196 Penn-sylvania State Athletic Conference Scholar Athletes. This means that 196 athletes have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better, which is no easy feat considering their hectic schedules.

Another Laker can now add his name to the seemingly growing line of standouts in athletics and aca-demics.

Junior Jake Pilarski, men’s golf, won the inaugural PSAC Champion Scholar award. The award is mod-eled after the Elite 88 award and is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at a PSAC championship event.

Pilarski boasts a 4.0 GPA as a political science major.

Maybe athletes have been given a bad reputation.

By Spencer HuntSports editor

Athletes get the spotlight in the classroom

Junior Jake Pilarski accepts the inaugural PSAC Scholar Ath-lete award from PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray.

Sports Information photo

Sports October 26, 2011Page 12

Pattenden’s experience beginning to pay off

Experience is always a key attri-bute when defi ning an athlete. The more experience athletes have, the more is expected from them.

Women’s college hockey is no different. Every year, the team is gauged on its junior and senior depth and how their experience will carry the underclassmen.

Senior Hillary Pattenden has seen both sides.

Pattenden came to Mercyhurst three years ago, skated to the net and has been posted there ever since.

The senior goaltender played in 29 games and started 26 her fresh-man season, helping the Lakers reach their fi rst National Champi-onship game.

For the next three years, she has had her fair share of ups and downs. Each year, criticism would be thrown her way but not neces-sarily for the right reasons.

When you are the last line of defense, there is always a certain amount of pressure to begin with. But when your front line consists of a two-time gold medalist, a Patty Kazmaier winner and the eventual fi fth overall draft pick in the Cana-dian women’s league, it’s hard to match up with that kind of talent.

Last season, the Lakers fell in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tour-nament. Blame landed just about

everywhere, including Pattenden.This season is brand new, and it

came with a different mindset.“This is a fresh start, and we are

focused on this season,” Pattenden said.

So far, Pattenden has shown the talent that made her the starter three years ago.

She currently leads the nation in shutouts with three in six games. She has stopped 95 percent of shots, good for third in the nation.

These numbers are a jump from last year, when she was ranked in the middle of the pack most of the season.

“The season has gone pretty well so far, but personally I feel more comfortable and my confi dence is up,” Pattenden said.

Her numbers are up, even though she has only two defenders return-ing in front of her.

“It’s a little different, but it doesn’t affect me too much. They are all talented and play the same base defense,” Pattenden said.

Even though the Lakers aren’t expected to make a run for a national title, like last year’s team, that doesn’t mean the current Lakers expect to lose.

“We just want to start with win-ning our league and hopefully move up the ranks,” Pattenden said.

The Lakers have bounced in the ranks between No. 7 and No. 10 but are currently holding at No. 8 in the latest polls.

Pattenden is also closing in on

a career record. She currently has 84 wins in her career, seven away from Wisconsin’s Jessie Vetter, who ended her storied career with 91.

Oddly enough, Vetter ended her career with a 5-0 shutout of the Lakers in the 2009 Championship game.

“It would be nice to beat Vetter, and it’s great to be compared to such a great goalie, but our team goals are more important,” Pattenden said.

Hopefully the Lakers can start chipping away at the record books beginning Oct. 28 and 29 against Lindenwood University in St. Louis.

By Spencer HuntSports editor

Senior goaltender Hillary Pattenden continues to impress in her senior season, posting three shutouts in six games. She is only three shutouts shy of her total from 33 starts last season.

Jill Barrile photo

Pattenden is currently seven wins shy of the all-time wins record, held by current Team USA goaltender and former Wisconsin star Jessie Vetter. Pattenden lost to Vetter and the Badgers in the 2009 title game.

Jill Barrile photo