THE News ................2-5 Features ...........6-9 A&E ............. 10-11 Opinion ........12-13 Sports .........14-15 Laker Living ......16 MerciadMERCYHURST UNIVERSITY | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2018 | VOL. 91 NO. 12 Trustees meet with students PAGE 2 Online poll results What did you think of the Olympics? Go USA! (40%) 7: Alumni have opportunities Loved every second. (27%) Could’ve been better. (20%) for service experience Only watched opening ceremony. (13%) 11 : ‘Turtle Island Quartet’ sure to s(h)ell out a good time This week’s How excited are you for 14-15: Ice hockey takes on Spring Break? RMU in weekend matchups POLL merciad.mercyhurst.edu Contributed photo PAGE 2 NEWS Wednesday, February 21, 2018 Contributed photo Trustee Lev Kubiak, left, speaks with students, from left, Noelle Zesky, Austin Shinhearl and Hannah Gibson at the Board of Trustees Student Meet and Greet on Feb. 17. Trustees meet with students By Lauren Abbott involved to people who are the Opinion editor most involved on campus. It’s a wide variety of students and On Feb. 17, the third annual their views on Mercyhurst,” Aus- Trustee and Student Social was tin Shinhearl, senior Hospitality held in the Catherine Walker Management major, said. Reading Room in the Hammer- Campus safety was also mill Library. brought up. One suggestion was The annual meeting is a chance a safety app that could be down- for students to meet and talk loaded to students’ phones. with Mercyhurst Board of Trust- “Almost everybody has this ee members about the changes in their pocket, and that’s where and happenings at the university. you’re going to go first,” Gerry Students were invited to come Tobin, Ph.D., said. from all different aspects of the DJ Fuhrmann, chief of Mer- Mercyhurst community and en- cyhurst’s Police and Safety, was gage with the trustees. also in attendance and engaged This is an important event with students in talks about cam- for interested students to attend pus safety. because of the potential to cre- “We talked about concerns ate changes that will affect the regarding lighting on both Main school in the future. and North East campuses, par- “The Trustee and Student So- ticularly around residence halls cial is important because it brings Contributed photo and parking garages,” Sophia together students and the stew- Jensen, a sophomore Intelligence ards of our university. This year Mercyhurst University Board of Trustees members Andrea Jeffress, left, and Peggy Pietraszak talk to Studies major, said. marks the third year this event students about administration responsiveness and housing on campus. Both students and trustees has been held, and I am sure the seemed very energized by the experience shared by the stu- are made for you. ... I thought it more progress to be made on North East campuses are im- end of the social, and eager to dents that attended will enhance was an excellent way, if you have campus. portant to hear from because take what they had talked about the lives of students for years to a concern, you can tell some- “I hope more students recog- they use large facilities that need back to the Mercyhurst commu- come,” Jonah Jackson, Mercy- body, and at least maybe we can nize the efforts that we’re going constant upkeep. nity. hurst Student Government pres- get something going,” Pietraszak through so they come out to “We have a lot of athletes who The social fostered much-need- ident, said. said. these things more so we can hear are excellent students and the ed discussion about campus and Students had the chance to The social is a time when stu- more feedback, so we can make feedback from them is we need forged a relationship between break into small groups and ro- dents can voice their concerns the university better for you,” better facilities, and they went students and trustees that will tate through, talking to trust- and give feedback about the Andrea Jeffress, Board of Trust- out and started fundraising. We continue to grow in the coming ees on issues such as university school. ees member, said. heard it, and we’re acting on it,” years. responsiveness, campus safety, The hope for this event is Students got to bring up and Jeffress said. “We’re all one Mercyhurst fam- parking and housing. that the student body embrac- discuss topics such as athletic It is important that students ily, and I’ve seen just with the new Peggy Pietraszak, Board of es the opportunity to meet with equipment and sports facilities. from a variety of backgrounds at- feedback, we still have a ways to Trustee member, Mercyhurst trustees, and also that the over- “I was talking to some North tend these kinds of events where go,” Jeffress said. “But it’s a be- alumna and former Merciad ex- all meet-and-greet event grows East students and their soccer student feedback is crucial. ginning, and just by talking to the ecutive editor, explained the im- as a result. The trustees wish to field is in bad shape and those “I think hearing multiple dif- students, you can see that it’s less portance of such an event. add additional awareness of their are things that we would direct ferent students and their opin- talk and more action and putting “This is the third one. I’ve board to the current student to the administration as some- ions on Mercyhurst will benefit plans in place that will benefit been at all three, and when you’re body. thing to think about,” Pietraszak everybody because it’s not just the students. Because what good a trustee we don’t see the stu- An understanding of what the said. Jonah, it’s not just people in is the feedback if you don’t act dents. We see the decisions that board of trustees is will allow for Athletes at both the Main and MSG, it is students that aren’t so on it?” Wednesday, February 21, 2018 NEWS PAGE 3 MSG candidates debate Merciad By Kristian Biega wins Staff writer On Feb. 19, Mercyhurst Stu- dent Government (MSG) host- state ed the annual presidential and vice presidential debate for the candidacy of the 2018-19 school awards year. The event was well attend- ed by interested students looking Staff report to meet the potential leaders of their student government. The Merciad has won two The two candidates for pres- awards in the 2018 Student Key- ident are sophomore Hannah stone Press Awards contest, spon- Gibson and junior Vince Mar- sored by the Pennsylvania News- razzo. Gibson is a double major Media Association. in Dance and Political Science Merciad staff writer Marina and Marrazzo is majoring in In- Boyle, a freshman Business and telligence Studies, Information Competitive Intelligence ma- Technology, and Political Science. jor from Dublin, Ireland, won a Sophia Jensen, a sophomore In- Kristian Biega photo first-place award in the Column telligence Studies and Interna- category for three opinion piec- tional Relations major, is running MSG presidential candidates Hannah Gibson and Vince Marrazzo, seated at center, address students es: “Roommates unopposed for vice president. about their ideas for the coming year. Sophia Jensen, far left, is running unopposed for vice president. make or break Each of the candidates had a the year,” “New chance to lay out their platform come next year’s president,” Gib- ing students to seize the day and stronger and able to communi- water bottle sta- in an opening statement. son said. take advantage of everything the cate with the students to more tions bring joy” Marrazzo emphasized his ex- Jensen also gave an opening school has to offer. effectively create change is trans- and “Education- tensive experience in MSG and statement laying out her ideas for One main issue of the debate parency and unity within the al SAC/MAC within the Mercyhurst commu- Mercyhurst to continue to im- was the support for student orga- governing body. Even though events a must.” Marina Boyle nity. Some of his ideas were to prove inter-departmental commu- nizations and clubs and the Stu- members of MSG may disagree The Merciad work with administration to set nication, become more involved dent Activities Council/Multicul- at times, promoting working to- staff won a second-place award in a price limit on REACH curric- with the Erie collegiate communi- tural Activities Council. Marrazzo gether is key. the Layout and Design category ulum textbooks and potentially ty and focus more funds and sup- wants to allow these clubs more As for improvements on cam- for the cover of the Nov. 8 issue, create a for-credit class designed port for RSCOs on campus. funds and representation. Gibson pus, both candidates have big featuring the university produc- to help students with post-grad- “I believe in the power of stu- wants an increase in communica- plans that directly impact the stu- tion of “Guys and Dolls.” The uate testing. dents coming together to create tion and awareness of the clubs. dent body. photo was contributed by Mark “I believe that my experience change,” Jensen said. Gibson and Marrazzo both want Gibson plans to create a part- Santillano, assistant professor of serving in MSG will assist me From the initial statements, more equality between SAC and nership with Uber allowing stu- Dance. as I run for president as I have moderator Molly Mills, senior MAC funding to continue to sup- dents to use their bonus bucks as The Merciad competes with intimate knowledge of every fac- Biology major and Senior Class port the diverse organizations payment, similar to plans already other four-year universities state- et of student government,” said Senator, began to ask the candi- and students on campus.