RMercyhurst CollegNe • Weekl y news froNm the Public Affairs Office Vol. 18, No. 16 Jan. 29,2001 NEW & NOTABLE: CAMPUS SPOTLIGHT College has record number of applicants Dr. Eric Easter Continuing a trend of the last five years, Mercyhurst has received a record number From the beginning, Eric Easter was of applicants for the 2001-2002 academic year: 1,531 as of Jan. 22. "Applications immersed in athletics. Growing up in are up 10 percent over last year this time," said Robin Engel, director of Chicago and Peoria, he became an undergraduate admissions. "An overall look at the applicant pool shows that we're avid fan of Chicago's professional in a strong position to hit our goal for this year, which is 2,200 applications and teams — the Cubs, the Bears and the 600 incoming freshmen." The total number of freshmen for year 2000 was 587. A Bulls. Eric's father, who played in the total of 783 students have been accepted to date, and confirmations are up 8 percent Rose Bowl in 1964, became a high from last year at this time. school football and wrestling coach, According to Dr. Andrew Roth, vice president of enrollment and information and Eric joined the football, wrestling services, applications are up almost 50 percent from 1997. "This is a stunning and track teams in high school. Three surge," Roth said. "There are several reasons for this. Mercyhurst's academic days after he received a scholarship reputation is getting stronger and stronger — both regionally and nationally. We're to Illinois State University, Eric took a hot school right now, especially in our prime recruiting areas. We're starting to part in the Illinois state high school realize the benefits of having raised our academic standards in the early 1990s. And wrestling championship matches. we have a large, competent and more sophisticated admissions staff, one of the best "During my match, I tore two liga- we've ever had." ments and dislocated and destroyed all the cartilage in my left knee," Eric recalled. "Later, I realized that I prob- Counseling services expand operations ably went into sport management be- cause I could no longer participate in On the Jan. 4 edition of National Public Radio's "All Things Considered," one of sports and didn rt want to be a coach." the major topics was "Mental Health at College." During the program, He earned his bachelor's degree in commentators cited a study by Harvard Medical School which revealed that 39 public relations at Illinois State in 1989 percent of college students have a mental disorder in a given year. "Several factors and his master's in sport administra- have led to the increased importance of counseling services on campuses," said Dr. tion there in 1993. He received his Gerard Tobin, director of Mercyhurst's counseling services. "More students are doctorate in sport management from able to attend college because of advances in mental health treatment, the stigma attached to seeking treatment has diminished significantly, and the general the University of Northern Colorado population is more aware of the value of such treatment." in 1999 and joined the Mercyhurst fac- ulty in the fall of that year. "I was In fall term 2000, the Mercyhurst counseling center experienced a 51 percent attracted to Mercyhurst because its increase over fall term 1999 in the number of students who received counseling. In sport marketing program is part of the response to the increase, Dr. Vivian Tamburello, who headed counseling services business department, " Eric said. "In from 1997 to 1998, has been hired part-time to assist with the counseling load. The about half of the colleges that offer Mercyhurst counseling services staff now includes two full-time and one part-time this degree, the program comes under staff, compared to a few part-time staff four years ago. "The need was there all the physical education department. I along, " said Tobin. "Students are simply responding to our better location and also liked the fact that students here positive recommendations from students who have sought treatment. Faculty and have access to the Internet in their resident assistants are cooperating by making referrals." classrooms and to laptop computers. Mercyhurst offers the full range of Other improvements in the counseling services operation include the introduction sports for both men and women, and of National Depression Screening Day on campus last fall and training for resident more than half of its students partici- assistants in conflict resolution, how to deal with crisis situations and when to make pate in some form of athletics. With referrals. "We plan to increase the outreach aspect of our services to include all of this in mind, a sport marketing presentations on such subjects as what constitutes a healthy intimate relationship major is a natural." — DMcQ and the dangers of combining drugs and alcohol with sexual activity," Tobin said. UNDER THE CLOCK NEWS AROUND CAMPUS Basketball team shocks Gannon The Mercyhurst men's basketball team, after suffering eight Tickets for 'Hurst/Gannon basketball consecutive losses to cross-town rival Gannon University, doubleheader stunned the Golden Knights 84-62 at Hammermill Center The Mercyhurst men's and women's basketball teams Jan. 22 before a crowd of 3,000. Buoyed by hundreds of very will play their home doubleheader with Gannon on vocal Mercyhurst fans — alumni as well as students and Monday, Feb. 12, at 6 and 8 p.m. Tickets will be on faculty — the Lakers never trailed the Knights and grabbed sale to the general public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting the lead early, limiting Gannon to eight field goals in 32 Monday, Feb. 5, at the Athletic Center at a price of $4 for attempts in the opening half while building a 38-25 lead. The adults and $2 for students. Mercyhurst students with ID Knights never got closer than 14 points, and the margin and members of the Mercyhurst community with soared to 55-34 with 13 minutes left. "It's the first time we President's Cards, with a maximum of one guest, will be left Gannon under happy circumstances in a long time," said admitted to the games free of charge. Those planning to head coach Karl Fogel. "When you shoot 64 percent and attend should be at the games as early as possible. Once hold a team as good as Gannon to 30, you have to be pretty the Athletic Center is filled, the doors will be closed and happy. It was a fun night." The Mercyhurst men's and no one else will be admitted. women's basketball teams will play their home doubleheader with Gannon on Monday, Feb. 12, at 6 and 8 p.m. For ticket information, see the first item under News Around • Alumni phonathon raises $56,123 so far: The annual Campus. Alumni Phonathon had raised $56,123 from 871 pledges as of Friday, Jan. 26. Goals for this year are 1,000 alumni pledges and 300 parent pledges, and the financial goal is $65,000. As in previous years, many campus student groups have volun- College to get exposure on network teered to make calls and are competing in team and individual TV show contests. Leading the student groups in the amount of money Mercyhurst will get some exposure on "Popular," a Fox raised are the Ambassadors with $23,265, baseball with Network show aimed at teenagers, which airs Fridays at 9 $6,195 and women's ice hockey with $4,665. "We welcome p.m. On the Feb. 23 show, which will focus on college fairs, the involvement of any faculty or administrator who would various colleges and universities, including Mercyhurst, will be willing to make calls," said Steve Zinram, director of the have their school banner and admissions brochures displayed annual fund and coordinator of the drive. The phonathon runs as part of a simulated college fair. Mercyhurst admissions through Feb. 8. counselor J.P. Cooney served as liaison for the production. • Dr. Chambers to serve on national committee: Dr. Candee C. Chambers, assistant professor of physics/chemis- try, has been appointed to a national committee of the Disney World college recruiting American Chemical Society, the largest professional organi- program selects 'Hurst as host zation in the world in the field of chemistry. She is one of recruitment school only 18 college faculty in the world selected to develop the 2002 version of the General Chemistry I Examination, which The Walt Disney World recruiting program has selected is given to college students around the world after they have Mercyhurst and its office of career services as the host completed their first term of introductory chemistry. The only recruitment school in northwestern Pennsylvania. Robert J. theoretical physical chemist selected for the committee, Hvezda, director of career services, was notified that Chambers will not only write questions for the exam but also Mercyhurst will serve in this capacity for several years to analyze questions written by other committee members. The come. "We met with their college program recruiter in June results will be presented at two conferences, and Mercyhurst 2000, and we were very convincing on the idea that will serve as a site for the exam in the fall of 2001 prior to the Mercyhurst had the premier on-campus recruiting program in exam's being administered nationally. Other colleges and this area," Hvezda said. "It now appears that the presentation universities represented on the committee include California of our academic programs, facilities, faculty and students Polytechnic University, University of Memphis, Delta paid off." Disney recruiters will conduct a presentation here College, University of Houston and East Stroudsburg April 9, and interviews will be held April 10.