THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929 ARTS & ^ ENTERTAINMENT Blue team Break out the edges white castinets: Carmen' team 7-0 electrifies the PAC ::W page 6 page 8 Vol. 75 No. 20 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie, Pa. 16546 May 9, 2002 Senior Awards recipients announced By Kelly Rose Duttine dent speaker for the commencement ent, is awarded to Annie DeMeo. The Contributing writer exercises. Congratulations to the alumni committee sponsors this X winner of the Carpe Diem award, award. f As the days until graduation do* Billy Byrnes. The Frank Barry Leadership Award crease, excitement and anticipation The Bishop's Award for Academic is presented to a senior who has of the events surrounding com- Excellence, sponsored by the Dio- shown superior leadership and in- mencement increase for Mercyhurst cese of Erie, is presented to a gradu- volvement with Mercyhurst Student seniors, One of these events is the ating senior who is the most outstand- Government. The senior must exem- presentation of the coveted Senior ing academically. This award will plify the characteristics of Frank Awards. The President's Cabinet has also be presented at the Graduation Barry, one of t h e first m a l e presidents been selecting outstanding seniors to Awards dinner on May 17,2002. The of Mercyhurst Student Government.) be honored since 1996. Department winner ofthis year's Bishop's Award Congratulations to the co-recipients chairs and faculty members nominate for Academic Excellence is Christine of the Frank Barry Leadership students that they feel are most de- Roos. Award, Rob Kosko and Lydia Garver. ^serving of senior awards. This year, The Sister Carolyn Herrmann Ser- The Alumni Recognition Award is 64 seniors were nominated to receive vice Award, given to the graduating given to a graduating senior who has awards. The nominated seniors are senior who gives unselfishly of his shown loyalty and strong ties to the then cleared through the business or her time, energy, loyalty, and tal- alma mater. This person has been Office for outstanding bills, the filled with the spirit of Mercyhurst. registrar's office for academic stand- This year's recipient is Lindsay ing and the office of residence life Cook. Annie Sltter/Mereiad photographer __ and conduct for disciplinary records, j The President's Achievement This year's Senior Award winners are (L to R) back row: Lydia 1 I The President's Cabinet reviewed Awards are presented to an outstand- extensive portfolios on each nomi- ing senior in every division of the Garverand Rob Kosko. (L to R) front flDw: L i n d s a y Cook, Billyh nated senior on May 7, 2002. college. These seniors much show Byrnes and Annie DeMeo. ' The Carpe Diem Award is given to a strong influence as future leaders a graduating senior who has made in their chosen profession. These and Justin Garrison for the Humani- awarded to Meghan Frey. the most positive impact on life at awards will be presented at the ties Division, Natalie Zofko for the There are a number of awards for Mercyhurst College. This senior has Graduation Awards dinner on May Creative Arts Division, Scott Quivey adult and graduate students that will intellectual competency, personal 17, 2002. Congratulations to each for the Natural Science and Math- be presented on Thursday, May 16, integrity and leadership skills. They winner in the following divisions: ematics Division, and Amanda 2002. The recipient of the Catherine best exemplify the college motto of Aaron Hayes for the Business Divi- Rumba and Jay Starliper for the So- McAuley Undergraduate Adult "Carpe Diem," to Seize the Oppor- sion, Jamie Thomas and Catherine cial Science Division. Award is Mary Wingrove, and tunity. The Carpe Diem award is the •- Annie S'rtter/Merciad photographer Hinman for the Education Division, The Male Athlete of the Year has Joanne Sorensen is the recipient of most prestigious of the senior Billy Byrnes is this year's Janet Reisner for the Human Ecol- been awarded to Peter Aubry, and the the Sister Eustace Taylor Graduate awards and is presented at Gradua- recipient of the Carpe Diem ogy/HRIM Division, Charon Hribar Female Athlete of the Year has been Student of the Year Award. tion. The recipient is also the stu- Award Students produce film SAC b o a r d finally approved after delay New board is enthusiastic about the 2002-2003 school year duction is going to be fun, we are all By Justin Gorsage going to have run telling this story, Contributing writer probably more fun than a 'Highlights' magazine." * \ i By Annie DeMeo change be made," said Montana. UCYIHJIWTCOUJWI; Premiering this fall will be Synaptic | Dr. Richard Welch, head of the Staff writer The six undesignated programmers Conunderum, the first creative film communications department, wrote are junior Rich Johns (last year's produced by the Hurst Production | Synaptic Conunderum. According to The new executive board for the Stu- SAC chair), junior Kelly Behr, jun- Company. Welch, the film could be compared dent Activities Committee (SAC) of ior Jenny Campbell, freshman Laura Synaptic Conunderum is senior Jer- to "a comical Maltese Falcon." Mercyhurst Student Government Hearn, juniorSarah Pulley, and j u n - emy Verdi's spoof on 1940's film Although Hurst Productions is only (MSG) was approved at the MSG ior Joe Weirtel. "I thought that by not noir, a "kind of a black and white in its first year of operation, Dr. meeting Monday, May 6 at 8:30 p.m. dividing the work up as it has been private eye/gangster film with a Welch is hoping that they will be able The board was recommended by the done in previous years, it would cre- Lesley Nielsen twist to it." Verdi, to put one to two films of this sort new SAC Chair, junior Jess Montana, ate a more team environment, which who is not only the film's producer per year, depending on student inter- and approved by the body of student is important for getting people in- Annie Sitter/Merciad photographer and director, is also starring as the est. * representatives. volved," said Montana. Also, Mon- tana designated junior John Hessler film's main character, Nick So far, Hurst Productions has been In selecting the board, Montana's faced with the daunting task of en- a programmer responsible for mov- Conunderum. Also starring in the doing work with the dance depart- chief goal was "to find an energetic couraging student participation in ies and off-campus events. film will be Julia Wanzco as the ment to produce dance videos. The board that would work well to- SAC-sponsored events as executive femme fatale, as well as Collin Welch writing center has also benefited from gether." Montana chose to name six All of the programmers are enthu- board members responsible for pub- and Phil Pirrello, who will be play- Hurst Producations by having a video programmers, rather than assign in- siastic about the upcoming school licizing events. ing the "mad scientist" produced for use in next year's FYI dividuals to program events for Cof- year. "I am so excited to be a pro- Students can look forward to sev- "The script is a cross between the classes. * feehouse or other on-campus el grammer next year because we have eral breaks from traditional SAC Naked Gun movies and Raymond Hurst Producations will be head- As former secretary of SAC, Mon- a lot of people on the board who are events, according to Montana. A tana chose to combine the offices of willing to take student suggestions,'] highlight: "One of the big things we Chandler novels...only dumber, but ing many new projects next year, I mean that in a good way." Pirrello secretary and treasurer into one po- said Pulley, who was previously on are planning for the fall is combin- with Katie Putney as the new head sition, which she dubbed financial the board. The programmers are also ing Homecoming and Fall-Fest and said of the movie, which will feature producer. Putney will be taking on the Junior English major in his first secretary. hoping to get more student support. creating a really awesome weekend the challenge of putting together Montana recommended Francesca One way of boosting student in- for the students," she said. villian role, training and promotional videos, as Ravasio for this new position. "I volvement in SAC is with improved "The bad guy is always fun to play. well as music videos for local bands, chose to combine the offices because public relations. Freshmen Holly The character is a version of Dr. Evil, and creative spots that will be aired several people suggested that the Burns and Sarah McCloskey will be kinda Dr. Evil-lite. The whole pro- on Hurst TV. * c PAGE 2 THEMERCIAD MAY 9. 2002 CAMPUS N E W S Make Wish grants Rock-A-Thon ShoCK the mOnkeyS PMCAsponsers event that's^ "music" to kid By Megan Fialkovich the universe. By Josh West f Contributing -writer Unfortunately, human groups are Contributing writer adept at their practice of plundering natural resources, disrupting entire The Mercyhurst College chapter of I got to thinking last week,as I stud- ecosystems, and then moving on to the Professional Convention Man- ied my handy chart of human evolu- colonize new areas, leaving a wake agement Association (PMCA) re- tion* from the earliest austratopith* of permanent damage. cently sponsored a fund-raising event ecines to modern Homo sapiens sa- It takes a uniquely ambitious and on behalf of t h e Make-A-Wish Foun- piens. Overlapping this, I've posted foolish race to use up millions of dation for children.