Grace, Spring Fest Student jumps goaltenders weekend audition line are ‘different block party to dance for breed’ prohibited Rockettes page 4 page 6 page 12 Page 2 NEWS May 2, 2012 Mercyhurst meets goal at Relay for Life for getting involved with Relay for By Stacy Skiavo Life. Some have been personally Staff writer affected and others just feel the need to help a wonderful cause. Politano had her own personal This year Mercyhurst Univer- reasons. sity came together and made Relay “I first became involved with for Life a success. With this being Relay for Life because my grand- the first year to attempt the full 24 mother and great grandmother hours of walking, Mercyhurst sur- both passed away from cancer,” she passed its goal of raising $25,000 said. with a grand total of $25,743. Relay for Life is an event that There were 37 teams to sign up motivates Politano each year. for the walk including teams from “The reason why I continue to Mercyhurst North East. Each team be involved is from learning about provided a table that included an cancer and how it affects so many activity to raise awareness and earn people around us. money for cancer research. “Students that attend or had “It was great to see the school once attended Mercyhurst really come together. I hope to see the hits home with me. We are still so walk grow even bigger next year,” young and have so much to expe- junior Emily Iabone said. rience; everyone should have the Some of the table activities freedom to live,” she said. included Pie a Professor, a hand Despite the cold weather, every- print board for everyone who one stuck it out and continued donated for the event, Cheer for the the event all night. A bonfire was Cure bows and raffles. started to keep walkers warm, and Zach Dorsch photo Throughout the event, The many stayed the night in tents. Romantic Era, senior Angelina Entertainment at Mercyhurst University’s Relay for Life included TJ the DJ, The Romantic Era, Politano encourages students to Smith and Heather Donovan and seniors Angelina Smith and Heather Donovan and alumnus Mike Show. email her with comments or sug- alum Mike Show performed for gestions regarding the event at those involved. “We thought this was a really lost to the disease. Politano said. [email protected]. The event began with the sing- good way to remember the ones Whalen and Politano worked Everyone has their own reasons ing of the national anthem. Preced- we have lost and something that is hard in preparation for the walk. ing the anthem, Relay for Life chair more interactive. Everyone really They made sure everything went Melora Whalen and co-chair Jennie seemed to enjoy setting them off smoothly including set up, orga- Politano made a speech about Relay’s and watching them as they slowly nizing the supervisor dinner, food beginnings and how the event has blew away,” Politano said. preparation and making sure every- progressed over the years. The ceremony was then followed one fulfilled their duties. “The goal is to get people really with a walk of silence to honor “We have to be authoritative pumped up to start walking,” Poli- those who have had to endure the and remain a fun, yet safe environ- tano said. experience of cancer interfering ment for all the participants. Over- TJ the DJ got the crowd moving with their lives and those who were all, it’s a lot of running around,” with some music, and the color guard led everyone around for the first lap of the day. There was a different theme for Correction the laps each hour. These included a water balloon lap, where partici- The April 25 issue of The Merciad con- pants had to walk around the track tained a story titled, “New building offers with a balloon between their legs. Another included a three-legged new opportunities.” In the story the informa- race, where winners won passes for tion regarding the Leadership in Energy and a free game of bowling. Other themed laps consisted of Environmental Design (LEED) certification faculty versus administration and was incorrect. The building is sustainable, but another when glow sticks were those involved did not seek LEED certifica- passed out around the track. “Relay for Life was a great expe- tion. rience. I had a great time, and every- Vice President for Advancement David one raised a lot of money for a great cause,” junior Lindsay Ogden said. Livingston, Ph.D., said all involved in the A new addition to the walk this process are confident that all of the sustain- year was the release of paper lan- able aspects of the building would get LEED terns into the night at the Lumi- naria ceremony. The lanterns were certification but not Gold or Silver level certi- lit and slowly released, illuminating fication. the sky. May 2, 2012 NEWS Page 3 New responsibility, role for Sister of Mercy Mercyhurst alumna Sister JoAnne Courneen elected president Mercyhurst Preparatory School, including Carlow University and nificant, intentional steps toward By Mark Vidunas as well as president of Mercyhurst Trocaire College. gospel-based contemplative prayer Contributing writer Prep. Like Mercyhurst, these schools and faith sharing, movement from Prior to her latest appointment, also strive to offer “a solid cur- individualism to the common she held such positions as director riculum of education and Catholic good to create an authentic, life- For those not familiar with of Special Programs for Erie Cath- spiritual formation in the Mercy giving Mercy community, creative Sister JoAnne Courneen, she olic schools, the finance director of tradition.” responses to unmet needs by col- is the newly elected president the Mercy International Center in According to the Sisters of laborating with others as appro- of the Sisters of Mercy of the Dublin, Ireland, and the director of Mercy of the America’s mission priate and a lived multicultural Americas, the New York, Penn- the Mercy Institute at Mercyhurst statement, the “Sisters of Mercy and multigenerational conscious- sylvania, Pacific West Community University. are women who commit their lives ness. (NyPPaW). She will start her four-year term to God, deepening their relation- Courneen sees her elected posi- Courneen is a Union City native with the Sisters of Mercy of the ship with God and serving God’s tion as a giant step in her mission who majored in elementary educa- Americas on July 1, in Buffalo, N.Y., people, especially those who are to serve God. tion and graduated from Mercy- where she will direct a leadership sick, poor and uneducated…our Courneen told Mercyhurst about hurst College in 1964. team whose job is to coordinate the Contributed photo mission is to help people to over- her confidence in the organization. According to a recent Mercy- implementation of the direction of Courneen will start her four- come the obstacles that keep them “We have a great team. I am hurst news release, throughout the community. year term Sunday, July 1. from living full and dignified confident in the community and Courneen’s career, she has built As for the organization itself, lives.” broader Mercy world. We look for- leadership skills by serving as The Sisters of Mercy, in addi- For Courneen’s tenure as presi- ward to the future with confidence University in 1926, sponsor two principal of St. Luke School and tion to founding Mercyhurst dent, her goals are taking sig- and hope,” she said. other schools of higher education Theft Warde Hall Monday, April 23 Closed ’Hurst recognized for Liquor law violation Warde Hall Tuesday, April 24 Referred for discipline superior sustainability Theft Warde Hall Erie Campus. new Center for Academic Engage- By Brady Greenawalt “We are the only school in the ment building, this panel system Tuesday, April 24 Closed Staff writer Pennsylvania State Athletic Confer- has since been moved out to the ence that purchases green power, farm, where we hope to involve Theft according to the EPA,” said Brit- the Electricians Union in its instal- Ice Center The United States Environmen- tany Prischak, sustainability officer lation this summer,” Prischak said. Thursday, April 26 Closed tal Protection Agency has recog- for Mercyhurst University. Just because Mercyhurst is 100 nized Mercyhurst University for its Thanks to the offset purchases, percent carbon neutral does not efforts for sustainability. Mercyhurst can be considered mean that students and faculty Theft McAuley Hall On April 14, Mercyhurst “carbon neutral,” the amount of should feel free to be wasteful when Friday, April 27 Closed announced that it had been recog- carbon emissions it creates is the it comes to electricity, nized for using more green power same as the amount that it saves. “Although we purchase offsets than any other school in the Penn- “In 2007, when Dr. Tom Gamble for our electricity use, this does not Trespassing West Main Drive sylvania State Athletic Conference signed the Presidents’ Climate imply that we can continue to use (PSAC). Commitment, we committed the electricity without worry,” said Pri- Friday, April 27 Closed Since 2003, Mercyhurst has been university to carbon neutrality,” said schak. “We would still like our stu- purchasing offsets for the elec- Prischak. “This means that we will dents, staff and faculty to be more Domestic 3937 Briggs Ave. tricity consumption on campus. decrease as much of our carbon mindful of their energy habits… If The money for the “offsets” goes emissions as is possible and then you leave something plugged in, it Saturday, April 28 Closed toward funding national wind proj- offset the rest through purchases still consumes energy, and some- ects, which makes up for the energy like this.” times it’s almost as much it used to used by the campus.