THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929

MERCIAD
The

Vol. 78 No. 16 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie, Pa. 16546 March 23, 2005

Tragic accident takes life of student

By Kelly Rose Duttine
Editor-in-chief
The morning after St. Patrick’s Day
had sobering effects on Mercyhurst
students when they learned that Mat-
thew Z. Milgate, 20, had been killed
after being struck by two cars at the 500
block of East 38th Street, around 11 p.m.
Thursday evening.
Mercyhurst College administration,
faculty and students mourn the loss of
a student, classmate and friend.
Charges were recently filed by the
Erie Police for the two drivers involved
in the accident. Adell Gaines, 26, who
was driving the Buick Regal that first hit
Milgate, was charged with an accident
involved death or personal injury while
unlicensed.
Douglas Bailey, the driver of the
second car that struck Milgate is likely
to receive summary charges, according
to statements by police in a March 19
article in the Erie Times-News. Police
also said that additional charges may
be filed.
Mercyhurst Campus Ministry and
MSG provided transportation to the
wake for Milgate on Monday in LeRoy,
N.Y. and many students attended.
According to Milgate’s obituary on
DemocratandCronicle.com, a Roches-
ter newspaper, a memorial service will
be announced at a later date, possibly
in May.
Katie McAdams/Photo editor
Campus Ministry and Mercyhurst
Student Government are also interested
Students show express their grief through a memorial placed near the site of the crash. in planning services in the future, in
about a month, when Milgate’s family
and friends can attend.
The family requested that memorial
donations be made to the Golisano
Children’s Hospital in Rochester or to
the Rochester Youth Hockey Organiza-
tion, instead of flowers.
On campus, many students, faculty
and organizations paused to remember
Milgate on Friday and over the weekend.
Professors took a moment of silence
and offered their support to students
during classes and the student-produced
musical, “State Fair”, sang in tribute to
Milgate before their performances this
weekend. Some athletic events also
paused for a moment of silence before
games.
Laura Zirkle, Director of Residence
Life, and the Residence Life staff are
saddened by the events of Thursday
night. Zirkle said, “It is so sad any-
time we lose a member of Mercyhurst
College family, but it seems especially
hard to lose one through such a tragic
accident.”
“We are sad for Matt’s family and
friends and offer our sympathy and
support to them,” Zirkle said.
Currently, Residence Life is trying to
talk to as many students as possible.
“We want them to know that we are
there for them now, or whenever they
need us,” Zirkle said.
Students who are grieving Milgate’s
death are encouraged to talk to their
Resident Assistant, the counseling
center or another Residence Life staff
member.
Please see Always on Page 3

No-bid contract causes uproar Sister Loretta McHale passes

Lawmakers and critics question why Mercyhurst receives the contract
By Brent Vlcek Congressman Bennie G. Thompson
questioned the integrity of the con-
Contributing writer
tract.
According to its Web site, the Center
The selection process that awarded for Public Integrity “is a nonprofit,
Mercyhurst College the no-bid contract nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization
to train intelligence analysts for the that conducts investigative research and
Department of Homeland Security reporting on public policy issues in the
(DHS) raised concern with at least one United States and around the world.”
lawmaker. The latest press release from the
Critics of the contract hinted that Center for Public Integrity states a
Mercyhurst received the contract as connection between Mercyhurst Col-
an act of political favoritism by former lege and former DHS Secretary Tom
Secretary of the DHS Tom Ridge. Ridge.
Tom Ridge is a former resident of “…further investigation by the
of his top political supporters.”
U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson,
Democrat of Mississippi and rank-
ing member of the House Homeland
Security Committee, wrote a letter to
Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the
Department of Homeland Security,
calling Mercyhurst’s contract with the
DHS an act of political patronage.
“The news that a no-bid contract
has been given by the Department
to a college who is naming a building
after Mr. Ridge and whose chairperson
once served as a top political supporter
certainly raises eyebrows. The Depart-
By Jonelle Davis
News editor
The Mercyhurst College Community
lost a special member when Sister
M. Loretta McHale died on Friday,
March 18.
Sister Loretta was the sixth presi-
dent of Mercyhurst and a former
superior of the Sisters of Mercy.
She played a major role in the his-
tory and development of the college,
touching the lives of the many stu-
dents that attended the college.
Gary Bukowski, vice president of
institutional advancement, was one of
the first men to start at Mercyhurst in Photo courtesy of Mary Daly

Erie County and governor of Penn-
sylvania.
Mercyhurst College denied the alle-
gations with strong disagreement.
The Center for Public Integrity and
D’Angelo receives water damage repairs
By Meghan Sullivan
Arts & Entertainment editor
Anyone that may travel through the
Zurn, Performing Arts Center and
D’Angelo area will see some major
renovations to fix the water damage
that has been an increasing hazard
during this winter season.
According to Tyrone Moore, Mer-
cyhurst has a three year plan to fix the
drainage problem around the D’Angelo
building.
“I don’t know if that building was
made on a river or something, but
it can’t be put off any longer,” said
Moore.
Center has revealed that Marlene
Mosco, who was installed as chairper-
son of the Mercyhurst College Board
of Trustees last year, is one of Ridge’s
oldest and best friends, as well as one
The project has been approved and
money has already been allotted in the
campus-wide capital budget.
Moore says this is a “large financial
move” and that the school has “tremen-
dous plans” for fixing the building.
Since awareness was raised about
the possible health issues of mold
and fungi growing in the basement of
D’Angelo workers have painted the
walls, shampooed and disinfected the
carpets and now come down weekly to
check the drainage and mold growth.
As soon as the weather breaks main-
tenance will begin their construction.
They will first replace the roofs on
the Performing Arts Center, the lower
level of D’Angelo and the northeast
ment cannot play patronage games
when America’s security is in question.
We will hold it accountable.”
Please see No-bid on Page 3
section of Zurn.
Also, the skylights in the basement of
D’Angelo will be resealed and caulked
to prevent further leakage and mold
growth.
After the roofs are replaced the
school will be installing a French drain-
age system around the entire building.
A French drain is a small trench that
contains a perforated drainage pipe
that is covered with gravel that allows
surface water to drain away from the
building.
The building is already surrounded
by a French drain that was built years
ago.
Please see D’Angelo on Page 3
1969 and works at the college today.
He remembers Sister Loretta and the
time he spent with her throughout the
past 30 years.
Bukowski recalls talking to Sister
Loretta early on. “I was a history
major and I talked with her a lot. Since
she was one of the founding Sisters,
she offered great insight to the history
of the college,” said Bukowski.
“She was also always looking
towards the future. She was very
responsive to the changing times and
always willing to talk. She had a futur-
istic personality. She loved the college
and wanted to take it to the next level
of excellence.”
According to Bukowski many
alumni of the college were fond of
Sister Loretta and always asked how
she was doing. “Sister Loretta always
had time for people. Folks always
wanted to know how she was doing,”
he said.
Bukowski feels that Sister Loretta
would want to be remembered the
Sister Loretta McHale
most for her work with Mercyhurst.
“I think she would want to be
remembered for leading the charge
of taking Mercyhurst into new devel-
opments. She had many accomplish-
ments,” said Bukowski.
Bukowski added that Sister Loretta
was responsible for forming the
college’s first lay advisory board in
1961, along with naming Sister Caro-
lyn Herrmann the president of the
college in 1963.
“It’s so important that we continue
to keep her spirit alive because she
played a huge role in the creation and
development of the college,” said
Bukowski.
In honor of Sister Loretta, the col-
lege named the current distinguished
speaker series in her name, the McHale
Distinguished lecture series. This
series will present its next speaker,
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on March 31.

News Opinion Features Index

 The Arabic language in  Reflections on Matthew Milgate Have sex questions answered News.....................................2
inside this issue

demand, is Mercyhurst keeping
up?
Page 2
It’s that time of year again.
Housingsign-upsarejustaround
and wrestling with the idea of your during sex week in the Union. News.....................................3
own mortality. Features.................................4
Page 6 Page 4 Features.................................5
Opinion..................................6
Opinion..................................7
Arts & Entertainment Sports A&E.......................................8
 Phantasm wins Rocket 101 battle
Katie McAdams / Photo editor

the corner. Men’shockeyheadstoNCAAplay- A&E.......................................9

of the bands. Group wins $1,000 offs this weekend. Sports..................................10
and a Budweiser sponsorship among
Page 3 Sports..................................11
other prizes. Page 12 Sports..................................12
Page 9
PAGE 2
NEWS To contact: newsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Women’s wellness fair sparks interest
Students celebrate Women’s History Month by learning about the different aspects of women’s health
By Jen Ciccone
Contributing writer
On Friday, March 13, the Stu-
dent Union was the site of an
informational fair in honor of
Women’s History Month.
Open to the entire campus
community, the first annual fair
went off without a hitch and
attracted well beyond what the
creators had hoped for.
Darcey Kemp, director of the
Student Union, Kathy Thorton,
secretary of the Student Union,
and Heather Hosu, Graduate
Assistant for the Student Union,
wanted to celebrate Women’s
History Month as well as create
awareness on different aspects of
a women’s life.
Knowing that in order to make
an event as best as it could be
they would need to contact other
resources, and they wasted no
time. After a two-month period
of brainstorming and planning,
the fair was finally ready.
Hosu and Thorton were able
to recruit Tim Harvey, from the
Sports Medicine Department, as
well as many of his students to
work the event.
’Hurst students take trip to Washington D.C.
By Allison Moore
Opinion editor
On March 10 through 13, a
group of political science ma-
jors, minors and other interested
students traveled to the nation’s
capital on a Pi Sigma Alpha
sponsored trip.
The trip, organized by senior
political science major Kristen
Hudak, showcased many of
D.C.’s most popular attractions.
Twenty-three Mercyhurst stu-
dents, along with Dr. Joseph
Morris, professor of political
science, packed into vans on
March 10 and traveled six hours
to experience our nation’s capital.
Among the sights visited by the
group were Capitol Hill, the Na-
Where will you live next year?
Residence Life works to satisfy student needs
By Jenny Allen
Contributing writer
It’s that time of year again.
Round up your roommates and
start thinking about housing op-
tions for next school year.
Alice Agnew, Assistant Direc-
tor of Residence Life and Stu-
dent Conduct, says the process
is the same this year as it has
been for many and that contracts
and tally sheets are available for
students to pick up now.
“They will need to pick up
one tally sheet per group and
one contract per person,” Agnew
said. “Then they’ll look at their
choices and decide.”
Options for upperclassmen
housing include the Briggs and
Lewis apartments, Wayne Street
apartments, Duval apartments
and Warde, Lewis, and E. 41st St.
townhouses.
Once you decide on a living
area, your housing packets are
due to the Residence Life office
by Monday April 25.
“Contracts are due whether
the apartment is full or not,”
Agnew says.
“As long as your contract is
turned in you will get housing.”
Shortly after packets are turned
in, you get your point total and
a lottery number according to
Agnew.
“We post the point totals based
on lottery. Those numbers deter-
mine the order you will sign up
in,” she said.
Agnew also notes that it is
important to check your point
totals as well so that if it is wrong,
it can be corrected. Students
can to make sure they have the
Hosu credits them with “really
making the fair amazing.” There
were also other campus organiza-
tions present including personnel
from the Cohen Health Center.
Counseling was also an ad-
vertised attraction but due to
the tragic loss of a Mercyhurst
student the previous night, coun-
selors were unable to make the
event.
The HRIM program also pro-
vided a free stir-fry demonstra-
tion.
Area businesses also partici-
pated in the fair, hoping to spark
interest in what they can offer to
a healthier way of living.
Whole Food Co-Ops and
Women’s Health Connection
both had displays and represen-
tatives to help answer any ques-
tions one may have. Members
of the Great Lakes Massage
company were also on hand to
give free messages.
Students as well as faculty
and administrators were invited
to attend the event, and many
of them took advantage of the
invitation.
Students and faculty alike were
intrigued by the different presen-
tations and vendors. Pre-phar-
tional Archives, the White House
and Mount Vernon.
The tour of Capitol Hill,
organized through the office
of Congressman Phil English,
focused on the House of Rep-
resentatives. Students were able
to sit in the gallery in the House
chambers, where important law
making procedures are held and
where the State of the Union
Address is delivered annually by
the president.
Following the tour of Capitol
Hill, students visited the National
Archives, where they were able to
view and read the original docu-
ments that define this nation: the
Constitution, the Declaration
of Independence and the Bill
of Rights. This was a thrill for
political science lovers, for their
correct point total then go to the
appropriate sign-up.
Sign-up dates are separate for
students applying for preferred
housing such as triples, honors
and townhouses, and students
applying for full occupancy
Briggs and Lewis apartments.
Townhouses and honors sign ups
will be May 2, triples on May 5
and standard four person apart-
ments will be on May 12.
There will also be some chang-
es for sophomore housing this
year. Residence life is looking to
make special sophomore hous-
ing areas to gradually transition
this group into upperclassmen
housing.
“We pay so much attention to
the freshman class housing so
when we send them over to other
housing we wanted an intermedi-
ate step” Agnew explains.
She says that the pilot for
sophomore housing went well
this year and as long as there is
interest, they hope to have all
sophomore areas full for next
school year.
These areas include 3937
Briggs and 3939 Briggs, which
will be triples, and there is a pos-
sibility that Duval will be added
as quad apartments as well. This
possibility all depends on the
interest of sophomores hoping
to live there.
“Our goal is to have a greater
sense of community,” Agnew
says. “I think we will have
that.”
Juniors and seniors need not
worry though.
Agnew says, “Just putting a
specific class there will not take
away housing from the other
classes.”
THE MERCIAD
macy major Bryar-Leigh McClure
is interested in attending medical
school and later becoming an ob-
stetrician, attendted the fair.
“A woman’s needs and health
have always interested me and
this fair is an excellent opportu-
nity for students to get a glimpse
of the benefits of living a healthy
life.”
Other students were there to
work and see the different dis-
plays and demonstrations.
Carolyn Schroeder, a sports
medicine major, was recruited to
help man a booth but since the
amount of students that wanted
to contribute to the fair was so
great, she was not needed.
To her delight, she was able
to walk around the exhibition
with her friend and fellow sports
medicine major, Alicia Abbey.
“I was excited to have the
chance to walk around the show
looking at what information it
had to offer,” states Schroeder.
“We learn about all this mate-
rial in class, and this is a chance
for us to see it in real life appli-
cations,” Schroeder continues.
Abbey also agreed and felt that
the assessments were a major
plus and “a good opportunity
The entire group poses for a picture after touring the Capi-
tol building.
entire field of study has stemmed
from those documents.
Many students may not be
worried about where they are
going to live though, but who
they are going to live with. Not
to worry, Agnew says that Resi-
dence Life is there to help.
There will be meetings for
students looking for potential
roommates coming up. “There
is one early and one a little later
for students who still need room-
mates,” Agnew said.
Although housing contracts
need to be turned in whether the
apartment is full or not, she adds,
“If they find someone to live
with they can still let us know.”
If roommates are not found,
you will still get housing, but
may be placed with additional
roommates as needed. Agnew
says, “We will let them know who
will be placed with them when
we find out.”
So what else do you need to
know?
Tally sheets and housing con-
tracts are available now to be
picked up from Residence Life.
Housing packets are due on
Monday, April 25, point totals
will be posted shortly after, and
sign-ups will take place May 2
through May 12, depending on
what housing you are signing
up for.
Students should begin thinking
about housing now. “When we
start classes in September almost
every space is full,” Agnew said.
“There are few complaints about
living on campus.”
For more information you can
visit the Residence Life and pick
up your tally sheet and contracts,
and a list of important dates
to remember and information
about preferred housing.
March 23, 2005
Katie McAdams/Photo editor
Student Union Graduate Assistant Heather Hosu organized the fair.
for women to be able customize “The response is tremendous able to attract women and spark
their way of living.” and the entire campus has been an interest in a healthier way of
The Women’s Health Fair was so welcoming to the idea,” ex- living,” says Thorton. And by
a definite success in the eyes of claims Hosu. “It just amazing the looks of it, an interest in
the creators as well as those who the amount of help we have Women’s History Month has
attended. received.” definitely been sparked.
Thorton and Hosu both have When considering their main
high hopes for the fair’s future. goal, “I just hope that we are
Students were able to visit Smithsonian or the International
several key rooms in the House, Spy Museum, and Arlington Na-
where important diplomatic tional Cemetery. Students also
business is still conducted on a had time to visit graduate schools
regular basis. and inverview for internships.
Because the president was out The last day of the trip took
of town, more rooms were open students to Mount Vernon, the
for the tour, which was a delight home and final resting place of
for students. George Washington.
As a bonus, many students had Students toured his home,
an encounter with Mrs. Beasley, which showcased many amazing
the president’s four-month-old items such as the actual key to the
puppy and were allowed to pet Bastille Prison in France, given
the Scottish terrier. to Washington by Lafayette,
While in D.C., students had Washington’s study and the bed
ample amounts of free time to in which he passed away. Stu-
Photo courtesy of Allison Moore explore the city and see sights not dents also explored the grounds
planned on the itinerary. of the plantation, which has a
Most students went to see stunning view of the Potomac
all the major monuments and River and visited Washington’s
Saturday March 12, began with memorials. Other activities in- tomb located on the grounds of
a tour of the White House. cluded various museums like the the estate.
Laker Spring Term I n n
Galley Grill OLD FAVORITES:
Chicken Fingers
Sizzling Salad
NEW ITEMS:
Ruby’s Famous Pizza
Tropical Island Oasis
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Fruit Smoothies
Strawberry
Hours of Operation:
Banana
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-1 a.m.
Piña Colada
Saturday 1 p.m.-1 a.m.
Potato Skins
Sunday 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
French Toast
1/2 lb. Galley Burger
OLD FAVORITES:
Laker Express Grilled Chicken Salad
NEW ITEMS: Turkey Bagels
Meals in a Minute Crispy Chicken Salad
Ham and Turkey Subs
Macaroni and Cheese
Stuffed Shells Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chicken Parm
Hours of Operation:
Penne Pasta w/ Alfredo
Monday-Thursday 11:30-8 p.m.
Sauce
Friday 11:30-3:30 p.m.
Board Equivalency Available:
Saturday & Sunday Closed
11:30-8:00pm
FEATURES:
Subconnection Meatball Sub
Baja Chicken
SATURDAY SPECIAL: BBQ Chicken
Any foot long Sub just $3.25 Hours of Operation:
cash and campus card only! Monday-Friday 11:30-9 p.m.
add $1.00 for a combo! Saturday 1:00pm-9 p.m.
Sunday 5:00pm-9 p.m.
March 23, 2005
Arabic language in demand,
Mercyhurst seeks to do more
By Brent Vlcek
Contributing writer
Colleges and universities
across the United States have
experienced an increased interest
in the Arabic language among its
students following the attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001.
According to an article in USA
Today, “Enrollment in Arabic
courses nationwide jumped from
5,500 to 10,600, a 92 percent in-
crease, from 1998 to 2002.”
Since 2002 enrollment in
Arabic courses increased an es-
timated 15 percent to 25 percent.
However, with only 10 percent
of U.S. colleges offering Arabic
courses, the demand may out-
weigh the supply.
Mercyhurst College is one of
the 10 percent of U.S. colleges
offering Arabic courses. None-
theless, the college only offers
two terms of the language while
the demand for more courses
increases.
James Breckenridge, director
of Mercyhurst’s Institute of In-
telligence Studies (IIS), said that
many employers have expressed
an interest in IIS graduates with a
AdPro works with national client
By Kristen Piquette
Advertising manager
Mercyhurst has a new club
on campus, AdPro, a student
chapter of the American Adver-
tising Federation (AAF). AdPro
has 16 members who are mainly
comprised of communication,
graphic design, business market-
ing and advertising majors.
Eric Hollenbeck, a senior
business advertising major, is
the founder and President of
AdPro. “AdPro’s main objective
is to give business, communica-
tion and graphic design majors
real work experience that will
face them in the future. We do
this by recruiting clients and
Graphic design students work with Disability Task Force
Students design posters to help inform people about domestic violence problems that physically disabled people face
By Jaime Myers
Contributing writer
Mercyhurst graphic design
students are gaining experience
by working with The Disabili-
ties Task Force to help the local
community.
Seven students have worked
for two weeks to design posters
of awareness to the problems
physically disabled people have
with domestic violence.
The Digital Imagery class,
taught by Jodi Hopper, hooked
D’Angelo water damage gets repaired
This music room is looking bright with a recent paint job and carpet cleanings.
Continued from Page 1
The pipes currently running
alongside the building are too
corroded to drain away water
since a French drain needs to be
regularly maintained to remain
useful and effective.
Washington University student Omid Ghaemmaghami
works through the translation of a Arabic news story.
background in Arabic. However,
there are currently no plans to
incorporate Arabic into the Intel-
ligence curriculum.
Although Arabic is not in-
corporated in the Intelligence
program, Breckenridge does
feel that the college needs more
professors to teach Arabic and
to offer more courses. “We need
full time professors, not someone
in transition,” said Breckenridge.
“We need it. We need it now.”
J.J. Mikulec, a senior political
science, history and intelligence
creating new brand identity and
promotional packages for them,”
states Hollenbeck.
“I wanted to start a club that
would give these majors a bigger
advantage when it comes down
to looking for jobs; something
outstanding to put on their re-
sume.”
AdPro’s first client was HRIM
professor, Michael Alleruzzo.
The AdPro team devised a new
way for Alleruzzo to market his
wine series. The club broke down
into four groups and had a con-
test to see who could come up
with the best over all package.
“We had to create things like a
new name, logo, brochure, busi-
ness card and Web banner for
him. We also did a critique of his
up with the task force because
of the problems these disabled
individuals have escaping the
dangers of domestic violence.
This sophomore class in-
cluded Kyle Bogucki, Andrew
Kochirka, Andrew Lapiska, Mike
McDonald, Vanessa Moody,
Shawn Oslick and Ginny Reca.
The project started out with
SafeNet, which is a domestic
violence safety network as well
as a member of the task force,
to have a cab service set up for
people with disabilities stuck in
these types of situations.
In response to the efforts
by the school to fix the water
problem, senior music education
major Jay McDowell said, “I’d
say it’s a good start. However, I
am curious if they [Mercyhurst
College] plan to make the repairs
to damaged equipment including
THE MERCIAD
KRT photo
major, sees the importance of
knowing Arabic and has worked
the language into his curricu-
lum.
“I definitely plan on using
Arabic in the future, both in my
careers in national security and in
academia,” said Mikulec.
Despite the difficulty of the
language and limited courses
offered by the college, Mikulec
is completing his fifth term of
independent study.
Independent study presents
students with an opportunity to
Web site and gave new promo-
tional ideas for his classes,” says
Angela Biagini, Vice President of
AdPro. “We then had to pitch our
ideas to him in a formal business
meeting. It was great experience,
I feel like I am more prepared
to do something like this for my
career in the future.”
Every year the AAF gives their
members a national client. This
year the client is Yahoo!.
Yahoo wants to create a new
promotional package so that they
can better serve customers ages
12 through 17.
This is a nationally recognized
competition with teams com-
peting from across the country.
AdPro will be working on their
own Yahoo package; however,
They were attempted to fill the
time gap when no such services
are available 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The posters were entered into
a contest sponsored by the task
force, which is made up of rep-
resentatives from organizations
including the law enforcement,
the city government and social
services.
The campaign’s goal was to
allow the disabled the same
transportation opportunities
and domestic violence services
as other people have.
Because of their conditions,
Katie McAdams/Photo editor
two quite worthless pianos.”
“Hopefully Mercyhurst’s solu-
tion to the drainage problems
throughout D’Angelo, Zurn
and the Performing Arts center
will be a permanent one,” said
McDowell.
To contact: newsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
continue their Arabic education
beyond the two terms offered by
the college.
U.S. involvement, political
and business, in countries where
the official language is Arabic
necessitates a demand for Arabic
speakers. The attacks of Sept.
11, 2001, and the war in Iraq only
intensified that demand.
“The U.S. government – the
largest employer of foreign
language speakers – still suffers
from a shortage of Arabic speak-
ers in its operations against ter-
rorism and in Iraq,” writes Betty
Liu of the Financial Times.
Nationwide interest in for-
eign languages come and go like
popular fads. Liu points to the
popularity of German and Ital-
ian after immigrants from these
countries arrived in the U.S., the
prominence of Russian following
Sputnik’s orbit and the renown
of Japanese that accompanied
the country’s economic rise.
The popularity of Arabic ac-
companied the attacks of Sept.
11, 2001, and the war in Iraq.
Whether Arabic will become a
passing fad or a staple in our
education system like Spanish
and French remains unknown.
they will not be competing na-
tionally.
“We felt that, being only in
our first year, we would just take
a trial run among ourselves so
that next year we could better
compete in the national competi-
tion,” says Hollenbeck.
The AdPro team will finish
out this academic year working
on the Yahoo project.
Next year, they will be attend-
ing the national conference in
New York and will enter in the
national AAF competition.
If you want to be a part of this
new club, attend their end of the
year meeting where elections will
be held and new members up-
dated. Signs will posted around
campus.
situations are a lot more compli-
cated and harder to get help.
Hopper was impressed with
her students’ work.
“The topic requires sensitiv-
ity to the language preferred by
persons with disabilities as well
as an understanding of how to
create visuals that communicate,
promise and hope rather than
focus on the predicament that
a person suffering abuse finds
themselves in.”
All of the students were in-
vited to a Legislative brunch last
Friday at the Marketplace Grill.
House For Rent
available
for summer rental
1 Block from Mercyhurst
Located @ 146 E. 38th St.
Features:
- Central Air
- Dishwasher
- 4 Bedrooms
For more information
call after 7 p.m.:
Home: 452-0124
Cell: 434-5717
Always remembered
Continued from Page 1
Sophomore Matt Jackson
lived across the hall from
Milgate last year. Jackson
recalls many good memories
with Milgate.
“I really don’t know about
my best memory because in
all honesty every night with
Milgate produced something
new that people remember
because he was very outgo-
ing and there was rarely a
dull moment when he was
around,” said Jackson.
Contract controversy
Continued from Page 1
James Breckenridge, direc-
tor of Mercyhurst College’s
Institute of Intelligence Stud-
ies (MCIIS), stated, “We can
compete with the best pro-
grams in the country, which
is why DHS and others have
come to us. We welcome and
invite any scrutiny. What
people will find is that we are
the best program in Applied
Intelligence in the nation.”
Robert Heibel, founder of
MCIIS, wrote in a letter, “We
were totally unaware that this
would be a no-competition
contract and it was DHS’s
decision to make. We would
have welcomed the competi-
tion. We’ve always done it
the old fashioned way, we’ve
earned it.”
Gennifer Biggs, Direc-
tor of Public Relations and
Publications, stated, “These
allegations are absolutely
ridiculous. Our intelligence
studies program has a strong
and long-standing reputa-
tion in intelligence circles in
Washington, and it was our
reputation that earned us this
contract.”
Mercyhurst defended the
reputation of the Intelligence
Studies program in response
to statements that George
Washington and Georgetown
were more suitable candi-
dates for the contract.
“Georgetown and George
State and local legislators, task
force members, as well as special
guests were also invited.
Lapiska won the contest and
was awarded $500.
His poster will be replicated
and displayed around the city.
Moody and Bogucki were also
awarded a cash prize for being
runners-up.
One of the judges was Mercy-
hurst art instructor, Peggy Brace,
who also informed Hopper of
the contest.
According to Hopper, the
judges were so impressed with
PAGE 3
News
Jackson also offered what
he, and others will miss most
about their classmate. “I
think most people will miss
the constant energetic at-
titude he always had, which
made me and everyone else
around him laugh and smile,”
said Jackson.
Some students have planned
a small service for Milgate
for Wednesday, March 23 at
10:45 p.m. on the hill outside
of McAuley Hall. Students
who plan to attend are en-
couraged to bring a candle.
Washington are top schools
and offer strategic studies
courses, however they nor
any other college or university
in the world offers programs
that provide graduates with
entry-level skills needed to
produce various levels of
intelligence products for gov-
ernment and the private sec-
tor,” wrote Heibel.
Biggs stated, “I assume
those universities respect that
the kind of education we pro-
vide entry-level intelligence
analysts is different from the
policy and ideology they pro-
vide master’s students, and it
is that difference that made
Mercyhurst the appropriate
choice for providing this
intelligence analyst certificate
program.”
Heibel and Biggs denied
any connection between the
contract and Tom Ridge.
“Relative to Tom Ridge, I
have a great deal of admira-
tion for him and his wife. I
do not personally know him,
and MCIIS has never solic-
ited him in any way,” said
Heibel.
“Tom Ridge did not have
any influence on the naming
of the Mercyhurst North
East building nor did he influ-
ence the choice of our intel-
ligence studies program for
the training program with the
DHS. It is simply not true,”
said Biggs.
the posters that they may repli-
cate more than one to display.
“One of the major challenges
of being a designer versus a fine
artist is the deadline schedule,”
said Hopper. “They always
seem to come faster than antici-
pated.”
This class is also working on
artwork for the Erie Art Mu-
seum.
This project is for the environ-
ment art fair that will be held
next month.
March 23, 2005
FEATURES
Visit career services if you
are weary about your major
By Kacie Rea
Contributing writer
My major has been undergo-
ing constant construction since
I stepped foot onto the Mercy-
hurst campus last year.
So far it has changed six times,
and now I am considering yet
another switch.
So why is changing majors such
a predominant phenomenon
across college campuses?
The answer is easy. You simply
cannot know what something is
like until you have experienced
it.
Changing majors can be a try-
ing, frustrating and arduous task,
especially when you do not know
what you want to do. I agonized
over every one of my own major
changes.
But I did not know about the
Have your sex questions answered
By Missy Mulvihill
Contributing writer
Think you know everything
there is to know about sex, both
good and bad?
Chances are that you don’t
know as much as you think.
Or could it be that you still
feel uncomfortable talking
about sex in general?
If that’s true, don’t worry. You
are not alone.
Sex, although everywhere in
today’s society, is still a taboo
topic and carries a bad stigma
along with it.
A group of students have
decided that this needed to
change and that the Mercyhurst
community deserved to hear a
fresh, positive message about
sexuality.
“Usually college students
are bombarded with either
the message that you’re not
normal if you’re not having
Grab the remote, let’s relax and see what’s on tonight
Obesity is already a problem on a grand scale, now students are immersed in it during prime time
By Jen Helbig
Features editor
According to the American
Obesity Association online, one
in three Americans is considered
obese, and this statistic is consis-
tently rising.
The website recognizes obesity
as one of our nation’s leading
health problems that is in dire
need of an effective and lasting
cure.
One evening as I returned from
the gym, I walked into my apart-
ment and I was excited to have
discovered a cure.
A dozen of the largest people
I have ever seen glowed on
my television screen, hovering
comically on the largest scales of
justice I have ever seen.
I grabbed a glass of water,
took off my shoes and decided
to watch for a few minutes be-
fore I took my shower.
What I happened to walk in on
is a fairly new show called Celeb-
rity Fat - I mean Fit - Club.
The premise of this show, as I
inferred and later looked up on
VH1’s website is, that “[e]ight
overweight stars are divided into
two teams and challenged to get
fit and lose weight over a 14 week
period.”
However, as do all reality series,
the show has a catch.
Instead of providing these
celebs with adequate physiology
education, psychiatric counsel-
ing, and proper culinary train-
ing VH1 has decided to make
their plan of attack a little more
obscure.
Unfortunately, there are prob-
ably overweight viewers out
there who wish they could get
To contact: featuremerciad@mercyhurst.edu
vast resources on campus that
could help point me in the right
direction.
Amy Todd, a work study at
Career Services (204 Old Main),
says that there is a lot of support
available for those who are con-
sidering changing their major.
She explained that there is per-
sonal, one-on-one help available
for Mercyhurst students.
“Frank Rizzone, Kyle Foust
and Robert Hvezda are available
to have a meeting with students
to discuss possible major chang-
es,” said Todd.
“Their job is to help you, and
they each deal with specific ma-
jors so they can lend you their
own expertise on career fields
that you might be considering.”
Even if you do not know what
career field you would like to
enter, there is help available at ca-
reer services. Todd recommends
sex, or they are told ‘no, no,
no’ to pre-marital sex without
any explanation,” junior Jessica
Zajac said.
“Sex Week is designed to ad-
dress the real meaning of sex,
what sex communicates and
the effects of sex in different
contexts.” Zajac has been plan-
ning and preparing for the event
since October.
So what exactly is Sex Week?
Sex Week will be a four-
day event, held from Mar. 29
through April 1. It is designed
to educate students on sexual
issues and to show them how
their sexual choices affect their
whole person.
During the four-day period
there will be a “Sexpo” (an expo
about sex) in the Student Union
from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Each day will consist of dif-
ferent booths containing infor-
mation relevant to that day’s
specific theme.
The days’ themes include
onto this show as their solution,
where in reality, it is just a drama
show.
Let me explain the drama.
The participants must perform
various relay-style physical tasks
which seem to be appropriate
to their fitness levels. At other
times they are sent home and
expected to lose the weight by
doing what exercise and diet the
doctor prescribes.
I was initially happy about
this show: it is something that
the general public can view, and
possibly feel better about their
160 pound frames, and help
themselves get down to a 145
pound build if they wish.
However, I got up and took a
hot shower, and after returning,
the show was still on.
I thought I was watching a
rerun of the last show. The ce-
lebrities were still crying to the
judges and sweating as they did
sit-ups on a rubber ball. They
continued to eye each other up
competitively and they continued
to show the world their super-
sized bodies.
I had to get up from the couch
and leave. Sadly, though, this is
more than I can say for the rest
of the public who stayed in their
armchairs.
The Dietary Guidelines for
Americans for 2005 suggest that
we should “[e]ngage in approxi-
mately 60 minutes of moderate-
to vigorous-intensity activity on
most days of the week while not
exceeding caloric intake require-
ments” “to help manage body
weight and prevent gradual,
unhealthy body weight gain in
adulthood.”
Read carefully. That is just to
maintain weight.
SIGI Plus, a computer program
designed to tailor to the user’s
interests in order to help with
deciding on a new major.
“Through this program you
can find out what you like, and
you can stop and start whenever
you want and the information
will be saved,” said Todd.
“This way, you can complete
SIGI Plus when you have the
time.”
Even if you decide not to go
to Career Services, there are
other ways to decide upon a new
major.
Jen Allison recently changed
her major to HRIM. She says she
just went to the department and
talked to professors and students
in the program to gain more
knowledge on the field.
Through her own investigation
she gathered enough information
to make the big switch from El-
“The Truth Uncovered,” “The
Lighter Side of Sex,” “The
Darker Side of Sex” and finally,
“What Does God Think About
Sex?”
Sex Week activities don’t just
stop at the “Sexpos.”
Each night at 8 p.m. in the
Student Union, panels, discus-
sions and speakers will be going
on, each of which will pertain
to - well - sex.
One of the presentations on
Wednesday night will be put
on by a group of students and
is entitled, “How to Have the
Best Sex.”
It will include speakers talk-
ing about the choices they have
made and how these choices
have affected them.
Not only will these presenta-
tions be fun and entertaining to
take part in, but they will also be
exceptionally informative.
Students will have the oppor-
tunity to get information about
STD’s, rape and where to get
To lose weight, we are recom-
mended to “[p]articipate in at
least 60 to 90 minutes of daily
moderate-intensity physical ac-
tivity while not exceeding caloric
intake requirements.”
So in order for you to stay in
your skinny jeans, you need to
get off the couch for 60 min-
utes. To lose your love handles,
you might need to up it to 90
minutes daily.
So now you are tired of read-
ing depressing numbers and you
wonder: Where is this miracle
weight loss cure that you mean-
tioned earlier? And what are the
catches?
I’ll start with the catch.
This cure works better for the
average college student than it
does for a working middle-aged
mom.
Also, it works especially well
for the student who plops down
with a bag of popcorn or a coke
every night to watch the late
night line-up.
And you especially meet the
criteria if you have three or more
shows that you just must be home
to see.
Do you meet any of the above
requirements?
If you do, then please, let me
explain my fitness program:
First, you must turn off “Ce-
lebrity Fit Club”, “Fat Actress”,
“Extreme Makeover”, or “The
Biggest Loser” and get off of
your couch.
Next, you must walk outside
and head out back behind the
school and walk to the apple or-
chard. (Did you even know that
one exists behind our school?)
Third, and most difficult, you
must make a conscious decision.
This is where you really have to
THE MERCIAD
ementary Education to HRIM.
When you begin to feel that
your current major might not be
all you thought it was, there is
time to change it.
College is about experiment-
ing and trying new things, so it
is natural to want to dabble in
something new.
When you begin to feel the
pangs of changing majors, just
remember there are many re-
sources out there for you to take
advantage of.
When you are considering new
majors, consider something com-
pletely new, or something that
you might have thought about
but just pushed to the back of
your mind.
It is difficult to find your pas-
sion, but once you find it you
will appreciate that one, or 10,
changes in majors.
help for the aforementioned.
This will allow students to
become more educated on these
issues, or it will give them the
chance to get the information
they need that they are not
comfortable asking for.
The week will culminate on
Friday evening with nationally
known speaker, Katrina Zeno.
Zeno will present “God, Dat-
ing, and Romance: Recipe for
Success or Disaster?” in the
Walker Recital Hall.
“She is a wonderful speaker
and after the talk, she’s giving
free merengue lessons on the
stage! It will be well worth com-
ing to,” said Zajac.
There is no doubt that Sex
Week should prove to be ben-
eficial for the entire student
body.
“Feel welcome to this event-to
learn more, to ask questions, to
hear stories, to get resources,”
Zajac said.
use your brain. You can sit down
on a bench and enjoy the fresh air
with a book, your ipod or even a
Cosmo magazine.
Or, option two, you can choose
to continue walking behind the
school and explore the neighbor-
hood that surrounds us.
Now you may be wondering
where I am going with this. How
are you going to lose six pounds a
week on this exercise routine?
How is sitting outside going to
be any different from the couch
cusions?
First and foremost, getting
off the couch and taking a walk
will get you away from the harsh
words that the judges dish out on
the television.
No one wants to be told that
they look bad. Your body weight
is your personal preference, at
least in the realm that your natu-
ral physiology will let you be.
If you are alone, no one can
put your pooch down as it lurks
under your shirt. There is no one
hiding behind the bushes with a
bullhorn waiting to jump out and
make you run a mile.
Second, moving off of the
couch is going to give you some
fresh air for an extended amount
of time. With such a small cam-
pus, we only need to scurry for
about three minutes to get from
one end to the other. If we are
supposed to do 60 minutes to
simply maintain our weight, the
skip from class to class is not go-
ing to do too much for us.
It is proven that cardiovascular
activity does wonders for the
body. The only thing that might
get your heart beating when you
watch television is a panic attack
when you finally run out of bat-
teries in your remote.
Cycling club is
active on campus
By Andreea Neagu
Contributing writer
For most students at Mercy-
hurst, the fact that there is still
snow, and the bouncing of the
temperature from low to lower
is a matter of distress.
However, there are those on
campus for which this is more
of a call to a challenge.
They learned that when the
sun is out even for just a day, it
is great time to get outside and
take it all in.
Among those students are the
25 members of the new cycling
club that started close to fall of
last year.
“I had a roommate who wanted
to start the club, [a while back],
but we had no resources back
then. Then he called me again
one day, and told me about it, and
we got together and started plan-
ning to make something hap-
pen,” junior Andy Rose, one of
the founders of the club, said.
After getting the approval
from Student Government, he
and three other guys, Matt Lem-
bright, Rob Hall and Eric Valyko
decided it was time to get their
bikes out and others to join in.
They wanted to create a club in
which “people can get together,
get out and enjoy [the surround-
ings] biking, because you see
things from a different perspec-
tive while riding your bike than
in a car,” Rose mentioned.
Even more, he said, in creating
the cycling club they wanted to
give people, especially freshmen,
another avenue to meet people.
Rose said that new acquain-
tainces can “help you with a
paper or assignment, and it helps
make a happier environment on
campus.”
Out of the 25 total members,
six actually ride and take part in
competitions. “We meet once a
week, usually on Sunday morn-
ings and ride at Presque Isle,”
Rose said.
Last weekend, the club had
their first intercollegiate race,
along with schools like Harvard
Third, activity can be very ad-
dicting. If you begin to experi-
ence a little fresh air every day,
you might find that it is your best
time to de-stress and kick back
after a long day of calculus.
You may find yourself actually
looking forward to your post-
supper walk more than you used
to look forward to working on
your sloth and amoeba imper-
sonations.
Fourth, I promise that you will
see the differences. Maybe you
will not lose six pounds a week,
PAGE 4
and Yale, and they brought back
great results.
“Team wise we came in 17
out of a total of 22 teams [that
participated]. I took fourth in
a race on Saturday, and second
on a road race on Sunday; but
we did well, and we worked well
as a team, especially since it was
out first intercollegiate race. It
definitely was an eye opener,”
Rose said.
“
You see things
from a different
perspective
while riding
your bike than in
”
a car.
- Andy Rose
For all of those interested, the
next race is in Erie on April 10.
For those of us with little mon-
ey to spend, the cycling club is a
great activity since, “you don’t
have to spend any money, unless
you want to. We have uniforms
that you can buy, but you do not
have too,” Rose said.
“Another benefit of being part
of the cycling club is that it pro-
motes self-awareness and limi-
tation. It is low impact, a good
muscular and cardio workout and
a great cross trainer. It helps you
fight sickness by helping build up
the immune system,” Rose said.
As far as storing the bikes, Rose
mentioned that while there is no
designated spot available for stu-
dents to store them, some keep
their bikes in their apartments or
basements of buildings.
The club is open to anyone in-
terested, and is a way to take ad-
vantage of the few nice days that
Erie has to offer this spring.
but the calories that you burn will
add up to produce a more healthy
and happy person.
I highly doubt that you will be
dragging along a tube of Pringles
to the park bench. The 200 calo-
ries that you will be missing from
your snack foods every day make
a huge impact over time.
So please, stop spending so
much time in front of the tele-
vision. Much more enjoyment,
positive self-image and peaceful
relaxation can be obtained away
from your couch cushions.
March 23, 2005
Where will you live next year?
Mercyhurst to offer environmentally friendly housing for coming year
By Michelle Brewer
Contributing writer
Attention all Earth appreciative
students!
This fall, Mercyhurst will be
joining a growing list of col-
leges and universities around
the nation that offer students an
opportunity to practice a more
environmentally responsible
lifestyle in an apartment formally
designated as “green.”
A joint venture of the Mercy-
hurst Green Team, our Office of
Sustainability and the Residence
Life Office, the green apartment
is open to any student who would
like to live out ecological sustain-
ability in his or her daily life on
campus.
The apartment will be located
at 3807/3809 Briggs Avenue.
Distinguishing this apartment
from regular housing are a num-
ber of features designed to show-
case earth-friendly living.
First, proper recycling contain-
ers will be provided to students
and placed in the apartment.
Second, students will be en-
couraged to conserve energy, and
their electricity and gas consump-
tion will be monitored.
The hope is that calculation
Professional Panache: Make your best first impression
By Christina Moschetta
Contributing writer
Career. With one word, I prob-
ably made some of you grit your
teeth, grasp the edge of your
desk with white knuckles and
tremble in fear.
For others, the prospect of
starting a summer internship
or even a life career is exhila-
rating.
Regardless, it is crunch time.
Resumés must be done, port-
folios assembled and answers to
ambiguous interview questions
considered.
Clichéd syllables from your
mother’s mouth are taunting
you: “You never get a second
chance to make a first impres-
sion.”
The “Dress for Success” ethic
is one that has recently been
re-instated as an antithesis to
the “casualization” of the work-
Break experienced in poverty
Students spent time living and learning with America’s poor
By Melissa Brandt
Contributing writer
While living in a college com-
munity, it is difficult to imagine
an entire town where a college
degree is practically taboo.
However, this past spring break,
four Mercyhurst students and
AmeriCorps VISTA coordina-
tor Jen Rusak visited two towns
where characteristics of normal
living have been sacrificed in
the face of wide scale economic
depression.
“From Feb. 24, to March 2 our
group spent time at the Romero
Center in Camden, N.J.,” said
Rusak.
“We were hosted by the direc-
tor, Larry DiPaul and his staff,
and we were given opportunities
to participate in a wide vari-
ety of service and educational
experiences in Camden and in
Philadelphia.”
The Romero Center is a Retreat
and Social Justice Education
Center dedicated to building
bridges of understanding be-
tween people of faith in urban
and suburban churches by re-
sponding to those in remarkable
need.
It was named after the influen-
tial El Salvadorian priest, Oscar
of the savings—in dollar terms
and in fewer greenhouse gas
emissions—will demonstrate
the financial and ecological value
of energy conservation for the
entire Mercyhurst and Erie com-
munities.
In addition to energy efficiency
and waste reduction, students
will have a chance to demonstrate
the value of environmentally
sustainable agriculture.
Sustainability Coordinator
Cathy Pedler, who is helping
to establish the green living
experiment, is developing an
agreement with the Erie Whole
Foods Co-op, which carries all
organic foods and other green
products.
Membership discounts at the
Co-Op for those living in the
building will be part of the
project, with the possibility of
the Mercyhurst Green Team
buying a block of memberships
for them.
The shuttle will also add the
Co-op to their list of stops.
Also planned is a subsidy for
students to buy other environ-
mentally friendly products, such
as recycled content office paper,
toilet paper and cleaning supplies
at other outlets identified by the
Sustainability Office.
place that became the sloppy
status quo of the 1990s.
With the dawn of the millen-
nium, however, many compa-
nies have reached a compromise
in style standards somewhere
between George Costanza and
Gregory Peck.
Today, the idea of dressing
for an interview still remains an
enigma in the minds of college
students nationwide.
With conflicting opinions on
what is “appropriate,” let me
attempt to cut through some
of the nonsense for you with
a few tips.
As a jumping off point in
solving your interview style co-
nundrums, you need to consider
a series of questions.
The first inquiry is, “What is
the industry in which I am pur-
suing a job?”
In this case, I follow what I call
the “conservative rule.”
Romero.
“Every day we went to a differ-
ent social service organization,”
said student participant Jessica
Zajac.
“We helped prepare chicken
crepes at Manna, a place that
makes nutritious lunches for
people with HIV and AIDS and
then hand-delivers them all over
Philadelphia.”
“We also helped at a Senior
Center called Genesis. One
day we worked at St. Francis
Inn, which is a unique soup
kitchen.”
“The people come in and sit
down at tables of four and then
are served restaurant-style - but
without the menu choices. It’s a
wonderful focus on fellowship
and human dignity.”
Zajac was one of four Mercy-
hurst students that volunteered
for the trip.
Other participants were Ashley
Gabriel, Stephanie Prohaska and
Regina Scagnelli.
“One of the hardest things to
see was the children coming into
the soup kitchen. They are born
into the situation; they just don’t
get a choice,” said Gabriel.
The economic conditions per-
meate the living situation in
Camden entirely, and the effects
do not go unnoticed.
The building at 3807-3809 Briggs will be filled with environmentally friendly students for
the 2005-2006 school year.
Faculty member Sheryl Sodaro
Spomer and her students from
the Interior Design department
are in the process of designing
a large community lounge space
for everyone to share on the
ground floor of the apartment.
Designed to promote mingling
If your field or profession
is typically conservative, you
should dress accordingly.
The real world translation is
Keep in mind, your interview
does not stop with the resume or
portfolio. It is inclusive of your
appearance and a true reflection
of the person you are.
that if one is considered “avante
garde” for wearing a colored
necktie to the workplace, it is
safe to say that you are in a
“In Camden you never see
things like movie theaters, cof-
fee shops, bowling alleys, etc,”
said Zajac.
“There are so many economic,
social and political factors work-
ing against the poor, and they
are the powerless ones to begin
with.”
In addition to the array of
volunteering, the Urban Chal-
lenge also gave the participants
an opportunity to visit some
intriguing places.
“We got to visit the East Afri-
can center and meet two people
who traveled and worked with
nomadic tribes,” said Gabriel.
“We ate at an Ethiopian restau-
rant - that didn’t offer silverware
- and we even got to see the
movie Hotel Rwanda.”
“On our last day we toured a
new women’s county prison. It
made us all nervous at first, but
after a while we realized that
we had nothing to be nervous
about,” said Zajac.
“They showed us around the
entire facility, and then we got
to visit for a while in one of the
cell blocks.”
“We visited the minor crime
unit that housed women with
sentences less than two years,”
said Gabriel.
“Some women were there for
THE MERCIAD
To contact: featuremerciad@mercyhurst.edu
and creativity, the lounge will not
be equipped with a TV and will
feature environmentally respon-
sible carpeting and furniture.
This will also be accommodat-
ing to those who would like to do
their homework.
The interior design department
conservative profession and
should stick to the classic looks
of Brooks Brothers and Ralph
Lauren.
Conversely, in an art-related or
creative field, sometimes dress-
ing too conservatively can work
counter to your purpose.
prostitution or drugs and were
actually really nice people. One
woman that I talked to could
easily be a public speaker; she
told us about her situation and
future job prospects.”
“Touring the prison was probably
the most rewarding experience I
had in Camden,” said Zajac.
“It was an eye-opening experi-
ence and made me realize that
prisoners are people too, just
people who made some bad deci-
sions and know it.”
Participants agree it was an
amazing experience and wish to
go back again.
Rusak explained the great ap-
peal behind the Romero Center’s
mission.
She said, “the program at the
Romero Center is phenomenal. It
has all of the elements to make
for a meaningful experience.”
“We did not only perform acts
of charity. We were able to be
educated and see how our work
fit into a global movement for
justice and we were inspired to
continue that work through the
rest of our lives.”
Anyone interested in joining
next year’s Urban Challenge
should look for information
outside of the Service Learning
office in Preston.
FEATURES
Katie McAdams/ Photo editor
hopes to have the design ready
for showing during the week-
long celebration of Earth Day.
Resident assistants in the apart-
ment will be given help in plan-
ning opportunities for outdoor
recreation and environmental
and social justice activism in the
If you are applying for a job
in which aesthetics are impera-
tive, make sure that your attire
is reflective of that.
Once you have considered the
industry or field, you must ask
yourself, “What is the dress code
of the company?” Answering
this question is as easy as pick-
ing up the telephone or logging
onto the company website.
Do your research about the
company and find out if (a)
they already have an established
uniform or dress code and (b) if
they don’t, what kinds of things
employees generally wear to
work. Overall, there are no “set”
rules for interview dress.
Repeat this mantra and you
will never go wrong in an in-
terview: “Be clean, be neat, be
professional, and be yourself.”
Contrary to popular belief, you
don’t need to spend your life
savings on a new suit or profes-
Cafe Diem
March Special
Tall Peppermint Pattie $1.20
Snikerdoodle $.65
fACULTY sPECIAL:
1/2 OFF SPECIALTY DRINKS
HOURS
Sun.-Thurs. Evenings:
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PAGE 5
community.
A final possible benefit of the
Green Living apartment is a
garden that is envisioned as part
of the project.
Over the summer, the hope is
that a garden will be planted from
which students might be able to
enjoy home grown vegetables.
The plan is also to have a com-
posting area, where students will
deposit their organic vegetable
waste, and which would benefit
the garden.
Anyone interested in obtain-
ing more information about
Green Living should contact
Laura Zirkle or Joe Howard in
the Residence Life Office at ext.
2422.
Planners stress that not all stu-
dents in the apartment must be
environmental activists.
It will be important only that
one person in each apartment
be committed to helping their
roommates along the path of
environmentally friendly living.
As always, though, you can do
what I do, and urge your room-
mates to recycle and turn off the
lights when they leave a room.
So go ahead, take the next step
and help the planet and everyone
on it! It’s really easy and you’ll
feel better for it.
sional attire.
Particularly on a college bud-
get, it is more important to
be polished and cognizant of
details.
Have all garments dry-cleaned
and pressed, and if you have to
travel, transport them in a gar-
ment bag and bring an iron.
Make sure the outfit fits prop-
erly; if it doesn’t, you will do
nothing but fidget and look
unprofessional.
Keep in mind, your interview
does not stop with the resume or
portfolio. It is inclusive of your
appearance and a true reflection
of the person that you are.
You want the interviewer to
remember “you,” so be yourself,
and dress like “you.”
So take a deep breath, relax
and for the best results, don’t
forget your best accessory: a
warm, genuine smile.
LOCATION
Main Floor
Hammermill Library
PAGE 6 THE MERCIAD March 23, 2005

OPINION To contact: opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu

Dealing with tragedy Campus Question

Mercyhurst remembers and mourns Matthew Milgate
As I stood there on the hill out-
side of McAuley Hall, I felt as if
the world was standing still. The
scene laid out before me was like
something out of a movie. But it
was real . . . a little too real.
future was not guaranteed. That
old saying, “nobody’s guaranteed a
tomorrow,” really hit home.
If you watch the news or read the
papers, then you are bombarded
with stories of death everyday. All
over the world young people’s lives
are tragically cut short, whether it
be by accidents, war, acts of vio-
have had at least another 50 years
How do you feel about the switch
or so to look forward to. Tragically,
that was not to be.
back to 8:00 a.m. classes for fall
Instead of dwelling on the future
Matt will never have, we should
term?
focus on the 20 years of life he
had a chance to enjoy. Though
20 years may seem too short, in
that amount of time he brought

Allison
Moore
As college students, our lives are
hectic and exciting. Our time at
Mercyhurst is meant to prepare us
for the future. However, it is also
a time to make the most of the
present and enjoy the final years
of our youth.
I think it’s safe to say that people
our age feel immortal. We all go
to bed each night expecting to
wake-up the next morning. We
have hopes, dreams and plans in
mind for our future; a future we
lence or disease.
But if you are like me, these
stories don’t make you stop and
question your own life. You may
pause and think, “Oh, that’s a
shame,” and then continue on with
whatever you were doing.
It’s not until it happens to some-
one you know or to someone in
your community that you really
stop and take notice. It’s only
then that you realize how precious
life is or how the natural order of
life doesn’t always apply. Parents
should not have to bury their chil-
dren; college students should not
have to say goodbye to a classmate.
That’s just not the way it’s sup-
posed to work.
I didn’t know Matt Milgate. He
‘
joy and love to all the people that
knew him. Those 20 years are
filled with memories that death
cannot take away. It doesn’t matter. I’m a senior and I will
Matt isn’t here anymore, but never have to take an 8 a.m. ever again!
we are. We still have our lives to
lead and choices to make. We still
‘
have classes to attend, homework
to do and parents to call. We still
have friends to hang out with and
parties to attend. I’m not sure any
of these things will ever be quite
the same again, but we will still
do them. It is my hope that this
tragedy will serve as a reminder to
everyone that life isn’t a guarantee Jason Staley, Senior, Intelligence Studies
but a gift. We can’t have Matt back,
but we can honor his memory by
learning from this horrible experi-
ence.

all naturally assume we have. But
as I was standing there on that hill
Thursday night, I suddenly felt
mortal. This uneasy feeling came
over me, and I realized that my
never got the chance to make an
impression on me in life, but he
most certainly did in death.
What happened to Matt was a
tradegy. At 20 years old, he should
‘
My thoughts and prayers are
with the Milgate family and all of
Matt’s friends. I hope you all find
comfort in the days ahead. God I think that it’s a good idea. All
bless. businesses and similar places open at
8 a.m. and it will help prepare kids for
‘
the real world.

What are your plans

for after graduation? Meghan Morse, Senior, Dietetics

By Kelly Rose Duttine You know how it goes: “Your cousin’s wife’s
sister’s boss’s neighbor’s son has a really great job

Editor-in-Chief
Maybe it happened to you when you were
home for a weekend, or over Christmas or Spring
Break.
Maybe it happened when you called your
Grandma on her birthday, or ran into an old high
school friend.
Maybe it happens when you meet with your advi-
sor or another professor at Mercyhurst.
If you are me, it happens all the time. When I’m
working at home, with all of my friends and their
parents, at the dentist and, of course, with my mom,
every single time we talk on the phone.
I’m sure most seniors can empathize…I’m talk-
ing about the dreaded question: So, what are your
plans for after graduation?
‘
in Public Relations. I think you should give them a
call, just to see if they have heard of anything.”
Every Sunday night, I envision college seniors all
over the country having the exact same conversa- I feel that we should not switch back to
tion with their parents. 8 a.m. classes. That would just make the
I am not against looking for a job. I do look for first 1/2 hour of class for students to be
them, in fact, all the time. I hunt message boards sleeping instead of paying attention.‘
and Websites. I frequent Monster and Hot Jobs.
I visit Career Services. I am looking, I promise. I
just haven’t found THE job though, not yet.
It’s as if everything you have done for the past
four years (or even the past 21 years) no longer
matters.
It has all come down to what happens on May Shauna Sweeney, Freshman, Interior Design
23, after the cap and gown have been packed away
along with the hoodies and sweats, the books you
couldn’t sell back and all of the memories of your
college life.

I, for one, am sick to death of this question. I
simply do not have a good answer yet. I’m tempted
to think of a really good answer to keep everyone
off of my back, like I plan on joining the circus or
trying out for the WNBA.
I keep reminding my mom and the others that it
is only mid-March. I tell them I have months of
college left yet. I stress that most jobs are looking
for people to start right away, not sometime in June.
It does no good.
I think my mom comes up with a weekly list of
job options and possible contacts for me.
‘
If you are someone that already has a job or a
graduate school or even another term or two lined
up for next year, consider yourself lucky. Not just People are just getting used to the new
lucky that you actually have concrete plans, but also times and now they are going to change
lucky that you just don’t have to come up with an it back. It’s going to mess up everyone’s
answer to that dreaded question anymore. schedules, again. It’s a bad idea to
My advice to seniors is really to carpe diem…for
the dwindling number of diems that are left...and
change the time classes start in general. ‘
try not to worry about life after college, at least
for now.

Ricky Eitner, Sophmore, World Languages and Cultures

Arctic drilling on the sly

‘
To their credit, both Wisconsin senators Demo-
Editoral from the Milwaukee Journal
crats Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl voted against
Sentinel
opening the refuge by voting for an amendment
Knight-Ridder Newspapers

The dumbest argument in favor of drilling for oil

that would have stripped drilling revenue from the
budget resolution. they’re over.
‘
The sooner they start, the sooner

in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is that gas
prices are too high. The simple fact is that opening
up the refuge won’t change prices by one penny.
For one thing, oil companies won’t be able to
extract any oil for at least 10 years after construc-
tion begins. So the price at your pump won’t drop
next week because the Senate voted last week to
include a drilling measure in the budget.
More important, even when the modest amount
of oil in the refuge becomes available in 10 years,
prices will see no significant change because the
price of crude is determined by a world market
To the Senate’s discredit, not enough of their
colleagues joined them.
Critics of drilling say they will continue their fight
as the budget resolution moves forward through
both houses and a conference committee that will
resolve differences between the House and Senate
versions of the budget.
They should.
Drilling in the refuge would be difficult, expensive
and unnecessary. Marty Wallenhorst, Freshman, RIAP/ Political Science
Even some oil companies seem to be losing inter-
est in the place and are looking for more accessible

driven by spiraling demand in places like China and
India, not by how much crude is being supplied
from a corner of Alaska.
Senators who use the gas-price argument to jus-
tify their vote in favor of drilling are simply pulling
a fast one on their constituents.
But their scam doesn’t stop with that argument.
The worst way to approve drilling in the refuge is
to tuck it into a budget bill so that the opposition
has less of a chance to raise serious questions and
the public has less chance to hear the answers.
It’s true that Arctic drilling has been debated long
and loud for years, but that only means that opening
up the refuge deserves a separate full vote by both
houses of Congress.
‘
and cheaper places to drill.
The best reason to drill in the refuge is that it
could reduce, however modestly, U.S. dependence
on foreign oil. That’s a worthy goal.
I like the 8:20 start for classes. It gives
However there are more logical ways to decrease
me the extra 20 minutes of sleep that
dependence, like cutting back on our consumption
everyone who knows me knows I need. ‘
of oil and finding alternative sources of power. A
plan that this administration is not pursuing.
As it turns out, that’s also the best way to reduce
gas prices.
Consumers who want to cut back on how much
they’re paying to fill up their tanks will do what con-
sumers have always done: They’ll buy less gas.
John Nolan, Junior, Political Science
March 23, 2005
Schiavo case argued on the Hill
Controversial issues such as abortion and ho-
mosexuality have been inflaming public debate for
many years. Although many believe that these mat-
ters should remain in the private realm, they have
been the subject of federal political consideration,
specifically in the 2004 Presidential and Congres-
sional election. It is no surprise then that the highly
contentious “right to live” case of Terri Schiavo
has now been
turned from a
private cour t
case to a federal Corrie
political battle. Thearle
Cong ress has
overextended
the powers it’s
granted in the
U.S. Constitution by passing a law on Monday
which says that the parents of Terri Schiavo, who
has been in a vegetative state for 15 years, can go to
a federal court to argue that removing her feeding
tubes violates her rights under the U.S. Constitution
or under federal law.
President Bush flew back from his ranch in Texas
to sign the bill into law early Monday. This action
not only questions Congress’ right to become
involved in areas reserved exclusively for the ju-
diciary, but also ignites the problem of state and
federal power.
It is surprising that many conservative Con-
gressional figures who have called for a return to
increased state power and a less invasive federal
government, are, in fact, some of the leading ad-
vocates for this recent intrusion into the Schiavo
case. This case is not only an issue which concerns
Poor communication Is it all worth it?
By Ellen Koeing
Contributing writer
While eating breakfast at the café earlier this
week, someone turned on ESPN as usual. Being
somewhat vertically challenged and unable to reach
the television, I am thus forced to watch the sports
channel. With the current March Madness, NCAA
Division I Men’s basketball tournament well under-
way, this was the main topic of discussion amongst
the hosts of the television show Sports Center.
While listing the possible brackets of the 64 dif-
ferent schools that take part in the four day play
off . . . it is quite simply “madness” says the host.
Going through the faceoffs they list schools, all
of which I recognize. However he announces one
school, “Gonzanga.” This catches my attention.
He says it again. This time I put down my bagel,
interrupt my conversation and turn to face the
television screen.
The announcer goes on for about three minutes
before going on to the next team; however, during
these moments he continues to name the school
“Gonzanga” when they show a clip of the team
playing. I realize that the name of the school is not
“Gonzanga” but rather take away the second N and
it is Gonzaga. Now there is a school I recognize.
I am not a communications major, nor am I a
linguistics expert. But I recognize what letters to
pronounce in names, especially that of a popular
California university.
When sitting down to write this week’s article I
could think of several other instances this past week
when such mispronunciations were used. Since
the world has become so fast-paced and everyone
seems to be so busy, the use of proper communica-
tion has been swept up in the whirlwind.
In the meantime, I think we all need to take a little
extra time while speaking. Take care in the words
you say. This way the message you want to expel
to someone is more likely to get communicated in
KRT
THE MERCIAD
the contentious matter of euthanasia, but is now
another piece of kindling which is stirring up the
fires of debate between federal and state power.
Terri Schiavo suffered brain damage in 1990 when
her heart stopped briefly because of a possible
potassium imbalance brought on by an eating disor-
der. She can breathe on her own, but has relied on
a feeding tube to keep her alive. Court-appointed
doctors say she is in a persistent vegetative state
with no hope of recovery.
Her husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo,
says she would not want to be kept alive in that
condition, but her parents insist she could recover
with treatment. Following a legal battle that has
spanned a decade, a Florida state court ordered
Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube to be removed on
Friday, March 18t. However, that ruling has been
put on hold after the actions of Congress on
Monday, and Terri’s case is now being reviewed
by a federal court.
Michael Schiavo was outraged over the intrusive
actions of Congress and the President. Schiavo
stated on “Good Morning America” on Monday
that, “This is a sad day for Terri. But I’ll tell you
what, it’s also a sad day for everyone in this country
because the United States government is going to
come in and trample all over your personal, family
matters.”
The issue of euthanasia and Assisted Suicide has
been a highly controversial matter throughout the
world and has been the subject of numerous court
cases (not to mention the recent Oscar winning film
“Million Dollar Baby”).
As with many other highly controversial issues
such as abortion and homosexuality, religion and
KRT
Proper use of the English language is fading
fast in our culture.
the correct fashion and there will be less misun-
derstanding in between the two parties.
In recent years, students’ writing and speaking
habits have become increasingly lazy with the use
of electronic communication (i.e. AIM and text
messaging). For example, people use abbreviations
such as “LOL” in a spoken conversation.
Before you know it people are going to be drop-
ping consonants and vowels all over the place, thus
butchering the English language.
I was always taught when writing a paper for a
class or official business that you are supposed to
use proper English and avoid the use of slang.
If this is so, why can we not speak in a more
academic style? Communication would be so much
easier and clear.
It is a fact that individuals sound much more
intelligent when English is used in the correct man-
ner. So if you are going home for Easter, why not
impress your friends and family with your fabulous
speaking skills that you have gained and retained
from a liberal arts education.
PAGE 7
To contact: opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu OPINION
KRT
Emotions run high as supporters on death with dignity, left, and supporters of keeping
Schiavo alive, right, voice their opinions through demonstrations.
personal belief systems play an important role in ter how final a decision or how settled it is in state
an individual’s decision on the matter. The purpose court, they can disregard these events and redirect
of this article is not to pick a stance on euthanasia the case to a federal court. If I can remember
(that is reserved for the reader), but to emphasize correctly, I thought that Congress had the power
the dangers of the federal government overstep- to write statutes, not to decide court cases.
ping its legal bounds and imposing its will upon The Constitution was crafted to ensure the pro-
state and private issues. tection of the people from the abuses of power
Many members of Congress are appalled over of a strong federal government. By allowing the
the recent intervention of the federal government legislative and executive branch to subvert the ju-
in the Schiavo case. Rep. Jim Davis, D-Fla., stated dicial branch, the protection of our legal rights is
that the congressional action was a “clear threat to in jeopardy. The Terri Schiavo case is not only an
our democracy.” Congress, he said was ignoring important benchmark in the “right to live” issue,
the constitutional separation of power and “is on but is also an example of the pattern of blatant
the verge of telling states, courts, judges and juries Constitutional abuses the government has under-
that their opinions, deliberations and decisions do taken under this administration.
not matter.”
It seems that Congress has decided that no mat-
Dear Madam Malarky, Am I not correct?
It’s my junior year and things are going fine for me. As interest fades and hopes of graduation come
However, I’m thoroughly tired of school. It’s boring, annoy- into the present, a light bulb may finally shine in
ing and seemingly pointless to me at this point of my life. your head. You don’t care about the major you
Sometimes I believe dropping out would be more beneficial picked four years ago. Fear may creep into your
to me. What’s your advice? brain. Do you stick with the major until graduation
Signed, or just drop it? Of course the only reasonable thing
Daniel D. to do is to keep up with the major. Perhaps after a
I’m honored long break your interest will renew. Perhaps work-
that you think ing a few months at a fast food place will rejuvenate
I’m a reliable Madam your attention for this particular field.
source for this Malarky A local factor may be having these depressing
life changing thoughts though. It’s entirely possible it’s due to
question. The our never ending winter. As our “Spring Break”
fact of the mat- consisted of snow, it’s hard to imagine a warm
ter is…I’m still a sunny day. Sure it may be sunny once or twice a
malarky. Any advice from me shall jeopardize your week but it’s hardly warm enough for us to shed
future. However, I will do my best to tackle this ourselves of winter gear. With these depressing
matter in my usual malarkical way. January-like days, it’s no wonder happiness has
Allow me to explain what this student is feeling. largely decreased.
When first entering college, deciding a major is a With graduation nearing, it may not be all that
tough decision. It’s the most difficult one a student happy of an occasion. The lack of interest may
can make. It involves tears, paper cuts and deduc- wish a poor student to spend four more years in
tive thinking skills. Pouring through that catalog college. Isn’t that a horrifying idea? This may be a
through the long hours can be quite despairing. possible solution for a few. The option of a job out-
Questions still linger as you sign your college-aged side of the college is another possibility. Imagine
soul away on that slip of paper. getting more than $5.15 an hour. Such impressive
You may feel temporarily good, then reality salaries ranging above the listed should influence
settles. The classes aren’t as glamorous as they ap- a person whether they’re interested in the job or
pear. The teachers may be dull. There may be five not. My advice would be to hang in there. When
papers to write. All topped off with hundreds of in doubt, remember the value of money and plow
pages of reading to be done at the end of 10 weeks. through the next year, literally.
As this familiar situation haunts our college career, E-mail Madam_Malarky@hotmail.com or
your still confident you made the right decision in AIM mmalarky04 your questions, thoughts or
the long run. Or are you? rants. At this point, almost anything is welcome.
As the years continue one seemingly endless class
to the next, doubt lays heavily on your mind. It has Wondering if Spring will stay,
been my experience that some teachers try to prop Madam Malarky
us up. This material is supposed to matter in the
real world? Right now it’s just words of nonsense
along with additional classes worth of nonsense.
The
Kelly Rose Duttine
MERCIAD Editor-in-Chief editormerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Jonelle Davis News Editor newsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Jen Helbig Features Editor featuremerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Allison Moore Opinion Editor opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Ryan Palm Sports Editor sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Meghan Sullivan A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Katie McAdams Photo Editor photomerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Melissa Jack Production Editor prodmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Kristen Piquette Advertising Manager admerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Sarah Dowden Copy Editor copymerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Emily Crofoot Graduate Assistant ecrofo81@mercyhurst.edu
The Merciad is the student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. It is
published throughout the school year, with the exception of midterms week
and finals week. Our office is in the Hirt Center, room L114. Our telephone
number is 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 the
Thursday before publication and may not be longer than 300 words. Submit
letters to box PH 485.
PAGE 8
ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
tHe
BuZz
MARCH 23. Breaking Ben-
jamin, Theory of a Dead
Man, Exies. Ice Garden
Arena, Rostraver, Pa.
MARCH 24. Indigo Girls.
Odeon, Cleveland.
MARCH 25. Ashlee
Simpson. Benedum Cen-
ter, Pittsburgh. On sale at
pittsburghconcerts.com, by
phone at (412) 456-6666.
MARCH 25. Ozric Ten-
tacles. Beachland Ballroom,
Cleveland.
MARCH 25. Drive-By
Truckers, Heartless Bas-
tards. House of Blues,
Cleveland.
MARCH 26. Collin Raye.
Niagara Fallsview Casino,
Niagara Falls, Ont. On sale
at (888) 836-8118.
MARCH 27. B.B. King,
Bobby Blue Bland. Palace
Theater, Cleveland.
MARCH 28. Black Label
Society. House of Blues,
Cleveland.
MARCH 29. Duran Duran.
CSU Convocation Center,
Cleveland.
MARCH 29. Maroon 5,
Donnas. Bryce Jordan Cen-
ter, State College. On sale
at Ticketmaster, by phone
at (800) 863-3336.
MARCH 30. Cowboy
Mouth. House of Blues,
Cleveland.
MARCH 31. New Found
Glory, Reggie and the Full
Effect, Eisley. Junker Cen-
ter, Penn State Behrend,
Erie. $18, $15 Behrend
students, $20 at the door.
On sale at Behrend’s Reed
Union Building. More on-
sale sites TBA.
APRIL 1. Toots & the
Maytals. House of Blues,
Cleveland.
APRIL 1. Galactic. Odeon,
Cleveland.
APRIL 1. Bowling for
Soup, American Hi Fi,
Riddlin Kids. Rex Theater,
Pittsburgh.
APRIL 1. Rusted Root,
Sweatin’ Like Nixon. Infin-
ity, Williamsville, N.Y.
APRIL 1-3. Musical. “Al-
ways ... Patsy Cline” with
Amanda Post, Brenda Ev-
ans. Warner Theatre, Erie.
APRIL 2. Widespread Pan-
ic. State Theatre at Play-
house Square, Cleveland.
APRIL 2. Buddy Guy. Sen-
eca Falls Niagara Casino,
Niagara Falls, N.Y.
APRIL 3. Glen Phillips,
Blue Merle. House of
Blues, Cleveland.
APRIL 3. Crooked Fingers.
Grog Shop, Cleveland.
APRIL 4. Steve Vai. Center
for the Arts, University of
Buffalo, Buffalo.
APRIL 4. Jimmie Dale
Gilmore. Beachland Ball-
room, Cleveland.
APRIL 4. Cracker/Camper
Van Beethoven (unplugged)
with David Lowery, Johnny
Hickman. House of Blues,
Cleveland. On sale March
5 at Ticketmaster.
Information provided by Go-
Erie.com
Film ‘Sideways’ shown at the PAC
By Christina Ferranti
Contributing writer
“Sideways” is a film about two
middle-aged men going through
their midlife crisis.
This instantly does not sound
appealing at all, but with Miles
and Jack, the road-trip they em-
bark on as a last hurrah takes so
many unexpected twists that you
never know what to expect from
either one.
Closely adapted (by director
Alexander Payne and his partner
Jim Taylor) from a novel by Los
Angeles screenwriter Rex Pickett,
“it’s like a gonzo teen sex com-
edy smacked upside the head
by encroaching middle age and
its attendant insults: bleariness,
self-hatred, bodies and minds
that don’t recover as quickly (or
at all) from relentless self-abuse
and the unshakable sense that,
as Shakespeare’s Richard II puts
it, “I wasted time, and now doth
time waste me.””
Jack, played superbly by actor
Thomas Hayden Church, snidely
indulges in the role of a man who
is about to relinquish himself to
marriage but desires and is deter-
mined to enjoy one last fling. In
other words, he is all about sex
with whoever, wherever.
Jack has one other ambition:
to see that his best friend and
best man, Miles, played by actor
Paul Giamatti, gets sex or at least
Seniors show off artistic talent in show
By Gary Williams
Contributing writer
Having not been to many art
shows, I did not know what to
expect.
I thought the art show would
have all these abstract pieces in
which the artist would be trying
to relay a “message;” specifically
a message which no one but the
artist would understand.
I was completely wrong. The
exhibit was great.
There were many wonderful
pieces. The message that was
trying to be made was clear and
not abstract. I was surprised at
the number of talented artists in
the senior class. I felt proud.
There were two pieces of note.
One piece by Michael Wozniak,
Napster To Go offers a great deal for music listeners
By Mike Langberg
Knight Ridder Newspaper
Napster’s new Napster To Go
music service, despite inevitable
first-generation headaches and
drawbacks, still takes a big step
toward the long-awaited celestial
jukebox, the dream of having
access to all the world’s recorded
music anywhere, anytime, at a
reasonable price.
Napster To Go (www.napster.
com) at $14.95 a month of-
fers “portability,” the right to
download as much music as you
can cram into a portable music
player. You can listen to this mu-
sic as often as you want, as long
as you keep up your Napster To
Go subscription.
For what it would cost to buy
about one CD a month, you can
build a library of dozens or even
hundreds of albums. You can
carry these albums around in
your pocket, listening through
headphones, or connect your
player to a home stereo system
whenever you throw a party.
You can explore new artists and
new releases without making the
full commitment to buy music
you might not like.
Napster and its competitors
now have a catalog of about 1
million songs available from all
the major labels and just about
every major artist.
For the past several years, I’ve
been periodically testing the legal
THE MERCIAD
To contact: entertainmentmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
“Sideways” plays in the PAC today at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
involved in a relationship to get
him out of the depression he has
been in for the past two years.
Miles, a miserable high-school
English teacher and unpublished
novelist, is a two-year divorcee
who is still very much hung up on
his ex-wife and he plunges even
deeper into this depression espe-
cially in light of the recent news
that his ex-wife is remarrying.
The two set out on a road-trip
up the coast of California to
take pleasure in the fine tastes
Senior Emily Vaughn’s “Untitled.”
download services by checking
to see what they offer from Bill-
board magazine’s listings of the
top 10 singles and top 10 albums
(www.billboard.com). Last week,
for the first time, I got a perfect
score Napster offered all 20 titles
from Billboard’s March 12 list.
So there’s lots to choose from
with Napster To Go. Here’s how
it works:
Napster operates an online
music store, similar to Apple
Computer’s much more popular
iTunes Music Store (www.apple.
com/itunes), where you can buy
most songs for 99 cents each and
most albums for $9.99. Songs
purchased from Napster are
downloaded to your computer’s
hard drive, where you can listen
to them indefinitely. You also
can burn the purchased tracks
to CD and listen to them in any
CD player.
Moving beyond iTunes, Nap-
ster has offered a subscription
service for $9.95 a month with
unlimited listening to almost all
songs in Napster’s library. But
you could listen only through
your computer.
Napster To Go, for an extra $5,
takes the subscription concept
to a new level. You download
tracks to your computer’s hard
drive and transfer them to a com-
patible music player. About 90
percent of the library is available
to go, while licensing restrictions
block the remaining 10 percent.
To use Napster To Go, which
launched in February, you need
of wine. One thing that Miles
knows most about is wine; he
steadily coaches Jack in the con-
noisseurship of wine and how
to properly identify and lavish
in the most bountiful taste of a
particular wine.
But, Miles, as we blatantly see
in the beginning of the film, has
a problem with alcohol as well,
and not knowing when to stop
consuming the delicious taste of
wine that he so cherishes.
Jack obviously has no interest
a computer running Windows
XP and Microsoft’s free Win-
dows Media Player 10 (www.
microsoft.com/windowsmedia).
You download and run Napster’s
10-megabyte install file, sign up
for Napster To Go, then start
downloading songs you like to
your computer’s hard drive. You
connect a compatible player to
the computer whenever you’re
ready, then click and drag to
move songs to the player.
I tested Napster To Go last
week using a Creative Zen Micro
player (www.nomadworld.com)
on loan from Napster, which has
a 5-gigabyte hard drive enough
to hold about 100 albums and
sells for about $250.
However, as I said above, there
are still some rough spots.
Napster To Go uses a technol-
ogy from Microsoft code-named
Janus. Microsoft wants many
music services to offer portability
through Janus, and many manu-
facturers to build Janus-compat-
ible players. That could happen
eventually, but for now the choice
on both sides is limited.
The one other music service
offering portability through Ja-
nus today is a low-profile effort
called F.Y.E. Download Zone
from Trans World Entertainment
(www.twec.com), which mostly
operates music stores, including
the Wherehouse chain. F.Y.E.
Download Zone also charges
$14.95 a month, but is hard to
find it’s available only through
the Online Store menu within
Photo courtesy of the Performing Arts Center
for the wine, but his interest
turns to the attractive female who
pours the wine, a woman named
Stephanie.
Stephanie, played by Sandra
Oh, depicts a single mother who
is a feisty, independent woman
wanting to please Jack in all
respects.
What Stephanie does not know,
Jack is going to be married in
less than a week. Also, along
the journey, Miles and Jack come
across a place Miles has visited
Meghan Sullivan/Contributing Photographer
Windows Media Player 10.
The Rhapsody service (www.
listen.com) from RealNetworks
promises to add portability by
July, but it hasn’t yet said how
much it will cost or whether it
will use Janus.
There are currently just 10 such
players on the market, from sev-
en manufacturers. They include
the Dell Pocket DJ, three models
from iRiver and two models
from Samsung, in addition to the
Creative Zen Micro. Apple’s iPod
does not work with Janus.
There is also the problem of
lock-in. If you’ve downloaded 50
March 23, 2005
on a number of occasions.
At this place is a woman Miles
has secretly admired, but dares
not make a move because of his
fear of being hurt again and his
outward impression of himself.
This woman, Maya, played
by Virginia Madsen, is also a
divorcee and begins to show
feelings for the confused and
battered Miles despite his awk-
wardness and apparent alcohol-
ism. Altogether this makes for a
movie that stirs in emotions of
betrayal, love, hilarity and anger
to produce a spectacular notion
that life does go on even in the
craziest of times.
This is a story about “friend-
ship, love, sex and wine” all
mixed in a hilarious comedy
inspiring people of all ages to
join in with the laughs and on a
more serious tone the sorrows
of these two men whether it is
of their own accord or another
major character.
The four characters, Miles,
Jack, Stephanie and Maya, all add
a certain pizzazz to their roles to
make for “moments of blissful
connectedness: fleeting ones,
somewhere around the second
glass of that single-vineyard cen-
tral coast pinot, opposite some-
one sympathetic—moments
when the wine helps to stop time,
soften anxiety, and open up a
new world of hope.”
“American Propaganda: Are We
Alone?” really moved me.
Just seeing the lone man walk-
ing was enough, but with the
presence of only straight lines,
everything seemed exaggerated.
Another piece worth noting
is Emily Vaughn’s “Untitled.” I
affectionately nicknamed it “To-
tally Trashed.” This is because it
was a piece shaped as the Ameri-
can flag made from trash, mostly
food wrappers.
Being a junk food junkie, I
really took to this piece. Also,
the fact that people use a lot
of waste really came through in
this piece.
In the end, the senior art ex-
hibit was really worth seeing.
I am glad to see that Mercy-
hurst has numerous talented
artists that grace its campus.
or 100 or 500 albums, you would
be reluctant to switch to another
music service offering portabil-
ity because you would have to
download all the tracks again.
I’m optimistic these issues will
get fixed, and I even expect Apple
despite some public dissing of
the concept will ultimately offer
portability. We still may want to
own the songs that are most im-
portant to us, but $15 a month is
a bargain for a backstage pass to a
concert hall packed with nearly
one million songs.
March 23, 2005
Erie Battle of the Bands comes to an end
By Meghan Sullivan
Contributing writer
Phantasm, of Jamestown N.Y.,
won the fourth annual Budweiser
True Music Battle of the Bands
contest.
Shockingly, the ambitious band
overcame the large Erie fan base
of Waiting for Never, who placed
second. Waiting for Never was
followed by the Albion band
Orphean Son, placing third.
When the winner was finally
announced, the fans of Phan-
tasm screamed and shouted for
this up and coming rock group.
The loyal fans of Waiting for
Never were a little disgruntled
(and vocal) about the decision.
Comments were heard such
as, “Yeah, Waiting for Never
should have won, but Phantasm
was better.” A changing of the
winds took place at Sherlock’s as
Get your digital girlfriend Sandip Burman and Friends
Lonely? Well, just wait until this fall and meet the
attractive Vivienne Rose via your cell phone
By Eric Edwards
Knight Ridder Newspaper
Back in the dark ages of tech-
nology, in the mid-’90s, be-
fore iPods, BlackBerrys and cell
phones with streaming video,
there was a cute little company
called Tamagotchi.
For kids who could not per-
suade their parents to spring for
a puppy, a kitty or a boa constric-
tor, Tamagotchi’s Giga-Pets were
the perfect compromise.
Tiny interactive games, these
digital pals required attention as
no other video game ever had.
If you ignored them too long,
they beeped.
They beeped when they needed
food, and if you didn’t feed them
for a while, they would die just as
real pets would.
It was a matter of time and
technology before a hand-held
kids’ toy was modified for adult
consumption.
Enter Vivienne Rose.
Vivienne is an attractive young
woman, conversant in six lan-
guages and thousands of top-
ics.
And as early as this fall, she
could be your girlfriend. She’s
marketed by a Hong Kong com-
pany called Artificial Life Inc. as
a personal companion or even a
practice dummy for the dating
Assassination of Romero
Film ‘Romero’ relives tragic death
By Matthew Reindulic
Contributing writer
March 24, 2005, marks the 25th
anniversary of the assassination
of Archbishop Oscar Romero.
Romero served as the Arch-
bishop to El Salvador between
the years 1977 until his tragic
death in 1980.
Seeing as how Romero’s mur-
der and Passion Week align, I
thought it would be appropriate
to write about the 1989 Paulist
Film “Romero.” This film fo-
cuses only on the last period of
Romero’s life.
The late Raul Julia gives an in-
tense performance as this bishop
who undergoes a conversion to
give justice to the poor and op-
pressed.
The first scene of the film is
Romero speaking with his friend,
Jesuit Priest Father Grande.
Romero cautions his friend,
telling him that the current
archbishop doesn’t approve of
the waves that Grande is stir-
ring up.
Grande says a powerful state-
Phantasm overcame the popular
Waiting for Never.
All the bands were judged
in five categories: musician-
ship, appearance, material, stage
presence and crowd response.
Phantasm won $1,000, a Bud-
weiser sponsorship, recording
time at Diecaster Studios, a
Saturday-night gig at Sherlock’s
and a music video by Lyons Den
Productions.
Along with this, Phantasm also
won a one year’s supply of free
guitar strings, bass strings, drum
sticks, one total reheading of
the drummers entire drum set,
two on stage guitar stands, two
KORG electronic/chromatic
tuners, three SHS microphones
and three on stage mic stands.
No wonder Phantasm had to
compete against 16 other bands
to receive this amazing prize
package.
Phantasm’s sound is influenced
illiterate.
She comes to you through
your phone at the low, low price
of $6 a month (far cheaper than
a live girlfriend). But there are
additional costs that can make
her every bit as expensive as the
real thing.
Since her moods, activities and
basis for conversation are not
programmed into the phone but
rather are transmitted through
computer servers, a date with
her can chew up valuable air-
time. In fact, this airtime can get
so expensive that the company
has restricted the time you may
spend with Vivienne to an hour
a day.
Many may consider a streaming
video image a low-maintenance
way to have a girlfriend. Think
again.
Like a real girlfriend, Vivienne
likes to go to the movies and out
to restaurants.
She also likes to receive virtual
flowers, which you can buy her
with real money that Artificial
Life Inc. will gladly pocket.
She likes the same jewels and
intimate conversations that make
the flesh-and-blood variety of a
girlfriend swoon.
The more attention you give
her, the closer you become. In
time, you meet her friends and
even her mother if you last long
enough.
But if you don’t dote on her as
ment when he defends his actions
of serving his poor congregants.
“Christ is not up in the clouds.
He is down here with us…How
can I love a God I can’t see if
I don’t love my brothers that I
do see.”
It is here that we first see the
spark of change in Romero’s
eyes.
Father Romero is soon ap-
pointed Archbishop, in what
seems to be a political ploy of
the Church’s, because Romero
is a modest scholar the corrupt
officials believe he won’t cause
waves.
It is true; he did avoid making
waves at first.
It wasn’t until he saw the blood-
ied body of his beloved friend
Fr. Grande that Romero fully
converted to the theology of lib-
eration that Christ practiced and
implemented for humanity.
The next few years of Rome-
ro’s life, as represented on this
film, show Romero constantly
defending the suffering of his
country to the government,
writing letters to world leaders
making them aware of the situ-
ations of the Salvadorians and
peacefully demonstrating the
THE MERCIAD PAGE 9
ARTS &
To contact: entertainmentmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
ENTERTAINMENT
by such bands as Incubus, Red
Hot Chili Peppers and Rage.
Phantasm plays completely origi-
nal rock music with changing
meters, dramatic dynamics and
jazz influences.
Although the band is from
Jamestown they have a special
place in their heart for Erie.
“Audiences in Erie are so much
more receptive and open-minded
then other cities we play, like
Buffalo” says DJ Turnicus of
Phantasm.
The band, currently perform-
ing in NYC, will return to on play
April 8 at Penn State Behrend
and then on April 23 at State
Street Tavern in Erie. For more
information on Phantasm visit
www.enterthephantasm.com.
Defeating 18 other talent-
ed bands, it’s safe to say that
Phantasm conquered the Bud-
Photo courtesy of Phantasm
weiser True Music Battle of the
Phantasm of Jamestown N.Y. won the Budweiser True Music Battle of the Bands. Bands.
Sandip Burman and Friends partment of Music. To the sharp ear, Sandip’s skills
returns to Erie with his superb Burman’s dazzling perfor- in accompaniment, combined
instrumental technique, bring- mances, combined with his rich with the intensity of his solo
ing his own fascinating and and eloquent playing style, has styling, demonstrate that he is
outstanding compositions of enabled him to teach, to perform a musician par excellence. His
you would a human girlfriend, classical Indian music. and to host clinics. talent and creativity are clearly
she gets just as moody. Sandip Burman and Friends Sandip Burman, a native of evident, making his perfor-
No matter what you spend on will perform on Sunday, April 3 Durgapur, India, is an accom- mances enjoyable and leaving his
your virtual sweetheart, don’t ,at 7 p.m. at Mercyhurst College’s plished tabla player. audiences in awe of the artist and
get your hopes up that you’ll Walker Recital Hall. His performances are marked his art form.
even make it to first base. For a Burman is a veteran Indian with spontaneous innovation Sandip has made a name for
newfangled gal, Vivienne is very drummer who has performed and tonal purity even when he himself as a player with blinding
old-fashioned. with a variety of musicians, is delivering complex rhythmic speed and crisp, clear precision.
As far as sex is concerned, a including master sitarist Ravi patterns at dazzling speeds. Sandip Burman and Friends
hand-blown kiss is as close to Shankar and improvisational jazz His repertoire is vast, includ- will guarantee a unique experi-
first base as you get with her. leader Bela Fleck. ing both commonly and rarely ence on Sunday, April 3, at 7 p.m.
And, no, she won’t take her Being brought to Mercyhurst played rhythms. Always in search in Mercyhurst College’s Walker
virtual top off no matter how College through the Visiting of new challenges, Sandip has Recital Hall. Call 824-3000 for
often you ask. Artist Series and their director, worked with Danny Elfman and tickets and more information.
Although physical obstacles Dr. Albert Glinsky, Sandip Bur- contributed to the soundtrack
limit your relationship, you can man and Friends will be hosting of Tim Burton’s film, “Mars Information provided by the Per-
go as far as you like emotionally a master’s class in conjunction Attacks,” as well as an IBM com- forming Arts Center
even to the point of marriage. with Mercyhurst College’s De- mercial.
It is unclear, however, if your
cessation of payments to the
company is classified as di-
vorce.
If so, do you need to tell future
girlfriends of your virtual check-
ered past?
Vivienne is set to be introduced
in Malaysia this spring, with the
company planning to take her to
Europe and America by the end
of the year.
So next fall, when all of your
married buddies are watching the
World Series on their cell phones,
you can abate your loneliness
with Vivienne.
With any luck, she’ll be able
to offer tips that might help you
pick up a real girl.
reign of God.
The scene in this movie that af-
fected me the most was when the
army occupied the cathedral and
tried to eliminate the worship of
brethrens.
Romero at first entered the
church to remove the sacraments
and was brutally forced out of
the church.
He then gathered his public
and made a peaceful march and
celebrated the Mass right there
and then.
I recommend this movie highly.
Originally I was watching this
movie in a class and the first 20
minutes moved me so much I
had to rent it and watch it right
there and then.
This movie is important for us
to watch.
It is sad to say, but Romero’s
martyrdom did not put an end
to mankind’s oppression of the
marginalized of society.
But Romero certainly did not
die in vain.
I guarantee that if you watch
this painful movie and see the
sorrows that face our brethren
daily—you too will have the same
conversion that Romero had. I
know I did.
 PAGE 10
LAKER
SPORTS
Women’s hockey falls in heartbreaker
By Ryan Palm
Sports editor
In what went down in the his-
tory books as the most historic
game in the sport’s history, it
took nearly six full periods for
the Crimson from Harvard to
down the Mercyhurst women’s
hockey team.
In front of 1,013 fans in Cam-
bridge, Mass., the Lakers hung
with the fourth-ranked team for
nearly two hours of play.
Harvard scored with seven
minutes to play in the third over-
time to defeat a Laker team who
was playing on pure guts alone.
The Lakers jumped out to an
early 2-0 lead when juniors Sa-
mantha Shirley Danielle Lansing
both notched goals before reach-
ing the midpoint of the period.
Harvard would get one back
with five minutes to play, when
their leading scorer and ECAC
Player of the Year Nicole Cor-
riero scored her 55th goal of the
season when she beat Mercyhurst
goalie Desi Clark on a power play
to get the Crimson within one.
The team got the Laker Lu-
natics right back into it, aided
by the dynamic duo of senior
Teresa Marchese and sophomore
Stephanie Bourbeau who hooked
up on a picture perfect setup by
Bourbeau to a wide-open Mar-
chese on the wing.
Marchese’s goal, number 21 on
the season, gave the Lakers a 3-1
Men’s lacrosse crushes St. Andrews 25-3
By Kelly Rose Duttine
Editor-in-Chief
Senior lacrosse player Josh Mi-
hoc has a unique view of men’s
lacrosse games.
Mihoc doesn’t see the game
from the field or the bench, but
high atop the press box, where he
video tapes each home game.
A herniated disk in his back
keeps Mihoc from playing with
his teammates, but the defense-
man intently watches every play
of every game from his birds’
eye view.
“I’m definitely cheering on the
team up there,” said Mihoc. “But
you really miss playing the game
when you are filming,” he said.
“I get so excited when I see
certain plays happen, like when
players dodge through three
people and then score. That’s
when I wish I was down on the
field,” said Mihoc.
One such game filled with
exciting plays was last Saturday,
March 19 as the Lakers took on
St. Andrews Presbyterian College
at Tullio Field.
The Lakers crushed the Knights
with a final score of 25-3. The
Knights dropped to 3-6 for the
season.
Twelve different Lakers scored
in the contest, and five additional
players tallied assists.
Senior Mike McLellan had
four goals, while junior Jonathan
Kane and senior Andrew Sands
had three a piece.
Sands also recorded two as-
Tennis teams look to finish year strong
By Chris Van Horn
Contributing writer
The Mercyhurst men’s and
women’s tennis teams hope to
finish their seasons on a high
note with an invitation to Na-
tionals.
The men’s team is in qualify-
ing position, No. 7 in the region,
while the women have some
work left to do before the season
ends.
The women’s team is currently
ranked No. 9 in the region with
the top seven qualifying for
Nationals.
The men’s team is currently
8-5 overall with a 1-1 record in
GLIAC play.
To contact: sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu
Teresa Marchese’s late first period goal put the Lakers ahead 3-1 over the Crimson of Harvard.
lead after the first period and had
the arena abuzz with thoughts
of upset.
The buzz would be soon set-
tled, as Correrio found the net
just 23 seconds into the second
period, as her goal off a Clark
rebound pulled the Crimson back
to a 3-2 deficit.
She would beat Clark again
seven minutes later, again on
sists.
Senior Jason Lappies tallied
two goals and two assists against
St. Andrews team.
The Lakers outshot the Knights
60-8, with 43-6 shots on goal.
Mercyhurst also won 24 face-
offs, compared to the eight wins
for St. Andrews.
Senior midfielder Dan James
is currently 100 percent on
face-offs in the past two games,
with a 78.95 percentage for the
season.
The Lakers’ record climbed to
5-0 and polls on Monday showed
that they remain at No. 4 for
Division II.
In their past five games, Mer-
cyhurst has outscored the op-
ponents 109 to 20.
Lakers head coach Chris Ryan
was happy about the win, but
doesn’t overlook any opponent
on the roster.
“I’m always worried about our
opponents in any game,” said
Ryan.
“I think the guys did exactly
what they were supposed to do
out there,” said Ryan. “They
listened and came ready to play,
and I think they played pretty
good.”
On Saturday, the Lakers will
host No. 3 ranked New York
Tech (NYIT) at Tullio Field at
1 p.m.
In their last meeting, Mer-
cyhurst beat NYIT 12-11 in
overtime, handing the then No.
1-ranked NYIT their first regular
season loss in more than two
years.
The Lakers suffered a recent
setback at the hands of North-
wood University by a score of
8-1 at Westwood Racquet Club.
Northwood, who is ranked
in the top tier of the region,
surrendered just one loss to the
Lakers, an 8-6 victory by the
doubles team of Albert Veverka
and Mariano Fava.
Despite the setback, 10th year
head coach Ray Yost, who coach-
es both the men’s and women’s
teams, feels confident about
the Lakers’ chances of making
a repeat trip to Nationals this
spring.
“The boys have worked hard all
season long. In terms of charac-
ter, behavior and hard work, this
is the best team I have ever had
THE MERCIAD
the power play, to even the game
at 3-3.
Mercyhurst struck back to
have the lead as the buzzer
sounded when freshman forward
Stephanie Jones scored with five
minutes to play in the middle
session.
Jones’ goal, number 13 on the
year, was assisted by Marchese.
Harvard added a tally in the
Senior Dan James was a perfect 100 percent on face-offs in the past two contests.
Ryan believes that this will be
the hardest game yet this season
yet for the Lakers.
“Tech is an extremely talented
team, and they are ready to go,
especially with our win last year,”
Ryan said.
This week the Lakers are con-
centrating on fundamentals.
“We are going as hard as we can
this week. Mercyhurst lacrosse
has always taken pride in out-
working our opponent.”
Ryan believes that the team
doesn’t win on game day, but by
working hard to prepare before
the game.
Senior captain Dan James is
confident in his teammates.
“The game is going to come
at Mercyhurst,” Yost said.
For the men’s team, hard work
applies on both the tennis court
and the classroom.
The Lakers had one of the
highest team GPAs in the nation
last term with a cumulative 3.68
average.
The Lakers have five GLIAC
matches remaining before the
GLIAC team championships in
mid-April.
Their two toughest remain-
ing matches figure to be against
Findlay on Mar. 24 and Lake
Superior State on April 2.
The team hopes to make a
repeat trip to Nationals, which
will be held May 6-7 in Midland,
Mich.
The women’s team is currently
final period, and thus the game
headed to an overtime period.
Or so they thought.
Little did any of the skaters
know that it would be two and a
half overtimes before the score
would be settled.
The teams skated through two
20 minute overtime periods with
neither team lighting the lamp.
Both teams were visibly ex-
down to who wants it more,” said
James. “We are going to come
ready to play and so will they. We
are confident in our abilities and I
think it will be a great game.”
Sands and James, as well as the
other Lakers, encourage their
fans to stay through the break or
head back to Erie to watch the
game, which falls just before the
Easter holiday.
From his unique perspective,
Mihoc can see the Lakers beating
New York Tech in their upcom-
ing game on Saturday.
“Tech is a great opponent, but
we are eager to show that it was
not a fluke when we beat them
last year,” said Mihoc.
Mihoc will be interested in see-
14-9 overall with a 7-3 record in
GLIAC play.
While currently ranked No. 9 in
the region, the Lakers will need
to win some tough remaining
matches if they are to move up
into the last National qualifying
spot.
The team also suffered a recent
setback the University of Buffalo
by a tally of 8-1.
The Lakers lone point came
from the doubles team of Jamie
Sutyak and Christine Mercsh.
The Lakers have played eight
matches this season against Divi-
sion I teams, going 3-5 in those
matches.
Their strength of schedule
should be a key factor in deter-
mining the teams ranking at the
Katie McAdams/Photo editor
hausted, as neither squad was
accustomed to such a length of
play since tied games during the
regular season are ruled a tie after
a five-minute overtime.
Harvard won the epic with
eight minutes to play in the third
overtime when 2002 Olympian
Julie Chu scored her 13th goal
of the year.
Clark shattered the NCAA re-
File Photo
ing how the Laker’s defense is
going to stand up to their first
real test.
“Our defense hasn’t really
been tested yet,” said Mihoc,
“We have only played defense
for about five minutes each
game, and against Tech we will
have to play a lot of defense.”
“I think we are going to play
great,” said Mihoc.
Mihoc will be watching from
on top of the press box, as will
many parents and fans in the
stands, to see if the Lakers can
face their hardest opponent yet
this season and make it 6-0 on
Saturday.
end of the season.
The Lakers biggest remaining
match is against Indiana Univer-
sity of Pennsylvania.
“IUP is a tough team to beat,
and it is pretty much a must
win for us,” Coach Yost said.
“Down the stretch, we need
everyone playing their best
tennis. It’s important to have
everyone on the same page.
We have been inconsistent all
year in terms of playing to our
potential,” Yost said.
The Lakers match against IUP
is on April 2.
After IUP, the team will close
their season against Case West-
ern Reserve and Carnegie Mel-
lon on April 23 and 24.
March 23, 2005
cord books, as her 78 saves were
by far the most in the NCAA
Tournament history, destroying
the old record of 46 saves set
in 2003.
The 83 shots Clark faced were
more than she had seen in her
past five starts combined, and
she still was able to hold her
own and keep the Lakers in the
contest for longer than anyone
expected.
“The ending was bittersweet.
We were so prepared and we
emptied the tanks and we played
great,” said coach Michael Sisti,
“We did everything we set out
to do at Harvard, except win the
hockey game.”
Sisti and the rest of the Lakers
were also extremely apprecia-
tive of all the support they had
received over the past two weeks,
“Between the CHA’s and the
NCAA bid, I received over 130
emails and 40 phone calls extend-
ing support and best wishes from
faculty, staff, administration,
alumni and students, and we as a
team were extremely grateful for
all the support,” he said.
The Lakers are finished for the
year, but the daunting task of
replacing the five seniors they are
losing is ahead of them.
The Lakers do return a very
solid group of underclassmen,
however, anchored by Bourbeau,
Shirley, and freshman goalie
Laura Hosier, who went 12-0-0
on the season and led the nation
in goals against average.
math
lab
Located in the
LIBRARY
304 A & B
open:
SUNDAYS
THROUGH
THURSDAYS
call
EXT: 2078
FOR EXACT
HOURS
TUTORIAL
HELP FOR
ALL YOUR
MATH
NEEDS!
March 23, 2005 THE MERCIAD Page 11

LAKER
SPORTS To contact: sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu

Women’s water polo downs Behrend
By Brady Hunter
Contributing writer
This season has been a bit
of a roller coaster ride for the
women’s water polo team, and
they are hoping that Wednesday’s
victory is the beginning of an-
other upward swing.
After opening strong with a
2-0 start (including the team’s
first-ever win over Gannon), the
women dropped four matches
in a row.
Unfortunately, all four of those
losses came at the hands of Col-
legiate Water Polo Association
opponents.
On Wednesday, the women
downed Behrend 10-4, bringing
their record to 3-4 overall and
giving them their first win in the
CWPA.
After Wednesday’s triumph,
they are tied with Slippery Rock
University for fourth place in
the Western Division of the
CWPA.
The team also competed this
past weekend at the DII East-
erns, where they finished second,
defeating Slippery Rock and
Salem International.
After a breakout season in
2004, the team hopes to come
on strong again this year.
Last year, the team notched its
best record since its inception at
Mercyhurst, going 12-10.
This was a marked improve-
ment after a 1-15 inaugural sea-
son and an 8-19 record in 2003
under new head coach Curtis
Robinette.
Robinette came to Mercyhurst
in 2003 to coach both the men’s
and women’s water polo teams,
bringing with him several years
of experience coaching collegiate
swimming.
A 2002 graduate of Slippery
Rock, Robinette earned varsity
awards in four consecutive years
during his college playing days.
This year he is joined at Mer-
cyhurst by 2004 SRU graduate
Josh Buckley.
Buckley was a four-year starter
at Slippery Rock and will ease the
load on Robinette.
These coaches command a
young, talented team with the
2004-2005 installment of Mercy-
hurst Women’s Water Polo.
Five freshmen dominate the
roster and stat books, while only
two seniors are on the team.
The team starts freshman Gina
Mieras at goalie and freshman
Carrie Willison at the 2-meter
Katie McAdams/Photo editor
position, both of whom have Sophomore Megan Terry has five goals through 10 games on the season.
produced impressive numbers
this season. with thirteen. One notable loss is that of Ann Also of note is that Gannon thus far in the season.
Willison leads the team in Support from a remarkably Markley, considered by some to is listed at number nine on the Having improved every year
assists with 18, and Mieras is strong freshman class, possibly be the keystone of the team in CWPA charts. since its emergence at the school,
ranked 26 in the CWPA in saves the strongest since the team be- the past, to “America’s Next Top These three teams revealed a the women’s water polo team is
and her 11.3 saves per game is gan, as well as key contributions Model” fame this year. potential weakness in the Laker looking to continue that trend
head and shoulders above all from a few sophomores and It should be pointed out that squad: They combined to out- as it moves on to face Slippery
others. juniors has made up for a lack of three of Mercyhurst’s last four score the Lakers 11 to zero in the Rock, Grove City and Washing-
Junior Tessa DiLoreto leads playing time from the seniors. losses have been to highly ranked first quarters of their games. ton and Jefferson in the upcom-
Mercyhurst in goals, scoring 14 Also, it cannot be forgotten CWPA teams. Slow starts have plagued Mer- ing weeks.
times this year, and freshman that this team is returning only Indiana is first in the CWPA, cyhurst all season, who has lost
Christine Somera close behind two starters from last year. and Michigan is ranked second. the first quarter battle 18 to seven

Women’s lacrosse at .500 after Softball looking to have first

going 2-1 during busy week winning season in team history
By Jimmy McCann
Contributing writer
After a busy week on the field,
the Mercyhurst Women’s La-
crosse team evened their record
at 3-3 by the week’s end.
On Wednesday, March 16, the
Lakers faced off against a St.
Vincent’s team that arrived in
Erie with a 2-1 record.
After opening up a 9-3 lead
by halftime, the Lakers never
looked back and ended the day
with a 16-9 win.
The women were led by se-
niors Andrea Bement’s four
goals, Dara Liberati’s three
scores and assist, and junior
Kristen Jankowski, who added
three goals and two assists.
Senior goalie Jessica Bunker
recorded five saves in the win
for the Lakers.
On Saturday, March 19, the
Lakers traveled to Annapolis,
Md. for a weekend doublehead-
er against St. Andrew’s Pres-
byterian College and Queens
University of Charlotte.
On Saturday the Lakers once
again proved to be too much
for their opponent to overcome,
cruising to a 21-3 victory over
St. Andrew’s.
For the second game in a row
the Lakers were lead by Liberati
who recorded six goals and two
assists. Jankowski and junior
Kim Johannigman each contrib-
uted four goals in the win.
In their third game in five
days, the Lakers took the field
against a familiar foe in Queen’s
University of Charlotte.
Adding to the intensity in
this game was the fact that
Queen’s coach Kevin Cook
previously coached the Lakers
and recruited the majority of the
team’s upperclassmen to come
to Mercyhurst.
When asked about what it was
like to coach against someone
with such a personal attachment
to the team, Coach Pilson stated
“It was certainly a challenge
because he knows the program
so well.”
Pilson went on to talk more
about the loss to Queens.
“We feel that we are a better
team than we showed against
them. They simply played a
phenomenal game, outscored
us and took advantage of the
little mistakes that we made,”
he said.
After finishing the first half
down by the score of 3-2, the
Lakers were outscored 6-3 in the
second half as Queens downed
Mercyhurst 9-5 at Anne Arundel
Community College.
Senior Kristen Jankowski and
Junior Kelsey French both had
two-point days with a goal and
an assist each.
Junior Lindsay Jackson, Be-
ment and Liberati had the other
Mercyhurst goals.
Bunker had five saves for the
Lakers.
Lakers Coach Cecil Pilson was
“disappointed” after starting the
week with two nice wins and
then losing such a disappointing
game to close out the week.
The Lakers will try to move
to 4-3 when they welcome C.W.
Post to Erie on Thursday, March
24 at 3 p.m.
Post is currently ranked No.
2 in the nation and holds a 1-1
record.
Coach Pilson is “looking for-
ward to the chance to face the
No. 2 team in the nation” and
feels that “last week’s loss was
just a setback that to women will
be able to overcome.”
By Chris Van Horn
Contributing writer
The Mercyhurst softball team
is off to a winning start this
season.
The Lakers played 11 games in
six days down in Ft. Myers, Fla.
from Feb. 23 to March 3.
The team finished the trip with
a 6-5 record and provided hope
this season for a program that
has never finished with a win-
ning record.
The Lakers have not had a game
since returning from Florida.
The team was scheduled to
compete at the College of Mary-
land Tournament on March 12
and 13, but that tournament was
cancelled due to weather and
poor field conditions.
Starting pitcher Jen Feret, a
sophomore, is off to a 3-0 start
with an ERA of 0.78.
She is also batting .455 in 12
plate appearances.
Senior first-baseman Rachelle
Haight is hitting .295 and leads
the team with seven RBI.
Sophomore outfielder Maureen
Bailey is leading the Lakers in hit-
ting with a .400 average and has
driven in three runs.
Second year head coach Sara
Headley is very optimistic about
her team’s chances this year in
the GLIAC.
“The GLIAC is going to be
pretty wide open this year. The
top two teams should be Grand
Valley State and Wayne State. If
we play hard and play as a team
we feel we can beat anyone right
now,” Headley said.
Perhaps the highlight of the
teams Florida trip was a victory
on March 1 over Siena Heights.
Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of
the seventh, freshman catcher
Jessica McNurlen hit a walk-off
Grand Slam to win it for the
Lakers 5-4.
It was McNurlen’s first col-
legiate game and just her fourth
plate appearance.
The Lakers also won two more
games the same day over Notre
Dame College, 9-0, and against
Salem International, 8-0.
Coach Headley feels that there
are several things the team has to
do to turn out a winning record
this year.
“We played pretty well down
in Florida. We have to work on
getting the right starting line-up
on the field for each game, and
players need to step up when it
counts,” Headley said.
“Most importantly, this team
needs to experience winning.
The program has never had a
winning season and it is impor-
tant for the team to feel what it’s
like to be successful,” she said.
Up next on the schedule for
the Lakers is GLIAC/GLVC
Challenge, which will be held in
Battle Creek, Mich. on March
25 and 26.
The Lakers will play teams
such as St. Josephs, Indiana and
Quincy. The team’s first contest
at home will be April 7 against
rival Gannon.

Golf finishes 12 of 21 at NCAA

Regionals to begin season
By Brady Hunter
Contributing writer
This weekend, the men’s golf
team traveled to Perry Park,
Ky. to take part in the NCAA
Regional IV.
Mercyhurst will host its own
invitational on April 3 and 4, after
traveling to Gannon on April 2.
The final part of the sched-
ule includes trips to Penn State
Behrend, Hillsdale, and Wayne
State/Allegheny, as well as a trip
to Edinburgh, Ind. to conclude
the NCAA Regional IV play.
The team has been playing with
vigor under its current coach,
Dave Hewett, who brings with
him years of experience and an
intimate knowledge of the col-
legiate golf game as an accom-
plished player himself.
John Marchetti, who has years
of experience at both the head
and assistant coach positions,
assists coach Hewett on the
men’s team.
The men’s golf team of 2004-
2005 is predominantly young,
the roster filled with freshmen
and sophomores and only three
seniors.
One of those seniors, Joe
Digello, brings with him an 80.4
career stroke average, includ-
ing a 79.4 average from the fall
season.
Senior Adam Layden averaged
78.9 this fall, with a 78.7 career
average.
Rounding out the seniors is
Sal Vella, who has maintained a
79.1 career stroke average while
shooting a 79.5 average this fall.
Leading a strong freshman
class are Steve Barr and Kyle
Waddell.
Barr was third on the team
this fall, with a 77.3 stroke aver-
age; Waddell was not far behind,
however, with a 77.4 average
and a team-low round in the fall
of 69.
Craig Bishop leads the team
with a 77.1 career stroke aver-
age, and he shot a team-low 76.5
stroke average this fall.
Brendan Flood also has come
on strong this year, with a 77.2
stoke average this fall dropping
his career average to 77.6.
After finishing sixth of 12 at
the GLIAC championships in
of October 2003, Mercyhurst is
looking to continue moving up
the ladder.
The team endeavors to become
a force in the GLIAC and is
building a solid foundation to
make a run at it in the very near
future.
As for the NCAA Regional IV
play, the team hopes to rise above
the middle of the pack this year
to establish a presence outside of
just its own conference.
 PAGE 12 THE MERCIAD March 23, 2005

LAKER
SPORTS To contact: sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu

Men’s hockey heading to NCAA’s

By Ryan Palm
Sports editor
The Mercyhurst men’s hockey
team has continued to scorch,
as the Lakers were able to win
pair of playoff games this past
weekend, both in overtime, to
advance to the NCAA Playoffs
for the third time in the past
five years.
The Lakers faced the Crusaders
of Holy Cross in their weekend
opener and needed a pair of
second period goals to erase a
2-1 deficit early on.
Mercyhurst got the scoring
started when David Wrigley
found the net just 2:45 into the
game, with assists being tallied to
freshman Matt Warren and junior
Preston Briggs.
Holy Cross scored twice before
the Lakers struck again, this time
from the stick of junior captain
Scott Reynolds.
His seventh goal of the season,
assisted by senior defender T.J.
Kemp, tied the contest at 2-2.
Sophomore Scott Champagne,
on fire after an injury early in the
season, scored goal number 11
on the year midway through the
period to give the Lakers a brief
3-2 lead.
The lead lasted until late in the
second period, as the Crusaders
tied it back up with a power-play
tally.
Things remained even through
the final period, and a Ryan
Toomey goal two minutes into
the overtime sent the Crusaders
packing, as the Lakers survived
the single-elimination tourna-
ment at least one game longer.
Courtesy of their victory over
Bentley the night before, the
host Quinnipiac Bobcats were
the next foe for the Lakers, the
pair squared off for the right to
go to the NCAA Tournament.
Quinnipiac, the Atlantic
Hockey regular season cham-
pion, held a 2-1 advantage in the
season series in 2004-05.
This contest was a stark dif-
ference from the previous
night, this time the Lakers
played catch-up falling behind
2-1 after the second period.
Dave Borrelli scored his 17th
tally of the season inbetween
two Bobcat goals, setting the
stage for a Mercyhurst come-
back.
Junior Erik Johnson, not long
removed from injury himself,
scored his fourth goal of the
year late in the second period. Katie McAdams/Photo editor
The goal was assisted by Junior forward Erik Johnson’s return to the lineup following injury has added depth to a red-hot offense.
Toomey and Reynolds, and sent
the game into overtime for the On Thursday evening AH Second-Team and also the Best Tournament First-Team. The Lakers will head to Boston
second time in as many days. honored its all-conference team Defensive Defender Award. Kemp was named to the Sec- College, where the puck will drop
Champagne again was a hero, members, and five Lakers took Wrigley was a First-Team selec- ond Team. at 4:30 p.m. on Friday for their
as he would score five minutes home hardware. tion, Scott Reynolds was named “I’m proud of our guys,” re- playoff game.
into the bonus session to send Freshman Ben Cottreau took Best Defensive Forward and marked coach Rick Gotkin. The game will be televised lo-
the Lakers to Worcester, Mass. home two awards, Rookie of finally, Kemp received the Best “They’ve certainly stayed with cally on Fox Sports Pittsburgh.
to face Boston College. the Year as well as a spot on the Offensive Defender. it, because nothing has been easy Check local listings for details.
Several Lakers received awards All-Rookie Team. As for the post-tournament this season. We went through a The Eagles are the top seed in
from Atlantic Hockey both Joining Cottreau with multiple honors, Champagne was named stretch of one-goal losses, and the tournament, which is broken
before and after the weekend’s awards was junior Conrad Mar- the MVP of the tournament, then we’ve got a stretch in the into four regions, both teams are
excitement. tin, who took home a spot on the and Wrigley joined him on the end with two one-goal wins.” in the East Region.

Baseball splits pair of rain-interrupted games

By Brady Hunter
Contributing writer
This weekend marked the first
use of Mercyhurst’s new baseball
diamond.
Although Mercyhurst suffered
a brief setback at the opening
of its brand new field, the team
rebounded to earn the first vic-
tory ever on that same field on
the following day.
On Saturday, Joe Hepfinger
threw the first pitch to begin play
between Mercyhurst and Indiana
University of Pennsylvania.
D u r i n g t h e g a m e , Ja k e
Alsheimer hit the first home run
on the new field.
That game ended in a 10-4 loss,
but the Lakers came back strong
in the next game of the day’s
double header.
IUP needed a three-run homer
to tie it up just before play was
suspended due to darkness fall-
ing.
Mercyhurst came on strong
the next day, however, with Jim
Sophomore Tim Echan takes a cut during Sunday’s rain-shortened game against IUP.
Ludwig pitching a scoreless top
of the eighth to earn the win.
With two outs, Dan Bertolini
came through in the clutch, as his
single sent home Matt Echan for
the winning score.
Sunday’s schedule was also to
include another double-header
between the teams, but im-
penetrable fog caused the sec-
ond game to be stopped in the
fourth.
Katie McAdams/Photo editor
At this point, Mercyhurst was
ahead 6-0; when the game re-
sumes, the team can only hope to
continue their strong play from
Sunday.
The Lakers now hold a record
of 6-7-1 and begin facing Great
Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference teams this Friday.
After starting the season with
a road loss to the University
of Charleston, the team faired
reasonably well on their trip to
Florida.
They finished up the Lynn
University (FL) Tournament
with a record of 4-4-1 and had
the opportunity to compete
against D-I opponent St. Bo-
naventure.
The team also split a double-
header earlier this week with
Salem International.
Freshman Eric Drobotij threw
six innings of no-hit baseball,
but surrendered two runs to al-
low Salem to tie it up.
The Lakers won in the eighth
inning thanks to a Joe Mariano
bases-loaded double. Junior
Mike Cahoon pitched a scoreless
eighth to get the win.
They have lost four starters
from their infield, but their out-
field is filled with veterans.
The catcher position is steady
and serviceable, with juniors
Sean Weyant and Brian Zacour
playing starting roles last year.
Although they have lost their
stud at pitcher (with Brandon
Mendola forced to sit the season
out because of shoulder surgery),
senior JD Rower and sophomore
Greg Tellex are working at filling
his shoes.
The Lakers will need all of
their players to step up over the
coming months, as they face the
upcoming schedule.
Grand Valley State University
and Ashland, both GLIAC rivals,
were ranked in the top 10 this off
season; also, Grand Valley State
is fresh off of their appearance
in the national title game.
Mercyhurst faces Ashland the
first weekend of April, while
their showdown with Grand Val-
ley State has to wait until the final
week of the season (May 7-8).
Next up on the schedule for
the Lakers is two double-headers
at Findlay. Those games will be
played on the 25th and 26th.

Women’s hockey showed what being a Laker is all about

By Ryan Palm
Sports editor
This past Saturday, March 19, I
was lucky enough to be in Bos-
ton to be a part of the greatest
hockey game I have ever seen.
The Lakers were in unchartered
territory, as the NCAA berth was
their first in the six-year history
of the program.
In fact, Mercyhurst would
eventually be one of just four
teams to send both men’s and
women’s hockey programs to
the NCAA Playoffs, joining
the company of elite hockey
schools Harvard, Minnesota and
Wisconsin.
That meant nothing to Coach
Michael Sisti and his staff, as
they strolled into Boston playing
their best hockey of the season,
maybe of the entire history of
the program.
The Lakers put on a show, as
they wowed the 950 Harvard fans
in attendance, leaving the arena
abuzz after handily outplaying
the Crimson to the tune of a 3-1
lead after the opening session.
What the Lakers were able
COMMENTARY
to do was make what many
predicted as a blow-out into an
epic which will go down in Mer-
cyhurst history as “the Harvard
game.”
Any of the other 44 Laker Lu-
natics who made the nine-hour
bus ride to Boston would concur,
as on that particular day, the girls
skating for the school known as
Mercyhurst let the entire hockey
world know just who they are.
While standing in line at the
concession stand after the first
period, I was asked by probably
five different groups of people
just where Mercyhurst was, and
how did we get here?
One particular Harvard family
claimed they had never heard of
the school, but told me that we
had one amazing hockey team.
I had to stop and smile for a
moment after hearing that.
A parent of a player on one
of the country’s best hockey
programs had just told me how
good our pro gram was.
I had never seen our team so
passionate, so alive, so good,
literally beating Harvard on all
facets of the game for the first
two and a half periods.
When Sisti spoke of emptying
the tanks, both before and after
the contest, I am sure he never
had envisioned the fact that the
team would play enough hockey
to nearly fill two games on the
night. And yet the Lakers did
not blink.
Laker goalie Desi Clark put on
the performance of a lifetime,
making 78 saves during the
night.
That number is unheard of in a
hockey game, whether it be men
or women, college or pro. Clark
made 44 saves in regulation, an
astounding number as well.
It was by far the best I have
been privileged to witness, and Katie McAdams/Photo editor
Desi Clark’s 78 saves against Harvard set an NCAA record for playoff games.
Clark is extremely deserving
to be named to the USCHO vard ticket office was just 1,013. One of the most memorable Saturday will never forget the
second-team, where she joins The rest of those fans were experiences of the trip was the game.
the ranks of players from his- wearing the blue and green of look on the Harvard coach staff ’s I, for one, will not, as the
toric hockey programs such as Mercyhurst, and as reported by face when their team came out to amount of heart and dedication
Harvard, Dartmouth and Wis- several different sources, led to a a roar of “boo’s” from the Laker put forth by the team is some-
consin. bi-partisan crowd. Lunatics and then watched as thing that was truly remarkable,
Above I mentioned the ap- Let me repeat that, the 50 or Clark led the team out to a roar- and set an extremely high mark
proximately 950 Harvard fans so Laker fans who made the ing ovation seconds later. for next year’s squad to meet.
who were in attendance, as the trip were louder than the 950 I would bet that 16 players who I look forward to another nine
attendance provided by the Har- Harvard fans. took the ice for Mercyhurst on hour bus ride next year.