The Merciad February 9 Issue

News .................... 2-5 Features .............. 6-9 A&E .................. 10-11 Opinion .......... 12-13 Sports.............. 14-15 Laker Living.......16 MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY

| W E D N E S D AY, F E B R U A R Y 9 , 2 0 2 2

| VOL. 95 NO.10

On-campus recycling resumes PAGE 4

Online poll results

We asked: What are your Valentine’s Day plans?

Photo Credits: Contributed photo

Go out with significant other Stay in and watch a movie

5: Learning Differences and AIM receive grant

Hang out with friends

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8: Mercyhurst announces sale of North East campus 10: The 814: Tipsy Bean

Go home

This week’s

POLL

What are you excited about for the spring semester?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

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NEWS

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

What it is really like being a Black student at Mercyhurst

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

This article was originally supposed to focus on the events Mercyhurst is putting on to celebrate Black History Month. However, with everything that has been happening on campus recently, this article will instead focus on what it is like to be Black at a predominately white institution, specifically at Mercyhurst University.

For this article, I interviewed Janiece Withers, a Black student on campus. Withers is a senior Fashion Merchandising major.

Before we get into the interview questions, Withers has a message she wants all students, professors, and other faculty members to read. I have not edited anything that Withers wrote, as too often students of color on-campus are silenced. It is time for that silence to come to an end. Withers said: “This article is a combination of what my friends and the POC community feel and have experienced on this campus.

I try my best to create a safe space for all POC to get together and relax. However, it’s hard to accomplish this with our conflicting schedules.

Being the face or token girl on campus is highly uncomfortable. I have friends from my underclassmen years who walk right past me with no acknowledgment. I guess me speaking out about the injustices I face restrict them from seeing me as a friend any longer.

But there are also ‘friends’ I refuse to look at when crossing campus.

The ones with the flags on their masks, shirts and trucks. It’s funny because I never noticed the dedication to that flag until after Summer 2020.

It’s always fun to start my mornings by passing a bright red truck with the confederate flag parked outside of Ryan Hall.

One of the obvious safe spaces I tried to give my community was the Black Lives Matter march, ‘Mercy March.’ But of course, many Black students informed me that they did not feel safe attending. In fact, one of my closest friends did attend and expressed a large amount of discomfort. Why? Well, many of the white students were there for extra credit or an assignment.

Professors did not stop to think that maybe their students would call out inappropriate words during speeches. Well, they did.

Not to mention the number of athletes who we have heard say the N word proudly at parties, in the locker room and more. Remember Lakers, one Black person letting it slide does not give you the right to say it consistently around all your Black teammates, classmates and ‘friends.’

Let’s chat about the N word.

Since it’s ‘just a word’ what does it mean to you, a white person? And if your parents say it, what does that word mean to them? How many times did your grandparents say it, and when they did call a person the N word, was it in a

friendly buddy-to-buddy way?

Well, how about our lovely professors. Both ‘woke’ and not.

What do you mean when you say the N word in class? Is it really for educational purposes? I’m not sure any of you have noticed, but I have been consistently writing ‘the N word,’ and I can say that word because I am Black.

I’m here to let you know that you no longer have the right to use this word in your classrooms.

Not only does it serve no purpose, but the only thing you are teaching is that white people can say the N word based on their intentions. We don’t care if you intend to educate, or if you intend to bond with us, or if you intend to sing the song word for word. Your intentions do not give you any right to say these words in private, in public, and never in our faces.

I can’t imagine being called the N word to my face. But my friend has, last semester by her own roommate. And I can tell you the intention was not to sound cool or to bond. Her intention was to degrade her Black roommate.

I think if there was anything to truly break my heart, it would be getting called the N word in my face and not allowed to retaliate in any way.

It’s what happened in the beginning of slavery, our people were constantly degraded and had to absorb it or lose their lives. But it looks like not much has changed.

You see, my friend was FINED and CHARGED for responding to her roommate in anger and saying, ‘You are a Privileged White B***h.’

If someone called me a privileged white person, I’d take that as a compliment. But instead, she cried to Police and Safety, and of course, the police here love to support and protect their students. So much so that they defended her in court against my Black friend who was a victim of racism.

Now when I first got to this school, I was cool with P&S. They let me into my room when I was locked out, and that’s pretty much it. But you see all cops are great at doing their jobs, the question becomes, what do they do in a situation when a student experiences racism?

Maybe they don’t like us, well I know at least one of them does not like me. But I’m smart enough to not share that story, as I know their student friends will not be so happy. But I must say, it’s nice to know that if I throw a party in a pandemic, they will laugh and joke with me. But if I need help and assistance, they will show up with no greetings and no eye contact.

However, I’m Black and the girls who throw the parties are not. No hate to the pretty white girls though, I envy your ability to have pleasant interactions with our campus police.

I have been here for three years and ongoing. Let’s just say I’ve seen it all.

I’ve seen Black students come and go. Each year I tearfully say

goodbye to a friend who just can’t stay on this campus any longer. I can’t blame them, because if I did not love my classes, I would leave too. I would transfer in a heartbeat. Why? Because when half the school reads this, they will say ‘then go, BYE. Leave if it’s so bad.’

And only a couple handfuls will say, ‘I’m sorry you feel so uncomfortable every day on our campus, how can we help?’

You know what I say to my community at BSU meetings (which most of you still don’t know what it stands for)? I tell them, ‘I know it’s hard being here, only having a few people who can relate to you.

Sitting through history classes and being the only Black student… sucks. Especially when others take notes and move along with their day, but you…you look at those graphics and see your family, your people, then you go about your day trying your best to shake that feeling off.’

I validate my peoples’ feelings, because when they express their concerns, white people try to crack a joke or change the subject.

You love our music, culture, and entertainment. You love dancing with us and laughing at our jokes.

However, do you care about our comfort? Our entertainment? Or do you just love mimicking and flaunting your ‘first Black friend?’

Does this school care about us? Or do they love how progressive they are being?

We don’t often complain, but when we do, we get silenced and brushed off. If you learned nothing from me briefly sharing some students’ experiences, know this: We are strong, powerful, and smart individuals. But we won’t lose our jokes and pride. Each one of us will gladly take this diploma and become successful Black adults. You will know our full names and how to correctly pronounce them.”

The following questions were asked and responded to by Withers. Once again, none of Withers’ words have been edited. The questions have been marked with a “V” for Vydalia, and Withers’ responses have been marked with a “J” for Janiece.

V: What made you decide to go to a predominately white institution over a historically Black institution?

J: I figured since I went to a predominately white high school, it would be alright. I wanted to pick the best Fashion program for me, which was here. However, this place is much different than a suburb 45 minutes away from Chicago.

V: As a Black student at a PWI, did you have any difficulties making friends?

J: It was easy making friends and talking to people because I am very social. However, it was hard to find real friends. I’ve often found that people only wanted me to be their ‘first Black friend’ as they would tell me. I don’t know why they insist on telling me that.

I’ve had a lot of fake friends who did not respect me as a Black per-

son and more as a box to check off.

V: Have you ever faced a microaggression or worse on campus? If so, what was that experience like for you? How did you handle it?

Was the university made aware?

J: I have experienced an excessive amount of microaggressions and pure ignorance from classmates, friends, teammates and professors. Each experience was gagging for me. I felt like I had no voice. Because I knew that people don’t understand what their words feel like. And who wants to tell their favorite professor that what they just said ruined your day? I want to say that I would alert the campus, but I never do.

I have reported something once or twice but typically there is nothing they can do, and no proof of what happened. Also, there is not a Black person to report to who understands why a word or phrase is disrespectful. Each time I have found a person of color to confide in, they leave Mercyhurst for several reasons.

V: Why is it important that the university has a Black Students For Unity organization?

J: Because the administration lacks people of color in power.

This club gives validation to the students who constantly deal with feeling neglected, disrespected, or unheard on this campus. Black students are very separated on this campus due to sports, schedules or simply never crossing paths enough to become friends. This is our way to say, ‘let’s get together and hear each other’s stories and empower them.’

V: What is the one thing that you believe the university can do to make it a more welcoming environment for students of color?

J: Hold people accountable.

Listen to us when we tell stories of discomfort and do something.

Bring people of color on campus for events, performances or to speak. Limit the confederate flags hung in windows and plastered on cars. Give us the freedom to be excused from explicit lectures.

(We know what happened, it happened to our family and still happens in the modern-day). Remember what BSU stands for (it’s not difficult, most colleges have a BSU).

The ONE thing the school can do is show the students that they are putting their foot down.

It’s not enough to have meetings behind the scenes. Tell the whole campus that you support us and that you want us here more than to fill a quota. Show the athletes that they matter on this campus more than just entertainment.

And REWARD the students you consistently use for diverse publicity points.

V: Knowing that you are involved in a lot on campus and very vocal about issues involving Black people, do you ever feel as if you are the “token” Black student?

J: There is not ONE organization I am a part of that I have not felt like I was the “token” Black student. In each setting on cam-

pus, I am always the only one who looks like me, and it is hard. From things as simple as not having uniformed hair and makeup like the rest of the dance team, to being in a E-board meeting and having to consistently remind people to think of the diverse community.

Often, I feel like if I don’t speak up for us, no one else will. If I don’t remind my peers that we need to be inclusive, then it won’t happen.

Not only have I been the token for this school, but I get stared at by so many people who disagree with my efforts.

Not only have I run around campus like a headless chicken trying to do what everyone asks of me, but I have nothing to show for it. No scholarships, acknowledgment or credit. One day Sister Natalie told me she worries I give too much to this school, so I started saying no. I started having more time to study and hang out with my friends.

V: Overall, what is it like being a Black student at a PWI? J: It’s hard. It is very hard. My junior year was the worst. I remember crying behind my masks in class after the teacher joked about Breonna Taylor. I remember shaking in anger when I heard of another death while sitting in a 2-hour class.

I remember having a MAC/ SAC event for Black History Month and the other programmers not engaging, and the chair called off. The times supervisors have touched my hair. The times people have told me to calm down before I had the chance to respond. I remember how my stomach turns around at the beginning of each Ambassador tour I give because you never know which family wishes they had a white tour guide.

I can still feel the anxiety attack I had at the first Mercy March but spoke through anyway because I knew I had to speak up for us all.

Sometimes it’s fun…like when my history class professor told us we would get extra credit for dressing up as a historical person for Halloween. My classmates had so many options of white people to dress up as. But who was Black during this time? You have me messed up if you think the only Black girl in class is coming dressed as a slave. Instead, I wore 3 white articles of clothing and two black clothing items. “What`s your costume?” I stunned the class by saying “I am the “3/5th compromise.” I’m proud to say I got extra credit.

I want to end this article with a few thoughts of my own. Mercyhurst must do better to protect their Black students and make it a welcoming environment for them to receive their education.

Mercyhurst must hold those accountable that bring harm to students of color on campus whether that is physically, verbally, or emotionally. Finally, everyday of Black History Month should be acknowledged and celebrated on campus, not just a handful of selective days.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

NEWS

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Why it is important to wear an N95/KN95 respirator

By Eva Phillips Staff writer

The world has been living with COVID-19 for over two years now, but the pandemic itself has changed greatly in that time.

With the rise of new variants and the availability of vaccines, there are plenty of ways to stay safe and prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

Despite this, the virus has been spreading rapidly in recent weeks due to the development of the Omicron variant, which is highly contagious. Therefore, it is particularly important for everyone regardless of vaccination status to exercise greater caution.

The solution? Along with vaccination and booster shots, experts are still recommending face coverings.

But not all masks are created equal. Cloth masks may be popular because they can be customized in stylish patterns and colors, but pores of the cloth typically are several times larger than coronavirus particles. This would allow the virus to pass through the mask for the wearer to inhale.

Surgical masks are better than cloth masks, but still not perfect.

They consist of multiple layers, but their primary intention is to catch infectious droplets that the wearer exhales rather than to prevent the wearer from inhaling the virus. Even so, they offer far bet-

ter protection from COVID-19 than going maskless, especially if they are fitted properly without gaps.

Individuals can also choose to wear a cloth mask over a surgical mask for additional protection.

The best mask, experts say, is not technically a mask, but a respirator. N95 and KN95 respirators that meet international standards actively filter particles from the air. They are over 95 percent effective at catching airborne particles, large and small. They also catch any infectious particles that the wearer breathes out.

What makes KN95s and other respirators more effective? They include polypropylene fibers and other materials that physically block aerosols while carrying an electrostatic charge for even further protection.

At the beginning of the pandemic these respirators were hard to find. At that time, the general agreement was to reserve the supply of highly-protective respirators for healthcare workers.

Now, respirators are more common. Online retailers like Amazon sell them in multipacks, typically priced around one dollar apiece.

Buying them online presents risks, however. Experts estimate that counterfeit KN95s make up around two-thirds of those for sale in the United States. It can be difficult to determine which

respirators are authentic and which do not provide adequate protection.

Another challenge for some is the relatively high cost of KN95 and N95 masks. To remedy this, the Biden administration is distributing free N95 masks through health centers, pharmacies, and other stores.

For those who opt to purchase respirators themselves, N95s must be NIOSH-approved, and it is recommended that consumers purchase from verified manufacturers or reliable retail stores like CVS. If the standard color options for most respirators seem too dull — they typically come in either black or white — retailer VIDA sells N95s and similarly-protective masks in a range of colors and are not that expensive. They are available from shopvida.com.

While any mask — cloth, surgical or respirator — is better than none at all, KN95s and N95s are the best option for preventing infection and protecting others. The more Lakers who choose to wear certified N95grade respirators, the healthier the Mercyhurst community will be, and the sooner we can all get back to “normal.”

Photo credit: The Wall Street Journal

This chart shows how long it will take for the coronavirus to transmit from person to person depending on what mask, if any, they are wearing.

Bridge collapse in Pittsburgh sparks concern on Erie infrastructure

By Nick Klein

Contributing writer

In the early morning hours of January 28, 2022, the Forbes Avenue Bridge collapsed. The timing was impeccable as the tragedy occurred just hours before President Biden arrived in Pittsburgh.

Biden’s visit was to promote support for his recently passed infrastructure law and to uplift his plummeting approval ratings. Biden’s mission in visiting Pittsburgh was to talk about infrastructure, and it is clear that Pittsburgh’s needs to be addressed.

The president was disgusted at what he saw when he came to the site.

Biden said, “The idea that we’ve been so far behind on infrastructure for so many years, it’s mind boggling,” and he pledged that “we’re going to fix them all.”

Fortunately, no one was

killed, but ten people sustained minor injuries and several vehicles, including a bus, are now stuck on the snowy grounds of Frick Park.

Despite the warning from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that the bridge was in poor condition, city officials did not have much concern about it.

The collapse of Forbes Avenue Bridge alarms many people in Erie, especially those who are concerned about the state of Erie’s infrastructure.

YourErie reported that the total number of bridges in Erie County is 577, with 221 in good condition, 341 in fair condition and only 25 in poor condition. Just because only a small minority of the bridges are in poor condition does not mean that we should avoid trying to make sure our bridges are safe.

As Mark Bredl, Assistant District Bridge Engineer for Pen-

nDOT, said, “any part of the bridge that you can visually see and that you cannot see that’s underwater, we make absolutely sure that we inspect every element of that bridge.”

In general, bridges in good condition should be inspected at least once every two years, and for those in great condition it should be at least once every four years.

Not too far from Mercyhurst University is the Erie Zoo with a bridge over Mill Creek has been declared “needs repair or corrective action” by the National Bridge Inventory.

However, it is not just bridges in Erie that need to be rebuilt, but also other areas in infrastructure.

On July 1, 2020, a sewer collapsed on Fifth and Wallace Streets, creating a 30-foot sinkhole that swallowed a significant portion of the lumber yard of Frontier Lumber. One of the reasons why these incidents

happen in Erie is that some of the sewage pipes date back to the 19th century.

Another incident was last September, when a damaged transformer below the corner at East 10th Street in Downtown Erie caused an electrical fire, forcing a half-dozen buildings and 800 customers to lose power.

There is, however, hope for the future of infrastructure.

Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act last November, $1.2 trillion has been poured into physical infrastructure in the country for the next eight years. One of Erie’s main transportation hubs, Erie International Airport, will receive $1.4 million in improvements.

Executive Director, Derek Martin, plans to use the money to realign the taxiway, which will expand the distance between the runaway and taxiway to reduce the chance of planes

clipping one another.

Meanwhile, the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority is planning to renovate Sassafras Street, which connects downtown to the bayfront.

It is considered one of the region’s most important community priorities in improvement for several years and it is scheduled to be completed this fall.

Infrastructure needs to be inspected more often and Erie’s precarious infrastructure is proof that Mercyhurst is not immune from its poor condition.

The country needs to encourage more education in engineering and more awareness surrounding local infrastructure. There can not be a repeat of the collapse of Forbes Avenue Bridge on one of the bridges here in Erie.

NEWS

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Wednesday, February 9, 2022

On-campus recycling resumes Merciad IN A MINUTE Study Abroad applications It’s always a good idea to start planning early for study abroad.

The application deadline for Summer or Fall 2022 is in mid Spring.

Contact the Study Abroad Office for an Advising Appointment Studyabroad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Visit the study abroad website by going to the Student Hub - Academics - Study Abroad

Black History Month resources There are many resources for Black History Month being provided by Multicultural Student Services.

Resources include books, such as “Beloved”

by Toni Morrison, movies, such as “The Hate U Give,” and podcasts, such as “Resistance” on Spotify.

For a list of resources, contact Jessica Hubert at jhubert@mercyhurst.edu.

Ice Cream sampling On Feb. 10, Grotto Commons will host an ice cream sampling from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The ice cream comes from Northern Scoop, a shop in North East, PA. The ice cream is made from locally-grown produce and natural flavors.

Starting Feb. 16, Grotto Commons will serve Northern Scoop ice cream every Wednesday.

COVID-19 expert panel The Chemistry and Biochemistry Club is hosting a COVID-19 expert panel on Feb. 12 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

There will be six panelists who are experts in their respective fields that will be discussing the ongoing pandemic.

The event will be held in Zurn 114.

Have a tip for Merciad in a Minute? Want to tell others about your club’s events?

Email us at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu

By Vydalia Weatherly Staff writer

On-campus recycling resumed on Jan. 31 after a delayed start.

Colin Hurley, Mercyhurst’s Sustainability Manager, and the executive director of Community Engagement, discussed why there was a delay.

“Waste Management requires unbagged clean recyclables that comply with their guidelines, and because the Aramark contracted employees are not contracted for their duties to physically sort through the recycling and dispose of it in an unbagged way, the Office of Sustainability has had to hire and train a student team to handle this operation for much of the academic, administrative, and residential areas of campus over the last several school years. It is often dirty and challenging work, yet the students really make it happen and keep MU compliant,” Hurley said.

The recycling team has an important job to do. They sort out all of the items from the recycling bin by hand to make sure that 1) the item is actually recyclable, and 2) the item is clean.

Hurley said, “The team uses a newer 2018 electric vehicle (EV) 4x4 to travel campus and collect recycling bags to carry out the important operation. If the university did not have a system for unbagging and sorting to achieve a clean single stream, it would be fined hundreds of dollars per dumpster per load by Waste Management and it would jeopardize the entire garbage truck load that would otherwise be clean and instead send it to the landfill.”

The process the recycling team goes through to recycle items had an unfortunate delay at the beginning of this semester.

“At the end of Finals Week of Fall 2021, that Sustainability vehicle was taken for service to a local repair shop. For a variety of supply chain, economic and health reasons, the repair shop has

experienced unforeseen significant delays with the repair. The Community Engagement Department staff and the MU fleet vehicles came to the rescue during the week of Jan. 31 so the Sustainability team could at least resume some form of operations until their normal vehicle is repaired and returned,” said Hurley.

Recycling is a complex process and has become even more complicated since the start of the pandemic.

“An example of complexity would be something as simple as a plastic clamshell container that had strawberries in it. It has a #1 triangle arrow symbol on the bottom just like a #1 water bottle, but it’s not recyclable like the water bottle. How can this be since they have the same #1 resin code? It has to do with their material melting point and also the physical recycling process and the demand, thus the reason for asking for plastic bottles or jugs and not other plastic types ‘When in doubt, throw it out’ is a good saying for when someone is unsure,’” explains Hurley.

Unfortunately, companies who recycle do not always have the environment in mind.

“Recycling is a business, and if there isn’t the demand or a recycling process that can make a company money, those items that we wish or think are recyclable do often end up in the landfill,” said Hurley.

Many students on campus lack the knowledge on what can and cannot be recycled here at Mercyhurst. However, Hurley has created several mechanizes to hopefully change that.

Hurley said, “The entire process of recycling once an item is tossed into a bin is way more complex in 2022 than any of us probably realize. Recycling education should really be a part of the curriculum at MU. In fact, I created lesson plans and hands-on recycling kits for all IMU 101 classes to use in the Fall 2021, but unfortunate-

ly since the material couldn’t be mandated for each facilitator and section, most students didn’t receive the lesson. I remain hopeful it will be included in the future introduction to MU courses.”

Recycling initiatives have been taking place on-campus since it is such a vital part of being a sustainable school.

Hurley said, “While RAs were trained on recycling in Summer 2021 and encouraged to discuss it with their residents, there are a variety of physical challenges residents encounter ranging from how recycling is to be properly disposed of, the bin types and locations, Waste Management’s regulations and system and having apartments with no common indoor area for collection.”

Recycling is not the only sustainability effort occurring on campus. At the moment there are several initiatives taking place to make campus an eco-friendlier campus.

“We’ve recently completed a successful feasibility study on a large solar installation for Ryan Hall’s roof. The project leaders are now discussing financing options and hope to have good news to share later in 2022,” said Hurley.

Mercyhurst is also working to combat excess food waste. Instead of throwing food scraps in the garbage, extra food is being used as compost to give nutrients to growing plants.

“The office has partnered over the last year with the kitchen team in Grotto Commons and a local food compost company called Conservation Compost so that on a weekly basis we save up to 250 pounds of food prep waste from the landfill and send it to be turned into compost that can then be used by the public,” Hurley said.

On top of all that, have you seen the trees that were planted outside of the Center for Academic Engagement last semester?

Hurley said, “The Sustainability Office helped with some logistics

and planning for the recent addition to campus known as the tiny forest which is being led by Dr. Chris Dolanc.”

It is important that we all recognize the work that is being done behind the scenes to make the Mercyhurst campus more earth centered.

“As a part of a 2030 District commitment to reduce our energy and emissions by 50% by 2030 as a university, we have a graduate assistant through the office who is helping to track our energy and water use for campus buildings so eventually we’ll be able to understand our university’s energy and water performance and make strategic building improvements over time,” Hurley said. “It’s important to realize that this work is a team effort for the entire university and there are a variety of people who commit daily to being good environmental stewards and teaching and modeling the behavior for others.”

“It is also important for everyone to see the human connection in what we are doing, especially in light of climate change’s effects on the most vulnerable. In fact, President Getz recently signed a seven-year commitment with many other Catholic universities around the world so MU can become a “Laudato Si” University. As Lakers, we will journey forward together towards a more integral ecology for both the people and planet to flourish,” said Hurley.

The university also has a sustainability club. If any students are interested in joining, they can reach out to the club President, Erin Smith, for more details.

Remember, it is up to us as people to care for our planet.

Recycle what you can and throw away what you can not. Do not leave trash on the sidewalks, in the road, or on the grass. Support the eco-friendly initiatives that are happening on-campus. We only have one Earth, so we must work together to make the planet healthy again.

This poster shows what can and cannot be recycled in Mercyhurst recycling bins.

What can and cannot be recycled on campus has to do with what can be recycled by the City of Erie.

When you go to recycle an item, make sure the item is clean. Items placed in the recycling bin that are still dirty can make everything in the bin non-recyclable.

Unfortunately, recycling has become quite expensive and very hard for many people to implement into their everyday lives.

That is why it is important that universities are able to recycle.

Take advantage of the opportunity to recycle while it is still here!

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

NEWS

Valentine’s Day history and legends

By Frankie Divincenzo Staff writer

Valentine’s Day has always been a special day to celebrate love.

However, many do not know how the day came to be.

One myth about Valentine’s Day is that the greeting card company invented the holiday, but that is not true. The common origin story is of Saint Valentine. It is said that he was around during the third century and Emperor Claudius II’s reign.

Emperor Claudius believed that men belonged in the army and not home with their families. To keep men away from home, he established a law stating that young men could not marry. The plan did not prevail.

Saint Valentine would marry couples in secret. When Emperor Claudius II found out, he sent Valentine to prison and planned to have him beheaded. Legend has it that Valentine was fascinated with the jailer’s daughter, who went to see him from time to time. The tale also says that Valentine would leave the girl cards

signed “Your Valentine.”

There are many Valentine’s Day traditions among different nations. According to Huff Post in Brazil, Brazilians skip the Feb. 14 celebration and instead celebrate Dia dos Namorados, or “Lovers’ Day,” on June 12.

In England, the night before Valentine’s Day, women place five bay leaves on their pillows to imagine dreams of their future spouses.

On Feb. 14 in Denmark, men give women a joking letter that is entirely anonymous. If the woman guesses who the letter came from, she gets an Easter egg later that year.

In South Korea, Valentine’s Day is a little different. On Feb. 14, the gift-giving begins with the women giving the men the gifts.

One month later on March 14, also known as “White Day,” the man showers the woman with gifts. There is a holiday known as “Black day” where singles mourn their status by eating black beanpaste noodles.

Even though COVID-19 has put a damper on peoples’ lives,

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STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Campus events during the week

that does not stop them from celebrating Valentine’s Day. According to Select, having a stay-at-home paint night can be very romantic where you or your partner picks up a paint kit and follows a video tutorial at your own pace.

You can also sit down and watch a movie together, snuggling up to each other and being in the moment.

Another idea is getting into your comfy clothes with your partner and having a night of playing board games.

Remember, Valentine’s Day is not all about gifts and fancy dinners. It is about sharing moments with your sweetheart and loved ones.

It is also essential to know that Valentine’s Day is not only about couples; self-love is a crucial kind of love. Loving yourself is extremely important, especially on a day when the universe seems to remind you that you are alone.

No matter who you are, you can celebrate on Feb. 14.

The Merciad wishes you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Learning Differences and AIM receive grant

By Bella Lee

Staff writer

Learning Differences and AIM (Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst) have both been crucial in giving students the extra help they need to succeed in college. Learning Differences assists students in the form of any needed class and test accommodations, while AIM has aided students on the autism spectrum in getting adjusted to college life in the form of social events and extra advising.

On Jan. 20, Learning Differences and AIM were awarded a $128,100 grant from the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, an organization that is dedicated to promoting self-sufficiency and independence for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

Learning Differences is planning on using their share of the grant to purchase Glean Note Taking software, which will help improve the note-taking experience.

“This software will allow students to produce high quality, secure audio-recordings of lectures both online and in-person,” said Jeanette Long, director of learning support services.

“They can then relisten to the

recordings after class to help them retain information learned and to take more detailed notes.”

This technology has been used at many big-name schools, such as Marquette University, the University of Central Florida, and Missouri State University.

Glean will assist with note taking to offer a more efficient way to get notes, both for the note-taker and the student that is receiving the notes.

“Under our current peer note taker system, Learning Differences hires other students to take notes, then share them with the student who needs them,” said Long.

“This leaves the student who needs the notes as almost a bystander in their own education— they aren’t taking the notes, they aren’t interpreting information in their own ways, and, in some cases, they are waiting a long time to get their notes. With Glean, students will be able to record class, then go home and listen to the lecture again, take notes, include diagrams, web resources, and more,” said Long. “Essentially, Glean will allow students with learning differences to engage with class material like they never have before.”

AIM plans on using their share of the grant towards Transporta-

tion Solutions to work with 10 AIM students to earn their drivers’ licenses. As they continue to learn how to be more independent, Transportation Solutions can further assist these AIM students in being independent outside of campus by teaching them the skills necessary to drive and earn their license.

Additionally, these funds will help AIM travel off-campus for experiential and vocational opportunities. Having firsthand experiences outside of a known environment allows AIM students to more confidently approach novel situations knowing that they have encountered them before and successfully dealt with them.

This grant will give AIM the ability to give once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to current and future AIM students, such as Conquer the Canyon and the summer CREATE program.

This is a massive amount of funding that Learning Differences and AIM are extremely grateful to receive. This will greatly benefit future students that will need to utilize these services in order to grow in their college life.

MERCYHURST CAMPUS

CRIME LOG Jan. 20: Sex Offense in On Campus Housing.

Jan. 29: Harassment in Warde.

FEATURES

PAGE 6

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Daffodil Days fundraiser returns to the Hurst

By Grace Elwood Contributing writer

Spring is the season of rejuvenation, a season where snow melts away and long-awaited flowers begin to bloom. Among these flowers, the daffodil, is one of the first signs that spring has returned. The daffodil has been long-regarded as a symbol of hope, especially for cancer patients and their loved ones.

Since the 1970’s, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has promoted “Daffodil Days” in order to raise money to end the fight against cancer. The campaign brings hope to all affected by cancer and provides funding for new research and patient services.

The way this fundraiser works is that people are able to choose from various items, such as bunches of daffodils or tulips, potted plants and more. The proceeds from the purchases go to the American Cancer Society.

The daffodil is a sign of hope, particularly to cancer patients, as well as their families and caregivers. The flower has served as a symbol of hope and resilience since the 1950s, thus its use in the fundraiser for cancer research.

For many years, individuals, small businesses and large corporations have supported the ACS through the Daffodil Days campaign as they made donations for flowers that have been used to brighten the spirits of loved ones or as a way of saying thank you to friends, family and colleagues.

Daffodil Days will return to Mercyhurst this year to do the same. Products will be available for purchase until Feb. 22.

Contributed photo

The proceeds from Daffodil Days will benefit research for the American Cancer Society.

A few of the offerings include: $10 - Bunch of Daffodils $15 - Potted Mini Daffodils $15 - Bunch of Tulips In addition to the flowers available, there is also the Daffodil Gift of Hope, a 25-dollar donation that will provide cancer patients in local hospitals with flowers in order to brighten their day.

The fundraiser is being coordinated by Colin Hurley, Executive Director of Community Engagement, with help from Patricia “Trish” Jaskiewicz, receptionist for the university.

“Daffodil Days is an opportunity for the university to join with other local companies and individuals partnering with the American Cancer Society (ACS) so we can bring brightness and hope in times of darkness, past and/or present, where so many lives have been affected by cancer,” said Hurley.

Limited quantities of both green and blue vases are also available, and products purchased will arrive the week of Mach 21, just in time for spring.

“Even if someone doesn’t wish to buy flowers for themselves, they can donate through

Gifts of Hope and have the flowers sent to someone in a hospital to have their day brightened,” said Hurley Cancer is a household name for many, and the fight against the deadly disease hasn’t ended yet. But with fundraisers, such as Daffodil Days, there is increasing hope that one day cancer will become a term of the past.

For a complete list of product offerings available through this fundraiser, please visit the donation page at https://acsdaffodildays.ticketleap.com/ mercyhurst/.

Please consider making a donation to this fundraiser to support cancer research and patients.

Helping others and providing service is one of the staples of Mercyhurst University, which is why the school has been participating in the fundraiser for so many years. Students, and faculty have the opportunity to help others by participating in the fundraiser. Whether you purchase a vase, a pretty bundle of flowers to decorate your home, or a gift for somebody else please consider participating in this fundraiser.

LAKER MOMENT Over winter break, the Hermann Student Union Great Room was upgraded with new furniture. The upgrades include some new tables, couches and board games for students to play with.

The Great Room serves as an area where students can do many things, whether they choose to study, eat, hang out with friends, or attend the many events that the university has to offer. With these new upgrades, the Student Union will be given more of a modern feel with the added perks of comfort.

Mackenzie Zent

The new and improved Student Union Great Room provides a place for students to relax and unwind.

There will be an official reveal to the Mercyhurst community on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at 3 p.m. The event will have a hot chocolate bar and cookies for students to enjoy! Make sure to set aside some time to check it out, you will not want to miss out on this awesome event!

FEATURES Laker Major Spotlight: RSCO FEATURE FIGURE SKATING CLUB Cyber Security Major

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

PAGE 7

By Ryan Davey

Contributing writer

Contributed Photo

Members of the Figure Skating Club

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Mercyhurst is lucky to have a variety of club sports that students can be a part of regardless of their level of experience. One option available to students is the Figure Skating Club, which is quickly rising to prominence and has even been featured on national sites.

Like the other club sports offered on campus, anyone can join the figure skating team, regardless of whether they’ve been trained for years or are lacing up their skates for the first time. “We have recreational skaters as well as a competitive team, through USFSA Intercollegiate Competition Program,” said Anna Zelina, the head coach of the team.

The team does skate at different times of the day, so no matter if you’re an early bird or a night owl, you can skate whenever you’re able to. “The team meets a variety of times throughout the rink at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. We try to accommodate different class and work schedules, so we have some early morning practices at 7:15am and later at 5:00pm,” said Zelina. For those that are interested, the club will provide a semester calendar with all skate times listed.

The team fundraises each year to get the opportunity to travel to participate in competitions against other universities with as little out-of-pocket pay possible. Per the Hurst Athletics page, the club is “officially registered under the United States Figure Skating Association’s collegiate sanctions through their Intercollegiate Team Competition Program. This means that the team can compete in up to three competitions per year, as well as a chance to go to the Collegiate Championships, which takes place every Spring.

Club members are afforded the opportunity to compete if they choose, though they may also participate in the club to simply skate recreationally and improve their skills.

The team is participating in two competitions this semester. The first one was virtual through Princeton University on Feb. 5-6, while the second will be at Liberty University Feb. 11-13. Additionally, there will be opportunities for bonding events, such as a team dinner in May and a senior send-off.

The team was honored by US Figure Skating with an article about them, discussing how the club grew from one member to 12 in just a few short years. “Sharing time together outside of the rink and away from school work has really helped in creating friendships and relieving stress,” said the article.

“The figure skating program has come far in the past three years, starting out with one passionate member to growing into a team of 12 talented skaters with all different levels and backgrounds.

Mercyhurst continues to grow the team through attending local competitions, community involvement, and getting the name out on social media. Even during the challenging times of COVID-19 lock downs and limitations, they participated in U.S. Figure Skating webinars and flash talks for high school skaters and conducted their own Zoom info sessions for prospective students.”

The club’s president, junior psychology major Allison Pfeiffer, joined the team wanting to learn to skate, and quickly made friends and increased her experience. “What you do on the team really depends on you,” Pfeiffer said. “Some members plan to compete and have programs choreographed. Other members are just there to have fun.”

If you are interested in joining the team, keep an eye out for their Instagram @mercyhurstfigureskating to see what they’ve been up to, or reach out to Zelina or Pfeiffer! While the team is small, they’ve got a lot of heart, so all are welcome to skate!

It is not a surprise that when you turn on the news, you hear almost daily about cyber breaches, attacks, ransomware, identity theft and many more issues with technology.

From the colonial pipeline affecting gas supplies to other critical infrastructure, cyber threats are never ending and continue to grow every day.

Cyber criminals are always out there to target us and our infrastructure no matter what field we are in, from financial services, health care services, government services to retail, manufacturing and education.

All aspects of our lives are a target for cyber criminals to commit high-profile domestic and global cyber-attacks.

Our nation’s future prosperity depends on a workforce trained in the art of cyber security. The bottom line is that cyber threats are urgent, the stakes are incredibly high, and there are not enough cyber security professionals to fulfill the rising demand in the workforce.

Responding to this demand, Mercyhurst University rose to the challenge and became one of the first institutions in the country to develop a stand-alone program in cyber security at both the undergraduate and graduate level, awarding a Bachelor’s of Science degree and a Master’s of Science degree in cyber security.

What makes the program unique is that students get

their hands dirty from day one by getting to utilize cyber security tools used in the industry to defend and prevent cyber attacks.

Throughout the program, cyber security students will learn different skill-sets that are necessary to protect businesses and infrastructure. The skill-sets vary from networking and hacking skills to data analytic skills and forensics.

Several of the courses that students will be exposed to include Cryptography, Networks Security, Communication Networks, Digital Forensics, Cyber Law and Policy and Systems and Applications Security.

The cyber security program that Mercyhurst offers aligns with guidelines recommended by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and National Security Agencies.

Also, integrated in the program is the body of knowledge that major certifying cyber security organizations recommend.

Undergraduate students at Mercyhurst University take classes and complete projects in the state-of-theart center called the Federal Resources Corporation Cyber Education Center. It is an 8,000-square foot cyber training and mitigation facility providing facility classroom and experiential learning.

Additionally, undergraduate students have the opportunity to pair their cyber security degree with other majors that add a lot of value such as Intelligence Studies

or Data Science.

The graduate cyber security program is fully online and it is one of the many 4+1 Graduate Programs that Mercyhurst offers. The program goes further into covering Cloud Security, Web Security, and Ethical Hacking Penetration Testing Skills that match key industry certifications.

Mercyhurst University’s cyber lab and networks operation center, a joint venture with Erie-based firm Federal Resources Corporation, provides experiential learning opportunities for Mercyhurst undergraduate and graduate students to conduct projects on behalf of real-world clients.

Graduates of the cyber security program at Mercyhurst University will be enriched with the necessary skill-sets and will be well positioned to meet the fast growing demand of cyber security jobs.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the profession of cyber security is estimated to grow at a 31% rate through 2029, a rate that is over seven times faster than the national average job growth of 4%.

If this program sounds like one that is of interest to you, check out the Cyber Security program web page at https://www.mercyhurst. edu/academics/cyber-security. Or if students are interested in potentially perusing the program, you can also reach out to program director Dr. Chad Redmond at credmond@mercyhurst.edu

Contributed photo

One of Mercyhurst’s Cyber Security classrooms that are located on campus.

HAVE AN IDEA FOR A FEATURES ARTICLE? CONTACT FEATURES EDITOR HANNAH BROOKS AT HBROOK66@LAKERS.MERCYHURST.EDU

FEATURES

PAGE 8

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

announces HURST CLASS Mercyhurst sale of North East campus CATALOG

By Grace Elwood

BASIC COMPUTER DESIGN

By Hannah Brooks Features editor Any student who is interested in learning fundamental basics of graphic design may want to consider putting Computer Design Basics (ART-128) on their schedule for the next time advising comes around.

Per the syllabus, Computer Design Basics is “a 15week, 3 credit entry-level course geared to develop a sense of good design practices for professionals who are not primarily design oriented in their career path.” Over the course of the semester, students will learn several major design concepts such as Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, Color, Contrast and Type through the creation of projects relating to each concept.

Students will be introduced to Adobe Creative Cloud 2021, InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator.

By the end of the course, the goal is for students to be able to present and critique works of art using appropriate criteria and terminology, create works of art using the methods, tools and skills learned throughout the semester, generate and revise ideas throughout the creative process, and develop works of art and designs that utilize concepts, elements and principles of art and design.

Though we are not far into the semester yet, this semester’s class has gotten to explore Adobe Photoshop, which is a graphic design software that is primarily used to edit photos. The next software that this semester’s students will learn about is Adobe Illustrator and Indesign, which are tools that are essential to the graphic design field.

The projects that students will create over the course of the semester are both engaging and interesting.

Some examples of projects that students create throughout the course are fun photoshopped photos, such as “space dog” (which, just as the name suggests, depicts a dog in outer space) and the creation of posters, which includes the next project that students will create this semester: students will reimagine a “Jurassic Park” poster.

“Students will use their Photoshop skills to create their own ‘Jurassic Park’ concept in a moodboard format, then progress to rough sketches, and finally create the finished piece in Photoshop,” said Jade Mitchell, the professor of the course.

In addition to teaching this course, Mitchell is the Creative Director at Erie Arts & Culture. She graduated from Gannon University with a bachelor’s in Theater and Communication Arts, and received a two-year post baccalaureate certification in Graphic and Web Design here at Mercyhurst University.

Though this course is one that is very engaging and fun, it is also one that will give students several skills that will be useful to them for years to come.

“Anyone can take this course,” Mitchell said. “You’ll learn graphic design principles and skills to enhance any visual digital assets you might create in your profession, from resumes, to presentations, to data/info graphics, to social media graphics.”

Though it feels that the Spring semester has just started and classes still feel new, the time to schedule is already looming overhead! Whether you are a graphic design student, or one who has a credit in Expression to fulfill, make sure to add ART-128 to your schedule for the Fall 2022 semester.

Contributing writer

On Jan. 26, Mercyhurst announced the closure of the North East Campus. Purchased in 1991, the 84-acre property includes buildings previously owned by St. Mary’s Seminary. Known for its historic buildings built over 100 years ago, the campus has offered a wide variety of associate degrees and certificate programs.

Additionally, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the North East campus served as quarantine housing for students who tested positive.

At the start of COVID-19, institutions of higher education faced many new challenges. Online learning soon became a necessity, and teachers were faced with an extreme level of stress and uncertainty among rising cases and lockdowns. Among this, Mercyhurst found a new need for unity among faculty and students. In 2020, programs from the North East campus began to transition to Erie.

In 2021, Mercyhurst also purchased the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse on East Grandview and began extensive renovations where nursing classrooms, labs and offices are now located. The purchase came with a mutual benefit with an agreement that the Sisters would continue to live in the Motherhouse and that future Sisters of Mercy would always be welcome.

“I feel like both the purchase of the Motherhouse and selling of the North East campus are good investments, and it is definitely

Contributed photo

The former Mercyhurst North East campus

very cool to see all of the improvements and changes they’re making to make our main campus as efficient as possible,” sophomore Emily Cummings said.

The campus was sold to Ehrenfeld Companies (eCOS), led by Jonathan Ehrenfeld. Ehrenfeld is also the founder and CEO of Blue Ocean, a real estate investment and asset management firm based in Baltimore, Maryland. Ehrenfeld has been in the real estate industry for over 20 years and is no doubt enthusiastic about his future work with the campus.

The growing interest of eCOS in the service industry and hospitality made for a perfect fit to fuel increasing opportunities for students and the community, as well as the downtown area. Ehrenfeld also said in a recently published article that he was attracted to the

unique features, history and location of Mercyhurst North East, but perhaps most noticeable is his interest in the potential positive community impact.

Mercyhurst will continue its affiliation with the Northeast community through its Police Academy, as well as maintain a beneficial relationship with the campus’s new owner, eCOS. Although the plans for the campus are still undecided, it is likely that the new campus will be converted to a multi-functional sports complex, with the historic buildings possibly being used for hosting events.

The announcement is certainly bittersweet as Mercyhurst’s 30year ownership comes to an end, but also comes with much excitement for the Erie community.

Get hyped for Gannon double-header

By Libby Bullinger Copy editor

As many students on campus know, an exciting annual tradition for the Lakers is coming up this week: the Mercyhurst versus Gannon basketball game.

On Feb. 9, both the Mercyhurst men’s and women’s basketball teams will take on cross-town rivals from Gannon in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

This event includes much more than just the game such as increased entertainment from the dance team and cheerleaders, games that involve student participation during breaks in the plays, free merchandise for students and most importantly, an increased crowd full of supporters and fans from both schools.

In addition to high attendance from the current Laker student body, the teams can also expect support from a wide range of Mercyhurst alumni.

As an event through the Alumni Office, graduates from all years have the opportunity to attend

this basketball game. Not only is this a great chance for alumni to connect with others and make a return to their beloved alma mater campus, but it is also a great chance to support the men’s team.

“Having alumni back on campus just further proves our ‘Hurst is Home’ feeling,” Lindsay Frank, Director of Alumni Engagement said. “Whether they graduated 5 years ago or 65, it’s always exciting for alumni to return home.”

The Lakers will certainly appreciate the extra support, and it is a great chance for current Mercyhurst students to really see the impact alumni have on the school and envision life beyond the gates.

Just like the Mercyhurst versus Gannon match, the annual alumni event surrounding this game is also a longstanding tradition on campus dating back to over ten years ago.

For this year’s event, Laker alumni were able to register via the alumni page of the Mercyhurst website. Those who are

attending this event will begin the night with a happy hour at the Roost starting at 5:30 before making their way over to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center to watch the game.

In addition to having access to VIP reserved seats at the game, it will also be the first time that many of these alumni will be setting foot in the recently renovated Athletic Center.

Overall, this event is a huge hit with alumni and brings a fantastic excuse to return back to campus.

Mercyhurst was not able to host this event last year due to the pandemic, so there is even more excitement in the air with this year’s return of the beloved tradition.

“This event was actually the final event that the Alumni Office hosted in 2020 before the pandemic hit,” Frank said. “We have not been able to host it since then, so it’s really exciting to be able to welcome our alumni back to campus again!”

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

FEATURES

PAGE 9

Upcoming: Mosaic of Life Art Show

By Sarah Beck Staff writer

The Mosaic Of Life Art Showcase is back at the Mercyhurst campus for its third annual show. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this event had to be postponed for the last couple of years. It is making its grand return and needs talented creatives to submit their work to help make it possible. The showcase is calling for submissions for the exhibition from March 21-23 so get started on your submissions today in order to be ready for the art show. Any students on campus can submit a piece and there are no limitations to the art form.

All creativity such as drawing, painting, collage, photo, digital art, sculpture, written poem, spoken poem, dance, song, dramatic reading or act and instrumental piece are welcomed to be a part of this exhibition. All featured creative works will embody the common theme of diversity and inclusivity. Some topics that can be present in your submission are race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and

any other topic that you feel passionate about.

The first Mosaic of Life Art Showcase took place in 2018 and was the idea of Dr. Judy Smith from the counseling center. The Multicultural and Inclusion coordinator, Art Therapy department and Counseling Center came together to form a committee and develop this idea to create the showcase. Heather Denning is the Art Therapy Program Director and is a member of the showcase’s committee.

Denning said that this event was truly designed “to celebrate diversity and inclusion and to bring attention to that in a fun celebratory manner on campus.”

Denning is an active participant in this event as she is able to give her expertise on how to organize an art show, frame or matte art pieces and how to set up the art for the showcase.

Denning wanted to inspire any artists that are hopeful to submit for this inclusive show who may be feeling a little worried to share their art.

She encourages artists not to feel overwhelmed or anxious about the showcase.

“If any one is anxious about it [the showcase] being an art show, look at it differently. It is really a place to give your voice on campus, perhaps about your own cultural background or thoughts and feelings you have about diversity,” said Denning.

The showcase serves as a wonderful opportunity for students to not only express themselves, but also to celebrate their own history and backgrounds, and to share it with others.

“I think it is really meant to give you that platform. You don’t have to be an artist and you might want to do it with a friend on campus,” said Denning.

This is truly an event that gathers the Mercyhurst campus together by celebrating creativity and appreciating all of our similarities and differences. If you have any questions please reach out to Denning at hdenning@mercyhurst.edu or at her extension 2212, and don’t forget to get started on your submission today!

Student’s research published in national newsletter

By Libby Bullinger Copy editor

This past week, Mercyhurst announced a fantastic achievement for an undergraduate student. Junior environmental science major and geology minor Erin Smith was recently awarded recognition by the Geological Society of America.

Smith’s work was specifically highlighted in the most recent issue of the Geology and Health Division Newsletter. This newsletter is a division of the greater Geological Society of America and is concerned with “the intersection of geological conditions, whether natural or anthropogenic in origin, with health.”

The greater Geological Society of America’s mission is to “advance geoscience research and discovery, service to society, stewardship of Earth, and the geosciences profession.” As part of this, they often highlight work done by students of various levels from around the country.

For this most recent issue of the Geology and Health Division Newsletter, Smith was chosen as the focus of the newsletter’s Student Research Spotlight for her work in mitigation of water-borne diseases.

For Smith’s research, she chose to focus on the use of ceramic water filters, which have been proven to remove dangerous bacteria such as coliform and E. coli at high percentage rates. These ceramic filters in particular rely on the principle of gravity as the only source of energy to filter the water, making the filtration system simple yet effective. Smith specifically notes that these filters are dependable and

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

By Nick Klein Staff writer

On this day in 1895, William G. Morgan introduced a sport called “Mintonette”, which you may know as “Volleyball” today.

It was originally called “Mintonette” because it was derived from the classic game of Badminton. The original rules of the game were to be that the net had to be six and a half feet high, and the court had to have the dimensions of 25 ft. x 50 ft., yet there was no limit on how many people could play at the same time. Morgan is now a part of the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Historical Event: February 9, 1895 Top 3 Songs This Week: According to Spotify’s Global Charts 1. Heat Waves: Glass Animals 2. abcdefu: GAYLE 3. Stay: Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber On the Charts This Week 50 Years Ago: According to Billboards Charts 1. Family Affair: Sly & the Family Stone 2. Themes From Shaft: Isaac Hayes 3. Baby I’m- A Want You: Bread Top Artists Today Male: Glass Animals Female: GAYLE Top Artists Fifteen Years Ago Male: Fall Out Boy Female: Beyonce Top 3 Podcasts This Week According to Spotify: 1. The Joe Rogan Experience 2. The Deck 3. Call Her Daddy Top Grossing Films: This week: Spider Man: No Way Home Twenty Five years ago: The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

Contributed photo

Erin Smith, junior Environmental Science major and Geology minor.

easily accessible, with UNICEF sources estimating the cost at around twenty dollars per filter.

For students like Smith, having their research featured in prominent publications such as those affiliated with the Geological Society of America is a great boost in their education and future careers, and it shows the value of a Mercyhurst education.

Nick Lang, Ph.D., chair of the geology department at Mercyhurst, mentions that Smith is a “once-ina-decade type of student,” citing her drive and confidence as key motivators for her work in the field.

Lang also mentioned that Smith has a wide variety of skills across the academic spectrum, advancing her success in research and allowing her to get to the point of being featured in such a highly recognized publication.

Smith’s work would not have been possible without the resources and faculty that make up the en-

vironmental science department at Mercyhurst. Students majoring in this area of study are trained to be aware of the natural environment they live in to address a number of environmental issues across the field both during their time on campus and post-graduation in the job market.

Like many other departments on campus, the environmental science department encourages hands-on learning, helps their students get off campus and go into the Erie community to work in their field and work closely with other majors on campus, such as biology and geology, in order to strengthen their skills and knowledge and create an educational plan that fits their needs as students.

If you see Erin Smith around campus, be sure to congratulate her for her success! Her work is a huge honor to Mercyhurst, as well as a huge asset to the research community!

Top 3 TV Shows on Netflix This Week: 1. The Woman In The House Across the Street From the Girl in the Window 2. Raising Dion 3. In From the Cold Top 3 TV Shows 50 Years Ago 1. All in the Family 2. Sanford and Son 3. Hawaii Five-O In the News: 1. United States’ Nathan Chen sets record at the Beijing Olympics 2. The creator of the COVID-19 vaccine, Maria Elena Bottazzi, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Price 3. Return of the Super Bowl brings significant boost to the economy of Los Angeles

PAGE 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

The Branford Marsalis Quartet ‘jazzed’ up the PAC

By Ashley Barletta News editor

On Feb. 1, the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC) welcomed highly acclaimed saxophonist Branford Marsalis and his quartet.

Students, faculty and people of the Mercyhurst community filled the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center for “An Evening with Branford Marsalis.”

I was one of the students fortunate enough to have attended the concert.

Marsalis enjoys expressing himself through jazz music and has been pushing the boundaries of what jazz is ever since the quartet was formed in 1986.

Marsalis not only plays music, but he has also composed

music for “Mo’ Better Blues,” “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

He has also taught music at Michigan State, San Francisco State and North Carolina Central University.

Marsalis opened the concert by saying “the lake is frozen solid.”

He and the other members of the quartet had a sense of humor and expressed that onstage to all of us who were there.

It was refreshing to me as an audience member because this was my first time at a jazz concert, and I did not know what to expect.

The evening was complete with solos by pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner.

Marsalis claims he does not remember what they played, but jazz is all about taking something and making it your own, which is definitely one of the strong suits of the quartet.

A big part of the history of jazz is the fact that jazz musicians do not mess up; they simply take the song they are playing in a new direction.

As exemplified by Marsalis’ quartet, one of the members began to play his instrument a little differently and the rest would follow.

There were even times during each song that Marsalis would step back and let Calderazzo, Revis and Faulkner play for a while, giving them a chance to demonstrate their musical skills.

The music played by the quartet was by no means traditional.

Marsalis is well-known for the risks he takes to make his music stand out.

Nobody would imagine a set of drums in a jazz quartet, but Faulkner held nothing back when he played them.

The stage lights changed color according to the tone of each song the quartet played. When there was high energy, the lights were golden and sometimes even reddish. When the music slowed down and became more melancholy, the lights above shone blue.

The songs that were played throughout the evening lasted much longer than the usual three-minute songs most of us are used to listening to.

These songs had a buildup of intensity as they progressed, with the moments of the highest

intensity usually surrounding a solo from one of the musicians.

The buildup was long, and the release happened very suddenly.

The audience quickly learned that this release did not necessarily mean the end of the song, but we all applauded in the middle of each song anyway.

A good time was had by all on the evening of Feb. 1. I am thankful that I have now experienced live jazz music, and that MIAC is able to bring in the amazing artists that they do.

To check out what the quartet is up to, or listen to them play, visit branfordmarslis.com and YouTube.

Miss out on this opportunity? Stay up-to-date with MIAC events on their website at www. miac.mercyhurst.edu.

The 814: Visit the Tipsy Bean this month

By Sarah Beck Staff writer

Finding a perfect coffee shop is similar to finding a pair of jeans that fit just right, a stayat-home rainy day, butter melting on warm bread or freshly cleaned sheets.

Tipsy Bean is a local coffee shop here in Erie that appeals to whoever walks through the front door!

Coffee beans originate as seeds, and, similarly to coffee, Tipsy Bean planted its coffee seeds in the Erie Hill District Neighborhood at 2425 Peach Street a little over 15 years ago.

The founder and CEO of Tipsy Bean, Gisele Littrell, is a fun and eclectic musician whose personality positively reflects her lively coffee shop.

Littrell said that Tipsy Bean was created “so that we could really bring inclusivity and diversity to a city that is budding with growth.”

Immediately when you enter this coffee shop all of your senses are stimulated, from the smell of espresso, the chatter of caffeinated customers, baked goods tingling your taste buds, to the vibrant walls, rugs and decor that adorn the shop.

“I really want to incorporate the feel and essence of creativity,” Littrell said. “That’s really what I want: to inspire everyone who walks through this door.”

Tipsy Bean is well known for its fun cartoon-drawn characters that decorate the side of the coffee shop as a mural as well as appear on the shop’s merchandise

Photo by Sarah Beck

February’s art on display at Tipsy Bean.

and coffee sleeves.

Littrell stated that Tipsy Bean offers her a platform “that is really going to incorporate the diversity of the world, all the people in it and the different regions and origins that these coffee beans come from.

It may seem like we have some cute characters to showcase, but ultimately it’s about educating and drawing us together,” she said.

Tipsy Bean is always creating

new and fun specials for their customers, especially for holidays.

Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, some specials to look out for is the Cupid’s Kiss Latte (lavender and vanilla), Teddy Bear Hug Cappuccino (brown sugar cinnamon and marshmallow), Candy Hearts Smoothie (blueberry, orange, strawberry, and raspberry), Love Potion Quencher (hibiscus, blue matcha, blueberry and raspber-

ry) and an Indonesian Coffee.

Tipsy Bean is also offering a fun Valentine’s Day giveaway.

Make sure to stop in the store to guess how many candy hearts are in a jar for the chance to win a free beverage and a half-off pastry of choice.

A lot of Mercyhurst students love Tipsy Bean and even shared their go-to orders as recommendations!

“Tipsy Bean is a quirky little coffee shop in Erie that has

a variety of flavored syrups and dietary foods,” Owen Moore, a freshman fashion merchandising major said. “My favorite drink is a brown sugar latte with almond milk.”

Mary Torrez, a junior cyber security major enjoys the vanilla iced latte the best. Katie Misko, a freshman fashion merchandising major, said that her favorite beverage to get at Tipsy Bean is the lavender latte with oat milk.

If you are not able to make it out to this coffee shop, you can always order by door-dash.

Tipsy Bean is very accommodating for any dietary restrictions that their customers might have.

They offer a variety of milk substitutions for any drinks, as well as an array of pastries that are dairy, sugar and gluten-free, making sure that there is something for everyone.

This coffee shop is all about supporting the Erie community whether it be their customers or other small businesses.

You can find merchandise such as headbands and handmade mugs from other local small businesses for sale at Tipsy Bean.

Make sure to check out this coffee shop on your next off-campus venture to not only get a great coffee and pastry but also to support a small local business!

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

PAGE 11

Is hit show ‘Euphoria’ cleaning up the messes it’s making?

Contributed Photo

Zendaya as Rue Bennett in HBO’s “Euphoria.”

By Emma Coppolo A&E editor

***Spoiler alert and trigger warning*** Over the past five Sundays, HBO’s second season of its hit show, “Euphoria,” has been garnering even more attention than its predecessor.

Season one hit the ground running with intense depictions of gender and sexuality confusion, drug use, domestic abuse and other themes among high school students.

For many, the show is a gross exaggeration of scenarios that seem entirely foreign. For some, though, these depictions are all too real.

The show seemingly reinforces time and again that the actions appearing on-screen are not endorsable by any means, but does it actually?

Rue Bennett, the narrator of the series, has a serious drug addiction. Throughout the series,

she consistently makes choices that negatively impact herself and those around her usually due to her addiction.

In an episode this season, Rue explains to the audience that she has relapsed and details the steps that she has devised to help her hide her drug use from those around her.

While this scene is admittedly comedic because of the sheer manner in which she goes about explaining her relapse, it is also a blueprint for young addicts.

Rue notes that she should be a role model as the central character of a beloved show, but that is not the case.

And she is right. Does watching a character that you want to root for spiral make it even clearer how dangerous her behavior is? Maybe that is part of the problem.

The show arguably goes too far in trying to convey Rue’s downfall.

This week’s episode is a clear

example of that, and many people have actually claimed to stop watching the show because of it.

In this episode, Rue is finally caught red-handed and her mom stages an intervention (well, two interventions). At both interventions, problems irrelevant to the issue at hand overshadow Rue’s addiction, which is supposed to be the focus.

The majority of the episode following the failed interventions is Rue stealing, running from the police and turning to a major drug dealer for help.

I am not squeamish by any means, but I truthfully had to look away for a portion of the episode.

Lori, Rue’s new “employer”, manipulates Rue into shooting up morphine. She then locks Rue in the apartment and it appears that she is about to be the victim of a horrible crime before she eventually escapes.

I just think that such serious subject matter was constantly

being overshadowed by drama or something even more intense.

This is not by any means the only example of this issue on the show. One of the biggest issues that viewers are finding with this season is season one’s unresolved storyline involving McKay. In season one, McKay is sexually assaulted and deeply traumatized by members of his frat during a hazing event.

Cassie, his girlfriend and a central character, is present when this happens.

While it physically and emotionally happens to McKay, the primary focus is on Cassie’s reaction.

It really is not addressed again, and it seems to be more important for Cassie’s character development than McKay’s.

He is barely in season two; his short-lived appearance, which excited fans, was once again for Cassie.

If shows are going to explore how sexual assault affects peo-

ple, it needs to work both ways.

This, in my opinion, was a gross exploitation of a very real situation that seriously affects people.

All this being said, I do like “Euphoria.” I enjoy watching it, but I think it does have a lot of faults that need to be better addressed due to the impressionable audience it has garnered. Just a few years ago, “13 Reasons Why” was the topic of criticism for similar reasons. The success of“Euphoria” seems to have steered it away from the same route, but I think it needs to be addressed.

The drama and the struggle is why people love the show, but the manner in which it is handled needs to be intentional and delicate.

“Euphoria” has a platform, and it should be ensuring that it’s being used in the right way.

Hurst Hot Take: ‘Crime Junkie’ Podcast

By Vydalia Weatherly

Staff writer

Are you obsessed with true crime? Are you looking for a new podcast to satisfy your hunger for crime and justice? If so, there is the perfect podcast for you!

Every Monday, Ashley Flowers, alongside various guest hosts, discusses different true crime cases on “Crime Junkie.”

“Crime Junkie” is brought to you by Audiochuck, but you can listen to “Crime Junkie” on Spotify or wherever you listen to your other podcasts.

Based out of Indiana, Flowers covers crimes from all over the world.

The podcast talks about a whole range of different types

of crime from stalking, missing persons, murders, etc.

Unlike most podcasts I have listened to in the past that only focus on closed or cold cases, “Crime Junkie” discusses active and ongoing cases as well.

Just days after Gabby Petito went missing, “Crime Junkie” aired an episode about her case in hopes that more people would be aware of her situation and help join the search to find her.

Of course, this was unfortunately aired before it was discovered Petito was murdered by her boyfriend.

By listening to “Crime Junkie,” however, you could be making a huge difference, which Flowers constantly points out.

The podcast points listeners

towards groups such as Crime Stoppers to report anything that could potentially help solve a case. “Crime Junkie” also uses portions of the money raised from their merch and listeners to donate to organizations tasked with finding missing people, helping victims get the assistance they need and financing the technology needed to solve crimes.

One of the most incredible parts of this podcast is their attention to the delicate nature of the crimes they are discussing.

Flowers especially understands that these are real crimes that happened to real people, and she uses her platform to raise awareness for stalking and domestic abuse in particular.

The podcast is very respectful,

which makes it even better.

This podcast is a great resource to use to stay-up-to- date with what is going on in the world.

Flowers’ storytelling skills are phenomenal, and she will leave you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

From giving background information on every single individual involved in the crime to describing the scene of the crime in full detail, Flowers will make you feel as if you were a witness to the crime and a detective on the case at the same time.

The majority of the episodes are less than an hour-long, so you can listen when waiting for your next class or while you are studying.

There are dozens of episodes to choose from, so you will nev-

er face a dry spell.

I love this podcast, but you do not have to only take my word.

“Crime Junkie” is currently ranked top ten in the United States out of all the podcasts on Spotify.

So, thousands of other people are listening every day to Flowers as well. After one episode, you will be begging for more.

Make sure to check out “Crime Junkie” for yourself if true crime is your guilty pleasure, too.

Stay tuned next week for another great recommendation from our staff’s Hurst Hot Take!

OPINION

PAGE 12

GOOD Lakers are back on campus!

The increasing costs of college textbooks

By Francesca Divincenzo Staff Writer

BAD The weather is supposed to be rough this week.

HAPPY Valentine’s Day is next week!

The Merciad STUDENT EDITORS Samantha Weber .................... Editor in Chief Victoria McGinty .................. Managing Editor Ashley Barletta ............................News Editor Hannah Brooks...................... Features Editor Sydney Dietz ..............................Sports Editor Emma Coppolo ............................. A&E Editor Zach Dumais ........................... Opinion Editor Libby Bullinger ..............................Copy Editor Kristian Biega.......................................Advisor Steph Przepiora ...................................Advisor Contact editors at merciad@mercyhurst.edu

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year. Our office is in Hirt, Room 110.

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 Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters via email at merciad@ mercyhurst.edu.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

One of the many crosses that college students have to bear is the prices of textbooks.

Although textbooks are supposed to be a necessity for students they can also be a financial burden. According to The Pitt News College textbook prices have inflated more than 1000% since the 1970s, faster than any other cost of college, and 51% of students who dropout of college do so due to financial reasons, including the high costs of textbooks. Fiftyone percent is an awfully high number for dropping out of college, I think people should not have to pay a king’s ransom in order to get an education.

I think it is hard enough to pay for college let alone paying for textbooks because everything is expensive.

According to The Breeze, almost every class requires at least one textbook, some requiring even more, and at times the purchases of textbooks

can rack up an additional $500 on top of the thousands of dollars students are already paying per semester.

Without financial support or scholarships, some students are left paying for tuition and fees as well as required class resources out of pocket. A lot of people say “nothing in life is easy or free,” but that is a hard lesson to learn for a college student because ever since kindergarten, teachers have always provided the books and other necessities.

When you graduate high school, that is no longer the case as you enter adulthood the educational necessities begin to fade and become your responsibility.

One of the many culprits of the rise in textbook prices is price codes that professors give students to get the book.

According to CBS News Textbooks bundled with access codes that expire at the end of the semester “largely force students to buy books at retail prices at campus bookstores and render the texts worthless in the resale market.”

Many institutes of higher learning have adopted the idea of “Open Education

Resources.” One of the many institutes that adopted this was Greenfield Community College in Massachusetts.

According to CBS News “uses open-access texts in three of six required general education courses. That allowed students to spend as little as $31 per course on materials, compared to a national average of $153 per course.”

One of the many problems that students have with professors is that professors will assign a book to the class, but end up never discussing it which leaves the student out $50.

According to The Washington Post, professors “expect [students] to then have all of these books immediately,” said Alexes Harris, a GWU senior majoring in creative writing and English. “I don’t think that’s necessarily fair, especially for low-income students.” Not only do people with low incomes struggle, but even middle class families have a hard time getting the textbooks.

In conclusion, the prices of textbooks should either decrease drastically or include the books with the tuition for college.

Perils of parking on campus

inevitable parking ticket that

By Hannah Brooks I am going to receive, or I can drive for blocks and blocks until I Features Editor can finally find a spot.

This is frustrating enough on its own. Now, throw in the fact that we have accumulated Although the weather has several feet of snow over the past not been very sparing towards month and the fact that a lot us over the past month, life still of this snow still covers parking needs to continue on regardless spots. It was hard enough to of the amount of snow on the find a parking spot as it was, but ground. This especially rings the snow has made an issue that true to Mercyhurst students who already existed even worse. have classes to go to, meetings to As I drove through the attend and jobs to work at.

Hirt parking lot on Monday But how are we to get afternoon, there multiple cars around when pathways are left double-parked and one that unshoveled and large amounts was even quadruple-parked. of snow and slush covering the Luckily, the problem has seemed parking lots? to alleviate a little bit over the I will say one thing as a past few days. I recall a couple of Mercyhurst student that already times, however, where a parking frustrates me: the money that I spot would have been available pay for a parking pass does not if it were not for a mountain of guarantee me a parking spot, snow covering it. it simply allows me to park on After finding a spot after campus. In other words, if I searching for several minutes don’t find a spot, I have to resort across several lots, the next task to finding a spot in the street. is getting to class. Hopefully However, most of the streets do your search for a parking spot not allow parking, which means didn’t cause you to be late. that I have two options: I can Students walk in massive waves throw it in park and pay the across campus to their classes, on

uncomfortably narrow pathways carved-out for student use.

Though that is enough to cause discomfort, however - some pathways have not even been touched at all.

Your options are to either walk through the already established footprints in the snow, or go completely out of your way to ensure that you don’t walk with snow covering your legs.

I would like to reiterate that I appreciate the education that I receive here at Hurst. I know that every great thing has its issues and I can certainly understand that there are many factors causing these issues, such as short-staffing.

As a student who has chosen to pay tuition for Mercyhurst, however, I do hold some expectation. I expect to be able to park my car in a clear parking lot and walk to class on paths that are neat and clear, not walk through the footprints of whatever person was kind enough to make the trek. I complain about these things because I would like to see a change, with that change being a campus that is both safe and accessible.

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are welcome and can be emailed to merciad@mercyhurst.edu

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

OPINION

PAGE 13

Thoughts on Justice HURST STUDENTS Breyer’s retirement experience and integrity. And

By Bella Lee that person will be the first black Staff writer woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court.

It’s long overdue in my view. I made that commitment during On Jan. 26, the country the campaign for president, and learned that Justice Stephen I will keep that commitment.”

Breyer will be retiring from Some of his political rivals the Supreme Court after over were not too happy with this 25 years of service, effective at statement, with Texas Senator the end of the current term.

Ted Cruz saying, “You know, That means by the end of this black women are what, 6 calendar year, the United States percent of the U.S. population? will see the nomination of a new He’s saying to 94 percent of justice. Honestly, this is a good Americans, ‘I don’t give a damn thing for our country, as it can about you are ineligible.’” Cruz lead to more diversity in the went on to call Biden’s statement Supreme Court. “insulting” and “offensive.”

Ever since the establishment However, there is a slate of black of the Supreme Court in 1789, women who are more than every single justice that has ever qualified to make history among served, except for six, has been a the Supreme Court. white man. With the retirement With Breyer being 83 years of Justice Breyer, we could old, it’s good that we’re getting finally see a black woman on the someone younger on the highest court in the land.

Supreme Court. The newest and So far, we’ve only had two current youngest Supreme Court black Supreme Court Justices, Justice, Amy Coney Barrett, just with Thurgood Marshall and, turned 50 years old. There are a currently, Clarence Thomas. As historic number of black women President Joe Biden works to that are among Biden’s main make important decisions on his candidates. first nomination, there’s a select Ketanji Brown Jackson, a few individuals that could be native Washingtonian, is a contenders.

51-year-old circuit judge on the As Breyer announced his United States Court of Appeals retirement, Biden said, “The for the District of Columbia person I will nominate will be Circuit who was also a district someone with extraordinary judge on the United States qualifications, character, District Court for the District of

Columbia from 2013 to 2021.

Another potential nominee, Leondra Kruger, is 45 years old and currently serving on the California Supreme Court.

J. Michelle Childs, the third consideration, is 55 years old and is a district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, having been in that position since 2010.

Sherrilyn Ifill is a 59-year-old Baltimore native who is a law professor and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Although these women are among the top candidates, there are others that are potentially in the running. These include Nancy Abudu, the strategic litigation director at the Southern Poverty Law Center; Tiffany Cunningham, the recent nomination of President Biden’s to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, the daughter of two judges and the nomination of President Biden for the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; and Eunice Lee, a federal judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

No matter who President Biden chooses, I can only hope that this historical new Supreme Court Justice will be welcomed with open arms.

SPEAK UP

We asked: What are you looking forward to in the spring?

Gisselle Reyes, junior Forensic Science major: “I’m looking forward to my last year at Mercyhurst and my first SpringFest!”

Martin Grzywa, senior Business major: “This spring, I’m looking forward to continuing to experience the studentathlete journey with my teammates, friends and coaches and the highs and lows it brings.”

Sarah McMaster, sophomore Forensic Biology major: “I’m looking forward to cheering on the men’s and women’s basketball teams this semester. Go Lakers!”

Joe Bronco, sophomore Graphic Design major: “I’m looking forward to going to the gym more, spending time with my friends, and making new connections with people.”

Compiled by Grace Elwood

Capital punishment should be abolished don’t simply take my word for it.

Opinion editor Organizations such as the ACLU and Amnesty International, along with individuals like Bryan Capital punishment has an Stevenson and President Joe incredible story as it has been Biden have all opposed the used in societies throughout the death penalty. I am not stating world for almost all of history. a mere appeal to authority, For as long as we have had however, as I believe our laws, we have had punishments, individual sense of ethics and which has often included the justice can serve us well in this death penalty. debate.

There are many notable According to Amnesty examples of capital punishment International, the United throughout the human States executed 17 prisoners existence, such as Jesus Christ, in 2020 and 11 prisoners in Che Guevara and Saddam 2021. According to the same Hussein. What do all of these source, there were 483 recorded people have in common? They executions in 18 countries in were all executed by their fellow 2020. This number is likely society members in pursuit of much lower than it actually is justice. given that many countries do Given that the debate of the not reveal how many people death penalty has not ceased they execute. in the United States, we must Many would argue that 11 ask ourselves this; is the death people are not worth the debate penalty truly serving justice? I surrounding the death penalty. would argue that it is not, but I would disagree based on

By Zach Dumais

the principles that make the United States what it is as a beacon of justice, freedom and hope. If the rights of the most vulnerable can be exploited, then anyone’s rights can be exploited.

There are many arguments for the death penalty, but none seem to meet a reasonable standard. The first major argument for the death penalty is that it keeps us safe. This argument is questionable as those who are on death row, likely have been in prison for a long amount of time. Multiple scientific studies have also found that risk of execution

FOLLOW US!

is not an effective deterrent of crime.

Another key argument for the death penalty is that taxpayers should not have to pay for those convicted of the worst crimes to have life in prison. According to a study from 2016 by Susquehanna University, death row inmates cost taxpayers $1.16 million dollars more than general population inmates.

The arguments against the death penalty are well articulated not only in hard facts, but ethically as well.

Why would a society such as the U.S. tolerate treatment of prisoners that is clearly

cruel and unusual which the 8th Amendment explicitly prohibits? Why would a free and just society allow the state the power to ceremoniously murder those that are imprisoned?

The death penalty is not justice, and it never has been.

It has been about exacting retribution on those that society wants revenge on. These crimes may well be monstrous (discounting that innocent people could be subject to the same punishment) but by killing people, we are no less than criminals ourselves.

Twitter: @TheMerciad Instagram: @mumerciad Facebook: The Merciad Tag us in your newsworthy Hurst moments!

SPORTS

PAGE 14

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Men’s basketball wins at away game

By Raylynn Chraston Staff writer

On Feb. 5, the Mercyhurst Men’s basketball team traveled to Clarion, PA, to face the Golden Eagles after taking the win against Seton Hill on Feb. 2.

The first half of the game was very thrilling for the Lakers. Early on in the first half, threes were made from Steve Cannady, senior #4 from Bowie, Maryland, and MiyKah McIntosh, senior #0 from Pickering, Onterio, to start off with a 9-5 lead.

However, the scoring did not end there. The Lakers were able to use their strong attack on the court to outscore their opponent, the Clarion Golden Eagles.

By the start of half time, the score was 49-26 giving the Lakers a 23-point lead.

Kicking off the start of the second half, however, the Lakers started to suffer from their shooting woes, which in turn gave them the statistic of making just 25 percent of their overall shots in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Although the Golden Eagles were able to score more than the Lakers this half, having a total score of 35-22, Mercyhurst ended on top with the final score of

Hurst Athletics photo

Senior Steve Cannady goes to make a shot against Clarion Golden Eagles.

71-61.

During the second half, the Lakers had to play hard defense in order to come out with the win, and they were able to do just that.

Overall, throughout the game the top scorer among both teams was Clarion’s Gerald Jarmon who led with a total of 17 points.

Cannady and McIntosh then followed with placing 15 points each on the scoreboard, and then

Jess Planutis, redshirt sophomore #31 from Hazleton, Pennsylvania, scoring a total of 14 points and Aidan Reichert, freshman #32 from Jackson Center, Ohio, with a total of eight points put on the scoreboard for the Lakers.

Additionally, a play on the Lakers that stood out during this game was Pipeloluwa Ajayi, freshman #23 from Calgary, Alberta.

Ajayi took control under the

basket as he pulled down 12 rebounds split evenly between offensive and defensive plays.

One of the players that had been mentioned, Planutis, was able to give a quote in regard to the game.

“Overall, the whole team contributed on both sides of the ball, giving a pretty balanced scoring effort and guys stepped up on defense to get stops throughout the whole game,” Planutis said.

In addition to Planutis giving a quote, McIntosh was also able to give one.

“It was a great game all around from the team. It was good to get a win on the road which is never easy, and we are feeling good right now as a whole. Jeff and Steve gave us a great push and that shows how deep our team is and anyone can have a great game anytime,” McIntosh said.

The Mercyhurst Men’s basketball team now has an overall 19-4 record for their season thus far; 13-4 of which were conference scheduled games.

The Lakers also have five remaining games of the regular season, before the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament.

Coming up on Wednesday, Feb. 9, the Lakers will host their rivals the Gannon Golden Knights in the newly remodeled MAC. This game will be featured locally on the CW Network, so make sure to tune in for that if you are unable to intend in person.

Tip-off for this game is slated for 7:38 p.m., subject to the end of the Mercyhurst Women’s Basketball game beforehand.

Women’s basketball faces tough losses

By Christina Judy and Staff Contributing writer

The Mercyhurst Women’s basketball team took on the Vulcans of California University of Pennsylvania in their game on Saturday, Feb. 5.

After the Lakers took the early lead and protected it throughout the first half, the Vulcans came back to win 68-60 at the end of the day, which left the Lakers overall record at 7-13.

Most of the first quarter was filled with lead changes until junior Jayde Boyd buried a three-pointer to put the Lakers ahead 11-9. This lead was kept alive by redshirt freshman, Grace Centrulla, due to her couple of layups, and redshirt junior Julia Buchman’s three pointer.

Centrulla finished the game with 22 points and 10 rebounds to account for a double. Other leading scores in the game include redshirt senior, Emily Shopene with seven points and redshirt freshman Grace Clary with six points.

Mercyhurst kept their lead of five points at the end of the first quarter and ended up outscoring the Vulcans in the first. The second quarter brought about some challenges as the Lakers only made two shots from the floor.

However, they were able to hold onto their lead against the

Hurst Athletics photo

The Mercyhurst Women’s basketball team lost to California University of Pennsylvania and Indiana University of Pennsylvania this past week despite hard-fought battles.

Vulcans going into halftime as they went 8-10 from the freethrow line.

California University of Pennsylvania came back in the second quarter to notch a win over the Lakers ending with a final score of 68-60. With motivation drawn from this game, the Lakers look ahead to next week as they have another opportunity to compete on their home court.

The Lakers played hard against Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Crimson Hawks on Mon. Feb. 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center in a key game for the PSAC standings.

Despite a well-fought battle against the Crimson Hawks, the Lakers fell behind in the second half, losing the game 68-51.

The Lakers started the game

strong with the first score from Shopene. This would be the first two points for Shopene who ended the game as a top scorer with 15 points and nine rebounds.

Over the next two quarters, the Lakers and the Hawks kept the game close. IUP was up 27-25 to close the half.

The Crimson Hawks did not let up on the Lakers as they exploded with seven straight points

to open the half. Mercyhurst was able to close the gap to only 4942 going into the fourth quarter.

IUP solidified their lead in the last quarter to 12 points and winning the game with a 68-51.

Jayde Boyd was the second highest scorer for the Lakers with 14 points.

The Women’s basketball team will take on Erie rival Gannon University tonight in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:38 p.m. and will be featured on the CW network.

Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance of tonight’s game as it is a double header with the Men’s game against Gannon as well.

Renovations to the Owen McCormick Court at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center created an environment for the Lakers that is truly unique to them and their way of play. As sports have always been a way to bring peoples’ spirits together, there is no better place and time to feel more at home than with some friendly competition.

Watching the Lakers compete with their fiery spirits against Gannon will surely be a great way to engage with your community and celebrate the hard work that these young athletes and their coaches put into every day.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

SPORTS

PAGE 15

The Rams and Bengals seize the day

By Bella Lee Staff writer

It’s February, which means the Super Bowl is coming fast. This year’s Super Bowl LVI will be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA on Feb. 13.

The AFC Champs are the Cincinnati Bengals and they will be facing the NFC Champs the Los Angeles Rams in what’s easily the most exciting Super Bowl fans have seen in a long time.

If you would have told Bengals fans at this time last year that they would be in the Super Bowl in 2022, they would have laughed in your face.

The Bengals ended last season with a disappointing 4-11-1 record, no thanks to rookie quarterback Joe Burrow suffering a brutal knee injury against the then-Washington Football Team (newly named the Commanders).

However, the Bengals shockingly turned things around, managing a 10-7 record and winning the AFC North for the first time since 2009.

Before their important Conference Championship, the Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 26-19 in the Wild Card Game and narrowly beat the Tennessee Titans 19-16 in the Divisional

CNN Photo

Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals celebrate the NFL Conference Championships.

Playoffs.

In the AFC Conference Championship, the Bengals were facing a formidable foe in the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending AFC Champs. This was the fourth straight year that the Chiefs were in this championship, so they were certainly a force to be reckoned with.

However, the Bengals shocked the football world by overcoming a 18-point deficit to defeat Patrick Mahomes and his squad 27-24 in overtime, sending the Bengals to the Super Bowl for the first time in 33 years.

Although upset at their loss, Mahomes still met Burrow to congratulate him and give his blessing to win the Lombardi trophy, telling him to “go win it all.” Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire comforted an overwhelmed Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, his teammate when the two were at LSU, by telling him, “you’re gonna be the greatest receiver to ever do this...

Go get you a ring.”

The Rams had an equally difficult road to the Super Bowl, although they have seen more recent success.

Unlike the Bengals, the Rams have seen Super Bowl glory, last hoisting the Lombardi in 2000, while their last appearance was in 2019, losing 13-3 to the New England Patriots. They had a chance last year but fell 32-18 to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Playoffs.

This year, luck was on the Rams’ side, as they upset the Arizona Cardinals 34-11 in the Wild Card Game and shocked the defending Super Bowl Champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 30-27 in the Divisional Playoffs.

In the NFC Conference Cham-

pionship, the Rams faced the San Francisco 49ers last in a Super Bowl in 2020. This game was a nail biter, for if the 49ers had won, the Bengals would have been running for the hills, as their two previous Super Bowl defeats were against them.

However, the Rams prevented that from happening, defeating them 20-17. Matthew Stafford threw for two touchdowns, assisted by impenetrable forces in Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. This year’s Super Bowl is sure to be an interesting one. The halftime show has a legendary lineup in Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Snoop Dogg.

This game will also include the youngest head coach lineup ever, with a 36-year-old Rams HC Sean McVay and a 38-year-old Bengals HC Zac Taylor.

With recent NFL news such as the retirement of Tom Brady and the rebranding of the former Redskins and Football Team as the Commanders, the Super Bowl is sure to have everyone talking, no matter the winner.

Tune in on Feb. 13 at 6:30 pm on NBC for the game of a lifetime!

Men’s hockey team spilts weekend road games

By Samantha Weber Editor-in-chief

This past weekend, the Mercyhurst Men’s Ice Hockey team competed against the Army West Point Black Knights. These two teams have been playing each other since 2006 and Mercyhurst’s record since then against the Army has been 29-18-7. The past five times these teams have met, Army has won all five.

The weekend consisted of two games between the teams up in West Point, New York. In the first game, the Lakers swept the Black Knights 4-0. Unfortunately, the second game had quite the opposite outcome as the Lakers lost 5-1.

In the first game, junior Jonathan Bendorf scored the first goal of the game at minute 11:23 of the first period. Devon Daniels, senior, and Gueorgui Feduolov, junior, assisted the first goal of the game.

This is the second time the Lakers have scored the first goal in their past three games. Just two minutes later, Feduolov scored the second goal of the game while on a power-play. Carson Briere, sophomore, and Josh McDougall, senior, have the assists.

With six minutes left in the first period, Briere scored the third goal of the game and his tenth goal of the season. Philip Waugh, sophomore, and Austin Hiede-

LET’S GO, LAKERS!

Feb. 9, Erie PA @ 5:30 p.m.: Women’s basketball vs Gannon University Hurst Athletics photo

Goalie Kyle McClellan stops the puck in a game against the Army West Point Black Knights.

mann, sophomore, were credited with the assists. During the first intermission, Lakers sophomore goaltender, Kyle McClellan, already had 20 saves.

After dominating the first period, the Lakers also dominated in the second period as the lone goal was scored at the 7:26 minute mark by graduate student Pierce Crawford. Jake Beaune, freshman, and Noah Kane, sophomore, picked up the assists. Neither team was able to score during the third period.

In this game, Mercyhurst was able to show how talented their whole team is including McClel-

lan who had a total of 47 saves.

This is McClellan’s career-high for saves and also happens to be the most in Atlantic Hockey this season.

In the second game of the weekend, the Lakers fell behind quickly as the Black Knights scored just 34 seconds into the game and then again three minutes later.

The Lakers were unable to score in the first period and they were outshot 20-12.

In the second period, both teams were able to score. Army scored at 5:50 into the period and the Lakers were able to retaliate later in the period. Marko Reifenberger,

sophomore, scored at 13:38 to get the Lakers on the board and his third goal of the season. The goal was assisted by Feduolov.

In the third period, Army scored right in the middle of the period, and then again with just 2:30 left in the game. While the Lakers were unable to score again, they were able to take 40 shots on goal for the third time this season. McClellan’s save percentage is .918.

The Lakers only have six games left in their season and the next game is home against RIT on Feb. 11.

Feb. 9, Erie, PA @ 7:30 p.m.: Men’s basketball vs Gannon University Feb. 11 Erie, PA @ 7:05 p.m.: Men’s hockey vs RIT

PAGE 16

LAKER LIVING

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A close friend or relative has news that can change some of your plans. Be flexible.

You could be in for a most-pleasant surprise at how things turn out.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A new opportunity opens just as you close the door on an earlier project. However, you should be prepared to make adjustments in your expectations.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Expect a surprise ally in your corner when you confront a still-uncertain situation in your workplace. In your personal life, a family member has good news.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A co-worker could resent what he or she might perceive as arrogance on your part. Smooth things over with a full explanation to avoid a serious misunderstanding.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) There is no time for catnaps this week. A workplace problem needs your attention before it gets out of hand. Ditto a financial matter that must be resolved as soon as possible.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Pressuring someone to act quickly on a problem could backfire. It makes good sense to be both patient and supportive if you want full cooperation.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A touch of uncertainty lurks in your aspect this week. Weigh all decisions — personal and professional — even more carefully than you usually do.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You need to use your innate good sense to help you sort through career offers that might not be what they appear. A trusted associate can help.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Things move along more smoothly at work, but a personal relationship presents some challenges that need close attention.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Positive observations resolve the last lingering doubts about a recent move. Now you need to work on that still-pesky problem with a loved one.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) You might be a generous soul, but avoid being taken advantage of by those who have their own agendas. If you have any doubts, get out before regret sets in.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your strength might be tested by conflicting priorities in your personal life. Weigh the facts and then make the only choice you can: the right one.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a deep sense of honesty and spirituality.

People instinctively put their trust in you to lead them to the light. © 2022 King Features Syndicate, Inc.

HURST TOON

Student-drawn cartoon by the Martian