February/March 2020
THIS ISSUE
Mother Veronica Resource Center
Pink in the Rink
The Veterans Center
Alvernia vs. Albright Dion Thorpe Contributing Writer The Alvernia/Albright game has personal stakes for both teams. The modern rivalry began on December 17, 2005 with Albright defeating Alvernia 64-58. Ever since, the two colleges have been locked in close competition. The schools have played each other 26 times, with Alvernia holding a narrow 13-12 lead going into the 2020 matchup. Rivalry games are always intense, and the winner is often determined in the last two minutes of the 4th quarter. Alvernia holds the longest win streak with five games, but Albright is not far behind with a streak of four games.
Earlier in the season, Alvernia defeated Albright 93-85 at Albright. The Golden Wolves stampeded through the game with the help of
Keon Taylor, who scored 36 points. This was a career-high for Taylor, as he often looks to create opportunities for his teammates first.
“I’m usually a pass-first point guard but I can also score when I want,” Taylor said. Steve Pierce, a first-year
breakout, has played a vital role on the team in the last 10 games, averaging around 11 points per game for the Golden Wolves. Pierce loves to play in intense games. “The first game wasn’t as intense, but the second time I was really in shock,” Pierce said. Nick Youngkin is the last senior on the Golden Wolves’ roster. Youngkin has been an important player for the men’s basketball team since stepping on campus. He didn’t play as much as a
freshman, but the team did make the playoffs that year. He worked hard to earn his role, and is now known as one of the hardest workers on the team. “I knew I wanted to contribute to the team, so I worked harder and made the most of my opportunity,” Youngkin said. Youngkin loves to play against the crosstown rivals. The coming rivalry game will be Youngkin’s last time suiting up against the Lions, and he wants to make it a
game to remember. “To get into the playoffs and hopefully make a run in my last year would be really nice,” Youngkin said. This year’s team is a really close one and they play for each other as much as for the win. “We’re trying to go far for our senior Nick Youngkin who went to the playoffs once as a freshman” Pierce said. Alvernia hosted Albright on February 18, with the girls playing at 6 p.m. and the boys at 8 p.m. Unfortunately, it was a loss across the board for us,
but there is still a possibility for playoff opportunities. The Golden Wolves can potentially play the Lions in the playoffs, which would make for an amazing game. If the Golden Wolves make the playoffs, we would be a five seed, which would put us against the potential number two seed. This means that the Wolves’ won’t be playing home for the rest of the season. This year’s roster is filled with a lot of talent and passion. With the mindset that this team has and their dedication to the sport and to each other, they could make a long run and even win it all.
Photo Courtesy of Dion Thorpe
what’s in
Volume 59 Issue 1
Alvernia’s Keon Taylor attempts to push the pace in an 81-75 loss to Albright.
Want to know
more about our sports teams?
Zephyrus Submission Time
Alvernia’s Nick Youngkin rises for a shot in a 79-73 loss to Widener.
Photo Courtesy of Dion Thorpe
Pick up a copy of the Alvernian and follow the basketball team to the playoffs! Maybe!
2
HILL HOMILY
February/March 2020
t h e alver nian
Managing Editor Sidney Goodman Layout Sidney Goodman Section Editors Michael Beyer Mackenzie Coombs Anastasia Tomko Contributing Writers Ivan Fegely Raven Metas Jared Montalto Shannon Smith Dion Thorpe Faculty Advisor Dr. Ryan Lange
The Alvernian is the official student newspaper of Alvernia University. To contact newspaper staff, the office telephone number is 610-796-8358.
Articles submitted for consideration into The Alvernian should be written in some semblance of AP style. Letters to the editor, requests for advertisements, and general comments and questions may be submitted to ryan.lange@alvernia.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, accuracy, and length. The views expressed in The Alvernian are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the student body, faculty, staff, administration, or sponsors.
Vol. 59 Issue 1
Alvernia’s Brand: Telling Our Story The Alvernia University brand is a compelling narrative of Franciscan identity, education rooted in a strong liberal arts core, and technical training for high-demand areas, experiential learning, and a legacy of service and community engagement. One of the primary ways in which Alvernia’s Marketing and Communications (MarCom) division shares the narrative across multiple audiences (prospective students, parents, alumni, high school counselors, community organizations, businesses, government officials), reaching thousands of people every day, is through a multipronged approach. This approach includes ongoing research and analysis, digital strategy and development, and communication of continuous streams of success stories. Research and Analysis Relying on metrics from Google Analytics, community surveys, focus groups, and Alvernia’s research office, specific markets are identified, language and messaging are developed, and venues are targeted for telling the Alvernia story. Analyses show that geofencing is effective in targeting thousands of high school students at college fairs or adult students at conferences, seminars, or other colleges. Parents, prospective students, or high school counselors may be targeted through emails, social media campaigns, and media placements because data shows they regularly use these platforms. Research and analysis allow the MarCom division to obtain better outcomes. As a result, audiences are introduced to the university through the website. There, they complete a measurable action, whether it’s clicking through pages, staying on the web page for longer than average, or submitting an application. Recent survey results of external audiences show the extent to which people are
aware of Alvernia, as well as their level of favorability toward the university. These factors may change depending upon the location. For example, more than 90 percent of people are aware of Alvernia in Berks County, but this percentage drops to 76 percent in Lancaster County and to 41 percent in Philadelphia County. Based on these figures, the MarCom division makes adjustments to the marketing strategy. As the Washington, DC and Maryland areas become more of a market for Alvernia (a 2018 baseline study revealed there is 13 percent awareness among prospective students there), campaigns to increase awareness and visibility in these areas are underway. Digital Strategy Three years ago, the university moved from an episodic marketing strategy to a continuous one. Every week, every month, there are multiple venues in which the Alvernia narrative is being communicated. In other words, there is never a time in which Alvernia is not being promoted, advertised, or communicated in some way. While a few traditional methods are still used, a digital strategy prevails, given the increasing reliance on communication methods, such as cellphones, social media, and streaming platforms. At the heart of the digital strategy lies the university website. Each month, the Alvernia website engages an average of 40,000 unique users. The top pages they visit include Undergraduate Programs, Majors & Minors, Athletics, and Tuition & Residential Costs. Internal web traffic from staff, faculty, and current students are not included in this number. Contributing to the consistent flow of web traffic on the university site is an ongoing digital strategy driving people there. Geofencing, movie theatre digital ads, and the university’s own social media engagements are the
Deidra W. Hill, EdD Vice President for Government Relations & External Affairs
top drivers of the tens of thousands of unique visitors to the Alvernia website every month. Most of the content used in the digital strategy to drive traffic to the website centers on Alvernia’s achievements, whether through students, faculty, programs, and other newsworthy mentions. Success Stories Telling the story of Alvernia is a central part of the communication strategy. Sharing riveting stories about students, faculty, and programs is the most effective way to illustrate the Alvernia brand. Alvernia students have great stories to tell, and these are featured on the website, in news media, social media, advertisements, brochures, and signage throughout campus. Student stories highlight not only their experiential learning, but also the transformation that occurs from the moment they enter the university to
graduation and beyond. Great things are happening at Alvernia, from a new president and leadership team to the expansion into downtown with Reading CollegeTowne and the rebranded O’Pake Institute for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. The university also is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the top 100 schools in the region. Just in the past year, hundreds of Alvernia students gained experiential learning through internships, service-learning, community service, and alternative breaks opportunities, all of which highlight the transformative power of an Alvernia education. You can help the MarCom division strengthen Alvernia’s brand. Reach out to news@alvernia. edu or message us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok, and tell us about your success story.
MISSION MOMENT
“Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”
© 2020 The Alvernian
C. S. Lewis
IN READING
February/March 2020
3 Vol. 59 Issue 1
Bringing Mother Veronica Into Reading Anastasia Tomko Contributing Editor
Photo Courtesy of Anastasia Tomko
The Mother Veronica Resource Center is tiny but works wonders for Reading’s neediest with every square foot. The Mother Veronica Resource Center is located
on 449 6th Street in Reading. Within the center, multiple Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and volunteers teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in a small, old rectory named after Mother Veronica. Redesigned in the old St. Cyril and Methodius rectory, Sisters Joelle Mrozoski, Rose
The Mother Veronica Resource Center in Reading, PA.
Jameson, Cara Garofalo, OSF, and many others work to make the center approachable and flexible for the community. For many years, the small space in the former rectory seemed to be all that the sisters could hope to have for their important work. The CollegeTowne initiative excited the sisters, sparking a renewed hope for them. Sr. Joelle became so excited that she almost fell out of her chair! Sr. Joelle and Sr. Rose hope to have access to extra facilities for teaching and perhaps more help from Alvernia. Most of the volunteers that teach ESL at the rectory are retired, so there are fewer every year for an ever-growing number of interested residents. This contributes to longer waiting lists for classes. On top of Low Beginner to High Advanced ESL classes, the sisters also teach Computer and Citizenship
courses that vary in length. In recent years, the enrollment period for classes ended early, leaving many on waiting lists. The sisters end up directing many applicants to other centers around Berks County, which is something Sr. Joelle would prefer not to do. The MCV’s Mission Statement stresses the importance of their commitment to helping others. The sisters founded the center in response to requests for assistance from Reading area immigrants. In keeping with their mission, the MCV seeks to help its students improve their quality of life and teach them how to effectively advocate for themselves. Many of the MCV’s students are unemployed, and Sr. Joelle is always on the lookout for more opportunities. Most of the classes MCV offers are during the morning (9-12) or at night (6-8), accommodating a community that works unusual hours to support
their family. To assist students with fulfilling their goals, Sr. Cara has some ideas in mind. “We are currently in the process of developing a Goal and Needs assessment for students to take in the beginning of classes,” St. Cara said. Beyond CollegeTowne, the sisters are discussing with the Reading Area School District to get access to two classrooms in their ESL Welcome Center in the fall. The sisters may also explore distance learning one day, though Sr. Cara said they may not be ready for that for some time. It’s one step at a time for the center, but with the help of experienced volunteers and newcomers, Digital Instruction isn’t too far away. For additional information about The Mother Veronica Resource Center, call 484-516-2138 and email mveronica@gmail.com.
Sidney Goodman Managing Editor Since President John Loyack joined the Alvernia community, there has been plenty of buzz about the coming CollegeTowne project. CollegeTowne is based off of a similar plan that President Loyack implemented in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. The earlier project, which moved a segment of King’s College into the center of the city, benefitted both the college and the city by drawing students to the college and stimulating the city’s economy. Can history repeat itself in Reading? President Loyack’s work at King’s College followed a similar course to what Alvernia is doing now. King’s College bought a hotel building on the west side of Public Square, right in the heart of Wilkes Barre,. and with tThat purchase came a revitalization ofrevitalized their community. Restaurants and retail stores have moved into the streets as Since students spend more and more time in the city now, restaurants and retail stores moved into the streets. This not only givinggives the students the opportunity to
get an urban experience, but it also provides giving the city Wilkes Barre a new economic demographic. Public Square is now a bustling, revitalized economic center, with plenty to offer the community. President Loyack hopes to foster the same kind of revitalization in Reading. By bringing Alvernia into downtown Reading, he intends to establish a permanent institution in the city, one that is not influenced by tax breaks or tempting offers of from other cities. “It’s an engine that, once you turn the key on, will continue to run and create value for the city,” President Loyack said. “There’s really nothing like it.” CollegeTowne is a way to efficiently grow the university and give back to the city of Reading. To begin the process of constructing CollegeTowne, Alvernia signed a letter of intent on the building that will become its first expansion into downtown Reading. The CollegeTowne building, to be located at 401 Penn Street, is intended to be a “live-learn facility,” complete with increased student housing and upgraded classrooms. This comprehensive college facility
will also include a student business incubator, which will encourage and aid students with their own corporate ideas, bringing to turn their ideas them from concept into reality. This venture has already received an outpouring of support from the surrounding community. “There’s a myriad of partnerships that will happen because the university is in the center of the city,” President Loyack said. “It’s like the neighbor and the cup of sugar. If I’m fifteen blocks away, I don’t ask you for the cup of sugar. But when you’re next door, I ask you and we build a relationship, which turns into a friendship, which turns into doing something together.” These potential partnerships, ranging from service opportunities to student activities to business ventures, will benefit Alvernia’s students, boost Reading’s economy, and strengthen ties between Alvernia and the city. This past week, Alvernia and I-LEAD, Inc. have signed a purchase and sale agreement together. This is the final step before Alvernia takes ownership of the building at 401 Penn Street, which
President John Loyack telling excited students about CollegeTowne.
will hopefully happen in June. As the development of CollegeTowne continues, the Alvernia community looks
forward to the changes and expansion it will bring to our university.
Photo Courtesy of @hollerancenter
Three Cheers for CollegeTowne
4
ON CAMPUS
February/March 2020
Vol. 59 Issue 1
Pink In The Rink Mackenzie Coombs Contributing Editor
Photo Courtesy of @alverniauniversity
Alvernia teaches students to learn, love, and serve, and the Men’s Ice Hockey
Team has been doing that for years with their fundraising efforts. Their Pink in the Rink fundraiser last November The Men’s Ice Hockey Team at Alvernia has been loving
Polly Mathys riding the zamboni at the Pink in the Rink fundraising game.
and serving others for years, and their Pink in the Rink fundraiser to help Polly Mathys fund her cancer treatment continuedwas no exception. Their selfless service showed love to a professor in need, and as a result, Mathys will be able to continue to teach Alvernia students more comfortably. Polly Mathys is an Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems at Alvernia. Mathys has been a member of Alvernia faculty since 1986. She teaches communication and business courses, First Year Seminar, and bootcamp courses to instruct students on how to use Microsoft products such as Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. She’s known for her cheerful, energetic personality and her love for engaging with the campus culture. She especially loves to attend Alvernia’s basketball games. She earned the Red Cross Good Neighbor Award, the
St. Bernadine Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Sister Donatella Service Award, and more. When Mathys was diagnosed with cancer late in 2019, it rattled the Alvernia family. Seeing an opportunity to help this beloved professor, the Men’s Ice Hockey team decided to act with a fundraiser. The Men’s Ice Hockey Team held a fundraiser on Saturday, November 9 called “Pink in the Rink” to help pay the costs of Mathys’ cancer treatment. With the slogan, “Stick It to Cancer”, the fundraiser amassed funds to help Mathys focus on recovery and not on expenses. During the big game, Mathys was the center of attention, showing just how sympathetic the Alvernia family was towards her and the fundraising cause itself. Dan Miller, #57, explained why fundraisers like Pink in the Rink are important to the
Men’s Ice Hockey Team. “I think it’s important to help those who helped us, on and off the ice,” Dan Miller said. This wasn’t the first time the Men’s Ice Hockey Team helped others with a fundraiser. For example, every year for the past few years, the Men’s Ice Hockey team has helped with the annual Turkey Drive fundraiser. The Turkey Drive has existed at Alvernia for over thirty years now, and it raises funds to donate turkeys and hams to families in Reading in need of food for the holidays. The drive was led by Polly Mathys for thirty years, but last year the Mission Club and the Office of Mission and Ministry led the drive instead. 151 donors to the Turkey Drive helped over 1100 families. Both turkeys and gift cards were donated to the Red Cross, St. Margaret’s School, the Kennedy House, and other community groups.
Anastasia Tomko Contributing Editor For eight consecutive years, Alvernia has grown to accommodated military veterans and their families, becoming and it’s earned the distinction of being one of the 625 institutions nationwide named called Military Friendly. A new list comes out every year, which is given to service members and their families when they are interested in going to colleges, universities, or trade schools. For further education beyond their time serving our country, veterans they look for the best schools that would support them with tuition and other unique benefits. Alvernia is one of those schools, and they have helped many veterans in their This year, we highlight two outstanding student veterans who share how Alvernia has helped them in their academic journey. For example, Bonnie Reape is a mother, wife, and certified peer specialist who served in the United States Army from 2009-2013. In the Army, she served as a Mmotor Ttransport Ooperator and Pparatrooper in the 82 Airborne Division.
She spent one tour in Afghanistan. Currently, she is enrolled at Alvernia as a a Behavioral Health major with a minor in Psychology. Reape was the Veterans Center 2019 Saint Ignatius Award Recipient, which is awarded to a Military Veteran student who exemplifies selfless service, high moral courage and character, and a commitment to intellectual excellence without material award or public recognition. Reape continues to goes above and beyond. She offers, peer counseling for fellow student veterans in need, and works to learn learning as much as she can atduring her time here. After graduatingAlvernia, she wantsplans to work with children in alternative learning schools to, assisting them with their behavioral and counseling needs. In the future, she is considering coming back for a Graduate degree in Social Work or Human Services. Another student veteran at Alvernia is David Ruppert, a triple major in Business Management, Finance, and Criminal Justice. He was the Veterans Center 2018 Saint Ignatius Award Recipient. Ruppert served on acting
duty from 2008-2012, then reserve status from 20122016. He served as a Supply Marine Corporal, deployed to Afghanistan twice from 2009-2010, and from 20102011. During his time there, he was in charge of security and convoys. Moving forward after graduation this May, he plans to pursue a career in probation or parole. He also wants to gain his Certified Fraud Examiner credentials. Ruppert intends to go into the financial industry and focus on investing. Admissions Counselor and Veteran Center Coordinator Bret Krotee feels serving veterans is important for Alvernia. “It is very vital that military students feel like an integral part of the campus community so each year we bolster our active military and veteran student initiatives, which leads to increased student and family engagement. We look forward to continuing to serve those who currently serve or who have served in the United States Armed Forces,” Krotee said. Being a Military Friendly school also means that students are eligible for federal aid such as the Post 9/11 Bill and Armed Forces
Bonnie Reape.
Tuition Assistance Funding. If veteran students maintain good educational standing and show persistence towards their career goals,
Alvernia can assist them in multiple ways, creating wellrounded students ready for a civilian career.
Photo Courtesy of The Veterans Center
Alvernia is Military Friendly For the 8th Year
ON CAMPUS
February/March 2020
5 Vol. 59 Issue 1
Behind the Scenes in Facilities If paying for college is stressing you out, you aren’t alone. 3.6 million college students lived in student loan debt in 2019. Most students must work their way through college and take out student loans. At Alvernia, one option for students to help pay their way through school is to work
for facilities on campus. While it may not be glamorous work, facilities provide a flexible, friendly, and diverse workplace. Facilities on campus is a student-driven program that allows students to clean buildings and do manual labor around the main campus to earn money. Students collect trash, wipe down tables and baseboards,
A brochure posted across campus advertising the opportunities student facilities employment has to offer.
Image Courtesy of Alvernia Student Facilities
Ivan Fegley Contributing Writer
clean windows, tidy up bathrooms, and vacuum. After hours, the buildings are cleaned by multiple students. The two different programs offered by facilities are Student Partnership Program and Student Utility Worker Specifics. These two have essentially the same criteria, but the pay rate and amount of work vary slightly. Facilities Student Partnership Program operates in the fall and spring semesters and pays $7.25 an hour. Students in this program work 20 hours a week in return for a $2,500 scholarship. Fortunately for busy students, the program is flexible, with hours that will work around any academic or athletic schedule. The Student Utility Worker program also operates in the fall and spring semesters and pays $8.25 an hour. Students in this program work 10 hours a week. While this program does not include a scholarship, it has a higher
base pay and fewer hours, which may be a better option for some students. Interested students can log onto Handshake to apply. Handshake is a way Alvernia University hires students for on-campus jobs. In addition to applying on Handshake, a student would also need to complete a facilities application and attach it along with their resume. After submitting, someone will reach out to and get the student in contact with Kathie Waltz. Once starting in each of these programs, the student is eligible to be transferred out of that program and moved into the other one. Students have switched between programs in the past for various reasons. Sometimes the hours don’t work for a student’s academic needs, or other life events force a student to shift to a position with fewer hours. An anonymous survey conducted last year asked
students what the program has done to benefit them. Most of the answers said they helped with finances. Many students also said, “I learned skills that I wouldn’t have learned at a desk job.” Students even said the program has “Blessed them.” This program is valuable to the university and its students. Students have learned valuable life lessons from it. Cutting the program just to save a penny would be a shame for all members of the Alvernia community.
Remember: Keep it clean.
Michael Beyer Contributing Editor Alvernia’s award-winning literary magazine two years running, Zephyrus, is currently accepting student submissions through March 23 for its upcoming volume. Since the 70s, Zephyrus has annually published short stories, essays, poems, artwork, and photography by Alvernia students. This year, besides that, videos, original music, and lyrics will also be accepted and published via a QR Code for the first time. The theme for this year’s edition is “Home.” What is your home/hometown like? Any urban myths? Best hangouts? Write about it, draw it… share it with us and we will share it with the world. Zephyrus’s 2019 (“New Beginnings”) and 2018 (“Utopia?”) editions both won second place out of 850 competing chapters of the international Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society. This year you can help Alvernia be #1! To submit a work to Zephyrus 2020, email submissions to Zephyrus@ alvernia.edu. Asking the faculty advisor of Zephyrus, Dr. Tom
Bierowski, about this year’s edition and going for #1! “We’re gonna innovate,” Dr. Bierowski said. “This year Zephyrus will accept videos and music submissions. Also, authors of stories and poems in Zephyrus 2020 will have the option to record an audio version of their submissions. All of these new categories will be accessible via QR codes,” Dr. Bierowski said. “Besides that, we might have a few surprises up our sleeves. I sense relentless variation. Zephyrus is a literary and ARTS magazine. It’s not limited to just writing. If I could get dancers in there, I would. In fact, we welcome dance routine video submissions.” Dr. Bierowski hopes that broadening the types of student submissions will fill Zephyrus 2020 with honest and passionate portrayals of student memories and impressions of home. As a result of these new efforts, Dr. Bierowski is hopeful about Zephyrus’s future success. In keeping with Dr. Tom’s plans to innovate for Zephyrus 2020, Dr. Tom decided that Zephyrus will host a contest this year. At the end of this year’s volume, extra space will be set aside
for someone to write a poem with the theme of home on it. Once finished, the writer will rip out the page and drop it off at Dr. Tom’s office. The Zephyrus editorial staff will vote to determine the best poem, and the winner will be published facsimile in Zephyrus 2021 on a new “Looking Back” page. The “Looking Back” page poem will be the first written submission in the 2021 volume. Zephyrus is currently looking for students to join the editorial staff. Anyone interested should contact Dr. Bierowski at thomas. bierowski@alvernia.edu. Skill with In-DesignTM or IllustratorTM is appreciated, but not necessary. However, a healthy interest in literature and art is a must! “We publish cool, weird, authentic art in any form,” Dr. Bierowski said. “Zephyrus” is the Greek god of the west wind. This year, we hope Zephyrus is going to become an unstoppable typhoon that will blow its competition away, but we need the students’ help. Join the effort by submitting short stories, essays, poems, artwork, photography, video, original music, or lyrics
Photo Courtesy of Michael Beyer
Artistic Storm Brews At Alvernia
Zephyrus faculty advisor for eight years, Dr. Thomas Bierowski, holding up the award-winning 2019 volume of Zephyrus in his office for a bird to read.
with the theme of “Home” to Zephyrus@alvernia.edu before March 23 at noon.
Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the coming storm.
6 February/March 2020
LIFESTYLE
Vol. 59 Issue 1
The Importance of Goal Setting Contemplation is one of the five core Franciscan values of Alvernia University, and setting goals is a vital part of practicing
contemplation. Whether you are a student or a professor, goal setting will help you achieve success. For Dr. Caroline Fitzpatrick, associate professor of English, her largest goal this year is to get her TEDx
Antonio Rivera (right) works with Maria Checchia (left), a senior majoring in Behavioral Science, in the office of Mission and Ministry
Photo Courtesy oKerry O’Boyle
Shannon Smith Contributing Writer
license. “Whatever goal you’re working towards, you have several steps towards a final product,” Dr. Fitzpatrick said. Being a professor, Dr. Fitzpatrick understands the importance of short term and long-term goals. In fact, she set many short-term goals to reach the overall goal of getting a TEDx license. TEDx is comprised of locally organized public speaking events, and to get a license, an event must be thoroughly coordinated. “Two years ago, I decided that I want to take a sabbatical to work on a speech event and work on a book project,” Dr. Fitzpatrick said. The short-term goal of getting permission for a sabbatical helped Dr. Fitzpatrick grow closer towards her major goal, as the sabbatical provides her with more with more time to work. “I have continued working on goals because it helps to
focus and measure progress,” Dr. Fitzpatrick said. Professors have big goals, but so do students. Antonio Rivera is a sophomore with three majors, a leadership position as a Resident Advisor, and a work-study position. This semester, Rivera is overloading with classes for his various majors, and he has many long days ahead of him. He often ends his work-study after a non-stop day at 5 p.m. Then he works on any extra assignments that need to get finished. “My biggest goal is to keep my GPA high because I want to go to grad school and get my masters and Ph.D.,” Rivera said. Rivera has been setting and achieving goals since his first year, with more ambitious goals every semester. “I made sure to get involved in my freshman year because I knew I wanted to be an RA,” he said. Although this busy
schedule can be tough, Rivera doesn’t let anything get him down. Being a student leader, he is always around people, so he strives to maintain a productive, positive mindset. “I always keep a positive attitude going into anything,” he said. “If something doesn’t go my way, I don’t ever get upset because I know it wasn’t in my plan.” Where are you headed? It’s important to think about your short, medium, and long-term goals, even if it’s just in your 8 a.m. business class.
#goals
Remembering Kobe Bryant On January 26, 2020 in Calabasas, California, Kobe Bryant and eight other individuals, including his thirteen-year-old daughter Gigi, lost their lives in a helicopter accident. Kobe Bryant was a man known globally as a future NBA Hall of Famer. While an incredibly gifted basketball player, he was also a father,
husband, teammate, mentor, coach, and an idol to millions. The news of his death shocked the world. Efforts to come to terms with the senseless tragedy began almost immediately. Numerous memorials have been created since the devastating event. The Staples Center, where the Lakers play, was surrounded by fans and items to show their love and appreciation for everything Kobe had done
for the city. Although most people who mourned his death did not even know him personally, his legacy and the way he chose to live his life will live on forever. Kobe Bryant was only 18 when he was drafted from Lower Merion High School into the NBA to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. From that moment on he created a legacy that most people could only dream of. Kobe was a five-time NBA champion and
NBA 2K20 showing respects for the late, great Kobe Bryant.
Photo Courtesy of Jared Montalto
Jared Montalto Contributing Writer
was named the NBA Finals MVP twice. He also earned 18 NBA All-Star Selections, 15 All-NBA Team selections, and 12 All-Defensive Team selections. During his last game for the Lakers, Kobe dropped 60 points in a spellbinding performance. Beyond the court, Kobe also distinguished himself as a filmmaker, winning an Oscar for his animated film, “Dear Basketball.” Kobe’s unique mentality of having no friends on the court, showing grit, and focusing purely on his goal earned him the nickname The Black Mamba. “To be on a constant quest to try to be the best version of yourself. That’s what the mentality is. It’s not a finite thing. It’s a constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday and better tomorrow than you were the day before,” Kobe Bryant said. Millions mourned Kobe’s passing. He was a young man despite being retired from the NBA, and had only left the court three years before the tragedy. “Kobe Bryant was an inspiration to every basketball player I know. He was someone everyone
looked up to. Whenever talking about basketball greats, he was always talked about. His passing is so sad,” Kathrine Manning. sophomore, said. Kobe was coaching his late daughter Gigi in basketball, who by all accounts had a bright future. In his retirement, Kobe had advocated for more recognition of the WNBA. He mentored current NBA players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving, did a series where he broke down film of games to share his knowledge with the basketball community, and he was doing a lot of charity work to give back to the community through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. On February 24th, a memorial service was held for Kobe and Gigi st the Staples Center. 20,000 people came to honor the late basketball star, incuding his teammates and many other Hollywood speeches. His wife, Vanessa, gave a touching tribut to her husband and daughter, telling Kobe to take care of Gigi while she raises their other daughters. She said that she and Kobe were “still the best team.”
February/March 2020
PROFILES
7 Vol. 59 Issue 1
An Interview with an Athlete Being a student-athlete is far from easy. Balancing sports, academics, and a social life is a difficult task, which the majority of students at Alvernia have to deal with in one way or another. Tyzhir “Ty” Morris knows exactly what it is like to be a student-athlete. He is a sophomore education major who plays defensive back on the football team. The first question I asked Ty was, “What is it like being a student-athlete at Alvernia?” “Being a student-athlete is sometimes stressful because it’s a lot to handle academically and football requires much dedication and time. Professors are very flexible and help relieve as much stress as they can for the most part.” Ty talks about how it truly is a blessing playing college sports, but it certainly is
not easy. Regardless of the sport you play, you will have your struggles in some sort of way. Professors can make the lives of student-athletes less stressful with being more understanding about their situation. Giving extra time to assignments, seeing students after class help, and knowing athletes can be tired during class and not penalizing the student if he/she dozes off here and there. For my second question, I decided to see what a usual schedule is like for Ty. “What’s your daily schedule like throughout the week,’’ I asked. “My day starts at 4:30 a.m. with meetings and film. Then practice follows that. Then I usually have less than an hour to shower, get ready, and get breakfast before going to my classes for the day. After all of my classes, I have lifting until 7 p.m. After that I have to figure out the time to do my homework and to study for my classes,” Ty said.
Student-athletes have a jam-packed schedule. It for sure is not for everyone. As the season goes on, your body just needs a rest. You’re also mentally exhausted. One of the last questions I asked Ty was, “Do you have any struggles being a studentathlete?” “It’s a struggle to figure out a balance between social life, academics, and working out to enhance my craft athletically. Luckily though, I always find a way to balance it all out. You have to have time management as a student-athlete. You have to put your top priorities first and leave the less important activities when you have free time,” Ty said. This is what every studentathlete has to do in order to succeed and strive on the field and in the classroom. It is very possible to do, but as an individual, you have to truly want to be good at what you’re doing and have goals set.
Another question I asked Ty was why did he choose education as a major and what is his goals in life with that degree. “I chose to be an education major because I want to become a special education teacher. It always has been a job I would love to have and enjoy. I can’t imagine majoring in anything else because I truly enjoy
her and her children, and still is to this day. Losing someone so important in your life is life changing. “It is hard having to watch your children grow up without their father.” “I am just doing everything I can to make sure we still can have a good life,” Metas said. Metas’ favorite thing about being a mother is “the way each one of my children differ from one another and seeing how they bond with one other, brings by memories of her and her siblings.” Her full-time job, other than being a mom, is being a home care nurse for Holy Redeemer. Home care nurses go to patients’ homes to take care of them at the end of their lives. What made her pick to be nurse you might ask? Vicki said, “I wanted to a change in my life and be able to help care for people and their families at the end of life.” Vicki previously went to school for interior design, but since there weren’t a lot of jobs in that field. She decided to be a nurse. Nursing has regular ups and downs. Some days will be tougher than others, but she enjoys it because it makes her happy. “When you care for someone for a while,
you start to become a part of their family,” Metas said. She strives to make others happy in her life, even if that means sacrifices time with her children because work needs her. When having children away at school it can be tough. “It is Nerve-wracking, yet exciting seeing how each child is different and how they handle things differently,” she said. So far, her oldest child has gone away to school, and ended
up transferring back home to save money while her middle child is away at school right now. The oldest is set to graduate in December. With her children being away, it can change them in ways a parent might not like. She said, “even though it’s scary, sometimes it is better not knowing what they are actually doing, in case I wouldn’t approve.” Having a child away from home is tough in ways, but always it is easier since two of her other
everything that comes with being an education major,” Ty said From this interview, I hope the audience truly realizes how difficult it is being a student-athlete. Mentally and physically, an individual has to be committed in the classroom and on the field. “If it was easy everyone would do it.”
Photo Courtesy of Ty Morris
Jared Montalto Contributing Writer
SPORTS Alvernia Parent Shares Insight Victoria “Vicki” Metas is a person who her children look up to, and her family and friends admire. Metas grew up in a neighborhood known as Bridesburg in Philadelphia. She was one of seven children growing up in a rowhome. All five of the girls shared one room, while the two boys shared the other, but they all had to share one bathroom. Metas said she had a ton of memories while growing up. However, she said, “being able to walk and hangout in the neighborhood with her friends,” was her all time favorite. “Just being outside is what made it fun,” Metas said. When she got married, Metas and her husband Christopher moved up to the northeast and had three children: Mackenzie, 23; Raven, 19; and Asher, 14. Being a mother is something life changing, Metas said, as you must learn to take care of another human and not just yourself. She had to make lots of sacrifices, especially in the past few years. In May of 2015, she lost her husband due to a massive heart attack. It was hard on
children are home. “The tough thing about your children leaving is that it means they are growing up and they don’t need to depend on you as much,” she said. A mother’s duty is to care for her children, one day they will get older and you might think they don’t need you as much. However, even when they go out into the world, they will forever need their mom in their lives.
Photo Courtesy of Raven Metas
Raven Metas Contributing Writer
Alvernia student-athlete and education major Tyzhir “Ty” Morris has a very busy schedule, but he keeps a smile on his face.
Raven Metas and her mom, Vicky Metas
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