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February 28, 2012 highlandernews.net
iRevolution or iStrain? By Hilary Hoover, Reporter
As the world blossoms and grows in the age of technology, so many advancements have been made to make lives faster, more efficient, and more convenient but, how do these changes affect college students who are the future agents of change and the innovators, scientists, and doctors of tomorrow? The Physical Therapy Department mandated that students buy the e-Reader Version of their textbooks to make sure students have the highest level of technology and learning. This change prompted students to buy tablet devices. According to department chair Dr. Susan Barker, this won’t prevent readers from getting lost in a heavy book. She praises the eBooks, which put the material quite literally at the learner’s fingertips. This new format allows students to highlight and write notes like they would in a hardbound textbook, but that information can be shared with any device connected to the Internet. “If an instructor permits, students can access an instructor’s notes and highlights,” she said. Barker provided a long list of the benefits of electronic books. The cost and weight of eBooks is significantly less than that of paper textbooks. Students can access their eBooks anywhere they have Internet access, including off-campus clinics. They are also searchable, so finding content and images is easy. “EBooks provide a mechanism for students to readily develop individualized study materials that can be shared easily with fellow students,” said Barker. Graduate students in the program save about $200 when they buy the eBook textbooks. First year DPT graduate student Amanda Peslak is aware of how tight money is for many students. “Everyone has to find an apartment or house or someplace else to live [next year]. You have your
food on top of that and your normal bills like a cell phone or car insurance. Money just keeps piling up and of course you will have your larger loans you are going to take out because grad school is more expensive.” With this leap into the future, it is very common to see
to the Internet so students can access e-MU and Blackboard for assignments. However, these devices are not price lightweights. A Kindle Fire from Amazon.com is $199, and an iPad 2 from the Apple Store starts at $499. “[I paid] about $1,300 just for the books and my tablet
ELLEN HOFFMAN/THE HIGHLANDER
Above, an Amazon Kindle welcome screen. DPT students around campus with tablet devices such as the Kindle Fire or iPad. This allows the student to always have textbooks and notes with them, which makes pulling it out for a review session quick and easy. These slim devices can hold thousands of books and have a wireless connection
was another $300 because it is way cheaper than the iPad,” said first year DPT student Danielle DiLorenzo. While not all of the books are in eBook form, it may make more “cents” to buy the less costly version. The catch is that publishers of the eBook bundle that physical therapy
students are required to buy are only compatible with the Apple iPad devices. Students who choose to buy a less expensive tablet must stream their textbooks from the Internet rather than download the books directly to their tablets. This is difficult for DiLorenzo because she bought the less expensive HP tablet to save money. “You have to worry about if the Internet connection is working and if it isn’t working fully it won’t load the pages entirely. [If you had] a textbook you have in front of you, you don’t have to worry about technology not working right.” Barker said she is unaware of any retailer affiliations that may help cut costs for students. Peslak doesn’t have a tablet. She streams her textbooks from her laptop, but she is in the market for one. “I might get one because it is easier, especially during class. Professors don’t post everything on time, so even for power points and stuff it’s great for people who have their e-readers in class because they pull it up in class and not have to worry about the lecture notes. If you don’t understand something and you need to refer to a picture or page in the textbook, you can just pull it up right then and there.” A 2009 study by the Council for Research Excellence found that adults spend 8.5 hours a day in front of a computer screen, and in the past three years, many new technological devices have become available to consumers such as the recent upgrades to the iPad, Nook, Kindle, and other tablet devices. Danielle DiLorenzo uses her tablet, “every minute that I’m awake because if I’m not using mine for the textbooks, I’m using it for the Power Points. In class, I’m pulling up the textbooks to reference them and at home I am reading from the eBook and my computer to type up my notes.”
Laramie showcases reality
Continued on page 3
By Alexandria Smith, Reporter
Cast and crew of the Laramie Project, a theatre production that highlights violence against the gay community, hopes to change attitudes and raise awareness about human rights issues. The show will run March 29 to 31 at 8 p.m. in Lemmond Theatre. The Laramie Project is a drama consisting of interviews with the residents of Laramie, Wyoming five months after the kidnapping and murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard in 1998. It was written by New York-based theatre group the Tectonic Theater Project five weeks after Shepard’s death. Over a year-and-a-half, the Tectonic Theater Project conducted more than 200 interviews and wrote the play. The event’s aftermath, according to leader Moises Kaufman, launched the nation into “a dialogue that brought to the surface how we think and talk about homosexuality, sexual politics, education, class, violence, privileges and rights,
and the difference between tolerance and acceptance.” It is one of the most performed plays in America today. “Hate is…I don’t want this to be about a gay boy,” said Christine Rock, director of the Laramie Project. “Bullying is big now and it’s terrible that it’s happening. Kids can be cruel. I mean we’ve all been there. We’ve all been on both sides of the equation,” said Rock. “And that’s when you know, when Don and I sat down and we were talking about doing a show and I threw this one out there.” Rock was initially concerned that the university would have reservations about the piece because of the hate-crime violence that inspired it, but he sees a great opportunity to start open discussion about the issues of violence and hatred in communities around the world. “When you discuss things and bring them out in the open that takes the power away, it takes the mystique away,” she said. “I just want to show people
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how dangerous hate can be,” said sophomore stage manager Mikayla Gillete. “We all know it, we all talk about it but it’s different to actually see it portrayed in front of you.” Senior Jeff Kelly shares similar feelings. “The people that are going to come see the show aren’t coming to see the show to leave here feeling hor-
rible or upset,” he said. Kelly hopes the performance will help the audience realize that hate-crime violence is a prevalent issue. “There’s so much hatred among different levels of people that just to kind of shed some light on that and make people think twice before you come out and say something Continued on page 2
PATRICK HUNTER/THE HIGHLANDER
Above, first year Alexandra Smith, left, and junior Matthew Cebrosky, right, reciting their lines during practice for the upcoming The Laramie Project in Lemmond Theater.
Tennis Teams Searching for Interested Athletes Cougar tennis teams go on the prowl for prospective players for the 2012 season
Page 5
Fantasy captured at Fashion Week By Morgan Harding, Web Master
With the click of a tweet and a few emails later, web master and fashion journalist Morgan Harding received two tickets to the Milly New York Fall 2012 runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC. Receiving an invitation to the Milly runway show during New York Fashion Week, held every February, is a rare treat that leads to an experience filled with the notions of art, celebrity, theatre and even liberty and equality. In the courtyard of Lincoln Center, fashion and street style photographers snapped pictures as aggressive as paparazzi, making the welldressed show-goers celebrities for a moment. Some rushed by in an effort not to miss the show, while others donned their wildest wares in hopes of being spotted and landing in an online street style gallery or the glossy pages of Elle or Vogue. Melissa Sgroi, chair of the communications department, attended the show and enjoyed the street style aspect of the experience. “You had people who, I didn’t know who they were, if they were just hangers-on or there for publicity, who were dressed in these outrageous outfits, akin to Halloween,
granting access to the venue. “You couldn’t just get in. Security was incredibly tight. I think our tickets were checked three times,” Sgroi said. Rush becomes sudden stillness, a shock to the eventgoer, as the big city bustle stops and attendees enter a space almost frozen and unaffected by the outside world. It is breathtaking, like entering another world where everyone is chic and nobody cares what you look like. It’s a world where everyone is prepared to celebrate fashion, decadence and being a modern woman. A celebration is exactly what Sgroi feels New York Fashion Week is. “One really neat thing about it to me was that this was the only situation I have ever been in my entire media career that was such a celebration of women and what it means to be female, how there is no shame in really enjoying fashion and dressing ourselves, and the possibilities of what we can look like. There is no shame in that. There is nothing that
MORGAN HARDING/THE HIGHLANDER
Above, a pink party dress from the Milly NY Fall 2012 collection steals the show on the main stage of Lincoln Center. and it was great fun to watch them. It was a celebratory atmosphere and that to me was one of the most fun things about it. You really want to see the creative outfits that people have on. I wish there were more of them at our particular show,” said Sgroi. Like the Big Apple itself, fashion week moved faster than a New York minute. Few things compare to the hustle of running past three large security guards who serve as the barrier between fashion’s elite and the average girl-onthe-streets. Once inside the doors of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week “tents,” a sense of elitism and pride strikes the invitee. All around the spacious rectangular room are vendors, exhibits of unfinished gems, trade publications and sponsors of the week long event that celebrates clothing and the hope of the upcoming season. In the center of the lobby sat an island of check-in desks, lined with iMacs and PR reps dressed from head-to-toe in their employers’ designs, ready to decide if you are on the list of invitees. After the flash of an invitation, a few swift keystrokes and the click of a mouse a receipt is printed with a personal QR code,
we have to hide in that. It was that rare place where it is just a celebration of women and clothes and the way people look and the artistry of it all. And you didn’t have to apologize for it,” said Sgroi. She likens the event to a movie premiere. “First of all, it is a big deal about making your entrance and it is in a way, but when you walk in everyone was looking at who’s in the front row. I was trying to look across from where we were to see who the special celebrities are, or the special personalities, just like you would at a movie premiere. It was dark and quiet and every single person was whispering about what they were about to see. There was really this anticipation of a show, just like a movie. There was no red carpet, but it operated the same way,” said Sgroi. Still and video cameras appeared to be stacked on each other creating a wall, with videographers and photographers alike ready to capture the magic of the runway show, the birth of new fashion. As attendees took their places surrounded by fashion journalists, celebrities and buyers, whispers began to flow throughout the venue and the anticipation collection Continued on page 5
Let’s Talk Fashion
Drago takes a look back at the most influential pieces from New York Fashion Week - Page 3
Recipe for Disaster Hoover is back with a delicious vegan restaurant review - Page 3
2
highlandernews.net
February 28, 2012
News
OT rockstar headlines events College music:
Not dirty hippies
Members of the Occupational Therapy Honor Society await the arrival of Dr. Florence Clark from the University of Southern California. By Shawn Kellmer, Reporter Dr. Florence Clark, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and Chair of the University of Southern California (USC) Occupational Therapy Department will visit campus March 30. “As a member of the honor society, this is a huge deal. The honor society strives to promote scholarship with in OT on campus, and this event is exactly what we would like to do all the time,” said Jenna Georgia, Pi Theta Epsilon President. “It’s great to know that Misericordia, while a small campus, still makes such a great name for itself that the president of AOTA will come here to speak.” OT professor Dr. Joseph Cipriani said the visit is a great honor. “I am the advisor for the organization [PTE], and to me it’s great to see, as it is very rare for a smaller university to get a speaker this well known to come to campus for a specific major,” said. “Hopefully if we can get a large enough room, we will invite other students also from programs in OT in Pennsylvania.” Clark will present two workshops to the OT Department. The first op will be held for the OT faculty and fieldwork supervisors while the second workshop is for the entire OT student body. “Sue Lennon, MU’s OT fieldwork supervisor, will be arranging to bring in students’ fieldwork supervisors for workshops,” said Dr. Grace Fisher, OT department chair. “To the school as a whole, or
at least the OT community, it’s a great way to bring us all together for one event. It’s expected that all of the OT students will attend Dr. Clark’s speech, and the seniors’ fieldwork supervisors are also invented to come,” said Georgia. “We are all excited to have such an accomplished OT visit our school to speak to us. Dr. Clark is an inspiration to all of us.” Clark has been the Associate Dean and Professor, division of Occupational Therapy at the School of Dentistry, USC since 2006 and has served as a chairperson for the department since 1989. According to USC’s website, she has numerous honors and awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Occupational Therapy Association of California and an Award of Merit from AOTA. Her USC webpage also states that she has been published in both domestic and international journals. “Dr. Clark has been involved in writing numerous journal articles and books used throughout our curriculum. Therefore, OT students are excited to meet the woman behind the accomplishments,” said Lane Bishop, Vice President, PTE. “It is such an honor to have Dr. Clark as a speaker at Misericordia.” OT students belonging to MU’s chapter the National OT Student Honor Society, PTE, and the Misericordia Student Occupational Therapy Association have been doing fundraisers to fund Clark’s visit.
According to Fisher, university resources, such as the OT Department and the dean’s office, will cover half the funds needed for Clark’s visit while the other half will come from the students’ fundraisers and donations. “PTE has been raising funds through selling polo shirts and decals. We are still selling decals and intend on having another polo sale for the spring semester,” said Lane Bishop, “Our first polo fundraiser was quite successful. There is currently a signup sheet on the first floor of Passan [Hall] to buy the decals.” “In order to raise money to assist Florence Clark’s visit MSOTA is having a club clothing sale and sponsored a jewelry sale a couple weeks ago,” said Maura O’Rourke, treasurer, MSOTA. “As a student and a member of MSOTA Dr. Clark’s visit is something I am very much looking forward to. She is someone who has an impact on the occupational therapy profession.” Although the jewelry sale was held a few weeks ago, students can still buy items from the fundraiser online. All profits collected from the sale of items at cookielee.biz/gracefisher will go towards Clark’s visit on the behalf of MSOTA. “I believe Dr. Clark’s visit is an extremely big deal for me as a student and as a member of the honor society, because every experience shapes who you will be as a person as well as a future health professional,” says Jaclyn Tschantz, MSOTA secretary. “Dr. Florence Clark has been a part of major research projects and
An ever-changing college music scene now focuses more on “frat rap.”
findings in the field of occupational therapy.” This will not be the first time students have seen Clarke speak, but is still a big deal to those going to see her a second time. “I actually heard her address OT students across the country at the National OT Student Conclave in Providence, RI,” said Tschantz. “There, me and other students within my grade got to meet Dr. Clark. We even got a picture with her. It was pretty exciting.” “I know when my fellow OT classmates and I went up to shake her hand and take a picture with Dr. Clark at the Conclave, I was very nervous and excited all at the same time,” said Tschantz. “I feel like if I get the opportunity to talk with her personally again, I will definitely feel the same way, because she is a very important person to my future profession.” This is a visit that almost every OT student seems to be excited about. “I think that the visit from Dr. Clark is very important to our OT department,” said Megan McChesney, PTE member. “It is exciting for our small school to be recognized and visited by this OT ‘celebrity’.” Anyone interested in finding out more information about the workshops conducted by Dr. Clark or wants to give a donation can speak to a representative of PTE and MSOTA or contact Dr. Grace Fisher.
By Gia Mazur, Reporter Think about the term “college music.” This is usually associated with artists like Dave Matthews Band and O.A.R., but the iPods of college students are filled with more hip-hop and electronic music— primarily music by white rappers, or “frat boy rappers,” like Asher Roth, Mac Miller and Chris Webby, who tend to rap about partying and drinking. Junior Dom Dellos believes that most college students relate to this music’s message about letting go. “Here’s why they’re popular: because people like to party. It’s a party scene that they appeal to,” said Dellos. When did this change from jam bands to rappers happen? Junior Rob Lopez thinks it is because of the connection to the artist and the influence of meeting new people at college with diverse music tastes. “People are trying to get away from the classic college roots which was like Dave Matthews Band,” said Lopez. “I think it has a lot actually to do with all the white rappers that came up, because most of the kids who go to college are white. So, they’re going to automatically connect themselves.” As a middle-class college student in the suburbs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, it’s difficult to relate to music about the tougher aspects of life. But when someone is rapping about drinking Miller Lite and eating frozen pizza, it becomes easier to develop a connection. College is also where you meet people from different places than where you grew up, and Lopez feels that sometimes someone else’s culture will rub off. “I think a lot of it also has to do with kids from the inner city bringing in people that nobody’s heard before,” he said. New rappers and hip-hop artists are constantly emerging into the mainstream because of these people from the inner cities, who are in the hub of the underground rap scene. Lopez also thinks that established artists who feature these underground rappers on their tracks also spark the public’s interest. “If you listen to a Kanye West song and he has X, Y, and Z on it, you’re going to want to
The Laramie Project showcases reality, continued Continued from page 1
that’s hurtful to someone [is important],” said Kelly. “Before you get angry or think differently about certain people, to understand that everyone is a person. There’s not one person that’s better than someone else just because of how they are, how they dress. It doesn’t make any one person’s life more valuable.” Other cast members and crew, including Rock, Gillete, and Kelly, consider the production very personal because of their experiences with either lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender friends or family. “I was surrounded by gay men so I have no issues whatsoever,” explains senior Sam Corey, who has a transgender sibling. “I had known quite a few people [that were gay] that I was close to, so… for me it is something that hits kind of close to home. I hadn’t known that going into the play. I didn’t know very much about the play when I originally auditioned. It’s definitely something I can relate to personally.” “I just think acceptance would be a good thing for people to practice in their life,” says sophomore Joy Sy. “Everything wonderful and magnificent and life affirming and changing in this world has started one person and an idea,” said Rock about shows like The Vagina Monologues and The Laramie Project, “Maybe it wasn’t a popular
idea. Maybe it was a really stupid idea, but that’s where change comes from. It’s an idea and ideas are powerful.” The Laramie Project stars Kaila Augustine, senior; Courtney Bieber, sophomore; Jasmine Mae Busi, sophomore; Melvin Jay Busi, first year; Matthew Cebrosky, junior; Samuel Corey, senior; Jeff Kelly, senior; Jackie Paluszek, sophomore; Grace Riker, junior; Mary Scarpa, senior; Alexandria Smith, first year; Joy Sy, sophomore. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students and may be purchased at the Box Office outside of the theatre.
know who X, Y, and Z are,” said Lopez. “Like when Jay-Z brought up J. Cole everyone was like, ‘All right, who’s this guy that the legend signed?’” Lopez feels most college students who are immersed in the music scene will listen to these songs at parties, but they will listen to music with more substance on their own time. Social music is different than music that personally has a meaningful or artistic effect on a person. Mason Payonk is an up-andcoming rapper from Scranton, who, while still a senior in high school, found a connection with hip-hop music. What initially started as a joke, Payonk would make beats for his friends, but after listening to hip-hop music, he realized he had a connection with it. “Every time I would listen to a [hip-hop] song it would help me think things through if I had problems,” he said. “So I figured if listening can help me think things through, I felt that [making] music could as well.” Payonk said he used to listen to hardcore and heavy rock music, but the hip-hop songs resonated more with him. “Each song had a different meaning to me,” he said. “There were songs that I could relate to, regardless of my age. For every mood I felt like I had a song to listen to.” Payonk feels the shift from jam bands to hip hop among college students has to do with supply and demand. “Now, there’s more people making that commercial hiphop type of music and there’s more of it to listen to,” he said. “I feel like basically with time it just came out on the scene and people just related to it.” Payonk feels that this “good time” kind of music does not have the staying power of the hip-hop music with deeper meaning. “It’s a trend. Eventually it’s going to go away and people are going to realize that the real music is about life and struggle and hard work,” he said. Dellos agrees with Payonk, citing his own experiences. “I question myself, ‘When I get older will I be listening to this?’ You listen to the music that appeals to you for that time in your life,” he said.
SGA WANTS YOU! Student Government Association is seeking interested students to apply for the executive board in April to help make a difference on campus.
Your voice can be heard! Stop by the SGA office in Banks Student Life Center next to the Student Activities office for more information or email sgovern@misericordia.edu. PATRICK HUNTER/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, senior Samuel Corey recites his lines during the upcoming “The Laramie Project” in the Lemmond Theater. Below from left, first years Melvin Jay Busi and Alexandria Smith, junior Matthew Cebrosky and other members of the Misericordia Players practice their lines on February 22.
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The Highlander works to produce up-to-date, clear, accurate reporting. If any information is inaccurate or not covered thoroughly, corrections and information will appear in this area. Opinions and views expressed in The Highlander in no way reflect those of Misericordia University or the Sisters of Mercy. The Highlander Staff welcomes students, faculty and reader response. The Highlander reserves the right to edit submissions for grammatical errors and length. All submissions must be signed. Letters to the Editor and/or materials for publication may be submitted by any reader. Items can be sent via e-mail.
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CAPS CORNER
At The Counseling & Psychological Services Center (CAPS), support is available and no concern is too big or too small. Counselors are available to support you in a non-judgmental way using a holistic perspective - attending to mind, body and spirit. Our hope is that through counseling services you are able to create more balance, peace and serenity in your life.
We invite all students to utilize CAPS Center services including individual therapy, group therapy, consultation services, referral services, psycho-educational programs and/or crisis intervention. Services are free and available to all full-time matriculated students. For more information about the CAPS Center and resources visit us on the e-MU tab “Campus Life.” Are you interested in exploring health, happiness, and well-being? The CAPS Center is running a personal growth group that will run for six consecutive weeks. The group will be open for 6-8 people, membership will be on a first come, first served basis, and the time of the group will be determined based on the members’ schedules. This group will focus on the needs of the members in relation to increasing health, happiness, and well-being. If you have any further questions or are interested in joining, please email Megan at mtucker@misericordia.edu. Dream Catcher Craft Thursday, March 29 3:30 pm Learn about benefits and strategies to improve sleep Also Courtney Burgess-Michak is offering: “The Grief Recovery Method” - Outreach Program The Action Program for moving beyond death, divorce, and other losses. Myths about grief: Time heals all wounds, replace the loss, grieve alone, be strong for others, bury your feelings This program will begin in February. Date and time to be determined by participants. DRUMMING FOR PEACE: Promoting Positive Change Use this Lent to do something positive for yourself and others by participating in this student focused drumming experience to feel peace and send peace forth. No experience is necessary!
Arts & Entertainment
LET’S
TALK
FASHION By Michele Drago Fashion Columnist
Everyone and anyone who has a stake in fashion attend the week long line of shows at New York Fashion Week. If you didn’t already know, Anna Wintour, Vogue editorin-Chief always gets a front row seat usually flanked by musicians, actors and other celebrities. Fashion shows are no longer just about clothing, but attention is also on the front row gossip and sarcastic smiles that hit the pages of The New York Times Style section. Did you hear George Lucas sat next to Dakota Fanning at the Rodarte Show? Both Racked and Fashionista reported this occurrence, and I’m sorry to say, if that’s the most exciting thing that happened during fashion week, then I suggest a change up. Since he’s the former director of Star Wars and a huge fan of Rodarte, maybe we could see a remake of the sci-fi featuring wardrobe by Rodarte? I’d totally watch. In other news, MK and A Olsen pulled off quite the Wintour signature move—sporting sunglasses inside. Believe me, it went noticed and so did their style switch-up from boho to minimalist black done head-to-toe. The fierce fashion duo hit the front row as well in Ray Ban style Wayfarers during the J. Mendel show. Maybe they’ll bring back the Sunglasses at Night trend. Besides the front row gossip, this season’s Fashion Week was quite a success, especially
has been known to influence what people wear. Like Lucas, I’m quite the fan of Rodarte and the brand’s ability to make feminine collections with gothic tones. Most of the pieces were knee-length dresses with a vintage feel and boxy look. However, Diane Von Furstenberg’s fall collection topped all. It’s expected considering she’s the President of the Council of Fashion Designers and has helped Whitney Port (totally missing The Hills) launch her career. The collection titled Rendezvous, featured sophistication, simple design, and elegance for both cocktail dresses and oversized coats – two of my favorite things. You may wonder what the importance of Fashion Week is and how it relates to us in small town Dallas. Well, it’s more than just a week of showings since those designs are backed by years and years of history, both fashion and non-fashion related. Whenever I think about fashion week, a quote comes to mind from the movie that may sum up the entire industry: “The Devil Wears Prada.” As Andy Sachs is working in fashion, at a career she has no respect for, she sarcastically makes a comment about . indecision about a belt saying all belts look the same. Miranda’s powerful response is not only one for those ignorant of fashion week’s importance but a life changing realization of how important
since Wintour, the Queen Elizabeth of design and detail, looked quite pleased after seeing both Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs shows. Because she NEVER smiles—and when I say never, I mean never—industry insiders wondered why the warm fuzzies? After getting invited to some of the smaller shows and not being able to attend (insert sad face here) I couldn’t wait for reviews to pop up on a few of my favorite designers. However, one of my favorite shows viewed online, hands down, was Polyvore Live featuring my all-time favorite fashion bloggers and one of the coolest bosses I’ve ever had. The goal of the show was to feature the Fashion Institute’s top grads’ work and the ultimate bloggers who post about their collections. As I watched CollegeFashionista founder—and one of the most influential women I’ve ever worked for—rock out in Lauren Bagliore, Gavaskar, Celestino, and Dana-Maxx clothing, I realized how a dream could come true when you make it your passion and put everything you have into it. Levin started CF out of college and is known to pack a punch in the fashion world. Besides Levin’s runway showdown, I anxiously waited for the Proenza Schouler show instead of doing my homework. The featured fall looks had significant shaping and understated minimal colors. The collection took on the style of the streets, an interesting option considering street style
fashion really is: “You go to your closet and select …I don’t know, that lumpy blue sweater for instance because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously to care about what you put on your back. But what you don’t know is that that sweater is just not blue. It’s not turquoise. It’s not lapis. It’s actually cerulean. And you’re also blithely unaware of the fact that in 2002, Oscar de la Renta did a collection of cerulean gowns. And then I think it was Yves Saint Laurent…wasn’t it, who showed cerulean military jackets? And then cerulean quickly showed up in the collections of eight different designers. And then it, uh, filtered down into some tragic Casual Corner where you, no doubt, fished it out of some clearance bin. However, that blue represents million of dollars and countless jobs and it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry when, in fact, you’re wearing the sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room from a pile of stuff.” As Fashion Week has come to an end and planning comes for the next, an interview with a young fashion mogul handling psych school and Vogue features is on the rise. There are two things I’ve concluded from this article: Wearing sunglasses inside makes you as cool as Anna Wintour, and NYFW better get ready for me next year.
Where: - The CAPS Center When: Each Thursday 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm during Lent To Sign UP: Contact Dr. Cindy at cmarch@misricordia.edu or call 674-6366.
iRevolution or iStrain, cont’d Continued from page 1
DiLorenzo finds some problems with long-term use. “It is way more difficult to study. You are looking at a computer screen all day. Everyone is getting headaches and their eyes are tired from reading their online textbooks all day.” The transition from hardcover to eBook has been hard for those who have never before been exposed to the electronic format. Peslak would rather have the hardbound version of her textbooks for some classes. “I think it’s a hard decision because I know personally, I would rather have a hard copy book in front of me. I know especially for Kinesiology I would want a paperback book because I thought that it would be much more simple.
Reading it online, looking at all those pictures and diagrams, and trying to learn from that is hard… You’re pretty much thrown into this option, you weren’t given a choice, so for people who have a more difficult time learning without being able to highlight all over the place and stuff like that; it may be more difficult for them.” DiLorenzo agrees. “It is so much harder to work to try to get stuff done on the tablet. If you hadn’t had any experience with them, they are hard. It is not like a textbook where you are looking at the words and right next to it is the pictures. It’s not organized as textbooks.”
ELLEN HOFFMAN/THE HIGHLANDER
Above, sophomores Kayla Zechman and Marissa Ewing read over their nursing textbook on an Amazon Kindle before an exam.
February 28, 2012 3
Recipe for Disaster: A Collegiate
y r a n Culi
Column
By Hilary Hoover Culinary Columnist
This week’s recipe for dikind of expected.” saster takes me on a different Jenkins had a completely path from my other recipes. different opinion. “I mean, I’ve Rather than cooking vegan for eaten veggie burgers before, you, I will be sampling and re- but this is the best that I’ve viewing Eden - A Vegan Café tasted,” she munched happily, located in Scranton. Imagine contented with her meal as my excitement when I heard she swung her feet. that there was a vegan café in As for me, I was not expectthe area. Every time I go out ing carnage when I first bit for food, I’m constantly askinto it, which softened the ing questions like “What’s in initial blow and I enjoyed the that?” and “Can I get it withsubtle nuances of flavors. I out cheese?” I’m sure that this would have liked to see some echoes the thoughts of many avocado on the sandwich, but students with food allergies. then I would be picky. It’s definitely something that Next: the Platter. Looking needs to be brought to the for a place to start, I went food industry’s attention bewith the Buffalo Drumstick. cause it is a significant health Upon cutting into it, my eyes concern. widened in shock as my knife Aside hit something The Restaurant: from my hard halfway excitement through. My about the first thought chance to try Eden - A Vegan Café was that there their “BBQ was some sort 344 Adams Avenue Drumsticks,” of bone inside Scranton PA, 18503 I needed an and I let out unbiased a squeak. opinion. Upon further Enter Jacob inspection and Garner, Elec- Call: (570) 969-1606 some laughs, I tronic Repeeled back the serves Specialist at the Mary “meat” only to find a bamboo Kintz Bevevino Library and skewer. self-proclaimed meat-atarian. My first bite completely “I’d rather have meat than startled me. The soy protein friends,” Garner laughed. pulled apart like chicken Masking my inner revulsion breast and it was covered in a with a smile, we shook hands tangy BBQ sauce like brown and made our way to 344 bottle that my mom uses. The Adams Avenue in Scranton weird factor for me though, accompanied by senior Kat was the outside coating that Jenkins, who lives a meatlooked a bit like chicken skin. reduced lifestyle and has been Needless to say, I was unsure a vegetarian. Our motley crew whether I should be eating represents a good chunk of what had many similarities the food spectrum here, and to meat, which gives me goose hopefully will give an honest bumps. Then, I remembered I review of the restaurant. was in a vegan restaurant. As we walked into Eden, Jenkins and Garner were verdant walls, clean wood impressed by the effort and tables and benches, tastethe time spent on creating a ful artwork, and a variety of dish that closely mimicked flowing houseplants invited its animal counterpart. The us in. The chalk menu board grilled steak was mildly captivated our attention as flavorful, but rather tough we chose our selections. We and chewy. The hummus and were intrigued by their “Tuna veggies were a nice break for Melt,” “Kielbasa and Pepthe palate to be able to eat pers,” “Turkey Club,” and something that was decidedly one of the favorites at our a bit more natural. own Cougar’s Den - “Chicken One unexpected item that Cheesesteak.” we all agreed on was that the Could these “imposters,” tuna salad and the grilled as Garner so candidly put it, chicken came closest to the measure up to their original “real thing.” “I can honestly non-vegan counterparts? This say that if you hadn’t told me is certainly another “Recipe that this wasn’t tuna, I would for Disaster.” think I was eating fish,” JenWe decided on the classic kins said, perplexed. “Cheeseburger” and their When our meal was fin“Sample Platter” to get a ished, we sat back and rewell-rounded idea of Eden’s laxed. “This is the first vegan offerings. Upon paying, we meal that I’ve had,” Garner sat down near the window, shared. “I mean, I wouldn’t relaxed, and talked about our come back on my own free food choices. As far as pricing, will, but if someone asked me the $7.25 “Cheeseburger” on to go with them, I’d know that a toasted bun with lettuce, there would be something on tomato, onion, and “cheese” the menu that I could enjoy.” came with a side (we chose That definitely is enough the smashed potatoes) and proof for me that Eden- A a deli pickle. The $12.50 Vegan Café definitely needs to “Sample Platter” consisted of be on your list for restaurants a BBQ and Buffalo drumstick, in NEPA. They have a fun, hummus, pita, crudités (a quirky atmosphere that is fancy way to say raw veggies), both relaxing and energizing. grilled chicken, grilled steak, Personally, it was exhilaand some of their tuna salad. rating walking into a restauNot bad for a treat on a colrant and being able to order lege student’s budget. anything off of the menu and About 10 minutes later, not having to worry about the waitress brought out our the ingredients. While I may beautifully plated food and not be the biggest fan of meat identified each item on the substitutes, my overall dining Sampler and the “Cheeseburg- experience was fantastic. er.” She smiled and left us to At the end of the experience, our own devices. Just like out Garner, Jenkins, and I made a of a Dennis the Menace movie, pact. Respecting each other’s Garner was the first to move, lifestyles and diets is key to poking the “burger” with his a successful friendship. And fork. He took the plunge and Jacob will make up for the bit into half of the huge sandmeat that we don’t eat. wich. “It tastes like vegetaQuestions? Comments? bles,” he said between bites. Send them to hooverh2@ “But I’ve never had a veggie misericordia.edu burger before, so I guess that’s
Turf receives mixed reviews 4
Sports
highlandernews.net
A newly renovated field on campus will bring challenges and obstacles for many athletes. By Josh Horton, Reporter
Athletic teams are preparfor being very fast and many lacrosse team will notice has the lines on the new field than ing to launch their seasons on Misericordia teams used this to do with shooting. Cougars it is on Mangelsdorf,” Sacco a new field. to their advantage. knew there wasn’t much said. “When teams would The Athletic Department “For field hockey, Manglesbounce on Mangelsdorf Field, come play us on the field we website announced the Andorf Field was a much faster so a bounce shot in the crease definitely did have a little adderson Field Turf Project was turf because it was more of a wouldn’t usually result in a vantage because we were used complete in December. flat surface. The ball moved goal. The new turf is much to the way the ball moved The brand new turf surface fast so we had be quick on our thicker and will provide much on the field. Teams wouldn’t will host men and women’s feet during the whole game,” more bounce, evening out the realize that the ball moved so soccer and lacrosse, as well as sophomore field hockey and home-field-knowledge advanfast which made it harder for field hockey. Prior to them to control their the completion of the passes. I think that Anderson Field turf, we will lose a little bit these teams played and of an advantage but practiced on Mangelsthat will just make us dorf Field, which was work harder as a team visibly worn down from to achieve a win.” years of use. FieldTurf conducted “It was time for our long-term indepenfield to be replaced,” dent studies, which Athletic Director Dave concluded their Martin said. “The life surface is safer than expectancy of a turf natural grass. The field is anywhere from company addresses 10-13 years.” this issue on their The new turf comes PATRICK HUNTER/THE HIGHLANDER website. from a Tarkett Sports “FieldTurf leads to The view from one end of the new turf field near the townhouses. Company known as less overall time lost to lacrosse player Alison Sacco tage of the Cougars over their FieldTurf, which has offices injury, fewer neural injuries, in six of the seven continents. said. “The new Anderson turf opponents. fewer cranial/cervical injuries, The surface, which now blanfield will be an adjustment “With Mangelsdorf, there and less 3rd degree injukets what was once a grass in that area because the turf wasn’t much bounce, so our ries,” according to the official soccer field, is the same surfield is not worn in and the players knew bounce shots company website. “In the face used at MetLife Stadium grass is higher. There are not weren’t going to bounce,” most critical areas of safety, in New Jersey. MetLife Staa lot of turf beads on it. The Misericordia Men’s Lacrosse FieldTurf has proven to be dium is the home to not one, ball will travel a little slower Coach Jim Ricardo said. consistently safer than any but two NFL teams. When the but it will also cause us to be “Obviously the appearance is other turf system and equal Cougars take the field they quick on our feet due to the much better and it plays a lot to, if not better than, natural will do so on the same surball moving a little slower.” better.” grass.” face as the 2012 Super Bowl The field hockey team isn’t Another difference is the Plans are also in the works Champion New York Giants. the only team to make adjustfield lining. Lines on Manto resurface Mangelsdorf “FieldTurf has been around ments before opening their gelsdorf Field were much Field with FieldTurf for the for a long time,” Martin said. season. The men’s lacrosse harder to see and made it university’s inaugural football “They are the biggest turf team is coming off of their much tougher on opposing season. The Cougar football company in the United States most successful season in teams who weren’t accusteam opens their season with and have supplied a number school history. Their season is tomed to the positioning. a non-conference game in of division one institutions right around the corner and “The lines for field hockey Gettysburg and a conference and NFL facilities.” their home opener will be on and lacrosse are sewn into the game against Lebanon Valley With new surface comes March 18 against Mount St. turf at Anderson but on Manbefore the home opener on new playing style. MangelsVincent. gelsdorf field they are painted September 15 against Widdorf Field had a reputation The biggest difference the on. It is much easier to see ener University.
VIEWFINDER: Blue Wave Student Section
February 28, 2012
BOILING POINTS By Josh Horton Sports Columnist
All-Star teams never work. There aren’t enough basketballs on the court for all of the scorers. Jeremy Lin is a just a fad. J.R. Smith will destroy any team chemistry the Knicks may have. These are all examples of what Knicks fans have been hearing from their critics. On February 19, the Knicks proved some of these critics wrong, but not all of them. J.R. Smith took some jump shots before the game started and despite some doubt, he did play in the game against the Dallas Mavericks. Also, he looked like the J.R. Smith who can actually help a team and not help destroy it. The remarkable thing about Smith’s performance in his first game as a Knick wasn’t only scoring 15 points. He did this without even practicing with his new team. Smith joined the Knicks just two days prior to suiting up against the Mavericks. He had previously been playing overseas. With the win over the Mavericks, the Knicks finally reached .500 at 16-16 and went above .500 at home at 9-8. J.R. Smith is just a small reason, if not the smallest reason, for the Knicks’ recent success. The main one is Jeremy Lin. If you consider yourself a sports fan and haven’t heard of Jeremy Lin, maybe it is time to come out from underneath the rock you have been living under and watch this kid play. If you don’t have time to watch the games on television, tune into to any sports newscast and you will most definitely hear his name. Why is this Lin kid so significant? For starters he is a graduate of Harvard University. Yes that Harvard, the Ivy League University that competes in division one basketball but refuses to award scholarship for athletic talent. The 6’3” rookie point guard from California may have been brilliant in the
classroom, but he is also brilliant in the back court. In just seven games as the starting point guard for one of the NBA’s most storied franchises, Lin has averaged an astounding 24.6 points per game as of February 19. Some may say, “Oh, anyone can score 25 points in the NBA if they shoot enough.” That’s where some would be wrong. To go along with his 25 points, he also racks up nine assists per game. This means he is averaging nearly a “doubledouble” (double-digit stats in multiple categories) throughout his first seven starts as a New York Knick. “Linsanity” first showed the Association what he could in an early February win over the New Jersey Nets, where he led the team with 25 points. Since then, the Knicks have lost just one game and it was by four points against the New Orleans Hornets. Lin recorded nine turnovers, which was an NBA single game high for this season. There are many positive things about Lin, but there is just one thing keeping me from buying in. This one thing is a very important in basketball: turning the ball over. Lin and the Knicks are getting away with turning the ball over now, but they won’t get away with it forever. Especially when they go on the road in unfamiliar territory. According to a published report on ESPN.com, Lin had 45 turnovers in his first seven starts as a Knick, which is the most ever. If he wants to take the Knicks to the NBA finals, he better learn better ball security. It is easy to forget just how good of a team the Knicks are. They have Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Landry Fields, to name a few. If the Knicks want to win they need to make it a team effort and not rely on just one LINdividual.
Wilkes Barre Scranton Night Out is THE premiere website for planning your evening. Whether you want to hit the clubs, catch a concert, see a movie, or just chill at a bar: Check out WBSnighout.com for entertainment listings! Don’t forget to browse our weekly contests! By entering our contests you have chances to win dinners, trips, concert and sport tickets and more! Also, check out the column, How to Survive College Life by Misericordia’s April Dulsky. The column features college tips and tricks!
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, students encourage the men’s basketball team toward the end of the February 22 game against FDU. Above, fans cheer on the men’s basketball team in the semifinal game against FDU. Middle right, first year Dylan Grotevant, junior Andrew Jadick, junior Nick Ferguson, junior Dominick Dellos and junior Nick Morreale eagerly watch a player from FDU taking free throws. Right, fans start a chant during the semifinal game where Misericordia came out with a 76-73 victory in the Freedom Semifinals.
highlandernews.net
They don’t want ‘love’ After losing many players to graduation, coach looks for new players to join the tennis team. By James Fisher, Reporter Students are responding to a call for tennis players needed to fill out the sports’ rosters. Allison Joanlanne, head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis team, sent an announcement in January seeking student participation for this tennis season. After the 2011 season Joanlanne lost five players from each team. A minimum of six are required on each team. She said the announcement was to recruit replacements and invite new players. “I did lose some players,” Joanlanne said. “We want to increase our roster to increase our chances of doing better in the MAC Conference.” Joanlanne now has six players on her men’s roster and nine players on the women’s team. She said while some players are returning from previous seasons, people have responded to her announcement and have come out to join. Breanne Philips, a sophomore on the women’s team, looks forward to welcoming new faces. “I think it’s great having so many new players come out,” Philips said. “We graduated a lot last year and didn’t have many players in the fall. I think it’s really good to get new players and get an experience for the future.” Junior Sal Saraniti feels the same. “I welcome it,” said Saraniti. “The better people that we have the better it is for our team.” Joanlanne has confidence her sophomores have what it takes to lead the women’s team this season, even though they are young. “They have a lot of potential and they’re good leaders. They’re very strong players,” said Joanlanne. “They’re doing well, they’ve been doing well and they will continue to do well.” The only coach in the history of the tennis programs, Joanlanne is in her eighth season as women’s tennis coach and her fifth season
February 28, 2012 5
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as the men’s tennis coach. She was named the USTA Eastern Pennsylvania District Collegiate Coach of the Year in 2010. In the 2010-2011 seasons, she led the women’s team to an 11-9 record while improving her career mark to 68-31. The Cougars reached the Freedom Conference championship match for the third straight season. The women’s team has enjoyed a winning record in each of their seven varsity seasons. The men’s team earned a Freedom playoff berth in 2010– their third varsity season. Philips believes that they are ready to lead PATRICK HUNTER/THE HIGHLANDER this team for whatever Emily Boro returning a hit during tennis obstacles lie ahead of practice on the campus courts February 23. them. “I think we defi2012-2013 tennis seasons. nitely are old enough,” Even though he’s improved a Philips said. “We have the lot over the years, he knows experience of last year and he can do much more to we made it to the MAC Finals improve his game now so he last year so we have a lot of can be better prepared to help experience in that. I think we lead this team in the future. have enough leadership even “[I will] keep working on my as sophomores to have enough game and make that better,” experience.” Saraniti said. “Conditioning Philips went on to say that is always the main thing, [as she’s confident that the womwell as] my stamina, and help en’s team can go back to the recruit good kids. It’s all about finals and make some noise. While the women’s team is a how skilled you are and that’s very young team with a bright kind of the main thing. We always want skilled people.” future, the men’s team not The girls team will be lookonly has some youth, but a lot ing to showcase how far their of experience in age. young leaders can take the The men’s team consists of team and how much more extwo seniors, one junior, and perience they’ve gained since three first years. With both last season. They will also be youth and experience, Saralooking to showcase what the niti believes it will certainly future holds for the women’s come in handy for the men’s team with the young players team. “It’s honestly how we getting all the experience in all play with every match,” he that they can. said. “I think we can carry the The men’s team will be team.” looking to make a lot of noise Entering his third season this season with their veteran with the team and being the only junior on the men’s squad leaders. The tennis season kicks off March 24 at Elizaright now, Saraniti will be the bethtown. only returning senior when it comes time to return for the
Fantasy captured at Fashion Week, cont’d Continued from page 1
increased. “Because of the anticipation, there is so much more to that, to the fashion. It’s the front row, the personalities there. We saw Kristin Chenoweth and were thinking that it was someone else, and I’m looking around and it was so much longer than just the 10 minute show because you are looking at the journalists, the people outside, the levels of security, and of course the people inside and trying to see who you can recognize, and then their clothes. So the fashion show really starts the minute you walk in,” Sgroi said. Michelle Smith’s Milly NY Fall 2012 show actually began 15 minutes late, allowing for the anticipation to build even more, so when the lights went dim, the crowd went silent. Then the music began. The show that Smith titled “Future Perfect” has been hailed by fashion journalists as a mix of “American Girl in Paris” and “The Jetsons,” which makes perfect sense given her past in the French fashion industry. “My Fall 2012 collection is bold and modern: innovative technical fabrics merge with traditional couture techniques, and vibrant pops of color excite a base palette of black and white,” said Smith in a pre-show interview with Mary Hall of The Recessionista. The colors were one of the many things Sgroi loved about the experience. Design trends have included happy colors in recent years, and Smith used bold cobalt, chartreuse, teal and hot pink. “What was neat was that they were happy colors and yet they had a real elegance to them. They were almost dusty primary colors. I can’t even explain it. There was one burgundy that leaned toward pink a little, but it was very dusty, very greyed down and a little bit more elegant, so a person like me is watching them and thinking, well gee, I could wear that because even though the cut is a bit younger, the color is more sophisticated than the tropical brights we’ve been seeing,” said Sgroi.
The designer applied these colors to dresses that, while classically Milly, were bolder and edgier than her designs of past seasons. The audience made audible gasps as a bright white swing coat seemed to float down the glowing runway, and people seemed to lust after the bright pink party dress with its sharp black overlay that looked as though it was cut by a laser. It was this strong contrast, with a base of black in each outfit— in homage to the classic NYC staple—that made the Milly NY Fall 2012 collection such a success. With a parade of handbeading, scalloped hemlines and structured bodices, the show came to a quick close and Smith and her daughter Sophia came out to bid the attendees adieu (in the collection’s apparel, of course). Sgroi thought it was beautiful. “The quality and craftsmanship of the clothes was worth seeing. There was one jacket that I knew seemed to be the favorite of everyone who was there. In fact, I looked on fashion blogs and everyone has the photo of the model in this one jacket. It looked like it was all hand beaded and it was just beautiful. It was beaded into this pattern and just the quality of it is so much fun to see,” Sgroi
said. The show was much more than fantastic clothing, new trends and the fashion elite. Sgroi saw it as the next level of women’s work. In the past, women were associated with caretaking careers, but Sgroi points out that this was entirely different. “It was women’s work, and it was flashy and stylish and it involved a lot of money. It was important and very liberating. It was women celebrating clothes and it was decadent, and no one had to apologize for that. The designer was female. Most of the journalists were female. It was a neat, neat thing to see that women’s work has become so elegant, glamorous and nothing is dictated. It’s all women’s work from the start to the very end: the publication of it,” said Sgroi. Sgroi wishes that everyone could have the opportunity to attend a show at Lincoln Center, but acknowledges that it wouldn’t be as special if it were a mainstream event. “I really wish more young women could see it for the simple reason that it is pure fantasy. Even the models don’t look like models. Nothing is as you would believe it is, and whatever you thought it was, it wasn’t. It was better. A lot of it involved work, and that I love,” said Sgroi.
MORGAN HARDINGTHE HIGHLANDER
Above, a model in the Milly NY Fall 2012 show struts her stuff while showing off a stunning handbeaded coat on February 15.
6 highlandernews.net
Downtown Pittston gets makeover Main Street experiences a recessionary renaissance and finds business booms. By Morgan Harding, Web Master Community leaders hope to attract college students to Main Street in Pittston with the opening of an art gallery, restaurants and the Boden warehouse store. “There has been a lot of cosmetic work done to Main Street,” said Ashley Eiseman, bartender at Palazzo 53. The city has recently put in new sidewalks, street signs, planted trees along the street and even added a horse painted with images of tomatoes for which the city is famed. Eiseman feels that there is more of a business-feel to the people she has been encountering since the turnaround began a few years back. “It seems like Pittston is really trying to clean itself up,” said Eiseman. Palazzo 53 is an Italian restaurant on Main Street. It has been open for a little more than a year and serves up fresh homemade Italian cuisine five days a week. “Reservations fill up super quick for the weekends. We have a bunch of bartenders who use everything fresh. Same as our kitchen, fresh chicken, veal, seafood—it all comes in on a daily basis. It is very, very good. We just won Best Restaurant in Lackawanna and Luzerne County and it was really nice to see that and get acknowledged,” said Gina Santanna, Palazzo 53 floor manager. Eiseman attributes some of the restaurant’s recent boom to the other additions to the locale. “I think the fact that people have been coming down to this area more helps to increase the amount of foot traffic and exposure for Palazzo. With the art studio right next door and Boden next to that there are a lot more people to the area. People who otherwise would not have known about Palazzo,” said Eiseman. Holly Kelleher, the liquidation manager at Boden, is excited to have the brand’s first U.S. store open in Pittston. “It’s been wonderful. We haven’t really done any advertising so far just a couple small emails but the response has been tremendous,” Kelle-
February 28, 2012
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her said. With a large portion of their costumer base coming from Philadelphia and New York, the employees of Boden are most enthralled to see local interest. Lana Lazevnick wandered into the store three weeks after the doors were opened to see what all the local hubbub was about. “The clothing is unlike things you will find in most places around here. It’s very different. On most days I stick to the basics, black and navy, but you know what? Sometimes in life you need to take a risk and do something crazy. This polkadotted sweater is so unlike me that I must buy it. It’s a chance. I’ll be back here, that much I know for certain,” said Lazevnick. Boden is the first retail clothing store to be opened on Main Street in 40 years. “They [customers] are, as are we, really excited about it,” Kelleher said. Boden, a UK-based women’s, men’s and children’s clothier normally retails for prices that Kelleher admits are far from the reach of a college student’s budget. The warehouse store features flat rate pricing based on the category of item that is purchased. A dress that may be $200 in the catalogue can be purchased at the Pittston store for $40. “What we would do up to this point is have warehouse sales to liquidate the overstock at a gravely discounted price. What we are trying to do here is kind of have a home base, where people know that we are here every Saturday and Sunday that if they need a dress or a pair of boots we are here and they can get great quality at low prices,” said Kelleher. They will also be minimizing their overhead. Instead of having to go out and rent large venues to host warehouse sales in they will simply be able to send overstock to the Pittston store. “It will at least lessen the amount of times we will have to go out on the road because we now have a means to liquidate our merchandise,” Kelleher said.
Like many of the buildings on Main Street, the Boden location has undergone major changes. “The whole building was gutted. They took everything out of here and started fresh. It’s new floors, new walls and fitting rooms. They have done everything to accommodate us and the costumers we would be bringing in,” said Kelleher. In addition to the new interior the façade was given a fresh coat of paint and new windows, like many of the buildings on the block. With such a close proximity to their U.S .distribution center, the clearance center is restocked weekly and the merchandise is always different. Adam Schooley, manager of The Coffee Table Café agrees that the city is a town on the turnaround and is glad to see construction continue around his café. “The more construction the better. It’s more costumers. There is a bank going up across the street and I feel like there is a lot of action going on here compared to other towns. A lot of the community leaders are very involved in pushing things forward,” Schooley said. January and February can be slow months for the restaurant business, especially when the economy is in a slump. Both the managers of The Coffee Table Café and Palazzo 53 have yet to see this slowdown. “We just want to see what else they can bring in. The more businesses, the more people
on the streets and the more tables filled,” said Santanna. Art Seen Gallery is another new business that the city has attracted. The gallery is a group of 30 artists from across the area who have all chipped in to rent the building as a place to feature their work. Each artist gets a portion of the wall, ceiling and floor-space to display their art and then each of the 30 artists takes a day to run the store. “It’s different from other galleries because of the variety. You can go from looking at Russian Nesting dolls painted to resemble football player to seeing a more impressionistlooking oil painting in a matter of steps. There are very few places in this area with such a contrast in art,” said TJ Evanchik, the son of one of the 30 artists. Evanchik explained that the reason the group picked this location was due to the Pittston City clean up. “It’s a great location on Main Street and it looking nicer and nicer everyday,” said Evanchik. Hopes are high for this area as it experiences its own renaissance. “I think that what people are hoping is that we are the flagship and that other stores and people will want to come and possibly feed off of the costumers that we have brought in. From what we’ve heard, it sounds like that is going to happen,” said Kelleher.
Instress is now Accepting Submissions MU’s literary magazine is now accepting:
Short fiction Photography Poetry Art E-mail all pieces as attachments to Instress@misericordia.edu Please proofread your own work as nothing will be changed from what we receive.
No anonymous submissions will be accepted.
Lent offers season of hope
Campus celebrates Lenten season and focuses on relationship with God. By Nicole Battista, Reporter
MORGAN HARDING/THE HIGHLANDER
Clockwise, a table of men’s shirts at the new Boden clearance store on Main Street in Pittston. Above, an assortment of artwork is displayed at Art Seen Gallery also on Main Street in Pittston. Above right, hand blown glass flowers sit in an old wagon wheel in the entrance of the Art Seen Gallery. Right, an variety of flats priced at $50 are presented on a bench in the showroom at Boden clearance store.
MU Campus Ministers describe Lent as a season for renewal and reconciliation of one’s relationship with God through three disciplines: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Chaplain Father Don Williams provides a metaphor to help people fully understand the meaning of Lent. “In the physical world if we see a house burning it will go from fire to ash. In the spiritual world, we go from ashes to fire. This journey of faith invites us to go from the spiritual death of selfishness and sin to new life, renewed in spirit as individuals and as a community of faith with the fire of God’s love and a passionate desire to live our lives in a more intentional way,” he said. A popular Lenten topic is personal sacrifice, whether it is cutting donuts, red meat, video games, or caffeine. “I am one of 11 children. On the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, we’d have to declare what we were giving up as a good. It was like a 40 day endurance test,” said Williams. He will spend his time reconnecting with those he has lost touch with who really could use his help. According to Director of Campus Ministry Chris Somers the question should be “what are you doing for Lent?” not “what are you giving up?” “Fasting should be intentional, meaningful for the individual,” she said. Somers will spend more time focusing on quiet prayer for Lent, to have a better connection with God. While someone could give
up something they enjoy, Campus Ministry officials say the focus should be on self-improvement and the strengthening of relationships with others, with themselves, and with God. One annual campus Lenten program is Operation Rice Bowl. It is organized by Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Operation Rice Bowl raises funds to help farmers improve harvests and preserve the land, support and promote quality education for all people, bring clean water to families and communities, provide loans that help small businesses, and train health workers to care for families with young children. Seventyfive percent of the contributions support CRS’ humanitarian efforts. A special Palm Sunday liturgy will be offered on April 1 at 7:00 p.m. and a celebration of the Easter Sacraments will be on April 16 at 7:00pm. The RCIA/Rite of Election will be on February 26 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton. There will be a communal celebration March 21 at 4:30 in the chapel. The annual Passover Seder meal will occur on April 1 at 4:00 p.m. in Insalaco Hall. Theology on Tap is offered on Tuesdays, and students can sign up at campus ministry. Sacred Silence on Feb 29 will be at 8:30 in the Chapel, and Spirituality on Tap will be on March 12 at 4:30 in campus ministry.