Cougar’s Den gets a well deserved makeover...P2
Cheerleaders fly home with a national ranking...P5
January 31, 2012 highlandernews.net
INTERNET BLACKOUT
By April Dulsky, Web Editor
Two political bills brought into the public eye by a massive online blackout sparked a clash between media corporations, elected representatives and the public. The House of Representatives and the Senate in 2011 drafted two bills called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA). According to the New York Times, the bills were drafted to combat online piracy and copyright infringement of movies, music, medication, and more. “The bills also took aim at American search engines like Google and Yahoo, payment processors like PayPal and ad servers that allow the pirates to function,” according to the New York Times. According to major websites and media professionals, censorship was the major fear brought on by the current bills as they stand because they carry the potential of removing entire websites, voices and information online. “The fear would be anyone with an independent voice can be taken away. There is a five years maximum penalty and the argument that they are not going to shut down blogs or websites. If you look at the U.S. history in the brunt of what laws allow you to do, we always go for the maximum,” said Dan Kimbrough, assistant professor of communications. A massive online blackout swept across the web January 18 in protest of the two bills approaching a vote in the House and Senate. Thousands of websites and search engines blacked out and redirected online users to information about the bills. “The blackout, if you went online, which people do, and you Googled something to find it, you couldn’t find the information because it was shut down and said ‘here’s why.’
This is why you don’t have access to information and here’s what happens if these laws were passed,” said Kimbrough. “I think it was one of the most effective boycotts of sorts because it made people realize.” Some elected officials
colleagues on this issue and finding a better legislative approach for tackling online piracy,” Toomey said. According to LA Times, 4.5 million people clicked, signed and shared the Anti-SOPA petition. Many who saw the
The blackout sparked people’s attention by showing the possibility of what the bills’ impact could be, even causing the Senate and House to delay the vote on the current bills. Many believe that delaying the vote will not be enough to
APRIL DULSKY/THE HIGHLANDER
When millions of internet users clicked the Google logo on January 18 they were linked to this website and asked to sign a petition against PIPA and SOPA. Over 5 million people signed that day. changed their views from “support” to “oppose” on the bills as the public pushed, through means of phone calls, emails and online petitions, for the representatives to reconsider. PA Senator Pat Toomey joined the list of representatives who issued an official statement on the day of the blackout about his newly reversed stance on the current PIPA and SOPA bills. “Piracy of intellectual property is a legitimate concern that should be addressed. However, the PROTECT IP Act and the Stop Internet Piracy Act are flawed, and I cannot support them in their current form. I look forward to working with my Senate
petition believed the messages were hard to ignore. “I shared it on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Many people were spreading the word as well on social platforms,” said Gabi Trepper, junior. Even though the blackout came as a shock for some, others were well aware that the websites were on the verge of protesting. Some were aware that an online demonstration was imminent. “I knew it was going to happen a couple days before the actual blackout. There was a huge list of companies like Google, Yahoo, Wikipedia and more,” said Chris Mott, Harvey’s Lake.
stop them from being enforced. “I don’t think that the blackout really worked because it doesn’t really matter how many phone calls were made to representatives or the government about it,” said Ali Rishkofski, sophomore. “The legislators will try and pass whatever bill they want. It doesn’t really matter what the public says 99.9 percent of the time.” The Motion Picture Association of America and Recording Industry Association of America helped to support and fund the two bills and this concerned many who understood the imminence of the issue. “The RIAA had something to do with crafting the law.
So you have a corporation invested in making money influencing the government in creation of laws. That would be like Smith and Wesson is allowed to help create gun laws,” said Kimbrough. The SOPA and PIPA bills are relatively new but laws combating piracy online are not. Other bills from the present and past have similar regulations that carry the intent of prosecuting people of all ages who infringe copyright laws. “The government and RIAA were allowed to go in and look at 13 year olds’ hard drives. They were showing up at kids’ houses, commandeering their computers, and saying you downloaded 160,000 songs illegally, technically this is 160,000 counts of copyright infringement,” said Kimbrough. Even though the two bills attempt to eradicate online copy right infringement, the notion of piracy has occurred since people were able to press record. The ease of tracking piracy is a new addition to multimedia sharing online. “When I was a kid, I used to take a cassette and put it into the tape player and record radio shows because we were too cheap to go out and buy the tapes. The first album that I ever got was Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation, and I think I made four or five copies of it for friends,” said Kimbrough. “They were all copyright infringements. They were just harder to track back then. Now it’s easier to track.” Many believe that the public outpouring of opposition cannot prevent legislators from passing bills into law. Some look to the past to understand what can occur in the future of the two bills. “They will pass it through if we want them to or not. They regularly pass bills that don’t comply with our laws at all. Legislators regularly by-pass the constitution and sign
Parking spaces slashed yet again
Continued on page 4
By James Fisher, Reporter
Parking on campus has turned into sport—students drive strategically, hoping to snag a suddenly empty space, or they weave through the construction obstacle course, dodging vehicles and potholes. Junior Dominick Dellos said construction-generated traffic is another snag. “The biggest issue I feel is that the road is so torn up that the potholes now have the potential to tear up your car and give it tire damage,” he said. “I just don’t like the cleanliness of how the roads are. I felt that they should’ve come up with a way to avoid the roads and the traffic that construction trucks are causing.” Dellos said this is the worst MU parking has ever been. Sophomore Aaron Orchard, a resident at the new Machell Avenue house, drives to campus from his residence. “It takes me twice as long to find a spot,” Orchard said. President Michael MacDowell said he is aware of the parking problem and knew it likely would be a concern for
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Construction workers install a piping system behind McHale Hall, January 19. students in light of the major construction happening all over campus. “Before we went into this project we had to constrict parking,” MacDowell said. “Last spring and fall we counted the parking spaces we had and we had 182 extra spots not being used.” Some students said they couldn’t fine spaces so they made their own spots by
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parking in the grass during the first week of the semester. Safety officers issued tickets and fines for illegal parking. “It’s not fair that they gave fines the first week,” said Orchard. “They can’t take away parking spots and expect students to willingly pay a fine for no spot on campus.” MacDowell said tickets were issued because students parked in faculty parking
spots. “The faculty was not happy at all with students parking in the teachers’ spots,” MacDowell said. “The reason for the aggressiveness with the tickets the first week was because of the students parking in the faculty lots, and unfortunately the grass parking had to be taken care of as well.” MacDowell reminds the campus community that students must park in white
Men’s Basketball Player Rebounds to Success
Senior guard Jeff Slanovec bounces to high rankings this season Page 4
spaces and avoid yellow faculty spots. Some students question why the heavy-duty construction didn’t start over the summer break, and MacDowell said the school was unable to get the permit to begin construction at that time, so construction was pushed to the fall. “We knew this would be the worst time,” said MacDowell. “We waited until the spring because we normally have fewer students than we did in the fall semester. Last fall we had 1,720 students, and this semester we have between 1,633 and 1,639 students.” Officials anticipate construction should end by August 1. MacDowell asks everyone to be patient because it will be worth it in the end. “We try to do everything we can to make the lives of our students better,” MacDowell said. “Part of it is building these new things, but unfortunately there’s pain to it that we have all to make it through.”
LOSS OF LION LEGEND By Josh Horton, Reporter
Joe Paterno tackled many battles throughout his 61 years at Penn State University. His toughest came just months after university officials fired him as their head football coach, but this was of a different nature. Paterno succumbed to a long-standing battle with his health. 85-year-old Paterno passed away on January 22, 2012 at 9:25 a.m. He was diagnosed with lung cancer on November 18, 2011, which happened to be just nine days after the PSU Board of Trustees decided to relieve him of his coaching duties. The Board of Trustees fired Paterno after longtime defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was accused of sexually abusing a young boy in the showers of a Penn State football facility. The same Board of Trustees, which showed Paterno the door, issued a statement shortly following his death. “We grieve for the loss of Joe Paterno, a great man who made us a greater university,” read a statement from acting president Rodney Erickson. “His dedication to ensuring his players were successful both on the field and in life is legendary and his commitment to education is unmatched in college football. His life, work and generosity will be remembered always.” Students are also mourning the loss, and some feel they have to pinch themselves to prove this is not a dream. “It has been a very emotional last two days on campus,” Penn State sophomore communications major Dan Cronin said. “Deep down, I think we all know he was 85, but it was just news you never want to hear as a Penn Stater. It’s a shame to see his story end this way.” Since his passing, people everywhere have been remembering Paterno as more than just a coach. “Penn State has been a huge part of my life and my family’s life and Joe was much more than just a football coach,” Penn State sophomore Nick Musto said. “He was a father figure to thousands of people and has done so much for the University and I was so sad to hear of his passing.” Dallas resident Don Berlew is an avid supporter of Penn State and has had season tickets for the past eight years. He mourns Paterno and the way in which he was forced to end his career. “As a lifetime Penn State fan, and Joe Paterno fan, I am particularly saddened to hear of his passing,” Berlew said. “I have mixed emotions. Obviously I am sad for Joe, but I am also very irritated with how the entire process was handled by the Board of Trustees.” Berlew said Paterno did not receive due process. “It is just a shame to see the last two months of his life go the way they did.” He believes Paterno’s cancer may not be the only cause of his death.“Obviously his illness is the main reason he died,” Berlew said. “But, to be honest I think he died partially of a broken heart.”
Let’s Talk Fashion
Fashion columnist gives her expertise on style savy web sites - Page 3
A Look Back at Legends
Dellos talks with Amershak about old school MU hoops and lifelong friendships - Page 4
2
highlandernews.net
News
Cougar Radio jam packed Cougar Radio djs working to make a bigger name for themselves with events and promotions over the airwaves. By Shawn Kellmer, Reporter Just like the rest of MU, Cougar Radio is under construction as the staff is hard at work to improve its presence on campus and in the community. The radio station is holding events throughout the semester, teaming up with various non-profit groups to help raise money for each charity’s cause. The events are also a way to help include the entire student body, not just communications students, and get them involved with the station. One of the first events is the Leap Year Dance, which Cougar Radio will co-sponsor with Colleges Against Cancer, a group of the American Cancer Society that supports and gives guidance to college students to bring the fight against cancer to campus. “We wanted to celebrate [Leap Year] since it only happens once every four years, and we hope to make it something really special,” said Julia Truax, Cougar Radio station manager. “We hope to get a student DJ to spin at the dance, further incorporating the talents of Misericordia students.” Scheduled for February 29, the theme will be “Masquerade,” which was chosen partially because of its similar timing with Mardi Gras the week before. Students are encouraged to make their own masquerade masks to wear during the dance, which will be held in the dining hall. Resident assistants in Gildea Hall will host a mask-making program where residents will be able to construct their own masks—beads, feathers and all—for the event. The biggest Cougar Radio event of the semester will be the “Beats for a Benefit” concert on April 28. The concert will feature numerous local
nonprofit organizations and three local bands. It will be in Lemmond Theater and is expected to be the big finale of Spring Weekend. “The neat thing about our concert is that we’ll have a variety of local charities at the event. They’ll have booths set up with information about their different organizations, who they are, what they do, how people can participate or volunteer with them, etc.,” said Truax. “When people decide they want to go to the concert, they choose where
sion contest for local musical acts during the fall semester and the final CD will feature the winners. It should be available for purchase at “Beats for a Benefit.” Dan Kimbrough, Cougar Radio’s faculty adviser, came up with the idea while brainstorming on new ways to promote the station. “There was a radio station in my hometown, 96.3 The Edge, which used to release a CD every year called Edge Essentials. It was a way to showcase local bands and to promote the radio station.
their ticket money will go, which of the organizations they want it to be donated to.” The Student Government Association, SGA, is going to sponsor a barbeque at the concert and the radio’s staff is also working hard to get other menu items. They hope this will help draw in an even larger crowd than previous concerts held on campus. “Misericordia has had benefit concerts in the past and they’ve all been great, but Cougar Radio wanted to take a different approach,” said Truax. “We have so many awesome things to offer to the campus and we’re just waiting for people to catch on and take advantage of all that we do.” Something else that is new to campus is the Cougar Indiependence, a compilation CD produced by Cougar Radio. The station held a submis-
When we were trying to think of things to do that popped in my head.” After making flyers, completing interviews with local media, and putting submission information on the Cougar Radio website, several bands sent in their music. “I am really proud of how the CD turned out. I think that the genres of music really show the local music scene,” said Peter Falvey, New Music Director for the station. Part of Falvey’s job is to find and select new music for the station and although the CD contest is over, he encourages local and underground bands to continue sending the station their music to be added to the station’s on-air playlist. The CD will also act as a collaboration of students within the Communications Department. Students of the
Advanced Graphic Design class will be designing the CD artwork and insert booklet. Kimbrough asked Doug Martin, the class’s instructor and a professional graphic designer, to design the CD artwork. “I was going to do it, but I thought it would be a great thing to present to the class,” said Martin. Each student will be designing their own concept for the CD and they will get ideas and draw inspiration from listening to the CD itself. The entire concept is up to the students, including whether to use a booklet or a barrel roll insert for bands’ information. Once the student designs are done, there will be a vote to see whose design is used. Cougar Radio is also airing live sporting events. Since the beginning of the college basketball season, the station has been broadcasting both the Men’s and Women’s home games. The games have been archived on the website, www. cougarradio.net, so anyone who wasn’t able to listen to the game, such as a student’s relatives back home, could do so at their convenience. Cougar Radio staffers hope to broadcast other events, athletic and academic, this spring as well. The staff of Cougar Radio is also looking to include studio interviews with bands as well as interviews at shows. “This has been a big year for Cougar Radio with the addition of sports broadcasting, regular programming, Cougar Indie-pendence, and now this concert. Our hope is that we can establish a real presence with the campus and local communities and become a program that people regularly listen to,” said Truax. The radio station is currently in a constant evolution and needs more student
Hit the Right Note: Top Albums of 2011
Continued on page 3
By Peter Falvey, Reporter
21- Adele If you haven’t heard one of the songs off this album by now, you are truly living under a rock. The songstress composed her sophomore album, 21, after the breakup from an unnamed partner. As a result, the album is filled with heartbreak, anger, and forgiveness. Adele’s vocals mixed with the unflashy nature of the album made it hit across many genres and caused some to call her the “Anti-Lady Gaga.” Adele is the torchbearer in the British Soul invasion, which included Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. The album yielded three singles. The first single is “Rolling in the Deep.” This song became an instant hit with many artists covering it, such as Childish Gambino, John Legend and Go Radio. Go Radio’s cover was the best of the crop, in my opinion. Her second single, “Someone like You” is played about every hour on any top 40’s radio station. If you haven’t heard it, which you most likely have and are sick of, it is one of the most tear-inducing songs I have heard. The second it comes on the radio you
have to make a decision—to either change the station or get ready to be sucked in to Adele’s heartbreak. While many of my friends cannot stand the song, I simply love it. The third single is “Set Fire to the Rain.” This song is unlike the rest of the album, more like a power ballad with a very strong instrumentation and swelling string section. Overall I give the album 9 out of 10. Speak Now- Taylor Swift I was surprised to see that this made it to the second most selling album of 2011. Before I begin, I do not listen to Taylor Swift on a regular basis. I listened to the singles off the album. That said, I enjoyed what I heard. The first single off the album is “Mine.” This song is classic Swift; it’s a love song and is singable. The lyrics speak of the ups and down of young love. The second single “Back to December,” is a little different than most Swift songs. She is looking back at a relationship and realizing how careless she was. This is the first time that Swift has apologized to someone in a song. Some speculate that the song is about actor
and ex-boyfriend Taylor Lautner. I think we all remember when they we dating. “They both have the same fist name; could you imagine if they got married?” or some variation of that celebrity gossip was a common musing among Swift fans. “Mean” was the third single, and it has a great country sound with the potential to become the anthem to those who are bullied. Critics seem to agree that it is aimed at those who say she can’t sing. My question is “can T. Swift really play the banjo?” Overall, I give the album an 8 out of 10 hearts-made-out-ofhands. Born This Way- Lady Gaga Before I can address the content of the album, I feel the need to address that album cover. If you haven’t seen it yet, imagine a motor cycle with a Lady Gaga head. It looks like a bad Photoshop job. Then I noticed that that her arms are the suspension. The cover isn’t bad, just different (but then, what would you expect from The Queen Monster?). The first hit off this album is “Born This Way.” This song is club-ready, electro-pop with synth backing. It is about
self-empowerment and is a hit in the LGBT community. It became the fastest-selling song in iTunes history, selling one million copies in five days. “Judas” was the second hit off of Gaga’s album. It is classic Gaga, electro-pop mixed with controversy. The song was criticized by William A. Donohue, the president of the Catholic League, for the portrayal of Mary Magdalene. He also attacked her for releasing the song and video so close to Holy Week and Easter. The third single from the album is “The Edge of Glory.” It is a dance song that is about the very last moments of life. Gaga said the lyrical inspiration came from the death of her grandfather. My favorite part of the song has to be the saxophone solo by Clarence Clemons, which makes the song feel more like the music of Bruce Springsteen and 1980s adult contemporary musical works. Her music video for this song was very un-Lady Gaga. It was very simply shot and she only wears one outfit designed by Versace. I give this album 8 out of 10 claws.
January 31, 2012
Hibernation Over The Cougar’s Den gets a makeover and offers more menu choices. By Ellen Hoffman, Print Editor As sophomore Tamara Bradley walked into the Cougar’s Den for the start of the spring semester, she was welcomed by a new atmosphere. She first took notice of the freshly painted walls and new flat screen televisions before entering the renovated food service area. After oohing and ahhing over the shelves stocked with almost every candy imaginable, she scanned the new menus for something to eat. She decided on the Chicken Ranchero wrap and sat down, eagerly awaiting her meal. “I think the renovations will attract more people,” Bradley said. “I like the fact that things already seem to be running smoothly and I think the new Den will cater to more people’s appetites.” The Cougar’s Den closed December 12, 2011 so workers could begin the renovations. In addition to a brick oven, new fryers and a bigger grill were put in place. There is also a new deli station where students can create their own sandwich for just $5. A larger working area allows more employees—and more were hired to ensure a smooth dining experience. “The renovations started because the last time we did a renovation in the Cougar’s Den was probably 12 years ago,” Bruce Deeble, Director of Food Service said. “It just out grew itself and we couldn’t keep up with the volume.” Deeble thinks these renovations will enhance service. “Service and the speed of service should be much better just because of all the new equipment. We should be able to get things done a lot faster and we’re excited about it. I think it’s going to be a popular destination.” The Cougar’s Den opened its doors for a small opening Jan. 21, but the grand opening is scheduled for Feb. 7. Employees say they will work out any kinks. Activities are also planned to celebrate the final renovation. “We’re going to have a band through Student Activities and we’re going to have some giveaways and specials,” Deeble said. “Kind of a big blow out in here.” This semester also brings the start of work for the new retail manager, Mike Raub. After working in different schools he is pleased to serve with the employees of the Cougar’s Den. “It’s exciting that it’s new, bigger, faster
and fresher,” he said. A convenience store is another new addition. Students can use points or cash to purchase snack options like chips and candy as well as other supplies for the dorm rooms like laundry detergent and shampoo. Two new flat screen televisions and a new stereo system were installed throughout the dining area. The convenience store will be open according to Cougar’s Den hours. “I think it makes it more convenient for students without cars on campus,” sophomore Jon Bodack said. “It’s just easier for everyone in case they run out of anything and can’t get off campus. There is definitely more of a variety and a lot more healthier options.” With changes being put into place, Raub wants to make sure people know what is happening on a daily basis. He is working through the Metz Dining Facebook page to interact more with students and enhance their dining options. Now, daily menus are posted so students are more informed. “We want to make you happier to come here,” Raub said. The majority of students are excited and happy with the new look and feel of the Den but they also have some concerns. First year Ben Torres is thrilled with the renovations that were completed so far but also thinks there are some things that need to be tweaked before the grand opening. “I think they definitely need a mic system put in because I can never hear when they call my name,” he said. “Overall it’s way better. The convenient section is awesome. I think it’s all really good.” There are some things that are already planned to change over the course of the spring semester. New tables are scheduled to arrive 10 days after the grand opening due to back order, and over the summer a new lighting system is scheduled for installation. Director of Student Activities Darcy Brodmerkel is excited about the changes and optimistic about how the service and speed of production will change. “The service should be much better and I’m pretty confident in that,” she said. “It’s been a work in progress and we are very thankful to Metz Corp. for getting it done for us.”
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Final touches are added to the newly remodeled Cougar’s Den before the small opening on January 21.
INTEGRITY STAFF Katlin Bunton - Editor-in-Chief Ellen Hoffman - Print Editor April Dulsky - Web Editor Julia Truax - Content Manager Mary Bove - Photographer Morgan Harding - Web Master Audra Wehner - Business Manager Melissa Sgroi - Advisor
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CONTRIBUTORS Dominick Dellos Michele Drago Peter Falvey James Fisher
Misericordia University 301 Lake Street Dallas, PA 18612
Hilary Hoover Josh Horton Shawn Kellmer Gabriella Lengyel
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CAPS CORNER
“People will forget what you said; People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelo 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. The CAPS Center would like to invite students to the following programs: Paper Flower Craft Tuesday, January 24 3:30 pm Learn about relaxation and gratitude while crafting. Worry Box Craft Thursday, February 9 3:30 pm Discussion on stress and ways to reduce anxiety 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 wound -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. Have you experienced: •Wishing the weight, size, or shape of your body were different? •Weighing yourself often and obsessing over the scale? •Skipping meals, extreme dieting, or controlling your food? •Use of diet pills, diuretics, laxatives, or excessive exercising? •Categorizing food as “good” or “bad?” •Feeling out of control when you are eating? •Feeling ashamed, disgusted, or guilty after eating? Some students feel like they have to look a certain way to be happy or healthy. Disordered eating occurs when someone’s attitude toward food, weight, and body size leads to habits that jeopardize health, happiness, and safety! So what can I do? Get Screened! The CAPS Center is offering FREE, Confidential, Anonymous eating attitudes screenings for all students! Come by yourself, or bring a friend. When: Wednesday, February 15th Time: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM Where: CAPS Center (lower level McGowan) How: No appointment necessary—just stop by! Want more info? Contact Megan at 570-674-8024, mtucker@misericordia. edu, or stop by the CAPS Center!
January 31, 2012 3
Arts & Entertainment
LET’S
TALK
FASHION
Recipe for Disaster: A Collegiate
y r a n Culi
Column
By Michele Drago Fashion Columnist
Welcome back to another semester of classes and fashion. I’ve decided to start this new year off with a bang by sharing my secrets about how to become a fashion maven in such a small town. I know how to make something out of the street style and chic boutiques surrounding me, and that’s how I searched for ways to follow high fashion without actually being in NYC or LA. Fashion magazines aren’t the best source for the most craved seasonal styles anymore, but blogs, social media, and applications have taken over the scene. Here are a few at which you should take a peek. Even though it has been around for the longest time, last semester I made my most favorite discovery ever: Polyvore. Ever since I found this site, I’ve been obsessed with everything you could do just by downloading a Polyvore tab. This site takes online shopping to a whole new level as you can create your own virtual style boards that can even resemble magazines like Vogue. One can combine different clothing pieces to create a desired look. Not only is it known for its usability, but, once an account is created, you can explore and “like” others sets as well. Best part of all, Polyvore holds weekly contests for fashion getaways and store gift certificates like nobody could imagine. It is perfect for getting your foot in the door of styling or creating themed fashion boards. “I love creating sets because even though I don’t go to school for fashion yet, I can still show off my ability to put outfits together through this site,” said Becca Dennis, a featured student on College Fashionista. Pinterest is also rising on the list of must-have fashion “pinning sites.” I’ve noticed more are starting to join the site that lets you create boards of everything you love from fashion to food to pictures of cats. While Pinterest is starting to gain popularity, there are still a few glitches to look out for: followers never add up correctly, pins may not actually get pinned, and the iPhone app…well that’s another story. Let’s just say, it needs some work. Pinterest is not only for the fashion crowd: it’s becoming the next best thing to Facebook. “Pinterest has made it easy to put everything I love from sites together on one page,” said Jill Edwards, MU class of 2011. “I’ve even been asked to use
it a few times to get ideas for my internship.” Be warned though, because once you start pinning your favorites, time flies by and you realize you’ve spent your whole night looking at pretty ballet flats, creative DIY’s, and exotic destinations. Obviously, I know this by personal experience. After getting my iPad, I searched everywhere for fashion apps that I could fill it with. Well, my search ended when I couldn’t even find one that interested me as much as the Fashion Blog Roll -- aka the best $2.99 I’ve ever spent. This app combines every world famous fashion blog into one app. It makes it easy to get the latest posts from StyleBubble, Refinery 29, College Fashionista, Women’s Wear Daily, StreetPeeper, the Sartorialist and a few more that are hard to resist. Since blogs are taking over the fashion world for both designer collections and street style from London to Italy to China to the U.S., this is a must for any aspiring Fashionista. It’s the best app to have when you’re sick of magazines showing stick thin models and instead want to view the styles of fashion bloggers. Don’t have an iPad? Chicfeed for the iPhone has the exact same feature. Speaking of the iPhone, there are two apps I can’t go a day without viewing: StyleCaster and Stylebook. I’ll admit it, I only look at StyleCaster on a daily basis because the weather in Dallas, PA is so unpredictable and there are times when I’m definitely not wearing a heavier jacket for the cooler weather or wearing ballet flats in the pouring rain. This genius app tells you the weather of the day and how you should dress for the outside conditions. It’s saved me a few times, telling me to wear a heavier jacket when we randomly had a snowstorm during this strangely warm winter season. Stylebook is the perfect app if you just want to keep the pieces you own organized, because everyone’s found something in their closet they’ve forgotten about. These are just a few of my must haves for those fashion followers who want unique ways to find what they love. I forgot to mention how exciting this semester is going to be with “Let’s Talk Fashion.” Look out for exciting interviews, designer collection reviews and more. You’ll find out what’s in store --- next time.
By Hilary Hoover Culinary Columnist
Being vegan, I’ve heard a pasta, and salt and cook on lot of interesting substitutes high for 7-10 minutes. for animal products: Boca While this is cooking, in a burgers made from soy and separate pot combine your veggies; rice, oat, and hemp other ingredients and stir milks; applesauce and bakon low heat to combine the ing powder to replace eggs; mixture. and a variety of soy and rice Drain the noodles and “chreese” blends. combine them to the “chreese” But as I looked into posmixture in the pot, maksibilities for my next recipe, ing sure that it covers the I came across an ingredinoodles. If it starts to become ent that I was not familiar a little dry, add a little bit with: nutritional yeast. It’s a more buttery spread and soy. powdered form of fungus that When you are confident in acts like a the mixparmesan ture, pour it The Recipe: (serves 1) cheese into a baby substitute. Dinner time in less than 30 casserole Nutridish—mine tional is another min! yeast is relic from the a great depths of the 1 cup of uncooked pasta source of White House vitamins kitchen—and ½ cup of soymilk B1, B2, top with B3, B6, ¼ cup of mashed potatoes breadcrumbs and B12. and a slice of Ignoring veggie cheese 3 tablespoons of the tempand bake untation to til browned. nutritional yeast call out This should “BINGO!,” take another 1 tablespoon of buttery I read fur10 minutes. ther into I pride spread the label. myself on A serving making Dash of onion powder size of 1 things look ½ tabledelicious, Dash of curry powder spoons but everyone contains knows looks 1 slice of veggie cheese 1 gram of can be defat and 8 ceiving. I can 1 piece of hardened toast grams of only imagine protein. “The Creamade into bread crumbs Let’s face ture from it though, the Black no matter Lagoon” how good it is for you, it’s got morphing over the sides of to taste even better. the dish and panicking as I In our latest recipe for try to vanquish it with a fire disaster, a fungus is among extinguisher. us! Will nutritional yeast be However, on the first bite, an interesting way to energize I noticed that this beast was a dish or will it take over like very tame. Quite mild as far a black and white horror film? as the cheesy flavor goes. The Find out as we tackle macanutritional yeast provides a roni and cheese! creamy, nutty, and cheeseBegin by cooking your pasta like flavor to the recipe, which and preheating your oven kind of took me aback. to 375 degrees. I’ve found It was actually rather good that cooking your pasta in and I give the recipe two the microwave and cooking thumbs up. your pasta on the stove take As the cold wintery days berelatively about the same gin and we seek warm comfort time when you’re making food recipes to fill our bellies, a small batch, but I would this recipe can be altered to rather make it on the stove. fit anyone’s dietary concerns. Add a little salt to two cups Nutritional yeast is vegan, of water as you are boiling to soy-free, and celiac friendly. increase the temperature of This is a great dish to kick off the water and add your pasta the winter air! at full boil. Cook until desired Questions? Comments? Sugdoneness- usually about 10 gestions? E-mail hooverh2@ minutes for a softer noodle. misericordia.edu If you decide to microwave your noodles, combine water,
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 out at a bar. Don’t forget to check out our weekly contests and you can win some really cool stuff including dinners, trips, concert and sports tickets and more!
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volunteers. They are in need of students willing to be on-air DJs, doing anything from a morning talk show to hosting their own block of music. Students are needed to sell advertising space to local businesses and to help out with the dance and the concert as well as any other event the station may have. Any interested students are asked to attend Cougar Radio meetings Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the radio station in the Banks Student Life Center. Cougar Radio is not only for Communications students but the entire student population. For any questions or for more information on how to get involved with the station, contact Julia Truax at truaxj@ misericordia.edu or through the station’s email. Anyone with a band suggestion or submission can contact Peter Falvey by emailing cougarradio@misericordia.edu.
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Sports
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Surprise success for Slanovec Senior Jeff Slanovec finally finds himself in an offense that fits his game. By Josh Horton, Reporter The first time Misericordia men’s basketball coach ever heard of Jeff Slanovec, was when he walked into his office during his freshman year at Misericordia. Most players at the division three level are recruited prior to joining. However, the name Slanovec was not on coach Woodruff’s whiteboard. “I wasn’t really a basketball recruit to begin with,” Slanovec said. “I was a baseball recruit here. So, coach had no idea who I was.” Slanovec turned a less-thanaverage high school basketball career into a stellar college career. In high school, he scored just six points per game and was a non-factor in the Lehigh Valley. It all changed when he got to MU. He doubled his average points per game from six to 12 and has started every game this season. He is also second in the team in average minutes played per game with just over 32 minutes per game. Defensively, he is second on the team in both rebounding and steals. “I think it is a combination of a lot of things,” Slanovec said of why his game has improved so much since high school. “I definitely think it has a lot to do with the coaching staff. The offense we run fits my style and has really allowed me to do well.” Head baseball coach Pete Egbert recruited the 6’3 senior to play baseball for the Cougars. However, he felt he had something to offer to the basketball team. As a freshman, Slanovec was a role player. His main role was to come off the bench and shoot the rock. “I spent my freshman year basically as a shooter off of the bench,” Slanovec said. “I would come in basically when the other team would go zone and we would need a scoring or three point spark off the bench.” In high school, Slanovec was far from a scoring threat as he averaged just six points per game. But his teammates don’t only boast about his offense. Sophomore point guard Matt Greene feels Slanovec is the team’s best defensive player. “In high school he wasn’t as aggressive both offensively and defensively. Now he is probably our best defensive player,” Greene said. “He communicates very well on the court and offensively he’s looking for his shot more which is
what we need him to do.” Slanovec feels the difference between his high school and college performance is confidence. At MU, he doesn’t have to worry about coming out of the game if he misses a few shots. “I think I am allowed to do things that I wasn’t allowed
minutes off the bench as a shooter, Slanovec found his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore and has been there ever since. “As I moved into my sophomore year, I fit the role that coach wanted in the starting lineup and I just kind of took off,” Slanovec said. “I like
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Above, Slanovec practices his outside shots during warm-up before the second half of the game against Delaware Valley. to do in high school. In high school, if I were to make a shot and then miss a shot, I would come out of the game,” Slanovec said. “Where as here, you know that nobody shoots 100 percent and you are going to make shots and you are going to miss shots. As long as you and your coach are on the same page, you are going to be able to have success.” Misericordia Men’s Basketball Head Coach Trevor Woodruff and Slanovec got off on the right foot from when they first met due to Slanovec’s knowledge of the game. “When I came in, I could tell right away that the two of us were going to be able to fit, because he liked that I knew the game of basketball and I was able to pick up plays quickly and scouting reports quickly,” Slanovec said. “I think that helped me get more and more playing time as a freshman.” After getting quality
playing in the system and it fits my style.” Slanovec credits his success to Woodruff ‘s confidence in him. That’s the most important thing to Slanovec and without it he feels he wouldn’t be nearly as good. “I think coach really has confidence in his players to do what they do best, whether it is passing or shooting or rebounding, you are allowed the freedom to make plays that suit your game,” Slanovec said. “As a shooter, he has always had confidence in me to knock down shots, whether it’s from the three-point line or it’s a pull up jumper. Having that confidence from a coach as a player is big.” One thing Slanovec tries to do each day is learn. “I think we have to use everyday at practice and both in games to learn a lot about not just yourself, but a lot about the team,” Slanovec said.
“The quicker you can pick up on things, the better you are going to be able to sharpen up on those things and it’s all about doing the little things. If you know something that you didn’t know the day before you are going to be much better the next time you go out.” Slanovec’s daily approach has resonated with the younger player on the team, especially with Greene. “I learn from him every single day,” Greene said. “He helps me a lot, mostly on defense. We all know we strive to be a defensive team. He never lets me slack off or be satisfied with my game, which is huge.” He admits playing two sports throughout his 3 ½ years on campus has been tough. He learned quickly how to manage his time and even took one of his childhood rules to school with him. “Playing two sports is an absolute grind, but I was taught from a young age that schoolwork always comes first. When I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to go outside and play or practice until our homework was done,” Slanovec said. “I have kind of just taken that with me to college and I try to not procrastinate too much and get the bigger assignments done whenever I can, because I know that any day can become a four-hour road trip somewhere.” He feels it also helps that both of his coaches’ respect and support that he plays two sports. “I have been fortunate enough to have two coaches that respect that I play both sports and they know that while I am in one sport, I am still working on the other sport,” Slanovec said. “I can’t go three months without picking a basketball and I can’t go three months without picking up a baseball bat.” With every game, Slanovec has been getting closer to the 1,000 point milestone. If he does indeed reach the milestone, he will be the second Cougar to do so this season. The first was Ethan Eichorst. However, Slanovec doesn’t want to think about that now. “I am pretty sure I am close, maybe 70 or 80 points (until his 1,000th),” Slanovec said. “But, honestly I don’t even care about that right now. We are in the playoff hunt and my main focus is winning games and getting better and better as a team as the season goes on.”
Eichhorst, Woodruff celebrate at King’s Men’s basketball is victorious at King’s College in close game that secures Coach Woodruff’s 100th win. By Dominick Dellos, Reporter Ethan Eichhorst’s layup with 1.4 seconds remaining lifted the Cougars to a dramatic 62-60 victory Wednesday night at King’s College. After a timeout, with the score tied 60-60, Eichhorst caught an inbounds pass with 4.4 seconds left at the top of the key and exploded past a defender for a layup with 1.4 seconds still on the clock. A King’s desperation heave from behind half court didn’t come close as Coach Trevor Woodruff picked up a milestone 100th career win. “Coach Woodruff drew up the play on the white board, and we ran it practice many times before,” Eichhorst said. “It was supposed to be a fake handoff to Undy [Chris Undersinger], but I felt it wasn’t going to work so I took it upon myself to score.” Eichhorst had a team high 17 points and grabbed six rebounds as he played all 40 minutes to lead the Cougars. Reaching the 1,000 point mark earlier in the season, it was only fitting for the ball to be in the hands of the 6’4” Senior Captain with the clock ticking down. “We had to give the ball to our best player in the best position for him to score,” Sophomore point guard Matt Greene said. “They had to respect the jumpshot of Undy
and that allowed Ethan to take his man on.” In front of 1,500 fans inside Scandlon Gymnasium, the Cougars found themselves
Greene three pointer cut the lead to 49-48. The Cougars took the lead 57-56 on a pair of free throws by Steve Artzerounian with
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Coach Woodruff encourages players during a recent home game. down early on the road yet again. According to Eichhorst, defense was the key to weathering the storm early and getting back into the game. King’s lead 21-9 with 8:23 to play in the first half. “It was an intense game, and a hectic atmosphere,” Eichhorst said. “We started slow but our defense held strong, especially in the final minutes.” The Cougars took a 29-28 lead into halftime, but with 9 minutes remaining found themselves down 49-41. A key 7-0 run capped by a Matt
1:13 remaining. After a Matt Greene three-pointer extended the lead to 60-56, King’s fought their way back to tie the game late, setting up Eichhorst’s heroics. “The atmosphere was crazy, something any player dreams of playing in,” Greene said. “That was the best feeling and best game I’ve ever played in.” Despite the big stage, the Cougars seemed unaffected by the crowd down the stretch. “Basketball is all about confidence,” Greene said. “You can’t play timid. I was in the huddle telling the guys to be
confident, and shoot the shot if you have it.” The 100th career victory for Coach Trevor Woodruff couldn’t have possibly been scripted any better. “He deserves it,” Greene said. “He’s a great Coach, we believe in what he does. He does a lot for us on and off the court, and sometimes I think we take it for granted. He recruited me and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.” “It’s a big achievement,” Eichhorst said, who in his fourth and final season under Woodruff. “We knew about it and wanted to come out focused. I’m glad we got it for him.” The Cougars improve to 12-6 on the season, and 4-3 in the conference, while looking to build momentum after the key win. “We celebrated, but it’s now over,” Greene said. “We have to keep improving.”
2012 Men’s Basketball Schedule 2/1 Wilkes (home) 2/4 DeSales (away) 2/8 Eastern (home) 2/11 Delaware Valley (away) 2/14 Kings (home) 2/18 Manhattanville (away) 2/22 Freedom Championship begins, time TBA
January 31, 2012
BOILING POINTS By Josh Horton Sports Columnist
In the world of professional sports, there has never been an athlete who has gotten more attention over the course of a season than Tim Tebow. One may argue Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant or even Michael Jordan has received more media attention. They would be right if we were talking about attention over the course of a career, but we are not. So why was there all this fuss over a mediocre quarterback on a mediocre team? The Denver Broncos were just 1-4 in the first five games of the 2011 season. They had a much-needed bye week in week six, and over the course of the week off they decided to give Mr. Tebow a shot. After all, what did they have to lose? At 1-5 going into week seven of the NFL season, not much. Perhaps there was no better week to put Tebow under center than in week seven against the winless Miami Dolphins. The decision proved to be the right one as the Broncos defeated the Dolphins 18-15 thanks in part to two touchdown passes from Tebow. Tebow has proven he’s a winner at all levels of the game, especially in college at Florida where he won two National Championships and was the first sophomore ever to win the Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately for Tebow, NFL defenses don’t care how good you were in college. It was time to prove he was a winner at football’s highest level and he was more than up for the challenge. As quickly as he found out what it was like to be a winning starting quarterback, he found out what it was like to be on the losing side of the game when the Detroit Lions destroyed the Broncos 45-10 in week eight. However, just like in college, Tebow took the loss as motivation to better himself and his teammates. The hard work and determination paid off as the Broncos went on to win their next six games to get back into the playoff hunt. The magic of Tebow wasn’t done yet. Since they won their division they earned the right to host the Pittsburg Steelers
in the first round of the 2011 NFL playoffs. Although the Broncos were the higher-seeded team, many still considered them a heavy underdog. Once again he silenced the critics with a stellar performance. The one knock against Tebow is he isn’t going to be an effective passer in the NFL. I guess he heard what his critics had to say as he threw for over 300 yards, including a long touchdown pass in the first play from scrimmage in overtime. The Broncos were definitely considered an underdog against the Steelers, but they were considered even more of an underdog in the second round of the playoffs. They would have to travel to New England to play Tom Brady and the Patriots. Beating them was far from an easy task. This is when Tebow’s magic ran out. The Patriots won in a landslide and the Tebow saga was over, at least for now. The amazing thing about Tim Tebow has nothing to do with what he does on the field but what he does off of it. Each week he brings in someone with a life threatening illness and makes him or her feel like the only person on the face of the earth. He also pays. This includes a plane ticket, game ticket and even spending cash. How many NFL guys do that? What is even more amazing is the fact that he is far from the highest paid player in the NFL. He was a backup quarterback before this year and their salaries are not astronomical. He also ministers to prisoners and has built a hospital in the Philippines. For the first time in a long time children have someone to look up to who does all the right things. There will always be people who don’t like him for whatever reason, whether it is because he is not the next John Elway or some other reason. I am not one of those people. I have always liked Tim Tebow and what he is about. He is a man who is using his God-given talent for the good of the world. What is not to like about that
SGA WANTS YOU! Student Government Association is seeking interested students to apply for the executive board this coming April to help make a difference on campus. Get involved and make a difference with SGA. This helps to build your portfolio and meet new people. And it’s fun! Stop by the SGA office in Banks Student Life Center for more information or email sgovern@misericordia.edu.
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whatever they want to sign,” said Mott. The current bills were shelved after the blackout, but the probability that they will be voted on and passed is the concern of many. The fickleness of people and the media is the reason some believe that the passing of the bill will occur in a matter of time. “Because a Kardashian will
get a divorce, that will be the biggest thing in the media and we won’t pay attention. Until people stop tuning into reality television and all the other things that don’t matter, and start educating themselves about what’s going on in Congress. It will get passed,” said Kimbrough.
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Cheerleaders chant to fifth
A Look Back at Legends Series: Amershek
MU cheerleaders fly home with fifth place Nationals win under their belt. By Gabriella Lengyel, Reporter The cheerleading team had two minutes and thirty seconds to land every jump and tumble, to hit every move and stunt perfectly. The team placed fifth in the nation in the Division II All Girls category at the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) College National Competition in Orlando, Florida. The squad worked extra hard to ensure their success against 100 other teams from all over the country. To qualify each team has to submit two video tapes worth a total of 15 points toward the final score at the end of the semi-final round. One, known as the “crowd tape,” showed the team cheering at games and doing community service. The other exhibited stunt safety and proper technique. Captain Amber Schmidt, junior, said she is proud of the team’s ranking. “People say to us, ‘Oh, fifth place, that’s too bad, you were so close,’ but to us, this is first place. Especially with the schools we were up against. As a [Division Three] school competing against all Division Two schools, there is a disadvantage,” Schmidt said. The Cougars were threetenths of a point away from taking fourth place, despite the odds. MU Cheer has competed in the UCA College Nationals for the past three years—but this was the first year the team made it to the finals. “We were always that next team that would have made it. To have come this far, we really are so proud of the girls,” Schmidt said.
Head Coach Tara Sinclair made the routine much more difficult this year by incorporating elite stunts. “One of our main goals was to achieve a stunt called the College Rewind, and we ended up getting four into the routine,” said Kayla Whipple, senior and captain. The girls’ challenging stunts stood out to the judges. “We also added an extra practice devoted to tumbling, and two girls who have never tumbled before ended up tumbling in the routine,” Whipple said. The team came back from winter break a week earlier than the rest of the student body to practice the routine and make it as perfect as possible. The captains also began enforcing hour-and-a-half conditioning practices twice a week with the hope these additional workouts would improve the girls’ overall strength. Aside from developing new skills and accomplishing new stunts while balancing practices, games, community service projects, and competitions, the team managed to accumulate an average of a 3.4 GPA for the fall semester. Maintaining this level of academic achievement was one of the goals the team worked towards together. Whipple and Schmidt said the team is looking for more competitions before they close out the season, but until then they will be spreading the spirit on campus and improving the program for cheerleaders to come.
January 31, 2012 5
Sports
By Dominick Dellos, Reporter She set her feet, bent her knees, held her followthrough, and as the ball floated through the air toward the hoop, no one would be surprised at the outcome. Swish. Returning to the hardwood brought back a world of memories, as Missy Amershek was on campus to play in the Alumni day game on January 21 with other Cougars of the past. At the shooting guard, she was one of the most prolific scorers, holding the women’s all-time points record with 1,365 points compiled over her career. That record stood for
sixteen years until current senior Christine Marks recently passed her on January 18th against DeSales University. During halftime of the Women’s game against Delaware Valley following the Alumni game, the top scorers reunited and post for pictures as the current Hall of Famer congratulated the future Hall of Famer. “I was happy to see Christine. She’s a great player,” Amershek says. “Sixteen years is a long time to hold a record.” Amershek played basketball at Tamaqua High School and looked to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy. Not only did MU provide a prestigious program for her career, but it provided her a chance to keep playing the sport she loves. Amershek was known for her scoring, but she also significantly contributed in numerous categories, ranking among the top 10 career leaders in field goals, 3-pointers, free throws, points per game, rebounds per game, assists and steals in women’s basketball history. She holds the MU record for
steals in a game—11. “I just played the game to the best of my ability, and the records came as I played,” Amershek says. “I enjoyed being a team player and never thought about records. It was about the love of the game for me.” Her accomplishments didn’t go unrecognized as she was an All-Conference selection four times and named team MVP twice during a career that spanned from 1992-1996. But, despite her individual accolades, her favorite memories remain the camaraderie of her team and the close-knit campus.“The friendships I made will last a lifetime,” Amershek says. “It was a great experience.” As for team success during her career, the Cougars were runners-up in ECAC playoffs her senior year. Coming back to Dallas to reunite with some of her former teammates for the alumni day game allowed her to notice the growth of the campus. “It’s crazy to see the campus change,” Amershek says. “It’s nice to see them incorporate
new buildings without making it seem crowded.” Amershek joked about how she didn’t even have the chance to play in the Anderson Center. “We played at Dallas High School or a dinky gym on the bottom of McAuley Hall,” Amershek said with a laugh. “When we were here it was so different. They have done a tremendous job.” When she heard she was to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a part of the class of 2005, she was honored. “It’s nice when I come back to campus and I can show my kids the plaque and they see their mom on the wall,” Amershek says. “It brings back great memories.” She received her Master’s in Physical Therapy from MU and went back to get her doctorate in 2007, and currently lives in New Ringgold with her husband, who she met at Misericordia, and her two children. “I wouldn’t trade the experience I had at MU for anything,” Amershek says. “It really is an amazing place!”
Recap: Men’s, women’s basketball success Big men lead in big win By Dominick Dellos, Reporter
Ethan Eichhorst scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Steve Artzerounian scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Cougars Men’s Basketball team beat Delaware Valley 73-59 Saturday January 21 at Anderson Center on Alumni day. The Cougars got plenty of production out of their big men as reserve Cael Evans added 10 points on a perfect 4-4 shooting from the field. The Delaware Valley Aggies couldn’t handle Eichhorst, Artzerounian, and Evans underneath, as their defense struggled to contain the Cougars who shot a sizzling hot 57 percent from the field in the contest. Matt Greene added 10 points on three three- pointers
in five attempts. After a tightly contested first half, the Cougars lead 34-31. But they never trailed in the second half, answering every run the Aggies could put together, and with 10 minutes remaining MU’s Matt Greene nailed a three pointer from the top of the key to put the Cougars up 52-41. A Jeff Slanovec breakaway layup put the game out of reach for Delaware Valley, 6446, with 4:30 remaining. Delaware Valley was lead by Jeremy Beckett who scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, while Jon Jernigan added 13 points. The Cougars improve their overall record to 11-6, 3-3 in the conference. The Aggies drop to 2-14 overall, 0-6 in the conference.
Hot shooting sparks victory By Dominick Dellos, Reporter
The MU Lady Cougars basketball team shot 50 percent from the field as they cruised to an 86-57 win over Delaware Valley Saturday January 21 at Anderson Center on a special Alumni day. Christine Marks scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, continuing her stellar play after recently becoming MU’s all-time leading scorer. Tyann McDaniel scored 22 points on nine-for-14 shooting including four three pointers in eight attempts. The Lady Cougars took a
20-6 lead early on a 15-0 run and never looked back as they entered halftime leading 41-13. The Cougars defense held the Delaware Valley Aggies to an ice cold 35% shooting from the field. Emily Soper lead Delaware Valley with 12 points and 8 rebounds, as the Aggies’ record drops to 11-6. The Cougars improve to 8-7 on the season and are 5-2 in conference play.
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, senior Ethan Eichhorst shoots a foul shot in the second half of the game against Delaware Valley.
Middle right, senior Captains Ethan Eichhorst, left, and Jeff Slanovec, right, talk strategy during halftime.
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, sophomore Sara Richards trys to get the fans to cheer along during a basketball game. Bottom, members of the squad perform their nationally ranked performance at half time.
Bottom, from left to right, first year Anthony Sergio, senior Chris Undersinger, and first year Cael Evans encourage from the sidelines during the game against Delaware Valley on January 21. Left, first year Joe Busacca handles the Rock against Delaware Valley on January 21.
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News
January 31, 2012
Job market appears slim for seniors VIEWFINDER: First Snowfall MU seniors face their next task of finding employment with graduation just months away. By April Dulsky, Web Editor
College seniors understand the risks and opportunities that come even before graduation day as they begin searching for employment in the current job market. According to the Bureau for Labor Statistics, unemployment averaged at 8.5 percent in December, while the national average for unemployment in 2011 hit 8.9 percent. This unemployment statistic is down from years past, but many feel the lingering impact is still causing the job market to suffer. “I am not confident in the job market because the economy is in horrible shape and people are constantly being let go of their jobs, even ones who have been working at companies for close to thirty years,” said senior Gabrielle Gattuso. According to the New York Times, in 2011 the number of people who received at least a bachelor’s degree and became employed increased while those hired with a high school diploma decreased dramatically. This New York Times study reveals that people need higher education in an unstable economy. “I think having a degree is the only way to even get considered for a job now. Basically, a college degree has become the new high school degree,” said Michele Drago, senior. But students are unsure if there will be any jobs to turn to, even after receiving their Bachelor’s degrees. “I feel nervous about searching for a job especially being a student right out of school. I constantly am wondering if there are any job options out there or if it’s just a lost cause,” said Gattuso. MU students are not alone when it comes to searching for employment. Directors from the Insalaco Center for Career Development (ICCD) explain they are available to aid those who seek their assistance and advice. Workshops and programs include resume and
cover letter reviews, the Guaranteed Placement Program, study abroad advising, help with job searches, interview training, mock interviews, and more. “We will actually bring professionals in from the real world and they will conduct a half hour interview of our students. A lot of students actually get nervous during that process,” said Carolyn Yencharis Corcoran, Assistant Director and Study Abroad Advisor. “Students are not required to come into our centers so students really have to take the initiative to come in.” With many on the hunt for jobs, upcoming graduates feel the pressure to do more to ensure employment. Some are seeking advanced degrees. “I don’t have anything set in stone, so to speak, for after I graduate, but I do plan on attending graduate school after graduation this May, which will hopefully help even more,” said senior Amber Gulla. Another program that the ICCD offers is graduate school advising. This program gives prospective graduate students a chance to learn about the different entrance examinations and what to expect in graduate school. “I don’t know if a lot of people know that we even have a testing center where students who are preparing for their GREs or MCATs can come in and take tests with us. We actually bring people in who administer these tests to come in and do prep courses with students,” said Corcoran. Many feel anxiety and stress when looking for jobs that match both their chosen professions and experience levels. Some seniors have massive portfolios and internships, yet still feel the weight of uncertainty loom on their minds. “I’m kind of scared to look for a job because even though I have completed nine relevant internships, I still am not completely confident that
I’ll find something, which is sad,” said Drago. Other students entering the job market believe that they are stuck within a catch-22, feeling that they are not able to acquire a job because they do not have enough experience, and not able to gain the necessary experience without a job. “I understand that experience is obviously important for many positions in different fields, but college students have to start somewhere,” said Gulla. “I have one word for gaining experience before getting a job. It’s called an internship. They can make a big difference in becoming employed or not,” said Corcoran. Certain courses invite directors from the Insalaco Center for Career Development to talk to students about anything they may need to know about preparing for the real world and what they can expect. “They allow us to come into a senior level class and reviews things they will need to know such as how to job search, how to interview, salary negotiations, illegal interview questions, and more. We will talk to the students about anything they want and need to know,” said Corcoran. Some students have hope that employers might listen to the new generation of graduates entering the workforce. Occupy Wall Street came to the mind of one senior who heard about a group of Occupy Fashion students, some in her very situation. “I’ve actually heard of an Occupy Fashion movement because students like me that have a passion for a career in this field will be interning our entire lives just to eventually find a job not in fashion,” said Drago. “It’s kind of unfair how fashion companies are operating right now and that they would rather hire unpaid interns than just add a few new positions.”
A career may be the goal for new graduates, but many believe that a first job should allow individuals to gain skills, those that they may take to another job. “I think a lot of students think the job that they choose after graduation, ‘it’s so important I need to pick a good one,’ but they need to realize what you’re looking at is to pick a job for just that time. It’s not going to be your end all, be all job,” said Corcoran. According to Corcoran, networking is a key component to landing a job. Social media sites, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, allow people to connect on a large scale and can even assist in winning the desired career. “Twenty percent of jobs are obtained through actual postings that people apply to, and 80 percent of jobs are actually made through networking. Networking is probably the most important thing in acquiring a job,” said Corcoran.
Bureau of Labor Statistics: December 2011
(Employment rate based upon education attainment)
High School Degree Employment rate: 54.5% Unemployment rate : 8.7% Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional, Doctoral Degree Employment rate: 72.9% Unemployment rate : 4.1% Look for more information about employment rates at bls.gov.
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, first year Jeffery Dittner makes a snow angel in agony outside McHale Hall. Middle, first year Nikki Singiser practices her handstand skills in the fresh snow. Bottom, first year Alexander Chapman jumps into the snow dressed in only swim trunks and a lei.