Viewfinder: ‘Dead artists’ perform one night special...P2
Instress is under construction...P2
December 4, 2012 highlandernews.net
Extreme Makeover: Hafey-McCormick Edition By Shawn Kellmer, Web Editor
A makeover is in store for the Hafey-McCormick Science Building. “In terms of a major project the science building will be next. It is a very expensive undertaking,” said President Michael MacDowell. According to MacDowell, MacDowell Hall, the campus’s new multi-purpose building, cost about $230 per square foot and the science building will run roughly $550 per square foot, making this more than double the cost. Dr. Russ Pottle, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, said he expects construction costs to top that of recent projects. “I don’t want to put a figure out there, but I can guarantee that this will be by far the most costly undertaking the institution has ever engaged in,” said Pottle. The Board of Trustees voted to set up a “temporarily restricted fund” of $510,000 to start saving
towards the project. “Now, they’re not going to be able to save enough to do this. We’re going to have to have a major fundraising campaign, but the board is committed to this and they’ve already put money to the side for it,” said MacDowell. Pottle said the building rehab is crucial to keep up with the evolving world of science and learning. “We really need to address that facility with regard to the entire University. The last time it was remodeled was many years ago, probably decades ago, and science has changed since then. Teaching has changed since then. The complexion of the institution has changed since then,” said Pottle. Because the project is still in its infancy, precise plans for the structure are still unclear. “At this point, what we’re doing is creating a series of design principles and facilities needs and
enrollment projections that we can give to architects or designers. Then we’ll see what they are able to conceive,” said Pottle. “At this point, I would certainly say that the building needs to be bigger than it is. How it becomes bigger is a question for people who are much better at building design than I.” Due to the uncertainty of the project’s specifics, there is not an active capital campaign yet. “From a design perspective, we don’t have plans yet and you really do need plans to begin to sell a design to people,” said Pottle. “I think it is an important gesture by the board to begin setting aside money for the building. That indicates to some degree fundraising has indeed started, in a kind of quiet way, and that we have announced that this is the next big thing and the institution is beginCONTINUED ON PAGE 5
ELLEN HOFFMAN/THE HIGHLANDER
Sophomores Angelo Conforti and Kristi Cianfichi prepare for their anatomy practical.
Administration Announces 13th University President
Meet Thomas J. Botzman Highlander Staff Reports
Misericordia University has a new president. The Board of Trustees and the Conference for Mercy Higher Education have selected Thomas J. Botzman, Ph.D., as the 13th president of the institution. He will assume the presidency on July 1, 2013. “I am very excited and honored to be selected as the next president of Misericordia University, which has an impressive reputation for linking the liberal arts and sciences to a career-oriented education,’’ Dr. Botzman stated. “The University has an impressive faculty and staff who know how to engage the students in learning, both inside and outside the classroom. It is an honor to follow Dr. MacDowell’s successful 15 years and be entrusted with the traditions of the Sisters of Mercy. My wife, Vanessa, and I were warmly greeted by the campus community and are looking forward to joining in the growing record of success at Misericordia University.’’ Dr. Botzman has served as vice president for business and finance at St. Mary’s College of Maryland since 2004, where he is also a professor of economics. His areas of responsibility have included finance, human resources, facilities and maintenance, information technology, government relations, athletics, sailing, and public safety. He also served as interim vice president for development and secretary to the Board of Trustees in 2009-10. Dr. Botzman previously served for 15 years on the faculty at Mount Union College in Ohio. “As president of Misericordia University, I will need to convey the pivotal roles of teaching, research and service to a wide range of stakeholders and constituencies, especially in matching curriculum
and program to students’ needs,” Dr. Botzman said. His background in both teaching and administration will aid his transition to the new leadership post. Botzman also served as the associate academic dean during the 2003-04 academic year and as director of international studies from 1993 to 1997. He was a visiting professor and Fulbright Scholar at the University of the Americas in Mexico City, Mexico, teaching there four times from 1992 through 1996. He was named an American Council on Education Fellow in 2002. Dr. Botzman worked in industry prior to becoming a faculty member and is the inventor of 12 U.S. patents. “Dr. Botzman’s background and expertise matched Misericordia University’s agenda for new leadership perfectly. He brings significant enthusiasm for this important leadership position, and a broad array of successful experiences that will enable him to build on the momentum our University has experienced over these last 15 years,” said Misericordia University Trustee Christopher Borton, who chaired the presidential search committee. The search committee, which was comprised of trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, and a student, was thrilled to recommend Dr. Botzman to the full Board of Trustees. “Over the last 15 years, the prestige of an education at Misericordia has grown immensely as the University has become regionally acclaimed and nationally recognized for providing an education steeped in rigorous academics, personal attention and in imbuing in each student a sense of service to others,’’ Mr. Borton added. “We know Dr. Botzman is the leader we need to build off of that momentum, continue the Mercy tradition, and take the
University to the next level.” Dr. Botzman earned a B.S. in engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He also holds an M.A. in economics and a Ph.D. in business administration from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Dr. Botzman was a 2011 participant in Harvard University’s Institute for Executive Management. Dr. Botzman and his wife, Vanessa, have one daughter, Gabriela, a high school senior. Misericordia University launched a national search in April The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to offer the position
to Dr. Botzman following extensive interviews on campus with the four finalists. “Tina and I are delighted that Dr. Botzman will be taking over as Misericordia‘s president on July 1,’’ said President MacDowell. “Tom possesses the background and the credentials to make him an outstanding president. His years of leadership in higher education at both private and public colleges, his interest and experience in international higher education programs, and his demeanor fit well with the people and programs that make up the University. Highland@misericordia.edu
ALMOST HOME By Devaughn Patterson, Reporter
Interior renovations are underway at the newly purchased 111 Lake Street house, which is planned to house students beginning fall 2013. Director of Residence Life A.J. Nudo said the university purchased the house as an administrative decision to grow res life. “It’s easier to convert and make some quick beds out of it because it’s not like what we did with the MacDowell building which takes a lot of time.” Nudo said workers will remove some walls, and add some, to make room for more beds and avoid year-long construction. As is the case with other off campus houses, such as Machell and the White House, Residence Life has advertised these room opportunities because they’re a convenient location for students who take classes at Passan Hall. Traditionally, the university used the Lake Street properties or Machell to house upperclassmen, from sophomores to seniors. “This year it’s a little different because due to the number of freshman brought into the university.” Nudo said the building could be attractive to students majoring in health sciences. “For juniors or seniors who have the majority of their classes at Passan Hall this maybe an attractive location to them because it’s just directly across the street.” ALLY Student Coordinator, Hilary Hoover and White House resident assistant feels that living off campus gives students completing fieldwork and internships more freedom to come and go as they
please, something they might not have if confined to a dormitory. “As a Speech-Language Pathology major, this makes my hectic 1:30-8:00 p.m. Monday class schedule so much more bearable because I can go home, change out my books and grab a cup of tea and still have time to spare.” Hoover first heard about the new building at the first Open House in October. Growing up in the area, Hoover passed the 111 House so many times that she immediately recalled the fountain outside and the heart shaped space on the tree where a limb was cut. “I always dreamed of what was like inside. Would it have a big staircase with a bannister to slide down? A big kitchen? A library? I can only dream.” Nudo said as of now, there’s no official number of students that the 111 Lake Street house can accommodate. That is dependent upon the architect’s design. “Hopefully as we continue to develop the renovation process, we can get a clearer number and let the students know the number of spots available.” Hoover said that she hasn’t yet been inside the grand house, but wants to see what it looks like before renovations begin. “I heard it has a gorgeous eat-in kitchen, which will be staying,” said Hoover. Nudo said before students can move in,the space must be redesigned and upgraded to fit campus system standards. “We have to put a fire alarm CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Thomas Botzman, Ph.D.
President-Elect Tom Botzman Fun Facts
-Originally from Akron, Ohio
-Worked at Goodyear Tire & Rubber where he invented a method of bonding polyurethane to cured rubber and a coating material for use on sulfur vulcanized rubber in the mid-80s. He holds both patents. - After St. Mary’s College was forced to close two residence halls during the fall semester of 2011 following two tropical storms, the cruise liner Sea Voyager was brought to the river running along the campus. Two hundred fifty displaced students were able to return “home” to the campus. - Currently a member of the statewide Leadership Maryland program, which focuses on regional development and social service issues.
Viewfinder: Cougars vs. Colonels
Exclusively on highlandernews.net
Check out photos from the women’s basketball team’s win over Wilkes in the Anderson Sports and Health Center.
Haute Campus: A look into the Holiday Chic Peek Runway and Trunk Show
Page 4
TARYN TALACKA/THE HIGHLANDER
111 Lake Street is unoccupied and waiting for students while a Dallas resident goes for his morning stroll.
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December 4, 2012
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CASH CHUGGED, Viewfinder: Dead Artists Perform SIPPED AWAY By Ellen Hoffman, Editor-in-Chief
Social expectations encouraging a risque lifestyle with no consequences are not the reality for most. College grads move out into the real world with $26,600 debt on average, and that dollar amount is growing each year. Included in that steep sum is the cost of tuition, books, meal plans, residential life – and alcohol. The average college student spends $900 a year on alcohol, according to the Student Health Service from the University of Pennsylvania. Multiply that by four years at college and that number jumps to $3,600. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates excessive alcohol use costs $223.5 billion a year. Take any typical, college-based movie: “Animal House”, “Old School”, “Legally Blonde.” These movies take place at universities and have one central element in common. John Belushi going to a toga party. Will Ferrell shotgunning beers. Reese Witherspoon dressing as a Playboy bunny. Through the Hollywood lens, drinking is glamorized. Drinking has no consequences. High school students look to these films to learn what college is about, to see what they will do in just a few short years. Students watch party scenes and feel like they need to live up to the expectations. They want to feel part of a college culture. Dr. Aaron White, Health Science Administrator of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse, said incoming college freshmen expect these movie scenes to translate to reality. “We do know that for college students their expectations about what role alcohol is going to play in their lives influences how much they drink when they get there,” White said. “And where do those expectations come from? Movies and shows that depict young people in college drinking.” Between television, radio, billboards and magazines, participants in a Department of Health and Human Services survey found roughly 22.7 alcohol advertisements a month. The survey aimed to evaluate the relationship between marketing exposure and alcohol use with participants ranging in age from 15 to 26 years old. The study found each additional advertisement that participants
viewed during a 21 month time span was associated with a 1% increase in consumption. Marketers want to start their audience off young and keep them hooked for as long as possible so they used participants from ages 15 to 26. In other words, teens start chugging beers before college and ended their habits years after graduation, according to studies by the Department of Health and Human Services. Dean of Students Kit Foley reported that 85 to 90 percent of the current freshman class admitted to drinking alcohol prior to coming to college. Incoming students take a survey during orientation with questions concerning alcohol and drug consumption. The questionnaire is anonymous and students are asked to answer honestly. “It’s not something that they’re learning here. It’s something they’re continuing here,” she said. Foley said that college students view drinking as the socially acceptable thing to do. For most college students, using beer bongs and flipping red solo cups is a social norm and the number one activity on a weekend night. Students can learn those habits from a number of places, one of them being advertisements and Hollywood flicks. Between 2001 and 2007, there were more than 2 million television ads and 20,000 magazine ads for alcoholic products. “When you watch college sports, it’s more beer than anything and then of course beverage manufactures have deals with networks and programs that they are the dominate advertising in the program,” White said. Communications professor Dan Kimbrough noticed that commercials or advertisements promoting alcohol products never display college scenes. Marketers use college aged students to make the scenes feel more lively but rarely use a college setting because that could show underage drinking. They gear advertisements to a younger crowd but use older people. “I don’t know if there are specific laws, but I think marketing-wise it’s never a college setting but it is college age individuals. Or it’s 21-year-olds who are the young,
PETER FALVEY/THE HIGHLANDER
Clockwise, senior Sean Vitale channels Bob Marley. Dr. Simko brings The Beatles back. Senior Justin Mulligan rocks with his guitar and junior Auraleah Grega recites a work of Walt Whitman during the Dead Artists Performance on Nov. 27 in the Mary Kintz Bevivino Library.
Victorian poet allows students literary, artistic outlet CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
By Alexandria Smith, Content Manager
Literature, art, photography and poetry are topics that staff and students combine to create Instress, the university’s literary arts magazine. The idea of Instress has existed for hundreds of years, according to advisor Thomas Simko, and was developed from two theories by Victorian poet Gerard Manley Hopkins on what defines poetryin other words, what makes poetry, poetry. “It’s based on this Victorian two part theory of poetics called “Inscape” and “Instress” and it’s one unified complex of characteristics with Inscape that gives things their uniqueness, where the Instress is what holds everything together,” said Simko. “So, when you’ve got the two parts together you’ve discreteness along with unification. So, the Instress portion of it, the title that the magazine’s named after, is that unification.”
The magazine – which has been the university’s outlet for all things poetry, prose, and art photography – has only been on campus for the last 50 years. Although this is only Simko’s second year heading the project, he is enthusiastic about the magazine and he said he did not hesitate when he learned there was an opening for the advising position. “I was a student here that submitted to Instress and I ended up winning Best Poetry portion of it that year, my graduating year 2007, and then when I came back as a professor it was being taken care of by another professor. He left, so they needed someone to take it over and I said “Absolutely, I’ll take it over,” said Simko. With that change in leadership came an entirely new approach to the magazine, including the type of content as well as the submission process that each piece of poetry, writing, and photography
goes through to be considered for the compilation. “We have a grading process. So stuff that doesn’t make the cut, doesn’t make the cut. So you might have a person that submits six things and they might get one
students’ creative force. “This magazine is a representation of the creative juices of this campus. So if somebody picks this up I don’t want them to read just anything, I want them to read amazing material,” said Simko, an
HEATHER MARSICANO/THE HIGHLANDER
The Instress staff holds the first meeting of the year. thing in. They might get nothing in, depending on the quality.” This is because he considers the magazine to be a representation of
idea with which several students on the staff, including senior English major John Meholic, agree with.
“We all actually care about releasing something of quality and value. We’re not doing it because we have to; we’re doing it because we’re passionate,” said Meholic. The publication’s design is also changing, said Meholic. The goal for a more comprehensive image for the magazine involved incorporating funkier graphics such as the infamous “Sir Chester the Cat,” the mustached feline featured on the back cover of last year’s edition. But in spite of this fun image, the work remains intense but enjoyable, according to senior Matt Wiegopolski who initially became involved with the magazine as layout designer for his on-campus communications internship. “With only a month to put the entire magazine together coverto-cover, it was a lot of work to do in very little time. But to be honest, I wouldn’t have had it any other way because the hard work
definitely paid off in the end. I enjoyed it very much, and I can’t wait to start the whole process over again in the spring,” said Wiegolpolski. “Hopefully, if it isn’t given away as an internship, I’d love to design it again, this time with more help from [senior Matt] Schlasta. But if it is, I will most definitely be helping with Instress this year anyway.” Though no design plans have been set, students who helped last year look forward to what this year holds and expressed what they hoped to see with this upcoming issue, which will be prepared by Meholic, Wiegolpolski, and junior communications major Heather Marsicano. “I really want to see more art in this year’s issue. We only received one piece last year, which was depressing. I would also like to see Instress being printed on gold leaf. It’s just that good,” said Meholic. smitha10@misericordia.edu
INTEGRITY STAFF
CONTRIBUTORS
Ellen Hoffman - Editor-in-Chief Peter Falvey Morgan Harding - Print Editor Josh Horton Shawn Kellmer - Web Editor Brittany Lovette Mary Bove - Multimedia Editor Heather Marsicano Arthur Dowell - Web Master Gia Mazur Alexandria Smith - Content Manager Devaughn Patterson Alexa Cholewa - Business Manager Taryn Talaka Gabriella Lengyel - Social Media Manager Melissa Sgroi - Advisor Misericordia University 301 Lake Street Dallas, PA 18612
CONTACT US
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. The Highlander is a free, biweekly publication produced in conjunction with MU Communications Department. Any full-time student is encouraged to join the staff. We are a member of the American Scholastic Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
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ROOM OF SECRETS By Peter Falvey, Reporter
There is always a hidden secret that eventually comes out. MU’s secret is its collection of artifacts, preserved by an archivist. Archivist Jessica Reeder previously worked at Harvard Law School Library in the Special Collections Department. “I wanted to be an archivist in general because I get to touch stuff that other people can’t touch, which is the fun part. I’m also a bit OCD so that works with my job.” Reeder explained that her role allows her to be a generalist, which she would not be able to do with her degree in English. Reeder went on to obtain a master’s degree in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archival Management from Simmons College. Reeder said what brought her to Misericordia was its strong sense of history. “I really liked that the school had a strong sense of history and had a lot of interesting pieces in its
“I do displays in the library and on the third floor of Mercy [Hall]. If people want to see things they can also come here. We also have a flickr site.” She keeps the prices mum in case there are any treasure hunters who are looking to make a big score in Northeastern PA. “We are not allowed to give prices of things in our collection. We are top secret about price because people might [steal things],” she said. “We have quite a few rare books. Our most rare items are our book collections from the 1600’s, they are primary religious texts. They are stored in the vault.” Reeder allows students interested in history to help manage the pieces. “Every year we have groups of public history students work on projects for the archives. They have primarily worked on the Center for Nursing History collection, which is a special collection we hold of photos for nursing history of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Reeder pages through an ancient book. collection,” said Reeder. “Especially with its connection with the Sisters of Mercy, you find things in this collection that you wouldn’t with other schools.” Reeder has a hard time deciding what her favorite piece is or what item stands out most in the vast collection in the vault. “The Alumni collection I find to be very interesting. We hold the charter for the school and old historical items, but the student perspective is a lot more interesting. You find a lot of weird things in there,” said Reeder. “We have beanbag frog with College Misericordia printed on it, books, and scrapbooks. I think it is interested to see what people hold onto past their college years.” The vault is small, but it packed with everything from religious texts from the 1600s to PR photos of the University’s presidents. “The photograph collection is the core of the school, really. It holds all of the snapshots. It has all of the PR photos, photos of the president. It kind of shows everything,” said Reeder. “We have thousands of photographs. Last time I checked we had over 40,000. It spans from 1924 to present. Reeder likes to have displays throughout campus rather than storing items behind lock and key.
PETER FALVEY/THE HIGHLANDER
Putting stuff out for display keeps people interested,” said Reeder. Reeder’s job does occasionally mean convincing members of the campus community to part with precious items. “I try not to harass them too much. We have a lot of alumni collections. We do slide shows when there are alumni on campus.” Reeder admits that sometimes she gets items that are not needed for the collection. “We do occasionally get things which we are not sure of why they were put in,” said Reeder. The biggest thing we get is copies and copies of things because people think that we are an archive so we need copies and copies of things. People often want to give us large portraits. Sometimes it is portraits of themselves or something that hung in their office.” Reeder said it won’t be long until she is calling current students and asking them to donate things to help preserve memories of their time at Misericordia. “Don’t get rid of everything. Get rid of some things, but not everything,” said Reeder. Those who are interested in the photographs can view the collection on http://www.flickr.com/ photos/sistermarycarmelmcgariglearchives/ Falveyp@misericordia.edu
The Highlander & Tina MacDowell presents...
December 4, 2012 3
News
Students help pick new pres By Arthur Dowell, Web Master
Students who assisted in choosing the university’s new president say they learned a lot. As the Board of Trustees searched for a new face of the university, they asked a panel of actively involved students to sit with the four presidential candidates and find out what each has to offer. The interview process was organized to allow students to have lunch with the candidates and express their concerns and ask questions that pertain to matters relating to the institution. The panel included students ranging from freshmen to graduate status. Panel numbers consisted of 12 to 15 students each day with eight of them participating all four days. Senior government, law and national security major Christelle Patrice has seen has seen the applicant pool go from nearly 90 people to the final four as search committee members slowly and thoughtfully narrowed down the group of potential leaders. “The entire process was eyeopening to me,” said Patrice. “Getting the opportunity to see everything from day one behind the scenes to the announcing of the new president, it has been an unreal experience.” Senior psychology and physical therapy major Sean Vitale was only involved with the luncheon process for two of the days - but he enjoyed all 120 minutes of it. “The experience was incredible, and I like to see the students opinions matter,” said Vitale. Sister Jean Messaros, Vice President of Student Affairs, set up the student panel. She asked staff and faculty to give her a list of students they thought would be the best to represent the school. She took a list of names nearly
two pages long and selected 30. She looked for students she knew would ask thoughtful questions and give the candidates the true sense of what the community means to the students. “I’m grateful for the students involved,” said Messaros. “They took it seriously and went about the week thoughtfully.” She emphatically expressed her belief in the importance of the students’ opinions because the students are ultimately what the decision is about. The process is not an easy one. Search committee members asked the student panel members to fill out the evaluations on the EMU page and provide their insight. They then considered the evaluations submitted by students, the Sisters of Mercy, staff, faculty, and administration. After looking through the evaluations, the search committee met with the Board of Trustees to present the results. The Board of Trustees then worked out confidential negotiations with the candidates starting with the number one pick. A little over a week later, the institution named Thomas J. Botzman, Ph.D., of St. Mary’s College of Maryland as the 13 president. Students who served as the core search participants included first year Kerrie Hall, sophomore Jarrett Higley, juniors Catie Becker, Arthur Dowell, and Dayna Richter, and seniors Ryan Hassick, Greg Korhonen and Patrice. Botzman is set to take over presidency on June 1, 2013. Until then, he will be seen around campus getting accustomed to his new role. Dowella@misericordia.edu
Campus Happenings CAPS Center The CAPS Center will be sponsoring “Pet Therapy Day” Wednesday, December 5, 2012 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Banks Center
What’s SGA Up To? Dec. 11- Sponsoring Take-A-Break in the library. Be sure to stop by for some snacks while studying for your finals. Buy some candy canes from us during lunch hours from Dec.3 to Dec. 7 to put in your friends mailboxes. Only 50 cents per candy cane.
Student on the Street
Students in the Banks Student Life Center are proud of the accomplishments of the 2012 women’s soccer team who made it to the Division III Final Four, a feat never reached by another MU team. “I feel proud. They really worked hard for it and put in a lot of time.” - Alexis Cosgrove, First Year
“I feel very proud that I was here to witness such a big accomplishment.” - Lindsay Lapresti, First Year
“I feel like it’s a momentous moment for them and great for our school because it gives us national recognition.” - Nick Stanovick, First Year
Almost home, continued Continued from page 1
into the house, and access to the home, if it’s cards or keys. We have to make sure we update those areas that were used for other purposes,” said Nudo. Nudo also said many rooms in the house are not currently designed to fit the requirements of a dormitory. For example, some rooms are just simply too large for that purpose. “There are multiple areas so they have to be redesigned a little bit. We have to add a wall here or close a door off here because there’s two entry ways in the room.” Nudo said student interested in living in the new house during the 2013-14 school year do not have to apply for the space in groups, as is required for other student housing accommodations. “It’s not one group taking the
entire house, it’s selected individually,” said Nudo. Nudo expects the 111 Lake Street house to draw a positive response because anything new or renovated is intriguing to students. “Hopefully there will be an excitement that we’re adding some more beds and student would want a quote on quote an off campus type of situation.” Hoover thinks students should consider living in lower campus throughout their college career to get an idea of what life outside of a dorm can be like. “Living in a house with your classmates is a really awesome experience, and I can’t understand why more people don’t do it.” Patterd@misericordia.edu
“I feel that it’s an extremely impressive feat and as someone who played soccer for 13 years I can appreciate their great success.” - Robert Korjeski, Sophomore “I think it’s a great accomplishment for the team and the school.” - Kevin Hoffman, Junior
Runway to holiday shopping By Gia Mazur, Reporter
Please join us...
Saturday, December 8 from 3-8 p.m. in Insalaco Hall 216-219 at Misericordia University
To r.s.v.p...
Email attendees to HolidayChicPeek@gmail.com, bring $5 for entry the day of the event.
Featuring... Jay McCarroll, Boden, Buka, Shooze, Tallulah’s, Duffy Accessory, Freedlove, Love, Want, Wear, Dazzle Boutique, Ellesse Boutique, Outrageous, Ah!Some Chocolates, Adele Riley Jewerly, Carleen Meskovich Jewerly & more... The Brown Barn Cafe will have a pop-up cafe where attendees can sit down and buy a bite.
Come ready to shop! All proceeds raised will benefit The First Lady’s Campus Beautification Project
Communications major Morgan Harding is no stranger to New York fashion shows, but during one of her trips to the city, she encountered one unlike she had ever seen before. Instead of models walking down the runway, giving the audience a 30-second glimpse of the outfit, the show served as a cocktail party where the models wore the clothing and mingled with guests. This kind of fashion show presented the clothes in the environment they would be worn in, very different from a blink-and-you-missedit show. “You can see [the outfit] actually being worn by a person. When you see something on a runway, it’s so fast that its hard to get all the details. It’s hard to know what material is and how it will hang on someone’s arm if they’re leaning forward,” said Harding. This is what “Holiday Chic Peek” runway and trunk show will offer to fashion-forward attendees. The show, which is sponsored by The Highlander, is set for Dec. 8 in rooms 216-219 in Insalaco Hall. Models will flaunt clothing and accessories from high-end local boutiques and vendors. The event follows last year’s “Stylista Strut” runway trunk show, which was also sponsored by The Highlander. Proceeds will benefit First Lady Tina MacDowell’s Outdoor Beautification Project. The project adds benches, trash receptacles, picnic tables, flowers and trees to
make the campus more aesthetically pleasing. Harding took note of Mrs. MacDowell’s interest in style and fashion, seeing her out shopping in local boutiques, and decided the event would be a perfect fit. “I thought maybe tying her name into a fashion show would be something that interested her, interested her friends and would be a nice way to send her off.” The runway show is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. where models will show their holiday-themed outfits and store owners will briefly speak about it - to help show goers to better see and understand the pieces for sale. At 4 p.m. the models will stand at each vendor’s booth and guests will have the chance to take a closer look at the outfits, mingle and shop. Vendors include Boden, Buka, Shooze, Tallullah’s, Duffy Accessory, Freedlove, Love, Want, Wear, Ellesse Boutique, Outrageous,Dazzle, Ah!Some Chocolates, Adele Riley Jewelry, Carleen Meskovich Jewelry and Jay McCarroll. McCarroll was the season one winner of Project Runway and grew up Lehman, PA. McCarroll’s contact responded to Harding’s invitation immediately, stating that the designer enjoys participating in events near his hometown. Harding said that while her original intent was to invite McCarroll to serve as the event’s keynote speaker, he humbly declined.
“His response was that he ‘just wants to be a normal store owner,’ so he’ll ‘talk as much as everyone else does,’” said Harding. “I think part of the reason he’s doing it is because Misericordia is in a small town, right next to where he grew up. It’s him coming home.” Model from the previous fashion and trunk show and senior Madalyn Payonk is returning this year and will feature McCarroll’s designs. While she is “beyond excited” to be wearing his designs, she hopes she “can wear the clothes like they deserve to be worn.” She is mostly interested in having fun. “It was an excuse to have a girls night and get dressed up. Every woman needs that with the constant stress of college,” said Payonk. Harding said the event will help show-goers get a start on holiday shopping, as the boutiques and vendors will have booths with merchandise available to buy. Baskets containing everything from baked goods to beauty products from local salons will be raffled off during the event. Children’s clothing boutique Baby Vogue, Kingston, will donate a basket perfect for Christmas gifts for little ones. Vendors who could not make the event also donated baskets, including RK Furs, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area’s number one furrier. “I’m sure [RK Furs owner] is going to throw in something like a
pair of earmuffs or gloves, because they’re going to want the purpose of their store to be captured in a basket,” said Harding. The Brown Barn Café will also bring a pop-up restaurant to the event and Metz dining has donated coffee, soda, and water to be sold by the students so guests can eat and drink as if they were at a New York City fashion show. “I want it to be a party. [In New York,] I go to these presentations. You see these really cool clothes, you meet nice people that you wouldn’t normally talk to and you eat and drink,” she said. Harding hopes the event will expose local boutiques and vendors to a larger pool of customers than they may already have. “You’re going to have a really, really nice selection of boutiques and they’re all going to be in one place,” she said. Having all the boutiques in one location is a bonus for attendees, according to Harding. “There are very few people who are going to drive from Scranton to Dallas to Kingston to WilkesBarre just to go shopping. That trip alone would cost at least doubled the cover to the event,” she said. Editor’s Note: Multimedia Editor and photographer Mary Bove will take photos at the event. They can be found on highlandernews.net. Mazurg@misericordia.edu
4
Sports
highlandernews.net
December 4, 2012
Viewfinder: Basketball Season Injury not quite end of the line By Brittany Lovette, Reporter
Clockwise, a member of the Lady Cougars takes a jump shot. Senior Katie Drayton is helped off the court during the Blue Wave game. Sophomore Caitlin Kessler shoots a foul shot. Head Coach Allison Kern shouts a call onto the court. MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Redshirting, a popular term heard on ESPN and during Division I broadcasts, is no longer a term in Division II and Division III sports. A medical hardship waiver, however, provides the same benefit as redshirting, but it comes with strict rules. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s [NCAA] website, red shirting is a delay in a student-athlete’s participation with the team in an effort to lengthen the time that player is eligible. A redshirted studentathlete remains on a team and practices but does not participate in any athletic contest. According to Athletic Director David Martin redshirting does not exist in Division III sports because of past incidents of cheating. State schools in Wisconsin used the strategy to play fifth year seniors who were bigger and stronger than younger players. He said that since there is no redshirting in Division III athletics, the only way a student-athlete can have an extra year of eligibility is in the case of a season-ending injury. That’s where the medical hardship waiver comes into play. According to the NCAA Division III Bylaws a student-athlete must have a “season-ending injury or illness that occurs before the completion of the first half of the traditional playing season, [which] results in incapacity to complete for remainder of season.” The student-athlete must have competed in less than one third of the maximum contests in the sport, according to NCAA bylaws. Administrators must determine if the student-athlete who seeks a waiver will be granted another year of eligibility within the sport. Some student-athletes on campus use their own strategies for preserving play time, at least partially because many are unaware of the rules. Former cheerleader and graduate student Kayla Whipple tore her anterior cruciate ligament near
Football player ‘saw’ way to score
the end of her freshman year in March 2009. She took the summer off to let it rest before she elected to have knee surgery at the end of the summer break. During her time at cheerleading camp, at the end of that summer, Whipple was again injured and learned she needed surgery to repair her torn ACL and knee. “Then I had to go back to the doctor and he said ‘Yeah you are going to need the surgery,’” said Whipple. “So that was when I kind of knew okay there is no way I can do this season because no matter what even if I waited for the next summer, that was too long.” Although she did not participate in the sport during her sophomore year, she attended games to help support her team so that they would know she would be back as soon as she got better. “I stayed on the team as long as I possibly could, and even when I wasn’t on the team, I helped fundraise, I would come to all the basketball games. The cool thing was I could still be a part of the team. I never felt that I was excluded, “ said Whipple. Whipple had surgery in December 2009 and was able to heal and undergo physical therapy in time for her junior year. She used her year off from cheerleading to focus on academics and strengthening her knee. “Getting back in, I was really nervous, one because I felt like I didn’t want people on the team to look at me as a quitter. I didn’t want them to think ‘Oh she left the team just because,’” said Whipple. “Honestly, it was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. It literally tore me apart.” Junior Julia Blaskiewicz, who runs cross country and track and field is no stranger to injuries either. Blaskiewicz started her freshman year with a stress fracture in her femur, and that prevented her from competing in sports. She used her first year on campus to train.
Blaskiewicz received another stress fracture in her foot soon after she started track and field and could not run for six weeks. “Finally as a junior, I am injury free,” said Blaskiewicz. Blaskiewicz became frustrated because as a runner, she couldn’t compete in the sport she loved. The only thing she could do to stay in shape was to use the stationary bikes in the fitness center. “I was really upset. I was really disappointed because I trained all summer, and the day I’m supposed to come back to do time trials and stuff, I literally couldn’t run,” said Blaskiewicz. “I was in so much pain that it was so nice to get an MRI that proved that I wasn’t just being a baby. That there really was something wrong.” Because this is her first completely injury free year, Blaskiewicz thought it was cool to see if she could improve her time. “It’s cool to see your improvements and show that your hard work does pay off,” she said. Lovetteb@misericordia.edu
Hardship Waiver According to section 14.2.5 of the NCAA 2011- 2012 Division III Manual. A student-athlete may use the Hardship Waiver to be granted an additional year of participation (per Bylaw 14.2.4) by the conference or the Committee on StudentAthlete Reinstatement. “Hardship” is defined as an incapacity resulting for a season ending-ending injury or illness.
By Josh Horton, Reporter
A strange surgical proceedure unleashed Paul Brace on the field. Logan Brace is more than just wide receiver Paul Brace’s younger brother: he is his most reliable doctor. Instead of the small medical saw trained doctors use to cut off a cast, Logan, a high school freshman at the time, chose a handsaw. The operating room did not resemble something you would see in “Grey’s Anatomy” or “House” but more like something on “Home Improvement”. There was no fancy medical chair or bed. There were no doctors, at least not one who completed the rigorous training of medical school. Instead the room was a garage where the family keeps tools needed to fix tractors. There was nothing wrong with the dusty old John Deere that day, but everything was wrong with the older Brace’s right leg. So the brothers decided it was time for the midnight blue cast to come off, even if it was against their parents’ wish. “It’s funny, they looked at me and said, ‘Don’t even think about it,’” the younger Brace said. “But, Paul told me to cut it off, so I did.” He started sawing at the top, carefully working his way all the way down to the heel and over an hour later the athlete slid the cast off of his leg with just one wiggle. “I just remember not being able to stop shaking, I was so nervous,” he said. “I had a saw in my hand and it was pretty much touching his leg.” That happened on a Sunday night, and the next day Brace was walking through plays at practice. By kickoff on Saturday afternoon at Dallas High School’s Mountaineer Stadium, he was running. “When I slid the cast off I was a little nervous, because I was having trouble walking with how stiff my leg was,” Brace said. “I knew I needed to rehab really hard so I could get back out on the field. He had some help from family friend and chiropractor Vince Argenio. Brace used Argenio’s indoor swimming pool in Pittston every day running, high stepping and performing squats. After six days of rehab, he scored the first touchdown of the game. On the second down from the 16yard line Dallas quarterback Ryan Zapaticky hit Brace with a short pass. Brace then shook off two defenders and dove for the pylon
with an outstretched hand for the first touchdown. “Nobody even knew if I was going to play or not. So everyone was surprised to see me out there and to score the first touchdown. It set the tone for the game and got the crowd and defense pretty pumped.” Then the waiting game began. Would all the big time Division I programs that contacted him before his injury call back? The answer was no. Every time the phone rang he was praying it was Nebraska, Rutgers, or any of the other schools that thought he was a Division I talent. The last time Brace had spoken to the schools was immediately after his first game of his senior season in which he had over 100 yards receiving, one touchdown on offense, and an interception on defense all in the first half for the Mountaineers. It was there the conversations ended. “Just to see all that flash before my eyes was heartbreaking,” a visibly distraught Brace said. “I didn’t think there was anything big to it. It was just a freak accident. I just tackled a guy and landed on my foot and my teammates came over to look at it and tried pulling me up. I couldn’t step on it and I was like oh no, this is bad. They kept saying, ‘Brace get up!’” The only coach to hear the screaming was Mark Ross. Ross sent Brace an email telling him he could make history by taking the field with the rest of the inaugural football roster at Misericordia. “I was getting calls from schools that were bigger and had more established programs than Misericordia,” Brace said. “He would always ask me how I was and how I was playing and stuff like that, which I thought was cool. It just showed me how much he cared.” Unlike Rutgers and Nebraska, Misericordia had nothing to lose by taking a chance on Brace. Roster spots weren’t exactly at a premium and the more bodies the Cougars had, the better. Brace finally made his decision in late May, and although he was heartbroken that he wasn’t going to be a Scarlett Knight or a Cornhusker, he felt there is a reason he ended up a Cougar. “My girlfriend goes here. My family has owned a family farm
for eight generations and I didn’t want to leave them,” Brace said. “If I went to Nebraska they would never see me play a game. I just wanted to stay around here and it will work out in the end.” From the moment he stepped on campus he knew he and the team had their work cutout for them. The only thing he didn’t know was just how tough it would be. After spending his entire football career knowing the guys he was lining up with at the line of scrimmage, he showed up for the first day of training camp knowing just two guys, and neither of them are on the team anymore. Brace spent his summer throwing three times a week with wide receiver Mike Barber and quarterback Chris Washo. “I would come up three days a week or so to meet with Chris and Mike and we would just throw,” Brace said. “We didn’t know what kind of offense we were going to run, we didn’t know who the other guys on the team were, but we wanted to get a head start and unfortunately they left the team.” The season was tough for Brace both mentally and physically as the team failed to win a game and he again went down with an injury, ending his season. It was again an unfortunate circumstance, but this time it happened on the very last play of practice on Oct. 19 and not during a game. “I was running one of my routes and I rolled my ankle and I guess I had all of my weight on it and it wasn’t good.” He missed the remaining three games but expects to be on the field for next season‘s opener. Brace isn’t used to losing. Other than going 2-8 as a freshman at Dallas High School, he has never experienced a losing season until the Cougars went 0-10 in their inaugural season. “If I lost at Dallas, there wouldn’t be a word spoken in the locker room. You could here a pin drop,” Brace said. “We just said that was enough and we weren’t losing ever again. Once you have that mind set you just go forward and that’s what we have to do here.” Everyone has to buy in, he said. He questioned whether or not the hard work was worth it just to finish the season 0-10, but he never considered quitting. “Everybody is questioning it,
just because we are losing. Nobody likes to lose, nobody talks about the loser, nobody wanted to be 0-10,” Brace said. “Everyone knows how it feels. Hopefully next year everyone will hit the weight room and be stronger and faster. We need to be quicker and more aggressive.” If one were to paint a picture of the type of player Misericordia needs to develop a new program, it should be strikingly similar to Brace, the once highly touted Division I wide receiver who suffered two injuries, experienced a 0-10 season - and he got back up. “If there is one thing the family business has taught me, it’s don’t give up when things get tough,” he said. “I just do my best to carry it out onto the football field.” Hortonj@misericordia.edu
Injury By Numbers According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program the most injuries occur in the game of basketball, not football. Basketball (680,307), Football (413,620), Baseball (170,902), Soccer (163,003), Softball (118,354), Gymnastics (99,722), Hockey (63,945), Volleyball (55,860), Track & Field (15,113) According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research Twentieth Annual Report, basketball is the most deadly sport among high school athletes, not football. From 1982-2002 the total numbers of direct or indirect fatalities among high school athletes: Basketball (88), Track & Field (47), Soccer (31), Football (22), Cheerleading (21), Baseball 17, Wrestling (16), Cross Country (14) Source: SportsSafety.org.
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, a player is taken down during a play against Stevenson. Middle, a player gazes onto the field from the sidelines. Bottom, MU kicks off for a new quarter.
highlandernews.net
December 4, 2012 5
News
SACRIFICE BRINGS HOPE FOR COUGAR FOOTBALL
Viewfinder: “A Murder is Announced”
By Arthur Dowell, Web Master
The struggle to succeed continues as football team looks to season two. It is early Saturday afternoon, and two football teams line up on the field ready for kickoff. The score is 11 versus 11. That is where the similarities end. Thinner and in many cases shorter, Misericordia football players look half the size of their opponents. The records and scores are there to prove it. The team finished 0-10 and lost more than double the players than it did games. Sophomore undeclared Chris Washo played backup quarterback for part of the season. “When the team was trailing by five touchdowns, coach never put me in,” said Washo. Washo had taken a year off from play before he picked up the game again this year. He said he had lost his passion to play.
“Days kept getting longer and I would drag my feet knowing I had to go to practice.” he said. “Nobody likes being in that situation and I knew it was time to quit.” Junior sports management major Joe Winter stuck it out. While he started late - he decided to put on the pads and helmet for his last two years of college - he decided that he would not finish early. “It was hard seeing so many people both quit and get nagging injuries,” said Winter. “It’s a long season and it wasn’t getting any shorter when players are quitting and going down.” Largely due to players’ modest size and strength as compared to other teams in the Mid Atlantic Conference, many suffered injuries, including starting quarterback Jeffrey Puckett. “When players go down, it is al-
ways hard to watch,” said Winter. “You never want to see it happen, but it just means everybody has to be on the same playing level and be ready for the challenges that are expected to happen.” For players and fans, football is almost synonymous with dedication, and like all sports it is not easy, particularly when the coach is forced to change practice regimens due to the number of lost athletes. The bench became thin, and the coaching staff had to make sure everyone from first string to the fourth string was on the same game plan. Players practiced for two-hours each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, studied films every day except Monday, lifted twice a week, and did a walk-through every Friday. “It’s a challenge to organize everyday life, but that’s something I grew up doing well,” said Winter, “Luckily football doesn’t interfere with my school life, but that’s because I prioritize my days as they come.” Academic success is the priority for all MU football players, and Winter said that is the one thing he will not sacrifice. “The team is expected to participate in a mandatory study hall two nights a week. If players are above expected GPA, they are capable of getting out of it.” The team’s final score of 516 to 54 is something it cannot escape, but it provides an opening, one that can lead to better games. “We expect to be much better next year,” said Winter. “After one year of competition in the books, we now know where to go from here on out.” Dowella@misericordia.edu
The Misericordia Players presented an onstage version of Agatha Christie’s “A Murder is Announced” from November 15-17 in the Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall. From top, the inspector arrived to interrogate the witnesses to the murder of Rudy Scherz. First year Meghan Digerolamo, playfully accuses sophomores Maria Weidemoyer and Brian Quinlan of committing the crime. First year Julia Whitesell reads the announcement of the murder in the newspaper. Junior DinaMichele Boyer acts out when the inspector begins his interrogation. Junior Jasmine Busi fears for her life after hearing someone is going to be murdered.
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
MARY BOVE/THE HIGHLANDER
Members of the Cougar football team embrace on the sidelines.
Extreme makeover, continued Continued from page 1
ning to position itself for that.” Professors who will use the building are working on the project’s concept. Physician Assistant Program Chair Dr. Scott Massey and Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Anthony Serino are in the initial stages of shaping the new teaching and learning space. Serino said the school has participated with a national planning commission, called Project Kaledoscope. PKAL provides information necessary to create new buildings in the sciences at universities. “We had a full conference here with one of the leaders of that project that helped us outline what we need to do in order to address what the needs are of the building,” said Serino. “One of the first things is to assess that by providing meetings and surveys from the constituents and see what their actual needs are. That’s what Dr. Massey is going to be setting up first.” Massey is guiding the early stages of the planning process for the building, code named “Project Sheppard.” This is the first phase in what Massey said will be a five phase process. “I’ll be conducting focus groups over the next few months with all the faculty and staff and many students trying to get their feedback about what they think our ideal learning space and what kind of vision they have for the future,” said Massey. Massey feels that the biggest need is creating a space that accommodates teaching. “I believe it needs to be a learned center classroom. A learned center environment where the learning environments are collaborative. Where learning spaces are not just restricted to when students are in lab or in class,” said Massey. “I think you’re going to see a brand new kind of paradigm of learning which is going to facilitate learning a lot more.” Serino will help coordinate the plans once they are created by the architects. Although he is uncertain what they will be, he knows that expansion is a priority. Serino said one of the biggest problems with the current science building is its small size compared to the growth of science majors. In the last three years the biology department, for example, has grown by well over 50 percent, from an average of 30 majors to a hundred, according to Serino.
“We’re getting to the point where we can’t take any more,” said Serino. “We just don’t have any more room left.” The existing space is not optimal to suit current students, either, he said. “What I want to document right away is how inadequate this build-
scope will require a new fundraising venture for the school. “We have to do some fundraising that we haven’t done here on campus before. Before we were always asking alumni to donate. I still think we’re going to do that, but we’re going to have to go corporate,” said Serino. “We’re going to
A great dinner – or two By Brittany Lovette, Reporter
ELLEN HOFFMAN/THE HIGHLANDER
Top, Angelo Conforti, Kristi Cianfichi, Jenna Reel and Jenna Burgio use group work as a study method. Bottom, sophomores Danika Watto and Kevin Foy study for an anatomy practical by looking through a bucket of bones. ing is right now for our current needs. Not even adding on to that, the additional students that we project coming in the next four, five years,” said Serino. Serino said pressing needs include storage, a loading dock, and technology. Once Massey finishes the first planning phase, Serino will add to the wish list and start working on building plans. Serino believes a project of this
have to go to public funding, a lot of other sources that we haven’t really tapped a lot of before.” Massey said the required capital campaign may need to total $30 to $40 million. “This learning center has to be something special for people to want to give money to fund it,” said Massey. Kellmers@misericordia.edu
Students who wish to take part in the festivities at the Presidents Christmas Dinner will have to attend according to class year. The annual Christmas dinner was split into two days, starting last year. This was due to the large number of students that wanted to attend to celebrate the holiday season. This year, however, the days will be divided again but this time divided amongst the classes. The dinner is scheduled for December 8 and December 9. First years and sophomores can attend the dinner on Saturday and juniors and seniors on Sunday. This dinner is a tradition on campus that has happened for years. According to Darcy Brodmerkel, Student Activities Coordinator, she has no idea how long the dinner has been around because it has been in existence since she has started working at the university years ago. The discussion for the split between the two days began two years but was finally brought into action last year, Brodmerkel said. She wanted to see how the division would go to know whether she should continue because of the lack of room to accommodate the student body in the John and Mary Metz Dining Hall. “We don’t have enough room to accommodate all of the students. We were going to try and it and then we figured we would just see how it went,” said Brodmerkel. “Then last year, I had to make it official to do it just because the population was too big.” With the number of students growing each year, the demand for the dinner has risen. More students want to go to get involved
with the holiday cheer on campus. Junior Jasmine Mae Busi hoped to celebrate the holiday with her sophomore brother. “I understand that it is more practical to separate by class, but now I can’t go with my brother or any of my younger friends,” said Busi. With these changes there will be conflict with students wanting to spend the holiday filled night with their younger or older friends. After looking at the numbers of attendees from the dinner last year, Brodmerkel had an idea of a separate dinner for commuters. “We looked at doing something separate just for the commuters and then have a dinner for the residents,” she said. “And you know we average quite a few commuters that show up and if we totaled up the days we never would be able to do it in one night.” The final decision for splitting the different classes came down to Student Government Executive Board and Brodmerkel after polling different students. “We polled a bunch of students and asked them what their opinions were and I thought that this was the best way to alleviate the problems,” said Brodmerkel. Another part of separating the days came from not knowing how many students will show up to the dinner. According to Brodmerkel, there were a number of students that did not show up to one of the days of the Christmas dinner. “This is what the true problem is, people run in here, take the ticket, take the spot, and then they don’t show up. So last year for example, we had 77 no shows,” she said. The dinner is a first come, first
serve event and those 77 no shows could have been for someone else that wanted to go to the dinner but was not able to sign up for the ticket right away. However, Brodmerkel did say that if a student changed their mind and was not planning to attend, that student could return their ticket to Student Activities. To help get the students who could not sign up for a ticket into the dinner, Brodmerkel plans to have a second line at the dinner where students could and see if there are extra seats that need to be filled if there are any no shows. There is also a way for students to get the dinner, which is at the Cougar’s Den. “The thing is that whatever we are serving, the turkey in the dining hall, they get that in the Cougar’s Den, they just don’t get the whole ambiance of the special meal with their peers, getting dressed up, with the Christmas holiday spirit,” said Brodmerkel. Though there are new changes to the President’s Christmas Dinner, there is one change that is definitely for the better, the annual canned food/non-perishable food drive to support locals. According to Kristen Samuels, the Community Outreach Coordinator of Campus Ministry, there will be another food drive this year. However after the collection, it will be divided to two places, the Back Mountain Food Pantry and for the Noxen area. With these changes, Brodmerkel wants this year’s Christmas dinner to be great. “We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,” Brodmerkel said. Lovetteb@misericordia.edu
6 highlandernews.net
December 4, 2012
News
Cash chugged away, continued MU Exposure: Gift of life, donate today Continued from page 2
the vibrant ones,” he said. He also noticed that movies, like “Old School”, rarely portray problems related to alcohol. There is always that one character who has a drinking problem and that character is the outcast. Most comedies and blockbuster hits don’t show the serious side to alcohol. Kimbrough said even if those movies were available, people wouldn’t buy into them. “I don’t know if anyone would watch it,” he said of a serious movie related to alcohol or drug problems. “I don’t know in our culture if we want to see advertising or TV or movies that’s that real. And if it does, it’s not the kind of movie that gets great reception or that that would be piece that comes out of it.” Kimbrough knows movies that show the serious side to alcohol do exist. He says the problem is getting people to watch and enjoy them as well as take away the greater message after they leave the theater. “No one’s looking at serious movies with a message saying, ‘No you shouldn’t do this because it can do this because it can lead to a negative life.’ There is always an excuse built into the movie that it was really an anomaly.” Kimbrough isn’t against advertising to college kids. He understands that this specific age group is an important consumer demographic. He feels that the ads need to tell the whole story about the real-life effects of alcohol abuse. “We never see anyone drunk, but in small letters, ‘please drink responsibly,’” he said. Other, perhaps less obvious, forms of marketing also target college students. Local bars and pubs offer drink specials fit for a college
student’s wallet. And, Kimbrough says most college-aged students go to the bar because it’s cheap and something to do, not because they enjoy the taste of alcohol. “I think there are very few people in that age category that go out to drink because they enjoy the taste of alcohol. Or go out to drink because they enjoy just socializing,” he said. “And I think that’s the negative when we really start to think about it is that the goal is to go out and consume as much alcohol as you can before closing time. You’re going to get drunk, there is no doubt about that.” One Dallas bar popular among students offers different weekly drink specials. A favorite is beer in draft or pints for less than $2. “Bars that have five cent beers, clearly that leads to more drinking when you can get wasted for 85 cents. We know that when you stop bars from doing that drinking goes down,” White said. This marketing effort isn’t just prompting students to booze it up in the Back Mountain. Officials see that alcohol companies gear their advertisements to incoming college students all over the country. And those students know that as the culture in America. “I think what I have seen is that I think many students see it as a right,” Foley said of MU students who consume alcohol. “I think we have a lot of good students that work academically. I think they study hard and I think they party hard. And I think they feel it’s their right and their release.” Students see men and women drinking or partying in commercials or movies and expect that to become reality when it’s
their turn to go out to the bars or house parties. They look forward to living out scenes from “Old School” or “Animal House”. Little do they know most college kids don’t experience the glamorous life Hollywood portrays in their flicks. They don’t get to see the real outcome.
Information from American Academy of Family Physicians about alcohol advertising: - Before graduating high school, students will spend about 18,000 hours in front of the television. - During this time they will watch about 2,000 alcohol commercials on television each year. - In all, youth view 45% more beer ads and 27% more liquor ads in magazines than do people of legal drinking age. - In 1996, for example, the Budweiser Frogs were more recognizable to children aged 9-11 than the Power Rangers, Tony the Tiger, or Smokey the Bear. - Alcohol companies spend nearly $2 billion every year on advertising in the United States
Junior communications major Ellen Hoffman snapped a shot of a sign outside of MacDowell Hall Friday morning. The sign advertised a blood drive on campus hosted by the Geisinger Blood Center.
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