Anderson takes on Red Cross role in state of emergency... photos P2
Class of 2012 needs to raise thousands...P5
September 13, 2011 highlandernews.net
President’s Welcome
The academic year 2011-12 will be full of many exciting developments on campus. Among them will be several major construction projects. Soon you will see the foundation of a new residence hall being laid adjacent to the Anderson Sports and Health Center. The 118-bed residence hall will feature suite-style living accommodations and many single rooms. The building will also house three new classrooms. Also to be built this academic year is a new field house located close to Mangelsdorf Field. The 21,600-square-foot building will include a weight room, team rooms, showers, public restrooms, and other state-of-the-art facilities for our field teams, including men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse, field hockey, baseball, and of course, football. Additional bleachers will also be installed on Mangelsdorf Field. In order to have both playing and practice fields for all of Misericordia’s field sports, we will be placing a new artificial turf surface on the field close to the townhouses. All of this construction is in line with the campus master plan. Misericordia is designed with an inner academic core that includes all classroom buildings and the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library. This is surrounded by student residence halls and the Banks Student Life Center. On the outermost perimeter are our athletic facilities. The layout of the campus provides students with ample space for curricular and co-curricular activities. New additions to our lower campus include a set of art studios located next to the Pauly House on Lake Street. Here you can take art courses in painting, drawing, sculpture, and pottery as part of your regular schedule. The studios will also be open to community members who can take adult education courses. This is one more way in which Misericordia is continu-
President Michael A. MacDowell ing its tradition of close cooperation with our Dallas and Back Mountain neighbors. Many new faculty and several new programs are part of Misericordia this semester. One of the newest programs is Government, Law, and National Security, directed by Dr. Brian Carso of the history and government department. It is growing rapidly. The department will host several interesting speakers on campus this fall and spring. Another new and specialized program in Nuclear Medicine Technology, operated under the department of medical imaging, is also debuting this year. Misericordia has so much to offer. I hope you will make a special effort this year to attend the many extracurricular student activities. And if you haven’t done so already, do participate in the student clubs and service organizations that Student Activities, Campus Ministry, our multicultural program office, and intramurals offer to all Misericordia students. These are exciting times at our University. It is great to have a large and accomplished new freshman class with us this year. Please join me in welcoming them and the many transfer and graduate students who chose to join us at Misericordia.
Open Arms For Evacuees By Josh Horton Reporter
The Anderson Sports-Health Center served as an emergency shelter for evacuees from low lying areas in Luzerne County. People moved in with their belongings throughout the day Thursday. The September flooding came on the heels of a small earthquake and Hurricane Irene. Local residents from Wilkes-Barre, Forty Fort, and surrounding areas flocked to the Anderson Center after they evacuated their houses by 4 pm on Thursday. They gathered the belongings that would fit in their cars and drove. Some even had to leave behind their pets. “One family came in with a dog in a kennel and the daughter asked me if the dogs have to be kept in the kennel. I said no, they just have to be kept on the floor,” Director of Student Activities Darcy Brodmerkel said. “They were told that dogs had to be kept in kennels and they left the dog in the house down in Wilkes-Barre. I almost started crying.” Many local residents were thankful MU opened their doors for shelter. One of the people who sought shelter in the Anderson Center was Minister Deborah Fuller of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Wilkes-Barre. She lives less than a mile away from the Susquehanna River. “We were told it would be approximately three days that we would have to be out,” Ms. Fuller said. “We actually didn’t know where to go, because all the hotels were booked, and all the shelters in our area were full. My husband had to go online and then we saw where the other areas were.” Fuller’s husband Mick didn’t take the flood seriously at first. “I was on my way to work and then my wife called and said they moved the evacuation time up to 4 pm,” he said. “That did it for me. I turned the car right around and headed home.” It was the Fullers’ first
ELLEN HOFFMAN/THE HIGHLANDER
Sophomore TJ Schaeffer helps distribute blankets to all the cots in the Anderson Sports Health Center. Schaeffer and other members of the soccer team helped set up before the evacuees arrived. trip to MU. It was also their daughter Shantele’s birthday. “It’s not exactly how she thought she would be spending her birthday,” Fuller said. “This is our first time here and I am so impressed with how clean it was and how nice the building is.” Wilkes-Barre was not the only city affected by the swelling river and streams. Forty Fort resident Sally McGinley also made the trip to MU when she found out she needed to evacuate her home just two miles from the Susquehanna River. The September Flooding reminded her of the Agnes flood, which struck the area in 1972. “Only one word comes to mind when I think about
Fashion Columnist Goes Haute By Morgan Harding Web Master
With a twist of her pressed penny ring and a brief moment to breathe, communications major and fashion columnist Michele Drago delves into her fall semester schedule. In addition to her full course load and the anticipation of concluding her undergrad, Drago is excitedly balancing two prestigious internships in the fashion world while working on landing a third. As part of her internship at the popular international website, College Fashionista. com, she writes for the “Style advice of the week” section. Each week she must keep up with what is hot on the runways and then write her take on what to follow, submitting her work no later than her strict Monday deadline. Drago must also spot trends on the MU campus to find unique and fashionable looks
to share with her readers around the globe. The site features hundreds of colleges and the trends students are following. “Fashion around here is hidden,” said Drago. So she is on the hunt for new and old trends as she meanders her way around campus. Drago admits that interns at larger schools may have it a bit easier when it comes to trend spotting, so she feels rewarded when she hits upon an Alexander Wang Diego bag or a Karen Walker cat-eye. This is the first year that MU is listed on College Fashionista, making Drago the university’s very first style guru. “I feel like a real-time fashion blogger working with [College Fashionista],” said Drago. Although her first article wasn’t due until the first week of September, she already had two ready to submit, and she
is armed to do more. Drago also has an internship with College Lifestyles, a new online magazine focusing on nutrition, etiquette and lifestyles for “classy co-eds.” Her first article was all about Missoni, a brand she loves. While she is still striving to get her manicured fingers on the Missoni for Target bike, Drago included tips and tricks for getting the most out of the brand’s collaboration with the mass market retailer. Drago has had a passion for fashion since the age of seven. “Whenever I would play with Barbies I would never play that ‘Barbie and Ken are going to get married,’” said Drago. “I would just concentrate on what she was wearing and would plan out her outfits. ‘Ok tomorrow she’s wearing a skirt with this pink top.’” Around this same time, Drago’s aunt taught her how
to sketch figures and sew so she could design her own pieces. “You shouldn’t just copy things you see. You should make things your own and own your fashion,” she said.
“When you go to college you get to give yourself your own identity. It’s not like in high school where everyone wears Continued on page 6
Orientation Gets New Mantra Mission is service for first year students arriving on campus page 2
9/11 Remembered
Speaker gathers community for decade anniversary of September 11, 2001 attacks
Exclusively on highlandernews.net
Agnes. Devastation,” McGinley said. “We lived in Forty Fort at that time as well and it came up to the second floor of our house. It was just horrible.” Like the Fuller family, McGinley planned to wait to see how bad it was going to get before she evacuated her house. However, when officials moved up the evacuation time, she got out in a hurry. “I was going to wait it out when I saw the first evacuation was eight tonight,” McGinley said. “Then when they changed it to four I thought I better just come, because it was pretty close to flood stage.” First Years Kelly McCauley and Brianna Vinton helped
calm McGinley upon her arrival at the Anderson Center. They helped carry her bags and even played with McGinley’s dog, Benjamin. “When she came in, she seemed very frazzled and upset about what was going on,” McCauley said. “We just tried to calm her down and we took her for a walk. It seemed to work and she was very appreciative of everything.” McCauley and Vinton were not the only MU students who showed up to help the victims of the September Flooding. All members of the varsity mens’ athletic teams were there to help take supplies off of the trucks, along with an abundance of other students on campus. Continued on page 2
Market Change Causes Bookstore’s Innovation By Shawn Kellmer Reporter College students everywhere are just now finishing up the frantic tradition of book buying, but this task has ventured far from its roots, where students would form long lines in front of campus bookstores and hope all of the needed books would still be there. Jeff Bezos launched the first Internet bookstore, Amazon. com, in 1995, and college texts eventually were included at a discounted price. This was the beginning of choice in the purchase of textbooks. Barnes and Noble began offering college texts online as well, and other websites emerged, some specifically selling college texts. These sites, such as Chegg.com and Phatcampus. com now also rent them at even deeper discounts. College bookstores are
forced to rethink their business plans because many students are no longer seeking them out as their first stop. Book sales at the campus bookstore did not increase in step with rising enrollments over the past few years. Glen Bozinski, Director of Admissions, said the number of incoming first year and transfer students is about the same as last year, but that still marks an increase over the numbers several years ago. This is causing the campus bookstore to innovate. “We are trying all new things,” said manager Diane Morreale. “We started a book rental program this semester that has been popular with the Expressway students,” she said. “They love it.” Morreale said the store is also adding to its inventory. Continued on page 4
Let’s Talk Fashion
Drago creates fashionable statements by using recycled issues of The Highlander - page 3
Recipe For Disaster
Hoover shakes up a bag of Fritos for a quick snack in the dorm - page 3
2
September 13, 2011
highlandernews.net
COUGAR NEWS
Open Arms for Evacuees, cont’d continued from page 1
Students were asked to meet in the Banks Student Life Center at 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. The response was overwhelming as the cafeteria was filled with students eager to do their part. Some people may have been surprised when so many people showed up to help. However, Brodmerkel was not one of those people. “One of the students just said to me, I’m surprised so many people stepped up,” Brodmerkel said. “I said, ‘I’m not.’ Before anything started, I had 30 of them here saying, what do we need to do? They know how important this is and I am so proud of all of our students.” MU’s Mercy Center served as an evacuation shelter during the Hurricane Agnes Flood of 1972. Senior Katlin Bunton’s mother and family evacuated their home in Kingston to the Center during Agnes. “College Misericordia replaced the Nesbitt Hospital. They landed helicopters on the lawn. Mercy Center had just been built and that’s
where we stayed. It had just been finished. It wasn’t furnished yet, so they had us put cots together, and we lined them all up and that’s where we slept,” said Ann Brennan, Bunton’s aunt. Evacuees shared the cafeteria with the college students, and used the Mercy Center as a home. Bunton’s mother and family stayed in Mercy Center for about six weeks following the flood. “They were very, very hospitable. They welcomed us, that was a big thing. It was personally very comforting, for me, to get there and be able to go and visit the chapel. I remember going into that chapel, which is very pretty at night, and we were scared because we never had a flood before,” said Brennan. “Our entire student body is filled with great kids and great people,” Men’s Soccer Coach and Associate Athletic Director Chuck Edkins said. “The thing I like about it is it’s a community of Misericordia students. They are living our mission.”
Above, sophomore Marisa Ferenchick places a cot on the gym floor before evacuees arrived.
ELLEN HOFFMAN/THE HIGHLANDER
Above, sophomore Tamara Bradley provides a helping hand in the Anderson Sports Health Center.
Above, sophomore Mara Danoski helps a family carry their dog and other belongings into the Anderson Sports Health Center
Above, freshman Tim Ryan fixes a cot before moving on to another task.
Above, First Year Rob Wyaceck pulls cots out of an American Red Cross box. The soccer team helped prepare the gym in the afternoon.
Above, freshmen Kelly McCauley and Brianna Vinton watch over and care for an evacuee’s dog, Benjamin.
INTEGRITY STAFF Katlin Bunton --- Editor-in-Chief Ellen Hoffman --- Print Editor April Dulsky --- Web Editor Julia Truax --- Content Manager Audra Wehner --- Business Manager Morgan Harding --- Web Master Krista Balgaroo --- Photographer Melissa Sgroi --- Advisor
CONTACT US
Misericorida University 301 Lake Street Dallas, PA 18612 570-674-6400 570-674-6737 highland@misericordia.edu msgroi@misericorida.edu buntonk@misericordia.edu dulskya@misericordia.edu
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.
highlandernews.net
New Late Night Snack Options The location of fomer fine dining restaurant 31 Lake Street becomes college student-friendly pizza shop.
September 13, 2011 3
LET’S
Recipe for Disaster::
FASHION
A Collegiate
TALK
By Ellen Hoffman Print Editor Being a college student provides opportunities and experiences. At certain businesses or restaurants, the simple flash of a student ID card will instantly help students save their cash. With Pizza Bella opening a new location right on Lake Street, students won’t have to go far for good food at a reasonable price. Manager Joe Ostrowski and co-owners Pat Cunningham and Brian Cominski are excited about the business they will start receiving from the college students and think their new location is a great plus. “We have a prime location right on the main road to Misericordia,” Ostrowski said. “I think this will benefit both us and the students and it gives the college kids some homemade pizza and hoagies for a good price.” Pizza Bella is offering a 15 percent discount to students and faculty on regular menu items. The discount cannot be applied to specials. Flyers will be posted around campus with daily specials and prices. Usually, customers need to show the coupon at the time of purchase, but Pizza Bella is giving students a break. “As long as they know the name and price of the special, the coupon will not need to be shown,” Ostrowski said. Pizza Bella is trying to organize a wing night each week. Plans for wing night have not been completely set, but Ostrowski has high hopes for it. “I think this is a positive thing for students. It’s something different and they won’t have to spend too much money.”
Director of Student Activities Darcy Brodmerkel thinks this discount could benefit students and suggests they give Pizza Bella a call. “Just having the option to save money on any regular item is great for students and the specials are set at a good price too.” Brodmerkel is working to have Pizza Bella extend delivery hours on weekends, similar to the hours of Dominos and Grotto Pizza. “We are working on having delivery until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but it has not been settled yet,” Ostrowski said. As a student without a car on campus, sophomore Emily Santory is excited to try out Pizza Bella’s food without having to move from her dorm. “It’s tough and sometimes aggravating to try to get to places off campus without a car,” she said. “But with this later delivery service from Pizza Bella my friends and I will have something else to eat aside from food on campus.” Other local businesses provide similar discounts to faculty and students. Friendly’s, McDonalds, Leggio’s and Rodano’s all offer a 10 percent discount with a student ID. “I think it’s a benefit to both the students and the businesses,” sophomore Tamara Bradley said. “I know I would be more likely to go somewhere that provides a discount rather than where I have to pay full price.” A full list of student discounts is listed on the Student Activities page on E-MU.
CAPS CORNER Welcome (and Welcome Back) from the CAPS Center! Whether you are a new arrival to MU or a returning Cougar, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center (CAPS Center) would like to welcome you. Each of you comes to our campus with unique life experiences and a variety of gifts and talents to share. However, during life transitions, navigating through the college experience can be challenging and you may need additional support. At the CAPS Center, 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 e-mu tab campus life. Thank you and welcome to the CAPS Center!
UPCOMING CAPS EVENTS: Welcome Luau for First Years Location: McHale Beach When: First week of class (Date and time TBA) Friends-Fun-Food-Music-Games… Hosted by SAPE
y r a Culin
Column
By MICHELE DRAGO Fashion Columnist
Bold beads, chic clutches, rising rings and newsy nails all have one thing in common. They can be recycled and DIY’ed from copies of yours truly, The Highlander. As I stared at the mounting pile of old issues almost as tall as me, I ‘googled’ and gawked over the creative ways to turn the news into some of fashion’s most-wanted paper accessories. So I decided to take a stylish stab at these creations and voila, I’ve turned ‘Let’s Talk Fashion’ into a piece of fashion. I’ve compiled five of my most favorite items for you to Newspaper-ItYourself and believe me, it’s as easy as 1-2-3 to turn your black and white copy of The Highlander into a wearable masterpiece for next to nothing. 1. Newsy Nails Never Disappoint. This print worthy pattern has been seen all over beauty blogs and beyond after its premiere post on places such as Olive Coco Mag and La Passion du Nail Art. Once I saw this, I knew I was in for a treat considering my nail painting skills are not high in ranking. Let’s put it this way, being a leftie, my right painted hand looks sleek and shiny while the left looks like a piece of clothing from the past Lohan line --- a total mess. But that’s not the case with this newly nailed print! First, gather up a small glass, rubbing alcohol, a base coat, clear topcoat, pastel nail polish (be creative or be boring and pick beige, like this Fashionista) and 10 small strips of The Highlander --total brownie points if you use Let’s Talk Fashion! Once you’ve got your supplies, you are more than half way done! Apply a base coat and then two coats of your nail color of choice---again after attempting this, lighter is better. Make sure that your nails are completely dry, because if not you’re in for a design disaster like me. Oops! Once you’re dry, dip your newly polished nail (one by one, please) in the glass filled with rubbing alcohol. The damp nail must then be completely covered with a strip of newspaper and tightly pressed on for 30 seconds. Slowly - very slowlypull the newspaper off and let it dry. Repeat, paint a topcoat and you’ve just designed newsprint nails worth talking about. 2. Bead Bracelets Beautified. Next on the long list of NIY’s is that of a trickier trade--making both beads and a bracelet. Newspaper bracelets are one of my newest newsy obsessions. And the supply list includes: 1 page of newspaper, wooden toothpicks, a glue stick, scissors or a paper cutter, clear nail polish, elastic or any type of material for the base of the bracelet and extra glass beads are a nice touch, but not necessary. Note that this bead recipe can also be used for a necklace like I will be attempting soon, so be creative. First, cut the newspaper
into strips that get skinnier as you cut. This fashionista recommends using all different sizes for a unique touch but a longer NIY time. Then, cut the strips in half and roll and glue at the same time on the toothpick. This step gets easier with more strips. Once this seems firm, either paint over the paper or not for either a shiny or rough final look. Totally up to all fashionistas, but I went for the rough look. Wait to dry, string on the bracelet strand and your bracelet or necklace is ready to wear giving any outfit a classy yet NYC hipster look. 3. A cocktail ring to blog about. My armoire wouldn’t be accessorized without the racy rings that take over its first drawer, but my latest edition has quickly become my favorite: the newspaper ring. Of course, you’ll need some of the obvious items listed above: your chosen pages of The Highlander, glue, toothpicks, elastic or a tied rubber band if you’re looking in your dorm desk. First, split a two-fold page in half. Then fold the pages in thirds, run a knife through the sides and divide into three pieces. Grab the toothpick and start rolling horizontally until you reach the glued corner end. Push out the toothpick and start folding an edge and gluing to make a circle. Next, I took my favorite Louboutin Red polish and painted over the paper. Let it dry, tie the rubber band and then glue both pieces together. This look is harder to do, but I promise results cute enough to wear to class. 4. A couture clutch copying the styles of Kate Spade and saving $80. Yes, it is true. This clutch mimics the merchandise of Kate Spade’s infamous newspaper clutch that’s just hit the sale racks. To describe the arm accessory in three understated words: to die for. I took her styles and decided to make my own. Warning: Don’t wear this homemade clutch on rainy days and don’t expect a shiny finish or Spade’s leathered look as I stuck with an actual issue of The Highlander as my main supply. The best part is that carrying this clutch looks like you’re carrying a folded feature section. For this NIY, I say to each is own. I searched the sites entirely and just got confused by the clutched instructions, so I decided to figure out my own way to make this purse a part of my wardrobe. My advice to you is to do the same and create your own Highlander masterpiece. Mine looks lovely with my new short cut Dolce Vita biker boots! The news is now more than just a worthwhile read, it’s also a fierce fashion statement. It’s proven that while black and white can dress up any wardrobe, so can your biweekly news. It’s time to NIY fashionistas! Put your paper to use and style on--until next time.
By HILARY HOOVER Culinary Columnist
With the beginning of a new semester comes the adjustment from the “real world” back to college life at MU. For some, this means 21 credits and for others this may mean 12. No matter the workload, there are always going to be times when the stack in the ‘to do’ pile will seem like Mount Everest and eating comes after the five page paper and the A&P nightly review. A meal that screams of convenience is the “Walking Taco.” Taco stuffings crammed inside a Fritos bag and eaten with a fork? Will this quick recipe be the next microwave meal or an easy way to dispose of a bad lunch? A quick trip to the grocery store left me with the urge to try out a boxed vegan taco meat substitute made from soy, but carnivores are more than welcome to grill or fry ground beef or chicken strips. These can be made up to a day ahead of time and kept in the fridge in a storage container. Collect your favorite taco fixings and you’ve got this meal “in the bag.” Chop your protein source into bite-sized pieces and heat it up using a frying pan with a few drops of olive oil to prevent it from sticking. In the case of hamburger, the fat content is generally enough to keep it from burning. Add some beans and a few tablespoons of salsa and peppers to kick up the flavor. Cook until heated all the way through and turn off the stove, removing the pan from the heat. Give it time to cool or the bag will get very hot once you add it. This can also be achieved in the microwave to save on time or if a stove isn’t available. Carefully open your Fritos bag
at the top perforation as this will be your bowl. Spoon in one serving of your meat/substitute and top it with shredded cheese. Add the rest of your ingredients and eat with a fork. As I looked in the silver cavern of the bag, I couldn’t be more appalled and terrified. This dish screamed to me in a flashback of every red-neck email that I had ever received. Tentatively, I took one bite, then another. Halfway through the second bite I noticed my pinky was out, unconsciously revealing my aversion. Repressing negative thoughts, I pushed myself to an objective place of Zen. The veggie taco filling had made some of the crisps at the bottom of the bag a little soggy, but some stayed crunchy. Taco shells fare the same at dinner time. However, I couldn’t get over the neatness of it. Usually during taco night, handfuls of napkins are passed around the table to clean up the toppings that spill out the sides. Because of the bag, everything stays contained. While I give an A for neatness, The Walking Taco isn’t particularly my cup of nachos. The chips are a little too salty and I would rather make a taco salad with more veggies. It definitely is a fabulous idea, though. It’s perfect for on-thego people to take along on the afternoon shuttle to class. No mess. No fuss. So if you’ve got a bunch of leftovers and you need a meal on the go, take the “Walking Taco” with you as you run to class. Questions? Ideas for recipes? E-mail Hilary at hooverh2@ misericordia.edu.
The recipe:
The Recipe: A snack size bag of Fritos Lettuce Tomato Pinto Beans Shredded Cheese Peppers Salsa Avocado Meat, Chicken, Veggie Taco Mix *Your choices are endless!
Cook Time: 5 minutes
4
highlandernews.net
September 13, 2011
COUGAR SPORTS
Players Take Crack at New Bat NCAA has searched for ways to ensure a more perfect playing experience. The organization may have found it in a new bat. By Josh Hippensteel Reporter The approval of a new bat by the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee is improving safety on the field and providing batters with a chance to improve their skills. The NCAA Baseball Rules Committee has been debating what game-changing developments would be made within the league in the future. As time passed, offensive production increased with the introduction of Bat ExitSpeed Ratio (BESR) approved baseball bats in 1999. BESR bats were made of a composite material that allowed hitters to drive the ball with great force, creating a disadvantage for fielders and pitchers. “It seemed like with those bats, even if you got it off the end of the barrel, you still had a very good chance to find your way onto a base,” said Junior Kenny Durling of the MU Baseball team. After compiling season statistics for a decade, the NCAA determined it would be time to make another change to better the fairness of the game. To create balance of a team’s all-around performance, The NCAA approved Batted-Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) for both high school and collegiate baseball programs across the country in 2011. BBCOR bats are expected to drastically change baseball, and players could find the game may not be as easy as it used to be.
BBCOR bats started to fill the shelves in fall, 2010, and many ball players across the country wanted to know what they would be paying for in the spring. According to Lou Pavlovich, Jr. of baseballnews.com, the new bats would be less potent than those that were BESR approved. Those bats could be artificially aged by a process called “rolling,” which caused a boost in bat performance. BESR bats were compressed along the barrel between nylon rollers or hard rubber rollers. The resin and glue broke up within the bat as the rollers were tightened over the entire barrel, allowing it to be more flexible and providing an extreme trampoline effect. BBCOR bats are designed to perform as well as a wood bat, and this remains unproven. Millions of high school and collegiate baseball players are so far disappointed by the birth of BBCOR and how it affects their performance at the plate, but others don’t see much of a distinction. “There is not much difference between the BBCOR bats and a wood bat,” said senior Chris Tuttle. “Just like a wood bat, BBCOR is designed with a small ‘sweet spot,’ so you know when you really got a hold of it or not.” The major reason for the introduction of this new series of bats was to limit “cheap
hits” or “bleeders” and to give each player positioned on the field a chance to perform equally. Another reason was to implement more safety measures into America’s favorite pastime. BBCOR baseball bats would be physically unable to create as much force off of the barrel as the BESR series, and for good reason. The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics reports that approximately 1.6 million children, 18 years of age and younger, were treated in hospital emergency rooms for baseballrelated injuries between 1994 and 2006. “Before these new bats were introduced I had seen some hard shots on the ground that would just pop up and whack a player on the chest or head,” said Junior Andrew Tressa. “Now, you’re just not going to see that as much with bats that can’t drive the ball as hard, but at least we won’t have as many worries in the field.” NCAA and high school clubs were experimenting with the new BBCOR series this past spring and found shocking results. MU Baseball is one of these teams. The team had been preparing for BBCOR for months by using wood bats during practice and intra-squad scrimmages. Finally, the team was acquainted with baseball’s new mystery in the winter,
and immediately began to break in their six new BBCOR bats. As the off-season progressed, several players thought their skills had evaporated because of the vast change in their bat power. What the players did not realize was that the more swings they took with the bats, the better they became. BBCOR is designed to have a smaller “sweet spot,” meaning only the smartest and most skilled players would be able to perform up to their former ability. Those who were not at the peak of their games had some work to do. And work they did. Despite the addition of the BBCOR series, the MU Baseball team posted an outstanding Freedom Conference performance, shattering records from previous years. The team set goals to improve upon the previous season’s statistics, and while they may not have met these goals, their season was an even greater success than others. “I’m not a numbers kind of guy with baseball, so I’m not really paying attention to how the new bats have affected us in that department,” said Junior Michael Impellitierre. “All I know is that we’ve cracked the code and played wicked nice baseball this year, despite all the bat changes we had to go through to get there.”
Scene on Campus
Above, First Year Mary Bove captured this sunny sky on campus in between Hurricane Irene’s wrath and Tropical Storm Ian’s rainfall that built up to the September Flooding.
Market Change Causes Bookstore’s Innovation, cont’d
BOILING POINTS By JOSH HORTON Sports Columnist
Tiger Woods, Michael Vick, Kobe Bryant, and Mike Tyson are considered among the best in their respective sports. However, they have more than just skill in common. All four have, at one point in their lives, found themselves in a heap of trouble. Vick is the most recent offender. Prior to rejuvenating his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick spent 20 months in prison for charges related to dogfighting. He was released in 2009 and shortly thereafter signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. While some were quick to forgive Vick, there are others who feel Eagles fans have all but forgotten about the heinous crime he committed. “It’s absolutely ridiculous how dumb Eagles fans are,” John Errico, lifetime Minnesota Vikings fan, said. “He gets out of jail, comes to the Eagles and shows that he can still hack it on the field and all of a sudden he is forgiven. It’s pure nonsense.” Tom Hennigan, a lifetime Eagles fan and Luzerne County Community College sophomore, took offense to Errico’s comment. “The fans of Philadelphia understand that what he did was wrong,” Hennigan said. “I just think they felt you can’t change the past and decided to give him a second chance, because he showed he was truly sorry for his actions.” Hennigan would not deny the stats Vick has put up in Philadelphia have helped the fans forget more quickly than normal. “Obviously stats play a big role in whether or not a fan likes a player,” Hennigan said. “It’s hard to ignore how good he was last season, but I feel he is a changed man and now represents the Eagles organization in a very positive way.” The reason Errico feels so passionately about the subject is because he has family dogs. The question of whether Vick deserves to be one of the highest paid players in the NFL clearly hit a nerve. “I have two dogs and I am one of those people who consider dogs as part of my family,” Errico said. “I think killing dogs is a terrible, terrible crime. I understand he served his time, but people need to remember what he did.” One may bring up the timeless argument that people can change. Hennigan feels people need to give the former number one overall pick a
second chance. “He went through a lot to regain his position as an NFL quarterback,” Hennigan said. “He has gone above and beyond of what he was required to do. He goes all over the place educating people on how wrong dogfighting is.” Hennigan may be referring to an article published on CNN.com, which states Vick has backed a bill known as “The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act.” “I deeply regret my previous involvement in dogfighting, I’m sorry for what I did to the animals,” Vick said in a published article on CNN.com. “During my time in prison, I told myself I wanted to be part of the solution, not the problem.” Vick received press from every corner of the world when the story of his illegal dog fighting ring broke. The controversy seemed to have stopped until ESPN.com published an article that posed the question, “What if Michael Vick were white?” The article stirred controversy among football fans everywhere. Senior business administration major Ryan Felsman believes the situation at hand has nothing to do with the color of Vick’s skin. “The fact that he isn’t white has nothing to do with him getting a second chance in the NFL,” Felsman said. “He is where he is because of natural ability and that alone.” As far as punishment goes, Hennigan feels race has nothing to do with it. “I feel whether Vick was black or white, he would have had the same punishment,” Hennigan said. “The justice system is no joke in the United States and they proved it when they locked him up for nearly two years.” People can speculate all they want, but the fact is Vick is back in the NFL and considered to be one of the top quarterbacks. Some say he is even better now than he was when he was with the Atlanta Falcons. His return to dominance earned him a whopping $100 million extension to his current contract. “The bottom line is, Vick is a human being,” Hennigan said. “No matter how much we like to hold superstars to a higher level, we have to realize we can’t. What he did was horrible, but he did his time and he is trying to be a better person. I think we need to cut him a break.”
making the purchases, and they are frequent customers. “I got all of my books from the bookstore. You can rent them but they were worth buying especially for my field. I wanted to keep them for reference,” said Frank Genovesi, a Medical Imaging major. Some students also use the bookstore for financial reasons. “I use a voucher from student loans. It’s easier for me so I’ve stuck with the bookstore,” says Chemistry major Jess Pettinato. “All my books were used and still pretty expensive.” Misericordia University places the book listings almost two months in advance, which makes Morreale’s job a little more difficult. “This summer the books were posted July 1.
This allowed students to shop online and at least browse to see what the cheaper option is,” Morreale said. Morreale understands that the expense is what keeps some students from getting their books on campus. “The bookstore is institutionally owned. It belongs to the school. I work for the student and can tell you that the college does not gouge. We try to help the students.” In the end, rapidly evolving technology may permanently change both purchasing habits and college bookstores. “In a few years its possible college bookstores are not going to sell books anymore and focus on merchandise like clothing and other items,” says Bozinski.
Continued from page 1
The store is offering beaded jewelry and metal necklaces and other items emblazoned with MU logos. Other accessories such as watches and scarves are also on the shelves. Nursing major Katie Carboni saw the jewelry but didn’t feel the urge to purchase any. In fact, she only noticed it while buying her nursing books at the store, which made purchasing easier by selling them in bundles. This is the first time she’s purchased most of her books there. “I usually go to Amazon. com because of the option of getting used and brand new books cheaper than at the bookstore.” Carboni said she has gone to the bookstore to
make other purchases such as clothing and movies. Morreale has been trying to attract such buying behaviors for some time. “We have to compensate by increasing revenue from other merchandise, which has been selling well,” she said. Over the years Morreale has tried different clothing manufacturers but returns to Jansport because that is what the students seem to prefer. The store even offered MU sports t-shirts, which sold well for a time but eventually became less popular. “We reserve them for the clubs because they use them as fundraisers,” Morreale said. Despite these innovations, Morreale said textbooks remain the backbone of the
store, and she has been making an effort to maintain low prices. In recent semesters the bookstore has included eeditions, which were requested by faculty in the nursing department. “Some departments are truly trying,” said Morreale. Still, she believes the key to the store’s success is decidedly low-tech: used books. “I want a faculty professor to choose a book and use that book,” said Morreale. She explained the longer a book is used the better chance the bookstore can accumulate used books to sell at a discount. “It’s been a game with the publishers. When used books become plentiful, they come out with new editions,” she said.
Dr. Scott Blanchard, professor of English, believes that the release of new editions and the nature of teaching, it’s difficult to do what Morreale is asking. “Fields change. The state of knowledge and the state of literature changes. Trends change,” he said. “It’s good for faculty to change books. I don’t want to always use the same old notes. It can kind of get stale or I lose energy for the book,” says Blanchard. “To begin with, I use five or six books in my class, and there’s a fairly large distinction between books and text books. It’s unfair to ask faculty to stick to one text book when the publishers change them on a regular basis to begin with.” Some students don’t mind
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Broke But Not Broken Senior class officers push forward, make up for lost time to meet their class donation goal of $2012. By Lauren Gorney Reporter The MU class of 2012 is broke, but it’s not giving up on meeting the class gift goal just yet. New officers hope to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas as they work towards reaching the $2012 target. Students sold magnets at the orientation sessions over the summer, and they sold grilled hot dogs and hamburgers to incoming freshmen and their families, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. Officers have organized a handful of fundraising events for this school year, some of which MU has never seen before. “The Senior Social will be the first of its kind here on campus,” said secretary Shannon Kowalski. The event, which is tentatively planned for Friday September 16, will serve as a “Welcome Back” opportunity exclusively for the class of 2012, giving them what Kowalski hopes will be a chance to reconnect and form lasting bonds. “It’ll be great to have the whole class in one place at the same time,” she said. “I think they’ll realize that night that this senior year will be different than any other at Misericordia.” The following morning, Saturday September 17, the students will host a fundraiser at Wendy’s, featuring a drive-up car wash in the heart of Dallas during the annual Harvest Fest. Vice President Audra Wehner expects this to be lucrative. “The carwash is going to be a good time. I think it’ll help us raise money but I also think it’ll be a fun event.” The senior class is continuing tradition and hosting the
Annual Harvest Ball. This year it will take place on Saturday, October 29 at Bentley’s in Ashley. Students can get a sneak peak of this first time venue at www.bentleysofnepa. com. The ticket price is $50 per person, and will include a meal, drinks, and a full night of dancing. Another surprise in store is the reintroduction of “The Lake Street Elite.” The Elite is a student-led cheer section that attends athletic events on campus. The group hopes to make its debut during basketball season. “We have a t-shirt design in the works and we hope to be able to sell them at basketball games to students and family members,” said Brittany Vetrini, Vice President. The sale will contribute to the class gift as well as other senior events to be held later in the year. Officers hope to coordinate multiple celebratory events for the spring 2012 semester. There is potential for bringing back Senior Week, and a graduation social the week of commencement. Although seniors have already made an impact on the financial deficit, they welcome help. “There is always something to be done. Whether it’s raising money for the gift or planning the fun stuff,” said Kowalski. “We’re all in this together and we need all the help we can get.” Students interested in helping the Class of 2012 with fundraising or events are encouraged to contact class advisor Tiffany Coveney by email at tcoveney@misericordia.edu or by calling 570-674-6454.
September 13, 2011 5
Ciao, Pennsylvania Classroom Students now have the opportunity to meet Core requirements across the pond, linking culture and litersature. By Katie O’Hearn Reporter MU is going international during the summer of 2012. Dr. Scott Blanchard, Professor of English, is offering a study abroad trip to Florence, Italy to study Italian film and literature. This 3-credit course, English 185, Italy in Literature and Film, will satisfy the Core English requirement or an elective. The class will be held four days a week for two hours at Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA). This is an opportunity to live in Florence for one month from early June to July, when the weather is temperate. Blanchard said the trip will be low-cost. The class will feature films by Frederico Fellini, and students will be read Italian classics, including works by Boccacio and Machiavelli. Modern fiction writers, such as Italo Calvino and Ignazio Silone, will also be discussed.
INFORMATION MEETINGS:
Friday, September 16 noon Insalaco 218 (Huntzinger) Thursday, September 22, 7 pm Insalaco 217 (Dudrick)
PROGRAM INCLUDES: - Shared apartment in Florence with cooking facilities - Reduced-price museum passes - Daytrips to other cities in Tuscany - Cooking lessons and Italian language assistance - Some financial aid available
Blanchard chose Florence as the host city because it has extensive artwork and museums. The trip also comes with a discount card for students to use at museums. Students’ three-day weekends could be used to explore nearby cities such as Sienna, Venice, Bolognia, and Luca. “Luca is a very interesting city. It is entirely surrounded by a raised, circular fortification and the top is paved. People can rent bikes and ride the parameter of the city, approximately two miles,” said Blanchard. Students will prepare their own food, a cost that Blanchard believes will be about $600. He said Italian food and produce is so delectable it may make one consider becoming vegetarian. Blanchard even promises to share some of his favorite Italian dishes with students. He feels students will also enjoy the culture of shopping in open-air markets. “In Italy, there is a store for bread and one for produce. Everything is separate, and the food is very fresh and high in quality,” he said. Blanchard sited cultural experiences students can enjoy while learning about Italy’s literature. “Students are to be cautioned about the addictive qualities of the gelato,” he said. “There is a reason why they call it La Dolce Vita (The sweet life).” The host institution, SRISA, is an art school that has recently extended its studies to other areas including Italian history, literature and language. It is one of the longest continuously operating study abroad programs. The school will provide access to housing, classrooms, a student center and computer services. SRISA also provides some collective bargains on things like a museum pass for substantial savings, and it
organizes day trips to Siena and San Gimignano. “The school is very centrally located in the thick of things near San Marco, one of the major religious centers/monasteries of the old city where Fra Angelico, a painter whom just about everyone has heard of, lived and painted,” said Blanchard. Carolyn Yencharis Corcoran, Assistant Director of the Insalaco Center for Success and Study Abroad Advisor at MU, said most students return from international study with a sense of confidence, a difficult and abstract quality to acquire. She also finds that students have a better knowledge of the world. She said this is invaluable because students learn that after graduation they are not simply competing for jobs with the person sitting next to them in class, but rather with all job seekers in a global economy. Corcoran advises works with various providers to arrange trips in places such as Ireland, Australia, and Europe. She is involved in organizations including the Pennsylvania Council on International Education. She also helps faculty who are interested in running short-term trips, such as Blanchard’s excursion to Italy. Corcoran has helped develop a handbook and proposal for studying abroad opportunities with interested students and faculty. She is a part of the International Program Committee and the Travel Abroad Health, Safety, and Security Committee at MU. These organizations help to oversee policies and procedures related to the wellbeing of students residing abroad. This is important because Corcoran noticed that when study abroad trips emerged, many schools would provide little protection. At MU, Corcoran helps ensure the
safety of those attending and educate faculty on what to expect. Corcoran also pointed out the advantages of listing international study on résumés. She notes that employers views applicants as people who take initiative, have interest in other cultures, want to learn about people different from themselves, and who can work with a diverse population in a job setting. Gabrielle Rufino, a Junior Occupational Therapy major at MU, responded to the trip with enthusiasm. Rufino says she has always been interested in studying abroad because traveling has been a part of her life since childhood. She enjoys meeting new people, becoming immersed in new cultures, and trying new food. Italy is of special interest to Rufino because her great grandparents are from Italy. “I have travelled to Italy before but I haven’t had enough time to fully appreciate all it has to offer. A chance to explore the people and history in depth would be wonderful.” Rufino said. Rufino is interested in the trip also because she feels studying abroad will help her grow as an individual and learn more about other cultures. “As an Occupational Therapy major, it is important to learn and understand different cultures. A part of client center practice enables us to treat our clients as individuals. We try to incorporate client’s beliefs and culture into the treatment process enabling them to more involved in their plan to recover. Exploring a new country would help prepare me to make a difference in all different types of people,” she said. Interested students can obtain an application and more information from Blanchard, whose office is located in Mercy Hall 373.
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VIEWFINDER
Highlander Donates to Shelters Photos by HIGHLANDER STAFF
The Highlander staff donated old newspapers to non-profit animal shelters in the community. Blue Chip Farms and the Wilkes-Barre S.P.C.A. use the papers in the kennels and throughout the shelters. Blue Chip Farms Animal Refuge Margaret Bart 974 Lockville Road Dallas, PA 18612-9465 questions@bcfanimalrefuge.org Wilkes-Barre S.P.C.A. 524 East Main Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702-6991 (570) 825-4111
Right, sophomore’s Pete Falvey and Morgan Harding unloaad old issues of The Highlander at the S.P.C.A. Below right, Harding greets a dog while dropping off newspapers at Blue Chip Farms. Below left, Falvey carries papers into the animal refuge.
Mission is service
September 13, 2011
Orientation let new students dig in to the university’s mission and help organizations in need. By Brittney Lovette Reporter MU incorporated one of its charisms, service, into the fall, 2011 First Year Orientation for the first time. The extra day of orientation provided coordinators and first year students the opportunity to get to know one another while serving at a number of sites throughout the local community. Orientation leaders feel that it is never too early to get new students in the spirit of service, and this addition is one that should continue as a First Year Orientation tradition. “[It] makes you realize that life isn’t always about you. It’s about helping others too,” said sophomore Shannon Joyce. The Class of 2015 consists of more than 300 first year students. With all of these students plus over seventy participating orientation leaders and faculty, MU was able to give back to the community in a major way. Groups of first years were separated and placed on buses where they had little idea of what they were going to be doing on the day of service. Upon arriving at their assignments at the Blue Chip Animal Refuge, Camp Orchard Hill, Back Mountain Trail, Hillside Farms, Francis Slocum State Park, Meadows Nursing Home, Mercy Center, or the Dallas Senior Center, volunteers were put to work. “The Day of Service, I think it went excellent,” said Joyce. “The leaders were really motivated into doing what their assigned group was supposed to be doing whether there’s working at Blue Chip on the farm or painting the place. I think that really spoke to the first years as a ‘oh it’s just a boring thing that you have to go out and do’ service.’ It was actually fun because they got to make fun games out of it.” Much of the work involved outdoor manual labor, odd jobs such as painting walls, walking dogs and digging holes in which future trees would be planted. Students also cleaned up trails that were covered in debris from the storms in August. There were some indoor positions that had the new students
talking and spending time with elderly men and women similar to the Adopt-a-Grandparent program that Campus Ministry hosts. Most of sites are organizations run solely by volunteers that have very few personnel on staff--Blue Chip Farms is run by one woman. With all of the helping hands provided by the students and faculty, they were able to make a camp look cleaner and more comfortable, a trail safer and some elderly and four-legged friends happier. The group even planted trees and turned some soil to better the environment. While organization members greatly appreciated the work, much is left to be done. “There’s always more work to do than hours in the day to keep camp running. The help of the Misericordia students cleaning and painting was a tremendous help and enabled us to be ready for the busy retreat group season,” said Kathy Ford, Camp Orchard Hill Office Manager. Many of the small groups were able to accomplish in those few hours what would have taken the staffs weeks, even months to do. “I think it was a huge success and they really showed the first years that service at Misericordia is a big part and an easy thing to do,” said Joyce. During the time at Camp Orchard Hill, Joyce gave a speech to the first years about service and what it means to her and everyone who was affected by what the students had done. She wanted the new students to know the great impact of all their hard work. “It means so much when you sit down and think about what you did for someone else. It really makes you feel good rather than sitting down and complaining that you don’t want to do something so that’s what we want to make the first years understand is. It’s for other people not just for yourself,” said Joyce. Service is part of the mission at MU and efforts are continuing to grow. Campus Ministry is organizing trips to Blue Chip Farms, and is looking for new volunteers.
Fashion Columnist, cont’d Continued from page 1
Right, sophomore Hilary Hoover plays with a dog from Blue Chip Farms after putting the newspapers inside the animal refuge.
Right, volunteers Holly Feremce and Dave Logan watch the dogs while Highlander staff memebers arrive at Blue Chip Farms.
Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister or you’re an outcast,” she said. Her love of labels grew, and by the time she was a sophomore in high school she set her life’s goal: to work in the fashion industry. When she came to MU she wanted to follow her passion but realized there were no easy opportunities in the area. That’s when she started her fashion column, “Let’s Talk Fashion,” for The Highlander. “If you tell people in this area that you want to go into fashion they look at you and say that you can’t do that,” said Drago. This only motivates her to succeed. This drive has helped Drago obtain a position contributing to a fashion blog for Fashion’s Night Out in New York City on September 8, taking street style photos of the stylish city shoppers. “I never realized how many connections you can make through social media and people really do go on and look. My opportunity to fashion contribute in New York City is actually because of my Twitter,” said Drago. Drago declines to name the blogger for whom she is working but said she has been interviewed by Vogue magazine. Her new boss told her she got the job because she is so passionate about fashion. Her column has won Drago quite a bit of recognition on the web. She often gives people links to her column and makes connections, both nationally and locally. One of them is with the owner of Buka in
Shavertown. “I spent a day in her store and she told me how she goes to trunk shows in the city and I was like, ‘Oh my god. That’s my dream,’” said Drago. Drago firmly cemented that dream during her first year, when she spotted an ad for a public relations position at Juicy Couture. “I printed it out and it’s my goal to work there someday. I still have the job description--10 years experience--and that’s my goal,” said Drago. Drago recently interviewed with the New York City accessories boutique to become its blogger. She is anxiously waiting word because the spot can turn into a full time position within three or four months. For now, Drago is trying to help others up the local fashion ante and take chances with personal style. “If you are different from everyone else, you get laughed at,” she said. “People don’t realize how important fashion is. People really judge you by what you wear. If you come to class and you have sweatpants on obviously your professor will think that that person doesn’t really care,” said Drago. She hopes to take on New York City after graduation this May. She is also applying to the Parsons School’s Online Fashion Marketing program to receive an associate’s degree to back up her BA in Communications. “People should follow their passions,” said Drago.