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DAngelo Department of Music presents

Read the story on Page 5

Mozarts comic opera

Cosi fan Tutte

Vol. 84, No. 19/03/23/11, FREE

TH

E

More inside & online

Women andLeadership TaskForce presents

Mercyhurstestablishes

buy-up policy

Ambassadorslead Frozen Fourhospitality effortat Tullio Arena

Equestrian Clubkeeps riding

despite limitedmembership

Page 3Page 2 Page 4 Page 7

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NEWSPage 2 March 23, 2011

Career Fair provides 80internship, job opportunities

Mercyhurst College students seeking jobs and intern-ships will have the opportunity to distribute resumes

and meet with representatives from approximately 80companies at the annual Career Fair.

This years Career Fair will take place Thursday from1 to 4 p.m. in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

The fair, which typically takes place during fall term,was moved to the spring term for the first time this yearin order to coincide with companies hiring cycles.

The fair gives many seniors a chance to find post-graduation jobs and provides a great opportunity forsophomores and juniors to get internships, ExecutiveDirector of Experiential Learning Kyle Foust, Ph.D.,said.

Some of the top companies that will be present at the

fair include Lord Corporation, Erie Insurance Group,UPMC, Barber National Institute, Citadel Broadcasting

and Waddell and Reed Financial Advisors.The complete list of these many companies may be

found online on the My Mercyhurst Portal.Students get a chance to meet several employers,

and its a great time to talk to professionals because net-working is so important, Foust said.

About 600 students attend the Career Fair each year,

and Foust encourages more to participate.Its an important event for anyone on a job search,

and students should be received well by the employers,he said.

Students are advised to bring approximately 20resumes to the fair to give to the various companies.Students should check the company listings online togive themselves a better idea of how many copies they

will need, Foust said.The Career Development Office on campus can help

students compose resumes and print several copies forthe event.

Dolores Griswold, administrative assistant and

Career Fair coordinator at the Career DevelopmentCenter, led the events organization.

By Stacy Skiavo

Staff writer

News Briefs

Students can enter essay submissions for the fifth annual P.

Barry McAndrew Essay on Literature Contest. The student

with the best critical essay on a work of fiction, poetry or

drama will win a $250 prize. Essays should be six to 10 pages,

double spaced and formatted according to MLA guidelines.

Entries will be judged on the originality of ideas, the clarity

of claims and the eloquence of argument. Students need to

submit their entries electronically to Dr. Marnie Sullivan by 5p.m. on Friday, March 25.

Essay competition in need of submissions

College establishes property acquisition policy

The Board of Trustees approvedthe creation of a formal, writtenpolicy from a long-standing, yetunwritten policy of acquiring pri-

vate properties to expand Mercy-hurst Colleges boundaries.

According to the minutes fromthe Jan. 27 Board of Trustees meet-ing, the new policy permits the col-

lege to use $150,000 of the annualoperating margin to acquire privatehomes primarily bordering theboundaries of the Erie or NorthEast campuses or as otherwisedetermined by the college adminis-tration to be strategic acquisitions.

Mercyhurst Vice President forFinance and Treasurer Jane Kelseyexplained the reason for the newboard policy.

Although such acquisitions hadbeen our practice, we had never put

it in writing as a board policy, andwe ought to put on paper what isour practice, she said.

Mercyhurst began acquiring pri-vate homes in 1992.

The purpose of acquiring thesehomes is to give the college flex-ibility to expand its boundaries in

the future, Kelsey said. To acquire these properties

and houses, Mercyhurst College isgoing through due diligence andusing college resources appropri-ately, she said.

Even so, Kelsey said the amount

of money Mercyhurst College hasspent to acquire these homes ishard to say.

She estimated the college spentan average of $90,000 to $100,000per home.

To date, Mercyhurst has pur-

chased 13 houses. Two of thosepurchases occurred when the cityof Erie installed the traffic lightin front of the gates. The collegebought these properties out ofamoral obligation, Kelsey said.

The college plans to soon add

another property to this total.The house the college wants to

purchase is located at 3831 ParadeBlvd. It is listed at $114,900.

The home appraisal came inat $104,000 and by our policy,thats what we offered, and theyaccepted, Kelsey said.

Once the homes are purchased,Kelsey said, they are used as rentalproperties, largely rented by eitherfaculty or administrators.

She said Mercyhurst does notplan to create new buildings onthese properties.

If we would want to use thehouses for purposes other thanresidential we would have to geta zoning variance from the city,

which might be very hard to do,Kelsey said.

Even though Mercyhurst doesnot currently plan to build on thesesites, these plans could change inthe future.

Kelsey used the apartmentbuildings on Briggs and Lewis,

which the college acquired in thelate 1980s, as an example of planschanging.

The sisters of Mercy back inthe 1960s probably did not envisiongoing farther east and acquiringthose buildings and using them asstudent housing, she said.

By Mike GallagherStaff writer

Career Development Center offers scholarship

Students interested in working with children and youthcan apply for the AmeriCorps Scholarship. Winners of the

scholarship must complete 300 hours of service. Thescholarship is good for $1,200 for the 2011-2012 academic year.Applications for the scholarship will be available on April 1. For

more information, email Colin Hurley at churley@mercyhurst.

edu or Kaitlin Schafer at kschaf16@lakers.mercyhurst.edu.

The yellow arrows indicate the nine properties Mercyhurst owns on Parade Boulevard west of

campus. The college owns 13 total properties off campus. The Mercyhurst Campus is the larg-

est single property in the city of Erie.

Google Maps/ Merciad photo illustration

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Page 3March 23, 2011 NEWS

Employment rate,

salaries increasefor class of 2010

A recent 2010 graduate surveyshows the employment rate andstarting salaries for Mercyhurst Col-

lege graduates increased between2009 and 2010.

According to a March 14 Mercy-hurst press release announcing thesurvey results from the collegesCareer Development Center, 95percent of Mercyhurst Collegegraduates from the Class of 2010are currently employed or continu-ing their education, compared to 87percent from the Class of 2009.

According to Executive Direc-tor of Experiential Learning Kyle

Foust, Ph.D., 1,117 were surveyed,and 33 percent responded.

To perform the survey, we orig-inally sent out emails, Foust said.

However, due to the migrationto the Lakers.edu (email system), it

was not as fruitful as we had hopedit would have been, so we ended up

using phone calls and online sur-veys, he said.

Prior to this, emails were usu-ally an effective way to conduct thesurvey.

Fifty percent of studentsresponded to the survey last year,compared to 33 percent whoresponded this year.

The job placement rate for thisyear was 95 percent compared to 87last year, Foust said.

The figures show more peopleare employed in full-time jobsrelated to their major, and the start-ing salaries for the class of 2010are higher than the class of 2009,Foust said.

When asked if the job market isreally that much better, Foust saidthat the figures from our graduatesurveys show it is, but I think thereis still a lot of concern out thereabout the job market.

Even so, there is hope for the jobmarket.

Were starting to see thatemployers are becoming more com-fortable hiring people, he said.

By Mike Gallagher

Staff writer

Overview of the survey data

from the 2010 Graduate Survey In general, Mercyhurst graduates feel satisfied thattheir Mercyhurst education prepares them for their cur-

rent position, whether they are employed or continuing

their education.

Of those graduates who are employed, 59 percent

are placed in full-time jobs related to their major; an

increase of seven percent over last year.

Eight percent of the 2008 graduates who are

employed felt Mercyhurst did not prepare them for their

current job, a drop of 4 points from the class of 2009.

Twenty percent of those graduates who completed

an internship while at Mercyhurst currently work for the

company who hosted their internship.

Seventy-nine percent of all graduates are either very

satisfied or satisfied with their post-graduation status;

an increase of 16 percent from 2009.

Those who did an internship received double the

number of job offers than those who did not complete an

internship.

Faculty has gender disparities

The Women and Leadership Task Force found that there is aperception of gender inequality atthe college, along with concretedisparities, Alice Edwards, Ph.D.and chair of the task force, said.

President Thomas Gamble,Ph.D., along with nine membersof the Mercyhurst College com-munity, created the task force in

March 2010, to focus on womenand leadership in the faculty andadministration.

In the key findings, the taskforce stated that there is a definiteinequality in the number of maleand female deans, representationin upper administration, full andtenured professors, and number ofsabbaticals granted.

These were found by a surveyof male and female professors, 91of whom completed more than 75

percent of the questions.The task force results were pre-

sented Tuesday.Although we did not find any

intentional examples of discrimina-tion, what we did find is that thereis a perception of gender inequality,meaning that men generally havemore opportunities, Edwards said.

Some of the bigger issues creat-ing this perception are that femalesmake up only 16 of 54 tenured pro-fessors and three of 17 full profes-sors.

The task force is now looking into

these figures, and Edwards believesthat given the trends in higher edu-cation with women attaining morebachelors degrees than men, Mer-cyhurst has to pay attention to thisso that this aspect of diversity isrepresented at the college.

This is important because Mer-cyhurst is a college founded by

women for women, with 59 percentof students being female.

If we can pay attention towomen, Edwards said. Maybe we

can pay attention to other under-represented groups on campus.

According to the Executive Sum-mary the task force provided, rec-ommendations include: increasedrepresentation of women among theupper administration, more hiringand retention of female faculty andadministrators, identification andrecruitment of female candidatesfor membership on the Board of

Trustees, including an obligation toseek out talented women, creationof a mentoring program for womenat the associate professor rank, and

most importantly, continuation ofthe task force for at least anotheryear.

Professor Alice Edwards, Ph.D.;Assistant Professors Jodi Staniunas-Hopper and Melissa Surawski, Ph.D.;

Associate Professors Candee Cham-bers, Ph.D., and Roger Griffiths,Ph.D.; Administrators Darci Jones,Michele Wheaton, Merry Shultz,

J.D., and Judi Smith, Ph.D.; and Trustee Mary Ellen Dahlkempermake up the task force.

By Alaina Rydzewski

Features editor

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FEATURES March 23, 2011Page 4

During the Frozen Four, Mercyhursts Student Ambassa-

dors represented themselves the way their green jackets por-

tray them; the role of student representat ives for the college.

From Friday nights puck drop until Sundays on-ice cham-

pionship celebration, ambassadors served as ushers, worked

the media hospitality room and greeted and assisted fans.

Ambassadors who volunteered their time spent three to

eight hours working at Tullio Arena this weekend. These

hours were deducted from their 33 required service hours thatmust be completed each term.

For many ambassadors, the Frozen Four was a great expe-

rience to show many schools that Mercyhurst knows how to

represent itself, even without its players competing on the

ice.

Working the Frozen Four tournament was great fun, says

ambassador Amber Kissman. It was awesome to be able help

out with such a huge event coming to Erie. It felt like we were

working together putting Mercyhurst on the map.

Since it was the first time Mercyhurst and Erie hosted this

event, it was important to create good impressions.I had a lot of people from other colleges ask me about

Mercyhurst and (its) Ambassadors. They were all impressed

by the fact that the school was so well represented at the

games, says ambassador Jacob Griffin.

Besides representation, other ambassadors like Maria Jose

Cesar enjoyed their volunteer time.

It was really cool to see hockey from another perspective

besides being in the audience, and to be able to be a part of

this event, Cesar says.

By Priscilla ChavezContributing writer

The University of Wisconsin captured its fourth womens hockey national

championship in six years Sunday afternoon at Eries Tullio Arena. The Badgers

beat Boston University, 4-1. Mercyhurst had been selected to serve as host school

for this years Frozen Four, staging the three-day event in Erie for the first time ever,

with 3,956 fans in attendance. The Lakers lost March 12 in the NCAA quarterfinals

to Boston University, failing to earn a chance to play at Tullio.

Ethan Magoc photo

Slur raises religious awareness

As the Mercyhurst College com-

munity launches Mercy Week 2011,

a great opportunity presents itself:

an invitation to remember and

actively participate in the schools

living Mercy tradition. The theme is powerful: We are

reflectively aware. It is a core value

meant to be all-inclusive, we should

be aware not only of ourselves but

also of the needs and feelings of

others.

Unfortunately, this is not always

the case. As seen throughout the

world, ignorance and inconsider-

ation are often major factors in peo-

ples actions. Erie is no exception.

Recently, a Mercyhurst student,Ian Tasman, was with some friends

ordering food at a local Wal-Mart.

An employee gave him a large

portion of food and was told by

a co-worker that the portion was

too large. The employee asked

in response if he should serve a

Jewish portion instead.

Being someone who is of the

Jewish faith and has dealt with

anti-Semitism before, I didnt find

that remark funny, Tasman says.To make the situation worse, the

two employees laughed at the com-

ments even though I was visually

distraught.

In response, Tasman called the

store manager, who seemed ticked

off at being called. Tasman was

offered a $20 Wal-Mart gift card for

his troubles.

The fact that they were trying to

buy me off was just as upsetting as

the incident, he says. I would like

to find a logical reason for someone

to say something like that, but all

I can think is that they are unedu-

cated and ignorant to peoples

beliefs, feelings, and tragic histories

surrounding religious intolerance.

I think about it each day and

its something horrible that no one

should have to have experienced.

Many people have become com-

placent and immovable in their views, especially regarding matters

of religion. Tasmans experience is

undeniably visible on a global scale,

and such unawareness presents a

daunting but necessary challenge.

The core value and theme of

Mercy Week, that we are reflectively

aware, seeks to revitalize our under-

standing and commitment to accept

this challenge. For it is only through

our work and dedication that any

such value may be realized.

By Kathleen VogtleStaff writer

Ambassadors lead Frozen Four hospitality effort

Auction to benefi tGrace House

Grace House is a shelter in the

Erie community that provides a safe

environment that offers community

and supportive services for womenveterans. Their goal is to help tran-

sition veterans to be self-sufficient

and stable within the community.

Six senior communication majors

are working to raise awareness and

provide funding for Grace House

by continuing an art auction that

was started last year by Mercyhurst

then-senior Jordan Zangaro.

Artists can participate as indi-

viduals or on a team of up to five

people, and will have six weeks totransform elegant dresses bought

for $10 into works of art. Artists

can shop for dresses furnished by

Grace House from March 21 to 25

between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the

lower level of the Audrey Hirt Aca-

demic Center. Completed art may

be returned to Hirt between noon

and 3 p.m. May 2 to 6.

Artists will donate their item to

be auctioned off at the Women

in Transition: Silent Art Auction

Monday, May 9, from 6 to 8 p.m.

at Mercyhurst Colleges Cummings

Art Gallery. All proceeds from the

auction will go to Grace House.

Entrants are responsible for all

finances needed to create their art-

work. The artwork must be named

and artists identified. For details

about the event, contact Jackie Hartz

or Jen Mieczkowski by email.

By Kristen Ribelli

Contributing writer

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 5March 23, 2011

Cosi fan Tutte leaves many laughing

Andrea Baker, Kathleen Reveille and Liz Zurasky perform a scene in Cosi fan Tutte.

Tyler Stauffer photo

The music departments produc-tion of the famous Mozart operaCosi fan Tutte this weekend atthe Mary DAngelo Performing

Arts Center successfully showcasedthe prodigious talents of the singersstudying at Mercyhurst.

While tackling one of the morechallenging operas in classical rep-

ertoire, the singers pulled off thisperformance with professionalism,beautiful vocalizations and a healthysplash of humor.

The sets for the opera were stun-ning, and the costuming was beau-tiful and effectively captured thecharacter of the time period.

I absolutely loved the show,said junior Kat ie Wagner.

The costumes and the sets weregorgeous, and everyone did a won-derful job. I was very impressed.

The opera also featured an excel-lent performance by the Mercy-hurst student orchestra conductedby Scott Tomlison, Ph.D.

The singing by the performerswas beautifully executed with clear,pure tones that made for a wonder-ful listening experience.

Although at times it was diffi-

cult to hear what words they weresaying, the synopsis in the pro-gram, along with the acting andcontextual clues, made the storyeasy to follow.

Much of the humor in the operacame from the antics of Ferrandoand Guglielmo, the two officers

who disguise themselves as Alba-nians in order to test their lovers

faithfulness. While masquerading, the two

singers slapstick behavior kept theenergy light and the audience enter-tained.

The scene in which the disguised

officers pretend to poison them-selves because the ladies spurn theiradvances was particularly amusing.

The maid Despina, who aids inthe trickery, likewise had severalfunny moments and musical one-liners.

Along with Don Alfonso, hersneaky deeds and masquerading asboth a doctor and a judge movedmuch of the action of the story.

The rendition of Cosi fanTutte that the Mercyhurst singersproduced was especially accessibleto the audience because it was sungin English rather than the more tra-ditional Italian.

This was the first opera I hadever seen, and so I was scaredthat I wouldnt really understandit, but I actually really enjoyed theperformance, said junior NikkiZeak.

The production was also triplecast, so each performance wasslightly different and thereforeafforded the audience a new experi-ence within the same construct.

It was interesting to see howeach cast brought something dif-ferent to the table, as each sing-ers interpretation was different,said senior Christine Wilbur, who

worked on the technical crew forthe shows.

By Sarah MastrocolaStaff writer

Project Abolition deals with horrors of human traffi cking

This past weekend Project Abo-lition, an event to teach audiencesabout the relatively unknown prob-lem of human trafficking, tookplace in the Taylor Little Theatre.

This event was collaborative in

nature with many groups teach-ing the audience through artisticexpression and true-life stories.

The most powerful moments were provided by Theresa Flores,who spoke about her heartbreakingstory as a human trafficking victim.

She was forced into the sex tradefor two years, all the while having tohide it from everyone because if shedidnt, they would kill her family.

She says the only thing that gother through this unbearable time

was her faith in God.

Flores wrote a book telling herfull story and has founded theGracehaven House in Ohio, atherapeutic home for girls under 18

who have been victimized by sexualexploitation.

Senior Lindsey Smith originallystarted Project Abolition afterlearning about human traffickingabout two years ago.

This weekends performance was intended to raise awareness.Because of the expressive nature ofperformance, those involved wereable to provide an image of what itis like to be trafficked.

Local dance school Erie DanceConservatory performed Grace,a piece full of metaphors of thecold felt by trafficked victimsand the grace that comes to savethem.

Smiths own choreography, CryFreedom, displayed the trappedand tortured lives victims are forced

to live.Girls names are replaced with

numbers, they dont get to sleepmore than three or four hours anight and never keep the moneythey earn.

In Faces of Trafficking, SoMarDance Works collaborated withlocal composer Erik Meyer andmusicians Lynn Johnson, AnnaMeyer, Marika Koch and GloriaRhodes-Evans.

The piece was a poignant por-trayal of the tragic stories of vic-tims of sex trafficking.

It shocked audience membersby bringing to the stage the hiddenreal-life situations of helpless girls

who are coerced into becomingprostitutes and raped on a dailybasis.

Project Abolition taught a lotabout the problems of human traf-ficking, as the dancers spoke aboutthe lives of victims.

The traffickers regularly drug the victims so girls become addictedto drugs and alcohol to numb thepain. If they tell anyone, they knowthe traffickers will kill their familymembers.

Sisters Barbara Daugherty andLaura Wingert are part of the Col-laborative Initiative to End Human

Trafficking, whose mission is toeducate and advocate for the pre-

vention and abolition of humantrafficking.

They made clear that humantrafficking is not just the sex trade,but also sweatshop labor, nannies,maids and custodial services.

It is basically the illegal buyingand selling of people for labor ofany kind.

They stressed the importanceof spreading awareness about theproblem and the necessary supportfor legislation to end human traf-ficking.

The tragedy of it all was broughtto life in the events dances and

was supported by the poetry read-ings of Thomas Forsthoefel, Ph.D.,professor and chair of religiousstudies at Mercyhurst. Hes also the2010-2011 Poet Laureate of ErieCounty.

His poem I Leave told of thestruggles of gay religious figuresand the standards of the churchthat they must combat.

Another poem he read calledTsunami, to commemorate therecent disasters in Japan, advertedto the cause and effect of naturaldisasters and persuaded listeners toacquire mindfulness on the issue.

Junior Kristen Marincic alsorecited her poem, The Ghost

Within.It revealed the inner struggles

of human traffic victims and howthe ghost of child rape stays with aperson forever.

By Emma Rishel

Staff writer

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September 3, 2008OPINIONPage 6 March 23, 2011

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The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstCollege. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of

finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is(814) 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the

letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit

letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.

Editors

Ethan Magoc

Kelly Luoma

Alaina Rydzewski

Victoria GricksSpencer Hunt

Alex Stacey

Kaitlin Badger

Tyler Stauffer

Ethan Johns

Daniela Carcamo

Bill Welch

Brian Sheridan

Positions

Editor-in-Chief

News Editor

Features Editor

Opinion EditorSports Editor

A&E Editor

Graphics

Photo Editor

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Adviser

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The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the v iews of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciador the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Helping the mentally ill

Here is an issue that frustrates

the you-know-what out of me. On

this campus, I guarantee that there

are students suffering from a mental

illness.

Whether its bipolar disorder ordepression, they shouldnt have to

suffer. When many of these stu-

dents cry out for help, their friends

and family members assume the

worst and stop interacting with

them. But this loss of companion-

ship can be devastating to someone

with a mental health issue.

Many people are simply afraid to

be around someone with a mental

illness. They believe the lies that all

people who have a mental illness

are weak or will become violent.

Although there are documented

cases of the connection between

violence and mental illness, the

vast majority of people who are

mentally ill are actually more likely

to become victims of violence and

bullying. When they reach out for

help, they are pushed down by a

society that says suck it up!

Let me tell you something:

Mental illness is as serious a prob-

lem as cancer. It can kill someone

just like a tumor, and it requires

treatment as well as the support of

family and friends. We wouldnt tell

a cancer patient to solve the issue

on his own, would we? Then why

do we tell people with a disorder

that they arent worth saving? In

case you didnt know, mental illness

is a real biological condition that

affects about 78 million Americans.

With support structures and

treatment, people with a mental ill-

ness can become functioning mem-

bers of society. And you can do

something to help impact the lives

of these people. Volunteer at a hos-

pital or a mental health clinic; be an

advocate for treatment of mental

illness; campaign for compassionate

treatment of the mentally ill.

We at Mercyhurst are a kind-

hearted group of people. We are

socially merciful. I am certain that

someone who is mentally ill just

wants a friend. They want to get

better, but they are afraid to seek

treatment for fear of being judged

and ostracized from society.

We can help build a better world

for them. It starts with you.

By Mike Lado

Staff writer

Obamas health careplan mimics Nixons

On March 23, 2010, President

Barack Obama signed into law

what was arguably the most historic

piece of legislation passed by the

111th Congress: the Patient Protec-

tion and Affordable Care Act. As

liberals rejoiced and conservatives

grimaced, the Affordable Care Act

became law.

Commonly known as health care

reform, this landmark law broughtthe tyrannical reign of insurance

companies to an end. Despite irra-

tional opposition from the right, the

final passage of the bill provides fair

and affordable options for the esti-

mated 46 million Americans living

without health care coverage.

With the national fervor surround-

ing health care reform simmering

down, it seems timely to take a look

at the actual content of the bill in a

comparative context with previousattempts at reform, most notably

under Republican administrations.

As early as the Jan. 30, 1974, State

of the Union address, President Rich-

ard Nixon was touting the benefits of

not only reforms to the health care

system, but also the need for a uni-

versal health care plan to enable every

American to gain access to care.

The Nixon Era proposals

for health care reform were not

defeated due to public unrest oraversion to the proposed content.

During this period in the battle

for reform, the bill became a victim

of circumstance. By 1974, Watergate

had come to dominate the national

discourse and Nixons health care lost

traction; the 1970s became another

failure in the annals of reform.

The bill Obama signed in the

spring of 2009 forbids insurance

companies from placing an annual

or lifetime limit on a policy, bansdropped coverage of an ill patient,

and eliminates discrimination

against children with pre-existing

conditions, along with many other

provisions which echo Nixons call

for coverage of all.

Clearly, upon comparatively

examining these two attempts at

health care reform, the levels of

hypocrisy within the conservative

platform become evident.

The health care plan proposedunder President Nixons Admin-

istration is very similar to the plan

which President Obama proposed

almost 40 years later, and the same

Republican party which once came

close to historically implementing

reform has become the party of

no in a futile effort to block it.

By Caitlin Handerhan

Staff writer

Assisting during a crisis

Thomas Snippert urges Americans

to send money to Japan.

Dreams are possible

Mary Nolte discusses reaching

her dream. in Ireland.

More Online...

For the past seven years, I havebeen employed as a receptionist atBaldwin Hall. One of the joys ofthis ministry is the opportunity to

visit with the girls as they comeand go at Baldwin. They are the joyof my life. Many of these girls arebasketball or hockey players and

cheerleaders and their schedule hasbecome my schedule and I makeevery effort to be present at theirgames to show my support.

I would like to take the opportu-nity to acknowledge the cheerleader

coach, Pat Zimmer, for the superbjob she is doing with the girls and topublicly thank the cheerleaders fortheir faithfulness in performanceat the games. I feel they do not getenough credit for all the good theydothey are often unsung heroesand deserve to be praised.

My fervent hope is that thesewomen might soon be joined by atleast one brave male cheerleader.

Wouldnt that be wonderful?

- Sister Mary Paul Carioty

Letter to the editor:Praise for cheerleaders

If you would like to write a letter to the editor, submit it to

opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 23, 2011

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Sports Page 7March 23, 2011

Equestrian Club keeps riding despite only two members

When you get thrown off the

horse, you must get back on.

In the case of Haley Mascellino

and Caitlin Birmingham, the lone

members of this years Mercyhurst

Equestrian Club, they never had a

horse, a stable or a place to ride.

All they have is the desire to com-

pete and a school that will support

them.Haley Mascellino and Caitlin

Birmingham grew up in suburban

Pittsburgh. The two girls had the

passion for riding horses but never

had the resources.

I have always wanted to be on

an [equestrian] team, but grow-

ing up in Pittsburgh, I never got a

chance to learn the ropes, let alone

ride a horse, said Mascellino, a

junior biology major. Also, I want

to be a veterinarian and this is agood way for me to study the ail-

ments and treatment of large ani-

mals like horses.

Birmingham, a freshman, comes

from a similar background.

I am in the same boat as Haley,

she said, I grew up close to her

in Pittsburgh, and I never got the

chance to ride or compete. Now

that Im here at Mercyhurst, I can

do that.

Mary Ann Owoc, Ph.D., of the

archaeology and anthropology

department, founded the Mercy-

hurst Equestrian Club in 2004. The

clubs activities include taking les-

sons, trail rides, fund raising, field

trips, volunteer activities and inter-collegiate competition.

The Intercollegiate Horse Show

Association (IHSA) is the group

that hosts all riding events.

Any college student should be

able to ride and compete regardless

of financial status or riding level,

the IHSA wrote in its mission state-

ment, making it a perfect fit for

Mascellino and Birmingham.

The IHSA sponsors many stables

throughout the tri-state area includ-ing Brenric Stables in Edinboro,

where Mascellino and Birming-

ham take lessons and train every

Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Brenric Stables is also the home

of Halli Bidwell, who serves as

instructor for Mascellino and Bir-

mingham. She also accompanies the

two women to every competition.

She has been very helpful,

Mascellino said. She makes sure

we are ready for each competitionand (she) has a high reputation with

the IHSA.

The organization picks the venue

for each competition and provides

horses at random for each rider to

make things fair among the com-

peting men and women.Whether you place or not

depends on your ability to make

the horse cooperate with you, Bir-

mingham says. Some horses have

a lot of attitude and can give you a

hard time.

Some horses are ex-race horses

and ex-Olympic Equestrian horses

which are highly skilled and easier

to work with. It all depends on the

skill of the rider.

Mascellino and Birmingham com-pete in English saddle competitions,

a formal set of events in contrast

to the more hectic and fast-paced

Western saddle competitions.

The pairs last competition was

a weekend event in Reedsville. Bir-

mingham took fourth place both

days, earning six points, and Mas-

cellino took sixth place on Saturday

and fifth place on Sunday, earning

three points.

Mascellino and Birminghaminvite all Mercyhurst students who

are interested in competing or

simply being around horses to ven-

ture out and take a lesson.

By Matt Cirell

Staff writer

Get paid $10 per story to cover thecampus sports you love.

Proficient writing skills and reliability required.

For information, visit staff meetings Mondays

at 8:15 p.m. or email sportsmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Haley Mascellino, left, and Caitlin Birmingham, right, are the

lone members of the Mercyhurst Equestrian Club.

Contributed photo

Caitlin Birmingham, above, rides in an English saddle

competition. The club is looking for new members. The club

takes lessons at Brenric Stables and competes in local horse

competitions.

Contributed photo

Think you knowabout sports?Write for The Merciad.

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