The Highlander

January 29, 2013

Viewfinder: Rockwell Rocks

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Beyond Harmony Gets in Tune...P3 The 1,000 Point Woman...P4

Look for photos of and information about the latest installment in the art gallery,

illustrated covers of The Saturday Evening Post .

Father, Where Art Thou?By Ellen Hoffman, Editor-in-Chief

Rockwell Exhibit Lecture Explores Artist’s History

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Students who regularly attend mass in the university chapel have become used to welcoming a new priest to campus each week, and they are looking forward to the ar-rival of a new, full-time Chaplain after the departure of Father Don Williams last year. Finding one is the challenge. Father Muldowney, Victor Gen-eral of the Diocese of Scranton, said recruiting priests is an issue throughout the country, not only within the Scranton Diocese. “Bottom line is that we need more vocations. Without the priest you can’t have the Eucha-rist,” he said. “We need to pray for more vocations and encourage others to go out for vocations. I would always say ‘God is calling people to religious vocations. God is calling but we aren’t respond-ing.’ And there are a number of reasons that could be why. We have a responsibility as Roman Catholics to call.” The arrival of Bishop Bambera to the Scranton Diocese in 2010 brought changes that could help fill some positions. In the past, priests were appointed to serve a parish, a hospital or a university. Bishop Bambera created a process in which priests can apply for po-sitions of their choice when they see job descriptions that interest them. No one has yet applied for the university Chaplain position, which was posted during the fall 2012 semester.

While the university waits for the position to pique the inter-est of a Roman Catholic priest, Chris Somers, Director of Campus Ministry scheduled several priests from the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area to rotate through the mass schedule. She said she is doing everything she can to secure someone for the position. “It’s a challenge having to get people, and people who we also think can speak to young adults and sometimes we have to go with who is available and who can help us,” she said. “I think the first goal is can we get a good priest in who is going to have a good liturgy, and are the students going to respond to him? And sometimes if we can’t get those priests that we would like to have, we may just end up with whoever we could get.” Somers said she listens to the feedback from students who at-tend mass. “We’re trying to find a priest to come at least like four times a se-mester so that you get to see them maybe once a month, so there is some consistency,” she said. “We are also trying to get priests that can relate to young adults.” Somers is expanding the search to religious orders like Holy Cross and the Jesuits as no one in the Diocese is showing interest. She insists this position is not only about having someone who will say mass. It requires providing a “Catholic presence on campus.” “We have reconciliation services,

we have pastoral counseling where a student would come in and talk to a priest about spiritual issues, or outreach to student for someone who has lost a parent or making themselves available to attend a funeral.” Somers said the lack of a full-time priest on campus has not led to a decline in the number of mass-goers. Sunday evening mass is still as popular as ever, as is the Christmas mass held after Christmas dinner, said Somers. “I think that says a lot for the students. Even though we don’t have a Chaplain people are still, for the most part, attending Sunday liturgy at seven.” Campus Ministry also provides students with masses at local parishes, like Gate of Heaven and the Mercy Center. President Michael Mac-Dowell understands this process may take some time and supports Somers’ actions in try-ing to find someone to fill the position, but he also wishes this Catholic in-stitution would have a full-time Chaplain. “A Catholic institution, particularly one that is growing

Facilities Fighting off Jack FrostBy Courtney Garloff, Reporter

With lots already full, some stu-dents are worried about how snow and other winter weather will affect the availability of parking. First year student Kassie Wil-liams, who keeps her car on cam-pus because of her weekend job, said parking is often a concern. “I’m worried about losing a park-ing spot. What happens if I have to move my car and I come back and there’s snow in it?” Williams is also worried about her car getting snowed into a spot. “What if I need to drive some-where and my car is stuck because snow is piled around it?” The university has a plan to keep students safe and parking spots open, said Robert Zavada, Associ-ate Director of Campus Safety, and he begins by keeping a close eye on mother nature’s plans. “Our role is to monitor ex-actly what is going on with the weather,” said Zavada. “We don’t want to displace anybody if we don’t have to.” He said he and his team work to keep students informed and manage paking-related issues. He said his strategies vary, just like the weather. “If we get to the point that we have to act, our role becomes to notify not only the students but the whole campus community about where to relocate,” he said. Campus Safety posts announce-ments on e-Mu and sends emails during severe weather. Announce-ments will include parking areas that must be cleared, the time students must move their cars and also which parking lots are available. Lot A or the North Gate Lot, next to MacDowell Hall, has become the go-to location over the past few years. Campus Safety will even some-times try to contact the owners of vehicles remaining in lots to inform them about the move. In extreme cases, they will arrange

for cars to be towed. “We will tow if it is for the benefit of the vehicle owner,” said Zavada. Campus Safety will only tow if officials feel that it is the best option for the safety of the car. Owners of towed cars risk a $100 fine and towing costs. Zavada said he doesn’t want cars to be dam-aged by events such as plowing or falling tree limbs. Campus Safety said the best time to move cars from lots is often after the North Gate lot has been plowed. The second part of Misericordia’s plan of action begins when Paul Murphy, Director of Facilities and Safety, and his team get to work. The university has stocked about 30 tons of salt and other supplies since the fall semester in case a Thanksgiving snowstorm rolled in unexpectedly. “When unsure that we have adequate supply of rock salt for the roads, and we also make sure that we have an adequate supply of deicer for the sidewalk,” he said. Workers also prepare the snow removal equipment, everything from brooms to snowplows, which workers use to clear sidewalks and parking lots throughout campus. “We have a fleet of vehicles to clear the sidewalks, and we also plow all the roads,” said Murphy. When snow is expected, the grounds crew starts prepping the plowing vehicles the day ahead of the storm. Crews are usually sum-moned to work at 4 a.m. following a storm, and they begin to plow and treat roads and sidewalks to make it easier for the morning commute. “We really just try to keep up,” said Murphy. Murphy said a winter snow-storm that delivered around six to eight inches of snow last year forced the closure of about a dozen parking spots because they were full of plowed snow. Murphy said he tries to avoid losing spots

Snow from the first storm of the semester sits in the space between the faculty and student parking area in the science lot.

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

New Support Available for Those Who StutterBy Alexandria Smith, Content Manager Students and faculty aim to extend support to those affected by stuttering through a campus support group. Only one percent of people within the U.S. or approximately three million people stutter, ac-cording to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association – and there are only 150 recognized specialists in the U.S. This affects clients’ access to therapy and support, said fluency specialist and chair of the speech language pathology department Dr. Glen Tellis. This is particularly true in Northeastern Pa., he said.

“There are formal support groups like the National Stutter-ing Association, a self-help group for people who stutter,” said Tellis. “They have chapters and charters that they read out before the meeting. I think the closest may be in Harrisburg. I know Pitt has one, and Pittsburgh has one, and Philadelphia. But there’s nothing in the Northeast. So we’ve got cli-ents in adulthood and adolescence and some people who stutter – I don’t stutter - but there are many people who stutter who may want support. They may think that they are the only people who ever stut-

ter. They had never seen or met someone who stuttered because the incidence is so small.” This was the case with sopho-more speech-language pathol-ogy major Terrence Murgallis. He is one of two founders of the support group and shared in an article in The Dallas Post that he had never met another person with a stutter before going to col-lege. He began the support group with the aid of fellow sophomore speech-language pathology major Marybeth Rissinger and speech-language graduate student Midori Rodriguez to better expose people

to the issue in a non-imposing, non-technical setting. “What our premise has been as a group, we didn’t want to have a formalized charter,” said Tellis. “They wanted to keep it more fluid and so it’s only a group for people who stutter. So if I’m invited by them – even though my specialty is stuttering – we don’t need to do therapy in there. It’s their call what their agenda is. A lot of them want to meet somebody else that stutters and say, ‘Hey, listen, that was crazy. ‘ I don’t have to use my techniques. If I want to, I can. But I’m in a group with other people

who stutter.” An informal setting for people to gather and discuss their feel-ings toward their stuttering with people who can understand their condition is comforting, especially to Murgallis. “We talk about our struggles, what’s been bothering us, some positive things during our week, everything like that. Then we just talk after that. It’s a safe environ-ment. You don’t have to worry about trying to hide it. You can just be yourself and talk how you talk with your closest friends or your family and not feel like you

have to hide your stuttering.” The group is looking to expand membership to anyone with a stutter within the community. Rodriguez has gone to numerous high schools, rehab clinics and universities to promote the group and the benefits that it may offer to students and adults who may want to talk with others. Meetings are held every first and third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in room 212 of John J. Passan Hall. [email protected]

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Winter Weather Welcomes Fun & Games

Sophomore DeAnna Darling [left] lobs a snowball at sophomore Kara Slack after a snow storm on Jan. 22. Find more photos on page 3.MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

January 29, 2013highlandernews.net2

CONTACT US

STAFFThe 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.

INTEGRITYThe Highlander works to produce up-to-date, clear, accurate reporting. If any information is inaccurate or not covered thor-

oughly, 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.

Ellen Hoffman - Editor-in-ChiefMorgan Harding - Print EditorShawn Kellmer - Web EditorMary Bove - Multimedia Editor

Alexa Cholewa - Business Manager

Arthur Dowell - Web Master

Melissa Sgroi - AdvisorMisericordia University

301 Lake StreetDallas, PA 18612

[email protected]@misericorida.edu

570-674-6400570-674-6737

[email protected]@misericordia.edu

CONTRIBUTORS

News

Courtney CollettiTori DziedziakCourtney GarloffPeter Falvey Jimmy FisherJosh HortonDan Kimbrough

Brittany LovetteGia MazurKaitlyn MoltiniRyan OsadchyChrista PoraskyTaryn TalackaAlexandria Smith - Content Manager

Gabriella Lengyel - Social Media Manager

[email protected]

No “VOTE” for people with disabilities?By Shawn Kellmer, Web Editor The Department of Communica-tions will hold a screening of a documentary that reveals barriers to voting for people with disabili-ties.. The 20-minute documentary titled “VOTE” showcases the trials that faced people with disabilities as they attempted to vote in the November election. The heart of the film centers around the barri-ers to polling place access that the documentary makers, Dr. Melissa Sgroi and professor Dan Kim-brough revealed. Sgroi and Kimbrough decided to make the film because they saw a need to bring voting accessibil-ity issues to the attention of the media and the community. “I know that many barriers, physical and social, exist for people with disabilities. They are very well hidden from most of us by the standard, accepted, able-normative culture in which we live,” said Sgroi. Sgroi is well aware of these prob-lems. She has recently earned her doctorate researching disability and media education. As Sgroi and Kimbrough visited polling places in Lackawanna and Luzerne County, they discovered many inaccessible polling places, something that the professors did not expect. They had originally intended to follow a Marywood University student with a disabil-ity as he went to vote. The documentary’s direction changed after they noticed the initial polling place had no handi-capped parking. “We thought, ‘Well, if this place is not very accessible to people with disabilities, what might oth-ers be like?’” said Sgroi. This question prompted the filmmakers the change direc-

tion and go to four more polling places to see if the situation was different. They found that all of the buildings they visited were not barrier-free. The movie also highlights small things that non-disabled people may take for granted. “All barriers can stop someone with a disability from voting depending upon the nature of their disability and their mobility,” said Sgroi. “At one polling place, the threshold to the building was a little more or a little bit less, somewhere around two inches

tall, and it was made of concrete. So if you’re in a wheelchair, you can’t really get over a two inch tall threshold to get in if you’re alone, which we have to assume they could be.” This was just one of the many barriers covered in the documen-tary, but they are just a small piece of the bigger picture. “There are many different kinds of problems depending upon the disability and the level of mobil-ity,” said Sgroi. Sgroi and Kimbrough also

discovered that the barriers faced by people with disabilities are not necessarily anyone’s intention. “Most of these voting places, if not the majority of them, are in inaccessible places simply because of the age of the buildings. There isn’t a lot you can do when we have to use a very old structure,” said Sgroi. But through her research, Sgroi discovered that many accessibility issues can be easily, and inexpen-sively, fixed if people are simply aware of them. “It comes down to education. Do

we just provide a helper outside, for instance? Do we put a piece of plywood down, for instance?” said Sgroi. “It doesn’t have to be major construction to solve these problems.” Sgroi and Kimbrough are co-producers of the documentary. Sgroi is credited for the concept, the writing and the reporting, but there would have been no film without Kimbrough. “There wouldn’t be a documen-tary if it weren’t for Dan. He did all of the shooting and editing. So,

I would have had to have writ-ten about it and not shoot it as a documentary,” said Sgroi. “My plan was originally to write about it, but when I realized it was a story best told visually, I realized this would make a much better documentary than a print story.” Kimbrough became a part of the project due to his interest in multicultural issues, according to Sgroi. “People with disabili-ties are, according to the recent scholarship, considered a minority group,” said Sgroi. Communications department media manager Dave Thackara served as audio engineer. He recorded Sgroi’s narration and handled the music for the film. “I think Melissa has a passion for trying to bring to light some of the issues for the handicapped that may get swept under the rug, ignored, or just for some reason, not brought to light,” said Thackara. “I think that she’s got a passion for making sure that those stories get told, that those problems get fixed.” The documentary work will not end here. Sgroi and Kimbrough will return to the polling places in May to see if changes were made. “We’re going to grow it [the documentary]. We’ll probably take the first part and have to re-edit it into a much broader story about here’s what was uncovered and here’s what’s happening now,” said Sgroi. “I don’t know what will be happening at that time.” A trailer of the documen-tary is available at http://vimeo.com/57074642. The screening will take place Jan. 30 at 6:00 p.m. in the McGowan Room of the library. [email protected]

A couple makes their way to a polling site this past November.DAN KIMBROUGH FOR THE HIGHLANDER

VIEWFINDER: ROCKWELL ROCKS

By Peter Falvey, Reporter Famous works by “America’s Favorite Illustrator,” Norman Rockwell, are ready to view at the Friedman Art Gallery. Norman Rockwell’s folksy works graced the covers of The Saturday Evening Post for four decades. Rockwell referred to the magazine as the “greatest show window in America,” and his illustrations provide a glimpse of life in 20th century America, depicting scenes that run the gamut from daily life to important events. “There is a lot of history here. I think Rockwell allows the person to revisit the sweetness of the times. The little things that people go through in life are represented here in the subject matter,” said Dona Posatko-Jenkins, Curator and Assistant to the Director of the Friedman Art Gallery. “Of course he hits on the larger historical subjects and the politi-cal subjects towards the end, but I think as an observer of life, he just had a talent for showing the sweetness of life,” she said. Visitors will feel the strongest impact of the pieces when they are viewed as a whole according to Director Brian Benedetti. “You can see how his style is over the different periods of time be-cause they are broken into chrono-logical order of execution, and that has made a really profound appearance in the gallery for the viewer to see,” said Benedetti. Posatko-Jenkins said she be-came intrigued with the art when she stumbled upon the Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts last year when she was there to visit her daughter. “I was not a Rockwell fan initially, but when I saw the paint-ings, the original paintings that he had done for the covers, they are very very large. We have four here that are originals, but they are not as big, but for the most part they are very very large.” Posatko-Jenkins said she couldn’t “get over how prolific a painter this guy was because he had to come up with his subjects and painting that tells a story every month for The Saturday Evening Post.” She said she was also struck by a display of the magazine covers. “Downstairs in the museum, was

this display of every cover that he had ever done and there was also a short film, about Rockwell in the same room as all these Saturday Evening Post covers. I thought this is a ten minute film, and it is very sweet and if it was at all possible for this to be a traveling show.” She arranged to have the work displayed at Misericordia when she started here. “So when I got back here to Dallas I called the curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum and lo and behold, we were able to lease the collection and brought it here after some negotiating. We also have some originals that are on loan to us from some anonymous people, so we are very lucky.” Benedetti expects students can learn much more about Norman Rockwell than they might expect. “I think that [students] can understand a lot about Ameri-cana. They can see, for themselves right before them, how someone through the course of their life, dedicated their life to their art form, their craft, the attitude that they had,” said Benedetti. He couldn’t choose one piece in the display as his favorite. “Most interesting to me is how they transitioned into the 60’s just before he left The Saturday Evening Post and the pieces were becoming more socially and politically narra-tive than they had been.” Posatko-Jenkins adds that visi-tors can also learn a little about the production process. “It shows you how the press evolved. Originally they only had two colors on The Saturday Evening Post cover, and then by the end they have at least four colors. You can see how it evolved from a two color process to a four color process,” she said. She had a hard time narrowing her favorite from the 320 covers, two narratives and one photo-graph of Rockwell displayed. “I enjoy Rosie the Riveter, show-ing the strength of women going back into the work force while their men were fighting in World War II.” The exhibit will be on display until Feb. 28. [email protected]

Top, junior Callen Clark , first year Julia Whitesell view covers of The Saturday Evening Post.Bottom, juniors Tyler Terbush, Taylor Robertson observe a photo.

ELLEN HOFFMAN /THE HIGHLANDER

Couture for campers with cancerBy Gia Mazur, Reporter

Two years ago, senior Gabrielle Giello and her mother, Dawn Giello, were volunteering at Camp Happy Times, a camp for young cancer survivors, helping the girls apply makeup before a camp prom that evening when they noticed a site that was anything but fash-ionable. As she was leaving, Giello noticed that the donated dresses were outdated and there were not enough threads for every girl at the camp, leaving most to wear their own clothes to the dance. Giello decided to offer one of her old prom dresses for a camper to wear. The young camper had the “biggest smile” and she kept thanking Giello for letting her wear the dress. “I wanted to cry. I said, ‘Next year, I have to bring 200 dresses,’” Giello said. She did that and more. Giello created a Facebook event asking her girlfriends to donate their prom dresses, shoes and jewelry for Camp Happy Times. The event exploded and after the first week, Giello had over 100 dresses – more than she could fit in her family’s Dunmore home. The weight of the dresses broke the clothing rack they were hanging on, so a family friend is housing some dresses for now. Giello is also keeping dresses in her dorm room and her boyfriend’s apart-ment. “My house is covered in dresses,” Giello said, laughing. Giello has volunteered with her mother since she could walk – pasta dinners, nursing home visits, Christmas caroling in their hometown and youth group trips, to be exact. Mrs. Giello is a former fragrance model for Chanel and she was first asked to apply makeup for the campers at Camp

Happy Times about ten years ago. She was so touched by this experience that she couldn’t wait to share it with her daughter. “It’s so rewarding. It’s almost selfish because you feel so good. I wanted to bring Gabby to show her how fortunate she is,” said Mrs. Giello, also adding that she is “extremely, extremely proud” of her daughter following in her footsteps. Mrs. Giello said each girl at the camp receives a makeup bag from Chanel after a mini-makeover day. She said the girls are always excited to see the make overs on their schedule and the campers remember them from year to year. The mother/daughter duo agree that they have special bonds with the campers and it’s a wonderful day because they “don’t feel like they have cancer” that day. “The most beautiful thing about this camp is that it gives these kids a chance to get to know people that feel the same way and understand what they are going through. They fully relate to each other,” said Giello. Giello is thrilled with the response she received from her peers. She’s also surprised at how far her campaign has reached, even grabbing the attention of a girl from Delaware who came across the group and mailed a dress to Giello’s house. “I think, especially with this project, not a lot of kids have their own money to donate so it feels good to give a dress,” she said. While Giello has over 100 dresses and counting for Camp Happy Times, there is a great need for dresses for girls ages five to 14, because she has not received any dresses for girls that age and size. Giello said the prom theme this

year is “Glitz and Glamour,” and she hopes to make each camper feel special. “Everyone can remember the

first time they put on their prom dress and felt like a princess. I want this to be a night for them to remember forever,” she said.

Right, Gabrielle Giello sorts through the dresses that have been do-nated by students for the Camp Happy Times prom in her Gildea Hall dorm room.

GIA MAZUR /THE HIGHLANDER

ALEXANDRIA SMITH /THE HIGHLANDER

January 29, 2013highlandernews.net 3News

CAMPUS PEER ASSOCIATE RECRUITMENT TIME Applications will be available starting Jan. 21 for current first and second year students interested in applying to be Peer Advocates, Sexual Assault Facts & Education Peer Educators (S.A.F.E.), Substance Abuse Peer Educators,

or a Healthy Options Peer Educators (H.O.P.E. - focus on body, mind, & spirit) for next fall. If you are looking to

become more involved on campus next year, one or more of these groups might be for you!

To find out more about these groups and access the appli-cation, click on “Campus Services” from the e-MU page, scroll down to and click on the CAPS Center website, and then click on the “Campus Peer Associate” link. The ap-

plication and reference form links are at the bottom of the page. Students can submit the application electronically,

but you will have to print off a copy of the reference form (Interested applicants will need to get three references

from faculty and staff and it is your responsibility to give them the forms and make sure they get in on time).

Please contact Dr. Cindy March at 570-674-6366 or

[email protected] with any questions.

CAPSCORNER

Student on the Street

“I like it for a day and then I hate it. I’m not a big fan of cold weather,” said Gabrielle Lengyel, sophomore.

to snow, but that is dependent on the amount of snow fall. “We may shove it in this area and lose a couple of parking spots but keep the campus open.” “If it’s just a couple inches then we try to push it off to the side,” said Murphy. “Our main concern is to keep the walkways and road-ways open.” Crews use a front-end loader to move the white stuff, and it takes time because they can only move one load at a time. Depending on the severity of the storm, it may take a couple days to remove all of the snow from parking spots. After severe storms when snow totals reach six to 10 inches, the university calls an outside contrac-tor with larger machinery to help move the snow at a faster pace.

Recent campus construction has complicated snow removal efforts, said Murphy. New sidewalks leading to Anderson Sports and Health Center and MacDowell Hall have obstructed previous plowing routes. “We would plow the snow into the grass, then it would just melt,” said Murphy. “In the past we used to just plow everything into the grass, but now we can’t do that.” Now snow must be dumped at end of the sidewalks where it might take up student parking. Zavada and Murphy encourage students to follow directions that release in campus announcements so students can keep vehicles safe and find a parking open spots. [email protected]

Facilities fight continued

“I actually like the snow a lot. I really enjoy snowboarding and stuff,” said Patrick Aulisio, senior.

Jack Frost has whistled his way onto campus and students are torn when it comes to their feelings on the harsh winds, bitter cold, delicate frosts and billowy snow that have taken grip of the grounds and sur-rounding areas.

“I like the snow. I like what it looks like. But it’s too cold now and I want it to go away,” said Rachel Davis, first year.

“I hate the snow because I’m not used to the cold weather here. Our winters aren’t that bad where I’m from,” said Adrienne Trotto, first year.

ELLEN HOFFMAN /THE HIGHLANDER

Not same old songBy Taryn Talacka, Reporter

Cougar Radio’s specialty is independent music, which by its nature is not readily familiar to many listeners, but some faculty and students are asking why radio hits aren’t streaming through the Cougar airwaves. Staffers say the reason is simple: copyright restrictions. “You can’t just decide to play a song and just play it,” said com-munications faculty member Dave Thackara. “You need to have the rights to it, and there are a couple of different ways to get those rights, for what you use it for, on a radio station.” Cougar radio faculty adviser Dan Kimbrough said there are other ways to obtain rights without contacting every music label for permission to air. “We work with College Music Journal, and we report to them each week, which is how most col-lege stations get their music,” said Kimbrough. “By us reporting and saying that we’re playing new and independent music, bands and labels can see it, and then choose to send us music based on what we’re already playing.” Cougar Radio has been able to play a variety of artists because of its relationship with CMJ. Cougar Radio also belongs to The American Society of Compos-ers, Authors, and Publishers and Broadcast Music Incorporated, which are royalty-based compa-nies, which means many artists voluntarily register with the companies to promote their music and generate profit. “By us paying ASCAP [and BMI] dues, we are allowed to play band’s music on the radio,” said Kim-brough. “It’s the notion that if you play any music that’s copyrighted, you have to pay ASCAP and BMI dues.” Some local bands that Cougar Radio features are not associated with ASCAP or BMI, and this can pose a problem. The artists must send the station a CD of their mu-sic, Kimbrough said, to provide a

type of “implied consent” to air it. “It’s a real complicated process as far as how we get it all,” he said. Student Activities foots the bill for ASCAP and BMI because it serves as a centralized organizer of entertainment on campus. Student Activities has been as-sisting campus organizations with funding for years. “If they didn’t pay it, then we would have to pay it out of our budget,” said Kimbrough. Cougar Radio could obtain the rights to songs outside of ASCAP and BMI, but contacting music labels and waiting for response is both tedious and time-consuming. Although Cougar Radio does have a budget, it is easier to use music provided by ASCAP and BMI. “You could contact each band individually and ask them for permission, but ASCAP and BMI are organizations that try to make that a lot easier,” said Thackara. “While we can do it, for the time and resources and energy that we would need to do that, it’s best to just go with ASCAP, BMI, and CMJ.” But none of that is music stu-dents hear in the Banks student center. The tunes there come from Magic 93, a public radio station campus can air for free. “It means more listeners for them and more of a chance to play their commercials and more of a chance for them to make an impact,” said Thackara. Cougar Radio is strictly an online radio station with links on Facebook and other social media websites, and partners with a company called Sound Exchange for Internet play. Cougar Radio partners with Sound Exchange for Internet air-ing on cougarradio.net. “As long as we’re up-to-date on our dues, we’re legally allowed to play music,” said Kimbrough. “By everyone paying these dues, bands and artists and their labels and everyone else get their money.” [email protected]

Sophomore Alexis Vaskas interviews “Truth” live for Cougar Radio in the Banks Student Life Center.

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

Beyond Harmony: ready to pitch-slapBy Brittany Lovette, Reporter

The all-female a cappella group Beyond Harmony has its largest number of members ever. The group began in fall 2008 un-der the direction of alumni Abby Heintzelman. It’s now under the direction of senior English major Grace Riker. A cappella is a type of sing-ing performed without instru-ments, which is growing in popularity with movies like “Pitch Perfect” and music groups such as “Straight No Chaser.” Riker and the other songstresses

are working on songs for Valen-tine’s Day when they plan to go the nursing home on campus and sing to the elderly. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton RailRiders asked the group to audition to sing for them as they have in the past and the group will perform at the Ensemble Evening, which will be held at the end of the semester. Riker hopes to expand the group and get members involved with new singing opportunities. “I just want us to have a lot of fun and to just try a lot of dif-

ferent things. You know I don’t want to limit the girls,” said Riker. “We’re talking about doing our own mash-up, which would be kind of cool. So we are getting ideas for that. I want to get a

couple of more performances in before I leave and just get us out there a little more.” Beyond Harmony started with only eight women in the group. It stayed that way until Riker decided to add a few more women, bringing it to 13 members as she found new members to replace four who graduated last spring. “We lost four girls to graduation. Krysta [Randall], Alina [Busch], myself, and Dina [Boyer] were the only ones left. The group that has always been eight, even since my freshman year in 2009.” Riker said she became the new leader by pitching ideas to the previous leader, Heintzelman. “I had a bigger vision for the group, and I wanted us to be a better a caliber you know with like every year because the group was new in 2008. With every year we can grow so much and learn new things,” said Riker. “And eventu-ally it would be awesome if the group could be competing. You know, everyone loves Pitch Perfect and those a cappella groups.” With the loss of the four seniors, Riker had to find members who would work well in the positions of alto one, alto two, soprano one and soprano two. Riker said Beyond Harmony was lucky because the group found girls who can sing low as well and can switch from soprano to alto. “Some who weren’t comfortable there at first, but they can hit it. The ones that we do have actually are all alto twos so they are pretty comfortable with it,” Riker said. “Some girls on alto one were soprano ones so they were sing-ing the highest and go on to sing some of the low stuff.” Junior Alina Busch said she loves performing and she’s learn-ing as she does it.

“We have a lot of good singers and we are very good at working together and like coming up with ideas and we’re a very focused group and we have fun together too,” said Busch. Beyond Harmony plans to use previously performed songs layered together as well add songs from John Lennon’s Imagine and some by Mariah Carey. Beyond Harmony plans to add more modern songs to their lineup as well as expand the group, said junior Dina Michele Boyer. “It’s gotten larger and we’re do-ing a wider variety of pieces, a lot of them more modern and we’re trying to really take the more modern spin on it and expand where we perform, our venues,” Boyer said. Boyer hopes to have quality per-formances, and also a varied and unique set list that can give them a new edge to competition. “We might try a competition or two. This semester, I think it would just be getting our feet wet but it would be a lot of fun.” If Beyond Harmony wants to participate in the competition that the film “Pitch Perfect” showcases, the a cappella group will have to be ready by the end of the month, according to Riker. To do this they have to put everything together within the next couple of weeks. “Choreography, perfect every-thing, costumes and everything, which I don’t know if we are ready for that yet but we might actual go to a college in New York that’s doing a small a cappella get together,” said Riker. “The fact that we can all get together and brainstorm and have fun putting together really cool works of art,” said Boyer. [email protected]

Top from left, juniors Dina Mi-chele Boyer, Kathleen Lord and first year Jessica Kitch hit their choreography marks in Lem-mond Theater.

Left, first year Annie Stewart hits the right notes on stage during the Dec. Ensemble Evening.

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

Viewfinder: Winter weather welcomes fun & games

Freshly fallen snow allows students to have fun outdoors.

Top, sophomore DeAnna Darling and sophomore Kara Slack embrace the freshly fallen snow as they attempt to build a family of snowmen outside of Alumnae, McGowan dorm buildings.

Middle, Darling practices her cartwheels with the extra cushion of fluffy snow.

Bottom, Slack recovers from a tumble after falling during her cart-wheel performance.

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

ALEXANDRIA SMITH /THE HIGHLANDER

Continued from page 1

“I hate it and I hate summer. I hate the cold,” said Josh Victor, senior.

January 29, 2013highlandernews.net4 Sports

McDaniel shoots 1,000By Josh Horton, Reporter When chasing the 1,000-point milestone in basketball, the first 999 points are the easy ones. Senior shooting guard Tyann McDaniel finally knocked the 1,000 milestone off her “to do” list Jan. 12 in a 66-59 game against Freedom Conference foe, FDU-Florham. For McDaniel, 1,000 points was something she put on her list of goals upon arrival at MU. “It’s definitely a relief that I can finally get it out of the way,” McDaniel said. “It’s something I wasn’t able to accomplish in high school, so it was one of my goals coming into college. It was fun to finally have my hard work pay off.” The road to her 1,000 was far from the norm. Former head coach Tom Griffith led McDaniel during her first two-and-a-half seasons, and when he resigned, Athletic Director Dave Martin took over for the final half of the 2011-2012 season. Then MU brought in current head coach Allison Kern. With three different coaches comes three different systems. “It’s kind of funny, because in high school I had three different coaches,” McDaniel said. “It might just be something I have gotten used to. It was hard to get used to in the beginning, not just me but with the rest of the team.” McDaniel’s current role in the of-fense is much different from that during past seasons. Kern moved McDaniel to shooting guard, as opposed to the point guard posi-tion she has played throughout her entire basketball career. The switch to shooting guard was something she had to get used to but also something that seems to be paying off. “I have been a point guard my whole life. Coach Kern said she was going to play me more off the ball this year and it really complimented my game since I am a three-point shooter,” McDaniel said. “It also has complimented Lauren [Smicherko’s] game with her being more of a driver.” Coach Kern feels the switch maximizes the team’s offensive potential. With McDaniel now on the wing, the Cougars have a whole new list of possibilities for

offensive schemes. “It really helps with the match-ups we are trying to create, because she does have a good two-dribble pull up jumper,” Kern said. “It opens up so much for our team and allows other people to get open and drive when they’re out defending the perimeter. When she feels good she is getting, five, six, seven assists a game and that really helps our team.” For as much as the move has helped offensively, Kern feels it does just as much for the team defensively. The Cougars’ success comes during fast-paced games, and one way of creating them is with a suffocating defense and forced turnovers. The more turnovers the Cougars muster, the easier it is to run on offense. “Our team builds off of mo-mentum and we work so hard on defense. That’s one of coach Kern’s big things is working hard on de-fense and really getting in peoples faces to make sure they’re working hard,” McDaniel said. “It definitely converts over to successful offen-sive possessions. We are run and gun on offense, so we may as well be like that on defense.” Coach Kern feels McDaniel’s transition to shooting guard is getting better with each game. With her new role in the offense, McDaniel doesn’t necessarily have to take the most shots anymore; she just has to take the good ones.

“I think she is finally getting to a place where she isn’t pressing. We don’t need her to take 20 shots a game like we used to. She is finally getting to a point in where she can kind of let the game come to her and when she does that she really facilitates the success our team has,” Kern said. “When she tries to shoot too much too soon, she struggles. When she lets the game come to her she catches fire.” There have been countless times this season when the fire is ignited by a Smicherko pass. McDaniel feels the new system brings out the best in both her and Smi-cherko. One of the reasons is Smi-cherko likes to drive to the basket while McDaniel likes to take the long-range jumper. “It opens everything up,” Mc-Daniel said with enthusiasm. “I don’t think it would work as well if we were both outside shooters, but we compliment each other as in she can drive to the basket and kick out to me for the open three.” McDaniel says the whole team has bought into coach Kern’s system and players feel they are going to be a tough team to beat in the Freedom Conference. “We have a lot to offer on the court and once we catch fire we are going to be dangerous,” McDaniel said. “Hopefully we can go on and win another MAC Championship. [email protected]

Coach Kern consults McDaniel during the Lady Cougars game vs. Kings at the Anderson Sports and Health Center.

Coaching change causes competitiveness, confidenceBy Jimmy Fisher, Reporter

With Feb. 16 marking the end of the regular season, teams have less than a month to go, but the swim team is way ahead: Swim-mers finished their season with their final meet against Messiah, and results are promising. Swim coach Matt VanDerMeid, the team’s new head coach, led the men’s team to a 4-5 record, and finished in second place out of seven teams at the two-day Diamond City Invitational. The women’s swim team finished with a record of 5-6 and also finished second place at the Diamond City Invitational. With a new head coach comes new team strategies, workout routines and philosophies. Van-DerMeid knew that things would be different with this squad, but he said every team should expect

changes when a new head coach takes the lead. “My program is much different from what they’ve been doing in the past,” said VanDerMeid. “Ath-letes responding to a new program always adds another variable to some other variables.” VanDerMeid’s believes his play-ers have responded very well. “I think as a group they’re doing a bit better than I might have an-ticipated,” he said. “On the other hand, you try to come in with your expectations not too terribly high because, again, a new program and that can be very, very challenging if that program is a lot different from what was happening before which happens to be the case here. I think they’re responding well to the challenge. It’s tough, it’s really, really hard.”

VanDerMeid said he made it clear that he did not want any one specific thing improved, but rather everything swimmers had been working on. “In this sport, in my opinion, it’s all about details in this sport,” said VanDerMeid. “There is almost no end to how much focus you can bring and so where every-one is at is a function of where we’re at. Right now I’m seeing a level of encouragement that make some think that we’re going to bring many more layers into the program next season which in my opinion is important in terms of long-term success.” While the records of both teams may not reflect a standout season, the swimmers feel they have also responded to coach VanDerMeid’s routines in a positive way. Sopho-

more swimmer Dana Hallam said that she improved as an individual and the team got a lot better, too. “I think for me as an individual it’s gone a lot better with having a new coach and everything,” said Hallam. “I think it goes the same for the team. I mean we lost a lot of swimmers but we’re kind of coming closer together and I think we’re going to surprise each other at MAC’s.” One key difference between the workout routines of coach VanDerMeid and previous head swim coach Jason Morini was the physical conditioning routine. “Last season we were a lot more lifting-based,” Hallam said. “We did a lot more stuff in the weight room than we did this year. We didn’t do anything in the weight room this year. We had a lot less

yardage and were more rested for dual meets.” Sophomore swimmer Nick Essington said the new scheme helped him to decrease his time. “Compared to last year I’ve dropped a significant amount of time, and I mean we’ve been doing a lot more distance yards this year so that’s what’s been helping me. With a lot of the other kids they’re not used to so much with all the distance work, but it definitely is helping out because all really have more stamina and we’re dropping a lot of time, so it’s doing well,” he said. Essington said that while dropping time was a goal for this season, he said the start of a new head coach is often a building year. He said the new workout routine includes a dramatic in-

crease in yardage. “With our other coach we used to do maybe 3,000-4,000 yards a day and a lifting program, but then with this coach we’re doing at least double, but no lifting. That’s probably the biggest change for all of us.” Essington expects that the positive changes will catch on with the team, and swimmers will see significant improvement in the near future. “I think we’ll definitely get bet-ter and get used to this program,” said Essington. “When next year comes, and if we’re doing the same thing, it’ll probably be a lot easier because we had this year, so we know what to expect and just keep getting better.” [email protected]

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

COUGARS SPLIT AGAINST MONARCHSBy Arthur Dowell, Web Master

After a remarkable run through the NCAA Tournament, this season isn’t what the women’s basketball team was expecting. The Cougars look to change their game play with eight Mid Atlantic Conference games left. “The team comes out quick and gets into an early roll,” said senior Guard Tyann McDaniel. “But the second half is a different story for us, and it shows.” After their 17-11 record last year and going 10-4 in the MAC, this years team faces a new story. With a mediocre 8-7 record and a 3-3 record against MAC competition,

the women’s team hopes to make adjustments and run for the MAC title. The team went 2-4 in their six games during winter break, but both of their wins were close and the biggest difference was four points. McDaniel said changes have to happen quickly if the players have a hope of saving the season. “We have to emphasize on coming out fast and being able to capitalize on that. We don’t want to start setting a trend of having the lead going into half and then giving it up and walking away with

losses.” Not everything went badly for the Cougars over winter break, as McDaniel joined an elite club scoring 1,000 career points in a Cougars uniform. With classes starting and students returning, players hope they can get momentum from the student section. “We have to come out with more energy and use it during the games,” said McDaniel. The Cougars have eight more MAC games left on their schedule. [email protected]

Below, junior Lauren Smichercko thinks fast and reacts during the women’s match against Kings

Right, senior Hannah Seeley takes a shot.

Lady Cougars face tough loss to Lady Monarchs

The men’s basketball team has not been able to get into a groove and stay consistent in a bumpy 2013 season. Looking at a team that is 4-2 in MAC play, most sports fans would probably not assume they’re look-ing at one with a losing record. The men’s team is not exactly what fans got used to after coming off a great 2012 season that ended with a MAC title and a birth in the NCAA tournament. “With a team that has gone through the ups and downs we have gone through, we just have to focus on details,” said junior Matt Greene. “Especially when the team started with over twenty players

and we are now down to thirteen.” As a captain, Greene knows his role and accepts the challenges that come with a losing season and the departure of quitting play-ers. He helps teammates prepare for the games and mature into solid players. “None of the guys are happy with where we’re at this far into the season. I have to make sure they are ready even if that means extra practice until they get the details down.” The Cougars have not been able to get a solid winning streak go-ing: Two wins is their longest. The team is the midst of confer-ence play and players have the

opportunity to capitalize on their standings because they are tied for second in the Freedom Conference with Delaware Valley and FDU-Florham. Greene is hoping the team can get tougher while on the court. He said they do not have to be the biggest or strongest,they just need to commit to coach Woodruff’s system and communicate better as a team. “I’m asked to lead this team and when we hit a rough stretch, underclassmen are asked to mature quicker and learn the system. That’s what I am here to help with.” [email protected]

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

Right, senior Sean Bieski [3] takes the shot over Kings 21 during the Jan. 23 game in the Anderson Sports and Health Center.

Below, first year Jesse Urich [left] protects the ball under pressure from Kings while looking for a chance to pass to another Cougar. The men’s team walked off the court with a win and continued their winning streak. The women’s team took a loss and players hope to perform better in their next match up.

Ready for racketsBy Ryan Osadchy, Reporter

Men’s varsity tennis players are about as ready as they can be: Games start in less than a month. The men’s team is set to start official practice on Feb. 4. Players hope to make a comeback from their fall season of 0-4. The team is pushing to improve their play and players vow to have a much more successful second half of the season. Players practiced and conditioned hard during the off-season months. Coach Justin Muthler was named at the beginning of the fall season. He previously played here for four years. Each year he received a letter and was also one of the first members of the men’s varsity tennis team in 2008. Muthler served three years as team captain, earned the MVP award during his sophomore year and the Coach’s Award during his junior year. After graduat-ing, Muthler spent one year as the assistant coach to mens and womens teams. First year Christian Pugliese said the teams worked hard to improve themselves physically and mentally and hope to improve the team as a whole. Pugliese’s first season was fall 2012 when he gained a record of 1-0 in the singles division. He

went 0-1 in the doubles division. Pugliese said he trained by run-ning, lifting and practicing. He has received a lot of positive feedback and expects much for the future. “I think we will do better than last year. We have a lot more talent on the team, and a lot of young players, so as we continue to develop, we’ll do much better,” Pugliese said. He also plans to make some personal improvements, including his mindset on games. “I would lose a couple of points and I would lose my focus, but if I can mentally be there a little more, I think I can do a lot better,” said Pugliese. First year Eric Carrell also plans to do better. “I only was able to participate in one match and so what I would like to do is improve on my individual skills such as the backhand and serving so I can ac-tually compete more this season,” said Carrell. He said he thinks the team will show its talent this season. “We haven’t been on the top shelf so to speak. This year we are looking to have a couple more wins than normal because our talent has increased significantly since last year and we’re hoping to get more w’s.” [email protected]

Cougars sink a win against Kings

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

January 29, 2013highlandernews.net 5Sports

Disney World brings magic for CougarsBy Brittany Lovette, Christa Porasky, Reporters

Cougar cheerleaders placed fourth at the Universal Cheerlead-ing Association National Cham-pionship in Orlando, Florida. Led by coaches Tara Sinclair and Courtney Coletti, the team man-aged to beat last year’s fifth place ranking. The 20-girl squad practiced hard to place at Nationals. Beginning in early August, the team attended the UCA Spirit and Safety Camp to prepare for their upcoming season and competitions. “It took a long road to get there,” said Sinclair. The Cougars began rigorously practicing their routine after foot-ball season ended . Conditioning twice a week, and even sometimes three times per day, the girls trained to prepare for their annual trip to Disney. They also added their own conditioning on days when they didn’t have practice. Senior captain Amber Schmidt helped make all of the cheer-leaders feel united as a team. Working alongside fellow senior Alyssa McEntee and junior Sarah Richard, she noticed that the squad practiced much harder than before. “From my freshman year we didn’t condition as much, and this year we conditioned a lot, so it helped our bodies more, and we had practice four to five times a week,” she said. “And you just have to keep motivating them more.” The cheerleaders cut their break short and began practice the weekend before the spring semester began. The girls began practicing their routine each night. When they arrived in Disney World, the girls completed one final practice before the pre-liminary round. The team worked on their home mats to produce the crowd tape that helped them go into the competition with a perfect score. The crowd tape shows how well a team receives encouragement and involvement from the crowds for which they perform.

This is their second consecutive top-five finish. The team came in fourth place behind Avila Univer-sity, Nassau Community College, and The College of New Jersey. “I am very proud of my team. We have come a long way. We went through some rough patches, but we always dug ourselves out of it, and we showed it at nationals.” The squad was also highlighted in the UCA recap video of the entire competition. Sinclair, a Misericordia Alumni, has 12 years of experience in all levels of cheerleading and she is proud of the cheerleaders accom-plishments’. “I have said this team is really young, so we had a large graduat-ing class last year and then we had a couple of upperclassmen who, because of internships and clinicals and things, they couldn’t work it into their schedules be-cause it is so demanding.” This year’s team consisted most-ly of first year and sophomore students who had no collegiate-level experience. “So for the ten of the twenty that were on the floor, it was their first time. And for some of these kids, they came from schools that don’t compete, so they had no background in it whatsoever, so we are really super excited, and I am very proud,” said Sinclair. After spending so much time together, the girls say they have grown closer. They are not only a squad of cougar cheerleaders; they are a family. “Well, since it’s my senior year it was a very emotional experience, because it’s my last time stepping out on that blue mat, running through that castle with my sis. I like to call them my sisters because we are more than just teammates. We all help each other and it is very emotional for me,” said Schmidt. [email protected] [email protected]

Resolutions bring fitness craze to MUBy Kaitlyn Moltini, Reporter

The start of a new year marks the beginning of many new reso-lutions. One resolution always seems to be glaring in our faces, however. That resolution is to become fit and healthy. The fitness center begins to pile on new active gym-goers as stu-dent try to keep resolutions and new goals. Very few can consider themselves fitness experts – we all seem to teeter between newbie and novice. So, we lace up our new gym shoes and simply try to do what we assume would be best. The question is what is best? It is common to go to the gym and see people – both men and women – who run, ride a bike or hit an elliptical for a long time, then stretch and leave. While cardio is absolutely necessary for an improvement in one’s health, so is strength training, which is often neglected. “Strength training is a stable to any work out regimen, weight loss program, or just an overall better-ment of life,” said football coach Chris Gray. Muscular endurance and mus-cular strength are crucial in order to continue performing everyday activities, Gray said. But women often steer clear of weights due to the common mis-conception that they will become large and bulky from strength training: not a fashion-forward attribute. “Females have a fraction of the testosterone that males do, and that’s one of the major compo-nents to muscle-building and protein synthesis that you need for overall muscle-building and muscle mass.” said Gray. It is important to find a happy medium between cardiovascular and strength training. Gray states that cardio workouts increase heart rate and strength and improve the body’s ability to use oxygen. Strength training comes into play when a person breaks down muscle and the body rebuilds those muscles, and that starts a healthy chain-reaction. “The more muscle mass you have, the more caloric burn you’ll have,” said Gray. There is a flip side. Too much cardio and not enough strength training may lead to a higher injury rates. At the same time, too much strength training and not enough cardio can possibly put a

higher stress on the heart, accord-ing to Gray. Gray stressed that the biggest importance in a workout regi-men is to have a specific goal, and taper your workout to that goal. Someone who may be training for a half marathon should focus on their mileage, and then lift lighter weights with high repetition to mimic an endurance-style work-out, for example. Another thing people must remember, Gray said, is that people must work the body’s counterparts when strength train-ing. This means, if you work the hamstrings, you must also work your glutes and quad muscles. The same concept applies to the upper body. People must also focus on the equipment they are using during any strength training regimen. Gray said that free weights trump machines because free weights requires you to engage your small muscles groups for stability, whereas a machine is stabilizing the weights for you. Whether an individual chooses to do a bit more cardio or a bit more strength training, they must focus on intensity throughout every workout they do and add proper nutrition, too. If you are not eating right and taking care of your body outside of the gym, then what you do in the gym will not be maximized. “Nutrition is about 70% of what you do and who you are,” he said. So, say you now understand the importance of balancing cardio and weight training, but are unsure as to what you should and should not do as far as your nutri-tion goes. Gray suggests eating lean protein and carbohydrates soon after a workout to replenish glycogen levels in the body, which lower significantly during a work-out. Simple sugars and simple carbohydrates, such as those found in white rice, replenish glycogen levels quickly, but lean protein is needed to keep glycogen levels raised. No matter who you are and what your new fitness goals may be in 2013, try to find a workout regi-men that suits your goals. And, according to Coach Gray, focus on nutrition and how you treat your body as you reach your goals. [email protected]

Senior Billy Spoko strengthens his core in the Anderson Sports and Health Center after a long day of classes.

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

Cougar cheerleaders made it to the UCA Championships in Orlando, Florida and walked away with a fourth place finish. Clockwise, first year Erica Moore stands atop a pyramid.Junior Nicole Grim completes a lay up.Junior Jessie Mierzejewski flies onto the third level of a build.

COURTNEY COLETTI FOR THE HIGHLANDER

Showcasing high school soccerBy Tori Dziedziak, Reporter

The women’s soccer team is sponsoring the annual Girl’s Col-lege Showcase for high school soc-cer players again this February. The Showcase, to be held Feb. 23 and 24, gives individual players and girls from club teams and high school teams a chance to get in the game. U-16 and U-19 teams are encouraged to participate. Head coach Mark Stauffer said the tournament is a good way to bring recruits to campus to help make selections for upcoming seasons. “It’s nice because I don’t have to travel,” he joked. Stauffer said the tourney is an opportunity for players interested in attending the university to check it out. Soccer team members give tours to the recruits because the tournament will be conve-niently held at the Wyoming Val-ley Sports Dome in Wilkes-Barre, near to the Dallas campus. Erin Roberts, a two-year team member, said the tournament benefits both the young players and MU. “It’s small-sided, so [partici-pants] get a lot of playing time,” Roberts said. “It’s a really good warm-up for spring.” The Showcase gives the Cougars a chance to gain coaching experi-

ence and set a good example. It takes a lot of preparation behind the scenes. “We have to do a lot of the orga-nizing stuff,” she said. “We register teams. We recruit at the Showcase because it’s a good chance for us to see a lot of players.” Players say the event is an opportunity for aspiring college athletes to make good reputations on the college scene, and MU is not the only university that takes advantage of this opportunity to scout new players. The King’s College women’s soccer team co-sponsors the Showcase. The tournament is first come, first serve, so teams are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. Roberts thinks this is a bonding experience for her teammates, and they relish the chance to coach. “For us, it’s just a good oppor-tunity to have more experience coaching,” she said. The perks of hosting these tournaments are many. Not only are the participants able to see live action and receive challenging practice for the off season, they are also very likely to be spot-ted by some of the many college coaches who attend the event.

The tournaments also serve as a fundraiser for the MU team. Last year, proceeds offset some of the cost of a team trip to Spain. “We put a lot of work into getting a lot of teams into the tournament, so we’re hoping that this year that it will be bigger than last year,” Roberts said. “All of the coaches and everyone were saying how well-run it was, so we’re hop-ing that they’ll all return and that they’ll bring some more teams.” Roberts looks forward to the tourney for another, personal, reason: She can spend more time with her teammates. “I think the best part is that we get to hang out and we’re pretty much paid for it. Not like ‘paid,’ but in fundraising,” Roberts said. Stauffer said that in past years the women’s soccer team has traveled to Spain, Italy, France and the Canary Islands where they play soccer matches. On the last trip to Spain, the girls played three matches against professional teams to gain more experience. All interested participants are asked to contact Stauffer through the University. Registration ends Feb. 11. [email protected]

MU Exposure: All Out White Out

Sophomore Mary Bove caught the Cougar cheering section supporting their team in the Jan. 23 match against the Kings College Monarchs. The section arranged a white out due to the rivalry in the Anderson Sports and Health Center.

January 29, 2013highlandernews.net6

Santa provides style for new yearBy Mary Bove, Multimedia Editor

Some stylish students are rock-ing their Christmas-gift fashions instead of focusing on the latest high-tech gadgets that they found under the tree. “I got my first Gucci purse for Christmas and my first pair of riding boots,” said senior Madalyn Payonk. Campus fashionistas say simple things like a new bag or a pair of boots can really spice up a wardrobe and are often more practical, and well received, than a new devices like popular iPads or Nooks. “Just this past holiday, I got a couple sweaters and a couple of shirts, and just being able to change them with other outfits I already had, I feel like I have a lot more, even though it’s only a small number,” said junior Chris-tina Tucci. “I feel like I can do so much more.” Senior Becca Fagnano said that the holiday season and summer are the only times she receives new clothes. She also said she can mix and match her new threads

with her old ones. “One outfit alone can give you so many differ-ent possibilities with all the other clothes you have.” But sometimes the new ward-robe choices cause a greater hassle than styling a new ensemble: They can lead to closet overflow - and a whole lot of mess. “I usually do clean out, or try to clean out, [my closet] or donate them or give them to my sister,” said Tucci. Spring cleaning is a good way to make room in a closet for new clothes as well as freshen up a person’s style. Cleaning out one’s closet is also a good way to see what is already in the back of one’s closet, just waiting to be revamped and used to freshen up a look. “I have a little bit of everything in my closet. I always find some-thing to pull things together,” said Payonk. To keep her style fresh and new, Payonk also said that she regularly dry cleans her clothes - and always keeps up on the latest fashion magazines. Magazines are not the only way

to stay up-to-date on wardrobe rejuvination ideas. “I always go on Pinterest [as well as] look in maga-zines to see what other people are doing and kind of gauge it off of that, and then make it my own,” said Tucci. Being bold, and trying new things, is another thing that Fag-nano says is important in keeping up one’s style. “I like to dress up, I like to look nice and I like to find different ways to put my outfits together to make it look really nice, so I think that helps,” she said. “People are going to judge you whether you’re the trendiest person alive, or you’re wearing your crappiest thing in the world, so why not wear what you like whether you think other people are going to like it or not?” Whether it is a new sweater, dress or accessory, the holiday season is the perfect time for getting, and giving of course, and can be the very first step in a total wardrobe revamp. [email protected]

MU Exposure: Happening Happy Hipsters

First year communications major Tori Dziedziak caught first year campus hipsters Zack Sabaday and Jessica Kitch goofing around on campus and showing off their trendy style before the snow forced students into winter wear. According to Urban Dictionary, hipster is a state of mind inter-twined with distinct fashion sensibilities and an avoidance of what can be considered mainstream. Some key pieces of a hipster wardrobe include think rimmed plastic glasses, multi-colored sweaters, combat boots and off brand products. Hipsters frequent stores such as American Apparel and Urban Outfitters. Both specialize in unique, alternative products that catpure the essence of the modern day hipster. Look for more photos of hipster spottings on campus at highlandernews.net.

Contact Mary Bove at [email protected] for more information or to place an order.

The Photography Club

is selling t-shirts!

Because, when it comes to cameras...

SizeDoes

Matter.

t-shirts Small to Large are $10 each and shirts XLarge to XXXXL are

$11.50

Senior Becca Fagnano shows off a couple of her favorite holiday presents. Left, a stylish chain collar, embellished with pearls and right, a blinged out pair of black riding boots.

MARY BOVE /THE HIGHLANDER

No roster, no problemBy Morgan Harding, Print Editor

Father, where art thou? continuedin size like ours, needs one and I think they provide not only spiritual leadership but a con-tinual reminder of our allegiance to the Catholic faith and to our charisms,” he said. “We are fortu-nate to have Sisters of Mercy on campus, and they do an excellent job of keeping us focused on our mission.” MacDowell believes more people will attend mass if they know the priest. He credits the consistency of the same friendly face week after week, just like seeing an old friend again. “The feeling of being comfortable with a priest and knowing that he knows what is going on on campus

and being able to confide in some-one over time if you have issues, that’s what the clergy is for.” Somers and MacDowell agree with the process Bishop Bambera put in place. Somers sees a lack of priests within universities and hospitals becoming more com-mon, as many priests intend to work as a full-time Chaplain in a parish after they enter the priest-hood. “I think part of it is lack of priests in the Diocese,” Somers said. “We’re probably going to be seeing less priest presence in uni-versity and hospital settings just because of the numbers.” MacDowell strongly credits the

Sisters of Mercy with helping the University through this stage. He said the Catholic mission is one of the most important things at the university, something everyone understands from their first day on campus. “Not forgetting that we are a Catholic institution, that’s very, very important. I don’t think we ever forget that. You could talk to freshmen and they can repeat the charisms for you. It’s almost tactile here. People feel it.” For the weekly mass schedule see the white erase board outside the campus ministry office in Banks Student Life Center. [email protected]

Are You Super Bowl Ready?

RHA is having a Super Bowl party in Fireside Lounge, McHale Hall

6 p.m. Sunday, February 3Come hang out and watch to see who wins the

match up: The San Francisco 49ers or Baltimore Ravens?

Junior education major Marisa Ferenchick was concerned when she learned that Language Arts Methods, a course she needed to graduate with an education degree, did not roster. Only three people signed up for the course – so students were automatically transferred to a directed study. Ferenchick said she discovered benefits to the switch. She was able to choose times to meet pri-vately with her professor instead of meeting in a small group. While she has to complete most of her classwork alone, she said she enjoys the ability to work at her own pace. Officials say they determine ac-ceptable class enrollment size on a case-by-case basis, and if they feel too few students register for any class, they often allow students to take courses as directed or independent studies. There are 15 directed studies on the master schedule for the spring 2013 semester. According to Registrar Joe Red-ington, directed studies are most often used to help ensure students can complete degree requirements in a timely fashion, particularly in cases in which students may not have taken courses in the proper sequence or there are schedul-ing conflicts with other required courses. Directed study courses have a two-fold benefit: They are often taught by the professor who would have taught the class if it had rostered, and they allow stu-

dents to have one-on-one guided experiences and get the credits they need. “Many institutions do not pro-vide this option to students who must wait to take courses until they are offered again, so the fact that Misericordia provides this option is a tremendous benefit to students in completing their stud-ies without taking on extra time or cost,” said Redington. But Ferenchick believes that a directed study is not for everyone. “I think it depends on if you are more of a group learner or more of an independent learner. I’ve always been fine doing things on my own so this is perfect for me, but if you need group structure this kind of class may be problem-atic,” she said. An independent study course is another more customized option for students. They allow students to explore advanced study of top-ics beyond the scope of the exist-ing curriculum alongside faculty who have special knowledge in those areas, said Redington. Independent studies are courses typically offered in the course catalog but created by students and their professors. There are five independent studies on the master schedule for spring 2013. These courses are offered for a va-riety of reasons. Brittany Lovette, junior communications major, chose to enroll in an independent study with Dan Kimbrough, as-sistant professor of communica-

tions, because she needed another communications elective and there was not one that catered to her unique interest - video editing. The class she created with Kim-brough will teach her how to use Avid, a type of professional video editing software. This will leave her with knowledge of three video editing systems and give her a leg up on the job search. “I love that I get to film athletic events on campus for WBRE TV, learn this new program and make myself real-world connections in the media. In a traditional class, it’s hard to learn video editing be-cause you are one of many, but in an independent study I can make it what I want and truly partner with Dan to make the most of my education,” Lovette said. Lovette hopes to take another independent study course before her graduation in May 2014. “There are so many different ways that you can edit, and I would love to have the opportunity to learn more special effects. All these skills will make it easier for me to get a job upon graduation and in the end, that’s what is really important,” she said. She credits communication with her adviser for developing the course to meets her unique inter-ests. If she had not expressed her interest in advanced video editing, she would have never been able to create her own course, she said. [email protected]

Continued from page 1

Soccer Stars Honored with Banner

The 2012 women’s soccer team and head coach Mark Stauffer were honored with a halftime presentation at the men’s basketball game on Wednesday, January 23 after making it farther than any other team in MU Athletics. The 2012 team advanced to the Final Four round of the NCAA Tournament in San Antonio, Texas. With a final record of, 20-3-2 the team finished with the fourth highest ranking in the nation, the highest ranking in Cougar history. The team honored a number of its play-ers with individual honors. Senior Sam Helmstetter made National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) First Team All-American while seniors Laura Roney and Nikki Hensel were honored with NSCAA Second Team All-Region and sophomore Erin Roberts NSCAA Third Team All-Region. Helmstetter, Roney, Hensel, Roberts were also named to First Team All-Freedom. First year Maureen Ciccosanti was named Freedom Conference Rookie of the Year while first years Megan Lannigan, Erin McG-real and junior Nicolette Ruffler made Second Team All-Freedom. Stauffer, in his 13 year as head coach, was named the 2012 NSCAA DIII Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year. Look for more information about Stauffer and the Cougars’ accomplishments in the next issue of The Highlander.

TORI DZIEDZIAK /THE HIGHLANDER