PDF 47-10 - The Minstrel

News
Keynote Speaker
Terry Caffey:
“Stay Bitter or
Get Better”
pg. 3
MARCH 20, 2013
A&E
Hutton Jackson
reviews The
Incredible Burt
Wonderstone pg. 4
Sports
Featured Athlete:
Tyler McLean
pg. 8
THE VOICE OF THE STUDENTS AT DeSALES UNIVERSITY
Online
www.TheMinstrelDSU.com
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FORTY-SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 10
After two days, conclave selects Pope Francis I
By Doug Hunt
The Minstrel
After Pope Benedict XVI’s
resignation on February 28,
the search for his successor
became the main focus of the
Catholic world. For the first
time in 600 years, a papal
conclave was convened after
a pope’s resignation and
began on March 12.
First documented in 1274,
the conclave is a grueling
process in which 180 cardinals
must elect a new papal leader.
In order to be awarded the
title, a cardinal must receive
a two-thirds majority vote and
willingly accept the position.
Only cardinals under the age
of 80 are allowed to vote and
ballots are repeatedly cast until
a new pope is selected. Once
a new pope is elected, the
ballots are burned to produce
white smoke which signifies to
the public that a decision has
been reached.
“The conclave is a
tradition steeped in history
and precedent,” says senior
political
science/national
security major Kolbe Wolfe.
“It’s transcendent and has
higher meaning than every
other election. Conclave is
more holy in every aspect.
Nobody says the United States
election is transcendent.”
On March 13, after five
rounds of voting, Cardinal
Jorge Mario Bergoglio of
Argentina was voted as the
266th Pope. Bergoglio took
the name of Francis, in honor
of Francis of Assisi, a friar that
dedicated his life to helping
the less fortunate. Not only is
Pope Francis the first to take
the name Francis, but he is
also the first non-European
pope since the Middle Ages,
and the first from the American
continents.
“It’s very exciting to see an
American perspective on the
Papacy,” says senior history
major Tim Leahy. “It will be
really interesting to see how
he directs the Catholic Church
in the time the media believes
the Catholic faith is in a time
of crisis.”
Pope Francis I is also the
first Jesuit elected into office.
The Jesuit section of the
Roman Catholic Church is a
male-only order who dedicate
their work to the expansion of
education, cultural interests,
and intellectual research.
In electing Bergoglio the
cardinals have shown they are
interested in attracting more
people because of his humble
and positive nature.
“After seeing him coming
out of the Vatican and reading
articles about him, he seems
like a great guy,” says senior
history major Chuck Kustan.
“He seems like a great man
and I think people will easily
follow his example of humility.”
Bergoglio took the lead in
trying to repair the reputation
of the Catholic Church after
failing to challenge the
dictatorships in Argentina from
1976-1983, leading to anger
and resentment over the
Church’s lack of intervention
during this time period. Under
his lead, Argentina’s bishops
issued an apology for their
Photo courtesy of npr.org
lack of defense during the
years under the dictatorship.
Despite this, many Catholics
are upset with the criticism
that Pope Francis is garnering.
“The media likes to create
controversy when there is
not any,” says professor of
history Brennan Pursell. “He
is a humble man who spends
time with the poor, but there
always has to be something
nasty. If there is nothing bad,
they’ll find something to make
it seem so.”
Despite some criticism, the
overwhelming majority of the
Catholic population is excited
with the election. During Pope
Francis I’s introduction in
Vatican City, his humble nature
was evident. Before saying
a prayer, he bowed to the
crowd in St. Peter’s Bascillica,
signifying that he is in service
to his Catholic brothers and
sisters and is honored to be
their leader.
“Through his actions, it is
clear that Francis is something
else,” says Wolfe. “He thinks
of himself not as a pontiff, but
as a man.”
DeSales PA students look to make history
By Rachel Singer
The Minstrel
You may know them
from around campus. But
then again, you might not.
Physician
assistant
(PA)
students have some of
the most hectic schedules
imaginable. During their senior
“P1” year, technically the first
year of graduate classes in an
accelerated program, students
attend classes from 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. Every week is like finals
week. Then, after walking with
their graduating class in May,
they return to the classroom
for a full summer session
before beginning rotations in
various hospitals around the
Lehigh Valley.
Just this past October,
four
DeSales
Physician
assistant students captured
the State Challenge Bowl title,
the school’s third straight.
The group beat out teams
from schools such as Seton
Hill, St. Francis, Chatham,
Lock
Haven,
Pittsburgh,
Drexel,
and
Philadelphia
University in the contest held
by the Pennsylvania Society
Physician Assistants (PSPA)
in Valley Forge, Pa.
The group, composed
of graduate students Jenna
Diasio, Caitlin Trovato, Andrew
Slocum, and Danielle Hackett,
are looking for more than just
a state championship.
“We want to make our
school proud,” Trovato said.
The team has a lot to live up
to. This is the third consecutive
year that DeSales students
won the State Challenge Bowl,
and DeSales also took the title
consecutively from 2000 to
2006. In May, the group will
travel down to Washington
D.C. to compete in the National
Medical Challenge Bowl.
“I think the pressure on
us is to perform to the best
of our abilities and has very
little to do with what other
teams have done in the past,”
Hackett said. “We are putting
all the work in now at practice
so we can be confident that we
will perform well going into the
competition.”
DeSales won the national
title in 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009
and 2010 – the only team
to win three consecutive.
Additionally, no other PA
program in the nation has
more than two national titles.
The students have been
practicing for the national
competition
for
months,
despite their busy schedules
during respective rotations.
“Balancing
practice,
rotations, and studying is not
too difficult; the hardest part
is organizing all the team
members’ schedules so that
we can all meet at the same
time,” Diasio said.
Believe it or not, they
all see the Challenge Bowl
practice as a break from
studying, despite the fact that
a majority of topics covered
are the same discussed in
class and on exams.
“[Assistant
professor]
Kathy Ehrhard always reminds
us that we do this to become
better clinicians and to help our
patients, so we try not to lose
sight of that,” Trovato said.
The
competition,
as
described by Diasio, is like
a “medical Jeopardy.” Three
students (with the fourth
serving as an alternate) are
allotted one buzzer, and can
buzz in to answer the question
at any time. If they answer
correctly within 10 seconds,
they win the points, if not,
points are deducted and the
other teams get a chance to
answer.
Losing points for wrong
answers has not been a
problem for this team in the
past. In the state competition in
October, DeSales won the final
round 110 to St. Francis’ 40.
The group of graduate
students is looking forward
to the upcoming trip to our
nation’s capital, not only
for the competition itself,
but sightseeing, trips to
monuments and spending
time together.
“We are all great friends,
so it is exciting to get to spend
time with them in another
setting besides school,” Diasio
said.
Diasio also mentioned
how they are looking forward
to their classmates’ support.
“Many of our classmates
attended the State Challenge
Bowl and their support meant
the world to us. Hopefully we
will be able to celebrate with
them once again.”
In the meantime, the
team will continue their weekly
practices with Ehrhardt and
focus on answering questions
quickly.
From left to right: Wayne C. Stuart, MD (program director), the
DeSales team and Kathleen Ehrhardt, MMS, PA-C (Academic
Coordinator). Photo courtesy of Jenna Diasio.
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
News
news
PAGE 2
Alternative spring break: Helping hands in New Orleans
By Nicole Savitsky
Contributing Writer
Instead of shooting off to
Europe, lounging on a beach,
or relaxing on the couch, 10
DeSales students decided to
spend their spring break in a
different way. Leaving from
DeSales campus, the students
headed down to New Orleans
to volunteer their time helping
out the local community over
their weeklong break.
The 18-hour drive down
to New Orleans was just a
small sacrifice the students
gave to gain the experience
of working alongside the
volunteers of the United Saints
Recovery Project--a non-profit
organization that focuses on
restoration.
“We spent the first three
days of work painting the
exterior of a local church
that United Saints has been
working on since January,”
said junior English major
Maureen
Lasek.
“The
fourth day, we worked on a
community garden.”
The non-profit’s base
is in New Orleans and the
organization works on multiple
projects in the area which
is still trying to recover from
Katrina’s devastation nearly
seven years ago. Along with
restoring buildings, United
Photo courtesy of Vincent Chrepta
Saints also partakes in a
community art program in New
Orleans. According to their
website, their main mission
is to “restore the homes
and hearts of communities
affected by natural disasters.”
DeSales University students
were witnesses to seeing this
mission unfold in action.
“While we were working,
countless people stopped
to thank us or tell us what a
great job we were doing,” said
Lasek. “Despite the hardships
the city has faced, the people
are incredibly happy and open
to new people.”
In addition to lending a
helping hand, the students
were also able to gain some
new cultural experiences.
“We did various night
activities such as site seeing,
bowling,
shopping
and
enjoying the French Quarter in
New Orleans,” said sophomore
dance major Mary Seghers.
“It
was
fantastic
to
volunteer in New Orleans,”
said Lasek. “The people, the
food, the way of life--everything
was amazing.”
For Seghers, the trip
touched a nostalgic part as
well.
“I am from Louisiana, so
for me personally it was nice
to go home and give back to
my community,” said Seghers.
“Plus, the city is so beautiful
and full of culture. It was such
a great experience.”
After the week was over,
the DeSales students made
their way back to Center Valley
tired, some sunburned or
tanned, but most importantly,
all changed by their new
experience.
“From this experience
I definitely gained a better
appreciation of where I come
from. I made new friends
and had a great time helping
others, as well as getting to
know the other volunteers and
the people of New Orleans,”
said Seghers. “It is such a
vibrant community.”
“I have had the opportunity
to participate in similar service
programs but never within
the United States,” said
Lasek. “It was eye-opening
and humbling to consider
that these people have been
through so much but remain
so happy and thankful.”
Both Lasek and Seghers
recommend
the
trip
to
students.
“I would definitely do
a trip like this again and
recommend it to others,”
said Seghers. “It was a much
more fulfilling experience than
sitting at home watching TV all
weekend; plus I feel I gained
a lot of experience and grew
more as a person.”
For more information
on future alternative spring
break trips, visit the Center
for Service and Social Justice
office in McShea run by Ms.
Jaime Gerhart, or visit the
office’s website online.
Graduates will lose access to DeSales emails in the
coming months
By Amanda Gilmore
The Minstrel
Did you know that
approximately six months after
graduation, students’ email
accounts are terminated?
If this policy is news to you,
and you primarily rely on your
DeSales email address, you
may be setting yourself up
for a huge communication
blunder. With all the struggles
facing graduates in this tough
economy, a dead-end email
address could prove to be
an unnecessarily crippling
setback.
“When you are applying
for jobs, make sure you aren’t
giving them your DeSales
email address,” said Dug
Salley, director of Alumni
Relations. “The IT department
maintains the emails for six
months post-graduation, but
cannot realistically maintain
these accounts on a permanent
basis.”
Additionally, Salley says
that this policy has been
unchallenged by the vast
majority of alumni. In fact,
when
Alumni
Relations
surveyed alumni back in 2011,
one question explicitly asked,
Photo courtesy of Amanda Gilmore
“Would you be interested in
keeping your DeSales email
address?“ Salley reports that
the overwhelming majority had
no interest in the concept.
“Although some alumni
were interested, we can’t
justify it based on the opinions
of maybe 100 alumni out of a
1,500 base,” said Salley.
Regardless, the policy
stands, and students are
encouraged to set up an
alternative email account in
order to make a seamless
transition.
“At least a year before
you graduate, have that
professional email account
ready,” said Salley. “That way,
when your DeSales email
does get wiped out, you are
prepared.”
A simple way to ease
yourself into a new, personal
email address is to set up an
automatic forwarding function.
You can effortlessly learn to
use your new account if you
are getting all your DeSales
emails forwarded to it. Salley
also says that a personal
account will be necessary to
stay informed about DeSales
in the future.
“At
Senior
Send-off,
we’re going to be asking for
a personal email to keep in
touch,” said Salley. “It will
make it tough for us if all the
students are giving us their
DeSales email addresses.”
Salley is right. Essentially,
seniors giving anyone their
DeSales emails addresses are
basically wasting their time.
Looking back, many alumni
realize this mistake too late.
So, when should students
open their personal email
accounts?
“Start yesterday,” said Paul
Rakszawski, an alumnus from
the class of 2011. He is one of
the alumni who are in favor of
holding on to DeSales email
accounts post-graduation, but
he warns current students to
anticipate the fact that this is
not the current arrangement.
Echoing this advice, Salley
said, “It doesn’t matter when
you start; the earlier the better.”
Although some alumni
are reluctant to give up their
DeSales email addresses,
this policy seems to be in line
with the standards of other
local universities. A quick call
to Moravian University’s Help
Desk reveals that they also
shut down email accounts
approximately six months after
graduation. Lehigh University
acts even sooner; Lehigh
alumni can expect to lose their
accounts by September, about
four months post-graduation.
With this comparison,
DeSales seems to be on target
with its neighbors. Salley also
adds that they are open to
redefining policies in relation
to this topic if it becomes a
serious interest for future
alumni.
“If the younger classes
seem to be seriously interested
and alumni’s opinions have
changed, we can take another
look at how we can meet that
need.”
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
PAGE 3
news
News
SHARE Club hosts 5k race
By Katie Kusik
The Minstrel
On Sunday, April 14, the
DeSales University SHARE
(Shannon’s After-school Reading
Exchange) club chapter will be
hosting the first annual DeSales
University SHARE 5K.
The 5K will serve as a
fundraiser to help send girls
from Tanzania to secondary
school. The race will be held on
campus, beginning at 9 a.m. in
front of McShea. Registration
on the day of the race begins
at 7:30 a.m.
“All the money the runners
hand in with the registration will
go directly go to the SHARE
scholarship fund,” said John
Bayeux, sophomore and
chapter president of SHARE.
“During 2012, the SHARE
organization sent 22 girls to
secondary school.”
At the race, there will be a
professional timing company,
a student disc jockey and
many raffle prizes donated
by local businesses. Along
with the raffles, the top three
winners will receive prizes.
The idea of hosting a 5K
as a fundraiser for SHARE
was not a hard decision. About
95 percent of the DeSales
SHARE club consists of track
members.
“As runners, we know how
to organize a 5K,” said Bayeux.
“We wanted to use our skills
in a way that is helpful to the
organization.”
The goals of the 5K include
raising money for the SHARE
scholarship fund, to raise
awareness of the discrepancy
against women in Africa and to
make the Lehigh Valley aware
of SHARE.
“The SHARE club was only
started about an hour east of
here,” said Bayeux. “However,
when we call local businesses
for funding, they have never
heard of us.”
The SHARE club believes
that a 5K is a great way to
bring the community together.
They welcome all levels of
runners or walkers, whether
they are experienced or this is
their first 5K.
The
SHARE
5K
is
advertised on Active.com,
which is a site that many of the
well-known 5Ks, such as the
Color Run or the Mud Run, are
advertised. By putting the 5K
on Active.com, the club hopes
that they will have at least
25 members of the running
community that they have
never met before at the race.
However, the SHARE
club’s
fundraising
efforts
extend beyond this one event.
“We are going to do this 5K,
as well as any other fundraiser
that we can think of,” said
Bayeux.
At only 3.2 miles, this race
is an easy way to help support
a worthy cause that will lift
your spirits. Please refer to
the sidebar for information on
student-discounted pricing.
SHARE 5K:
REGISTRATION FEES
For non-students:
Pre-registration: $20
Day of: $25
For DeSales students, both
pre-registration and on-site
registration is $15.
ResLife streamlines housing selection with “StarRez”
By Kara Moran
Contributing Writer
At DeSales University, the
coming of spring is not just
synonymous with sideways
rain, warming weather, and
senioritis: the time for housing
selection is right around the
corner. In previous years, the
sight of paper charts and a herd
of upperclassmen huddling in
the DeSales University Center
was the norm. However, this
year welcomes a software
program
called
StarRez,
which makes the selection
process
faster,
easier,
completely transparent, and
most importantly, eliminates
the need for a $300 deposit.
In
previous
years,
students would need to fill out
an application and send in a
$300 deposit by a certain due
date. This was to determine
how many people were going
to live on campus and how
many beds were needed in
each residence hall. Resident
students would then be
given a randomly selected
lottery number, based on
the student’s class year. A
student would have the ability
to pull in their roommate and
suitemates. Height selection
was based on group points,
also randomly selected.
J.P. Kelliher, associate
director of Residence Life,
points out two issues with
this system. He says, “Three
hundred dollars is tough…it’s
a lot of money for a college kid
to scrape up.”
If the deposit was paid
by the parents, there was at
times, a lack of communication
between the two parties, he
adds. The second issue was
that despite the random lottery
numbers, there was always
the feedback that the process
was unfair.
“No matter how open it
was, there was still that feeling
of an ‘Oz’ behind the curtain
picking the numbers,” said
Kelliher.
It was clear that the pen
and paper method of housing
selection was an antiquated
process. A software program,
on the other hand, is easier.
“For this generation,” Kelliher
says, “it’s an expectation to
have this online.”
Troy
Bauer,
resident
advisor in Comny Hall, said
of the program, “The best
way to describe StarRez is
by equating it to registering
for classes on Webadvisor.
However, instead of picking
the classes you want, you will
select a roommate and your
dorm room of choice during a
given time slot. You will even
have the opportunity to search
for roommate’s based on
compatibility tests. It’s some
pretty top notch stuff if you ask
me.”
With StarRez, there is
an online application where
a student can choose their
room, meal plan, and see
throughout the semester which
spaces are still open. There is
still the lottery aspect where
rising seniors have priority,
followed by rising juniors, then
sophomores. Instead of a
deposit, there is a $400 dollar
fee ($200 per semester),
only if the student signs the
contract and then backs out
of the housing agreement.
Starting on March 11, StarRez
was officially up and running.
Applications are due by March
31. This change to the digital
version was the culmination
of a five year process,
starting with Kelliher’s vision
and diligent work with the
IT department. The change,
according to Kelliher, is for the
student’s benefit, especially
for the incoming freshmen.
StarRez was founded in
1992, and is the world leader
in housing software with
more than 350 customers
worldwide.
“We have the best program
in the business. This company
has not lost a single customer,
and there’s a reason for that,”
Kelliher said.
There is a marketing
campaign that aims to make
students fully aware of these
changes, according to senior
Vincent Chrepta and resident
advisor
Tony
Calvano.
Students are asked to find
out more at the town hall
meeting on March 18, or in the
housing@DSU section of their
MyDSU profile. The changes
will also be advertised on
social media, and of course,
students are encouraged to
ask their resident advisors for
more information.
Height selection will be on
April 5, while Wellness selection
follows on April 10. After that,
rising seniors will choose
their living arrangements,
and so on. Residence Life
asks for patience in the first
year to work out any bugs in
the system, but by next year,
the selection process will be
“perfect.”
Speaker Terry Caffey: “Stay bitter or get better”
By Erin Weigand
Contributing Writer
Imagine standing outside of
your home, helplessly watching
as it burns to the ground. As
if that’s not bad enough, now
imagine realizing the rest of
your family is dead inside. At 3
a.m. on March 1, 2008 this was
Terry Caffey’s reality.
Two armed gunmen broke
into Caffey’s home in Texas
and shot him, his wife Penny
and their two sons, Matthew
and Tyler. Just to make sure
their task was complete, the
intruders set the house on fire.
Caffey, the only one to survive
the shootings, climbed out a
bathroom window.
After spending a few
days in intensive care, Caffey
came to, only to realize that
his sixteen-year-old daughter
Erin had been arrested. Erin
Caffey’s boyfriend, Charlie
Wilkinson, and his paid
accomplice, Charles Waid,
were the gunmen. Caffey’s
daughter Erin had helped the
two men plan the murders
after Caffey and his wife
forbade their daughter from
seeing Wilkinson anymore.
Last Wednesday, March
13, Caffey visited DeSales
for the third consecutive year
to give his heartbreaking
and inspirational keynote
speech to the freshmen class.
Caffey recapped the horrific
night that changed his life
forever. Going along with the
Character U trait of the month:
Forgiveness, Caffey left his
audience with this message:
“Stay bitter or get better.” It’s
important to forgive those that
have wronged you.
In the weeks following the
murders, Caffey fell into a deep
state of depression. “I had lost
everything,” Caffey says. “I had
nothing left to live for.”
One day when he was
visiting the scene of the crime,
he came across a charred
piece of paper. The paper
was from a book called Blind
Sight that belonged to Caffey’s
wife, Penny. The first line
on the page read “I couldn’t
understand why You [God]
would take my family and
leave me behind to struggle
along without them.”
“It’s just like God to show
up in the nick of time,” Caffey
said. Caffey said finding this
piece of paper renewed his
faith and will to live. “Only
God can turn a mess into a
message,” he said.
During the trial that
sentenced both Wilkinson
and Waid to life in prison
without parole, Caffey did
the unthinkable. With his
unending faith in God and
the power of prayer, he was
able to stand up in front of
the courtroom and forgive the
men who murdered his wife
and two sons. Caffey had
already forgiven his daughter
Erin, who is currently serving
two life sentences.
Caffey founded Across
America Ministries to share
his message of forgiveness
with young people all over
the country. “There’s power
in prayer, folks,” Caffey
said. “And there’s power in
forgiveness.” Caffey ends each
talk by inviting the audience to
let go of a grudge they might
be holding, to forgive someone
who may have hurt them, and
to let go of whatever may be
holding them back.
In the last 4 years, Caffey
has spoken at 400 public
schools. He has appeared on
Fox News, The 700 Club and
The View. He has written a
book, Terror by Night, and is
in the process of turning this
tragedy into a movie about the
power of forgiveness.
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
Arts & Entertainment
A&E
PAGE 4
In the Hunt: The Dropkick Murphys Irish Spirit
By Doug Hunt
The Minstrel
On Friday March 8, The
Dropkick Murhpys gave their
fans an early St. Patrick’s Day
celebration in Philadelphia.
The Boston area Irish rockers
brought a workman’s like
energy during their hour and a
half set.
The band, fronted by
founding member and bassist
Ken Casey and co-lead
singer Al Barr, was formed in
1996 and incorporates many
working class ideals into their
lyrics. Citing New Jersey
icon Bruce Springsteen as a
major influence, the Dropkick
Murphys express these ideals
with their blistering punk rock
sound. Springsteen recorded
a song, “Peg O’ My Heart” with
the band on their 2009 release
Going Out in Style, and also
performed with them in 2011.
Touring in support of their
latest release, Signed and
Sealed in Blood, the band
played two consecutive sold
out shows at the Electric
Factory. They opened the first
night with their latest single,
“The Boys are Back,” and with
that, Dropkick reacquainted
themselves with what Casey
describes as the band’s
“second home town.” During a
break in the music, he declared
that between Philadelphia and
Atlantic City, the Dropkick
Murphys have played 12
shows in the area in the past
few years, which is more than
in their hometown of Boston.
As a treat to their hardcore
fan base, many rare tracks,
including the 2001 release “A
Few Good Men” was played
for the first time in the city.
While
relying
heavily
on material from their latest
record, eight songs total,
Dropkick incorporated many
crowd
favorites
including
“Captain Kelly’s Kitchen” and
“Your Spirit’s Alive.” Many
songs relied heavily on Irishthemed narratives, including
“The Wild Rover,” which was
the highlight of the night.
The crowd sing-along to the
chorus was deafening, with
many proud Irish descendents
singing the traditional song
with power and passion.
Another Irish-pride inducing
cover was the traditional folk
song “The Irish Rover.”
Along with traditional Irish
tracks, another theme of the
evening was revealed through
songs that focused on the
struggles of the working class
life. “Worker’s Song,” one of
the band’s most beloved tunes,
was played acoustically with
the lyrics taking center stage.
Barr sings, “We’re the first
ones to starve/we’re the first
ones to die/ The first ones in
line for that pie-in-the-sky/ And
we’re always the last when the
cream is shared out/ For the
worker is working when the fat
cat’s about,” highlighting the
struggles facing the average
working class citizen. The
track is dedicated to those
whose American Dream never
came to fruition and is beloved
by every Dropkick fan. The
main set ended with the
band’s most well known song,
“I’m Shipping Up to Boston,”
which was used in the film
The Departed and garnered
Dropkick an even larger fan
base. The fans were told to
sing the lyrics while the band
played the background music.
During the encore, a
tradition at every Dropkick
show, the crowd went up on
stage and sung the final songs
of the night, which consisted of
“End of the Night,” “Skinhead on
the MBTA,” a cover of AC/DC’s
“TNT” and “Citizen C.I.A.” The
audience participation was so
vast that the band was unable
to be seen by the show’s end.
The energy brought by
Dropkick and their dedicated
fans to the Electric Factory
made for an excellent pre-St.
Patrick’s Day party.
Signed and Sealed in Blood
is available on iTunes and in
record stores everywhere, and
The St. Patrick’s Day Tour will
continue through April.
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone: Charming,
with a few laughs
By Hutton Jackson
The Minstrel
It can’t get much better
than a cast made up of Steve
Carrell, Jim Carrey, Alan
Arkin and Steve Buscemi.
Just throw in a few outlandish
hairstyles and some magic,
and you have The Incredible
Burt Wonderstone.
Steve Carrell and Steve
Buscemi star as childhood
friends that have both become
Vegas magicians by the names
of Burt Wonderstone and
Anton Marvelton, respectively.
After years of working together
and performing the same act,
the two start to grow weary
of working with one another
and the public starts to lose
interest in their outdated act.
When Steve Gray (Jim
Carrey), an eccentric and
unorthodox street magician,
emerges on the scene, the
duo is forced to come up with
something new. After a failed
attempt at a fresh act, Burt
and Anton have a falling out
and Burt is forced to figure out
where to take his career next.
Luckily, he has the help of
legendary ex-magician Rance
Holloway (Alan Arkin) and
skilled showgirl Jane (Olivia
Wilde), who together try to
help Burt get back on track.
The film is marketed as a
comedy, but while there are
a few jokes that will garner
laughs here and there, it is
ultimately not that funny and
filled with more gags than
actual laughs. However, the
film is able to maintain a level of
charm and still contains some
characters that the audience
can still enjoy watching even
if the humor is weak and the
story is predictable.
The premise is interesting,
but the film constantly fails
to reach its potential with
performances by Carrell and
Carrey that lack in the humor
department. This can be
blamed partially on the script
because the actors make a
solid effort in playing these
outrageous characters, but
it’s tough to stay invested
when the jokes continue to
fall flat. Nonetheless, it is fun
to watch Carrey’s psychotic
mix between David Blaine
and Criss Angel, Buscemi’s
awkward, yet loyal companion,
Arkin’s
crotchety
former
magician and Wilde’s charming
assistant, who has more than
a few tricks up her sleeve.
Even though he remains a jerk
for a large majority of the film,
one still can’t help but pull for
Carrell as the “The Incredible
Burt Wonderstone” himself.
As a comedy, The
Incredible Burt Wonderstone
ultimately falls flat underneath
the lousy jokes, but it is a
charming story filled with
interesting
characters.
Audiences
expecting
to
laugh their heads off will be
disappointed, but those who
go in to the theater to see
a somewhat funny film with
some heart to it may still be
satisfied.
The
Incredible
Burt
Wonderstone is rated PG-13
for sexual content, dangerous
stunts, a drug-related incident
and language.
Overall Movie Rating: 6.5/10
S.H.A.R.K. Grade
(Rates on a scale of 1-5, how much Suspense,
Humor,
Action, Romance and Kid-friendly material is in the
movie)
1- None to Very Little, 2- Little, 3- Average, 4- Much,
5- Very much
S: 2
Photo courtesy of
filmofilia.com
H: 4
A: 1
R: 2
K: 2
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
PAGE 5
A&E
Arts & Entertainment
By Katie Kusik
The Minstrel
On the street...
“I’m not sure what a spirit animal is,
but I really like eagles.”
... asks professors! What is
your spirit animal?
-Dr. Gregory Jeffries
Business
“The puma because it is so fast
and interesting.”
-Dr. Angelica Silva
Spanish
“After much deliberation,
I have chosen the hawk
because it is a very intuitive,
methodical bird and it can
gain a good perspective of
the bigger picture.”
“An ant, because individually
they are just tiny creatures but
when they work together they
can accomplish something
amazing.”
-Professor Sarah Nytroe
History
From
-Dr. Joseph Colosi
Science
“My son said it’s a crocodile,
but my daughter said
monkey. I think it’s a baby
monkey riding backwards
on a pig.”
-Professor Rob Spicer
Communication
the editor
While we hope you enjoy the content we have put here in print, we also
have a ton of great stories on the web. Our editors, along with students in
Professor Spicer’s Journalism Practicum course, are constantly putting out
some great, more “bloggy” content. We hope you take advantage of the
opportunity to read some of the great posts by our various contributors.
On the street web!
The Minstrel conducted an online poll via the
Facebook “Questions” function.
We asked our Facebook following, “What is your favorite
Rita’s Water Ice flavor?” The results are as follows:
The Minstrel is beginning to establish quite the online presence as we
continue to get our twenty-first century on. If you like what you are reading
and would like more of it, take some time and “like” our “DeSales Minstrel”
page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at our handle, @TheMinstrelDSU.
Both pages will provide you with some good links to stories our writers
worked hard on.
So go ahead! Have a look at Erin Weigand’s interview with the mastermind
behind the “Positively DeSales” Facebook page or Margaret E. Ayala’s story
on what to do post-graduation. Or how about Derek Slichter’s article on the
inefficiencies of Congress? Have a look for yourself.
While you’re scavenging the web, take some time and head over to
www.TheMinstrelDSU.com and view some of the articles we have posted.
There is some great content available that you will not find in the paper itself.
Keep keepin’ it real, DeSales,
Dan Beck
Online Editor
Mango took the cake, and
Cherry was close behind!
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
Puzzles
Across
1- Cross word
4- It is in Spain
8- Least significant
14- Extra-wide shoe size
15- Mil. truant
16- Wide street
17- Trauma ctrs.
18- 1996 Tony-winning
musical
19- Hinder
20- Gossip
23- Den of wild animals
and dragons
24- Shinto temple gateway
25- 1950 film noir classic
28- Comic Boosler
30- Charms
33- Birthright
36- Exactly
40- Miscalculate
41- Sir ___ Newton was
an English mathematician
42- Moth ball
45- Warned
46- Speaks
51- Ed.’s pile
52- English cattle breed
55- Apple product
56- Make spiritual
59- Out, in bed
62- South African
grassland
63- Actor Chaney
64- Capital of Zambia
65- Dies ___
66- Wrath
67- Diving seabird
68- Actress Diana
69- CIA forerunner
ASSIST
BACKBOARD
BALL
BASKET
BENCH
BLOCK
CENTER
CLOCK
COACH
COURT
DRIBBLING Down
1- Firefly, e.g.
2- Of flight
3- Greek goddess of the
hearth
4- ____ Grey, tea type
5- Add sugar
6- Scout master?
7- Communion table
8- Cocktail
9- First name in stunts
10- Nerve network
11- Bambi’s aunt
12- Big ___
13- Abbreviation of the
name Edward
21- Attempt
22- ___ del Fuego
25- Lady of Spain
26- Killer whale
27- Just ___!
29- The dark
31- Inclined
32- Bell and Barker
34- Guy who tends goats
35- Tarzan creator’s
monogram
36- Swindle
37- Friends
38- Iowa city
39- “All Things
Considered” network
43- Like a certain complex
44- Crescent-shaped
47- “... ___ the cows come
home”
48- Actor Estevez
49- Sharp instruments
50- Views
53- Brilliant
54- Alamogordo’s county
56- Cauterize
57- Short dog, for short
58- Citrus coolers
59- High mountain, as
found in central Europe
60- Bring civil action
against
61- D-Day craft
FOUL
FREE THROW
GAME
HALF-TIME
HOOP
JERSEY
LAY-UP
NET
OUT OF BOUNDS
OVERTIME
PASSING
PLAYER
POINT GUARD
POINTS
FORWARD
QUARTER
REBOUND
REFEREE
RIM
SCOREBOARD
SHOOTINGGUARD
SHOT
SHOOTING GUARD
SLAM DUNK
SMALL FORWARD
SNEAKERS
SUBSTITUTIONS
TEAM
THREE POINTER
TIME-OUT
TRAVELING
To find the solution to this
Sudoku puzzle, visit our Facebook
(DeSales Minstrel), Twitter
(@TheMinstrelDSU),
or our website at
www.TheMinstrelDSU.com
puzz
PAGE 6
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
PAGE 7
sports
Sports
New coach, new program: DSU cheer
By Garrett McDivitt
The Minstrel
Have you ever been to a
DeSales basketball game and
noticed those talented young
ladies supporting their players
by chanting catchy cheers,
being fearlessly thrown into
the air and performing halftime
dance routines?
Meet
the
DeSales
University cheerleading team,
a group of beautiful women
with a mission to increase
school spirit and support for
DeSales athletics.
Historically, the cheerleaders
were mostly present at men’s
basketball games in Billera Hall.
Now, with the addition of new
coach Brooke Prelovsky, the
cheerleading team is looking
to broaden their presence
on campus. She has nearly
doubled the amount of
cheerleaders on the squad
from last year and has added
more scheduled events in
which they cheer for, starting
with the addition of women’s
home basketball games this
past season.
“Brooke
has
singlehandedly reestablished our
program,” said sophomore
cheerleader Courtney Minto.
“She is extremely dedicated
to the squad; it’s a privilege
to
have
someone
so
knowledgeable
to
learn
from with such a passion for
cheerleading.”
Coach Prelovsky, with the
help of the upperclassmen
officers on the squad, has been
able to organize fundraising
events in order to get new
uniforms for the squad. When
she learned that the allocated
cheerleading budget would
not even cover a fraction of the
funds needed for new uniforms,
she made the decision to
incorporate fundraisers into
squad responsibilities. Some
fundraisers the squad has
already completed include
a Red Robin restaurant
night, working for the city of
Allentown’s “Lights in the
Parkway” seasonal event and
selling self-designed T-shirts.
Currently, the squad is selling
Lehigh Valley “Save Around”
coupon books and Avon
beauty products.
Additionally, Prelovsky has
made important decisions about
choosing
sports
beyond
basketball for the squad
to support. Last semester,
for the first time ever, the
squad performed a halftime
routine at both the men’s and
women’s soccer games for
Homecoming. Tentatively, the
lacrosse, softball and baseball
fields will all be new sights for
cheerleading in the upcoming
weeks. This will be a challenge
for most of the cheerleaders,
who are accustomed to a
different type of game and
less of a time commitment.
However, with the guidance
and
encouragement
of
their coach, all 17 of the
cheerleaders have wholeheartedly agreed to extend
their season and dive into
unfamiliar atmospheres.
“It will be very different
than being inside a gym with
specific areas designed for
cheerleading,” said Minto.
“But it is something new
and exciting we are looking
forward to doing. We can’t
Pictured Above: The squad
perfects a 3-high stunt called
“Swedish Falls” at a recent
post-season practice. Screen
shot of video by Rose Mazza
wait to share our talents with
other athletes and crowds who
normally do not get to have
such a vocal support group.
We hope to see more students
at these games as well.”
With a longer season, a
larger squad and more difficult
stunting sequences, it is obvious
to the DeSales community that
the cheerleading squad has
made major strides this year.
As a senior, three-time cocaptain Amanda Gilmore is
grateful that she gets to be a
part of this growth before she
graduates.
“I owe a big thank-you to
not only our coach, but the
entire squad for working hard
to improve our image this year,”
said Gilmore. “It’s nice to hear
compliments from parents,
players, administration and
fans in general about how
professional and talented we
look this year. Seeing us get
taken seriously is a good way
to go out.”
The next time you see the
cheerleaders perform, take
a moment to acknowledge
their progress and appreciate
the steadfast support they
are
giving
the
athletic
department. It takes time and
commitment to so drastically
and positively renovate any
organization. They should not
be overlooked— in fact, they
are making it very difficult to
do so.
Editors & Staff
Spring 2013
Editor-in-Chief:
Amanda Gilmore
Online Editor:
Dan Beck
Layout Editor:
Kate Bortz
Assistant Layout
Editor:
Adam Zielonka
News Editor:
Katie Kusik
A&E Editor:
Doug Hunt
Editorial Editor:
Hutton Jackson
Feature Editor:
Garrett McDivitt
Sports Editor:
Matt Metzler
Photography and
Copy Editor:
Derek Slichter
March Madness: Strategizing your bracket
By Matt Metzler
The Minstrel
It is that time of the year
again. Let me rephrase that, it
is the best time of the year for
sports fans: the madness that
is March college basketball.
One minute it is midNovember and you are telling
your friends how you think a
certain team is going to win it
all this year. The next minute
those same teams are missing
out on, or just barely creeping
into, the National Tournament.
If they are, they are probably
not going to make a very deep
run (see: Kentucky, North
Carolina). I am writing this
on Thursday of conference
tournament week, a week that
serves as a mouthwatering
appetizer to the feast that
is the National Tournament,
which officially begins the
following week on March 19.
Filling out a bracket is an
art form. Everybody has their
different way of going about
it and that is what makes it
beautiful. Some claim to be
amateur experts, some flip
a coin, some go by the color
of the uniforms and some,
my favorites, rely on mascot
battles. In the case of last
year’s championship game
between the University of
Kentucky Wildcats versus the
Kansas University Jayhawks,
the question is asked of who
would win in a fight: an African
feline or a mythical bird.
No matter how you make
the picks, or how confident you
are, it does not matter. They
do not call it March Monotony.
It is simply madness.
Here is my condensed
preview of what to watch for
come this March Madness. I
take a look at some sleeper
teams that could possibly
go far in the tournament, as
well as some teams to stay
away from when picking your
bracket.
Sleepers:
Colorado State Rams:
Playing their games in the
Mountain West Conference,
the Rams can certainly make
some noise in the NCAA
tournament.
The
Rams
are sixth in the country in
rebounding with an astounding
40.4 a game. Senior Colton
Iverson leads the team in
scoring and rebounding. If
nothing else, his last name
must embody some lucky
mojo,
harkening
back
memories of basketball legend
Allen Iverson.
Temple Owls: Momentum
is vital going into the NCAA
Tournament and as of this
writing, Temple certainly has
it on their side. The Atlantic
Ten squad has not lost a game
since Valentine’s Day. A star
player always helps in March,
and that is exactly what the
Owls have in Khalif Wyatt.
Wyatt led the team in scoring
this season at just under 20
points per game, and was
recently named Atlantic Ten
Conference Player of the Year.
Iowa State Cyclones: A
team that can hang with the big
boys in the Big 12 Conference
can hang with anybody in the
NCAA Tournament. That is
exactly what the Iowa State
Cyclones have done this year.
The Cyclones have beaten Top
25 teams Kansas State and
Oklahoma State this season,
and took a then sixth-ranked
Kansas to overtime. Iowa
State averages 80 points per
game, good for fourth best in
the country. Their offense is a
force to be reckoned with and
are sure to have defenses on
their heels come tournament
time.
Teams to stay away from:
New Mexico Lobos: I
understand that sometimes
there are teams from weaker
conferences that can challenge
the most elite in the country
(see: Gonzaga). However, I
do not think that applies to
the Lobos. New Mexico had a
particularly easy schedule this
year, playing only one game
against a projected five seed
or better, which they lost to
St. Louis by 14. New Mexico
was also shellacked earlier in
the year by San Diego State, a
team that is not very good. I do
not see the Lobos advancing
very far in the tournament.
Syracuse
Orange:
The
Orange are a model of
inconsistency, a recipe for disaster
come tournament time. They
have not strung together more
than two wins since January
21. According to reliable
experts in college basketball,
sophomore
point
guard
Michael Carter-Williams is one
of the most overrated players
in the country. He struggles
with his long distance shooting
and can be prone to turnovers.
While the return of senior
forward James Southerland
from eligibility issues helps
them out in terms of scoring,
it may not be enough to make
a significant national title
run. I see Syracuse getting
ousted early, against a team
that plays efficient basketball,
does not turn the ball over and
has some shooters to combat
a suspect zone defense that
Syracuse is known to play.
The DeSales Minstrel
is the University’s only
student-run news
publication. It is published
seven times per semester
and is advised by Robert
Spicer. The staff meets on
scheduled Tuesday nights at
7 p.m. in Donahue Hall. All
meetings are open to the
University community.
The editors reserve the
right to edit all submissions
for libel or length. The views
expressed in this paper
reflect the views of the
individual writer and do not
necessarily reflect the views
of The Minstrel or DeSales.
Please feel free to
contact us at minstrel.
[email protected]
The Minstrel
MARCH 20, 2013
Sports
sports
PAGE 8
Featured Bulldog: Tyler McLean
By Dan Beck
The Minstrel
Senior
Tyler
McLean
will start his final season
of collegiate golf Saturday
at the Gettysburg College
Invitational. Before that, he
spoke to The Minstrel about
the nostalgia of senior year, his
goals for the season and his
plans for after graduation. Last
year, McLean led the Bulldogs
Emergency Department at
Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar
Crest.
Minstrel: What do you feel
you got out of playing golf at
the collegiate level?
McLean: Participating in
golf helped me work on my time
management skills because
I had to set aside time for
practice, class, studying and a
social life.
Minstrel: Do you have any
McLean: My goal is to
place inside the top 10 multiple
times throughout the season,
but most importantly, I would
like to make the All-Conference
team again like last year. That
was pretty exciting.
Minstrel: What are your
goals for the season teamwise?
McLean: As a team, I
expect us to contend for the
MAC championship. We have
“ As
a team, I
expect us to contend
for the MAC
championship.
We finished third
place the last two
years, but we can
definitely make
some noise this
year.
would consider my ball striking
and iron game as my strength,
and driving as my current
weakness.
Minstrel: What course
do you look most forward to
playing this season?
McLean: The location of
the MAC Championship, the
East Golf Course at Hershey
Country Club, is one of my
favorite golf courses to play.
The greens are fast, the course
Athlete: Tyler McLean
Year: Senior
Sport: Golf
Major: Nursing
Awards: 2012 AllFreedom Conference
Second Team
”
Photo by BJ Spigelmyer
to their best ever finish at
the Freedom Conference
Championship – third place.
Individually he placed ninth
to earn All-Freedom Second
Team honors. He will look to
build upon that success as he
gets ready to start this season.
Here’s what he had to say:
Minstrel: What are your
plans for after graduation?
McLean: I am going to
be working as a nurse in the
superstitions on the course?
McLean: Of course. I try
to follow the same routine
before each shot: I only use
a New Jersey state quarter
to mark my golf ball on the
green, I play a Titleist ProV1x
golf ball and write “John 3:16”
or “Psalm 23” with marker on it
as an identifier on the course.
Minstrel:
What
are
your goals for the season
individually?
finished in third place the
last two years, but we could
definitely make some noise
this year. We have some really
good players, all of whom are
able to post low scores.
Minstrel: What is your
greatest
weakness
and
greatest strength as a player?
McLean:
My
golf
weaknesses and strengths
vary from week to week; it’s
just the nature of the game. I
is long and the approach shots
are challenging. It’s hard to
post really good scores there,
but I enjoy the “grind it out”
style golf courses.
Minstrel: What teammates
do you expect to have a big
year?
McLean: I expect juniors
Matt Radziwill and Victor
Stanzione to have big years.
They have been vital to
our success the past two
years, and have only shown
improvements. I’d also keep
my eye on our new addition,
Erik Ivarsson, to contend quite
often.
Minstrel: What professional
players do you most likely
model your game after?
McLean: I don’t think
anyone could categorize my
golf game after a pro. In an
ideal world, I would model it
after Tiger Woods because of
his power, creativity and his
clutch nature.
Minstrel: Do you have any
particular memories that will
stand out as you begin to wrap
up your career?
McLean: I will forever
remember
the
simple
memories of going to golf
practice and just playing
a round of golf with my
teammates. I’m glad to say
they are all my friends, and I
will definitely miss all of them.
Minstrel: Are you getting
nostalgic about ending your
career in collegiate golf?
McLean: Yes and no. From
a competition stand point, yes
because I won’t be competing
with a team anymore, but that’s
the great thing about golf; it
can be played until you’re 70
years old.
Minstrel: Do you have any
advice to the younger players?
McLean: Always have lots
of energy, lots of focus
Minstrel: Do you have a
Masters prediction?
McLean: I would never bet
against Tiger Woods. Tiger will
be wearing his domination red
and win by five strokes.
Young Pitchers Lead Baseball and Softball to
Successful Spring Break Trips
By Adam Zielonka
The Minstrel
The DeSales baseball and
softball teams each recorded
winning records on their spring
break trips. The Bulldogs
baseball team went 4-3 in the
seven games they played in
the San Antonio, Texas area,
and the Lady Bulldogs softball
team went 5-3 in eight games
in Tucson, Ariz. for the Tucson
Invitational. For their strong
performances
during
the
week, sophomore Eric Dillard
and freshman DJ McCauley
were
named
Freedom
Conference Pitchers of the
Week in baseball and softball,
respectively.
The baseball team began
their trip by winning a close,
high-scoring game over the
University of Houston-Victoria,
15-13. The Bulldogs’ offense
was powered by designated
hitter Mark Westdyk, who led
the team with five RBI, three of
which came in DeSales’ fiverun first inning. This was not
even DeSales’ highest-scoring
inning of the game; they
scored six runs in the seventh,
thanks in part to a home run
from senior first baseman
Brian Mauro.
However, the rest of
the Bulldogs’ wins were
highlighted by strong pitching
performances, most notably in
the team’s doubleheader with
Cardinal Stritch University on
DeSales’ last day of games.
Senior David Drinks won the
first game, allowing only one
earned run in six innings as
DeSales cruised 12-1. Game
two was dominated by Dillard,
who struck out four batters
and allowed no runs and only
three hits in six innings.
“I’m just trying to have fun
out there and do what I’ve done
my whole life,” said Dillard,
who also pitched six innings
earlier in the week in a loss to
the University of Mary HardinBaylor, allowing just two runs
(none earned), but getting no
support from his offense.
When asked if the Texas
trip will help his team in the long
run, Dillard said, “Definitely,
because the competition in
Texas was at a high standard.
It was good competition to
start out our season against.”
The ladies also had their
own successes. The softball
team won both games they
played on day one of the
Tucson
Invitational,
first
beating
Iowa
Wesleyan
College 3-0, then defeating
Concordia College (MN) 6-1.
The Lady Bulldogs then won
one game and lost one each of
the next three days. They beat
Iowa Wesleyan again, 9-5, as
well as St. Mary’s University
(MN), 3-2, and Robert Morris
University, 2-1.
In her first collegiate start,
DeSales’ first win over Iowa
Wesleyan, McCauley showed
how bright her future is.
McCauley pitched a complete
game, one-hit shutout and
struck out eleven batters. She
lost her start against St. Mary’s
the next day, allowing her only
earned run of the week, but
soon proved she could learn
from her mistakes. She started
against St. Mary’s again on
day three, and pitched much
better, allowing only two hits
in five innings of a no-decision
that DeSales went on to win.
For her finale, McCauley
pitched another complete
game in beating Robert Morris,
allowing only four hits and no
earned runs.
“It feels really good to be
so successful in my first week
of collegiate softball,” said
McCauley. “Spending a week
with my teammates in the sun
and playing some games on
an actual field, instead of a
gym floor, was amazing. I also
feel that we really grew closer
because of the trip.”
McCauley is a native of
Baker City, Ore. and was
named a Second Team AllState pitcher by the Oregonian
in her senior year of high
school. After applying to
colleges across the country,
she flew to DeSales for
Bulldog Bash, a softball game
and an overnight visit.
“I loved my overnight visit.
What really struck me about
DeSales is the atmosphere
on campus,” said McCauley.
“People here seemed really
happy to be at school, and I
wanted to be a part of that.”
The softball team is
certainly glad the biology
major wanted to be a part of
our school. McCauley appears
to be a force to be reckoned
with on the pitching staff for
years to come.