Thanksgiving Back

Every term the Freshman area residence halls get to do one big 'All-Hall' event. This is when all six Residence Assistants (RAs) get to create a program that is beneficial to the residences, but also gives back to the community. I love this program as an RA because we always get to have fun, but the girls are all giving back either to Mercyhurst or our surrounding Erie community. In the past, we have collected money to donate books to a local elementary school, had a canned food drive, and even helped to train Mercyhurst's own therapy dogs!

This term we decided to keep it really close to home. Baldwin decided that for the Fall term we were going to help fund-raise money to support the Thanksgiving dinner hosted over break for any and all students who were not going home or had a chance to go home for Thanksgiving. This event has been put on in the past through the Multicultural Center. The reason they are always active and willing to help is because a majority of students who spend Thanksgiving break on campus are international students!

Our program is set to start the collection this week, November 5th-9th. Our three floors of residents will be competing to see who can raise the most change to benefit this year's Thanksgiving. I'll let you all know the outcome after this week! It is always a good feeling to give back though!

I also just wanted to give a quick shout out to our Laker's sports team for all the accomplishments this weekend! Men's Soccer: 2012 PSAC Champions, Men's Waterpolo for their historic wins in the CWPA Southern Championships (beating John Hopkins and Princeton!!), and our Laker Football team for winning the West! Way to go Laker Nation!!

Looking forward to the Senior game next Saturday and another Open House!

Until next time,

Adrianne

Get Involved: RSCO Life on Campus!

Here at Mercyhurst we have millions of things to be involved in and Student Life does a great job making sure that if you want to participate in it, then you can do it here! RSCO, or Registered Student Clubs/Organizations, are here on campus for camaraderie for students who share common interests. Getting involved on campus is simple, and it is a great way to develop social skills and leadership skills. Not to mention it is always a great resume builder for Graduate School or any job after graduation! We offer so many Clubs and Organizations on campus and the best part is if we don't offer what you're looking for... you can start it yourself!!

In my four years here I have been more over involved than I care to admit. It is a great feeling to be a part of something, and there are so many different things that I have been able to be a part of. You can check out a full list of RSCOs on campus here. Here are some examples of ones that I have particularly invested time in. 

Ambassadors: Our Ambassador Club is service club on campus that promotes the core values through our service to the school. In general, we are known as the Green Jackets, the tour givers, event helpers, direction guides, and faces of Mercyhurst. This club is definitely the club I am in that has helped me to achieve and maintain professionalism and confidence at Mercyhurst.

Currently I am one  of the Pledge Committee Chairs, in charge of recruiting and helping to train new Ambassadors for the year. This year there were over 120 students that have showed interest in pledging for the respected position... which will only be about 25% of those students. I'll let you all know how they're doing this term!

Ciaran, a graduated Ambassador, and myself at last years Spring Tea Event!

The full club in our "goofy" pose! Always a fun time!

Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG): Student Government is just as it sounds, we're the voice for the undergraduate population on campus. Known for our work for the students, we are here to promote and represent the student body in any way necessary; whether it be academics, financial, social, cultural, or political. All concerns, questions, and complaints that need to be filtered through the students to the upper-administration should come to the Student Government. 

This year I am the senator for the Zurn School of Sciences, and I also sit on as Committee Chair for the Residence Life Committee. As the senator, I specifically want to hear concerns about students from my constituency in Zurn. I want to know what they are worried about in regards to the sciences, our classrooms, or even our professors. As Committee Chair for Residence Life, I am looking to use this year to outreach to students who are unhappy with campus housing conditions (specifically in upperclassmen area). I think that Student Life and Residence Life have a large impact on the four years here, and it is an important thing to have student concerns properly represented.

Friends and fellow members of MSG in our Spirit Shirts! GO LAKERS!

TOMS Mercyhurst Campus Club: TOMS Campus Clubs are groups of passionate, excited students who are working together to raise awareness and share the TOMS Story and the One for One movement at their school. We do this by hosting events and activities to give students a perspective from the impoverished people who TOMS works so hard to represent. Mercyhurst TOMS Campus Club started my freshman year on campus, and I have slowly become more involved. This past year and currently I hold the title of President, however I'm looking forward to passing on the torch and seeing this club build up still on our small campus.

My TOMS family and friends here on Campus at our documentary screening!

Each year we do an event called One Day Without Shoes, where students and faculty go barefoot to support children and people around the world in poverty. In my four years here this campaign has grown near and dear to my heart. We encompass the school's core values of being socially merciful and aware. I know that TOMS is a giving model that really impacts our world, and I love to bring that impact and influence the Mercyhurst community!

Have a great week!

-Adrianne

When the Leaves Change...

Fall is here in Erie, and I have reminded myself so much why I love this season. It has been a while since my last post so I have a bit to cover now, but most of my fall adventures have revolved around my major, Biology!

Its beginning to look like fall at Mercyhurst as the leaves are changing!!

Last weekend was our Fall Break off of school. The extended weekend away from Mercyhurst right after midterms always seems so wonderful to me, but this year it was a productive weekend. I went home to the Cleveland area and had an opportunity to job shadow. Since I am a Biology major, I've been looking at many different career paths. Fall break became the best when I had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Kathleen Skoch. 

Dr. Skoch is a very well known pediatrician with her own practice, Neighborhood Pediatrics. I admire her for a few reasons: one, because in Cleveland she is well recognized and respected; two, she recieved her degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine; and lastly, she was so kind and accommodating towards teaching me the ropes of her business. Also I was able to spend some time in her office with her co-doctors and their nurses. All fabulous women who added toward such a positive experience for me!

In sticking with things going on in my academic life, I had some other cool biology moments when we got back into classes this week. During my Field Ecology class this term we are going some independent research in the Erie area for our laboratory portion. As a pre-health focus it has been definitely a challenge to come up with and implement something that is able to be proven ecologically. However my group was up for the challenge. Sticking with the season we are studying a bit about leaf coloration in Erie, and the differences in the amount of sunlight the leaves get. We are calculating the change in coloration via the percent of green left in the leaf. So far so cool!

This fall term I am also taking a Biology class for Human Anatomy. Just as it sounds we are taking this term to really delve into the human body and learn more about muscles, nerves, bones, and their structures and functions. I was most looking forward to this class because I feel like it would be very telling if I was capable of going forward with my pre-health degree. I can confidently say that I love this class and it has confirmed my passion for the future. 

In our lab portion this week, my fellow classmates and I had the opportunity to go out to our cadaver lab at the North East campus. As a senior this wasn't my first time out at the lab, but I am also hoping it won't be the last. The cadaver lab out a North East campus is something different that Mercyhurst offers that really makes us "the small-school with really big opportunities." Hirtzel Lab is a $1.2 million mega-lab at the North East  campus that houses our  four cadavers, a standard feature for medical schools that is unique to our small private college. Students use this for this for both undergraduates and graduate programs, including: Anthropology, Exercise Science, Sportsmedicine, and Biology majors.

SO many good and cool things going on this fall!

Until next time, 

Adrianne

Getting Ready for NOLA 2012

Excitement is brewing getting ready again for New Orleans 2012!! 

A motto for me in
the city of New Orleans

Last year I spent a week with the Mercyhurst Service Learning Department over Thanksgiving Break in New Orleans doing a rebuild service project. This year marks the seventh year since Hurricane Katrina hit the city of New Orleans and there are still an large amount of homes in need of repair! With Hurricane Isaac re-affecting the rebuild process, there is an even bigger need for help to rebuild and that is where the Mercyhurst team comes in. 

Each year through the Service Learning Department, Mercyhurst sponsors various trips to immerse students in community service and learning opportunities. I was able to go to New Orleans in 2011 for the rebuild and I am looking forward to getting back. Last year there were 18 volunteers who spent their break working with the PNOLA team (check out their blog here).

Our Crew overlooking downtown New Orleans across the Mississippi

On the trip we split up and work as teams on houses in various areas of the city during the week. We did all sorts of jobs from painting and restoring the exterior of houses, to dry walling, insulating, framing, and general tidying. I think that my work from the House the Hurst Built is going to better prepare me for this year's trip! However, I am really looking forward to this trip. Some of the people from last year are going again, so I know that we are all looking forward to getting back to the city to see the progress that has been made. We are also taking new people who have not yet been on a rebuild trip or to New Orleans. As a leader in the group, I am hoping to help them make a positive impact and realize why it is so good to give back the way we do at Mercyhurst.

Me doing demolition at one of the houses with PNOLA 

This trip is one of the best things I have ever done at Mercyhurst, and I am looking forward to returning. We just found out if we were chosen or not to go on the New Orleans trip for 2012, and I couldn't be more happy to be part of the contributing team. I think it is important to remember why we are there. It is not only to experience this city and spend time with my friends from school. These people of New Orleans have been through true life struggles that I can't even relate to, and they continue to work hard. I loved the PNOLA site because of their motto. The P stands for Phoenix of New Orleans, LA. Phoenix meaning to rise from the ashes. This city that has been majorly effected by the hurricanes and destruction is rising from the ashes. 

Lakers getting silly with a family we were helping

Until next time Lakers and readers..... remember to do something good for someone else. There is nothing better than service for another person; its good for the soul!

Always,
Adrianne

Campus Involvement and Homecoming

There were a lot of important things buzzing in and around campus for the past week. On Wednesday we had our Campus Involvement Fair. I got to participate on behalf of multiple clubs on campus. The TOMS Campus Club, that I am the president of, is just one of our service-based clubs on campus. As a service based RSCO (registered student clubs/organization) we take part in something that is bigger than just our own purpose. So, while Mercyhurst's TOMS Club is just a student based organization that spreads the One for One global mission, we also look to help out our own community with the Mercyhurst mission. Plus, Its always exciting to get new members and people interested. 


This week was also another big one for campus involvement in general because it was Homecoming week! Spirit is a big thing for any school, and it is always good to see an increase in support going into Homecoming weekend. As part of MSG (Mercyhurst Student Government) I got to kick of my weekend with a spirit barbecue at the Clash of the Classes. This event was new to students this year, and was pretty successful! It was great to see students taking the initiative and getting together to support our Lakers. It also only made me more excited for our Homecoming football game against Slippery Rock!

The homecoming weekend at Mercyhurst always pairs with Parents and Alumni weekend, so the activity at Mercyhurst is amazing. The atmosphere makes it impossible to not have a good time (even though we were rained on for most of the day!). I had an amazing senior homecoming! My parents were here to visit, I had so much fun with my alumni friends, and I was honored to be a part of our senior homecoming court! It was raining, which made it difficult to watch the football game in a dress... although Mercyhurst made it easy because we won!

Myself and some fellow members of the homecoming court!

Also at the halftime portion of the game, Mercyhurst presented the House the Hurst Built (see last blog post) to its new owner! We did it--- built the house in four weeks and it felt great to be a part of that! 

Richard and I after the obstacle course

After the homecoming football game, there are some annual festivities around campus to be involved in. My personal favorite is always the bounce houses and obstacles at Hurst Fest. This homecoming was not shut down by the rain! I got to challenge Richard, our MSG President and friend, to race me through the course. It was slippery and muddy, but it was still fun! 

In the pictures you can see that we are also sporting the new Spirit shirts! In an effort to unite the student body even more at sporting events and campus events we thought of spirit shirts this year. Piggy-backing off of large University ideas, we want our shirt to be worn all year at multiple events as "The Shirt"! I was excited to see all the green on campus in promotion! GO LAKERS!!

This week its time to focus on school work and graduate school admissions. Back to the grind!

Until next time.
Adrianne

Welcome Back to Welcome Home!

There are so many opportunities at Mercyhurst to become involved, and the year always starts out with my favorite version... Service day! The easiest way to encourage the freshman to get to know someone random is by taking them into the city of Erie to do something better than catching an extra hour of sleep. I love service day. I remember my own service day, and looking back I had the opportunity to make friends that I still have today. Also it is a great way to learn some of Mercyhurst's core values, including being an Ambassador of Service!

A group of freshman students and me at the Mercy Center for Woman this year.
We worked hard and brought our smiles to make their days better.

But this year especially, Mercyhurst is doing more than just one big day of service. This new year of University has encouraged to do more! In July, Mercyhurst University announced plans to collaborate with Habitat for Humanity in Erie and build The House That 'Hurst Built. This entire build will just take about four weeks, and is a gift back to the city and the community that help and involve our Mercy family.   


My favorite part about the build is that you don't have to be Mr. or Mrs. Fix-it to participate. You may never have used a power tool, but we still are encouraging students to go! It is all about the experience of giving back and involving multiple people on campus. 

I have been to the site four times now since the project started August 27th. We are now down to the last week of the Hurst house build, and it has been incredible. I have seen the house from foundation, hopefully to finish. We will be dedicating the house to the family that will own it at our homecoming weekend. All of the students, faculty, employees, and friends of the University will see what a difference four weeks and a lot of hands can have.

Like I said I have had a lot of great experiences at the house the past few weeks. I got to watch the roof go up. I helped screw in drywall for all of the interior, while friends were hanging the siding on the inside. 

This past weekend the Ambassador club worked a morning and afternoon shift at the site. A majority of us were left to sand down the filled over screw holes and drywall cracks to make sure the house was ready for interior painting! That is when I really knew it was coming together. I will be posting more pictures of the recent build in another post so you can all see the progress that has been made! So proud to be a Laker and do good!