vol. 8, issue 7
DESCRIPTION
Vol. 8, Issue 7TRANSCRIPT
RMU Ready?Sending off the class of 2013
News
Sports
Lifestyles
Table of Contents
14
pg.
24
pg.
pg.
Reflections
Suit up
The Countdown
The
Sen
try
Staf
f
Nicole EatonNews Layout Editor
Andrea ZanaglioEditor-in-Chief
Brooke SmithCopy Editor
Rachel CalhounArt Director
Alyssa BishopPrint Ad Manager
Marissa HomerOnline Ad Manager
Brianna FergusonMultimedia Editor
Valerie HoganSports Layout Editor
Tayler WentzLifestyles Layout [email protected]
Robert Morris UniversityPatrick Henry Room 100
6001 University Blvd.Moon Township, PA 15108
ISSN #1934-8878May 2013
Moon Township, PA 15108
Correction for March issueIn the March issue of The Sentry, the article “Nursing program on temporary provisional basis, but no major changes” that appeared on pages six and seven ran with incorrect information. The article incorectly stated, “RMU upped its standards even further this year after falling short of what is required to be accredited during the last academic year.” According to the School of Nursing Dean, Lynda Davidson, the program is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education until 2020. The provisional sta-tus currently placed on the RMU’s nursing program came from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing (PASBN) regarding licensure, not accreditation. The PASBN grants approval, not accreditation. Therefore, the nursing program has instituted several measures to ensure that students are successful in passing the National Council Licensure Examination, which will lead to the removal of the tem-porary provisional status.
The Sentry apologizes for the error in reporting and for any confusion it may have created.
www.rmusentrymedia.com
The Sentry is a student-written, student managed newspaper serving Robert Morris University and Moon Township. It is published monthly except during semester breaks, holidays and prior to final exams. Editorial Policy: Editorials are based on the opinions of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentry staff as a whole, RMU students, faculty or administration. Corrections/Clarifications: Readers should report any story or photo errors to The Sentry. All legitimate errors will be corrected in print in the following edition. Letters Policy: The Sentry welcomes letters to the editory but does not guarantee publication. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Anonymous submissions will not be published.
Student Media Advisor: Carrie Moniot ([email protected])
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Issue 7
Cover photo taken by Paul Wintruba
LEAH FLEISCHELNEWS EDITOR
Dear Class of 2013:Congratulations on your upcoming commencement, and thank you for having changed Robert Morris University for the better. “Changed”, in fact, doesn’t do justice to the impact that your class has had at RMU. You have transformed Robert Morris, creating a vibrant campus culture that has made RMU a university of choice for the students who followed you here. You witnessed history at Robert Morris. We marked our 90th anniversary and completed our first comprehensive fund-raising campaign. Enrollment and the number of students living on campus – including many of you – hit record highs. We watched the first night football game under the lights at Joe Walton Stadium. Our men’s basketball team went to the NCAA tournament, and we upset the defending national champion, Kentucky, in front of a capacity crowd at the Sewall Center. (I think I may have seen one or two of you on the court after the last buzzer sounded.) What’s more, you made some history of your own. You are the first class to graduate having been required to participate in the Student Engagement Program. Not that you needed any inducement to do so; if we hadn’t created the Student Engagement Program, you probably would have demanded it. In your community service, campus leadership, and aca-demic achievements, you not only were role models for the students who enrolled after you, but for the upper classmen inspired by your example to immerse themselves in the RMU experience. It doesn’t have to end, you know. As alumni you will have the opportunity to stay engaged with your classmates and your professors. You can come back for Homecoming and for sporting events, for happy hours and career fairs. And you can give back financially, to provide the next generation of RMU students the same opportunities you had. You have the opportunity to change their lives, and RMU has the opportunity to keep changing yours. I wish you all the very best in wherever life may take you, for you have been well-prepared to embrace your dreams and make your mark on society. Good luck, and again, thank you.
Go Colonials!
Best,Gregory Dell’Omo, Ph. D.RMU President
School of Business
Graduates of the RMU School of Business:As Dean of the Robert Morris University School of Business, I would like to congratulate each of you on your gradu-ation from RMU. The School of Business is very proud of you and wishes you the very best in all of your future endeavors on this very special occasion. Our faculty, staff and administration have worked to prepare you for professional careers in business as well as for happy and productive lives as responsible citizens. We are committed to your success. We believe that your success is our success. As you graduate from RMU, we would like to remind you to continue to work hard, engage in life-long learning, operate with integrity and be servant leaders always cognizant of the needs and aspirations of your people. If you care for and help others to succeed, both you and your organizations will be successful. Remember that it’s not all about you; it’s about the success of the entire organization and all your colleagues and constituents. This team perspective will take you far. No one succeeds without the help of others. We would ask you to be gracious and thankful to others who helped and encouraged you along the way. Your parents, family and friends, RMU professors and staff, scholarship do-nors, coaches etc. all helped you make it to commencement. Please don’t forget them as you rise professionally in your careers. Part of being a responsible citizen and good alumnus is giving back by helping others financially, in service, or by promoting worthy causes. Please choose civic and charitable causes that you believe in and support
them throughout your life. Join the RMU Alumni Association and continue to spread the good word about your university and the School of Busi-ness. We look forward to seeing you in the future at RMU and School of Business events and activities. It is critical to keep our alumni engaged with us as we strive for greater levels of excellence in the future. We are committed to continuous improvement as an AACSB International ac-credited business school and each time we do something to improve RMU and the School of Business we increase the value of your degree. Our plan is to continue the high positive trajectory we are on and to maximize the value of your degree over time. Best wishes for a successful career and a happy life! Go out and make a difference in the world.
Sincerely, John M. Beehler, Ph.D., CPA Dean
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Reflections
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School of Nursing
Dear Graduates of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences:I am very happy to offer congratulations as you complete your degree at RMU. I know your path has been difficult at times but I hope also very rewarding. The majors you have selected require constant attention to rapidly chang-ing evidence based data combined with compassion for those you serve. You will be regarded as highly trustworthy, protecting and promoting health and healing for many people who will depend on you. All of us in the SNHS are very proud of you and confident you will be outstanding professionals who will one day be leaders in healthcare.
Best Wishes,Lynda Davidson, Ph. D., RN
Dean and the Administration, Faculty and Staff of the SNHS
School of Education and Social Sciences
Dear School of Education and Social Sciences Class of 2013:Congratulations on reaching one of the most important milestones in your life – your college graduation. Your col-lege degree represents many things. It is often acknowledged as a promise of higher life-time earning potential. While this is both very true and very important, I like to think of it as a promise of higher life time learning potential as well. Your time at RMU has not only made you a valuable commodity on the job market but it has made you an informed citizen with the capability to remain that way. I feel this is particularly true for the graduates of the School of Education and Social Sciences. Your training as edu-cators and social scientists provides you with great depth and breadth of knowledge in human behavior and learning. Your involvement in organizations in the school has allowed you to be involved in your community and your intern-ships, practica, and student teaching has given you real world experience.You can look toward to a promising future and I know you will be successful, both in your careers and personally. Please stay in touch with the School of Education and Social Sciences. Alumni are a great source of wisdom and ex-perience and we will be reaching out to each of you for support in the years to come. Feel free to contact the school if we can be of any help to you as you leave RMU and venture into your careers.
Personally, I wish you the best. I have come to know many of you and I am very proud of the 2013 graduating class. I look forward to hearing from you in the years ahead.
Best wishes,Mary Ann Rafoth, Ph.D.Dean
School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science
Hello Class of 2013:My sincere congratulations go out to you on your graduation from RMU and School of Engineering, Mathemat-ics and Science!As I am sure when you reflect on your time here, several things will come to mind, and as time goes by, we will all cherish our best memories together!As your Dean, I am reaching out to let you know that all of us here: professors, staff, and administrators in SEMS are extremely proud of your successes. Your class is truly special to me as you are my first graduating class as the Dean. I joined RMU in 2001, and in 2009 became the Dean of SEMS. So your graduation and your success is my success too!As you will be marching into adulthood, please know that SEMS faculty and I will always be here to help you. Our participation in your life is not over just because you graduate. We are still here if you need support or just want to pop in and update us on your journey.As you go out there it is okay to worry and be concerned, trust me it is normal. I recently had a discussion with the first graduate from our pre-medicine program, Taryn Reichard. We talked about how she overcame her insecurities of becoming a doctor. She felt that the support and encouragement that she received from being able to interact one-on-one with her professors and advisors at RMU was one of the many reasons she became the person she is today. In closing, I wish you much success upon your graduation from RMU. I know you will work hard to attain your goals. Don’t forget, we would love to hear from you, so please stop by or drop us a note so we remain a part of your life.
Best,Maria Kalevitch, Ph. D.Dean
Class of 2013 gift starts fund for ‘Bronze Bob’By KENDALL VALANSTAFF WRITERFrom the Revolutionary War replica cannon to RMU welcome signs placed near the Sewickley Bridge and through Interstate 376, the legacy of each senior class can be seen many places on and near campus. Every year, the graduating class gets an opportunity to leave their mark by raising money to make a class donation back to the school. “The gift is just to show people that we give back to our campus. To show that we left our mark here. So when we graduate, it wasn’t just a place where we went to school and got our de-gree. This is going to be here for a long time and it is from us thanking the university for giving us such a great four years and a good degree,” explained Alan Buehler, SGA president and gift committee member. This year the Senior Class Gift Committee came together to raise money for what might be considered one of the greatest class gifts ever presented to the university. He currently goes by the name of “Bronze Bob.” This year’s Class Gift Committee raised
money for a large bronze statue of Robert Mor-ris himself sitting on a bench that will be placed in the Massey Gardens. Students, faculty and visitors who see it will be able to sit down be-side him and take a picture. Since the bar was set higher than the previ-ous senior classes, the gift committee took on new methods of attracting students on campus to contribute donations. They created a great advertising technique to sell more senior class T-shirts of which the profits went directly to-wards the class gift. A cardboard cutout of a gold silhouette of “Bronze Bob” was seen float-ing around at various events on campus, in-cluding recent basketball games and the 100 days of graduation event. “I even put a T-shirt on him one day!” joked Abigail Lape, a 2013 class gift committee mem-ber. “It’s a good attraction piece to bring people over. When we had him standing by the table, we had a lot more people come over and ask us about it. It’s a great way to get the conversation going about the class shirts.”
The committee also took to Youtube to gain more donors. A 2013 Senior Class Gift video was posted online to give more information and to advertise their cause. The video featured gift committee members Alan Buehler, Abigail Lape and Jarrod Prugar with Traz Watts be-hind the camera. Other fundraising efforts in-cluded a Board of Trustee luncheon, where all senior gift donors received an invitation, and even a rap video incentive from RMU President Gregory Dell’Omo. The 2013 Class Gift Committee was rather suc-cessful. They well surpassed their original goal of $5,000. During this year’s commencement, the gift committee will present to the school the total amount of money raised, the number of seniors who contributed, how much the donors contributed, and how close they are to achiev-ing their goal. “I would just like to give a thank you to ev-eryone who has been supportive and donated to the class gift,” said Amanda Musser, RMU’s major gift officer.
Class Class Gift Number of Donors
Amount Donated
2012 Revolutionary War replica cannon 405 $ 6,972 2011 Way Finding Signage 207 $ 2,835 2010 Memorial Garden 264 $ 5,288 2009 Memorial Garden 197 $ 2,514 2008 Memorial Garden 133 $ 2,550 2007 RMU Book Fund 163 $ 3,670 2006 RMU Book Fund 232 $ 4,541
School of Communications and Information Systems
To the 2013 Graduating Class of the School of Communications and Information Systems:You are the first graduating class to have enjoyed the state-of-the-art classrooms, computer labs, studios, lounging areas and homework spaces of the Wheatley Center. You relaxed in the green and red chairs, snacked in the café and viewed exhibits in the Media Arts Gallery. Our building is named for Phillis Wheatley, a remarkable literary talent who lived during the Colonial period. She was America’s first black woman poet, the first African-American to publish a book on any subject in the United States, and only the second woman of any heritage on American soil to do so. Her rise in American arts would never have been predicted. In 1761, at the age of eight, she was kidnapped from the western region of Africa. She was ferried to Boston on a slave ship and become the personal servant of Mrs.Wheatley. Curious and determined, Phillis learned to read and write under Mrs. Wheatley’s tutelage. Less than a decade later, Phillis would become an internationally rec-ognized poet. In her twenty’s, she published poems and literary works that supported the Revolutionary War, includ-ing “To His Excellency George Washington” (1775), which was published in Thomas Paine’s Pennsylvania Magazine. Phillis Wheatley reminds us not to be defined or limited by our circumstances. We know that many of our graduates earn their degrees while balancing school, work and home life. These are delicate balances to negotiate and when we think of these balances, we should be inspired by the person for whom our new building is named. As you move on to the workforce or graduate study, we are confident that the mix of academic rigor and professional application you have received as a SCIS major have prepared you well. Remember that wherever life takes you, keep in touch with the faculty and your fellow classmates. Your class can tell many generations of SCIS graduates after you that your class was the first to know Wheatley the person and the center for learning.
Sincerely,Barbara Levine, Ph.D.Dean
Data from http://rmu.edu/supporting-rmu/annual-giving/GivingOptions
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Una Japundza, transformation award recipient
Una Japundza’s life took a big turn when she came to the Unit-ed States from Rovinj, Croatia for college, though she never ex-pected to change the school she would attend as much as it has changed her. She transferred in after her fresh-man year at the University of North Carolina at Asheville for volleyball. In addition to being a team member on the court, Japundza is the co-president of Carpe Mundum, an international student organization, and a tutor at the Center for Student Success. Japundza is graduating from RMU with a degree in business manage-ment and a certificate in nonprofit manage-ment.
Bio written by News Editor Leah Fleischel
Robert Rogers, keynote speaker
An influential leader in the business world, Rob-ert Rogers is the presi-dent of Development Di-mensions International (DDI), an international business that operates in 26 different coun-tries, as well as a trustee emeritus on RMU’s Board of Trustees. In his work at DDI for more than 30 years, Roger’s has worked with many of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies as well as federal and state organi-zations, including General Motors, Citigroup, the U.S. Air Force, Gillette and many more. Roger’s will share the knowledge he has gained over the years working at DDI with the under-graduates at commencement.
Bio written by News Editor Leah Fleischel
Kiersten Metzger, class of 2013 president
Kiersten Metzger, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is graduating from RMU with a degree in early childhood education. Along with being the class of 2013 president, Metzger is also the sec-retary for Kappa Delta Pi and a member of the class gift committee. While at RMU, she was a Colonial Ambassador and freshman mentor for three years. She has also received numer-ous awards that include Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities, Dean’s List, Dean Scholar and the Signature Leader-ship Award, which is given to 13 seniors. Re-flecting on her time at RMU, Metzger said her favorite memories were during her freshman year when students went to Rhode Island to root on the men’s basketball team and, more recently, when the men’s basketball team beat Kentucky in the National Invitational Tourna-ment in March.
Bio written by Staff Writer Mike Funyak
Class of 2013 Commencement Speakers
Designated Drivers Receive Free Pop and Appetizers at:
Designated Drivers Receive Free Pop at:
SALOON
WINGS, SUDS &
SPUDS
Rowing, curling facility planned to for RMU
Women’s hockey exceeds expectations, wins CHA championship
G-20 Summit to be held in Pittsburgh
Tuition tax axed
Defending their crown: Colonials use defense claim 2nd straight NEC Championship
Actuarial Science program receives CAE recognition
RMU raises funds for Haiti
RMU nursing students lend a hand in Nicaragua
Colonials capture NEC title and playoff berth with win over CCSU
Robert Morris goes Pre-Law
“Be the Change:” A costly new slogan
RMU’s growing pains: parts of campus limited as crews construct two new buildings
Think class at 8 a.m. is early? Try 7:45 a.m.
RMU’s summer facelift
RMU purchases Holiday Inn
2011 Homecoming weekend is largest in Robert Morris history
Wayne Center transformation brings SCIS under one roof
Meal plan balancing act
Men’s hockey raises money to “Krush Cancer”
Students feeling more at home at Yorktown HallMarch Madness? It might as well have been
Admission numbers headed down
RMU receives $10 million for business, nursing buildings
4 Years in ReviewSince the class of 2013 first arrived at RMU, new buildings have been built, programs and schools have greatly developed, championships have been won and a hotel has been made into a residence hall, just to name a few changes. While maintaing a small community feel, Robert Morris has evolved and transformed to offer students the full college experience. The headlines below highlight these changes throughout the last four years as they were reported by The Sentry.
APRIL 2013NEWS
COMMENCEMENT 2013 NEWS 11
By LEAH FLEISCHEL, NEWS EDITORand PAUL WINTRUBA, ASST. NEWS EDITOR
School of Business Student Organizations
Beta Gamma Sigma Joshua Blum — President
Accounting
Association of Future Accountants Lisa Gillenberger — President
Economics
Pre-Law Society Matthew Heiland—President
Phi Beta Lambda
Jessica R. Du�y—President
Finance
Finance Management Association (FMA) Lee Bochert—President
Hospitality & Tourism
Hospitality & Tourism Management Association (HATMA) Aikerim Tungyshbayeva—President
Club Managers, Association of America
Garrett E. Zimmer —President
Management
Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) Patrick Beam—President
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Carly Cancilla— President
Marketing American Marketing Association (AMA)
Nicole Novak—President
Alpha Mu Alpha
Sport Management
Sport Management Association (SMA) Daniel Bonaventura — President
SBUS CONGRATULATES OUR STUDENTS & THE CLASS of 2013 School of Business Student Organizations
Beta Gamma Sigma Joshua Blum — President
Accounting
Association of Future Accountants Lisa Gillenberger — President
Economics
Pre-Law Society Matthew Heiland—President
Phi Beta Lambda
Jessica R. Du�y—President
Finance
Finance Management Association (FMA) Lee Bochert—President
Hospitality & Tourism
Hospitality & Tourism Management Association (HATMA) Aikerim Tungyshbayeva—President
Club Managers, Association of America
Garrett E. Zimmer —President
Management
Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) Patrick Beam—President
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
Carly Cancilla— President
Marketing American Marketing Association (AMA)
Nicole Novak—President
Alpha Mu Alpha
Sport Management
Sport Management Association (SMA) Daniel Bonaventura — President
SBUS CONGRATULATES OUR STUDENTS & THE CLASS of 2013
Picking out a good outfit is like buying the right car. It can be the perfect color, have the most unique of details, but if it’s not built properly, it can have tragic effects.
Just as a NASCAR driver would not drive a Volk-swagen Beetle on the track, a job candidate would
[hopefully] not show up to an interview in paja-mas and a pizza-stained t-shirt. Shelley Matheys-Yugar, the Marketing and Fashion Coordinator at The Mall at Robinson, has been styling outfits long enough to know the mak-ings of a successful, appropriate-for-work outfit. “I’ve always believed that your clothing is a little dwelling that you are inhabiting for the day. So
with that in mind, it’s important to always feel like yourself. You wear your clothes; your clothes don’t wear you,” said Matheys-Yugar, “So even though you want to follow ‘wardrobe appropri-ate guidelines’ you never want to feel like you’re wearing someone else’s clothing.” Entering a job or internship interview prepared with knowledge of the company is simply, not enough. Wearing the right outfit will showcase those skills you worked hard to gain in the setting. “It’s very important to remember that everything is ‘not about you.’ Arriving professionally dressed says you care about the company, the employees and the interviewer. And that is someone that will be a benefit to the team,” said Matheys-Yugar. Whether or not, you, as the owner, checks un-der the hood before an interview or the first day at an office is up to you. On the following pages, RMU Sentry Media showcases six different looks from The Mall at Robinson to inspire the career-minded to Suit Up.
By LEAH MOOSELIFESTYLES EDITOR
Right -Vest: Express, The Mall at Robinson HTie: Express, The Mall at RobinsonShirt: Express, The Mall at RobinsonLeft -Skirt: Banana Republic, The Mall at RobinsonBlouse: Banana Republic, The Mall at RobinsonNecklace: Banana Republic, The Mall at RobinsonClutch: Aldo, The Mall at Robinson
Blazer: New York & Company, The Mall at RobinsonSweater: New York & Com-pany, The Mall at RobinsonPants: New York & Company, The Mall at RobinsonShoes: Aldo, The Mall at RobinsonCross bag: The Limited, The Mall at Robinson
ALL PHOTOS BY Paul Wintruba
Vest: Express, The Mall at Robinson Pants: Express, The Mall at RobinsonTie: Express, The Mall at RobinsonShirt: Express, The Mall at RobinsonShoes: Aldo, The Mall at Robinson
Above -Shirt: Banana Republic, The Mall at RobinsonTie: Banana Republic, The Mall at RobinsonJacket: Banana Republic, The Mall at Robinson Pants: Banana Republic, The Mall at Robinson
Skirt: The Limited, The Mall at RobinsonBlouse: The Limited, The Mall at RobinsonJacket: The Limited, The Mall at RobinsonNecklace: The Limited, The Mall at Robinson
Pants: Express, The Mall at RobinsonPeplum top: Express, The Mall at RobinsonGold bracelet: Express, The Mall at RobinsonShoes: Aldo, The Mall at Robinson
COMMENCEMENT 2013 SPORTS
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When it comes to finding internships, in many ways they can be just as important finding a job. Internships are like a trial run for careers and they allow you to, not only experience, but determine if this is something you are really passionate about doing. While the road to get-ting your dream job may be long and tedious, internships are a sure way to help land you your dream job. Similar to a FAQ section on a website, several experts have answered some common questions.
How do I know if I’m choosing the right internship?
The answer is more simplistic than people real-ize. “The most important thing is that students select the best internship for their major and focus on things that will build their skills and gain experience in the field they want to go into,” said Michele Edwards, Associate Profes-sor of Communications. Interning is your first step into starting your career and it is the only opportunity you will have to make mistakes without major consequences.
What if I don’t have enough experience?
With the school year coming to a close, many seniors are getting ready to finally graduate college, pursue their passions and enter the work force. While this is an exciting time for many 20-somethings, the transition can be a bit frightening. Here are some tips and tricks to ease the mind from Dr. Heather Pinson, Communications De-partment Head.
RMU Sentry Media: What are the im-portant skills people need to know when being interviewed by a potential employer?
Heather Pinson: First and foremost research the company. You have to know who they are and what position you are ap-plying for, because they will be asking you questions to see what your knowledge base of the company is and if you don’t have to answers you won’t get the job. Second have all of your materials ready to go. This means your resume, your portfo-lio; all of your online work have it present-able and ready to go. This allows you to ini-tiate and show them what you have done in the past and how it’s relevant to the posi-tion you are applying for.Third and for some the most important thing show up early and look extremely professional and confident. Confidence is key especially for woman and this means being assertive and clear, and trying to avoid talking about your emotions.
RSM: What are the extra things employers are looking for when you go to apply for a job?
HP: Employers are looking at things that you have done outside of school. This means any clubs, any organizations you were a part of, if you held an officer posi-tion in an organization, if you were in a sorority or fraternity, and especially what community service work you did that is huge. Employers want to know what you can do for the company, and what you can do for them.”
Interns R Us
Pittsburgh entertainment: Primed for the summer
The job huntBy ELIZABETH WITOWICHASST. LIFESTYLES EDITOR
By ELIZABETH WITOWICHASST. LIFESTYLES EDITOR
By RYAN BUNKERSTAFF WRITER
While it is important to focus on interning within your major, it is also okay to branch out a little bit and remember that any experience with interning could be useful to you in the fu-ture. According to Dr. Heather Pinson, “It’s not always going to be about that one really good job you had sometimes it’s about all of the little tiny jobs you took that you can piece together that can really show off your skills.” While it’s not ideal, even the most basic of jobs can pro-vide you with skills you just have to know how to market your experience.
What if I can’t find an internship right away?
You may find a job that isn’t in your major, but has skills that you think may benefit you later on in your career. Take your time- it isn’t the end of the world if you can’t find an internship right away. While the market is competitive, you don’t want to miss out on something good because you were impatient. Finally, it’s okay if you make a mistake you may not get everything perfectly right on the first try but at least you now know what not to do.
At last, summer is upon us. With the stress of a busy school year over, we are often times re-lieved when our calendars are freed up- leaving us room to do anything and everything that our little heart’s desire. However, with no set rou-tine, we are often times stricken with boredom as we sit around the house, staring off into the abyss. Fortunately though, Pittsburgh is alive and well with a plethora of events, concerts, and other various opportunities to occupy our time and replace boredom with excitement and en-joyment. From the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Power games, attending a Taylor Swift or One Direction concert, laughing it up to Daniel Tosh
or Tracy Morgan, or even catching a matinee at Benedum Theatre, entertainment is quite abundant and at times, overwhelming in Pitts-burgh. For those who enjoy a little retail therapy, a lei-surely walk around Southside Works is bound to inspire a new look for the upcoming semes-ter. When all else fails to curb the debilitating monotony of sitting around and staring into the abyss, a trip to Pittsburgh staple spots, like The Mattress Factory, Kennywood, the Pittsburgh Zoo, or even Station Square, is bound to create an atmosphere of happiness and pleasure. With so much to do, and so little time to do it in, what are we waiting for? When final exams are finally over and the summer celebration has begun, let’s make this summer an amazing one.
Fall and Winter Sports RecapMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Coming into the 2012 campaign, the Robert men’s Cross Country team was picked to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference preseason poll, but throughout the season, the runners garnered various results in the meets. At the Duquesne Duals, held at Schenley Park in Oak-land, freshman Ryan Brown made his presence known by placing 17th overall with a time of 28:12, and in the next meet, the Buffalo Stam-pede, the Colonials tallied 118 points. During the race, junior Mac Byrne-Houser had a time of 25:59.2, which gave him an 18th place finish out of 80 runners. In the team’s penultimate meet, the NEC Championships, the squad tied for 8th place. During the race, Richard Led-nak was the 32nd athlete to cross the finish line with a time of 26:41.75, and, three weeks later, the Colonials rounded out the season at the ECAC Championship meet. Among the top 90 finishers were Brown, Lednak, Nicolas Gentile, and Dorian Rumble. Because of the program’s commendable grade point average, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I All-Aca-demic honor was awarded to the entire team.
WOMAN’S CROSS COUNTRY Under the direction of 12th year coach Michael Smith, the RMU women’s cross country squad, who was slotted to finish sixth in the Northeast Conference, had a respectable season. In the first meet of the season, the Duquesne Duals at Schenley Park, Trisha Brandt finished 45th with a time of 21:39, while the Lady Colonials took home fourth place at the Buffalo Stam-pede with 106 points. Sophomore Marissa Polk finished the course in sixth place with a time of 18:08. At the NEC Championships, seventh place was achieved, while Lindsay Erath led the team, finishing 18th. The runners took home 25th place at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region-als held at Penn State, and in their final meet of the season, the 104th annual IC4A Champi-onships, Robert Morris placed tenth. The team concluded the season by earning the education-al accolade of NCAA Division I All-Academic.
FOOTBALL The 2012 campaign for the Robert Morris football program had its fair share of ups and down over the course of the 10-game regular season. Finishing with an overall record of 4-7, the Colonials showed a lack of consistency throughout the season but ended on a high note, winning three of their last five games to head into next fall with a ton of momentum. Se-nior quarterback Jeff Sinclair capped of his prestigious RMU career by throwing for 1710 yards and 15 touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Nolan Nearhoof put up monstrous numbers from the defensive-end position, finishing second on the team in tackles with 76 and recording 10.5 sacks. Nearhoof and Brad Banas were the only Colonials to be named a Capital One Academic All-American. The team will look to improve next season with the ad-dition of a strong 2013 recruiting class, including Penn-State transfer quarterback Paul Jones.
MEN’S GOLF The 2012-13 stretch for the Robert Morris men’s golf team has been both good and bad. The club has been paced by senior brothers Brock and Brandon Pompeani and freshman phenom Garret Browning. The team started their 2012 campaign by finishing 2nd in the Leo Keenan Invitational in early September, and they followed by taking a victory in the RMU Colonial Classic on October 8th. Other highlights include their third place finish at the LPGA International course in Daytona Beach, Florida, where they competed in the Lonnie Barton Invitational over spring break.
WOMEN’S GOLF The RMU women’s golf team, like their male counterparts, have also had an up and down season over the course of the 2012-13 campaign. Senior Jenna Rinker highlights the bunch after her first place finishes in the fall 2012 stretch at the RMU Colonial Classic and Youngstown State Invitational. The team finished 2nd in the Mount St. Mary’s Spring Invitational on April 15th.
FIELD HOCKEY Despite having a roster composed primarily of underclassmen, the Robert Morris University field hockey program started the 2012 season out strong, winning three of its first four. But the Colonials’ inexperience started to show midway throughout the year, after the club lost nine consecutive contests. Although the Colonials are graduating forward Eric Musson and goalie Paige Neat, the future looks bright for a team that is looking to improve upon a 5-13 record, including a 2-5 mark in conference play. Three players, who will add depth to the Colonials’ roster, have already signed letters of intent to play Division 1 field hockey at RMU.
PHOTO BY Bill Paterson
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WOMEN’S HOCKEY The Robert Morris women’s hockey team entered the season slotted second in the Col-lege Hockey America poll, and head coach Paul Colontino’s club did not disappoint. The team’s outlook was bright after coming away victori-ous in all four exhibition games. In a regular season of well-deserved wins and tight losses, the Lady Colonials had an overall record of 15-15-3 and a conference mark of 9-10-1.After a sweeping Lindenwood, which included triple overtime, RMU headed to Erie to face rival Mer-cyhurst. After a tense three periods of action, the Colonials fell 2-1. Throughout the season, accolades were no stranger to the team. Senior goaltender Kristen DiCiocco achieved the sta-tus of CHA Goaltender of the Week three times, CHA Goaltender of the Month, and became the winningest goalie in RMU women’s Hockey history. Sophomore Rebecca Vint earned CHA Player of the Week honors twice, back to back CHA Player of the Month, and was named All-CHA First Team. Additionally, senior Kelsey Thomas and junior assistant captain Thea Im-brogno were each named CHA Player of the Week and senior Delayne Brian was named CHA Goaltender of the Week, and senior as-sistant captain Cobina Delaney was a Hockey Humanitarian Award nominee. Senior assis-tant captain Jamie Joslin was took home All-CHA Second Team. To top everything off, the team received the CHA Sportsmanship Award.
Even before their season started, RMU’s volleyball team started things right. The Lady Colonials were slated to finish fourth in the league, according to the Northeast Conference preseason coaches’ poll. Led by third-year head coach Dale Starr, Robert Morris began conference play on a high note with a victory over Bryant. League play continued to be a strength for a program that ended the year with a 17-17 overall record. Throughout the season, the team participated in the Villanova Classic, the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational, the Maddie Bingaman Tournament in Baltimore, and the SFA Tournament in Nacodoches, Texas. The Colonials’ season ended in the semifinals of the NEC tournament after they fell to Central Connecticut State. Lindsey Monger, who was named to the All-NEC First Team, and sophomore Becky Jay, who was honored with four NEC Defensive Player of the Week accolades, led the squad to a 13-3 mark in NEC play. Graduating seniors include Monger, Andrea Catucci, Amanda Craig, and Una Japundza.
MEN’S SOCCER When Toba Bolaji, Sam Colosimo, Niko Co-rado, Michael Jones, Kyle Macaulay, Dominic Mascia, Max Shinsky, Derek Stein, and Vince Dell’Omo, the seniors on the RMU men’s soccer team, began their respective careers with the program in 2008, the club was in a rebuilding stage, having won only three games the previ-ous season. Despite the fact that the Colonials had hoped to put together a winning season
VOLLEYBALL
In 2012, the Robert Morris women’s soccer team had hoped to build upon the record-setting season that the club experienced the year before, but the Lady Colonials were unable to capitalize on that success and as a result, finished with a 2-16-2 record. Forwards Ayana Davis and Lauren Thomas, who both capitalized on an extra year of NCAA eligibility, brought experience to a roster
MEN’S HOCKEY The NCAA men’s hockey team had a record setting season that included a new record for program wins in a season and victories by a senior class. One of the most significant wins of the season came on Dec. 29 against Miami (OH), to win the inaugural Three Rivers Classic. Led by senior goaltender, Eric Levine, the team beat the Red Hawks 1-0 one day after beating Penn State 6-0. The team was projected to finish eighth in the preseason Atlantic Hockey Association polls, but finished fifth after a loss to UConn in the second round of the playoffs, and they also finished just one vote shy of making it to the NCAA Tournament. The Colonials will return 21 players next season, including leading goal scorer Cody Wydo.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
PHOTO BY Matt Polaski
PHOTO BY Bill Paterson PHOTO BY Paul Wintruba
that featured 14 underclassmen. Davis is ranked in the program’s record book for goals, points, shots attempted, and minutes played. Senior backup goalie Heather Schultz also ended her career by picking up her first career victory in the last game of the season against Wagner.
in 2012, RMU struggled for most of the year, which in turn, landed them a 5-12-2 record. One of the team’s bright spots however was senior goalkeeper Toba Bolaji, who concluded his col-legiate career ranking first in program history in goals against average, and shutouts, with 17.PHOTO BY Kyle Gorcey
WOMEN’S ROWING The Robert Morris rowing program started the spring 2013 season off strong, taking home first place honors at the Franklin and Marshall Invitational for the Varsity 8, Second Varsity 8, and Varsity 4 teams. The Novice 4 also finished in first place, 52 seconds ahead of their opponents. In the two-day Sacred Heart Invitational, RMU also brought home high honors. The Colonials raced two Varsity 8 boats, which came in second and third, and on the second day, the two teams placed second and third respectively. The rowing roster is 35-girls strong, featuring 16 freshmen and four seniors: Mackenzie Chambers, Caitlin Mullin, Jamie Witsch, and Ashley Wright.
MEN’S TENNIS Despite the fact that the Robert Morris University men’s tennis team had several close matches, the team finished with a disappointing 4-15 record, including a 2-1 mark in Northeast Conference play. The men were led in singles play by senior Andre Coiro, who had nine victories, junior, Angus Thomson, who netted eight, and senior Tarun Kishan, who amassed six wins over the course of the season. In doubles play, the Kishan/Thomson duo led the team with seven victories together, and Jose Limon, the final senior on the roster, also had seven doubles victories, with multiple partners.
WOMEN’S TENNIS Throughout the 2012-13 season, the RMU women’s tennis team struggled, and in turn, ended the year with a 4-18 record. The Lady Colonials faltered overall, and held a 1-2 record in the Northeast Conference, which included a dismal 3-6 mark at the North Athletic Complex. Senior Isabella Novella blazed the way for RMU in singles competition, finishing the campaign with an 8-7 record. She also competed in doubles play with an 8-5 record. In addition to the San-to Andre, Brazil native, there were three more seniors who took the court for the Colonials this season, including fellow Brazilian, Saman-tha Alves, Clarissa Chen, and Tiffany Meinert.
PHOTO BY Paul Wintruba
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MEN’S BASKETBALL Since 2010, the Robert Morris men’s basketball team has struggled to capture the Northeast Confer-ence Tournament title, falling to Long Island in the 2011 and 2012 championship games and Mount St. Mary’s in the semi-finals of this year’s tournament. Despite not qualifying for the NCAA’s March Mad-ness Tournament, the Colonials, who won the NEC’s regular season, did accept a bid to the National Invi-tation Tournament, which enabled them to host the Kentucky Wildcats, the winningest program in the history of college basketball. Despite the fact that the squad knocked off UK in front of a sold-out Charles L. Sewall Center, RMU was unable to do the same in the following round at Providence, and as a result, finished the campaign with a 24-11 record. Despite losing Velton Jones, Russell Johnson, Treadwell Lewis, and Shane Sweigart to graduation, three recruits have already committed to the Colonials.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The RMU women’s basketball team faced a lot of adversity during the 2012-13 season. Ridden with season-ending injuries to starting guards Jasmine Tate and Lou Mataly, the team had to face a variety of struggles, including having only eight healthy players available on a nightly basis. They finished with an overall record of 7-20, but ended the season on a high note, with several players receiving conference recognition. Artemis Spanou ended the season as NEC player of the year after she averaged 19 points and 15 rebounds a night while Ashley Ravelli and Lou Mataly earned Northeast Conference All-rookie first team honors, and Ravelli was named conference rookie of the year. The future is indeed bright for the Lady Colonials as they look to rebound with a solid 2013-14 campaign under head coach Sal Buscaglia.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE The women’s lacrosse team ended their 2013 season with an even 8-8 record. Led by Brittany Byerly, the team outscored their opponents 188-169 through their first 15 games, while in net, Kaitlin Pence made all but one start for the Colonials. The women’s lacrosse team is slated to return all but two play-ers. Leaving the Colonials after this season will be seniors Tara Southworth, and Angelina Gasparo.
MEN’S LACROSSE Heading into their last game of the season on April 27, the men’s lacrosse team was 6-6. Led on offense by senior attack Jake Hayes, the Co-lonials have outscored their opponents 146-128 through 12 games. Going into the last regular season game of the season, Hayes has been able to extend his own school scoring record to 19 games, and his career point streak was at 27 games. Just two points behind Hayes is fresh-man, Tyler Rankel. Through 12 games, Ran-kel has scored 21 goals and tallied 11 assists.
PHOTO BY Paul Windtruba
The three seniors on the Robert Morris softball team, Jessica Tanigawa, Maritza Jimenez, and Britta Grafton, shared their experience with the underclassmen during the 2013 season, which will inevitably benefit the program in the long-run. Jaci Timko, a former RMU outfielder, re-turned to the squad as an assistant coach in order to advise five first year players. All this add-ed experience enabled the club to sweep rival Pitt and carry an eight game winning streak into April. In addition, sophomores Nicole Sleith and Tess Apke are having phenomenal campaigns in 2013. Sleith, a pitcher, has earned four weekly honors and tossed a no-hitter against Mount Saint Mary’s, while Apke smashed five homeruns and drove 19 runs in through the first 37 games.
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Members of the RMU men’s track and field team ran right into the program record books this season. Seniors Steve Mitchell, Brendan Morales, Collin Ray, Robert Saltsgiver, Charles Thurner-Diaz, Tyler Morton, and Lance Wash-ington led the way for a squad that shattered three records this year. Junior Nick Gentile broke the 800-meter run record with a time of 1:52.98, and the relay team consisting of Gen-tile, Freddie Thompson, Sachin Natarajan, and Dorian Rumble also broke a school record in the 4-800 meter relay with a time of 7:43.70. In addition, Collin Ray broke the school record for shot put distance after throwing a distance of 16.70 meters, while Mitchell earned the team’s first weekly honor of the 2012-13 season when he was named athlete of the week for a stellar performance at the Penn State Relays.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
The Robert Morris women’s track and field team concluded another honorable season in 2013 that included a few record breaking per-formances. The squad, which is under the di-rection of head coach Michael Smith, was led by a strong senior class that included distance runners Kristie Domis and Maegan Lewis, jumpers Justene Delman and Sarah Lueck, thrower Megan Green, and pole vaulter Casey Folga. Sophomore Marissa Polk broke the school record for the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:38.02 and the relay team of Brittany Shay, Polk, Alexis Ebersole, and Lindsay Erath broke the school record in the 4x800-meter re-lay with a time of 9:31.55. In addition, Bethany Ledford tied a school record in pole vaulting with a height of 3.55 meters which was set ear-lier in the season by Olivia Loy, a freshman.
SOFTBALL
PHOTO BY Paul Windtruba
PHOTO BY Paul Wintruba
PHOTO BY Amy Shubilla
PHOTO BY Paul Windtruba
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Top Ten RMU Athletic Moments (2012 - 2013)By NICK BUZZELLI, BROOKE SMITH, CHRIS MUELLER
1. Men’s basketball tops Kentucky in first round of NITIn a game that should have never taken place at the friendly confines of the Charles L. Sewall Center, the Robert Morris men’s basketball team upset Kentucky, the defending national champions, 59-57, on March 19 in the opening round of the National Invitational Tournament.
2. Men’s hockey captures inaugural Three Rivers Classic titleAfter defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions 6-0 on December 28, the RMU NCAA men’s hockey team defeated the Miami (OH) Red Hawks 1-0. Scoring the game winner was freshman Brandon Denham, while senior goaltender Eric Levine made 99 saves en route to the Colonials victory in the first ever Three Rivers Classic.
3. Men’s hockey team raises $14,402 for cancer researchThis past “Movember,” the Robert Morris University men’s hockey and lacrosse teams joined together to raise money for men’s cancer research on Movember.com. Together, they were able to raise over $14,000.
4. Football team wraps up homecoming weekend with last winThe Robert Morris University football team capped off homecoming weekend with a victory over Lafayette on September 29 courtesy of a game winning field-goal by Greg Langer as time expired.
5. Sleith hurls no-hitter against Mount St. Mary’sIn only her second season with the RMU softball program, sophomore pitcher Nicole Sleith has already established herself as the Colonials’ preeminent ace on the mound. Sleith earned her first career solo no hitter by blanking the Mountaineers on March 29 and was one walk shy of a perfect game.
6. DiCiocco sets new women’s hockey program wins recordSenior goaltender Kristen DiCiocco broke the all-time team wins record with her 32nd career victory on February 23 against Penn State. That record was previously set by 2010 Olympic silver medalist, Brianne McLaughlin.
7. Bolaji sets men’s soccer record with 17 shutouts Robert Morris men’s soccer goaltender Toba Bolaji had a year for the ages after he recorded a program record 17 shutouts, in the last game of the season.
8. Nearhoof garners Academic All-American honors Senior defensive end Nolan Nearhoof ended his RMU career on a high note by being named a Capital One Academic All-America after he recorded 57 tackles and 10.5 sacks on the season while maintaining a 3.74 GPA.
10. Men’s basketball captures NEC regular season crownAfter falling to Bryant by seven points at home on January 3, the Robert Morris basketball program focused its efforts toward knocking off the Bulldogs the second time around. As a result, RMU left Smithfield, Rhode Island on February 28 with not only a 77-75 victory, but the Northeast Conference’s regular season title as well.
9. Spanou awarded NEC player of the year awardArtemis Spanou was awarded the Northeast Conference player of the year award after she put up monster numbers during the course of the 2012-13 season, averaging 19 points and 15 rebounds a game while setting the RMU record for consecutive double-doubles.
PHOTO BY Paul Wintruba
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