Staying Local For College

Hello readers! Are you enjoying the Christmas season- there's been some snow falling here in Erie, so we are all prepared for a white Christmas with our winter wonderland!


As you know, I am from Erie and decided to stay here for college...while there were many factors in this decision, my family played a huge part in deciding to go to Mercyhurst. When I was making my decision, it was down to Mercyhurst and a school of the same size and nature in Cleveland but knowing that living in Erie would allow me to be near my family was a definite plus! I am happy that I have them so close because we often have family activities and functions and since I am so close, I am able to easily go home and see everyone whenever I want to or whenever something is going on!

Grandma's cake!

Today my entire family celebrated my great-grandma's 96th birthday!! I know, you're thinking wow, Lindsay has some good family genes- haha you're right! Other than some memory issues, she is in great condition and we are so happy to have her with us!

My family with great-grandma1

It was so much fun to have the family together and of course a wonderful event to celebrate! Although she jokingly told everyone that she is now 39 years old, 96 years old is quite remarkable!






While I am getting a different type of experience than others who have moved away from home for school, I am truly thankful that I made the decision to stay close to home. In evaluating what my priorities were, family was at the top of my list, thus making Mercyhurst so suitable. It is a great school, I am getting a top-notch education but I can also easily run home for a home-cooked meal, I can see my family at a moment's notice and I never have to miss out on special events- let's be honest, it's not every day that you get to attend a 96th birthday party! To those who are toying between a school close to home or one that is far away...carefully consider things that you could be missing out!

Four generations! My great-grandma, my papa, my mom and aunt and the cousins!

"Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts."

Faculty Led Study Abroad Experience Opportunities- London and Paris!

Airplanes, suitcases, metro stations, fish and chips, the London Eye, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, baguettes, crepes...how's that sound for a Thanksgiving break! Somewhat unfortunately, I did not get a proper Thanksgiving break this year because I was traveling the entire break on a study abroad trip through Mercyhurst College.

Mercyhurst offers several different options for study abroad programs, a popular one being an entire 10-week term in Ireland...for those who do not want to be away for that long of a time, a shorter study abroad trip is available. All throughout fall term, I and a class of 29 students studied a history course on monarchs of England and France. During class we also prepared for the trip and learned about things that we would be seeing. At the end of the class, on the last day of finals, our group set out for London followed by Paris, then back to school in time for winter term to begin!

For more information on study abroad options here at Mercyhurst, check out the site!

Take a look at some of my favorite pictures, favorite moments from the trip!

Outside of Warde Hall, boarding the bus to head too Pittsburgh where we caught a plane to Atlanta and then to London!




We definitely saw a lot of William and Kate images- even in the Museum of London!




To the left is my first meal on the trip- the entire group ate together quite a few times, this was chicken and mushroom pie with mashed potatoes! A lot of the other students ate fish and chips that night, a very British dinner!




Speaking of food- our first breakfast was quite interesting! We walked into the room and we were quickly asked if we wanted a full English breakfast! Not knowing what it was or if there were any other options, we said ok! It turned out to be baked beans (we thought that was kind of weird!), a poached egg, ham and toast. Here I am with my coffee- not a typical coffee drinker but with our early mornings I learned to enjoy it!

Here I am outside of Windsor Castle- no pictures were allowed to be taken inside but I can assure you that the sites were absolutely beautiful and truly fit for royalty! It had my roommates and I thinking that we wouldn't mind it all that much if we were princesses ;)

As group, we ate at the Hard Rock London- it was actually the original Hard Rock Cafe!




On the last night, we all got to choose a Broadway show to see! Sarah and I saw Mamma Mia- it was fantastic and a great way to end our time in London!



Next stop: Paris! I was so so so excited to go to Paris because I took French in high school for four years and I was able to speak and read the language while we were there which was very cool!

If I had to describe the food in Paris I don't even know where to begin! I was absolutely in love with everything in Paris but the food was so wonderful! There was a small patisserie right by our hotel which we went to quite a bit!



Off to the right is a picture of me in front of one of my absolute favorite locations in Paris! Notre Dame was actually the very first place that our group went when we got to the city. Notre Dame was absolutely beautiful, we got to climb to the top to see the bell and the gargoyles which was so neat! Also, we went back to the area several times for lunch, shopping and to check out the Christmas tree!

To the left is tiny tiny me next to the Eiffel Tower! It was another one of my favorites especially at night time! We took a night time boat cruise on the river to the north of the tower and the tower was completely lit up and each hour would sparkle! It was quite surreal to be there, it's the kind of thing that you only see in pictures!


To the right is Liz and I in front of the Louvre. I can't even begin to explain how big it was there! It was towards the end of the trip and we were exhausted but it was definitely worth seeing, along with all of the other museums we saw! The Louvre and Versailles were my two favorite museums out of the dozen that we had a chance to visit!


Now that the trip is over and we are back in Erie it's been rough getting back on to schedule. I am feeling very behind because I would typically catch up on things for clubs over the break but I obviously didn't get that chance! I am a bit tired but doing well adjusting into my new classes! I can't wait until the weekend so I can get some sleep!
Stay tuned for some news on classes for winter term!

"You are younger today than you ever will be again. Make use of it."
Anonymous

Thanksgiving in the Egan Hall Cafeteria

This past week my friends and classmates and I celebrated Thanksgiving in the Egan Hall Cafeteria! This was actually a big deal for some of us because I will be taking a study abroad trip with my history class and four professors and we won't be in the United States for Thanksgiving :(

Here's a super super quick run down of how this study abroad program works:
You take a class during fall, winter or spring term (mine was a European history class) and at the end of the term, the class and teacher take a trip over the break following final exams! My class leaves on Wednesday November 16 and comes home Sunday November 27. We will be traveling to London for the first half of the trip, followed by Paris!! I CANNOT WAIT - I'm super excited and overwhelmed but it will be loads of fun!

Turkey carving in the Egan Cafeteria

So...back to Thanksgiving! Since we'll be missing Thanksgiving and the Parisians don't celebrate Turkey Day, our history class went to the cafeteria, run by Parkhurst Dining. They truly put out ALL the Thanksgiving trimmings!

The main line had literally every Thanksgiving food you could imagine: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, ham, broccoli and cauliflower bake, corn, beans, rolls, etc.

Cheese line at the Egan Cafeteria

Along with the main line there was a cheese and bread line as well as desserts with anything you can think of that can be made out of pumpkin! Since I'll be gone for Thanksgiving, it was so so so nice to have such an awesome meal which felt just like Thanksgiving at home. It's also really nice for those who may not celebrate Thanksgiving or who may be too far away from home to go home over break!

Friends enjoying dinner in the Egan Cafeteria

I believe I've said this before but I'll say it again, it is definitely hard being away from home and not having my mom's cooking (especially because I grew up with my mom cooking dinner every night!). BUT I can always find something to eat in the Egan Hall Cafeteria and the Laker Inn, our two dining locations on campus!



Liz, Sarah and I enjoying dinner!



This will be my last post before we leave for the trip...I am hoping to have some kind of internet access so that I can post pictures periodically while I'm away. Until next time, take advantage of the opportunities ahead of you. NEVER again will I be able to go to Europe with my friends for such a cheap price. These are the moments that I will look back on and Mercyhurst memories that I will cherish forever!

Enjoy your holiday!!

"Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two"
Billy Joel,Vienna

Communication Successes!

Applause was given to my fellow researchers and I this week on the Mercyhurst website!
Our research that we have been conducting on Muslims in the American media received yet another award at a conference in Buffalo!

The excerpt from the website is:
"Dr. Anne Zaphiris, associate professor of communication, and Alicia Cagle, a junior communication major, attended University at Buffalo’s Second Annual Promise in Communication Research Symposium on Oct. 14. Alicia presented “Content Analysis of the Portrayal of Muslims in American Media,” co-written with undergraduate students Lindsay Cox and Kelly Luoma. The paper was selected as a Top-5 manuscript and student authors received a $250 cash prize. An earlier version of their work is published in Human Communication, an online journal of the Pacific Asian Communication Association that features experimental, theoretical and speculative articles in the artistic, humanistic and scientific areas of communication."

Check out other applauses on the Mercyhurst College website here!

Ambassador Club- Making the Cut

Greetings readers-
As you know, I am heavily involved in the Mercyhurst College Ambassador Club, currently holding the office of President. Each year we accept a new group of Ambassadors into the club but we are only able to select the best of the best!

The process is conducted by the club's advisor, our three officers, two pledge committee chairs and the entire Admissions department. In the early fall we hold information sessions and allow anyone interested in joining to come hear about the "pledge process." Anyone who wants to pledge to become an Ambassador then must attend a weekly pledge class. Each week during the fall term they learn then entire history of Mercyhurst College. Speakers such as Dr. Gamble (President of Mercyhurst College), Chris Coons (Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management), Travis Lindahl (Director of Mercyhust North East Admissions), Sr. Lisa Mary (Vice President of Mission Integration), and Earleen Galser (Reference Librarian/College Archivist of the Hammermill Library) all come to teach bits and pieces of the history of Mercyhurst.

Ambassador Pledges doing the "YMCA"

Although it may seem like the pledges have to go through a lot, we try to lighten things up as much as possible! Off to the left you can see them all doing the "YMCA" one class before things got started!

We also had a Halloween party for them! They were able to get to know some of the current Ambassadors and we were able to see them acting more like their normal selves!

Ambassador Pledges in Halloween Costumes!

After going to all of the classes, the pledges meet with their mentors (current Ambassador Club members) who helped them study for the big exam. Our final class session was a review night- I actually nearly ruined the test...Liz, my roommate was reviewing with them and she had the exam on the computer screen but the projector was turned off so that the class couldn't see it. I was goofing around and ended up pressing the button to turn on the projector, thus showing the entire group of students the exam, very large and on the projector!! Luckily we immediately turned off the screen so I don't think they saw too much of it!!

After they took the exam we graded the exam and conducted the decision process. It is extremely hard to make the cuts because hurting people's feelings is never easy. The best thing that we like to tell people is that if they don't get in this year, they can try again next year! My roommate Alexa did not get accepted our freshman year but tried again and made it in to the Ambassador Club our sophomore year and it currently one of our strongest Ambassadors!

Meet the Ambassador Club!

To learn more about the Ambassador Club, check out the Ambassador Club on the Mercyhurst website. 
Do you look good in green- don't hesitate to join the pledge process- we definitely make it a lot of fun!


"Carpe diem. Seize the day...Make your lives extraordinary"
-Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society

Picture of the Week- Snacks for the College Student

Snacks that I enjoy throughout the school year!

While the cafeteria is awesome because I really do NOT know how to cook- I always get hungry and need to grab some random snacks. After a shopping trip at the grocery store, this picture shows some of my favorites! Please notice the quickness, deliciousness and microwaveable-ness of my choices! Even though I am a senior and have had a full kitchen in my apartment or townhouse since sophomore year, it totally doesn't mean that I have grown up in my snack choices :)

A Very Haunted 'Hurst

Perhaps you've heard- Mercyhurst College is in fact HAUNTED!- Cue the eerie music, cobwebs and a witch flying past the moon. Without spooking you out too too much, a lot of spooky things happen here! As an all girls school in 1926 as well as a convent, Old Main and Egan Hall are two of the most haunted buildings that we have!


Original campus buildings- perhaps this is when all of the haunting began!

 This week was perfect in reminding me how much fun and how spooky it can get sometimes here at Mercyhurst. This week, the Mercyhurst facebook page released a series of ghost stories called "Haunts from the Hill." A few of us were video taped with creepy lighting to tell some of the most popular haunted tales of Mercyhurst!

Check out my video that tells the story of a fire in Egan Hall that killed and badly burned some of the residents... their spirits are said to still haunt the building!

What's super scary about this tale is that up until 2009, Egan Hall was used as a freshman girls' residence hall and I actually lived there- today it's known as one of the most haunted buildings at Mercyhurst! Luckily, when I lived there I never experienced any supernatural activity but I must admit that I would often look behind me and feel a little spooked here and there!



This past Saturday was one of the Student Activities Council's most popular events- "Haunted 'Hurst" which allows our students to take a haunted ghost tour of all the haunted buildings on campus. "Ghosts" pop out and scare you, characters seem 100% real- this is not your average haunted house people- this stuff is real! The tour guides stop at important locations and tell spooky tales of ghost spotting!

Halloween social!

Also this week- two of my clubs had Halloween parties! The Student Alumni Association held an event- we had pizza, blood to drink (aka fruit punch hehe), candy, mummy wrapping games, pass the pumpkin and haunted music! The Ambassador Club held a Halloween party in the Student Union for the pledges who are working to be admitted into the club. This was a great chance to get to know a lot of the students and to see if they are good in fun social settings. We had prizes for the best costume, bobbing for apples and even a young man dressed as a woman!!

If you haven't already- sit back, grab some hot apple cider, pop in your favorite Halloween movie (Hocus Pocus of course) and enjoy the spookiness of this time of year. BUT if you're interested in a real haunted experience, check out our very own haunted campus-it won't disappoint!


"If you don't believe- you better get superstitious!"
-Hocus Pocus

Taking the Next Step- Applying to Graduate School

I have nearly come to the end of the road in my time here at Mercyhurst. Actually- I'm just kidding!

I am currently in the process of applying to grad school, my number one choice being a master's in Organizational Leadership right here at Mercyhurst! So just when you thought I was leaving Mercyhurst- think again! A bit of background on what this program actually is, as described on the Mercyhurst website , it "prepares students to manage this new paradigm better than most MBA programs because of the nature of the courses offered. OL prepares leaders with skills in critical thinking, communication and people management -- skills that can be applied as the workplace evolves."



As I begin the grad school application process, I am working on asking professors to provide recommendations for me as they hopefully tell how wonderful and smart I am! I have also registered for the GRE which is a necessary exam to be admitted into the program. I will be taking it over Christmas break, it'll be here before I know it! I am also applying for a graduate assistantship- if chosen by a department, this will allow me to receive either a 50 percent or 100 percent tuition waiver in addition to an annual stipend!

The best thing about the entire application process is that Mercyhurst has rolling admissions, there is not a true deadline (this works for undergrads too) that everything must be in by! I am able to apply online through the Mercyhurst site.

This process is a bit stressful but I am fortunate to be working with the staff members who are very helpful and accessible!

Senior Gift Update and Fall Break- Time to Relax a Bit!

This past Tuesday the Senior Class Gift Committee presented proposals to Dr. Gamble, the President of Mercyhurst, Dr. Livingston, Vice President for Advancement, Jeanette Britt, Associate Vice President for Advancement, Dr. Tobin, the Vice President for Student Life and Ryan Palm and Liz Tobin, Director and Assistant Director of Alumni Relations (they're our advisers for the committee too).
It was extremely nerve-racking because there were A LOT of really important people in the room- talk about pressure!

Three different groups, all members from the Senior Class Gift Committee planned and worked on presentations of gift ideas to propose to the group of administrators. My group presented a proposal on a game room and lounge area that would (if chosen) be a collaboration with Mercyhurst Student Government, thus allowing their money plus our money to create the ultimate game room for the students of Mercyhurst!

After we presented, the group of administrators asked each group a few questions and then us students were sent away as the determined the winning gift. Just yesterday we received notice that...the game room was chosen!!! I was so so so excited simply because they agreed with us that there is a desperate need for an area like a game room on our campus!

Now, we will work very closely with MSG to come up with a game room and lounge area plan. This will be very exciting and I look forward to collaborating with another group in our efforts. More to come as this exciting addition pans out and becomes a reality! As I previously mentioned in another post, the "motto" of the Senior Class Gift Committee is "Living the Dream," based off of a speaker who came to Mercyhurst back during our freshman year in 2008. We chose this motto because we wish to provide Mercyhurst with a gift that will enhance the lives of students and allow them to "live the dream" just like we did!


This weekend is our fall break! I am at home now and I slept in until noon! That was a little outrageous, I know, but I wasn't feeling well, I think I got a little run down after the busy week I had! Now it's time to relax and hang out with my family. Speaking of- my grandma, aunt and cousin just arrived with lunch!

Until next time- don't stop living your dream!

A Daydream Believer and a Homecoming Queen!

This past weekend was a really fun one- our annual Homecoming and Parent's Weekend! So many exciting events took place, it was jam-packed and I barely got any sleep!

Friday started out with my family's fourth time playing Family Bingo. The Student Activities Council puts on this event each year and my parents love it! There were awesome prizes up for grabs like a Flipcam, gift cards and movies but we were unlucky! However, we did have a lot of fun, it's always great to have my family on campus and mix together my real family and my school family!

Saturday's events began with the 5K Race that the Student Alumni Association has been planning for months! The weather on Saturday was absolutely awful but we still had 30 runners participate which was a huge success since this was our first year doing this event! We began the race in the heart of campus in Garvey Park. The runners lined up and on ready, set, go, the bell in the center of our campus was rung by one of our club members!

Then, the runners were off, headed on a tough course wrapping around campus and then on some surrounding streets. One of our professors, Dr. Von Thaden won the race! We concluded the event with a small awards ceremony highlighting a few people which included top Mercyhurst student and top Mercyhurst alumnus!

Saturday's events grew more and more exciting as the football game arrived! Earlier this month I was nominated for Homecoming Queen and placed onto the ballot. I then was notified that I had received enough votes to be one of the four girls on the Homecoming court! I was very excited for this! Before the football game, two of my roommates and I were invited to the alumni tailgating event because we are members of the Student Alumni Association. It was a lot of fun to see so much Mercyhurst spirit in one place! All of the alumni were really happy to be back on campus and seeing old friends again (it kind of hits home that that's going to be me next year!). After the tailgating, I ran home to put on my dress and made my way over to the tailgating tent held especially for the homecoming court.

At halftime, the entire court walked to the center of the field and they announced our names, majors, hometowns and future plans as we walked across the field. We each had with us a white box and in the box was a balloon.

Once we were at our places on the field, the announcer instructed us to open our boxes. The winning court members had a white balloon distinguished from the other people's green balloons. When I opened my box, I was VERY surprised and excited to see my white balloon! I was then crowned by 2011's queen, Amber and this year's king was crowned by last year's king, Dave.

Shane McCabe was the crowned king which was really exciting for the two of us because we have been friends since the very first day of freshman year! We were both very honored to have been given this title!
Check out the Merciad our school newspaper to read all about it!

All in all, this past weekend was SO much fun! It's really hard to believe that next year, I will be the "old queen" who comes back to crown the new one and I will be coming back to Mercyhurst as an alumnus and taking part in alumni activities!

As I quoted in this week's issues of the Merciad, "it's moments like this that I will always remember and hold as special Mercyhurst memories."





I will leave you with a lovely message from a fortune cookie:
"Whatever you want to do, do it- there are only so many tomorrows"

Senior Class Gift Committee

Each year the senior class of Mercyhurst fund raises money to give a gift to the school- typically it is something that the seniors believe current and future Lakers could truly benefit from. This year, I was asked to be the chair of this committee and we are already working very hard to come up with awesome gift proposals.
Currently, a survey is being sent to all senior students, the survey will allow them to vote from several ideas that our committee has come up with as well as offer up ideas of their own. Last year's class raised over $15,000 and I would LOVE to be able to do that same, if not better (sorry class of 2011 hehe). Our committee has chosen to take on the motto of "Living the Dream" which is based off of a presentation we saw during our welcome week our freshman year.

Some ideas that the committee currently has for gifts is: an outdoor fire pit, a campus game room and an outdoor patio. Our committee came up with ideas and next week we will tally up the survey results to come up with the top three options chosen by our classmates.
Once the top three options are chosen, our committee members will present gift proposals to our president, Dr. Gamble and our vice president for advancement, Dr. Livingston.
We will also be planning fundraisers so that our classmates have opportunities to make a gift towards the fund. Check out our group on Facebook called: Mercyhurst College Senior Class Gift 2012 to see what we're up to!

Coming up this weekend: HOMECOMING HOORAY! Be on the lookout for lots of pictures!
Until next time- Go Lakers, Beat Gannon!

Ye Old Picture of the Week

Last weekend, my hisory class took a field trip to the Pittsburgh Renaissance Fair! My class which is a Mercyhurst "Faculty Led Study Abroad" class, will be traveling to France and London at the end of the term. Mercyhurst offers several different levels of study abroad opportunities, some for the entire year, some for a term and some mini ones like the one I'm going on which is for 10 days. Check out the LINK to read more about study abroad opportunities that you can take part in!!
My class is a lot of fun and we are truly getting a hands-on experience which is something that Mercyhurst is dedicated to. One can learn a great deal from text books and lectures but hte hands-on experiences that Mercyhurst offers students from all grade levels is something you won't learn from a textbook!

Experiential Learning Fair- Time to Get Involved & Fall Ball!

Greetings dedicated readers! A lot went on this past week, it was very busy, but as you know- that's how I like it to be!

Aside from classes, this week was really exciting for the younger students because it was the Experiential Learning Fair! This is a HUGE  campus event where every single campus club (over 85 organizations) are on display both inside and even outside of the student union. At the fair, students, especially freshmen who aren't involved in anything yet, get to walk around and visit the tables, talk to current club members and sign up to join and an all clubs they would like to!

When I was a freshman, this fair was really important for me. Funny enough, I went to the fair because I wanted to sign up for a club that I had in mind, when I saw the table for it, there was a long line so I decided to go back later. I turned around, and right in front of me was the table for the Ambassador Club and a student asked me if I wanted information, and well- it pretty much all took off from there!

He I am at the SAA table!

For more pictures from the Experiential Learning Fair, check out the Mercyhurst Facebook Page!



Once the weekend got here, it was time for more fun! Our Student Activities Council plans an annual Fall Ball and my roommates and friends all went to it! The ball was in Garvey Park, right in the center of campus, under a tent- it was perfect weather for it too! Check out the SAC facebook page (link above), "like" it and you will get a chance to see all of the events that they plan throughout the school year- it's always a fun time!




Mike and I!







Roomates!



The guys!



The girls!



Mercyhurst in the Top 50!

Check it out- Mercyhurst has been ranked in the top 50 by U.S. News and World Report!
Top 50, yes, but number one in our hearts!

Read all about it!

The Beginning of My Final Year

As sad as it is, my SENIOR year at Mercyhurst is finally here and on its way. Honestly, this is a very emotional time because everything that is happening is considered my "last."
My roommates and I have developed a motto for our senior year- "Whatever you want to do, do it, there are only so many tomorrows" as we go along through this school year, we will take advantage of the many wonderful opportunities that arise because our time together is almost through.
Looking back at my freshman year, senior year seemed so far away, I couldn't truly picture myself as a senior, at age 21 back when I was just 18 years old. Now that it is here, I want to make every moment last and make lots of fun memories to share for years to come.
If I can give any advice to students - TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES- my roommates and friends are perhaps annoyed at me, but a picture is a the best way to remember the fun and good times that were had.

My roommates and I in a first day of school pyramid!

So far, the school year has been really good for me, I really enjoy my classes thus far! A little run down is as follows:
Business Policy and Strategy taught by Dr. Daryl Georger is my senior year class that encompasses mostly everything learned throughout my time in the Walker School of Business. As a Business Management major, I am grouped with students from other concentrations such as Accounting, Finance and Marketing to complete a strategic plan for an actual company while utilizing knowledge from other Business courses we have taken.
Global Communication taught by Dr. Anne Zaphiris will be an extension of a course that I took last year titled Communication Theory and Research in which my group and I conducted how Muslims are framed in American media. Our research paper was accepted to conferences in Washington D.C. in which we placed in the top four and Buffalo NY in which we placed in the top five. In this class, my group will extend our research to international sources to discover how Muslims are portrayed in both national and international media.
European History taught by Dr. Randall Howarth is a bit more than a class because it is also a study abroad opportunity. Within the term, our class will study both French and English monarch history and prepare to create a documentary. At the end of the term, the class will travel to Paris and London for 10 days! I am very very excited for this, it will be my first time abroad! While we are on the trip we will be filming and creating a documentary of our studies!

Student Alumni Association tailgating before the first home game!

So, as you can tell, I am already fully emerged in my classes and enjoying them very much so! I have a lot of work ahead of me, but it should be expected from higher level classes.
I hope your school year is off to just as good of a start as mine - here's to senior year!

Welcome to Mercyhurst! Welcome Week, Flash Mob, Day of Service

I must say- at Mercyhurst, we REALLY know how to welcome new students.
I just wrapped up "Welcome Week" here at Mercyhurst. I was the Student Chair for Summer Orientation and Welcome Week along with my co-chair, Richard. He and I along with the "Laker Leaders" worked extremely hard to lead the freshmen and new students and help their transition into college. I am pretty sure that all had a blast!

Just a few of the things we did throughout the weekend were help the students move in to their campus residence halls, a Kick-Off party in the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center where the students got a chance to meet their Laker Leaders.
Our Student Activities Council help a "Casino Night" in the park where students had a chance to win really cool prizes- even an iPad - pretty awesome! A "Blacklight Bash" was held in our rec center where students were able to dance the night away wearing white t-shirts which glowed in the dark and one of my facorite events- a Hypnotist- Keith Kartkut always comes to Merychurst during Welcome Week, his shows displays to students that you can have fun without drinking! 

My FAVORITE part of the weekend was the big surprise that we worked on all summer -A FLASH MOB!
Check it out on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7TAkiKhUQ0
We worked extremely hard on it and it was so much fun- we were even on the news. The flash mob took place before our Annual Day of Service in which over 800 students went to locations all over Erie to provide service- part of the mission of Mercyhurst College. Freshmen were able to see that:
1. There are a lot of things to do on campus outside of the class room and
2. Service is extremely important to the school and we are dedicated to helping others.

Here's some pictures from the weekend:

Now that Welcome Week is over, I am exhausted, but ready for classes to start!