A row of funky spiked-heel strappy platforms lines the bottom of the store window of Wendy Creations on West Broad Street. The shoes have splashes of fuchsia, coral, jade and chartreuse, and they are ablaze with dynamic patterns like bold, diagonal stripes and spotted snakeskin. Multi-faceted rhinestones strewn along the curved seam lines of short, silky dresses sparkle when the sunlight shines through the huge storefront window. Jeans are folded neatly on a table in the center of the shop, each pair a different brand, wash and size. Handmade necklaces created from near-golf ball-sized turquoise stones and hand-carved beads with earthy patterns lie on an antique table. Customers can see that the clothing offered at Wendy Castillo’s boutique is not standard mall fare – it’s unique chic. Castillo has managed to grow two small businesses to take care of her family and offer one-of-a-kind fashion to the infl ux of Hispanic and Latino immigrants to the area. And she started them with only $300 in her pocket. The foundation for a small business in Hazleton requires

all the necessary materials carefully strung together, like making homemade jewelry. The best bracelets are made the way Amilcar Arroyo, editor of Hazleton’s free Spanish newspaper El Mensajero, started his and other small businesses – “from scratch.” Arroyo started El Mensajero, which translates to “The Messenger,” at home in 2003. It began as a service for newcomers, offering advice on how to fi nd jobs, rent and buy houses and start small businesses. Arroyo used Microsoft Publisher and took the fi nished product to a local printer to distribute copies throughout Hazleton. The eight-page publication doubled in size three years later, and he eventually moved into his current offi ce at the West Broad Street building. Now the 60-odd-page paper is owned by The Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company, which also owns The Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre. He knows what the stakes

are for immigrants – he’s lived them. Before starting his newspaper, Arroyo worked in factories up and down the east coast after leaving Peru in 1986. His experience left him with little material goods, but it also drove him to pursue bigger goals. Arroyo’s efforts to help and inform the Latino and Hispanic community have made him almost famous in Hazleton. Even Castillo, whose interview was translated for this article by Arroyo, knew who he was before ever meeting him. “Her friend came to her and said, ‘There is this guy named ‘Amilcar,’” said Arroyo. Castillo came to Arroyo with an idea to start her own boutique called Wendy Creations, which would offer distinct fashions from New York such as dresses, jeans and shoes. Arroyo liked the idea, and he quickly worked to help organize and fi nance Castillo’s business. “I had a sixth sense that she was a good person,” said

Arroyo. “She seemed honest and I trusted her.” Castillo’s business recently moved within the Broad Street Business Exchange building from a smaller space tucked away at the back of the old department store to a larger storefront across from the Luzerne County Community College Hazleton Center. She

takes care of her fi ve young boys in the morning, opens the store at noon with one or two children in tow, and closes around 7 p.m. to feed and tuck her kids in at night. “You have to be very well-organized,” said Castillo. When she approached Arroyo about her business plan, she knew it would be hard. “But it

wasn’t impossible,” she said. She’s also a teacher – she offers a fi ve-week seminar on jewelry crafting. She learned to make jewelry from gemstones in New York, where she lived after emigrating from Venezuela. Now she offers her craft to new immigrants in Hazleton. The program costs $100, and it includes the costs

highlandernews.net

LET’S TALK FASHION Drago examines jobs in the fashion industry. PAGE 3InsideMU OFFERS ZUMBA CLASSES See why students are shouting about this twist on fi tness. PAGE 3

MARCH 16, 2010

By Kate BuntonReporter

Campus event planners are trying to fi nd ways to encourage student participation in both recreational and academic events on campus.

CFC 8

Exclusive photos and story

Only on highlandernews.net:

Students string hope for Haiti

Event staff questions lack of student participation

who served our country, page 2

Concert an opportunity to serve those

Culture of Change:Editor’s note: This story is part six of an ongoing series about the growing Hispanic and Latino population in Luzerne County. We at The Highlander believe journalism is the key to education in our world, and we hope to convey the powerful stories of young Latino people within the county. These are the stories no one dares to write.

Hispanic and Latino Immigrants in Luzerne County

MU event organizers are concerned about the lack of student interest and participation in campus activities and events. It has been an on-going battle for the people in charge of planning and organizing extracurricular programs to entice students to attend. The problem has snowballed from a fairly long history of a low turnout, according to Darcy Brodmerkel, director of Student Activities. Brodmerkel’s job is to provide the student body with

activities and events outside of the academic curriculum, but that becomes diffi cult when students don’t show interest in the programs she organizes. Brodmerkel said she considers a turnout of 120 of roughly 800 resident students a well-attended event—and that number is relatively rare. Brodmerkel said she has responded to student claims that they are unaware of activities. She advertises in the Stall Street Journal, Get a Lifeline, the Campus Life tab on e-MU, and posters and

fl yers in the Banks Student Life Center and throughout campus. She also uses Cougar Cast to advertise activities, but that is available only on campus -- in the dormitories, Banks and the Sandy & Marlene Insalaco Hall. Students claim they are just too busy with academics to attend student activities. “We like to say they [MU students] are so committed to their education that they can’t take the time. Also, some students have work and part time jobs. Some become

very overwhelmed with their majors’ curriculum.” While this is all true,” she said, “they can’t be studying all the time.” Brodmerkel said sports also fi ll students’ extra time. “A large population of our students is involved in sports, which includes mandatory study time, practice, games and travel,” said Brodmerkel. The issue is balance, she said. “Sometimes, here, students end up having tunnel vision regarding what they are interested in. And it usually

has something to do with their major,” said Brodmerkel. Some activities provided by Brodmerkel and the Student Activities Offi ce are well-received. Brodmerkel said the weekly ski trip to Sno Mountain has been very popular, with students going every Thursday night to ski and snowboard. Comedians and weekend evening events also seem to be the most popular. A trend seems to emerge. The most well attended activities are not educational -- they are pure

recreation. Attendance to educational events increases when professors offer extra credit or include it within their curriculum. “Are students just going to go [to an educational event] because they want to know more about a topic? If there’s no extra credit, probably not,” said Brodmerkel. Dream Week, organized by the MU Multicultural Education (MUME) staff, was a weeklong tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and other

Hazleton is immigrants’ businessBy Sarah HiteEditor-in-Chief

Small Latino and Hispanic-owned businesses are blossoming in Hazleton – even during an economic downturn.

(cont. on page 4)

Amilcar Arroyo, founder and editor of El Mensajero, displays an earlier edition of the Spanish-language newspaper.

SUSAN PANAWAY / CONTRIBUTOR

Credit card regulations help those with bad credit, page 3

“These are honest, hard working people.”Éstas son gente trabajadora honesta.

Amilcar Arroyo, El Mensajero editor

(cont. on page 5)

highlandernews.netMARCH 16, 2010 2

CONTACT US

(570) 674-6737

highland@misericordia.edu

Sarah HiteEditor-in-Chiefhites@misericordia.edu

Amanda JamiesonPrint Editorjamiesa2@misericordia.edu

Eleni KonstasWeb Editorkonstase@misericordia.edu

Multimedia EditorMichele Drago

dragom2@misericordia.edu

The Highlander is a free, biweekly pub-lication produced in conjunction with MU Communications De-partment. Any full-time student is encouraged to join the staff.

We are a member of the American Scholas-tic Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press, and the Penn-sylvania Newspaper Association.

The Highlander works to produce up-to-date, clear, accurate reporting. If any information is inaccurate or not covered thoroughly, corrections and informa-tion will appear in this area. Opinions and views expressed in The High-lander in no way refl ect those of Misericordia University or the Sisters of Mercy. The Highlander staff welcomes students, faculty and reader re-sponse. The Highlander reserves the right to edit submissions for gram-matical errors and length. All submissions must be signed. Letters to the Editor and/or materials for publication may be submitted by any reader. Items can be sent via e-mail.

Integrity

News

STAFF

CFC 8 Backstage Pass

Concert planners fi ght to help soldiers at home, overseas

By Amanda JamiesonPrint Editor

Funds from Concert for a Cause 8 will benefi t a transitional housing project for local homeless veterans and iad in the assembly of care packages for 500 soldiers fi ghting overseas.

The Highlander is proud to support Concert for a Cause 8. The Highlander will profi le a different band each issue along with a series covering Concert for a Cause 8. MU’s Cougar Radio will be part of an hour-long program to be played on college radio stations in the Wyoming Valley, where students will interview the bands performing at the show. This year the event will take place April 22 at The Woodlands Inn & Resort, and it will benefi t the United Way Veterans Services. The concert will feature over 30 local bands on four stages. Bands such as 40-Lb. Head, k8, Bad Hair Day, The Five Percent, Flaxy Morgan, Pancea, and M-80 will be shredding for service. Admission is $7. The CD featuring the performers of CFC 8 is on sale at the Gallery of Sound for $5.

At the same time the curtain falls and the lights dim after Concert for a Cause, 2,364 homeless Pennsylvania veterans will search for a safe, dry place to stay for the night. Organizers hope proceeds from this year’s concert will help give them rest. The event’s $7 admission, $5 CD and merchandise sales will benefi t the United Way Veterans Services to help those who have risked their lives to help others. “All of us as Americans feel that even though you may not have a direct tie to someone serving in the military, you can still understand their sacrifi ce and appreciate it,” said Alan Stout, founder of Concert for a Cause. CFC has raised more than $176,500 for charities since its’ founding in 1999. Each year sponsors and organizers meet to decide upon the benefi ciary of the event based upon the recommendation of the United Way of Wyoming Valley—and this year, they selected the veterans. Coincidently, the former Concert for Karen was renamed Concert for a Cause in the spring of 2003 -- the same time the United States entered the war in Iraq. “Here we are with our eighth concert and we are eight years into the war. It seemed appropriate to help the men and women overseas,” said Stout. A portion of the funds will go to the Commission on Economic Opportunity and the Wilkes-Barre Veterans Affairs Medical Center’s transitional housing program for veterans. “This project will have a major impact upon our program. Any assistance can help,” said Kermit Alfonzo Douglas,

Transitional Housing Program Coordinator. According to Gene Brady, executive director of the Commission on Economic Opportunity, the housing program has helped more than 50 local homeless veterans since its founding in 1998. The eight one-bedroom apartment units are located on the Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center’s campus and can house up to 14 veterans at a time. Perspective tenants must be at least 18 years old, have an honorable discharge from the military, be drug and alcohol free for at least 30 days and be willing to comply with the program’s rules. Rules require tenants to abstain from alcohol and drugs and comply with their treatment plans. Since its founding in 1998, the program has served veterans ranging from as young as 23 to 73 years of age. Participants are allowed to stay on the VA campus up to 24 months. They receive housing and learn life skills to help them improve their self-determination and build job skills. CEO case managers work with each veteran to establish a service plan to enable him or her become independent. Successful graduates of the program may be eligible for rental assistance, relocation allowance and home furnishings. The rest of the funds from CFC 8 will go towards the assembly and mailing of 500 care packages. Organizers will allot $6,250 to cover the cost of postage for the care packages. Planners of the Concert for a Cause have found the

names of 500 men and women of Northeastern Pennsylvania to receive care packages, and they asked the soldiers to send requests of items to be sent. Typically, care packages addressed to “any soldier” are sent to a warehouse and are never actually delivered to a man or woman serving overseas. “For those of us who aren’t serving our county, this is a great way to do something [for the troops]. We are able to get up every morning, see our family, friends, go to work, come home and play in our softball games and dart leagues,” said Stout. “Meantime, thousands of servicemen are in the dessert unable to see their friends and family while serving our country. It feels great to do something for them.” Volunteers are needed to man the merchandise tables selling CFC tee shirts and CDs. Shifts are in hour and a half increments and spots are still available: 7 to 8:30 p.m., 8:30 to 10 p.m., 10 to 11:30

p.m., and 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 am. “We welcome all people interested to volunteer for an hour and a half of your time. Although you’re selling tee shirts, there are bands playing all around you. It’s a fun volunteer opportunity for a great cause,” said Cathy Faatz, United Way

director of

Volunteer Action

Center. Volunteers will

also be needed to help assemble care packages. The date and location of the care package assembly is still to be decided. For more information about volunteer opportunities, contact Cathy Faatz, 570-822-0238 or at cfaatz@unitedwaywb.org.

Circle of Friends to end this semester Circle of Friends, a pilot program that provides integrated living and non-credit college learning experiences for young women with developmental disabilities, will end after this semester. The program started more than seven years ago and was funded by a private donor as well as a donors’ foundation. The funds will be exhausted by the end of this fi scal year, according to Sr. Bernadette Duross, co-chair of the Circle of Friends Advisory Committee. Duross said fundraising efforts for the program have not been successful. “I think it’s because of the economic downturn, too,” she said. Duross sees this end as an opportunity to celebrate the

success of the women in the program and “the fact that we’ve been a pioneer of this piloted program and can share it with others.” Duross commends the efforts of Linda Ross, director of the program, and her staff. “Linda has assured the families of the women that she will continue to help them,” she said. “Any kind of change or transition is diffi cult.” The program is capable of housing four women a year. This year there are two women currently enrolled in the program. “It was a hard decision-making process,” said Duross. “This is a part of Misericordia’s legacy.”

-- Compiled from staff reports

Prof hopes to get students curlingAdjunct history professor Alison Piatt introdcues MU to the sport of curling.By Matt SchlastaReporter Alison Piatt, adjunct professor of history, is encouraging the MU community to try the Olympic sport of curling. Piatt, vice president and secretary of the Anthracite Curling Club, is joining other curlers to make people aware of one of the few curling clubs in Pennsylvania. Piatt’s ultimate goal is to start a curling team on campus. Piatt says the popularity of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics has generated a positive response: students would like to give it a slide. Curling is a game of strategy. According to the Canadian curling website, www.curling.ca, a team of four players take turns sliding a heavy, polished stone across a special sheet of ice. Each player throws two stones in an interval called an end. The goal is to get the stone as close as possible to the center of a bull’s-eye, called a house, at the end of the ice sheet. Teammates can use special tools, like brooms or scrapers, to manipulate the direction

and speed of the stone. “I really love the sport of curling and thought that other members of the MU campus community might be interested in learning about it,” said Piatt. Piatt became interested in the sport during graduate school at Bowling Green State University where she watched it on cable television. When she returned to Pennsylvania, she was still interested but had no access to the sport, so she searched and came across the Scranton Curling Club website. She has been hooked on curling ever since. Freshman Lauren Brasted is helping Piatt to recruit. “Curling is going to be a lot of fun,” said Brasted. “You don’t need to know how to ice skate to play. It’s something that just about anyone can get the hang of. I think once people try it, they will have a really good time.” Brasted has curled before with the Scranton Curling Club (currently known as Anthracite Curling Club), which is owned by her uncle,

Dave Cawley. The Anthracite Curling Club recently held an open house to introduce people to the sport and will now be holding a Learn to Curl class at the Ice Rink at Coal Street Park in Wilkes-Barre. The four week class begins March 18 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and enrollment costs $50. Learn to Curl will teach students the basics of the game. People are asked to wear warm, comfortable clothing and wear shoes with a reasonable grip for safety. Interested players can register for Learn to Curl at www.anthracitecurling.com or contact Piatt at piatta@misericordia.edu.

For the full story about the Circle of Friends program, look for the next

edition of The Highlander out on news stands March 30.

Shown above is a stone used in the sport of curling.

highlandernews.netMARCH 16, 2010 3

LET’STALK

FASHIONBy MICHELE DRAGO, Multimedia Editor

highlandernews.net

What’s your style? Let’s talk fashion!E-mail me at dragom2@misericordia.edu.

Zumba shakes up MUThe popular dance-aerobics class is causing a craze on campus.

By Katie O’HearnContributor

(cont. on page 4)

There’s a new exercise craze happening across the nation -- and MU. It’s called Zumba. According to sophomore Kristen Egbert, a Zumba certifi ed instructor at MU, Zumba is a Latin-based aerobic class with modern twists. It’s described as a “feel-happy” routine and many people enjoy the class because they can work out with friends and break free from the monotony of the gym. The motto for Zumba is “Ditch the work out; join the party!” and “Live, laugh, love Zumba.” Zumba attracts a wide variety of people of all ages, cultures, and sizes. Participants include everyone from Tina MacDowell, wife of MU’s president Dr. Michael MacDowell, to adults from the Back Mountain community, to students. Egbert said people love the variation of the rhythms and beats because it keeps the exercise fresh. Freshman Mary Lewis feels so many are passionate about Zumba because it provides a positive, upbeat environment. “Who doesn’t love dancing?” she said. MacDowell believes so many are drawn to Zumba because it is new and popular. “I think

it’s good for all ages because people like to dance, and size, shape and age don’t matter.” Freshman Ashley Benz

agrees that Zumba is great for all ages. “You can go with people you know and have fun. Regardless of age it’s something everyone can do. It doesn’t require

strength, and Kristen is always stressing to go at your own pace.” Egbert teaches the Zumba class at MU, and the sophomore plans to continue until she graduates. She fi rst heard about Zumba at a gym in New Jersey, and her love of exercise and dancing made her a perfect match for Zumba. When she returned to school, she found that the closest gym offering Zumba was 20 minutes from campus. This motivated Egbert to become a certifi ed instructor so she could teach at school. She said she likes teaching

because she meets a lot of people with different majors and interests. Egbert said being a student and instructing an aerobics class can be challenging because it takes time to create the choreography, but she feels the effort is worthwhile. MacDowell seems just as passionate about Zumba. She fi rst became interested when she took a dance aerobics class in Colorado. Since coming to MU, she’s been waiting for a program like Zumba to come along. Two years ago it was offered by a nursing student for one semester, but the student had to stop instructing due to clinical work. MacDowell said Egbert is an excellent teacher who is hardworking and willing to do things to make class fun for everyone. “You feel like a dancer by the time the hour is over. It’s a really fun way to stay in shape.” MacDowell’s favorite part is dancing to the different rhythms. Songs include everything from salsa to reggae to Latin international. MacDowell personally prefers the Latin dances because the music inspires people to dance. “The classes are run well and effi ciently, using all of the time, and as the weeks go on and we learn more the class becomes fuller, completing dance after dance instead of learning them,” she said. MacDowell feels Zumba is an excellent workout because it uses different parts of the body. Whereas classes such as kickboxing are more focused, Zumba uses more muscles in a relaxed atmosphere that lets participants “get a great workout without realizing it,” she said. Not only would MacDowell recommend Zumba to friends, she always is trying to get more people to give it a shot. There is a class just before Zumba and MacDowell is always telling the people leaving that they should stay for Zumba. She even tells people visiting Anderson because she feels Zumba is another way people can enjoy themselves in addition to walking the track. Lewis and Benz said they heard about it through campus

Culture Club sparks variety of interestsThe former English Club has changed its name and purpose in hopes of appealing to the masses at MU. By Amanda MericleContributor

Boy George doesn’t attend meetings, but the Culture Club offers an eclectic array of activities to pique the interests of most everyone. Referred to as the English Club in previous years, the Culture Club has had more renovations than just a name change. The club is now rooted in the idea of accommodating everyone. “We always wanted to include a wider array of interests and students,” faculty advisor Patrick Hamilton said about the club’s transformation. Even the club’s Facebook page stands as a testament to its aspiration. “Whether its music, art, fi lm, poetry, food, ethnic traditions or something else,” the page says, “here is an opportunity for you [the student] to experience and enjoy a variety of cultures and sub-cultures.”

At the weekly meetings students “go over any upcoming events that are planned, discussing any possible input or suggestions, before tossing around new ideas,” said club Secretary Kaytlin Yachim. “What students want to do is what we do,” Hamilton says, and “there is no limit on what to do.” Previous events included the now popular Jam Sessions in which students bring instruments and spend a few hours rocking out with their peers, and the Black and White Film Festivals. Future events might include a natural/organic smoothie stand once the weather allows. Yachim said the club also plans fundraising events that raise awareness about certain issues. “We are very service oriented,” she said. At one of the fi rst Jam

Sessions, the club made Christmas cards for terminally ill children. Club members made Valentine’s Day cards for veterans last month. The club is always open to new members and anyone interested should have no doubts about joining, Yachim said. “We encourage new members because they are who make the club so successful. Each member is recognized as an individual. Everyone has a voice at the Culture Club.” The club will hold the third Black and White Film Festival in late March. The free event will provide pizza and refreshments while people watch the fi lm “Some like it Hot” featuring Marilyn Monroe. Yachim said the Culture Club is a great way to make new friends, have your ideas heard, and experience events

you may never have thought of doing before. Meetings are held every Wednesday in the conference room on the third fl oor of Mercy Hall at 12:30.

Credit card laws make bad debt a bit betterNew federal laws governing credit cards will change the way students and card issuers do business.

By Jake RakestrawReporter

So who has been paying attention to newly implemented credit card legislation? As the vast majority of students swipe their way about campus with plastic credit lines, they may not be aware of the new federal regulations that directly affect them—every day. Although President Barack Obama signed the Credit Card Act of 2009 last May, the fi rst wave of changes didn’t take effect until August. While much of the new legislation was enacted early this year, subsequent changes will take effect in August and December. The bulk of the reform is structured around simplifying the processes and terms that one agrees to when stepping into the realm of credit based spending. From avoiding double-cycle billing to being granted more time to pay off monthly balances, most of the changes are at an advantage to the cardholder. Anthony Capristo, M.B.A. of M & T Bank wonders how many consumers will fi nd out the facts. “Surely an informed society is almost always a better one, but will they take time to understand the changes?” Transparency is the name of the game and new legislation combats the excessive complexities that riddled credit card contracts in the past. “The new legislation protects consumers who were agreeing to contracts with terms that they did not understand. Essentially, you needed an attorney to understand the disclosures” says Capristo. There is, however, much more to the change than the change in lingo. Under the new law consumers will have more time to pay bills after the statement has been mailed. Bills will have clearer due dates and deadlines, and card issuers will improve communication about the consumer’s payment habits. Essentially credit companies are required to allow due dates at least 21 days after the bill has been mailed or received and to follow new restrictions on deadlines that outlaw cut-off times in the early morning or before 5 p.m. Additionally, due dates that fall on holidays, weekends or days when the

card issuer is closed would not leave consumers stuck with late fees. Issuers will also be required to inform consumers how long it will take to pay off the balance if only the minimum is paid each month. Issuers must show how much must be paid monthly in order to knock the total balance out in 36 months. This would include interest. Speaking of interest, there will be limits on interest rate hikes on existing balances, and issues must credit higher interest balances fi rst. According to CreditCards.com, rate hikes on existing balances would only be allowed under limited conditions like the ending of a promotional rate, when there is a variable rate or when a payment is made late. Interest rates on new transactions can’t be increased until after the fi rst year and no signifi cant changes can occur without 45 days warning in advance. On many accounts, there are different interest rates for things like cash advances, balance transfers and visiting the ATM. Payments in excess of the monthly minimum are required to fi rst go towards balances that carry higher interest rates. Cards currently do the exact opposite. Strong restrictions on Universal Default will also go into effect. Universal Default is basically the practice of raising interest rates based upon payment habits with unrelated accounts, such as electricity bills and car payments. While this would end for existing balances, credit card companies may still be allowed to practice Universal Default if it comes along with a 45 day notice of change. While interest rates seem to have stolen the majority of the new legislative spotlight, bans on double cycle billing and limits on overage fees are in the script. “At times consumers were paying interest on balances that did not exist. This certainly does not appear to be fair to the consumer, but was something they agreed to in the terms and conditions”, says Capristo. Those who make their payments a little on the late side will have the opportunity to opt in or out of overage fees. For those who choose out,

(cont. on page 5)

Adventure Series

Catskills Overnight Camping TripSaturday March 20 to

Sunday March 21

Enjoy a hike to the peaks of Peekamoose and

Tablerock mountains. Summit two 3,500’

mountains in one day and see what rugged is all about!

Limited space available.Sign up in Student Activities

For more information please visit:

Culture Club of Misericordia’s

Facebook group page

Fashion isn’t just about the web-knitted Rodarte sweater made from bright blues that add such a deep dramatic touch it looks like it came out of a haute horror fi lm (Yes, this is the look the designer duo was going for.) Fashion is not about the Tory Burch signature ballet fl ats with the golden medallion symbol on the front that just screams designer. (Style side note: They sell knockoffs at Payless -- I have to admit, I did once own a pair just as glam. It’s like “Sex and the City” style and a Gossip Girl’s budget.) Fashion isn’t just about J.Lo’s Armani Prive light pink glam gown worn at the Oscar’s that was so breathtaking the only thing that could accompany it was gobs of hand-cut Cartier diamonds. All of this is a part of the ferocious fashion world -- but only a façade to what lies beneath. Fashion goes deeper than J.Lo’s plunging neckline of the jade Versace dress she wore to the 2000 Grammys (because we’re on the topic of J.Lo, I couldn’t resist). It’s the black and white inspiration board that Teen Vogue uses to design their eight-page fashion spread that looks like it was inspired by the bobby socks and poodle skirts featured in the movie “Grease.” It’s the accessories Elissa Santisi picks out for a shoot to show off any chic clothing. It’s the dramatic runway show makeup that makes any model look fi ercer than before the show started. In fashion, what’s on the surface isn’t the whole story. The entire industry depends on the people behind the runway curtain to inspire millions of fashionistas all over

the globe. Like RuPaul said: “Girl, you better work.” Accessories designer Santisi knows how to make any drab design look like a masterpiece with silver and gold chains, huge vintage gemstone pins and crazy costume jewelry. “A good stylist thinks of the big picture, it’s almost like producing a movie. Casting, hair, makeup, location-all these ingredients are essential to bring the clothes and accessories to life,” said Santisi in “The Teen Vogue Handbook.” I love the way she adds vintage jewels to justify the drab looks Chanel can’t even complete. So stylish, so fashionable. Teen Vogue editors have a fi erce fashion inspiration board for every issue of the styled out magazine. The board holds all the inspirations for the following issue of the glam guides. Their style section gives a story line to every picture that hits the pages, while the photos bring out the genius in high-end merchandise. Makeup artists like Jemma Kidd complete the runway looks with hot pink lined eye shadow and bright colors such as lilac and blues brighter than the sky. Kidd puts the last minute mark on the fi nal product to make the perfect fi nished look. Kidd’s credit is legit -- she designs the makeup for many fashion runway walks of art. She even sells her glam makeup at Target for a fashionista’s glam slashed budget. All of this goes into the fi nished fashion fi nal result. Santisi loves using one accessory to fi ll the pages of the priceless fashions of Teen Vogue -- slapback hats. I’ll tell you the inside dirt of the slapback -- next time.

Shown above is a stone used in the sport of curling.

highlandernews.netMARCH 16, 2010 4

COUGAR SPORTSbuzz. “There was a craze going around McHale Hall, and everyone was talking about how awesome it is, so I tried it and kept going back.” Benz said. Lewis’s friends had gone to class and had a lot of fun, so she decided to “tag along and she what it was all about.” Both would encourage others to try Zumba. “To anyone who would just like to feel good, get fi t, and have a lot of fun for an hour, try Zumba. You leave class with a smile on your face and after having a lot of fun!” Egbert admits that she sometimes still laughs at

herself in the mirror, as many people who take the class seem to do. But that just seems to add to the fun, especially with Egbert encouraging everyone to smile and sing along. Interested students can stop by the Adult Learning Center in Mercy Hall for more information about Zumba or other fi tness classes offered at MU. MU students pay only $35 a semester for either the aerobics program, which includes a variety of fi tness classes including Zumba. Students can also participate in the 1-2-3 Fitness program or the Health Yoga program.

Zumba, cont’d.

Participation, cont’d.

Sponsor a family for EasterContact Kristen Mitchell at:

mitchek2@misericordia.edufor more information.

The drop-off date for baskets is March 31.AD DESIGN BY AMANDA JAMIESON

continued from page 3

continued from page 1

social activists. The week was fi lled with educational lectures, group activities and exhibits created for student enlightenment outside the classroom. Erica Acosta, the Multicultural Student Outreach Coordinator, expressed disappointment in the poor attendance of the events. Not a single student attended events held on the Monday and Friday of Dream Week. Tuesday and Wednesday events had a total of fi ve student attendants, and Thursday had two. Dream Week was attended by .4 percent of the 2,736 student population. The Harlem Renaissance Trip, held Feb. 20, was by far the most successful, with 32 students in attendance. Acosta said students who traveled to Harlem said they loved the trip and found it a great experience. Her goal is to get more students to participate in events that they might not initially think they will enjoy, but will likely end up loving.

Acosta worries that students are depriving themselves of great experiences because they lack autonomy and prefer that friends accompany them. “Once you graduate you’ll be doing a lot of things on your own. If you have an interest in something, go because you want to,” she said. Last year MUME sponsored International Week, a similar weeklong lineup of cultural learning experiences. Although it was the group’s fi rst venture and less organized and publicized than Dream Week, Acosta said attendance numbers were signifi cantly higher -- 110 students participated during the week. As frustrating as the outcome of Dream Week was for Acosta, she will continue to work to bring multicultural diversity to campus and provide students with eye-opening experiences. She will be reintroducing the Multicultural Club next fall and is looking for students to join.

Lacrosse team rebounds after disappointing seasonThe young team hopes to boost their 3-12 record of the 2009 season with the help of freshman players.By Rob LopezReporter

After a dismal 3-12 last year the MU Cougars lacrosse team has no where to look but up and that is exactly what they are doing with a new look and young team. Led by Coach Jim Ricardo and C.J. Demarco the lacrosse team is looking to step in the right direction for the still young program. In just its ninth year, the team hopes to make a strong impact on not only the conference but the national view as well. Freshman starters like John Lauri, Kyle Calabro and Drew Abantangelo make an immediate impact on the team and how teams play the Cougars. The heavy number of sophomore and freshman players makes it seem like a hard task, but the rewards of growth are coming, said Junior Josh Hundley. “Our team is really young compared to others in the past, but our current team of what we have looks like it can contest with any in our conference.” Ricardo agrees—as long as the team plays hard. “Our team really is looking good

going into regular season play and I hope we play hard and work in all four quarters of every game,” said Ricardo. The team opened up with two games against Medaille and Alfred, both upstate New York teams that put up a good fi ght with the Cougars, but MU didn’t pull out the big win in the end. Sophomore Pat McTague led the break for the Cougars stacking up seven goals and three assists, leading the cougars in two hard fought games. Calabro had two goals and Lauri had three over the break, along with fellow Freshman Josh Schwartz getting two goals. Junior Lee Blair had fi ve goals for the Cougars and four assists over the break to back up McTague in scoring for the Cougars. The team has nine freshman and eight sophomores to account for 17 spots on the 23 man roster. The cougars really want to start off strong and emerge on fi re at the start of the season. With conference play right around the corner the team is looking forward to

starting off hot and fast. “I really liked how the freshman stepped up to help out Lee and I with scoring. We really couldn’t have played as well if we didn’t have them with us,” said McTague after a heartbreaking game against Alfred. A high scoring two games for the cougars putting up 20 combined points, a 13-9 loss to Medaille and 12-11 loss to Alfred have the Cougars not hanging their heads, but looking to prowl in future. The games were both hard fought. “I thought we really worked hard out there,” said sophomore Ed Lino. “We really did work our offense well and executed on defense. We just didn’t have some plays go our way.” “I think our only option to go from here, is to play harder during the season,” said sophomore Casey Weisenbach who added that the team is looking forward to the next two home games against Wells, Mt. Saint Vincent and a game in Virginia against Shenandoah.

Upcoming Home Games:

3/17/10 Mt. St. Vincent 4 pm3/24/10 Lycoming 4 pm4/6/10 FDU-Fordham 7 pm4/10/10 Elizabethtown 1 pm4/17/10 Widener 1 pm4/24/10 DeSales 1 pm

*Games are played on Mangelsdorf Field,

located behind McHale Hall. For more

information refer to athletics.misericordia.edu

highlandernews.net 4 highlandernews.netMARCH 16, 2010 5

Top Three Reasons to Complete the Graduating Senior Survey:

1. It’s an opportunity to share how satisfi ed you are with your experience at MU

2. You can help shape Misericordia for the next generation

3. Complete your survey before March 25th to be entered into a raffl e to win additional graduation tickets

Check your e-mail, a link to the survey has been sent to you. If you are a graduating student and did not receive an e-mail please contact Sharon Hudak at shudak@misericordia.edu

herself in the mirror, as many people who take the class seem to do. But that just seems to add to the fun, especially with Egbert encouraging everyone to smile and sing along. Interested students can stop by the Adult Learning Center in Mercy Hall for more information about Zumba or other fi tness classes offered at MU. MU students pay only $35 a semester for either the aerobics program, which includes a variety of fi tness classes including Zumba. Students can also participate in the 1-2-3 Fitness program or the Health Yoga program.

Zumba, cont’d.

Participation, cont’d.

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Immigrants’ business, cont’d.continued from page 1

Acosta worries that students are depriving themselves of great experiences because they lack autonomy and prefer that friends accompany them. “Once you graduate you’ll be doing a lot of things on your own. If you have an interest in something, go because you want to,” she said. Last year MUME sponsored International Week, a similar weeklong lineup of cultural learning experiences. Although it was the group’s fi rst venture and less organized and publicized than Dream Week, Acosta said attendance numbers were signifi cantly higher -- 110 students participated during the week. As frustrating as the outcome of Dream Week was for Acosta, she will continue to work to bring multicultural diversity to campus and provide students with eye-opening experiences. She will be reintroducing the Multicultural Club next fall and is looking for students to join.

transactions over the limit would be rejected. Issues can charge reasonable fees to those who decide to opt in. Look at it as a governor or protective fi nancial fence, if you will. Consumers also carry the right to opt-out and reject changes to their accounts if they agree to close them and pay the balance off under the existing terms. What about those who haven’t opened an account yet, specifi cally young people or those with bad credit? New laws ban credit cards being issued to anyone under

21 who can’t conjure up a cosigner and proof of income that would allow them to pay their debts. According to CreditCards.com, companies offering promotional gimmicks like gifts and pizza to entice students must be no less than 1,000 feet from college campuses. Those with poor credit who are looking to open accounts will have it a little easier. Opening fees are now required to be no more than 20% of the available limit. To account for the lower opening charges, many creditors will raise interest rates instead.

According to Dr. Brian Carso of MU, the new regulations are “a necessary improvement. Contracts have given credit card companies and unusual amount of leeway to change terms and conditions. This narrows the contract down.” New legislation will protect consumers through simplifying, limiting and rearranging the way lenders do business. “Americans have a lot of consumer credit and lenders have been putting the squeeze on some folks.”

Credit card regulations, cont’d.continued from page 3

for materials used. “People can learn [this craft], who don’t have their own income,” said Arroyo. “They can work from home and start their own business.” While economic development offi cials maintain that they do not have statistics, Arroyo estimates there are 70 small Latino and Hispanic businesses in Hazleton. He should know -- he’s helped many of them get started. Arroyo aids entrepreneurs by making calls to City Hall for licensure inquiries, creating business plans for new ideas, fi lling out loan paperwork for fi nances and other startup business intricacies. “Language is an issue,” said Arroyo. “These are honest, hardworking people.” The effect these businesses have on the ever-changing community in Hazleton is apparent to Arroyo. He said the small startups contribute to the revitalization of the area. “It makes the community stronger,” he said. “It’s the creation of new jobs. It alleviates problems for the government” concerning job creation. Arroyo said small business owners are usually responsible for providing their own economic resources, as they have no access to business loans. He helped Castillo receive loans to purchase the clothing and accessories in her store, and she uses her profi ts to make payments. City offi cials and business leaders see the changes in the community, but are unsure of how they started. Lena Kotansky, an economic development offi cer for the city, admits that a lot of immigrants do not approach her for loans, and Arroyo is the one who usually contacts her. “I would say I’ve seen a lot of new [Latino and Hispanic-owned] businesses,” she said. “I can’t say they’ve come to us for loans.” Jack St. Pierre, director

of the Community Association for New Business Entrepreneurship [CAN BE] business incubator in West Hazleton, is also unaware of how Latino and Hispanic-owned businesses get their start. “I’m not sure how they’re being funded.” The City of Hazleton Offi ce of Community and Economic Development does offer help for small businesses, from providing small loans to developing initial business plans, but Kotansky said the types of businesses emerging in the downtown area aren’t the kinds to receive the help offered. She said the current economy hasn’t helped any businesses get started, but the Latino and Hispanic-owned enterprises can cater to a specifi c portion of the community. Language differences may be a contributing factor to the reason why some Latino and Hispanic entrepreneurs can’t ask City Hall for help. “Any time there is a language barrier, there is diffi culty,” said Kotansky. She recalled a time when she partnered with a leadership group to start a grassroots campaign to get the new residents involved in City Hall. They translated documents into Spanish, and Kotansky’s Spanish courses in college came in handy when knocking on doors in the city. Pamphlets featured a list of community resources, and Kotansky tried to explain that the city is there to help. “We got no response. One woman fi lled out some paperwork, but she never came back,” she said. CAN BE offers seminar programs open to anyone that cover topics such as developing a business plan, marketing technique, understanding fi nancial reports and making a pitch to potential investors. St. Pierre believes it would be diffi cult for his services to be

offered in two languages. “I’d have a hard time fi guring out where to start,” he said. He said the seminar presenters, which range from accountants to attorneys, are hard to fi nd, and fi nding a Spanish-speaking equivalent or translator may be more diffi cult. “I don’t know if that’s viable,” he said. “It’s a lot of extra work.” The CAN BE incubator program is funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The types of business ideas enrolled in the program are usually technology-based startups. Criteria for enrollment include having a set business plan, having the fi nancial resources in place to get started and guaranteeing that the business will grow and create jobs in the Greater Hazleton area. Tenets in the Valmont Industrial Park-based organization range from a video production agency to a yoga studio solely used for industrial park employees. St. Pierre said the small Latino and Hispanic-owned businesses in downtown Hazleton depend on retail traffi c. Though the incubator usually houses technology-based businesses, he recognizes the need for fl exibility. For St. Pierre, sometimes even getting the word out is more diffi cult than helping businesses. “Does the Hispanic community know we’re here?” he asked. “I still think there’s a number of white people who don’t know we’re here.” Castillo fi gured out how to build her business, but she couldn’t start without a little push from the surrounding community. During the translated interview, Castillo had one thing to say in English: “Everybody helps.”

SARAH HITE / THE HIGHLANDER

Senior and CougarCast editing supervisor Mike Terlesky stands in the control room of the television studio in Lower Munson while the communications department’s new network runs in the background. Assistant Pro-fessor of Communications Dan Kimbrough recently spearheaded the launch of a campus television network for student videographers, editors and producers to show their talent to their peers. MCN 87, also known as Munson Center Network, is available to MU residents 24-7 on channel 87.

MCN-TV 87 launches

highlandernews.netMARCH 16, 20106

YOUR LAST SHOT

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