The GwynmercianVolume 63, No. 3 Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

G r o u n d B r o k e n O n N e w E d u c a t i o n a n d B u s i n e s s F a c i l i t y ByAshleyScheiber

The cost of construction is extensive, but the reward is promising. President Kathleen Owens welcomed students, faculty, benefactors, Board of Trustee members, Sisters of Mercy, President’s Council members, and County and Township officials to yesterday’s groundbreaking cer-emony on the site of what used to be Gwynedd-Mercy College’s Gustav Martin building. The celebratory affair marked the commencement of the 18-month-long project which has been generously supported by various organiza-tions as well as the commonwealth. Christine Eberle, Director of Campus Ministry, opened the ceremony with the customary opening prayer. “We are mindful of the words: if the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor,” she quoted, ask-ing for patience and success in this new endeavor. The new academic building will serve as the home for the schools of Business and Education, where “we will prepare the next generation of business leaders and educa-tors for service and leadership in our local area and well beyond,” according to Owens. In much the same way as Keiss Hall’s numerous science labs and the Waldron Center’s Communications Studio, the as-yet-unnamed facility will contain state-of-the-art technology including computer labs, classroom smart boards, and other interactive media possibilities, such as “Teachscape,” a panoramic video monitoring sup-port system, which will give Education students instant

feedback on their progress as student teachers. “The building will provide a framework for teach-ing and learning that will help [students] to be the best possible teacher that they can be,” said Sandra Mangano, Dean of the School of Education. “The students are wildly excited about the new op-portunities that this brings,” said Heather Pfleger, Dean of the School of Business. Two student speakers, sophomore Accounting major Daniel Ressler, and senior Education major Richard Levy, weighed in on what the new building will mean for their fellow undergraduates. “I am confident that [it] will enable students to achieve greater goals, and will attract students looking for an advanced learning experience,” said Ressler as he also cheered on the technology that will “contribute a quality education” to any students that pass through the building’s halls. “Future educators will be even more prepared with access to the new technologies available,” Levy agreed. The dream for the building has its roots in the college’s strategic agenda dating back to 2004, when State Representative Kate Harper, of Pennsylvania’s 61st Legislative District, and Senator Stuart Greenleaf, of Pennsylvania’s 12th District, introduced the building as a funding initiative and a house bill before it was added to the Commonwealth’s Capital Project list. The project was authorized by former Governor Edward Rendell and current Governor Thomas Corbett. SeeGustav onPage

Gwynedd-MercyCollegePresidentKathleenOwens(3rdfromright)andotherVIPsduringtheceremonialgroundbreakingofthenewfacilityfortheEducationandBusinessprograms

ByDanielFreed

Gwynedd-Mercy College students and alumni are taking to social media to express their displeasure over the sudden firing of Student Activities Director Tom Friel. Only two days after rumors of Friel’s release began flooding campus, a Facebook group called “Support Tom Friel” has gained over 900 members. Many of the group’s members are current students, but there is also a rapidly growing amount of Gwynedd-Mercy alumni who are join-ing the page. Additionally, GMC alumni Melissa Dziedzic, a for-mer president of SGA, has created a Facebook event en-couraging current and former students of Gwynedd-Mercy to write emails to several college staff members, including President Kathleen Owens, providing personal reflections and favorite memories of Friel. Currently, nearly 200 people have pledged to send emails. “Social media was able to spread the news quickly in order to act immediately,” said Dziedzic. Jim King, who is the treasurer of the Student Govern-ment Association, says that several alumni have told him they are considering taking more drastic measures. “There are many alumni that I know for a fact will commit to not donating to Gwynedd-Mercy College anymore because of this decision,” King stated. Students at Gwynedd-Mercy have been buzzing for several days with the news that the immensely popular Friel had been fired. Some of them, including Ray Friend, have been swift to show their support for Friel. “Everyone liked him,” said Friend, who has been wearing a home-made “Bring Back Tom” t-shirt around campus. “Student Activities will never be the same without him.” “Tom was a great faculty member who has done a lot for the college, especially with student led organizations,” said Student Activities Committee president Valerie Acerba. One of the most popular rumors surrounding Friel’s dismissal involves an experiment with a soda bottle filled with a gas. The gas created high pressure within the bottle, causing it to make a loud popping noise. Friel sup-posedly was released for endangering students, however, this has not been publicly confirmed. Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Cheryl Horsey and Dean of Students Carol Gruber were unable to comment on Friel’s departure due to a campus policy of not disclosing personnel decisions. Friel, who was at Gwynedd-Mercy for over two de-cades, has been described by students as being unfailingly friendly and always quick with a smile. On the “Save Tom Friel” page, several alumni have stated that Friel followed the Gwynedd-Mercy core values of community, academic excellence, compassion, and competence, among others. Friel won the GMC Tender Courage award in 2004. Friel was one of the school’s most popular and well-respected faculty members. In addition to being the director of Student Activities, Friel was also in charge of the school yearbook and taught the popular Digital Photography class. The Digital Photography class was cancelled on the Tuesday after Friel was dismissed, but the college hired a professional photographer from the PhiladelphiaInquirer to teach the class for the remainder of this semester. Even though he is not employed at Gwynedd-Mercy anymore, Friel wants to let the students know that he still has a deep concern for them. “I hope that I have been able to make their experience as positive and enjoyable as possible,” he stated in an email. “The best reward I can receive is to know that students benefitted from what I tried to do.”

Friel Dismissal Causes Social Media Firestorm

Page 2 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

G w y n e d d - M e r c y A d j u n c t K e y P l a y e r i n Y o u n g C o m m u n i c a t i o n P r o g r a m

Want weekly news on what’s going on around campus? View the “Gwynedd Now” news website at gwyneddnow.org. “Like” Gwynedd Now on Facebook!

ByAshleyScheiber

Gwynedd-Mercy College Communications adjunct professor Christopher McWilliams has been teaching for over two decades, beginning with Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting in 1989. His subjects include many communications courses, such as Public Speaking, Cinema and Cinematography, and more. At Gwynedd-Mercy, McWilliams is known for teaching the TV Production class. He has been described as a terrific instructor, a reliable colleague, a loving father and hus-band, and perhaps most surprisingly, a prolific writer. “I’m a writer,” McWilliams asserts. He is currently in the process of writing a book and screenplay with two other authors, although little is being revealed about the nature of these writings at this time. Most importantly, McWilliams is frequently spoken of as an inspiring professor. Senior communications major Ray Friend says, “He’s the way teachers should be. I can stand behind him and feel like I’m actually learning something.” To McWilliams, whose diligence is evident in his bouncing from Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School to Gwynedd-Mercy College to teach each day, the students are the best and worst thing about his job. “They’re the reason I’m here,” he says. “They’re the inspira-tion, they’re the reward, they’re the frustration, and the obstacle.” His persistence and candor is a source of stimulation among his students, who see his approachable manner as the proper balance of professional and personable. Says Tyler Bright, freshman finance major, “He’s awesome.

ASB a Building Experience for Students, Too

He is so patient, and he really knows what he’s talking about.” McWilliams explains his zealous approach to teach-ing in simple terms. “If I can get you to watch television with an active mind, as you do when reading, then I’m doing my job.” Lisa McGarry, Dean of the School of Arts and Sci-ences at Gwynedd-Mercy College, describes McWilliams as “very professional and positive in his outlook, and very enthusiastic in his approach.” When the Communications program was first being formed at Gwynedd-Mercy, McWilliams was called upon by McGarry to critique the proposal for the new division of study. He was also called upon for consultation with the renovation of the state-of-the-art television studio, housed in the Waldron Center on campus. “He knows his students, knows what they will be looking for in a college program,” says McGarry. Communication Program Coordinator Janis Chakars describes McWilliams as tireless in his support of his students and driven in his pursuit of not only his own success but that of the people he influences. Always encouraging and enthusiastic, he has been known to be a steadfast go-to person who is consistently ready to say, “What do you need?” said Chakars. A father of two, McWilliams stays active by rid-ing his bike, completing a 100-mile trip in a day every year. He teaches all levels of high school communica-tions courses, and has experience teaching at Bucks County Community College, Council Rock North High School, and Boyertown High School as well as Plymouth-Whitemarsh and Gwynedd-Mercy. He holds his Master’s Degree in Education from Cabrini College and a Commu-nications degree from Temple University. In his own words, “I’m a lucky person, lucky to be given opportunities like teaching. And the luckier you are, the more prepared you have to be. “I’m prepared.”

ByCassieTowler

Spring breaks in college are often spent lounging on a beach in a warmer climate, or lounging around in one’s living room. Over the most recent spring break a group of Gwynedd-Mercy students went on Alternative Spring Break service trips. Some students reflected on their time on service. Sarah Tefft spent her spring break serving in New Orleans at a senior community center and a school. The ASB students did scrap booking activities with the women at the community center as well as helping maintain the flower gardens in the center. These activities gave Gwynedd-Mercy students the chance to create relation-ships with the seniors at the community center. “It was a great opportunity to learn about their stories since many of them had lost their homes in hurricane Katrina. These women are strong and an inspiration to myself” said Tefft. Students also spent time working at St. Alphonsus School helping plan a field day for the students that in-cluded games, arts and crafts, and face painting. “I learned from this experience that service comes in all shapes and sizes. We provided the service of com-panionship for these ladies. They really enjoyed having us around and they were so grateful for our time, on the last day we left with about a pound of beads each that the ladies brought in for us” said Tefft. The ASB students from New Orleans met up with the ASB students serving in Biloxi, Mississippi for a tour of the city during their trips.“Sightseeing and tasting many foods specific to the area” was a highlight of the trip for Colleen Dalton who served in Biloxi over break. Students in Biloxi helped the homeless and working poor of the area by cleaning and refurbishing cottages for those still in need of homes after the destruction of hur-ricane Katrina and recent tornados. “I got a lot out of the experience, some that I am still realizing and have yet to realize. For instance I am trying to not take my blessings for granted, and to spend less time focusing on myself and more time focusing on oth-ers” said Dalton. Many students who participated in the Alternative Spring Break trips had eye opening experiences and found the trips worthwhile.

Gwynedd-MercyadjunctprofessorChrisMcWilliamshelpsaTVProductionstudenteditanewsbroadcastinsideStudio48

(Above)NewOrleansASBstudentsworkingataseniorcitizencommunitycenter.

Page 3 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

ByAnaLeeRodriguez

The Lady Griffins were on fire until the NCAA Tour-nament, when they suffered a devastating loss to Mount Saint Mary in the first round of the tournament. Despite leading for most of the game, Gwynedd-Mercy fell in the last seconds, 63-62. The Lady Griffins defeat was sealed as they went scoreless for three minutes in the second half. Senior Bryn Cotteta led the Griffins with 18 points, Sophomore Taylour Alston added 13 points to the battle and Senior Brittany Neill also contributed 9 points to the tough loss. This season has been a great ride for the Griffins, especially when compared to last season, when for the first time in 13 years they missed a chance to play for the CSAC championship. This season the Griffins not only were the CSAC Champions, but also went on to play in the NCAA Tournament. “I knew we had a good team going into it, but we we’re just going to be young. It was just finding that niche, finding those combinations that would work on the floor. Beginning of the year, we weren’t bad, but we just didn’t hit our stride yet. I think midway through the year, when we changed some things up, it really helped us” said Coach Keith Mondillo. This year the women’s basketball team is the CSAC champs. Seniors Cotteta and Neill had a great ending season and they will be missed on the court.

Lady Griffins Fall in NCAA Tournament Opener

ByAnaLeeRodriguez

To end the Winter Track and Field Season, the Men and Women teams competed at Christopher Newport University for the Mason Dixon Championships, an elite group competed at the Armory for ECAC’s and Justin Turner Competed at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Iowa. Justin Turner, a junior who specializes in the high jump, soared to the top and won the ECAC high jump title and was only beaten once throughout the entire season before finishing 9th at the NCAA Championships. Matt VanDenHengel, a senior distance runner, re-cently outran Alan Webb, who is an American Olympian and won Male Track Athlete of the Mason Dixon Cham-pionships in Virginia after winning the 800 meter run and anchoring the winning Distance Medley Relay. The men won second place at Mason Dixon and the

Gwynedd-Mercy Track and Field Excells at Mason Dixon Championships

women’s team placed fifth. There have also been a few injuries on the women’s sprint team. Brittney Hill will be coming back to help the women’s relay team and sprints. She is a key athlete in the sprints and will be a huge factor coming into the spring season. “I am anxious, determined, and feel as though I am back where I belong, on the track” said Hill. So far, both the men and women’s teams are doing great and Coach Dager has high expectations for the spring track and field season. The winter season was just the start for the Track and Field Teams, as they now move into their spring season, which kicks off on March 30-31st at Widener University.

The Gwynedd-Mercy women’s track team recently finished in fifth place at the Mason Dixon Championships

ByJustinNelson

In August 2008, the Gwynedd-Mercy College men’s soccer team brought joy to a young boy’s life, as well as their own, when Coach Dave Bontempo and the team “adopted” then-9 year old Luke Ronco. After a close friend of his passed away from brain cancer, Bontempo felt as though he should do something to help someone with a similar condition. While doing some research, Bontempo found out about the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. FOJ is an organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors. Bontempo got in contact with Denis Murphy, father of Jaclyn Murphy, who gave Bontempo more information about the organization and eventually, the coach found out about Luke Ronco. In 2002, at the age of three, Ronco was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The coach found out that Ronco lived too far away from the campus, so Bontempo told Ronco’s mother that he would contact a college closer to the family and see if they would be interested in “adopting” Luke. However, Ronco’s mother insisted that it would not be a problem, because the family passes through Philadelphia regularly. “When he arrived at the field, quite a few members of the team bonded with him immediately,” said Bontempo. “I thought he was going to be shy, but he turned out to be one of the most outgoing and intelligent young kids that I’ve seen.” Luke is “one of the strongest kids you will ever see,” said senior captain and goalkeeper Mike Leonard. “When you see him, he is always happy as if there was nothing

wrong with him.” When Ronco’s 10th birthday was approaching, his mother asked him what he wanted to do to celebrate. Ronco said that he wanted to spend it with “his team.” The Griffins had a surprise for him that he would never forget. Bontempo had his son David and daughter Laura make a Facebook page that described Ronco’s love for Pez candy. Ronco is an avid collector of Pez dispensers and at the time, had collected over 500 of them. Within ten days of creating the Facebook page, the soccer team had received an additional 500 dispensers from donors around the world. At Griffin Madness on December 3rd, Ronco was introduced to the school basketball team. By the time the night was over, he had been presented with the collection of Pez that pushed his personal collection to well over 1,000. Additionally, Ronco was given a book autographed by former 76ers president Pat Croce, a T-shirt and hat autographed by St. Joseph’s University men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli, and a poster autographed by Penn State’s basketball team. Ronco described this day as “the best birthday ever.” “He has helped our team out way more than we helped him,” said Bontempo. “He had to grow up fast, but he is wise beyond his years.”

Men’s Soccer Team Makes Impact in Young Cancer Patient’s Life Gwynedd-Mercy

now offers a minor in Communication! A minor in Communication is a great addition to any major and will be beneficial to your job hunt!

Contact Janis Chakars at chakars.j@gmc.edu for more information.

Page 4 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College December 2011

Accomplished Journalist Speaks at Gwynedd-Mercy ByErinCorbe

There are certain qualities that produce great journal-ists. A few of these key qualities include confidence, compassion, understanding, and motivation to get the key facts necessary for a story. In a November visit with journalism students at Gwynedd-Mercy, Megan Pinto, editor for WHYY’s NewsWorks website, gave these and other trouble-free directives on how to construct a news piece that is worth the readers’ time. “Prove you’re human and prove you care,” said Pinto. When writing and interviewing sources journalists need to take into consideration how their story could af-fect the people who have been targeted, who are victims, and how the story could affect the journalist’s commu-nity. “You want to show that you care and that you’re not just in the business because you need an article to put on your boss’s desk,” said Pinto. Pinto taught students that being pushy and aggres-sive will only hurt them when writing. It is best to give their contact information out and assure sources that if they would like to talk they can feel free to call, she said. However, Pinto also made it clear that it’s still important for journalists to follow up with sources. “Most times when you first approach a person they won’t want to be bothered. However, if you approach them for a second time, in an appropriate manner, they will be more willing to talk and help you out,” she explained. When writing news pieces, whether it be about the nation’s economic crisis, or an issue in the local com-munity, journalists must have plenty of story ideas. Pinto encourages young journalists to put themselves in the reader’s shoes. People want clear, concise answers to their questions, therefore when interviewing sources, journalists must be sure to ask simple direct questions. An important point that Pinto made was that journal-ists should write about what surprises them. When writ-ing, they need to be the storyteller, so they should tell the story clearly and engagingly and also tell why the public should care about the story. Pinto also mentioned in order to write well, journalists often have to read widely. This will also help them to gather new story ideas. The most important aspect of journalism is to hold people accountable. Journalism is needed in a healthy democracy in order to keep the public active and engaged in community. Journalists have a very important job that can sometimes be overlooked.

ByBethHarrison

This year’s “Let Your Light Shine” student-led retreat provided relaxation, new friendships, better understand-ing of others, and stronger spiritual connections for Gwynedd-Mercy College participants. Located in Sea Isle City, the LYLS retreat consisted of twenty-three people who were able to form close bonds by the beautiful beach. The LYLS retreat is truly special each year because every individual shines their own light among different groups of people. The retreat consisted of times spent with the entire group of participants and smaller groups of individuals. Activities during those moments are meant to provide spirituality and emotional ties to personal stories com-municated. This year’s theme was “we’re all in the same boat, let’s head to shore,” which relates to the idea that we all have challenges, but are all here to find support and strength to overcome them. “It is a weekend that I will never forget. I really liked

LLYS Retreat 2012: We’re All In The Same Boat

getting to spend time in small groups and all of the discus-sions,” said sophomore Alex Valeno, after attending the retreat for the first time. Gwynedd-Mercy College student leaders and adult leaders from the faculty and staff accompanied other student retreatants at LYLS. There were seven student leaders, three adult leaders, eleven other students, and two Campus Ministry staff members made this year’s retreat possible. The student leaders were Mary Ashmore, Beth Har-rison, Eileen O’Hagan, Kate Taylor, Sarah Tefft, Meghan Wells, and Jess Woodring. The adults were Fr. John Col-lins, Christine Eberle, Rebecca Krause, Mary Jo Pieran-tozzi, and Marissa Turchi. This year’s other students were Jim King, Desiree Rose, Christie Delhagen, Mike Czer-wonka, Kadeema Ware, Matt Agos, Ashlei Miller, Erin Gorenflo, Alex Valeno, Fay Sore, and Shaniceka Guerra. LYLS 2012 was definitely a memorable retreat week-end that will be kept close to participants’ hearts forever.

ByAnaLeeRodriguez

Being outside of your comfort zone is tough, but it is even tougher if you don’t know the language and the customs of others. This is what international students at Gwynedd-Mercy College fear, but in order to be success-ful, they must overcome these fears. Freshmen international student “Kimmy” Ngam Lam came from Vietnam where she was born and raised and she now attends Gwynedd-Mercy College as radiology major. She had all the same worries that every freshmen has about going to college. Will I make new friends? Will my roommate like me? Am I going to like the school and my professors? She also had some insecurities that most American students do not think about. “Will people make in fun of my accent?” Lam wondered. She was also nervous about how people would treat her, because she is an international student. She was un-sure of how living in a residence hall with two other girls would be like, since she was not aware of the culture. “On the first day I found out I was living with two other girls, I wondered how they would interact with me,” said Lam. “How do they live and is it different from the way I live? How do they socialize with people and what do they do for fun? But everything turned out better than what I had thought. They are always there when I need to talk to someone about class problems and questions about lectures.”

International Student Finding Her Way In An Unfamiliar Setting

She loves her roommates. They also have helped her with her English and any other needs, just as one would help out a sister. One of Lam’s roommates, Kaitlyn Miller, a freshmen nursing major, did not know that Lam was an international student until the second day living on campus. “I didn’t know or expect anything different really because I didn’t know that she was an international student. As the semes-ter went on Sarah (Lam and Miller’s other roommate) and I began to learn about Kimmy and thought it was pretty cool that she is from Vietnam,” said Miller. “She talks a lot about being homesick because she has to learn things from text books and has trouble translating them because there is no translation for certain words in English to her language. Sarah and I help her a lot with her English and we teach her idioms and English sayings which are fun.” When asked about the difference between college and high school, Lam commented on the diversity that GMC has. People do not even realize that she is an international student because the campus is so culturally diverse. There are older people in classrooms, too. In high school, people were all around the same age, but in college they are all different ages, come from different religious backgrounds and are all different ethnicities. “Some of my teachers have told me that I was their first international student” said Lam. The percentages of international students are small, but there are some hidden international students that go to GMC. “We had 7 undergraduate International Students

enrolled full-time. There have been students from Argen-tina, China, El Salvador, India, South Korea and Taiwan,” said Dana Grunklee, Gwynedd admissions counselor. After a while, Lam enjoyed telling people that she is an international student because, “the students treat me nicer and help me with my English and they are more open and generous with helping me.” Lam found out about Gwynedd-Mercy College by her high school counselor but she was deciding to go to GMC or LaSalle University. She liked GMC because of the dif-ferent majors, the serene nature surrounding campus and the fact the she could not speak in her native tongue. “In the city I could speak my language and I would never learn English,” said Lam. She says that GMC al-lows her to concentrate on speaking English because no one speaks her language and she is forced to speak Eng-lish everyday which allows her to learn at a faster pace. The whole reason that she decided to study abroad was because in Vietnam the school system is not as great as in other countries. She has learned a lot about American culture and has evolved as a person all from one semester as an international student at Gwynedd-Mercy College.

Page 5 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

ByErinCorbe Imagine a life without the use of cell phones, iPods, or Internet. Imagine not having a laptop to carry around so you can check your Facebook account every hour, or a Kindle to read the latest James Patterson novel. Would that be a cruel and hellish life to live, or would it be a life where we could appreciate the simplicity of things and what truly is important? Jennifer Rauch, associate professor of journalism and communication studies at Long Island University, says society relies on the use of digital media entirely too much. During a presentation she held at Gwynedd-Mercy College on Wednesday, November 30th, she explained the importance of putting a limit on the use of digital media. It is not that you should give up on all of the latest innovations, but you should try to limit your use of them. Revert back to old technology where you had to use pay phones, yellow pages, and Polaroid cameras. This type of technology doesn’t leave us with dependency issues, explains Rauch. Rauch recently tested out an experiment she cre-ated. Instead of using cell phones, she decided to use payphones. If she wanted to watch a movie, she rented a VHS tape. If something for work needed to be typed, she used a typewriter. She participated in this experiment for six months. “My digital devices no longer made decisions for me,” says Rauch. “It put time back in my schedule.” Now the ultimate question comes down to this: does society rely too much on digital media to the point where they feel lost without some sort of device in their pocket? Should we take the tips and ideas that Rauch gave us

and apply it to our own lives? Should we turn off the cell phones and computers after work and engage in conversa-tions with our families and friends without all the distrac-tions we have on a day to day basis? Marianne Ceneviva, full-time health care specialist and mother of four says yes. “When you shut technology down it allows you to have quality time with others, opportunities to have a conversation with your family, a chance to take your dogs for a walk,” she says. “You need to take the time to go outside and smell the fresh cut grass. Those are the memories that stick with you through life, not how many Facebook notifications you have, or if you own the newest version of the iPhone.” So now the question is, how can we slow down the use of digital media? Rauch gave Gwynedd-Mercy students some great ideas on how to wean themselves away from all the dis-tractions. On National Day of Unplugging, which occurs in March, the world can participate by shutting off their precious mobile devices. This helps society turn off all the gadgets they have and reconnect with the world. When Rauch decided to test out this experiment with her students, both sides were pleasantly surprised. “My students were surprised at how much they did enjoy it,” says Rauch. “I did not make them do this experiment for six months, only a day. Some students realized how these devices are really of little to no importance in the long run.” When it comes down to it, these digital devices that have been created for our pleasure are not bad or harmful. Instead, the harm is in how quickly we can develop a co-dependency for these material things. That is where we need to draw the line.

GMC Guest Speaker Suggests That Students Turn Off Their Digital Devices

Gustav fromPage1 The college has asked for upwards of $7 million dollars from trustees, alumni, and friends towards the completion of the project, and the fundraising has been largely successful. State-approved funds required ad-ditional dollars to meet their matching requirements, but due to many benefactors the college has actually exceeded this match. Over sixteen leadership gifts have been given, and benefactors include alumna Francis M. Maguire of the class of 1955; the Sisters of Mercy Mid-Atlantic Commu-nity, represented at the event by Kathleen Keenan, RSM; the Connolly Foundation, represented by Emily Riley; the Genuardi family, represented by Larry Genuardi; and the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with thanks to Governor Corbett, Senator Greenleaf, and Representative Harper. In her speech, Owens thanked everyone who has made this dream possible, including Redevelopment Authority of Montgomery County, Lower Gwynedd Township officials and township supervisors, architects from Stantec design firm, Dan Bosin Associates, TN Ward Company contractors, and Kevin O’Flaherty, Vice-Presi-dent for Finance/Administration at Gwynedd-Mercy College.

ForaphotographiclookatthedemolitionofGustavMartin,visitthespecial“GustavGallery”onpages7and8.

Thearchitect’srenditionofthenewEducationandBusinessBuilding

ByKatieStarrantino

Counseling Services graduate intern Kristen Hawk had a big idea. She wanted to turn February into Body Image Awareness Month for Gwynedd-Mercy. With the help of the Communication Club, Counseling Services, Peer Mentoring Association, and Psychology Club, she was able to bring her idea to life. The last week of February is nationally recognized as Eating Disorder Awareness week. Hawk incorporated this important aspect into her events at Gwynedd-Mercy and set about educating the Gwynedd community about body image issues. The month of February kicked off with a Common Hour which discussed the media’s effects on body image. A student speaker from Gwynedd-Mercy shared her per-sonal struggle with body image. The Peer Mentor Association worked hard to spread the word about body image by hanging advertisements and pictures of models in the bathrooms to get students talking. A large display depicting airbrushed celebrities, overly thin models, and extremely muscular men was placed in St. Bernard’s and Keiss Hall, along with tables run by volunteers. The volunteers at the tables handed out surveys, information about body images, and encouraged passersby to fill out an anonymous “post secret” which was used in a second Common Hour at the end of the month. The volunteers at the tables also handed out candy with surprising facts such as, “2 out of 5 women would trade 3-5 years of their life to achieve their weight goals” (the same is true of 1 out of 5 men). February wrapped up with a second Common Hour that was led by members of the Psychology and Com-munication clubs. At this event, students and faculty were shown a presentation that featured a number of statistics on body image and eating disorders. The results from the anonymous surveys and “post secrets” were revealed at the Common Hour. The surveys showed that GMC students have surprisingly positive perceptions of their bodies. It seems that with Kristen’s hard work and the dedication of all the clubs involved, the message to feel good about yourself for who you are is spreading around campus.

School Counselor Looks to Change Negative Body Perceptions

Want to write for TheGwynmercian, or learn more information? Contact freed.d@gmc.edu or rodriguez.r@gmc.edu

Page 6 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

1.) Clubs/Activities/SportsI am currently a Resident Assistant on the first floor of St. Brigid Hall, and also the Treasurer of the Student Government As-sociation (SGA) serving as a member of Executive Council.

2.) What do you like best about GMC? I like how you are able to make connec-tions with others almost instantly.

3.) Favorite GMC ClassMy favorite GMC class would have to be Introduction to HR Management.

4.) What are three things you can’t live without?Friends, music, and activities I am in-volved in.

5.) Favorite FoodTacos!

6.) Favorite TV Show or MovieBoy Meets World!

7.) Favorite Musical Artist or BandI have a lot but of my favorite are Angels & Airwaves, The Goo Goo Dolls, and The Fray.

8.) Favorite Teacher, Faculty, or Staff Mem-berTom Friel, of course!

9.) What Career Do You Want to Pursue in the Future?With my degree in Business Administra-tion w/ Health Administration degree and hopefully my MBA, I hope to pursue a career in Human Resources.

10.) What Advice Would You Give to Other GMC Students?Make your own fun by getting involved, take advantage of opportunities, and be yourself!

Griffin Take 10:Student Edition

ByBethHarrison

Have you ever seen a familiar face around cam-pus and wanted to know more about the person? Well, now is your chance to get to know the people in your neighborhood. Griffin Take 10 is a feature in which TheGwynmercianspot-lights outstanding individuals in the Gwynedd-Mercy community with short, 10 question profiles. This edition’s featured student is Jim King.

A Celebrity in the Unlikeliest of Places: GMC’s Kitchens ByRayFriend

James T. Simmons has a secret identity. He is not just a cook at Gwynedd-Mercy College. He is also DJ Flash, back-in-the-day back up to the hip-hop legend Schoolly D. Remember the film “King of New York”? That was Simmons on the soundtrack. “Yeah, I went up to stay with Schoolly and ended up staying in Christopher Walken’s house for about a week. We had some fun,” said Simmons. Simmons was born in North Carolina where he lived on a pig farm with a well and bucket completing its rural simplicity, but his family moved to Philadelphia in the early 1980s. That’s when his older sisters starting getting him into music. “They would physically drag me to concerts,” he said. “I loved listening to Michael Jackson and the Jack-son Five. Michael was my favorite because we were both the youngest.” As a youngster in Philly, he also met Schoolly D (real name: Jesse B. Weaver Jr.). “Schoolly was always the go-getter of the group,” said Simmons. “It was only a matter of time before he got a name for himself.” When he did, he called on his old friend DJ Flash. Flash shied from the limelight, however, preferring the simple life. Unless someone asks, he keeps his secret identity safe. “Who in the world is Flash?” asked his man-ager at Gwynedd-Mercy recently. Simmons likes it that way. “It’s quiet and I can make a few good people smile and that’s enough for me,” he said with a laugh and a flip of the chicken in his pan.

Are you a good journalist looking to get published, but are unsure where to go?

Come to The Gwynmercian! We accept most stories and will work to make sure that you get published.

Contact Daniel Freed (freed.d@gmc.edu) or AnaLee Rodriguez (rodriguez.r@gmc.edu) for more information.

Page 7 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

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Page 8 The Gwynmercian Gwynedd-Mercy College March 2012

Gustav Gallery

The Gwynmercian Staff Gwynedd Valley, PA 19437Volume 63, No. 3 March 2012Editors-in-Chief......................................Daniel Freed and AnaLee RodriguezWriters...................................................Erin Corbe, Ray Friend, Beth Harrison, Justin Nelson, Ashley Scheiber, Katie Starrantino, and Cassie Towler

We hope you enjoyed reading this edition, and continue reading many more editions! If you have any questions or concerns, please e-mail freed.d@gmc.edu or rodriguez.a@gmc.edu.

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