MARCH 8-31
’Hurst gallery to showcase graduating seniors

Works by senior art majors at Mercyhurst College will be on view in the college’s Cummings Art Gallery March 8-31. The artists will be honored at a reception on Saturday, March 13, from 2 to 5 p.m. The gallery, located in the lobby of the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center, is open Tuesday through Sunday 2-5 p.m. and Thursday 7-9 p.m. For more information, contact gallery director Heather Dana at 824-2092.

MARCH 9
Mercyhurst to honor founder of Mercy Beyond Borders
A Mercy sister who has dedicated her life to making the world a more welcoming place for refugees will receive Mercyhurst College’s Archbishop Oscar Romero Award for 2010 during a visit to Erie on March 9. Marilyn Lacey, RSM, founder and executive director of Mercy Beyond Borders, will deliver a free public lecture on Tuesday, March 9, at 8:15 p.m. in the college’s Walker Recital Hall. Mercyhurst presents the award annually to an individual “living the call of faith and justice in an extraordinary manner.” For more information, contact Dr. Thomas Forsthoefel, 824-2353.

MARCH 11 & 25
MNE slates financial aid workshops
Prospective college students can receive financial aid counseling and complete their FAFSA at workshops held in room 116 of the Michelle and Tom Ridge Health and Safety Building at Mercyhurst North East on Thursdays, March 11 and 25. Call Steve Gregg at 725-6252 to RSVP. Appointments are being scheduled from 4:30 – 8:30 each night. Students and parents (if applicable) will need a copy of their 2009 taxes, income statements and driver’s license or state I.D.

MARCH 14
MNE stages ‘Celtic Charm’ in honor of St. Patrick’s Day

Mercyhurst North East will be filled with Irish spirit as Music Director Patricia Sullivan hosts her annual St. Patrick’s Day concert, featuring the Rev. Bill Sutherland, barbershop chorus Lake Erie Sound, and Irish Step Dancers Rince Na Tiarna, on Sunday, March 14, at 2 p.m. in St. Mary’s Chapel on the MNE campus. Other “Celtic Charm” performers include The Light House Gang, Erie Philharmonic violinist Louis Nicolia and singer Michael Dunlavey with piano accompaniment by Sister Lucille DeStefano, SSJ. Reception to follow the performance. Free and open to the public. Call Patricia Sullivan, 725-6277; or visit northeast.mercyhurst.edu for more details.

MARCH 16
CSI forensics consultant to tell macabre tales
On Tuesday, March 16, at 8:15 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall, Mercyhurst Student Government will welcome Gary Telgenhoff, forensics consultant on the hit TV show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.” His background as a forensic pathologist and deputy medical examiner leads to an educational, interesting, humorous and macabre presentation that you won’t soon forget. Tickets are free and available first to the Mercyhurst College community and, starting March 9, any remaining tickets will be made available to the public (limit two per person). Call 824-3000.

MARCH 18
MNE offers Easter crafts workshop
Learn to make several hand-woven decorative palms using age-old patterns and techniques at Mercyhurst North East on Thursday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. Just bring your scissors and your imagination to Miller Hall 112 for the “Create Old World Woven Palms” workshop. The Easter craft will be taught be Lawrence Kozlowski, MNE director of student life, and several MNE students. Call Patricia Sullivan, 725-6277; or visit northeast.mercyhurst.edu for more details.

MARCH 19-21
Mercyhurst students to stage opera favorites
Students in the D’Angelo Department of Music at Mercyhurst College will perform “Opera Pops and Sizzles” the weekend of March 19-21. Brent Weber, assistant professor of voice, directs the program, which features opera’s most famous and beloved arias and ensembles, costumed and staged with a full orchestra directed by Stephen Colantti. Performances are scheduled on Friday and Saturday, March 19-20, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 21, at 2 p.m. in Mercyhurst’s Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15.50 for adults; $12.50 for students and seniors; $7.50 for President’s Cardholders; $5 for youths; and $1 for Mercyhurst students with ID. Call the box office at 824-3000 for tickets, or 824-2394 for more information.

MARCH 20
Mercyhurst’s D’Angelo Music Dept. to host high school students
The D’Angelo Department of Music at Mercyhurst College has invited high school juniors and seniors to an open house on Saturday, March 20. The day will include a variety of lessons and workshops, as well as opportunities to meet with current students and faculty. Those attending will also receive free tickets to the evening performance of “Opera Pops and Sizzles.” For information or to register, contact Krista Lamb at 824-2394 or visit music.mercyhurst.edu.

MARCH 23
Mercyhurst Student Government welcomes actor Raymond Ablack
Canadian actor Raymond Ablack, who played Simba in the stage production of “The Lion King” in Toronto before landing the role of Sav Bhandari in the television series, “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” will speak at Mercyhurst College on Tuesday, March 23, at 8:15 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. Tickets for this Mercyhurst Student Government-sponsored event are free and available first to the Mercyhurst College community and, starting March 2, to the general public (limit two per person). Call 824-3000.

MARCH 24
MNE celebrates Women’s History Month
Join Mercyhurst North East in honoring the contribution women have made to history, culture and society in the United States at a special presentation on Wednesday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Alex Theatre on the MNE campus. MNE faculty and students will present vignettes, poetry and radio theatre to celebrate Women’s History Month. Call Patricia Sullivan, 725-6277; or visit northeast.mercyhurst.edu for more details.

MARCH 25
‘Hurst recital series to feature Anna Meyer on flute
The Mercyhurst College Faculty Recital Series continues this month with a performance by Anna Meyer on flute. The program, which is free and open to the public, is set for Thursday, March 25, at 8 p.m. in the college’s Walker Recital Hall. Call 824-2394 for more information.

MARCH 28
Mercyhurst stages dance production billed ‘Dis-Ease: A Coming Out’
Mercyhurst College dance faculty Mark and Solveig Santillano (SoMar Dance Works), seven Mercyhurst dance majors and singer-songwriter Davy Sturtevant bring their collective talent to “Dis-Ease: A Coming Out.” The innovative dance production, intended to raise awareness of the often taboo subject of mental illness, will be staged at Mercyhurst College on Sunday, March 28, at 4 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall. The performance is free and open to the public. Sponsored by Mercyhurst College and Stairways Behavioral Health. Call 824-3000.

Mercyhurst art, social work students host annual ‘Empty Bowls’ meal

Students in the Mercyhurst College sociology/social work and art departments will host their annual collaboration, Empty Bowls Meal & Auction, on Sunday, March 28, from 4-6 p.m. in Egan Dining Hall on the Mercyhurst campus. The popular community event, where guests receive a simple meal of soup and bread and take home a handcrafted bowl in remembrance of those whose bowls are too often empty, benefits the Northwest Pennsylvania Second Harvest Food Bank. Cost is $15 per person and includes a take-home bowl ($3 for children/without bowl). Call 216-440-0760 for more information.