The Hilbert Hawks women’s softball team went on a trip to Myrtle Beach, North Carolina where They participated in a softball tournament, competing against seven[SJ1]  other college softball teams.  

Senior ^first basemen, Bailey Budziszewski said the team trip helped prepare them for the upcoming season this spring. 

“Practice is necessary and helps us improve, Budziszewski said. “Playing in games is much different than practicing in the gym among ourselves though it allowed us, specifically the coaches, to see what we can do. We can now have a better idea of our strengths and weaknesses individually and as a team.”

The 2023 Hawks will go into the season with two senior captains – Bailey Budziszewski and Victoria Lakeman – along with 23 other players. “The trip to Myrtle Beach created an opportunity for the players to build a stronger chemistry with each other.”

“We spent a lot of quality time together on and off the field,” senior captain Victoria Lakeman said. “We stayed in suites when we go to Myrtle Beach with about eight to 10 players per suite. We go grocery shopping together, make meals together and do various housekeeping tasks like washing our uniforms together. It was definitely a chance to get to know each other better and discover similarities among all of us.”

The Hawks will officially start their season  March 28, 2023, playing away at Elmira College at 3 pm. Individuals will be able to online stream the game through the Hilbert website.

Our economy is in a weird state currently that has prices everywhere rising. This includes prices on store shelves, as well as prices at the gas pump. To get a further insight into what is currently happening I interviewed someone who has seen and is being affected by it firsthand.

The man that I interviewed is known as Dane Rose and is currently the (Chief Operations Officer) of Witco Incorporated. His company owns and runs a convenient store, liquor store, gas station and is also trying to also get an escape room going. In my mind he was the perfect person to interview for more insight on the economy.

As your time of being a COO have you ever seen any major or slight changes in the economy?

“Through the end of Covid the market has definitely taken a turn. By that time things started to change a bit. People started to come out, but we also saw the start of price fluctuations and the start of inflation.”

Has inflation ever affected your business, or has it ever been an issue for you?

“Yea, it affected everything on a full scale. Every product made from caps made to put on plastic bottles that house something as simple as water or Pepsi. Anything made like that along the supply chain has been affected by a large amount. It’s been an incremental value at the cost standpoint that has been passed onto the customer and has created some of the inflation still seen today”

Have any of your other products been affected by inflation?

“Some of it’s been artificial inflation. There have been manufacturers who have taken advantage of a situation when they see a competitor move up. Consumers and distributors have taken advantage of that, even down to distribution on the level at the cost of diesel. Diesel has gone up a lot, over the course of the last two years and that’s something were minimum orders have gone up, minimum sur charges, minimum freight charges have definitely seen an incremental value.”

Have you seen some products’ prices change more over others, like gas compared to plastics?

“After the last election it was one thing you’ve definitely seen. Our gas prices… some unleaded and bio diesel both have definitely incrementally increased. It more than doubled in some stand points and it’s tough, especially for some people on a limited income basis. You have a set amount of money to spend and now you have to see them pick and choose what they can and cannot buy and where they can and cannot go, based on the cost of fuel. Some products are just monkey see monkey do where a competitor will see another take a raise, then they’re going to take a raise too.”

In the near or distant future how do you see market prices in the economy changing?

“Once people agree to pay a certain price for something, it never really goes back down. In our industry across our three markets that we deal with. We never really see price decreases. It’s only ever price increases. Once the consumers agree to pay, then that’s kind of what you’re stuck with. The manufacturer goes to the whole Saler, the whole Saler goes to the retailer, retailer to the consumer, and all across the board nobody wants to take a cut. That’s just one of the horrible things about inflation.”

Finally, do you have anything you could add personally about the state of our economy?

“Like I said it’s tough because once people agree to pay a price it never really changes. The only thing that ever really changes is more on a larger scale with interest rates. We saw a big increase in home buying over the last couple of years because interest rates were so low, we saw an increase in vehicle buying because interest rates were low and now those are all starting to rise. The people that go into a house like that and you’re paying a higher interest rate, it really affects your everyday dollar.”

McGrath Library hosted March Midterm Madness, an event that offered students assistance and an opportunity to relax amid the stress of midterms early this month.

Many students came and enjoyed themselves. Some ate, some relaxed by talking with friends and playing with Lego blocks, and others learned more about the campus and upcoming events.

 “Today’s event is basically to give students the opportunity to connect with different departments and learn about what they do, as well as to promote some of the school’s upcoming obligations or events, such as registering for housing, registering for classes, registering for financial aid, making sure they understand the college infrastructure, and also to give students a nice welcome back from spring break with food, a therapy dog, and things like that,” said Alex Edward the economic success coordinator at Hilbert who helped prepare the event.

Cookies, cocoa, popcorn, and candy were available for free for students. The library provided a fun and relaxing environment for students to spend time with their friends and classmates. “Students should expect this every year, and I believe there was a similar event last year where students could enjoy the same activities as today”, said Edward.

The event covered a wide range of information to keep students up to date, but one event or program that students should look into, as promoted by the campus safety representative, was a self-defense class for both men and women.

This will be a scenario-based, dynamic training program. The course will address “interpersonal human aggression and the physiological and psychological effects of imminent danger,” according to the materials promoting this program for the month of April.

 Students should also be aware that the campus safety team is promoting an additional program in which students can receive 1st Aid, CPR, AED, and bleeding control training. If you are interested in any of these two programs, contact Bailie at jbailie@hilbert.edu if you require any additional information.

Edward said students had fun and were pleased with the event and some even went to see the therapy dog. The overall experience was positive.

“I thought the event was fantastic,” Mathew Domagala, a senior at Hilbert College majoring in forensic science, said. “They had a variety of stations set up where you could talk to people from various departments, get information, and ask questions about anything,”.

As the Great Northern Elevator is dismantled, another beacon of Buffalo culture seeks to emerge in its shadow.

Situated on Ganson Street in the city of Buffalo is a budding and promising coffee shop. Wonderhouse Coffee provides a unique coffee and breakfast experience that screams Buffalo cuisine. With Riverworks and the Buffalo River as its backdrop, Wonderhouse features a drive-thru and a plethora of menu options. Waffle inspired dishes line the menu, featuring desserts and breakfast sandwiches that incorporate the waffle as the focal point of the dish.

Upon entering, the guest is met with a pleasant aroma that smells like maple syrup, cinnamon, powdered-sugar and funnel cake. The atmosphere is rustic and homey, with apparel and other Buffalo themed goods lining the walls. Adequate seating provides an inviting dine-in atmosphere. Old container hulls reside out back, providing outdoor seating for those who wish to dine outside.

I ordered a black coffee, alongside a waffle dish termed the “Pioneer.” The coffee was bold and robust, with a perfect bean to water ratio. The Pioneer was truly an awe-inspiring dish with a decadent presentation. Warmed blueberries top two waffles and serve as a filling. Additionally, brie cheese is melted in the middle, resembling the texture and flavor of cream cheese. It’s topped off with a sprinkle of powdered-sugar. This dish truly melts in your mouth, and the ingredients surprisingly complement one another.

Wonderhouse is located 16 minutes away from the Hilbert campus and can be reached quickest by traveling along Route 5.

Its namesake truly evokes wonder, as their menu is diverse and off the beaten track. Featuring a rating of four and a half out of five stars on Yelp, Wonderhouse Coffee has truly left many Buffalonians and outsiders alike impressed with what the City of Good Neighbors has to offer. As for myself, I’d personally rate Wonderhouse 5/5 stars, with no complaints whatsoever.

Hilbert hosted an outdoor neon roller skating event as part of Bert Fest.

Hilbert will host a celebration of its international students and their cultures Tuesday afternoon in Franciscan Hall.

The event, which runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., will include salsa dancing, polish food and henna art.

Kera Bush-Turner, Hilbert’s international student coordinator, said she hopes the event will boost the visibility of international students on campus and teach students about one another’s traditions.

“Our goal for this event is to have the entire Hilbert community learn more about our international diversity and how they can leave their mark on the world,” Bush-Turner said.

The scheduled events are:

• Salsa dancing with award-winning dance teacher Fanny Olaya, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Tabling by international students, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Henna art from Lori Henna Studio, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Polish Cuisine from the Wanderer Hut food truck, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

On Wednesday, April 26^th, Alyssa Collier and Faith Dyet will be hosting a Mat Ball tournament program as a way for students to be physically active with fellow peers and enjoy the final weeks of the spring semester.

Sporting events allow student athletes and non-athletes to engage in and play sports, while also having fun with friends. Exercise is also an excellent method to de-stress from the demanding college experience of schoolwork, exams, among many others. 

For those who are not familiar with mat ball, it is similar to kickball. It is an indoor team game where players try to score runs by going around the bases after kicking a ball. Unlike kickball, the bases are large floor mats, and any number of players can stay on them at the same time before running to the next one. Players on defense can tag runners out by catching the ball, throwing it at the runner, or touching the players with it. Once you split up into teams and set up the field, you’re ready to compete.

This event will be taking place in the Hilbert Hafner Center at 8 p.m. There will be a QR code to sign in and sign a waiver once students arrive at the gym.

Scott Caracci, the Management Coordinator for the Hilbert College Athletics department, says this is a great way for students to get involved.

“I think that it is great that you girls are holding a mat ball game in the Hafner Center,” he said. “It will give students on campus a new opportunity to meet new people while also being active. Safety during these types of events is paramount. Having campus safety looped in and having students sign a waiver are good steps to ensuring safety for this activity”.

At the end of this event, each student that has been signed in through the QR Code will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win Hilbert Hawks apparel and accessories. Collier and Dyet are hoping that this event will not only allow students to build connections with fellow peers, but also will build individual skills such as leadership, discipline, and confidence.

Dyet, one of the students who is running this event, said that she is very excited to be hosting mat ball.

“I am grateful to anyone who decides to participate,” Dyet said. “This has taken a lot of time and planning to ensure that students are receiving interactive programs that they enjoy.”

February 21st-24th was Communications Career week here at Hilbert College.

There were many activities such as a Sports Media Panel, Filmmaking Seminar, Marketing Seminar, and more.

During this time, students had the opportunity to tour two of Buffalo’s most popular production studios, WNED/PBS and WKBW (Channel 7 News).

“The purpose of career week is to connect our students with as many industry professionals and opportunities as possible. We want to show students different avenues into the industry and give them an idea of what it is like to work in an exciting field,” said Justin Sondel, a professor of digital media and communications, and the main organizer of Communications week.

At WNED, students learned about media production including live programing, radio, talk shows, audio, camera work, and more. Upon walking into the WKBW studio, Jeff Russo, anchor and reporter, as well as sports director for Channel 7 news, Matt Bove, welcomed the students and answered many questions about working in the field of journalism.

Students also watched the live taping of the noon broadcast anchored by Hannah Buelher, and meteorologist Mary Wrobel.

Jamal Harris, a digital media and communications major who attended the trip says “The news tour was definitely interesting, glad I went on it. Just cool for me personally, the news where the reporters were and the live studio.”

This was a great opportunity for anyone with an interest in communications, media, journalism or politics.

Students were able to ask experienced professionals questions one-on-one, see behind the scenes like audio and visuals, as well as learn about the dedication it takes to embark on this career path.

Keep an eye out for other fun and informative opportunities on Hilbert Campus. You can stay informed by checking your email and the school website for weekly updates, in addition to following Hilbert on instagram.

● @hilbert_involement

● @cab_hilbert

● @hilbert_comm

• @the_hilbert_scribe

Check out WNED’s and WKBK’s websites for internship opportunities.

The Hilbert College Baseball team traveled down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to compete in seven games over a six day stretch during spring break.

They earned a record of 4-3 while down south to bring their overall record to 5-6. Two Hawks, Brendan Walsh and Pat Whelan, earned athletic honors for their play in Myrtle Beach.

The spring trip was described as “an overall fun experience for both team bonding purposes and playing” by Walsh. The team played in competitive games and all players became closer to one another, he added.

On their first day, the Hawks saw an early morning double-header against Penn Tech College where they split the series by losing 4-2 in game one and winning game 2, 5-4.

In game one, Hilbert would only be able to plate across two runs. The first run was given in the top of the first inning after Derek Martinez reached base safely on an error that scored Whelan. The second run was earned in the fifth inning off of a double by Pat Whelan that scored Jairo Santos. Despite the strong outing by first-year pitcher, Andrew Cole, the Hawks were not able to generate enough runs to win game one. Cole threw 5.2 innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out two batters.

Game two saw a fast pace with little offense for either side. Penn Tech was able to score four runs in six innings, three of which unearned. The Hawks would not plate a run until the bottom of the sixth, when an RBI single off the bat of Manny McClain scored Derek Martinez. Hilbert would tie the game after back-to-back walks and a wild pitch scored three more runs. In the bottom of the seventh, senior Angelo DiNizo would double to left field, scoring Frank McCabe, allowing the Hawks to earn a walk-off win, 5-4.

Day two of competition was against Delaware Valley College, for a single 9-inning game. The Hawks struck early by scoring one run in the first inning and one run in the second inning. These runs came off the bat of a Thomas Evans double and a Griff McAndrews ground ball. Delaware Valley’s pitching silenced the hawks for the remaining seven innings while pushing across eight throughout the game, creating a final score of 8-2. Freshman Brendan Hediger had an impressive performance on the mound, throwing five innings, allowing one earned run, and striking out four.

The fourth game of the trip was a contest, under the lights, against Valley Forge University, which resulted in another walk-off win for the Hawks. Hilbert would take turns with the lead with Valley Forge until they claimed a 6-4 lead over the Hawks in the seventh inning. The Hawks would not respond until the bottom of the ninth when a Derek Martinez ground out made it 6-5. Jack Duffek was able to seal the game for Hilbert with a two RBI single to give the Hawks a 7-6 victory.

When asked about his big hit, Duffek described the at-bat as a great opportunity and the “kind of situation you dream of.”

“Down one, bases loaded, down to the final out.”

He kept his approach simple, saying to himself “take a deep breath, hit something hard.”

A deflating walk-off defeat for Hilbert against Clark Summit College would be overshadowed by a two-win day against Geneva College. The score of the double header would be 3-2 and 11-4. In game one, a Thomas Evans RBI, a John Riviere fielder’s choice, and a balk generated enough runs to defeat Geneva, given another strong outing from Cole. Cole held Geneva to one earned run over 5+ innings of work.

The second game against Geneva saw an offensive explosion for Hilbert. Ben Ratajczak, Evans, Whelan, Ben Chowaniec, and John Watson all recorded RBIs in the game. Whelan, Evans, and Santos also recorded extra-base hits. One of Whelan’s extra-base hits was a monster home run over the right field wall that gave the Hawks a 7-0 lead in the second inning. This game also saw another dominant outing from pitcher, Hediger, who threw six innings, allowing only one earned run.

For their actions over spring break, Walsh earned AMCC Pitcher of the Week while Whelan earned Hawk of the Week. Walsh appeared in two games, allowing no runs and only one base runner over five innings of work. He recorded two wins and a save while down south. Whelan posted a .444 batting average in Myrtle, while slugging .833. He also put together three multi-hit games over the week.

Have you ever witnessed someone in cardiac arrest, wishing that you could actually do something to help?

Well now is your chance. As a Hilbert College student you are eligible for CPR/AED training.

On behalf of Campus Safety, Officer John Bailie is offering a course for said training.

“We will be offering the Hilbert College Community ideally after Easter Break, for free, in small exclusive groups.”

According to Health & Safety Institute the human brain can only survive, four to six minutes without oxygen. After six minutes irreversible brain damage can occur and possibly even death. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and it is a technique that is used to slow the process of brain death by restarting the heart and getting a person to start breathing again.

CPR is needed when someone goes into cardiac arrest, when the heart malfunctions and stops beating unexpectedly. According to the American Heart Association about 10,000 incidents of cardiac arrest occur at work each year, and about 92% of victims die before even reaching the hospital.

Bailie said people can cause additional harm when they perform CPR incorrectly.

“Broken ribs and sternum, vomiting, stomach distension, and brain damage,” Bailie said.

Bailie said the classes last less than two hours.

“It takes roughly 60 to 90 minutes depending on the student,” he said.

When CPR might not be working, one might have to start to use an automated external defibrillator, commonly referred to as an AED. The need to know how to use an AED is just as important as learning CPR, Bailie said.

If you are interested in learning CPR and how to use an AED you can reach out to Campus Safety or Bailie.

They will be offering this opportunity to all students in small groups throughout this semester, ideally any time after Easter Break. All you need to do is reach out to Bailie at jbailie@hilbert.edu.