“Hurst is Home ‘’ is a phrase often used on campus. Mercyhurst remains home for current and past students. This year we are fortunate to welcome back several alumni, especially from the class of 2020. Of the many recent graduates that have returned back to campus this fall, this week we re-introduce the Mercyhurst community to recent graduate Tessa Sayre. Sayre is the Public Services Manager at Hammermill Library. She’s in charge of overseeing the Circulation Desk and working with other library staff on special projects. “I attended Mercyhurst University beginning in 2016,” she said. “At the time, my major was just Psychology. I went on to add a theatre minor that year and a Creative Writing major my junior year. I graduated in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 crisis and celebrated with a Netflix marathon,” she said. Sayre’s experience with extracurriculars at Mercyhurst was extremely rewarding for her. “As a student, I was most heavily involved in the Theatre Program,” Sayre said. “I found it incredibly rewarding to participate in the shows in any capacity—whether performing on stage, assisting the stage manager, or running spotlight. I’ve not found such a wonderful group of people anywhere else, and many of the friends I made in the theatre program as a student I remain in contact with today. I also was a part of the English Honors Society (Sigma Tau Delta) and submitted work to the Lumen.” It ended up being that very experience that drew her back to Mercyhurst. “I chose to come back to Mercyhurst because I was quickly growing tired of pursuing a life path that I did not enjoy,” Sayre said. Overall, her experience as an employee rather than a student has been great. “As a new staff member, I am most thankful for the community here at Mercyhurst,” Sayre said. “I’d been acquainted with the library staff as a student and when I returned as Public Services Manager they were all very welcoming and friendly. It’s nice to work on a team that collaborates so well together.” Sayre is still just as involved in the Mercyhurst community, recently being cast in the Theatre Program’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Be sure to say hello to her if you see her at the library. By