Mercyhurst students, faculty and staff participated in the WQLN Collegiate Challenge on Tuesday, Oct. 27, to raise money for Erie’s public  radio station and to promote the University.

WQLN Radio, 91.3FM, relies on donations from the public. The Collegiate Challenge is an annual event to raise money which Mercyhurst has been involved in for many years. The challenge gives the people of the Mercyhurst community a chance to be on the air and share what the university is all about.

One of the speakers at the event included Caleb Ohmer, senior Political Science and English major and president of Mercyhurst Student Government, who discussed the student life and events on campus including homecoming, welcome week and other events that have occurred this fall.

“I wanted to highlight the new spirit surging through the veins of Lakers this year,” Ohmer said.

Another speaker for the event was Michael Federici, Ph.D., Political Science Department chair.

“It’s an opportunity to brag about my department and I think it’s good publicity for the university,” Federici said.

The publicity that this event produces gives the citizens of Erie a different view of Mercyhurst and its various departments and programs that they may not have been aware of.

Other Erie colleges who participated in the Challenge this year were Allegheny College, Edinboro University, Penn State Behrend, Gannon University, LECOM and University of Pittsburgh at Titusville.

Last year, Mercyhurst raised $5,545.

While pledging remains open until the challenge is complete, by Tuesday evening Mercyhurst had raised $6,208, surpassing last year.

The challenge will culminate and winners will be announced on “Victory Day” at at WQLN Studios on Oct. 30.