By Amanda Cochran,
News Editor

Silver camera flashes ignited the vestibule of St. Joseph’s Chapel, as a troupe of around 15 ghost hunters filed into the dimly-lit worship space for a chance to experience the paranormal on October 7, 2005.

Then suddenly, white orbs of light began to appear on the hunters’ digital camera screens. The hunters, both Seton Hill University (SHU) students and a members of an area paranormal team, hoped to capture these balls of patterned light, commonly called orbs, on film.

Orbs, which can be a multitude of colors, are supposedly spheres of energy that may indicate a paranormal presence in the room.

However, as Peg Haight, a “sensitive” or psychic member of Ghost Researchers in Pennsylvania (G.R.i.P.), said the presence may just be some sort of random energy.

“It all depends on the beliefs you bring with you,” she said.

The G.R.i.P. team returned to SHU for the second consecutive year to present a slide presentation as part of a resident floor program, conducted by Haley Gilbert, junior resident assistant. The ghost hunt in the chapel was held afterward.

The presentation included an informational session on the investigative method of G.R.i.P.’s hunts. Members of the team demonstrated the technology they use, including video cameras, voice recorders, and electro-field meters, as well as discussed their findings, which include photographed orbs and apparitions and “extra voices” on recorded audio files, commonly known as Electronic Voice Phenomenons (EVP).

Around 50 people attended the presentation in an Administration Building classroom. Gilbert said the presentation was to fulfill the intellectual requirement for resident students. She said freshmen were very interested in the ghost hunting idea, which prompted her to pursue the G.R.i.P. team once more.
For three years, the G.R.i.P. team has searched for paranormal activity , adding more documentation to their collection.

Laurel Black, English professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, wife of SHU archivist, Bill Black, said pursuing this science is a worthwhile way to help in understanding death, but added that paranormal investigation is going to take a long time to gain scientific credibility because too many investigators are “whackos”.

“They would rather entertain than educate,” said Laurel Black.

Bill Black said personal accounts from SHU students, faculty and staff have reported paranormal activity, but the G.R.i.P. team tries to discount everything they can before drawing conclusions.

“You should be sensitive to everything, but you should rule out every other reason,” Laurel Black said.
Marie Manski, freshman, now lives in Maura Hall room 502, where the G.R.i.P. team investigated last year. She said she attended to learn more about her room and now feels “more informed”.

“To hear someone talk about it. It makes me want to experience that (intuitiveness). It makes me curious.” she said.

Amanda Kraeger, senior, said images of electroplasma or mist, were “cool”.

“They made it seem like it could really happen,” she said.

Daniel Kovacic, junior, said his Catholic belief is that you only gain eternal life, but acknowledges the uncertainty of the afterlife and the personal experiences of the G.R.i.P. team.

“Why would you make that story up?” he said, referring to the teams’ testimonials.
Bill Black returns to the idea that has kept the G.R.i.P. team, and a relatively large population, interested in ghost hunting.

“I don’t have the answer, but that’s what makes it more fun,” Black said. “It’s the pursuit of trying to figure out what’s going on.”

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