April 2011 Edition

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Penn State Beaver Roar

April 2011

April 2011

Penn State Beaver Roar

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news

news

Gas prices hit students hard

Students get rewarded at research fair

Julie Leeper Staff Writer

jal5624@psu.edu

Increasing gas prices are hitting students’ wallets hard. Matthew Tabit, senior and small business owner, is feeling the financial stress.

As a flooring contractor, Tabit must make multiple trips to his job-sites, which are typically located downtown.

When working full-time, he drives nearly 650 miles per week.

Travel expenses are becoming an increasing burden.

“I noticed a significantly narrower profit margin as the cost of doing business has risen on all fronts,” Tabit said. “Materials costs go up almost immediately as gasoline [prices] go up.”

As gas prices continue to increase both nationally and in Beaver County, Penn State Beaver students are feeling the impact.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gasoline in Monaca, Pa. is currently $3.678 per gallon: up more than 80 cents from this time last year.

In addition to impacting his business, Tabit also said it’s the most recent price hike that has actually caused him to alter some of his daily routines to avoid the extra cost of filling up.

He now chooses to stay on campus during his break between classes rather than going home.

His 20-minute commute from Hopewell costs him, on average, $10 round trip daily in his Ford E350 XLT work van.

Do the math, and commuting five days a week for a semester adds up to a hefty $750 in gasoline expenses alone for Tabit.

“It’s a toss-up,” he said.

He explained that he has a choice: spend the money eating

on campus at the Bistro or spend the money on gas driving home to make a meal.

The allocation of limited resources, a fundamental principle of economics, is becoming more of an issue for students as gas prices continue to rise.

Rajen Mookerjee, associate professor of economics, put the price increases into perspective.

“Every one cent increase in the price of a gallon is equal to a $1 billion dollar tax on people in America,” he said. Although not a literal tax, the increased cost of gasoline means that people will have to allot more money to filling up rather than spending on other products or services.

Senior Lauren Lillard, a commuter from Burgettstown, Pa., said gas costs are not only causing her to have to designate more money to travel expenses, but have also

caused her to increase the number of hours she is working to compensate.

This, in turn, has left her with less time to devote to school work and extracurricular activities.

While some commuters have noticed the effects of rising gas prices, others, like sophomore Matt Walker, reason that paying for gas is just a necessary part of the cost of living and commuting.

Resident student sophomore Ryan Hudacsek sympathizes with commuter students and said that gas prices are having a bigger impact on them since they have to travel back and forth on a regular basis. Although his family lives near campus in Economy, Pa., Hudacsek said the increased cost of filling up on his limited budget has actually caused him to drive home less this semester.

Rising gas prices, in addition to

impacting travel expenses, have also driven up food costs. Jeremy Lindner, director of Housing and Food Services, said that the trend is currently not significantly impacting Penn State Beaver’s food costs.

In an attempt to prepare for potential increases in both gas and food costs, Lindner said Penn State University as a whole has been stocking up on non-perishable dry goods while prices are low.

He said a delivery surcharge was added to food delivery fees several years ago. While the additional charge is still in place to offset the increased cost of gasoline, it is unlikely to affect students’ meal plan costs or Bistro prices overall.

Students can rest easy for now; gas prices are not substantial enough to impact the cost of their chicken cosmos, but should be prepared to continue to pay the high prices at the pump.

Person in the bistro

How are high gas prices impacting you?

“

It’s Horrible. High gas prices are basically taking my paycheck.”

Brandon Lentz Freshman-Commuter

“

I think gas companies need to stop screwing us and go screw themselves.”

Karen McCarrell Freshman-Commuter

“

It’s really bad and very costly because I get poor fuel milage.”

Dave Solomon Freshman-Commuter

“

Last summer it was about $20 to fill up. Now it takes about $30 to $35. Ten bucks is a big leap!”

Erica Campbell Freshman-Commuter

“

It’s pricey because my house is 30 minutes away from campus.”

Nihal Fernando Freshman-Commuter

Ashley Stansfield Staff Writer

ans170@psu.edu

Entering the campus Research Fair can result in more than just an accomplished feeling.

It can also lead to $100 or more in cash prizes.

On April 6, the campus hosted its tenth annual Undergraduate Research Fair. The fair is designed to highlight research that students conduct on campus.

There are two ways to show off student research: poster presentations and oral presentations. This year, there were seven poster and six oral presentations.

First place in the poster category went to senior Thomas Crawford with his research on “Examining the Relation Between Trait Aggression and Violence-Related Player Versus Player Style Video Games.”

Second place went to freshmen Katie Ann Jezewski with her research entitled, “Undermining Natural Order?”

First place for oral presentations went to senior Raja Jasper and his partner junior Edward Knotek. The topic of their research was “Penn State Beaver BLT Fact Application for Android.”

Second place went to senior Joel Rosenstern with his research entitled “The Impact of the Allegheny Front on Genetic Diversity of Little Brown Bats, and on the Spread of White Nose Syndrome in Pennsylvania.”

Each participant receives a framed award, but first place winners receive $150. Second place receives $100.

“This is an opportunity for them to do real work, like they would in the real world, having to stand up and explain their ideas to people and following a project from beginning to end,” said Research Fair chairperson Clare Conry-Murray, assistant professor of psychology.

Jezewski said she learned a lot from participating in the Research Fair.

“It’s like that feeling when getting a new car, high score on

The Roar/Justin Vorbach

Senior Thomas Crawford, who won the poster category, explains his research project to a group of spectators at the campus research fair.

a game, or doing well on a test,” she said. “You just feel like telling everyone or saying ‘Hey, look what I did! Would you like to hear about it?’”

Irene Wolf, senior instructor in philosophy and a Research Fair committee member, said that the fair gives students an opportunity to be mentored by an expert.

“Then later on, if they want to go to grad school, it’s a very good experience to have had, even if they don’t win,” Wolf said. “It’s about the experience that is gained.”

Reference Librarian Beth Theobald said that no matter what job you have in the future, you are going to have to know how to do proper research and presentations.

“It’s better to participate now, so you can get the experience and the feedback from your professors. It’s a really important skill to have,” she said.

Jezewski said that although first place would have been nice, what mattered to her the most was knowing that she presented to the best of her ability and to her personal satisfaction.

“The research fair requires discipline, determination and

will. These qualities are amplified when doing a research project and your communications skills improve when presenting to people,” she said.

Crawford said, “I don’t remember ever hearing about the Research Fair before I participated in it.

More people should take an interest in the fair.

I feel that the hands-on experience taught me things I didn’t gain from any other class.”

Minhnoi Wroble Biglan, assistant professor of psychology, said that students who get more experiences in school are more likely to stay.

“If they can get over the scope of talking to others, it gives them the self confidence to feel like

they can show and articulate what they are able to do. It raises their confidence. It’s like that tipping moment when you do something that’s out of your norm – it makes you believe in yourself that much more,” she said.

Conry-Murray would like to see more students involved in the fair.

“The last three years that I have been involved has been steady numbers, but we definitely have room for more, and I would like to see it grow,” she said.

So what advice would this year’s participants like to leave for next year’s?

“If you are nervous, just practice in front your friends and get their advice,” Jasper said.

“It is a good experience to present something that you are working on and sharing it with the whole campus,” he said.

Freshman Marisa Ciamacca said that the Research Fair is a lot of work so when choosing a topic, make sure that it is one that peaks your interest.

“Get involved with something that interests you, because then it doesn’t seem like work,” she said.

Conry-Murray hopes to see even more students at next year’s event.

“You don’t have to have your research completed to be involved,” she said. “You can be in the midst of a project and still present it as long as you have some of the results.”

WBVR

New DJs wanted!

For information email James Hustead at jmh645@psu.edu.

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Penn State Beaver Roar

April 2011

April 2011

Penn State Beaver Roar

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news

news

Starbucks and budget cuts

Banquet honors students and faculty

Beaver campus not closing any time soon

Caitlin Vodenichar Assignment Editor

cav5119@psu.edu

For the past five years, Chancellor Gary Keefer has met with students to talk about the campus over chips, chili, cheese or cheesecake.

This year, Keefer met with students in Harmony Hall March 30 and talked about the possibility of Starbucks coming to campus and the addition of stations in the Harmony Hall lobby where students could fill up their water bottles.

Starbucks coffee is coming to the Bistro. It will replace the Seattle’s Best brand that is owned by the Starbucks Corporation.

Students won’t see baristas serving up fancy drinks, but they’ll still get the taste of a regular Starbucks.

“We had hoped to do something more unique, but with the budget we’re still working out the financial aspects,” said Jeremy Lindner, director of Housing and Food Services.

Lindner said he hoped to do a nutrition bar with espressos and cappuccinos. “But I don’t know if we have the money for it or if that’s the best place to spend our money,” he said.

Lindner added that water fountains and bottle-filling stations have been considered for the campus, but it’s not the same idea as the hydration station that has been tried at University Park.

The campus has to work with putting the plumbing into a central location and being as cost effective

SPECIAL TO THE ROAR/ROBIN SCHRECK

Gary Keefer talks to the students about the effects of the proposed state budget cuts to Penn State. Keefer also said the Bistro may start to serve Starbucks coffee this fall.

as possible.

The main topic Keefer discussed with the students was about the proposed state budget cut and how it would affect life on campus.

He explained that as soon as the announcement was made about the cut, the Wellness Center project was put on hold, as were many other projects across the university.

The groundbreaking was held,

but it wasn’t made into a big event.

The project is running smoothly now, Keefer said. Construction will begin soon.

If the bill for the budget cut is signed in June, the possibility of an increase in tuition is clearly evident. The increase will affect instate students because of the state allocation, but tuition for out of state students will increase slightly

as well, Keefer said.

Room and board costs will increase, but not because of the budget cut. It is not directly affected by the state budget, he said According to Keefer, not only will tuition increase, but the Federal Pell grants and state PHEAA grants that so many students rely on may also be cut as well.

He said that the budget cut was

Despite recent media reports to the contrary, Chancellor Gary Keefer said the fear of the campus closing is unfounded.

Beaver campus, Keefer said, is financially healthy.

For campuses that are struggling, the fear of closing is more of a reality than at Beaver, Keefer told the students at the Cheesecake with the Chancellor meeting March 30.

According to Keefer, Penn State Beaver has seen significant enrollment growth in the past five years, and he isn’t worried about the campus closing.

Keefer said there is a longer-term concern only if all state funding is cut, but the campus will be open in the fall.

Talk of campus closures started after Gov. Tom Corbett proposed cutting Penn State’s funding in half.

completely unexpected.

Since 70 percent of the budget goes to payroll, and he doesn’t want anyone to lose their jobs, the university has to think of a way to absorb the impact of the cut without suffering in many areas.

He said that some of the elective classes that only have a few people sign up for each may have to be cut to save a little.

From Staff Reports

Penn State Beaver awarded sophomore Maria Corradi with its highest student honor, the Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award, at its annual awards banquet held April 15.

The award, named in honor of the late Penn State President Eric Walker and his wife, Josephine, recognizes one student at each campus each year for outstanding character, scholarship, leadership and citizenship.

Corradi is a Smeal College of Business Administration major and a varsity women’s basketball player.

In addition, senior Dana Sklack was named the Outstanding Student of the Year.

Sklack is a communications major and a three-year managing editor of The Roar. She also serves as a Lion Ambassador.

In addition to Corradi and Sklack, numerous other students, faculty and staff were honored.

Recipients of student academic awards were: Seniors: Ted Froats, Jr., communications; Beth Ann Serych, chemistry.

Juniors: Sara Cope, management/marketing; Valerie Cycholl, Information Sciences and Technol-

Student charged with stealing $650 in property Victoria Phillippi of Ellwood City was ordered to spend one year in the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program stemming from theft charges earlier this year.

University Police charged Phillippi with theft and receiving

stolen property on Jan. 14 after a Coach purse, Vera Bradley wallet and Sony camera, valued at $650, went missing from the gymnasium during a yoga class.

Student arrest Police arrested Khalihia Hines of

Aliquippa for failing to respond to a retail theft charge. She was taken to district court and agreed to pay a fine plus costs.

Missing phone A female resident student told police her phone went missing

from the Food Services Building around 6:10 p.m. March 28. The student told police she left her phone on a table and noticed it was missing a few minutes later.

Internet harassment A female student told University

Police that a male student was harassing her via the Internet on April 10. No charges were filed.

Stolen iPod A resident student told police that her iPod was stolen on April 18 around 11:10 a.m.

ogy (IST); Sean Dickey and Taylor Jaros, IST design and development option; Matthew Tabit, psychology; Sean Wolff, business.

Sophomores: Marisa Ciamacca and Tyler Davis, biology; Nathan Flowers, IST integration; Ryan Jones, civil engineering; Ciara Meissner, psychology; Jessika Murray, mechanical engineering; Kaitlin Thayer, elementary education.

Freshman: Caitlin Vodenichar, journalism.

The President’s Freshman Award was presented to Garrett Covalt and Cory Wagner.

College Honors Program Certificates were awarded to Cycholl, Jaros and juniors Joel Rosenstern and Kaitlyn Seyler.

A Campus Honors Certificate went to Dickey.

Student Life Awards were given to freshmen Darlene Coulanges, sophomore John Meanor, juniors Amy Green, Trey Hudspeth and Tony Houghton and senior Kylee Weaver. Senior Stefanie Shakespeare received the Adult Achievement Award.

Eight faculty and staff members were honored for teaching, advising or service.

Wellness Center back on track after budget cuts Dana Sklack Managing Editor

des5141@psu.edu

Police Beat

THE ROAR/CATHY BENSCOTER

Maria Corradi receives the Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award from her coach, Bert DeSalvo.

Advisory Board / Markwest Energy Partners Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award: Cassandra Miller-Butterworth, assistant professor of biology.

Advisory Board / ESB Bank Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award: Judy Berasi, lecturer in speech communications.

Advisory Board / Michael Baker Corporation Faculty Excellence in Research Award: Clare Conry-Murray, assistant professor of psychology.

Advisory Board / NOVA Chemicals, Inc. Faculty Excellence in Service Award: Robin Bower, associate professor of Spanish.

Advisory Board / Andrews Industrial Controls, Inc. Staff Excellence Award: Rebecca Mulholland, admissions counselor.

Advisory Board / Value Ambridge Properties, Inc. Staff Service Award: Renata Shaw, staff assistant, Campus Executive Office.

Student Government Association (SGA) Outstanding Organization Adviser: Judson Sammons, residence life coordinator and Thon adviser.

SGA Outstanding Academic Adviser: Minhnoi Wroble-Biglan, assistant professor of psychology.

Just weeks after Penn State put a hold on the project; the new campus Wellness Center has been given the approval to begin construction.

“I was confident all the time that the project would be a go,” Director of Finance and Business Luke Taiclet said.

On March 17, Penn State Beaver held a ground-breaking ceremony to herald the beginning of the $3.4 million project.

A week later, the university put a hold on all projects in excess of $1 million. The move was in response to Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget proposal that would cut the university’s appropriation in half.

The delay allowed the university to review all projects to make sure funding was in place in the event of a significant cut in state funding.

Taiclet said the university’s decision to allow the project to progress means the Wellness Center should open sometime next spring.

“Nothing has really changed except the timeline,” he said. He

now expects the new building to be finished in March, but said the exact date could still change. The contractors are reviewing the project to decide on a final timeline.

Construction will begin the week of May 9, but the gym will be closed the week of finals so that it can be cleared before the existing gym is remodeled.

The building will remain closed until the last week of the summer break.

During the remodeling, the athletic offices will be located in the game room in the Student Union

Building.

Planning for the Wellness Center began four years ago. For the past three years money has been set aside from the campus budget and from the student facility fee to pay for part of the project. A donation was also made from Beaver campus alumnus Carl Bartuch.

The rest of the $3.4 million budget came from other sources within the university.

The current weight room and wellness facilities are small and many students are unable to take full advantage of them.

“I know a lot of people come to the gym and worry about the weight room being crammed,” Student Government Association President Pradeep Karunanidhi said.

The new facility will consist of 4,000 square feet of new space.

“It will give us more opportunities with the bigger room and more equipment. The options are going to be limitless,” Michelle Kurtyka, lecturer in kinesiology said.

Kurtyka is also excited to be able to expand what she can cover in her classes, thanks to the new space that will be available.

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viewpoint

Managing Editor Dana Sklack

AC

H

des5141@psu.edu

JU

ST

IN

VO

RB

assistant Managing Editor Brandon Perino bjp5053@psu.edu

Art Editor Justin Vorbach

jav5121@psu.edu

Assignment Editor Donald Ware

Caitlin Vodenchair cav5119@psu.edu

Business Manager Lucas Morack

jlm5516@psu.edu

Copy Editors Susan Britton

seb5279@psu.edu

Claire Kraynak

cmk346@psu.edu

Noelle Miloszewski nnm113@psu.edu

Page Designers Amy Green

aig5089@psu.edu

Bridget McCullough blm5274@psu.edu

Justin Parasida jap451@psu.edu

Advisers Terrie Baumgardner tbm2@psu.edu

Cathy Benscoter cub15@psu.edu

Daniel Pinchot djp114@psu.edu

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news LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

dww5080@psu.edu

Penn State Beaver Roar

Tuition increase Proposed budget cut could mean tuition increase It’s been more than a month since Gov. Tom Corbett announced his plan to cut funding to Penn State and all of the state’s public colleges by more than half.

Since then, Corbett hasn’t backed down from his position, and Penn State President Graham Spanier hasn’t announced how exactly Penn State would weather the massive cut if the state legislature approves the governor’s proposal.

As students, we sympathize with the tough position in which Corbett has put Spanier and the rest of Penn State’s leaders.

But as students, we should not be burdened with the cost of the state’s fiscal mismanagement. Penn State students cannot be forced to pay more in tuition because the state won’t pay its share.

Rather than a sharp tuition increase, what’s needed is belt-tightening, the likes of which Penn State has never before seen.

The university-wide committee charged with finding $10 million in savings is a good start, but it’s nowhere

near enough, given the $164 million cut in appropriation we’re facing.

Faculty and staff salary freezes are also a good start, but again, the savings aren’t nearly enough.

Penn State needs to look for cost savings from those parts of the university that aren’t directly related to classroom instruction, such as research, agricultural extensive and other community outreach offerings.

Penn State also needs to look for savings in how it operates.

For instance, if the university switched all classes so they met only two days a week, how much could be saved by closing down buildings for an extra day each week?

Students, you have a role to play in this as well. It’s important for students to make their voices heard and let the administration know just how devastating an increase in tuition would be.

To allow the university to raise your tuition without speaking out against it is like opening your wallet and inviting Penn State to take more of your money.

Clearly, these are tough times, and

our leaders are being asked to make tough decisions. If Penn State opts to raise tuition to fill the gap, though, students could make the tough decision to leave Dear Old State, rather than to pay more.

Students deserve to have the opportunity to attend a higher education institute of their choice without worry of not being able to pay their tuition from year to year. We should also not be punished with years of debt just because we have decided to attend college.

To his credit, Spanier has promised not to balance the university’s budget woes entirely on the backs of its students.

But given the economic recession this country has faced and the job losses and income reductions students and their families have had to bear over the past few years, even a modest increase in tuition could price students out of Penn State.

While attending college for many is a privilege, the choice of a public, landgrant university should be within reach of every potential student in the state.

The Roar is published several times each semester. Letters to the Editor are encouraged and can be emailed to: roar-editor@ psu.edu by the 20th day of each month.

Please include your full name, address, email address and cell phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published.

FREE ADS FOR CLUBS Because The Roar receives funding from the Student Activity Fee, free advertising space is offered to any university-recognized organization or club to promote upcoming events.

The space is limited to one advertisement, one-eighth of a page in size, per organization or club per month. To reserve space, email The Roar business manager at: roarbusiness@psu. edu by the 20th of each month.

Trouble in the air for little brown bats Joel Rosenstern Special to The Roar

What happens when a major role player in the ecological food chain suddenly becomes threatened? Does it affect you? Me? Everyone? You betcha!

The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) is the most common bat in North America and is responsible for eating billions of mosquitoes and other insect pests.

A single bat eats up to 1,000 mosquitoes and similar insects each night! Imagine for a moment if there were no bats to eat those mosquitoes.

Plus, it is estimated that bats save farmers over $2 billion a year!

By eating so many insects, the bats protect our food crops from crop pests, which means farmers use less chemical pesticide. That’s good news both for people and the environment.

Unfortunately, bats in North America, little browns in particular, are currently experiencing a drastic reduction in numbers.

A devastating disease, White

ROAR FILE PHOTO

Senior Joel Rosenstern is conducting research for Cassandra MillerButterworth. Rosenstern and Miller-Butterworh are studying the effects of White Nose Syndrome in the little brown bat.

Nose Syndrome (WNS), has so far claimed the lives of more than 1 million bats!

WNS was first found in New York in 2006 and has since spread rapidly through bat colonies as far

west as Oklahoma. WNS is spread by direct contact between bats either during hibernation or mating.

WNS manifests itself in the form of a white fungus on the

nose, ears and wings of the infected bats.

It causes bats to wake up from their winter hibernation too often, depleting their limited fat reserves.

And there are no insects around in mid-winter for them to replenish their energy supplies, so they starve to death.

Unfortunately, scientists have not yet identified a cure for WNS or a way to prevent it from spreading.

This problem sparked the concern of bat activists in the local area, in particular, Penn State Beaver’s own Cassandra MillerButterworth, assistant professor of biology. With several collaborators from Western Michigan and Grand Valley State universities, and working closely with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Miller- Butterworth devised a genetic analysis of the little brown bats to determine how different colonies are related to one another and then use this information to predict the spread of WNS as it continues its rampage across the U.S. and Canada.

The project will also examine the genetic variability of little brown bats to predict whether or not the species as a whole has enough genetic diversity to bounce back from this devastating disease.

The study, which initially looked at bats in Pennsylvania, quickly evolved into a national project.

Researchers from states ranging from Pennsylvania to Minnesota and from provinces in Canada have collected small tissue samples from individual bats across the continent and have sent them to the Conservation Genetics lab at Penn State Beaver for analysis.

In total, the number of samples is well over 1,200!

What can you do?

You can spread the word about how important bats are and how serious WNS is.

Everyone needs to do everything possible to protect the bats that survive because the consequences of losing such a major player in the ecological food chain will be devastating.

Rosenstern is a research assistant for Cassandra Miller-Butterworth.

Students learn more outside of the classroom Alnycea Blackwell Staff Writer

aab5314@psu.edu

The research students of faculty members Michael Hay and Cassandra MillerButterworth are learning more than could be taught in a classroom.

Both professors have put their research students on missions that are helping further their skills.

For Hay, associate professor of chemistry, sophomore Marissa Ciamacca and freshmen James Coelho are helping him figure out a mystery that has puzzled him from some time.

Think of it as a math question, Hay said.

There is an equation and they are trying to solve for X. Using various scientific methods, the students try to determine the composition of an iron molecule.

Hay created an iron compound that is

supposed to be reddish yellow in color. The actual compound that Hay and his students made, though, was purple. This difference baffled him.

“Why is the stuff that I made purple? If we can answer that question we might be able to use it” in other scientific work, Hay said.

The process of trying to figure out what caused the purple color led Hay to believe the compound had “unique properties.” This unique property is what Hay and his research students are trying to discover.

"It's not like an actual class. It's more like a work,” Coelho said. “(But) someone didn't give you a manual. You're not going through the motions. You're learning it for yourself.”

Hays said that’s the benefit of students doing research.

“It gives them knowledge that a simple class lecture cannot,” he said.

Miller-Butterworth’s research students,

meanwhile, are using genetics to study wildlife.

Freshman Ahad Anjum and senior Joel Rosenstern study the DNA of animal populations to determine survival, parentage and gender within species.

Anjum works with birds while Rosenstern studies brown bats.

Anjum is studying the difference between the male and female survival rate within the bird population to see if male birds have better survival qualities.

Rosenstern’s project has him trying to figure out how a disease called White Nose Syndrome is spreading through the bat colonies.

Over a million of bats have died already.

“If we can figure out how the colonies are related to each other then we can figure out how it is going to spread through the rest of the state,” Miller-Butterworth said.

The research project lets the students work

in a series of ways that will expand their abilities as scientists and let them become more confident with their field. ”There is no class that could provide as much hands-on lab work as the independent research I did,” Rosenstern said.

Ciamacca agreed. “It gives you an edge.

You just become more confident at doing things."

“Whenever you can actually do something, it’s a lot easier than actually hearing it in a class and learning it that way,” MillerButterworth added.

Hay said that freshmen and sophomore have a unique opportunity at Beaver to participate in research.

“That’s why we do an undergraduate research project. Where else are you going to get that experience?” Hay said. “Doing this on campus opens up doors. We’re trying to create an environment where students can come and get this opportunity.”

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features

features

95 dead, one injured, fun had by all

Facing the morning after

“

Ted Froats Jr.

“The next thing I knew, I was dead.

She was the last person I would have expected to kill me.”

Staff Writer

tlf5118@psu.edu

Sophomore Bailey Roscoe sat alone in the Bistro on April 1 when a woman with dark, curly hair and long fingernails approached her.

“Are you Bailey?” asked the stranger.

“Yeah,” Roscoe said.

Then, the stranger killed her.

This was no April Fool’s joke, and it was not an isolated incident.

In fact, that same week, the Bistro was the scene of a string of assassinations.

Fortunately for University Police and the Bistro workers who would have had to mop up the blood, Roscoe, her killer and 95 other students weren’t really dead. They were only playing a game called “Assassins.”

A long-standing tradition on college campuses across the nation, Assassins is a game where participants are assigned to kill a specific fellow student.

The catch is that while you’re hunting your prey, somebody else is hunting you. Variations include weapons that range from water pistols to harmless booby traps to simply touching your victim.

In this particular game, participants wore a lanyard around their neck with their name and picture attached. Assassins “killed” their victims by grabbing the photo.

On March 28, senior Lucas Morack was walking down the hall of the Student Union Building, heading into the Bistro, when a girl he recognized from the residence halls walked up and started an awkward conversation.

“The next thing I knew, I was dead,” said Morack. “She was the last person I would have expected to kill me.”

Later that same day, junior Patrick Vaughan had just finished eating when he saw freshman Tyrone Bishop enter the Bistro.

But unlike Roscoe and Morack, Vaughn had received advanced warning. Bishop had tried to kill him earlier in the residence hall, but Vaughn had escaped by hiding

Lucas Morack Senior

THE ROAR/JUSTIN VORBACH

Freshman Joe Heim was the winner of Assassins, a campus-wide game organized by the Lion Ambassadors.

in a bathroom stall for more than ten minutes.

Spotting his attempted murderer, Vaughn sprinted out the Bistro’s back door, running toward the residence hall parking lot.

Unfortunately for Vaughn, Bishop was faster, and Vaughn became just another statistic in an unprecedented week of murders at Penn State Beaver.

“I don’t know where I thought I was going to run to,” said Vaughn.

“Maybe I should have gone up a tree or something.”

According to the ultimate winner, freshman Joseph Heim, patience was the key to victory.

“I saw that my target was on a hot streak,” said Heim.

“I let him rack up a lot of kills, then I went into his room and killed him. I saw my next target minutes later in the lobby so I killed him too.”

Because killers get credit for

their victims’ kills, Heim ended up with a tally of 15 kills to his name despite only “assassinating” two people. Heim received a $25 gift card to Wal-Mart for taking first place.

According to senior Justin Vorbach, a Lion Ambassador and the art editor for The Roar, this was the first year Assassins came to Penn State Beaver.

Vorbach and the other Lion Ambassadors designed Assassins as a way for students to meet people they might not have otherwise talked to, and as a way to increase the visibility of the Lion Ambassadors.

The Lion Ambassadors are a group of students who serve as campus tour guides to prospective Penn State students.

According to Vorbach, 97 people played Assassins this year.

“It went very well. We all met new and interesting people,” he said. “There were a few incidents,

but everybody had a lot of fun.”

The incidents Vorbach referred to included a broken door at LCB and an injured student.

Vorbach said the student’s assassin chased the student through the door, breaking it, and then tackled the victim outside.

The victim was injured, although details of the injuries were not immediately available.

Vorbach said excessive force, including tackling, was against the rules. The assassin was removed from the game.

With the exception of this incident, all interviewed participants agreed that Assassins was a great success, and they look forward to playing again in the future.

Study: Women feel bad about themselves after losing virginity; men don’t Ashley Roznowski Staff Writer

arr5141@psu.edu

Sex. Whether they are having it, wish they were having it or are about to start having it, it’s a topic often on the minds of college students.

But can having sex affect the way we feel about ourselves and the image we project to others?

According to researchers at Penn State University Park, it can. And local college students agree, saying that men and women have different views of sex.

Researchers conducted a survey of college freshmen age 17 to 19. Out of the 434 students surveyed, 100 had lost their virginity for the first time while in college. What the researchers found was that women became less satisfied with their appearance after the first time they had sex, while men became more satisfied with their appearance.

“We’re not talking about 12-year-old girls having sex, so it’s striking that even among these young women ­— who are 17 or older when they first had sex — their images of themselves went down,” researcher Eva Lefkowitz, associate professor of human development and family studies, said in an article on Penn State Live.

“If on average they’re feeling worse about themselves, it says something about their development of healthy sexuality and healthy sense of self and being.”

Junior Rachelle Eidenmiller, 21, agreed with the research.

“Usually girls are more emotional than guys and girls get attached quicker,” she said.

Roar illustration by Justin Vorbach

“I think that guys feel that losing their virginity and having sex is an accomplishment. I think losing your virginity is viewed differently by males and females.”

Senior Gary Miller, 24, has a similar opinion.

“Many guys are tools and are usually out to have sex with as many girls as they can,” he said.

“Guys who have sex with many girls think they look cooler around their friends when telling stories about their hookups,” Miller added. “Girls usually look at sex

as a more romantic, sensitive act. Therefore when they just hookup, they feel more guilty.”

Sophomore Daina Owens, 20, can relate to the article and still somewhat disagree. “When guys first lose it, they feel like they are the big man on campus. A girl, on the other hand, feels differently. It doesn’t happen the same way for everyone, if they did it just do it then they might feel promiscuous,” she said.

Junior Elizabeth Hain, 22, agrees that men are more confident when it comes to sex, but does not agree that women become slightly less satisfied.

Sophomore Kellie Karasack, 19, has a friend who lost her virginity in college.

“It was to a guy that she had a crush on and it made things awkward afterward because she didn't know if it was just a hookup for him or if he liked her as well.”

Junior Craig Oskin, 20, also agrees with the article.

“Sex seems more important to guys,” Oskin said. “Some guys turn it into a giant competition. Plus, if a guy stays a virgin, he might feel like everyone else will make fun of him. It’s a lot of unneeded pressure.”

Clare Conry-Murray, assistant professor of psychology, said she believes the article is part of the double standard: “It is good for men to be promiscuous, where women are seen as being slutty if they have more than one partner.”

Conr y-Murray said the article is consistent with other research. “Women are supposed to be uninterested. Men, however, are thought to be constantly interested. Men are more approving of one night stands.

There are more restrictions on women than men because they are less likely to talk about it,” she said.

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Penn State Beaver Roar

spotlight THE BAD: The staff’s first try at the Hooking Up cover went more than a little too far.

THE GOOD: The final version of the cover was edgy but artsy and tasteful .

THE UGLY: Art Editor Justin Vorbach showed he wasn’t immune to the saggy pants problem when he shot an illustration for a cover story on the topic.

April 2011

April 2011

Penn State Beaver Roar

The class that Roars

Managing editor reflects on the years since the newspaper reorganized DANA SKLACK

leave.”

Managing Editor

in the beginning

des5141@psu.edu

The Roar/Justin Vorbach

Need a photo illustration? That’s what the staff is for. Above, reporters Susan Britton and Mike Barchetti pose for an illustration to go with the first of 11 Roar sex stories. Below left, page designer Bridget McCullough poses as an instructor while editors Claire Kraynak and Dana Sklack pull out their Visa cards for a story on credit cards.

Since The Roar is a class, quizzes are inevitable. Above, Felicia Brown works on a design quiz during a spring 2010 production day.

Four years ago during my freshman year, The Roar entered a new stage in its history and went from being just a club to a class.

The idea was simple: Earn credit for writing articles, taking pictures or designing pages.

Two classes were set up, one a three-credit, 400-level course with an enrollment of three, and the other a one-credit elective with 18 students. I enrolled into the one-credit class and began my communications career as a reporter.

COMM 468 was taught by Terrie Baumgardner, instructor of communications. Three senior communications majors — ­­ Amanda Brobeck, Heather Edenfield and Jackie Knause — enrolled and worked with editorin-chief Jamie Silicki.

“We were all passionate about this new Roar,” Baumgardner said.

The one-credit class was taught (and still is) by Daniel Pinchot. He’s the director of enrollment but has a background in journalism and worked for the Beaver County Times and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette before moving to the world of admissions. This class taught the basics of news writing and most of the students enrolled were freshmen.

“I didn’t know what to expect that first semester, and neither did the students,” Pinchot said. “I learned quickly that whatever journalism they had been exposed to in high school wasn’t real journalism, and we all had a lot of learning to do.”

Pinchot said the instructors and the students basically figured out together how to make this new Roar happen.

“It was a really good experience,” said senior Claire Kraynak, who was enrolled in the first one-credit class.

February 2009’s Oh boy, George cover won a state design award for art editor Justin Vorbach.

“For one, it was where I made a lot of my friends freshman year, and two, I really, really have better writing skills now,” Kraynak said.

Through the years, Kraynak has held nearly every title on The Roar staff, including senior staff writer, assignment editor, online editor, copy editor and managing editor for the semester while I was studying abroad.

The first edition of The Roar that semester was eight pages. By the end of the semester, it had grown to 12.

“A lot of it was about mounting a system,” Baumgardner said about the first semester.

Campus marketing and web specialist Cathy Benscoter, who was then the design editor for the Beaver County Times, was brought in to help redesign and create the newspaper pages.

“I got an email from [The Times’] managing editor that Penn State Beaver needed someone to come talk about page design,” Benscoter said. “I volunteered to go, fully expecting it to be a two-hour sort of thing. Once I got here, I figured out that The Roar needed a little more than two hours of my time, so I stayed for the first edition. After that, they wouldn’t let me

During this first year, my experiences were limited to working with the other freshman reporters and photographers to gather and find content for the newspaper. I was also confident I would become a star reporter.

I was wrong.

My first article was torn apart by Pinchot, and I took a hit to my confidence as a learning experience.

Kraynak and I quickly bonded over our love of journalism and our new hobby of trying to not get our latest articles ripped to shreds.

“It was never personal,” Pinchot insisted. “I’ll admit that I’m direct with my feedback. But it was always intended to make you better writers and reporters.”

I was named assignment editor during my second semester, and with the title came new responsibilities. The position required brainstorming story ideas for each edition. I also got my first look at a production day.

While The Roar is a monthly publication, production is a one-day, all-day process where the entire editorial and photography staff gathers in a downstairs lab of the Michael Baker Building to layout the paper. Food is always a requirement. So are cheap shots and rude jokes.

“We insult each other, but that’s part of our camaraderie,” Baumgardner said.

In Februar y 2008, Benscoter pushed The Roar to add color. Then, two months later, the staff debated an even bigger change. The Roar had always had a news front, with stories and photos laid out like a traditional newspaper. Benscoter wanted to change that.

“We didn’t have any big stories that month. No one could figure out what stories would go on the front,” she said. “I suggested we do a magazine Newspaper See Page 11

Page 11

four years of the Roar by the numbers

26

Issues since October 2007

452 Pages

7

Times the Nittany Lion has been on the cover

81

Pizzas consumed

120

Dozen cookies consumed

137

Staff members

5

Editions without stories about Harmony Hall (not counting police briefs)

11

Stories about sex

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Penn State Beaver Roar

April 2011

April 2011

Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 13

features

features

Student flies with chancellor

Newspaper a mix of long hours and fun

Don Ware IV

Lucas Morack and Gary Keefer land at the Beaver Count Airport after going for a glide over Beaver County in March.

Assignment Editor

dww5080@psu.edu

It was a typical day early in the spring semester when senior Lucas Morack walked into the Bistro and ran into Chancellor Gary Keefer.

The two had a brief conversation that led to Keefer, a licensed pilot, talking about flying planes.

That conversation started a chain of events that ultimately lead Morack airborne, piloted by Keefer.

Much to Morack’s surprise, Keefer offered to take him for a ride in his plane.

“I thought he was just joking,” Morack said.

But Keefer, true to his word, took Morack flying following a campus open house March 26.

“I said I would go with him in his plane, but I didn’t think he was serious when he said he would take me flying,” Morack said. “I was honored that he asked me to go.”

Most people don’t know that one of Keefer’s lifelong passions has been flying.

He has a license as a commercial glider pilot and for years gave rides for hire while working as a faculty member at the University of Nebraska.

He flies family and friends and usually logs between 80 and 100 hours in the air a year.

Morack arrived at the Beaver County Airport where Keefer stores his plane, he was surprised.

It wasn’t just a plane. It was a glider.

“I thought he owned a real plane,” Morack said. “The glider plane took me for a loop.” Keefer owns a two-passenger Super Ximango Motor Glider.

The plane weighs about 1,800 pounds with two passengers in it.

The motor allows Keefer to take off on his own, and once he hits an appropriate gliding altitude, he cuts the engine. “[It’s] amazing when you think about it,” Keefer said.

That late March Saturday was a perfect day for flying: a few clouds in the sky, the sun shining and

THE ROAR/ LUCAS MORACK

Sumbitted photo

Keefer sits behind a Navy pilot in the restored 1944 F51 Mustang airplane he flew while in Florida in February.

mild temperatures.

Once in the air Keefer turned off the engine.

“I was expecting it to be like, oh my God, you just start dropping.

But you don’t actually feel it. You just kind of float along,” Morack said.

“You can hear the wind more.

But there’s really not that much more of a difference, surprisingly.”

The two glided above Beaver County, and after turning the

engine back on, even flew over Penn State Beaver before landing. “[It’s] neat seeing Keefer doing something out of the norm,” Morack said. “It was a great experience.”

Keefer said he wanted to fly planes all his life. From the time he knew what a plane was, he wanted to be in one.

All of his toys were planes and his childhood revolved around them.

“My parents used to take me to the airport just to watch planes take off,” Keefer said.

By the time he was 22, he had his license and was flying.

Before you take the test to get your pilot’s license.

The average time in the air for most people, according to Keefer, is between 70 and 80 hours and it takes six months to a year to accomplish.

Keefer took his test with 41 hours of flying, logged in three months while going to grad school.

“It’s an interesting thing to do,” Keefer said. “You have to have a passion for it.”

That passion includes not just flying, but performing aerial acrobatics while he’s in his glider or a plane.

The acrobatics, he said, was something he skipped while flying with Morack.

Keefer has done two things that really stand out in his flying career.

This past February at Kissemmee Airport in Florida, Keefer flew a P51 Mustang, a World War II combat plane.

The Mustang was built in 1944 and was completely restored.

According to Keefer, the Mustang he flew was in a squadron on D-day.

“To sit and think of 22-yearolds fighting in combat,” Keefer said, reflecting on the history of the plane.

Keefer, flying with a Navy officer, performed 30 minutes of acrobatics while in the air over Kissemmee. One of Keefer’s first moves was a barrel roll, after which the officer simply said, “That was awesome, dude.”

Another highlight in Keefer’s piloting career occurred before 9/11 and, ironically, took place on the ground.

In a US Airways flight simulator, Keefer successfully landed a Boeing 737 with its engine on fire.

There were two technicians helping run the simulator and Keefer said when he finally landed the plane, one of them said to him, “You’re the first person we haven’t killed in that simulation.”

Keefer said he enjoys being a pilot and has no plans to stop flying.

“Some people, like myself, enjoy it for years and years and years,” Keefer said.

Continued from Page 13

The editors and advisers were reluctant, but decided to try it just that one time.

Three years later, we haven’t gone back to the newspaper look.

YEAR 2 I was promoted to managing editor at the end of my freshman year when our former managing editor, Brobeck, graduated.

Kraynak was promoted to assignment editor.

One of my first jobs was to launch The Roar’s first summer edition. Brobeck and I worked to find reporters, editors and page designers to put together a welcome-back issue. We didn’t have a budget to cover printing costs, and no one got class credit for their work. But students really seemed to appreciate seeing The Roar when they got to campus that August.

Since then we have received SGA money to produce the summer edition each year, but all of the work is still done by volunteers.

One of the highlights of the second year of the new Roar was a one-time feature of dueling opinion pieces, called Battle of the Sexes. Senior Noelle Miloszewski wrote an op/ed piece featuring the virtues of the female sex, while senior Jake Ellis, now at University Park, countered with an article on male dominance.

“I first I thought this was going to be light-hearted and hilarious.

And after I read his, I was furious,” Miloszewski recalled.

CONTROVERSY The Roar didn’t shy away from pushing the envelope on what was acceptable to be published.

Senior Justin Vorbach’s favorite memory is working on a photo shoot that he and two staff writers arranged in the dorms to accompany the first of many Roar stories about sex on campus.

“I felt like I was on the set of a movie,” said Vorbach, art editor since fall 2009. “There were models, lights and groupies. People

The Roar/JUSTIN VORBACH

Managing Editor Dana Sklack celebrates her 21st birthday during production day with a cake from Assistant Managing Editor Claire Kraynak.

single unrolled condom. Vorbach opened a package, rolled out a white condom, strung it up with fishing line on a hook, and photographed it against a black backdrop.

“I freaked out when I saw it.

It looked used,” Pinchot said. He nixed the original idea and forced the staff to go back to the drawing board, where they came up with the concept actually used.

PRODUCTION DAYS Roar file photo

The first class of Roar editorial staff members, (front row) Amanda Brobeck, left, Jackie Knause and Heather Edenfield, worked with Editor in Chief Jamie Silicki, top.

kept asking me if I was shooting a porno.”

Senior Susan Britton was one of the models featured in the shoot.

“Weeks after that, people kept talking about it,” Britton said. “I’m in college. It was fun. It’s not like I showed my boobs or anything.”

The Roar covers in 2009 and 2010 are some of Kraynak’s favorites. “The condom cover started off as a joke that turned into a serious cover,” she said.

Benscoter challenged Vorbach, who has created most of The Roar’s covers, to think creatively.

“How do you illustrate a story on hooking up?” she said. “We came up with condoms on fish hooks. I’m not sure if it was his idea or mine, but I’m pretty sure he was shocked I’d let him do it.”

The first attempt didn’t work so well.

“It was the scariest cover we put out,” Pinchot said. “But you’d have to know what the first draft of the cover was to fully understand.”

The final cover featured five different-colored packaged condoms, each hanging on a fish hook.

The original idea was to use a

Over the past four years, production day has become a monthly routine that the editors and page designers look forward to.

“My first production day ended with me wanting to throw the computers onto the highway,” junior Amy Green joked. Her assigned page changed multiple times throughout the day, and she was forced to lay it out four times.

“We were really sorry about that,” Benscoter said, clearly not sorry.

It’s such a fun experience that even some graduates refuse to stop attending, chief among them Matt Jones.

“We’ve had others who have come back again, but none are as diligent a worker as Matt Jones,”

Pinchot said. “He’s the only alum in four years who I can recall having assigned stories to. The amazing thing is, he turns them in on time!”

Jones graduated in December.

Since he joined the staff in spring 2008, he has been one of the most dedicated members of the staff, which is ironic since each semester he declared that he wasn’t signing up for the class again.

Jones was promoted almost each semester, from reporter to senior staff writer to assistant assignment editor to assignment editor to page designer and finally copy editor.

“Every time I quit, they promoted me,” Jones said. “As chaotic as production day is, it was always a ton of fun. Most of them are suppressed memories, though.”

LESSONS LEARNED, The past four years have changed my life, and being a part of The Roar has been a major part of that.

Not only have many of my friends on campus been involved with The Roar, but most of my memories on campus are of working on stories, sweating through production days and working as the managing editor.

While I’m excited, nervous and worried about what lies ahead of me in my life, I know that the best years of my life were spent with an amazing group of people.

I’ll never be able to forget laughing at productions and fighting for the last piece of barbeque chicken pizza. I’m sure Amy Green will continue to ask for my chocolate chip cookies next year, and if I’m around, I’m sure I’ll bake them.

I also know that when we are old and grey, Claire will call me just to talk about something ridiculous, like the time we found the ladder in the girls’ bathroom of Michael Baker Building.

The Roar will continue. Without me. And without so many others who have contributed so much.

But I’m proud of the role I’ve played in shaping it, and I hope that those who follow will take as much care and pride in it as I have.

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Penn State Beaver Roar

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features

features

Ducks: Nuisance or nice?

Beaverfest 2011 kicks off this week Andrew DiPietrantonio Staff writer

John Mitchell

ahd5039@psu.edu

Staff Writer

A bonfire. Karaoke. Volleyball.

S’mores. These are just a few of the activities planned for Penn State Beaver’s annual Beaverfest, which begins Monday, April 25.

This week-long event celebrates the end of the academic year. Beaverfest consists of many fun, stressfree activities for students.

Beaverfest, funded by the Student Activity Fee, is sponsored by the Student Government Association. Student Activities/Residence Life Coordinator Robin Schrek is running the event. “[Beaverfest is] good for the stu-

jwm306@psu.edu

It’s spring, and at Penn State Beaver that can mean only one thing: the campus ducks and geese are on the move.

Though most of the birds live on the pond year-round, the nice weather makes them more active.

“When the ducklings hatch in the spring, we have to be alert to the fact that they have a knack of finding their way into the storm drains,” maintenance supervisor David Hunt said. “We usually end up with at least one duckling rescue mission a year.”

“The mother duck and ducklings are always happy when we reunite them, and it provides the physical plant staff with an amusing break in their daily routine,” he added.

Amusing or not, some students aren’t fans of these birds.

“The ducks are so gross,” freshman Stephanie Cuddy said. “Not only is their crap everywhere, but they are everywhere, too. When I first came here for FTCAP day, I saw them all congested up at the entrance. Even when I laid on the horn, they still paid no attention to me. They just kept waddling.”

Freshman Cody Harris said he’s taken his dislike to extremes.

“I was walking to my car one day, and I was eating a bag of chips, and this goose kept following me,” he said. “So I gave it a chip, but when I wouldn’t give it another, it just kept following me and begging. So after a while I had enough, and I just reared back and punched it.”

Freshman Laura Daley said she doesn’t have a problem with ducks.

“I don’t mind them,” Daley said. “They don’t really get in my way. I think they’re a part of nature and add something to the campus.

“Occasionally they cross the road, and people complain about it all the time. But if a duck crossing the road is that big of an inconvenience to you, then you need to

THE ROAR/ BRIDGET MCCULLOUGH

Two of Penn State Beaver’s white domestic ducks float on the water together in the pond behind the Brodhead Cultural Center on a chilly, windy day in early spring.

THE ROAR/ BRIDGET MCCULLOUGH

Three of the campus’ mallard ducks gather together to avoid the cold temperature and harsh wind in late April.

get to the campus earlier. They’re harmless,” she said.

The migrating geese who stop by campus twice a year are another matter.

“The ducks don’t provide us

with many challenges. There aren’t that many of them, and they primarily stay around the pond at the Brodhead Cultural Center,” Hunt said. “The Canada geese are another matter entirely. They are

transient and only use the campus as a stop for rest and food.”

According to Hunt, the Canada geese come by the hundreds, leave a mess everywhere and tear up the grass.

“They create a lot of unnecessary work. We have spent hours cleaning up an area, and within a matter of minutes they can make it look as if we hadn’t done anything,” he said. “Their feces is laden with E. coli bacteria, and there are times when crew members have to use nuisance dust masks while mowing grass just to be able to breathe relatively fresh air.”

Some students don’t care one way or the other about the ducks or geese.

“I find it a little funny how little people actually care about the ducks on campus,” freshman Michael Parrish said. “I mean, sure, they [poop] all over the place, but what do you expect? They’re ducks.”

Cuddy feels bad for the way that the geese and ducks are treated.

“This one time as I was driving in, I saw this guy hit a duck with

his car, and he just kept driving.

Its neck was broken, but it was still alive, and it sat there flapping its wings trying to get off the road,” she said. “It was on my mind all day. I mean, I know they’re annoying sometimes, but that was just unfair. [The duck] didn’t deserve that.”

Injuring or killing a duck or goose could cause legal problems.

“If someone hits a duck or goose intentionally, they’d be arrested for cruelty to animals,” said Ron Schwartz, campus police supervisor. “We’ve seen people go after them.”

However, if one of the birds is hit accidentally, the driver should report it to campus police immediately so they can get it medical attention.

Students said that while the geese and ducks can be a nuisance, they are part of Penn State Beaver.

“Whether you like them or not, I think they’re here to stay,” Parrish said. “Might as well get used to it. I mean, what can we do to stop them?”

dents to take a break from all the stress of finals,” Schreck said.

Students said Beaverfest was a hit last year and they are looking forward to the activities this year.

“I enjoyed last year, and I am

Adult corner Register for summer and fall classes The summer 2011 and fall 2011 course schedule can be found on the Penn State Beaver homepage.

There are five class sessions available throughout the summer. Fall classes begin on Monday, Aug 22. Visit elion. psu.edu to schedule your classes now.

Summer bookstore hours During the summer the bookstore will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday.

Extended hours will be available throughout the month of May.

looking forward to making my own music video this year,” said sophomore Mike Lacenere.

“Last year was a good time. I am excited for this year,” sophomore Ryan Hudacsek said. “It’s something for me to do to keep my mind off of finals.”

There are many freshmen who are excited to attend their first Beaverfest.

“I am excited to go to the Pirate game with my friends and get a caricature of myself,” freshman Leigh Scialdone said.

Freshman Griffin Geehan, like Scaildone, is excited to attend Beaverfest. “I am definitely going to Beaverfest,” Geehan said. He

admitted that he wanted to participate in karaoke.

The events planned are: Monday: Students can have caricatures drawn in the Bistro starting at 11 a.m. At 11:30 a.m. there will be a Luau in the Bistro that includes a special menu.

Tuesday: Students can make their own music video at noon in the Bistro. A faculty/student volleyball game will take place in the gym at 6 p.m.

Wednesday: Students can have antique photos taken at 11 a.m. in the Bistro. Karaoke will be featured in the Bistro from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Students can also get free tickets to PNC Park to watch the

Pittsburgh Pirates take on the San Francisco Giants at 7 p.m.

Thursday: Students can unwind over a board game in the Bistro during “Bored” game day at 11 a.m. Later, at both 6 and 8 p.m., Reel Thursday presents the film “No Strings Attached,” featuring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher Friday: Students can get airbrush tattoos and participate in a water balloon battle at noon. That evening, students can enjoy a bonfire, behind Harmony Hall, weather permitting Students can purchase Beaverfest 2011 T-shirts in the Student Activities Suite for $5.

A D V E R TI S E ME N T

Students from CRIMJ 221 stand outside the Ohio State Penitentiary near Youngstown during a class trip to learn about death row inmates and how they are treated in the justice system. Pictured are, from left, Lawrence Council, Joseph Ross, Assistant Professor Mari Pierce, Nelly Peralta, Lindsey Collins, Scott O’Hara, Gina Richman and Alexander Gattorno.

In Our Spotlight

CrimJ 221: Issues in the American criminal justice system Assistant Professor of Administration of Justice Mari Pierce recently took her CRIMJ 221 class on a field trip to the Ohio State Penitentiary as part of their class.

The trip was arranged by Andrew Bodzek from Penn State Shenango and allowed students from both campuses to learn more about maximum security prisons.

“I try to show the face of the criminal justice system as much as

possible,” Pierce said.

Scott O’Hara, a student in Pierce’s class, said the trip was enlightening.

“Surprisingly, prison staff related that death row inmates are the most well-behaved of all inmates,” O’Hara said.

Student Nelly Peralta was moved by the experience.

“The place was increibly cold, in a manner of speaking,” she said.

“I just would love to see most of

those convicted getting rehabilitated and ready to be part of our society once again.”

This semester, Pierce also took her students to a sentencing hearing for a local murder trial.

“By exposing students to the reality of the system, it is my hope that they also recognize the impact crime has on the victim, the victims’ families, the defendant and their families, in addition to society,” she said.

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features

features

Campus chooses 10 new peer leaders

Penn State Beaver goes green

Alnycea Blackwell Staff Writer

aab5314@psu.edu

Remember coming to FTCAP as an incoming freshman?

You may have felt some uneasiness and excitement being the new kid on the block, but there were a group of Penn State Beaver students here to help in that transition.

Those students are called peer leaders, and a new group of peer leaders has been chosen for this summer’s FTCAP programs.

Freshmen John Mitchell, Katie Moldovan, Amanda Deitch, Nicole Bing, Amanda Palombo, Ashley Schoedel, sophomore Ryan Hudacsek and juniors Amy Green, Shelby Parks and Dan Trzcianka are the new peer leaders.

Ashley Schoedel

Nicole Bing

Amanda Deitch

Amy Green

Shelby Parks

Katie Moldovan

Amanda Palombo

John Mitchell

Dan Trzcianka

Ryan Hudacsek

Parks and Trzcianka have previously served as peer leaders, and all of those selected are involved on campus, including athletics, clubs such as Lion Ambassadors and student government. Their involvement in activities has made them familiar to the campus.

“It’s about finding students who have different experiences and

backgrounds so they can relate to the new students,” said Robin Schreck, coordinator of student activities and residence life.

Schreck said one of the first people new students meet is a peer leader.

“I think students learn more from their peers than listening to grown-ups. It’s who they’re going to react to on this campus,” she said.

Hudacsek agreed. “When I first started here, I was really nervous to do stuff and one of the peer leader was funny. He made me laugh. It was an icebreaker,” Hudacsek said.

“It showed me everything doesn’t have to be serious thing because it’s college. That’s what I want to teach the new students, because I’m funny.”

Sydney Johns Staff Writer

snj112@psu.edu

Penn State Beaver is getting greener.

The Beaver campus has started the Green Team committee to help educate staff and students on environmental health and ways everyone can help.

University Park currently has 44 teams setup and several more scattered across different Penn State branches.

The Green Team is a group of faculty and staff, who volunteer their time to help the campus run in a more efficient and healthy way.

Their goal is to teach the campus how to become more environmentally friendly and to bring ‘green living’ to students’ everyday lives.

Mathew Grunstra, assistant professor of environmental science, is

the head of the Green Team.

“The school approached me around Christmas time and asked me to serve as the chairman,” Grunstra said.

Grunstra, a team of five faculty and staff members and freshmen Wendi Barnett and Angelo Teachout, plan to begin the process of environmental awareness on campus slowly.

Grunstra said the team needs to start by educating the students and staff on energy habits.

The team wants to begin their environmental movement with something everyone knows how to do, but may not know why they are doing it: recycling.

The plan is to set up large bins for separate materials scattered across campus and located in heavily trafficked areas, like the Bistro, so that everyone can have a chance

to become familiar with recycling. campus can take on the bigger Grunstra would also like to issues. see the team focus on the issues He also pointed out that the of water conservation, energy and Green Team alone cannot accomwaste reduction. plish the campus’ goal.

“Everyone has a cup,” Grunstra “ We need to get students said when stating that students can involved,” Grunstra said. simply begin the process by fillThe campus does offer an enviing up reusable cups as opposed to ronmental club -- the ‘Greener using plastic bottles.

Beavers’ -- the only problem is that The Beaver campus has already it has not had any members for begun to show their support of years. all things green. They have added Rebecca Mulholland, a member new lights with motion detectors of the Green Team and the adviser to almost every room on campus, for the ‘Greener Beavers’, hopes to which turn off the lights when the see the group up and running again room is not in use. soon.

In the future, the team hopes to “I would love the idea of having conquer more hard-hitting issues it started up by this fall,” Mulhollike pollution and factory farming, land said. “We just need student but it is going to take time. support. “ Grunstra said that the stuTeachout, a member of the dents must be educated and ROAR_Layout want Green Team who majoring PSU-Beaver 1 2/9/2011 10:37is AM Page 1 in to change their habits, before the environmental systems engineering,

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is also excited about the possibility.

“I want to promote and encourage environmental awareness on the campus and in the community and incorporate a presentation of the team's initiatives on incoming freshmen,” Teachout said.

Wi t h E a r t h D a y q u i c k l y approaching on April 22, Grunstra is hoping for students on campus to attend mini-presentations his science classes have set up about environmental issues during common hour.

Barnett and Teachout also plan to attend in hopes to get students involved and possibly even get a few Greener Beaver members.

Once Greener Beavers officially becomes a campus organization again, students can help lead the fight for a healthier environment and bring awareness to campus.

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Page 18

Penn State Beaver Roar

April 2011

April 2011

Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 19

sports

sports

Softball team tops PSUAC

Baseball team’s goals still within reach

Reina Chedid Staff Writer

rmc5314@psu.edu

After winning a doubleheader April 18 against Penn State Schuylkill, the Penn State Beaver softball team has an overall record of 17-7 and is ranked No. 1 in the Penn State University Athletic Conference.

The Lady Lions now have a 12-game winning streak and hope to keep it going after starting off their season 0-1. The team is also undefeated in the PSUAC with a 10-0 record.

During the first game against Schuylkill, sophomore Alyssa Carver pitched a gem, throwing for five innings, giving up three hits, striking out two batters and walking one, earning her seventh victory this year with a 10-0 score.

Sophomore Kori Freyermuth pitched a complete game shut out in the second game, giving up only three hits, ending the game with a 9-0 score.

Coach Andy Kirschner, in his tenth season, said he loves being a part of the Penn State family and has high hopes for the remainder of

Penn State Beaver Athletics Department

Junior Ashley Watkins waits at third base for the pitch to the batter during a game.

the season.

“My motto is ‘one more’ for every game to motivate the team,” Kirschner said.

“I do expect to make the playoffs, and I expect us to win some

games at the conference tournament.”

The players have a lot of passion for the game and their team as well.

“I was nervous last year as a freshman because I had to make

a statement that I am here to play and help prove that we are the strong team that I know we are,” Freyermuth said. “We have a lot of talent this year and everyone makes an impact on the team.”

“I have been playing softball since I was six years old, and I would love to keep playing after college,” sophomore Danielle Ringel said.

In addition to the team’s success, two players have also received recognition from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.

Junior Ashley Watkins was named USCAA Co-Player of the Week April 11. She is batting .415 and slugging .868 with four home runs, two triples and eight doubles.

She has also scored 17 runs and has swiped two stolen bases.

Freyermuth was named USCAA Co-Pitcher of the Week April 11.

In 11 innings the prior week, she recorded two wins, allowed zero earned runs, no walks and struck out nine batters, holding her opponents to a .125 batting average.

She also pitched a no-hitter against Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Beaver still has seven games scheduled before the PSUAC Tournament April 30 and May 1.

Beaver will finish up the season April 23 at home in a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Penn College.

Fightin’ Beavs faced with injuries in playoffs loss Tim Hardie Staff Writer

thh112@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver Fightin’ Beavs ended their season on April 5 with a 6-2 playoff loss against Robert Morris University’s Red team but kept their spirits high.

The 8-6 Fightin’ Beavs entered the game after a two-loss streak, including one against RMU Red just a few weeks earlier.

They also faced a couple injuries, including freshman Kurt Habazin and sophomore Dan Vish.

“I think we could have put up a better fight if we weren’t missing them,” said sophomore captain Jake Szemanski.

Vish returned for the final game, but his ankle sprain forced him to exit after the first period.

At this point, Penn State Beaver was only facing a 1-0 deficit. Over the course of the next period, the deficit grew to a menacing 5-0.

“That’s when the pieces started to crumble,” said senior goalie Justin Vorbach.

Fueled by chants of “We are Penn State,” the team bounced back with two goals from freshman Antonio Allegra.

However, RMU Red answered with another goal of its own, squashing the Fightin’ Beavs’ momentum and bringing the end of the game at 6-2.

In spite of the big loss, the players’ spirits in the locker room were far from bitter.

The team and coach Steve Turyan shared laughs about missing pucks and Vish’s Twitter account.

“It sucks that we lost,” Allegra said. “But we have a great group of guys.”

Turyan echoed the sentiment as the team exited the room.

“It’s definitely not the end of the season we were looking for,” he said. “But I’m proud of the guys for playing to the final whistle.

“As each game passed, you could see the improvements in each and every player, and it’s been a great season.”

Sean Papinchak Staff Writer

sap5192@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver baseball team, with an overall record of 10-13-1 and a conference record of 10-3-1, is ranked No. 2 in the Penn State University Athletic Conference.

Most recently, an eastern-Pennsylvania trip to Brandywine and Wilkes-Barre campuses resulted in two wins, a loss and a tie.

Beaver beat Wilkes-Barre 19-2 in the first game of a double header April 16, but ended its second game in a 5-5 tie.

The previous day, the team split a double header with Brandywine, winning the first game 1-0 but losing the second 10-7.

With only a few more conference games scheduled before the PSUAC tournament April 29-May 1, Coach Jack Hilfinger said the team has to stay focused and play well.

“We have an uphill battle for the rest of the season,” Hilfinger said.

Sophomore Corey Wagner, who plays first base and pitches, is optimistic about the team’s future, despite upcoming challenges. “Our goals are still within reach.”

Hilfinger said the team’s goal this season is to stay motivated, especially during the recent weath-

Staff writer

kav149@psu.edu

Freshman Josh Carey skates along the boards to get to the puck.

er delays it has experienced.

“There is only so much you can do indoors to practice for baseball,” he said.

In the team’s most recent home game against Fayette campus April 14, Penn State Beaver racked up two wins.

Sophomore Alex Filippi led off the first inning with a double.

Freshman Zack DelTurco then doubled and scored Filippi. Wagner followed with a sac-fly RBI. Freshman Garret Covalt then doubled to score DelTurco and at the end of the first inning, the team

Campus hires coach for first wrestling season Kimberly Villella

THE ROAR/ DANA SKLACK

Penn State Beaver Athletics Department

Sophomore Markus Allen, above, steps up to the plate for his at-bat and sophomore Jim Musgrave prepares to swing as the pitch comes in.

scored four runs.

Starting pitcher junior Ron Wilkins pitched a complete game to earn the victory with a 6-4 win.

In the second game, Beaver scored 12 runs on 15 hits and defeated Fayette 12-2 in five innings.

This year’s team, with just one senior and two juniors, is younger and less experienced than last year’s PSUAC-championship winning team. Last year’s roster had four seniors and a junior.

Despite its youth, Hilfinger said the team is strong. “All of the players are stepping up this year.”

This years’ team continues to provide exceptional play-makers such as freshman Tyler Shuster and Wilkins. Both have pitched complete games with no-hit shut outs.

Shuster was named PSUAC Pitcher of the Week March 28 and Wilkins was nominated for the same recognition.

Hilfinger and Wagner also said that Filippi stands out at centerfield and as the team’s lead-off hitter.

“He’s a gem at centerfield,” Hilfinger said.

The final two games of the season will take place at 2 p.m. April 21 at Penn State Greater Allegheny and April 23 at home against Penn College.

Penn State Beaver recently hired Jeff Winkle as the coach of the campus’ first wrestling team.

Andy Kirschner, athletic director, said Winkle was a standout above eight other applicants because of his experience in running a wrestling club.

Winkle, a former Hopewell Area High School wrestler, has worked with Hopewell wrestling for 13

years.

Winkle said he is “excited, honored and a little bit nervous,” about being the first coach.

Since fall 2011 WINKLE marks the wrestling team’s inaugural season, Winkle said he is looking forward to helping build a program that can set its own goals.

“There is nothing to be com-

pared to,” Winkle said.

Winkle said seven students have shown interest in joining the team.

He said he would like to have at least 15 on the roster, however, and encouraged any student with a slight interest to sign up, “even if there is no prior experience, just the desire.”

Freshman Tairo Maas is one of the first student-athletes to join the team.

Maas wants to continue his high school wrestling career and is look-

ing forward to having “a solid team and a winning record.”

Maas said he is looking forward to working with Winkle.

“Coach seems dedicated to start a team. This is good, because that will ultimately convert into striving for success both for the team and individually,” he said.

Winkle expects hard work and dedication from the wrestlers, but stressed that they are student-athletes. “Student always comes first,” he said.

The most important thing that Winkle wants is for the students to remember their experience in a positive way.

“This team can say, ‘I was on the first team.’ That’s something special.

“I’m excited to get the team on the mat, I hope the ca mpus feels the same way,” Winkle said.

Students interested in joining the wrestling team should email Winkle at jdw24@psu.edu.

Page 20

Penn State Beaver Roar

April 2011

“Panera is people-fiendly. There is so much interaction everyday.

I get along with everybody in the cafe. We are constantly talking with each other and finding ways to help one another. It’s nice to be a part of a network of people who have your back.”

Mandy, General Manager