February 2013 Edition of The Roar

Photo courtesy of flickr.com/smokershighlife

Page 2

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

News

Students say ‘yes’ to legal pot State senator pushes for new marijuana regulations for recreational use Alisha Hilfinger Staff Writer

amh471@psu.edu

Cannabis, well known for its psychoactive qualities, is an “Alicein-Wonderland-like” substance even in its appearance: decorated with fine crystals and an array of feathery hairs, it looks, to many, quite lovely.

Recently, however, this curious little plant has enticed a generous amount of conflict between liberals and conservatives, young and old, law enforcement and politicians.

So, while the disputes rage on, the joints remain rolled up and happily passed around basements across America.

On Feb. 11 Pennsylvania State Senator Daylin Leach, a suburban Philadelphia democrat, introduced legislation similar to the bills which legalized marijuana recreationally in Colorado and Washington. In an attempt to legalize medical marijuana, Leach has twice introduced legislation which did not receive a single vote.

“There are other intoxicants that are far worse that we do not treat the same way,” Leach said in his press conference. “Marijuana is not physically addictive. Alcohol and tobacco are physically addictive.”

The likelihood that the new legislation will be successful is slim to none, but the proposal itself is enough to stir interest and controversy.

Freshman Thomas Estes is eagerly awaiting the day these mere proposals become realities. Admitting that he occasionally smokes marijuana, Estes says how much more enjoyable it would be if smoking weren’t constantly accompanied by the worry of getting caught by law enforcement.

He says he gets tired of having to sneak around and would like to be able to enjoy the experience in more places.

“When you’re high you can do anything,” Estes said. “You can

Students and faculty support legalizing marijiuana for recreational use in Pennsylvania.

bust out the Legos or a Barbie. You can play with a Barbie when you’re high and it will be perfectly fine with you.”

Junior Armans Bimatovs has mixed feelings about the issue.

“It’s good because the government is gaining control over it and can oversee prices, the amount and taxes.”

But, Bimatovs said, dark possibilities arise as well. Many people use marijuana simply because it’s illegal and feels liberating. Bimatovs worries that people with this mentality will find something else to use rather than the relatively harmless marijuana to fulfill their

anarchist desires.

Advocates of the drug, including Leach, say legalization is a smart move economically.

Leach said between taxing marijuana and the developing a legal marijuana industry, the state could generate $100 billion in economic impact.

Decriminalizing possession of 1 ounce or less, he added, would save the state the $350 million spent prosecuting and jailing roughly 25,000 offenders each year. “That is money we can no longer afford to spend.”

Rajen Mookerjee, professor of economics, agreed.

Flickr/Morgan

“Personally, I don’t see why we don’t legalize marijuana. I think marijuana should be legalized at the federal level. Our government is running enormous budget deficits. If you legalize marijuana nationally, all 50 states, the government could easily collect $9 billion in additional taxes. Think [of] how much good we could do with that,” he said.

Not only does recreational legalization offer profit for the government, but a promise for jobs.

Mookerjee says legalizing marijuana would create job opportunities for growing, refining and selling the plant, especially in rural areas.

But of course there is a more practical use for cannabis than using it for pleasure or as an economic tool: as medication.

Eighteen states have enacted medical marijuana laws, but Pennsylvania is not one of them.

The American Medical Association is not entirely in agreement on the necessity and effectiveness of the drug.

Dr. Mitchell Pfeiffer, campus physician, says there is no proven scientific reason this form of medical treatment should be illegal. For many patients undergoing chemotherapy, using marijuana is the only way to keep food down.

Medical marijuana has also been effective in treating insomnia, unintentional weight loss, and stiff and painful muscles.

Pfeiffer said it is particularly frustrating that he cannot prescribe marijuana when it is the safest and most effective treatment for a particular patient.

Even Officer Patrick Smith of Penn State Beaver Police Services doesn’t seem concerned about the possibility of recreational use becoming legal.

“Whatever the law is, that’s my job to enforce it,” he said, “so it doesn’t bother me if it goes one way or the other.”

As a result of this enforcement, marijuana is found and confiscated several times each month in Harmony Hall by Police Services.

Smith said that if the drug were legal medicinally, students for whom it is prescribed would be able to use it as freely on campus as they would a prescription of antibiotics.

As for using marijuana as an enjoyable hobby, Smith said, “It’s not really a violent drug or anything like that. In my personal opinion it’s not as much of a problem as alcohol even. In a way it is silly when there is worse stuff that’s legal.”

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 3

News Person in the

Bistro How do you feel about the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?

“I feel like it could only help our economy. If weed was legal, we would just get profit from it.”

Minnie Evans “They should do it. They’d make so much more money. It’s a cash crop!”

Cody Zanaglio Freshman

Senior

Sophomore

Sophomore

Senior

“I approve. What people don’t realize is that it reduces stress, calms you down and it’s nonaddictive.”

Daina Owens-Townsend

“I don’t believe in it. There’s no benefit in it except money.”

Erica Jones

“I think it’s fine. It’s one of the less severe drugs. If cigarettes are legal, then why isn’t weed?”

Emily Young

“I don’t really care one way or the other. People will still do it even if it’s still illegal.”

Liz Pompe Freshman

“Alcohol is a poison, but people still drink. So why can’t weed be legal?”

Stephen Galmarini

“To be honest, it’s stupid. Lots of people are going to make that a priority in their life instead of their education, which is so much more important.”

Maria Robbins Freshman

“It doesn’t bother me. I won’t use it either way. It’d be a good industry for our government to generate revenue.”

Greg Napierski Senior

“I don’t smoke weed, but I’m not going to tell people to use or not use it. It won’t really affect me.”

Pete Zdranik Sophomore

“It’s good for tax dollars. People already do it, so it would make sense.”

Jake Szemanski Senior

Sophomore

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Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

News

Cut means fewer new movies in library Michael Brayack Staff Writer

mib5566@psu.edu

If you enjoy being able to check out new movie releases from the library, you may be in for a disappointment this semester.

On Jan. 8, Beth Theobald, the research librarian, announced on Facebook that the library will be purchasing new movies less frequently and that purchases will take longer to arrive.

The library received around $2,450 this year for movie purchases, which was only about $50 less than what was requested. The main change, said Theobald, was that the library now has non-profit status with Amazon.com.

The new status means the library no longer has to pay taxes on its purchases, so there is more money to spend on DVDs. But it also means the buying process has been slowed. The library gets most of its selection off of Amazon and uses Amazon Prime, which, for a small yearly fee, gives free two-day shipping on all purchases.

The ROAR/Dante Massey

Sophomore Danielle Joyner chooses a movie to watch from the DVDs available in the library.

Because of the non-profit status, the library can no longer use Amazon Prime. The library now has to place larger orders to qualify for free shipping, which is slower than the shipping offered by Amazon Prime. This means that the library has to order less frequently

and then wait longer, according to Theobald.

The slight drop in budget also had an effect, she said. “Even if it has dropped by $50, which is reasonable, that $50 dollars could have gone a long way towards buying older titles that students want.”

Theobald and Marty Goldberg, the head librarian, said the Student Government Association has been very generous in funding the movie collection and that it is an important library service.

“I think this is the best thing to happen to the library since I’ve

been here,” said Goldberg. “It does a great job at bringing students into the library.”

Chris Rizzo, director of Student Affairs and co-chair of the Student Activity Fee Committee, said he and the Student Activity Fee Committee agreed it is an important service due to the sheer amount of student usage. Around 200 to 300 movies are lent out to students each month.

As seen by the usage statistics, many students also value the library’s DVD collection.

Verushka Soto, a sophomore resident student, regularly checks out movies from the library. She says having a variety of new movies helps students unwind after classes, especially for students like her who cannot easily leave the campus.

Sergio Simmons, another sophomore resident, also gets movies from the library. He says that he thinks the library should have more money to spend on movies and suggests that maybe interested students could donate a few dollars towards getting specific titles.

Penn Staters question Corbett’s lawsuit motives Levi E. Berk Staff Writer

leb5308@psu.edu

Some Penn State Beaver faculty and students say they support Gov. Tom Corbett’s recent lawsuit for trying to prevent the NCAA from spending Penn State’s $60 million fine outside of the state, despite the fact that they think the suit is politically motivated.

However, most are concerned that the publicity surrounding Corbett’s suit is bad for Penn State.

“There is a saying that any publicity is good publicity,” said Marcess Williams, basketball coach and admissions counselor. “But I don’t believe that. At what point is this going to stop?”

In early January, Corbett filed suit against the NCAA after Penn State handed the organization the

first payment toward the $60 million fine that resulted from the Jerry Sandusky child sex scandal.

Because this suit brings Penn State into the media spotlight yet again, many people such as Williams believe it’s just doing further harm to Penn State’s reputation.

Many are also suspicious of Corbett’s motives given the low approval rating he’s gotten in recent polls.

Mari Pierce, assistant professor of administration of justice, said she is in support of keeping the money in Pennsylvania. “The crime occurred here, the victims are here and the money came from Penn State, so the money should stay in Pennsylvania.”

Both Pierce and Williams agree that Corbett’s suit is a political move to boost his ratings. Corbett

is two years into his first four-year term, and the majority of the public does not approve of his overall performance.

Junior Sarah White also said she agrees with keeping the money in Pennsylvania. “This very well could be a political move by Corbett to boost his low ratings, but I’m glad that he is trying to keep the money here.”

A Quinnipiac University Poll conducted a public opinion survey in Pennsylvania in late January regarding Corbett.

Roughly 42 percent of the respondents said they did not approve of the way Corbett is handling his job as governor, while only 36 percent approve.

But when specifically asked “Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Corbett’s lawsuit against the

NCAA over its sanctions against Penn State,” 43 percent of people approved the lawsuit, while 37 percent did not – nearly the exact opposite of the governor’s approval rating.

Pierce said Corbett’s fight to keep the money in Pennsylvania just might improve his overall ratings before it comes time for reelection.

“It’s very possible that this is a way to boost his ratings, but he’s a politician and almost every decision is a political move,” Pierce said.

Senior Evan Liwosz said he supports the case to keep the money in Pennsylvania, but the suit is a catch-22 because Penn State still ends up looking bad.

“The money should stay in Pennsylvania, but bringing up

the issue just stands to hurt Penn State’s reputation even further,” Liwosz said.

Williams agreed, saying he feels everyone should be cautious about the type of publicity that Penn State receives.

Corbett isn’t the only one to get on the Penn State-NCAA bandwagon.

The state Senate voted unanimously Jan. 30 in favor of keeping the $60 million fine in the Keystone State.

In the end, Williams said he’s just concerned for the students. “It is stipulated that the $60 million would not affect current students, but when you have that much money coming out of the budget, it is hard to say that it won’t affect our students.”

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 5

News Police beat

iMac reported stolen from computer lab

Screenshot courtesy of Pens TV

Maze talks with an interviewer at a Penguins game after finding out he had won front row seats.

Student gets a surprise

Brandon Perino Editor Emeritus

bjp5053@psu.edu

Junior Rhett Maze walked into Consol Energy Center on Feb. 2 unaware that he was about to receive a gift from Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.

Maze’s gift was a front row ticket from a new program that Fleury started this season called “Flower’s Front Row Seats.” For this program Fleury has purchased four front row seats for every Penguins home game this season.

Maze was the first person this season randomly selected from

other students who purchased discounted Student Rush tickets.

“I was completely shocked!”

Maze said. “It took me a few minutes to grasp what was really happening to me.”

Along with getting to sit on the glass, Maze was also fully refunded for his Student Rush purchase.

The game turned out to be exciting for Penguins fans as the Pens beat the New Jersey Devils 5-1.

“The experience was amazing,” Maze said. “When the Pens scored their first goal, they celebrated right in front of me. It was great.”

Maze said he goes to a decent

amount of Penguins games, trying for five to 10 games a year, and that the closest he had ever sat was about 10 rows up.

In an interview with Wes Crosby of NHL.com, Fleury said he was glad students were able to have a good experience and that he wanted to give something back to the fans.

Maze is grateful to benefit from Fluery’s generosity. “It was an amazing gesture for Fleury to do this. He understands how important the fans are to the game and this is the least he can do for the fans.”

A campus employee reported to campus police that one of the new $1,350 iMac computers was stolen from Room 101 in the Laboratory Classroom Building on Feb. 13.

The iMac computers were installed in August 2012. The computers are secured in the rooms by metal computer cables and locks.

Police said the cable had been cut. They are still investigating.

Other thefts reported on Campus

A student contacted police Feb. 6 to report that his jeans, car keys and wallet were stolen from a locker in the gymnasium.

Then on Feb. 8, a bookstore employee reported to police that while doing inventory the employee noticed pens, pencils, notebooks and a hat missing.

Police are still investigating both cases.

Students enter plea to underage drinking

Sophomores Brittany Grzejka of McMurray and Nicole Day of Washington entered a plea Dec. 13 to a local magistrate on an underage drinking charge filed

by campus police. A resident assistant found the two drinking in Harmony Hall Oct. 9 along with sophomore Mahmoud Helal.

Helal, of Cairo, Egypt, entered a plea to the underage drinking charge at a hearing Jan. 9.

Grzejka, who now attends University Park, and Day agreed to attend alcohol classes in lieu of a disposition, while Helal agreed to perform 25 hours of community service.

Marijuana smelled in Harmony Hall

A resident assistant in Harmony Hall reported to campus police Jan. 14 that the odor of marijuana was detected on the third floor.

When police arrived, the officer also smelled the scent but was unable to determine where it was coming from.

Restroom stall door vandalized in sub

A campus employee contacted police on Feb. 12 to report that a stall door in a men’s restroom in the Student Union Building had been written on.

Police are still investigating.

Students, faculty split on Obama’s gun control plan L.E. Reese Staff Writer

ler5210@psu.edu

Sophomore Pete Zdranik said he is strongly opposed to the recent proposals regarding gun control and thinks they would do more harm than good.

Zdranik said President Barack Obama’s recent proposal to limit assault weapons and expand criminal background checks on gun buyers would do little to improve

safety while chipping away at the integrity of our rights.

“The new legislation would be moving in the wrong direction,” Zdranik said. “It would begin to strip people of their power, which is what the Second Amendment was written to protect.”

Zdranik is one of several Penn State Beaver faculty and students who think the president’s proposal would be ineffective.

The president’s gun control pro-

posal is a reaction to the school shooting tragedy in Newtown, Conn., in which 20 first graders were shot and killed by a gunman.

Obama invited numerous victims of gun violence to his State of the Union Address Feb. 12 to build support for his plan Junior Alan Kosan, a veteran, said that while he supports the idea of gun control, more comprehensive regulation is needed than what the current proposals provide.

“The problem with it is that bad people will still disregard the laws we set in place,” Kosan said.

The president’s plan to restrict and enforce new gun regulations appears inadequate on both sides of the argument.

Biology Instructor John Abel said the recent proposals are not getting to the root of the cause.

“We shouldn’t expect huge positive results,” he said, adding that new regulations wouldn’t make him feel

any safer.

Abel said he supports more effective legislation that would enforce the current gun regulations and hold gun distributors responsible for what they sell.

Sophomore Erin Burnsworth said she’s not opposed to the regulations, but thinks the new plan won’t make much of a difference.

“People are still going to have guns, so there’s still going to be the risk of gun violence,” she said.

Page 6

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

Viewpoint

Legalizing pot a bad idea

Managing Editor Dan Trzcianka

dvt5050@psu.edu

Editor emeritus Brandon Perino bjp5053@psu.edu

Copy Editors Caitlin Vodenichar cav5119@psu.edu

Amanda Polombo amp5831@psu.edu

Photo editor Corey Wright

cjw5372@psu.edu

Business Manager Steven Dusicsko sjd5181@psu.edu

EDITORIAL Editor Nancy Paoletti

State Senator Daylin Leach, a Democrat from the suburbs of Philadelphia, recently proposed legislation to legalize marijuana for recreational use. The idea is to sell and tax pot the same way Pennsylvania sells and taxes alcohol.

As a result, college students across the commonwealth are likely making a collective jump for joy, hoping that by some stretch of the imagination the politicians, who must approve such a radical move, might have a moment of weakness and agree with Leach.

During the last election, the voters of Colorado and Washington State decided to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Now they have to figure out a way to regulate how to grow it, what can go into it and how to sell it without breaking any federal laws.

Representatives of the federal agencies that regulate food and drugs including cigarettes and alcohol say they are staying out of these decisions because marijuana use is still illegal on a federal level.

So, what’s the big deal and why is the government having such a problem with legalizing it? And, should Pennsylvania legalize marijuana?

You just might not like the answer to these questions.

According to LiveScience.com, marijuana can impair a person’s thinking, memory and learning for weeks after use.

In addition, while marijuana can give a person a feeling of well-being, it can also cause a person to have a break with reality.

nlp5099@psu.edu

Page Designers Jennifer Durbin jad500@psu.edu

Dante Massey

dwm5299@psu.edu

Paul Toma

pat5133@psu.edu

senior staff writers Ben Keeler

bak5266@psu.edu

Monica Pitcher

mmp5317@psu.edu

Advisers Terrie Baumgardner tbm2@psu.edu

Cathy Benscoter cub15@psu.edu

Daniel Pinchot djp114@psu.edu

LiveScience.com also reports that smoking pot can increase the heart rate within minutes, sometimes to even double, which is a risk for people with certain heart conditions. Others may develop anxieties and paranoia.

Legalizing pot would reduce prices so people could smoke it more.

If that sounds like it would be good for the state in tax revenues, consider that Buinessweek.com reported that the U.S. collects around $8 billion in taxes from alcohol.

However, 2008 saw an estimated $185 billion in alcoholrelated costs to health care, to criminal justice and in workplace productivity. The government picked up the tab for 38 percent to the tune of roughly $72 billion.

Another argument is that legalizing marijuana would ease some of the burden on the criminal justices system. But in actuality, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, if marijuana were legal and people used more of it, there would be just as many if not more arrests for crimes that resulted from people getting high.

The ONDCP reports that alcohol is legal, yet public intoxication, drunk driving, and other alcohol-related crimes amounted to nearly 2.7 million arrests in 2008.

But there were only 750,000 arrests for possession of marijuana in that same year.

So ask yourself, does the state of Pennsylvania really need these headaches?

Don’t treat college like it’s high school

Most freshmen start college fresh after high school with little or no experience in the realities of what college life can bring.

In high school, students go to classes every day for a good portion of each day, then go home and do an hour or so of homework. Done.

Parents are around to help with problems and can help with keeping the distractions down.

So, even if high school students hold part-time jobs or are involved in sports, many will manage to get through high school unscathed.

College is different.

Many students realize in the first week or two of classes that college is nothing like high school. They realize there will be more work involved.

Some students, however, don’t grasp this difference until the end of their first semester.

Juggling sports, jobs, clubs and other outside activities, along with too many credit hours, can cause more than just a

few headaches for new students.

Trying to balance these activities with school and homework has led some students to the brink of failure and others to fail their first semester in college.

If this describes you, the first thing to remember is that you aren’t alone.

The second thing to remember is this: don’t quit or give up.

College is an important first step in many career paths. College graduates earn more than $1 million more over their lifetimes than do high school graduates.

College graduates are also less likely to be unemployed or affected by economic issues.

While it’s no guarantee of success, a college diploma makes it much more likely that the person who earned it will succeed.

So if you’ve bombed, use that first disastrous semester as a learning experience. See it through. Work harder for better grades. Earn that degree, even if

it takes a little longer.

Freshman should seek out good advice before dropping a class. Talk to your academic advisor; then talk to a financial aid counselor to learn if dropping that course might affect your current or future financial aid.

Pace yourself. Take only as many credit hours as you can reasonably handle, especially if you’re facing an especially rigorous semester or you need that part-time job to pay your way through college.

Remember, college is a journey, not a race. You don’t get bonus points for being the first one done. It’s the quality of what you learn that matters.

Cut back on sports and club activities if they are getting in the way of homework and good grades.

Learn better study habits by setting specific times and ways to study. Don’t miss or be late for classes, and be sure to turn assignments in on time.

Finally, ask for help if you need it.

Someone will always be able to help.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 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 universityrecognized 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: roar-business@ psu.edu by the 20th of each month.

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 7

Commentary

Advice to students: Take small steps, but keep on the journey Four years ago, I started attending college and I am expecting to graduate in May. Looking back, I can see that the beginning came with excitement and nervousness. To make a good beginning, I tried to amplify the excitement to get over the nervousness. When I was unable to make the balance between these two, there was a time of struggle.

Struggle is good as long as we stick to the path we are walking, as we will eventually solve the problems we face. The struggle becomes troublesome when we try to avoid it. Avoidance is what widens the gap between where we are now and where we want to reach.

In my freshmen year, I got an opportunity to embark on a philosophy research project in which I had to write a paper on Asian philosophy for the research fair. I

in my own words

Kyung Min Kim think I took it easy as I had had the experience of reading many philosophical books in the past.

In the beginning, I was thrilled to examine a single phenomenon through different philosophical angles. But writing a paper for the research fair required a thorough and demanding workload which I had never experienced.

Honestly, I struggled more as time passed. I found myself wanting to turn away from the pressure.

When I was feeling depressed from the struggle, my adviser, Irene Wolf, senior instructor in philosophy, told me, “Keep thinking. You just need to keep thinking!”

I took her words seriously. I paid attention to her word, “Keep.”

We often hear the trite phrase, “Be in the present, not in the past or the future!” But what is being in the present? Someone needs to explain this abstract phrase. I believe “being in the present” means to keep doing something; it is about not avoiding taking a small step every day.

Sometimes, our goals seem too far, and thinking of those goals puts pressure on us. I recommend forgetting those goals.

Instead, just like Wolf said, “Keep thinking!” We might just need to focus on taking small steps every day. The everyday joy in life doesn’t come from reaching those high goals we set, but from every single step we take every day.

What small steps are you taking these days?

THE ROAR/Paul Toma

Laughing about racism

Comedian and motivational speaker Preacher Moss speaks to Penn State Beaver students Feb. 6 about racism. Moss used comedy and story telling to empahsize how harmful racism can be.

Don’t throw this newspaper away!

Recycle The Roar and all of the other paper you don’t need any more. Put office paper, magazines, catalogs and newspapers in one of the paper recycling bins on campus or in the Paper Retriever bin in the lower parking lot near the gym.

HELP MAKE PENN STATE BEAVER GREENER

Page 8

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

Features

Student inspires others Rhone’s positive outlook on life shows students how to stay positive through hard times

“

I’m just so happy that I made it in. Just being able to get to class.”

Alnycea Blackwell Staff Writer

aab5314@psu.edu

It’s a Wednesday morning. The room in the General Classroom Building is dimly lit from the sun and the ceiling leaks from the rain outside.

Notebooks and papers are spread out on the table in front of Brenton Rhone.

His face is down as he hides behind a book.

He looks up and smiles.

“The first thing I do when I wake up is pray,” he says.

Bundled up in a thick coat and dark sweatpants, Rhone drops his head once again and goes back to doing what every college student does: study.

But Senior Brenton Rhone is different from most other college students.

It’s not that he’s an international student, nor is his difference due to his race or the fact that he’s older.

What makes Rhone differ from other college students is his illness.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) makes the body’s immune system attack its nervous system.

GBS led Rhone into a wheelchair.

The illness completely paralyzed him at one time.

Now he has recovered control of most of his body, although he still is not fully able to walk.

Rhone, 40, does not let his illness get him down.

As students can see by following him around campus, Rhone’s positive outlook on life helps him get through, day by day.

As he sits quietly in the GCB’s classroom 107, Rhone gazes over PowerPoint slides.

The slides are steeped in science material dealing with the environment.

“I have a test today. I tried to get

The ROAR/Dante Massey

Senior Brenton Rhone, an Administration of Justice major, organizes his papers and thoughts during his criminal justice class on special offenders.

some more studying in early in the morning, but I didn’t have time,” Rhone says.

He flips a page of the PowerPoint slides provided by his environmental science instructor, Assistant Professor Matt Grunstra.

“I never had him before. I don’t know how the test is going to be,” he says.

And again, for a few more minutes, Rhone falls quiet.

The flip of his Penn State cap covers his eyes and glasses while he looks down at the material.

His head slowly comes up and he looks at the clock. It’s five minutes before 11.

“Gotta go now. About to be late for class,” Rhone says.

He packs his things into a briefcase-style book bag.

Rhone pushes the controls on his motorized wheelchair to get to

the door.

He opens it slightly.

It takes him a moment, but it’s just enough to get his wheelchair through.

He zooms off into the next room by using the same technique.

When he gets inside, he yells out to the teacher, “Did you get my email, Dr. Pierce?”

Rhone had emailed his professor earlier in the morning to share some ideas with her.

“Yes, Brenton, I got your email.

But I didn’t read it yet,” says Mari Pierce, assistant professor of administration of justice.

Rhone turns his wheelchair around to the front.

A classmate close by gets up and pushes a small table towards him so he can use that as a desk.

Today, the students are working in groups. They’re given a set of

questions to answer.

Rhone and his group get together to discuss the questions. This kind of group work wasn’t an option before.

The first time Rhone went to college, he didn’t really care for it.

This time, however, is a different story.

Rhone has a grade-point average of 3.2 and has recently been nominated for Penn State Beaver’s Walker Award.

“He answers questions and he shows enthusiasm for learning, whereas a lot of students are more going through the motions,” said Grunstra.

Pam Murray is a health aide for Rhone.

“I’ve been with him since the beginning. To what he used to do when I first started, to what he is now... It’s truly amazing,” Murray

Brenton Rhone Senior

said.

When his group is done with the work and class is over, Rhone yells out, “Bye, Dr. Pierce.”

“Bye, Brenton. I’ll get back to you about that email,” Pierce responds.

A classmate opens the door for Rhone. He rides out into the hallway and sees the rain coming down.

He puts a hood up, wraps a plastic bag over the buttons on the wheelchair and presses the handicap button on the wall.

As soon as it opens, Rhone zooms off to the library. He gets inside and looks around.

“I’m meeting my group here,” he says.

Then he goes over to the table and waits until his group members arrive.

They go over a presentation for Friday. They write down ideas.

Rhone wants to think outside the box and makes the suggestion of doing a skit to introduce the presentation.

Though all the group members turn him down, he says he’ll do whatever they need him to do.

The meeting ends and the members begin to leave.

“I’ve been trying to get to one of your games,” Rhone says to the two basketball players in his group.

“You should come,” sophomore Marquis Samuels says as he leaves the table.

Rhone smiles as they leave, and they ask why he is always so happy.

“I’m just so happy that I made it in,” he says.

“Just being able to get to class.”

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 9

Features

Struggling freshmen need to ask for help

Dante Massey Staff Writer

dwm5299@psu.edu

Sophomore Nathan Bergandy is the first to tell you that he had a rough freshman year, academically speaking.

“I had problems with adjusting my time to focus on school,” Bergandy said.

Bergandy said he got overwhelmed quickly with college, his personal life and being a member of the varsity basketball team.

The year, he comes out to support his former teammates but no longer has the added commitment of being a player.

“Don’t underestimate the work load you have in college. If you learn how to balance your school work and personal life, you will have a successful college career and prevent a failure,” Bergandy said.

Many freshmen seem to follow

the same pattern as Bergandy, and do not see that they are setting themselves up for failure.

When students fail during their freshman year, it can cause many future problems financially, academically and emotionally.

“Students have to learn responsibility and how to manage their time, but they also have to learn to ask questions when they need to,” said Larissa Ciuca, personal and career counselor.

Ciuca said that some students will even choose to ignore that the problem exists until the last possible moment, and that’s where the Student Success Committee comes into play.

The Student Success Committee is a group of 16 faculty and staff members who identify and help students who may be struggling through their courses.

The committee members will

talk to students face-to-face or by email to warn them that they are not doing well, and the members will provide ways to help fix it.

A huge factor that is based on a student’s academic progress is financial aid.

“Students can become ineligible for some or all aid if they do not complete 67 percent of their attempted credits,” said Student Aid Coordinator Gail Gray. Most students do not know that dropping a course because they are failing can be more harmful financially than getting a D. The committee has a campaign called “Stop before You Drop,” which is in place to convince students to not drop a course and instead find a way to correct their grade or behavior.

If a student does not pass 67 percent of their attempted credits, the student will be on financial

aid warning for one semester and monitored for academic progress.

In that period the student will have to earn 100 percent of the attempted credits or lose aid the following semester.

If a student loses aid, the student has to earn 12 credits without the benefit of receiving financial aid before the aid can be restored.

Because many students cannot afford to pay the entire bill for 12 Penn State credits out of pocket, they may need to seek a private loan or to take those credits at a lower-cost community college.

“Having a bad first semester can cause students an unnecessary amount of stress and can lead to depression, anger and, ultimately, disappointment,” said Cuica.

Students need to realize when they screw up and understand that fixing it is doable, she added.

Senior Ileana Muhlach had a

screw up her freshman year attending college in Puerto Rico.

Now at Penn State, she earns great grades and has a much better attitude about school.

“I learned that you need to be responsible for yourself and have to go get help when you need it,” she said.

Ciuca said she’s happy to help students, so long as they are willing to do their part. “I’m here to be your safe place to go and find the help you need to put you on your way to success, as long as you’re willing to work to get there too,” she said.

Bergandy advised others to seek the help when they need it.

“The problem I had was I didn’t talk to people when I needed help,” Bergandy said.

“This year I’m close with all my professors and ask questions when I need help.”

Page 10

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

Features

It’s a kids thing THON raises record $12 million for children with cancer Corey Wright Staff Writer

cjw5372@psu.edu

The Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon Feb. 15 to 17 broke all previous records, raising more than $12 million, including a record amount from Penn State Beaver’s own THON Committee.

The event started around 4 Friday afternoon when Penn State Beaver students began standing in line to enter the Bryce Jordan Center. When the doors opened, the crowd began to roar “FTK,” the acronym for THON’s catchphrase, For the Kids.

For the nearly 20 student from Beaver who attended, it began to set in: This was finally THON weekend.

THON is more than just the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, and more than just the oldest and largest dance marathon in the nation. It’s a sign of hope for the families that face the challenges of having a child with pediatric cancer.

According to the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center, THON has raised $89 million for these families burdened with pediatric cancer since its inception in 1973. With this year’s total, THON easily topped the $100 million mark.

Penn State Beaver broke the campus record with its contribution of more than $15,000 to THON. “I was so incredibly shocked because we not only doubled last year’s total, but we set an amazing new record for Beaver,” Erica De Luca, Penn State Beaver THON chair, said.

“I was so proud of all my members for completing such an amazing feat!” she said.

These record-breaking numbers were accumulated throughout the year from fundraisers such as mini-

THON, the date auction, THONvelopes, three weekends of canning and online donations.

This year, sophomore Danielle Roethlein and freshman Nikki Nuske were chosen as dancers to represent Penn State Beaver.

The festivities started this year much like any other year: bands and dance groups showcasing their talents, the hourly line dance and energetic moralers supporting each and every dancer.

But despite all of these positive events, there were problems with the event.

Waits in long lines and struggles to find seats at times overwhelmed the crowd of visitors.

DeLuca said that there were new systems put in place to ensure faster access and smoother operations for THON weekend.

But Beaver students, along with the rest of the THON organization, became frustrated that these systems failed quickly.

People trying to enter the BJC were faced with two- to three-hourlong lines. Many were turned away from getting on the floor, and frustration was evident in the crowd.

Difficulties continued to face Beaver’s THON team on Saturday when the BJC reached maximum capacity and the doors were closed, cutting off all admission.

A line of about one mile began to wrap around the parking lots and weaved in and out of the street.

But despite all of these troubles, Beaver’s THON crew looked forward to Sunday, with festivities beginning bright and early at 3 a.m.

The THON members were well rested, well fed and more than eager to reenter the BJC. The atmosphere on the floor was energetic, excited and packed to capacity.

Roughly 15,000 other Penn State students filled the BJC area

with excitement and anticipation to finding out what this year’s overall total would be.

But before anyone could find out the total, the BJC had to experience one thing: family hour.

Four Diamond Fund families took the stage and told their stories of bravery, strength and, most importantly, hope.

Tears were shed by audience members and dancers as the families shared their gratitude toward all of THON. After each of the three families shared their stories, the party resumed. It was just under an hour before the total was revealed to everyone in attendance.

The environment immediately changed from a quiet, somber mood to an electric atmosphere when the final band took the stage and rocked the BJC’s stands.

Once the performance wrapped up, it was almost time.

The moralers jumped onto the stage and gave the countdown until the official end of THON. As they counted back from 10, a look of joy and relief began to wash over the dancers’ faces.

There was only one thing left to see before the end … the reveal.

The THON Overall Committee members took the stage, ready to reveal this year’s overall total and hold their white cardboard signs.

One by one, the signs began to go up, finally displaying this year’s overall total: $12,374,034.46.

This years’ total blowed the $10.6 million that was made last year out of the water, setting yet another record for annual donations.

Everyone in the BJC cheered and embraced one another, whether they knew each other or not.

“There really isn’t a word for how that made me feel,” Roethlin said. “Knowing that what I did is even the smallest fraction of that $12 million blows my mind.”

Penn State Beaver THON dancer Nikki Nuske, center in orange, sings and d

Date auction brings in Cameron Boggs Staff Writer

cgb5148@psu.edu

Loud! That describes the atmosphere during the common hour at the Brodhead Bistro on Feb. 4.

It was the day after the Super Bowl and time for Penn State Beaver’s annual THON Date Auction.

The Bistro was packed like a fivestar restaurant.

Like an auctioneer pitching a valuable piece of jewelry, sophomore Rob Trhlin announced each contestant’s name, major and extracurricular activities while promoting the student’s personality in a bid to up the take on the auction.

The bid started at $5 for each of the 18 students being auctioned off. Most students were “sold” for between $20 and $50, but there

A spectator silhouettes the sign of th Bryce Jordan Center floor at THON.

were some notable exceptions.

Senior Alex Filippi paid a whopping $150 in his winning bid for

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 11

The ROAR/Paul Toma

Danielle Roethlein makes the Four Diamonds sign during the THON line dance.

Dancer reflects on water guns, bubbles and blessings

dances on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center during THON 2013.

The ROAR/Dante Massey

n $1,064 for THON committee

The ROAR/Paul Toma

he Four Diamonds Fund over the

senior Minnie Evans, while freshman Josh Moon matched that $150 in his successful bid for freshman

Seolbi Lee. Senior Dan Trzcianka, the Roar’s managing editor, took third in the auction with a bid of $110 from sophomore Nicole Day. Ironically, all three of the topgenerating students were sold to students with whom they are dating.

Each of the auctioned off contestants and their winning bidders went on a group date to the movies on Feb. 12.

“I’m excited about going out on the group date,” Lee said after the auction.

In all, the auction raised $1,064 for THON, which beat last year’s auction that raised $600.

Sophomore Erica DeLuca, chair of the THON fundraising committee, was very happy with the success of the event.

“We accomplished so much

today. Thank you so much for giving money for a great cause.”

Freshman Nikki Nuske, who was auctioned off for $40, said she was a last minute addition to the auction agenda. “THON has been the best experience I ever had,” Nuske said.

“I hope more people join next year!”

Freshman Rachel Rheingrover attended the auction but didn’t bid on anyone. Rheingrover said she’s now hoping to join the THON fundraising efforts next year. “It’s a known organization and the more people (who are) helping, the better.”

Sophomore DeAndre Wagner, who was auctioned off for $25, is looking forward to participating in THON again. “I want to join next year because it’s not only fun, but it’s for a good cause.”

Editor’s note: Sophomore Danielle Roethlein, a former Beaver student now at University Park, was selected last fall as one of two dancers to represent Penn State Beaver at this year’s Dance Marathon. At the Roar’s request, she shared her experience as a dancer for THON as well as her excitement when the THON Overall Committee announced the fundraising total in excess of $12 million.

Danielle Roethlein For The Roar

Before the total was announced, I kept wondering if we beat last year’s total.

I knew that some people chose not to donate because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, but some people donated more to show their support for us during our tough time.

So I was clueless.

More than anything, I just wanted us to get $12 million because our total up until then was $89 million since THON’s inception, and I really wanted us to break $100 million.

As soon as they announced it, I was speechless.

I thought I had run out of tears by that time, but I guess not because I just cried like a baby and grabbed everyone around me.

I told complete strangers that I was proud of them because I was. I didn’t have to know them to know how hard they worked and what this meant to them.

Every person in the Bryce Jordan Center at that moment was feeling the same thing. Whether you were a dancer, a Four Diamonds child or parent, a moraler, a chair or a member of any THON organization, you were overwhelmed by happiness and hope.

I can’t remember the last time I felt that happy, and I’m a pretty happy person usually. That moment was just perfect.

No one in that group of 15,000 or in the thousands watching from home was thinking of themselves.

We were all just grateful that our efforts had paid off and that so many children would get another chance at life.

The best thing about being on the floor is the kids. They’re why we’re there.

From having water gun fights to playing with bubble guns, they made every feeling of pain go away.

It was incredible.

I wouldn’t trade a second of the time I had with them for anything in the world. They are truly heroes, and I’m blessed to have been able to dance for them. FTK (For the Kids)

Page 12

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

Features

Some students choose Monkeys and moose Beaver campus over UP and unicorns, oh my!

JeQa Powe Staff Writer

jdp990@psu.edu

Most undergraduate students at Penn State Beaver started here as freshmen and plan to either transfer to University Park after two years or stay here all four years.

Senior Kyle Ludwig is an exception. He actually began his Penn State education at the Shenango campus, then switched to Beaver rather than go the typical route to University Park.

Ludwig, who is majoring in Information Science and Technology, is one of the rare students taking a non-traditional path through PSU. “Beaver was one of the closest to my home,” Ludwig said, “and it allowed me to stay on campus instead of commuting — which helped me to focus more on my studies.”

Ludwig took a Polycom class with Abhijit Dutt, instructor in Information Sciences and Technology, as a student at Shenango.

“It was pretty tough because there were no tutors who knew the material for the class I was taking,” Ludwig said. “So I had to teach myself for the most part. I ended up being the only tutor for the class on campus afterwards.”

He says the Center for Academic Achievement at Beaver helps him tremendously.

Ludwig said he did not want to go to University Park because of its size. Neither did Senior Darius Prince.

Prince is an Administration of Justice major and former member of the men’s varsity basketball team who spent three years at Greater Allegheny before coming to Beaver.

“I could have gone to University Park, but I don’t know if I could have functioned at my best with 200 to 300 students in my class,” he said. “Plus, I wanted to stay closer to home, and Beaver had my major.”

Prince said he also enjoys the

THE ROAR/Dante Massey

Senior Darius Prince chose Beaver instead of University Park when changing his assignment from Greater Allegheny.

residence hall rules better at Beaver than at Greater Allegheny.

“I hated how if I wanted to bring a friend to my room I had to sign like three or four waivers with their information before they could come in, and then they had to be walking out of the door by midnight or you would get written up,” said Prince. “It was like jail and strict visitation rights up there.”

Prince said you would have to fill out three pages of forms if you wanted a guest to stay the night.

At Harmony Hall, there is a twoday guest overnight limit before the guest must leave – as long as the guest is escorted around the halls.

“I used to say I would never come to Beaver because of basketball, but everything kind of fell in place for me to come here,” Prince said. “I was cool with Coach (Marcess) Williams, the classes were all laid out for me by the staff and I get to go home and see my daughter every weekend if I want to.”

Division of Undergraduate Studies Coordinator Gretchen Samchuck said she believes campus

transfers like Prince’s are due to the fact that students are realizing how convenient it is to come to Beaver campus.

Most students who plan on doing the 2+2 program end up at University Park facing many obstacles other than course preferences.

Some obstacles include availability of majors, housing and of course, financing.

“I believe that the reason students transition or finish at Beaver is due to the fact that they save much more money than they would if they were to go to a bigger campus,” Samchuck said.

“Not only that, but the programs that we provide and the hands-on interaction that our faculty and staff have with students make it more likely for transitioning students to succeed, especially for those who have come from different campuses who did not have this before,” she added.

Senior Minnie Evans wanted to go to University Park but got into a car accident while at Altoona, which prevented her from going.

“With no car and no transportation and increasing costs, my mother said there was no way I could stay off campus,” said Evans.

“So I had to find a smaller campus with housing.”

Evans went to Greater Allegheny for two years before changing to Altoona, and finally to Beaver.

“Beaver is a campus that allows you to focus,” said Evans. “The faculty and staff here are absolutely fantastic.”

Evans said the staff helped her to get back on course and turn a three-semester graduation plan into a two-semester one, even with a change of major and more options after graduation.

“Gretchen (Samchuck) and Karen (Barr) are the reason I get my motivation. Gretchen helped me set realistic goals and even a 22-credit semester and get it done,” Evans said. “Karen is just the most amazing advisor on campus.”

Student Activities sponsored a Valentine’s Day stuff-a-plush event on Feb. 13, in the SUB. Students were able to make their own cuddly little creature to give to their Valentine.

Freshman Von Allen, above, listens to music while making a stuffed monkey.

Sophomore Verushka Sota, left, gives the moose she made a big squeeze.

THE ROAR/Paul Toma

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 13

Features

Distance makes the heart grow fonder

“

If you really care about the person, distance doesn’t matter.”

B. Keeler

Senior Staff Writer bak5266@psu.edu

Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Absences are a good influence in love and keep it bright and delicate.”

What Stevenson meant is that distance in a relationship can be a good thing because when you are later reunited, you appreciate the time you spend together even more.

Long distance relationships can be challenging for college students.

Between classes and the distance, partners can go for weeks without seeing each other. But with mutual feelings and trust, many college students are working through that distance.

Sophomore Joshua Nussbaum was in a long distance relationship for about a year and a half. The reason he and his girlfriend chose a long distance relationship versus just breaking up was that they were in love. Nussbaum said that the biggest challenge they faced was that she was unable to drive. That meant that they were only able to see each other about once a semester.

Nussbaum said the other strain on their relationship was that they were both so busy it was common for them to go two weeks without any type of communication with one another.

Communication is one aspect

ROAR ILLUSTRATION/Dante Massey

Sophomore Victoria Ley is texting her boyfriend who is stationed in Germany for seven months.

that sophomore Victoria Ley does not worry about. She and her boyfriend Skype often.

The reason they chose to stay together over the distance was that they are very much in love. If a period of long distance could not ruin their relationship, they said they felt that nothing could.

Ley admitted that she misses the physical contact with her boyfriend. He is in Germany for seven months with the military, so she cannot really hop in the car and go visit him. She said that the physical part of their relationship is on hold.

“We thought that webcam romantic play would ruin our rela-

tionship because it creates urges which lead to cheating,” Ley said.

While Ley and Nussbaum have made their long distance relationships more platonic, others use Skype and sexting as ways to keep the passion alive.

Freshman Amanda Bowers said that though her boyfriend comes

Taylor Braxton

to visit at least once a month, their Oovoo dates can turn sexual.

Oovoo is a service similar to Skype.

Bowers also said that when he visits, they cannot keep their hands off one another.

Sophomore Rachel Borrell has only been in a long distance relationship for about a month and uses Skype and sexting to keep the romance alive in her relationship.

“It reassures you that they physically want you, not just emotionally.

It’s also (a great source) of entertainment,” Borrell said.

While some find happiness in long distance relationships, for others it can be hell. Taylor Braxton, a sophomore, did not find bliss in her long distance relationship.

Braxton and her boyfriend had access to transportation, so they figured they could make the distance work. In the end, she said, it was a lack of communication that ended their relationship, but the distance did not help matters.

Braxton said that despite her bad experience with long distance relationships, she would definitely try it again.

“If you really care about the person, distance doesn’t matter,” she said.

Page 14

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

Features Technology Overload:

How much is too much?

Zakary Taylor Senior Staff Writer

zwt100@psu.edu

Less than 48 hours after teammate Javon Belcher took the life of longtime girlfriend Kasandra Perkins and ended his own just outside of Kansas City Chiefs’ headquarters, NFL quarterback Brady Quinn stood solemnly before a crowd of reporters.

“When you ask someone how they are doing, do you really mean it? When you answer someone back how you are doing, are you really telling the truth?” Quinn asked.

“We live in a society of social networks, with Twitter pages and Facebook, and that’s fine, but we have contact with our work associates, our family, our friends, and it seems like half the time we are more preoccupied with our phone and other things going on instead of actual relationships that we have right in front of us.”

With these profound words, Quinn struck a chord among football fans across the nation. As faceto-face communication becomes replaced by text messages and tweets, some are left wondering what is being sacrificed for the sake of technological advancement.

It’s not just football fans; some college students – often most notorious for being obsessed with their phones and social media – are beginning to ask how much technology is too much.

“I think technology is desensitizing students from the world.

We rely on texting, Facebook and Twitter so much that even when you see a group of friends hanging out together in person, each of them has their phone or laptop out,” said junior Caitlin Vodenichar, who is also a Roar copy editor.

“Sure, technology is great, but we need human interactions and we need to face reality in person, not through a screen.”

With communication becom-

Freshman Pedro Faria texts in the Brodhead Bistro while enjoying his dinner after his afternoon classes.

ing less personal and more digital, students such as senior Kim Villella have noticed a change in the way some people interact.

“I have noticed that kids can’t even look you in the eyes and talk,” she said. “I am a server and there have been countless times that parents have to tell their children to put the phone down because I am standing there waiting for their order. It’s sad when you look around the restaurant and the whole family is on their phones instead of having a conversation.”

Others, like senior Jessica Onof-

fery, see technology as a way of bringing people together, rather than driving them apart. “I think it’s actually a positive thing. I think it lets people stay in touch and you can contact people you wouldn’t before – it’s networking and networking is going to be here forever.”

Assistant Professor of Computer Science David Paoletti also noted some of the benefits social technology can provide.

“For certain students, it can be a particular boon. If they are deaf, they can keep in touch with any-

one,” he said.

According to Manager of Information Technology Ted Froats, hi-tech communication is simply the natural progression of human expression.

“I think it’s just the evolution of a society,” he said. “This proverb might explain it better. ‘Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time’. Think back in history about the invention of the telegraph, the telephone, radio communication and television.

People adapt to the forms of com-

The ROAR/Paul Toma

munication available to them. It doesn’t necessarily have to be bad or good.”

As technology continues to advance, students will have to find a healthy balance between their social lives and their social networks.

“I think technology in every era … provides benefits and it has downsides,” Paoletti said. “As with anything else, it depends on the person. With or without technology, there are going to be people who are era social and those who are not.”

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

Page 15

Features

Peer leaders face new expectations Lindsay Bangor Staff Writer

lmb5793@psu.edu

While most freshmen find themselves anxiously anticipating the changes facing them as they head off to college, some need a little extra guidance to be successful.

For several years, Penn State Beaver has helped incoming freshmen ease their fears through the use of peer leaders, and this year there may be even more of these peer leaders can do for the students.

“We are in talks of a making the peer leader role more of a mentoring position,” said Chris Rizzo, director of Student Affairs. “We are talking about … the idea of student-to-student mentoring, allowing the mentors to give advice from a student perspective.”

Rizzo said it’s a way for peer mentors to use their own experience as an incoming college student to benefit new students.

For some students, making the jump from high school to college can be a scary and intimidating experience. Peer leaders are meant to ease that tension, and remind new students they are not alone.

“I had a difficult time transitioning from high school to college,” said Amanda Palombo, a peer leader who also serves as a Roar copy editor. “So I loved being a peer leader, and helping students with their transition, in case they would have trouble.”

“Peer leaders are the first faces students coming into the campus see. They help to make the students feel less anxious about starting college,” said Residence Life and Activities Coordinator Robin Schreck.

Peer leaders work for three weeks in August to help transition students into college life as smoothly as possible, but once classes start, their role diminishes slightly – something peer leaders and faculty are hoping to change.

“I do like the idea of having follow up sessions throughout the year,” said sophomore peer leader Adrijana Vukelic. “Once students have actually started classes, we could help them with certain things.”

This is just a concept, as of now, and Rizzo plans to keep expanding the idea of the student mentoring.

“Our First Year Planning group will meet again soon to talk more about the concept,” Rizzo said.

“Our main goal is to help students as much as we can, not only with new student orientation, but throughout the year.”

As for the First-Year Testing, Consulting and Advising Program commonly called FTCAP, there will be a few minor changes made this year.

“The name FTCAP will simply change to New Student Orientation,” said Advising Program Coordinator Gretchen Samchuck. “The academic side of FTCAP and all of

Courteousy of Robin Schreck

The peer leaders pose for a picture at the Lion Shrine during the summer 2012 FTCAP.

the scheduling aspects of the day will stay the same, and students will still get the opportunity to be guided around campus.”

While the program formerly known as FTCAP remains the same, there will be a switch in the New Student Day schedule that may leave some students disap-

pointed.

The Gateway Clipper boat trip after New Student Day will most likely not be happening this year.

“The Gateway Clipper has gotten very expensive,” Schreck said.

“This year we may try to go to a park outdoors and play games, have food, and there will definitely

still be a DJ for a dance party.”

So what exactly is next for peer leaders?

“We are still working with staff members to identify goals for peer leaders next,” Rizzo said. “We are confident they will be able to adapt to any new initiative we give them and do a great job.”

Page 16

Penn State Beaver Roar

February 2013

Sports

Lions lose a heartbreaker in PSUAC Rob Trhlin Staff Writer

ryt5088@psu.edu

Penn State Beaver’s men’s basketball team lost the Penn State University Athletic Conference championship Feb. 17 in a heartbreaker to Penn State York 80-79 on Beaver’s home court.

In a game that was full of excitement and kept fans on their feet, it all came down to 1.3 seconds left on the clock.

In the beginning of the game, Penn State York sophomore Logan Steckel seemed untouchable as he made his first six shots from behind the three-point line. Steckel had York ahead by 34-18, scoring half of his team’s points.

But as the first half neared the end, the momentum was about to shift in Beaver’s direction.

With 41 seconds left in the half, Beaver junior guard Nick Miller drained a three-pointer, which got the crowd going. Then with 12 seconds left, Miller knocked down another three-pointer as time expired, sending Beaver into the locker room down 37-28.

“We overlooked Steckel. We knew he would shoot, but never thought he would have this type of game,” junior Chris Weathers said.

Beaver Coach Marcess Williams decided to shake things up a bit in the second half.

“We needed a change, and we went to a box-and-one defense to

The ROAR/Dan Trzcianka

Junior Nick Miller shoots a three-pointer in the PSUAC championship game against Penn State York.

try to slow down Steckel and their explosive offense,” Williams said.

This defense provided a spark for Beaver, creating turnovers and bad shots taken by York, tightening York’s lead to just three points.

With 16:44 left on the clock, Weathers hit two free throws to make the score 42-41.

York could not get anything going in the beginning of the second half, while Penn State Beaver stormed back, led by Weathers cre-

ating defensive plays and openings for his teammates.

“It’s the championship game,” Weathers said. “Everyone is playing for the same goal, and I wanted to do whatever I could do for my team.”

York’s junior forward Ben Todd really came alive in the second half.

The 6’ 9” beast was grabbing every rebound in sight and making easy shots as York pulled away 60-49 with 10:29 left in the game.

Beaver never lost its confidence throughout the game.

“We were confident coming into the game and were not about to let it slip away, and we knew that we could come back,” said freshmen Rob Agurs.

Beaver stepped up its defense and got back into the game. With 5:16 left on the clock Beaver had its first lead of the night as Weathers hit a mid-range jump shot to give Beaver the lead 69-67.

From there on it was a backand-forth game, each team hitting its shots and keeping it close all the way until Beaver was down 79-77.

With 17 seconds left, Agurs was fouled and went to the line to shoot two free throws to tie the game.

“I felt confident that I was going to make those free throws. I was going to leave everything out on the court,” said Agurs.

Agurs made both free throws, tying the game 79-79 with 17 seconds left.

York had one last possession.

York fired up two shots that missed, and with 1.3 seconds left on the clock, York’s Todd came up with a rebound and was fouled, sending him to the line to shoot two free throws.

Todd made his first free throw, completely taking the air out of the Penn State Beaver Fieldhouse and sealing the victory for York.

“Words can’t explain it,” said

Williams in an interview immediately following the game. “York played great defense, and we missed some easy shots. These young men put so much into this year and to have it come down to a call with 1.3 seconds left. You can’t cry over spilled milk.”

“It still has not hit me yet,” said Agurs the following Monday. “It’s hard to look back and see what you could have done better.”

Agurs finished the game with 26 points and 8 rebounds. Weathers scored 19 points and 7 rebounds, and Miller earned 17 points.

Beaver came into the tournament the top seed and received a first-round bye. The team easily defeated Penn State Brandywine 99-71 in the semifinal matchup Feb. 16.

In the semifinal game, Agurs again was the top scorer with 27 points and 9 rebounds, while Miller earned a double-double with 20 points and 11 assists. Weather also scored in double digits with 10 points.

Beaver ended its PSUAC season with a 20-7 record overall, 17-2 in conference. The only other conference loss came Feb. 6 against Penn State Fayette 85-68.

Despite the conference loss, the team received an invitation to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament, which will be held at Penn State Fayette from Feb. 26 to March 2.

Miller scores over a thousand points in career RobTrhlin Staff Writer

ryt5088@psu.edu

Junior guard Nick Miller scored his 1,000th point Jan. 18 as the Penn State Beaver men’s basketball team defeated Penn State Brandywine in front of a packed home crowd.

Miller hit the 1,000-point mark with 5:28 left in the first half.

With the shot clock at three seconds, Miller received a pass from

junior Roger Rhoden and, even with a man in his face, stepped up and knocked down a three-pointer to bring the game within one point.

The home crowd erupted, and from that moment on the momentum had shifted Beaver’s way as Beaver went on to win 77-70.

“It’s amazing, man,” Miller said immediately after the game. “I’ve never reached a milestone like this one. When I came to Beaver,

Coach (Marcess) Williams allowed me to just play my game.”

Besides scoring his 1,000th career point in that game, Miller also had a double-double with 10 assists and 14 points.

“I knew they were going to key on me,” Miller said. “I just made plays for my teammates that were open.”

Miller is now in great company as he stands alongside a select few who have reached that milestone at

Beaver under Williams, including senior Tony Houghton, graduate Zach Fetchin and former player Raymont Edmonds.

Miller said he isn’t worried about the milestone as much as he is looking forward to the national tournament.

“Watch out, were coming! Penn State Beaver is coming!” Miller shouted after the Brandywine game.

Williams described Miller as a

“complete basketball player.”

“When Nick first came, I knew he had a great amount of basketball ability and he had a no-fear mentality that is very hard to find,” Williams said. “He has worked on his game and is now stepping up into his role.

“The sky is the limit for Nick.

He has been doing a lot of things right, and it has been showing as he continues to work hard day in and day out,” Williams said.

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Sports

Lady Lions victorious Caitlin Vodenichar Senior Staff Writer

cav5119@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver women’s basketball team won the Penn State University Athletic Conference championship Feb. 17, defeating Penn State Greater Allegheny with a score of 67-52.

Sophomore Hayden Kimbrough earned a double-double with the game-high 20 points and 13 rebounds. “[Coach Tim Moore] pushes us past our limit because he knows what we are capable of,” Kimbrough said. “When other teams are tired, we’re still ready. We sure don’t run all those (sprints) for nothing.”

All of the hard work paid off, leaving the women with a record of 20-7 overall, 14-3 in the conference.

Hard work is exactly what Moore attributes to the team’s success in the PSUAC tournament.

“The girls said, ‘We’re not losing this game. Let’s go.’ And they went out and played hard and did everything they had to do,” Moore said. “All the little plays they had to make, they made them.”

Moore said Kimbrough was a true standout player throughout the three-game tournament. “When we needed that go-to basket, she scored.”

Moore said defense is what wins championships, and for Beaver’s Lady Lions, their defense never looked better. “The defense really came together.”

When the championship game came around, the Lady Lions were in the zone, Moore said.

“They were excited and focused,” Moore added. “We had the deepest bench of anyone out there. You need those players to step up when they’re needed.”

That deep bench will be needed when the team travels to Penn State Fayette Feb. 27 through March 2 for the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament.

Kimbrough hopes to make a good run at nationals, compete

Photo courtesy of Jack Monick Photography

The Penn State Beaver women’s basketball team poses with the PSUAC trophy after its win on Feb. 17.

and let other teams out there know about Penn State Beaver.

“Many teams look down on us and don’t see us as a threat,” she said.

Moore said he thinks his team is ready for nationals.

“I told the girls the season is not over. This has been our goal since the beginning of the season,” Moore said. “We can’t gloat. We need to get back to work and prepare for one more championship.”

The Lady Lions have made it clear that they aren’t afraid of a little competition. At finals, senior Brittany Tomaselli scored 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for her last PSUAC game.

In addition to Kimbrough, two other freshmen also scored doubledoubles, with Katie Dennis’ 12 points and 11 rebounds and Cassandra Flowers 11 points and 11 rebounds.

At their semi-final game against Penn State Fayette, sophomores Amanda Temple and Kimbrough, along with Dennis, Flowers and freshman Morgan Kurtz, scored in the double-digits to win their sec-

The ROAR/Paul Toma

Senior Brittany Tomaselli puts up a layup against Penn State Brandywine on Jan. 18.

ond playoff game with a score of 84-65.

Kimbrough held the game-high here as well, scoring 26 points and 11 rebounds.

Moore said the semi-final matchup was a challenge.

“It was tied at half-time, but we weren’t really executing our game plan well.” Moore said his halftime speech focused on execution. “We

came out at halftime, and they did what they had to do.”

Kurtz held the game-high for the PSUAC Elite Eight game against Penn State Worthington Scranton Feb 12 hosted by Penn State Beaver. Kurtz scored 20 points while adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

The Lady Lions won by a score of 88-55 to advance them to the Final Four.

Eight named all-conference from Beaver

Eight athletes from Penn State Beaver have been named to the Penn State University Athletic Conference All-Conference teams.

In women’s basketball, senior Brittany Tomaselli and freshman Morgan Kurtz were both named PSUAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.

Tomaselli averaged 7 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Kurtz averaged 12.6 point, 3.6 rebounds and just over 1 assist per game.

In men’s basketball, junior Chris Weathers received PSUAC All-Conference Honorable Mention despite sitting out the first half of the season due to injury.

In just 15 games, Weathers averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Also receiving honors were junior Nick Miller and freshman Rob Agurs, who were both named PSUAC First Team AllConference.

On the year Miller averaged over 19 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Agurs, who was also named PSUAC Player of the Year, averaged over 22 points per game while adding over 7 rebounds and nearly 3 assists per game.

Men’s basketball coach Marcess Williams was named PSUAC Men’s Basketball CoCoach of the Year.

In just its second season of competition in the PSUAC, the wrestling team also had three student-athletes named to PSUAC All-Conference teams.

Junior Dylan Winkle and freshman Ben Barcasky both were named PSUAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.

Freshman Devante Phillip was named PSUAC Second Team All-Conference in the 235 weight class after finishing third overall in the PSUAC/ USCAA Tournament at University Park this past weekend.

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February 2013

Sports

Fightin’ Beavs seek improvement Dan Trzcianka Managing Editor

dvt5050@psu.edu

With a 5-4 overtime loss against Clarion University on Feb. 6, the Penn State Beaver Fightin’ Beavs did not start off the second half of the season on the right foot.

The Fightin’ Beavs led the first two periods with two goals. Senior Jake Szemanski scored first, followed closely by junior Cliff Bryant.

Clarion didn’t take long to move on the offensive. They followed with two quick goals in the second period.

Szemanski ended the second period with his second goal of the game and the third goal of the night for the Fightin’ Beavs.

At the start of the third period, however, Clarion responded with another goal of its own, tying up the game 3-3.

By the end of regulation, the score was 4-4. Szemanski managed to score his third goal of the night, giving him his second hat trick for this year.

The game ended with an overtime goal from Clarion with two minutes left in the overtime period.

“We weren’t keeping the puck

The ROAR/Dan Trzcianka

Captain Jake Szemanski skates into the offensive zone, moments before scoring his first goal on Feb. 6.

in our possession enough,” sophomore Billy Harrington said. “We should’ve been passing the puck a lot more than we did.”

Freshman Jimmy Bing said that he wants to see a little more communication and teamwork in the upcoming games.

“There has to be some more talk-

ing when on the ice,” Bing said.

“Our players should be giving us a heads up when we need to pass the puck or when there is someone behind one of us.”

Harrington also agreed that more communication could go a long way.

“It’s helpful when we’re in the

offensive zone and we need to pass the puck,” Harrington said.

Beaver is now ranked fifth in the Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Roller Hockey League with a 4-5 record, while Clarion is tied for seventh with a 3-0 record.

The Fightin’ Beaves next face No. 2-ranked Slippery Rock

University’s White team Feb. 20 at 8:30 p.m. at the Island Sports Complex on Neville Island.

The team hopes to see more fans come out for games.

Harrington said that he enjoys it when there is a huge crowd for the Fightin’ Beavs.

“I feel like that when we have more people, the more noise there is,” Harrington said. “And when there is more noise, we get better.”

Harrington credited the two to three fans who bring their horns to the games, saying that it helps to throw the opposing team off.

“When you have fans yelling at the other teams and making a bunch of noise, it throws them off and they get distracted.”

Admissions Counselor and former Fightin’ Beavs’ goalie Justin Vorbach said that he wishes more students attended the games, as well.

“It was a lot of fun to see a huge crowd,” Vorbach said. “It would be great to go back to the number of fans that we had the first year the Fightin’ Beavs started.”

Vorbach said that for the first game that the Fightin’ Beavs ever played, there were 80 to 100 fans from Penn State Beaver.

Some alumni given access to Wellness Center Multi-purpose sport court behind Harmony Hall next to benefit from Student Facilities Fees Corey Wright Staff Writer

cjw5372@psu.edu

The next time you are working out in the Wellness Center, you may see some familiar faces on the people exercising right next to you.

As of Dec. 3, alumni who attended Penn State Beaver since fall 2008 are now allowed to use the new facility.

When the Wellness Center opened last fall, no alumni were allowed to use the facility because of new university-wide policies

adopted last summer.

In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex scandal, the university limited access to all recreational and athletic facilities to students, faculty, staff and retires and users must show a valid Penn State ID to enter. Eligible users are allowed to bring one guest with them, but the guest must be related.

This policy came as a surprise to Penn State Beaver officials, who planned all along to allow alumni to use the Wellness Center, especially since anyone enrolled at the

campus since 2008 was contributing to its costs via the $100 Facilities Fee they paid each semester.

Chancellor Gary Keefer said that since $400,000 was raised over four years from the Student Facilities Fee for the project, the campus used this as the basis of their argument to be granted an exception.

Penn State Beaver was the first to request an exception to the new policy and was the first to receive one, Keefer said.

Athletic Director Andy Kirschner said he is pleased because

it gives current students a way to interact and create a network with alumni. He hopes that in the future all alumni will be allowed to use the Wellness Center.

With the Wellness Center finished, campus leaders have turned to other projects that Student Facilities Fees can be used for.

First on the list is an expansion on the plaza outside of the Brodhead Bistro, according to Chris Rizzo, director of Student Affairs.

Rizzo said $80,000 of the estimated $220,000 cost will come

from Student Facilities Fees. Construction is expected to take place this summer.

Another project in the planning stage is a “sport court” to be located behind Harmony Hall, Rizzo said. Plans call for a multipurpose surface that can be used for a basketball and inline hockey.

Rizzo said he doesn’t know when the sport court might be built.

The project is estimated to cost $250,000, with $60,000 coming from the Student Facilities Fees.

February 2013 Penn State Beaver Roar

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Sports

Wrestling team finishes seventh in PSUAC Kayla Wagner Staff Writer

krw5239@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver wrestling team finished seventh overall in the combined Penn State University Athletic Conference-United States Collegiate Athletic Association tournament held at University Park Feb. 15 and 16.

Freshman Devante Phillip finished third overall in the 235 pound weight class. He went 1-1, including a win by fall against Mike Benzenhoeffer from Penn State New Kensington.

Junior Dylan Winkle finished fourth in the 165 pound class, going 2-2 and winning both of his matches by fall.

Freshman Ben Barcaskey went 2-2 and finished fifth in the 174

weight class. He won his first match by fall and his final match by a technical fall.

Despite the strong showing by some of the players, the team still finished the season without a win.

The team went 0-8 overall and 0-5 in the PSUAC. The team, in only its second season, is a small squad, consisting of just seven players. However, Winkle said he thinks they have improved from last season.

“We are as good as we can be with how many people we have,” Winkle said.

Coach Jeff Winkle, Dylan Winkle’s dad, agrees. He said word is finally getting out about the new team, and he’s optimistic he can recruit more players for next year.

“If we can get more recruits, we

can hopefully have a full line-up,” Coach Winkle said.

Coach Winkle cited the Apprentice School Invitational in Virginia as an example of his team’s progress.

Winkle said the team did not win at the invitational last year, but this year, “Everyone won a match this time, and Ben Barcaskey got second place.”

Team members say they are not disappointed in their record this year and are striving to improve.

“Injuries were a major setback this year along with not having enough people,” sophomore Bobby Tempalski said.

The team will resume play in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association Qualifier Feb. 23 at Penn College in Williamsport.

Photo courtsey Jack Monick Photography

Freshman Devante Phillip wrestles against an opponent from Penn State New Kensington in the PSUAC tournament Feb. 16 at University Park. Phillip came in third in his weight class.

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