April 2014 Roar

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Penn State Beaver Roar

News

April 2014

Chancellor to retire in June University file photos

On the cover, Chancellor Gary Keefer speaks to the audience at New Student Orientation in August 2013.

Above, Keefer attends the kickoff event, “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State,” in a tent set in the middle of campus on May 8, 2010.

To the right, Keefer poses with the Nittany Lion at a men’s basketball game on Feb. 23, 2010.

Amanda Palombo Senior Staff Writer

amp5831@psu.edu

Sitting at a dark-wooden desk in his large office, Chancellor Gary Keefer smiled as he talked about Penn State Beaver.

The office has large windows on two sides providing a view of the beautiful 100-acre campus that Keefer has been caretaker of since 1997.

This is the view that Keefer has seen since moving into the executive office on the second floor of the Ross Administration Building more than 10 years ago, when the building first opened.

But that view must finally come to an end.

On March 27, Keefer announced his retirement from Penn State Beaver. He’s been the man not only responsible for all of the physical changes seen on campus, but also the changes not easily seen.

“I think the biggest change was seeing the campus go from a 2+2 school to offering four-year baccalaureate degrees,” Keefer said.

When Keefer started, the school only offered a two-year start to all programs offered by Penn State.

According to Keefer, that was the biggest project he wanted to do.

“Providing a good and challenging academic environment was really important to me when I started here, and I think we have that now. I’ve always been an advocate for high academic standards,” Keefer continued.

“We also have such a great group of faculty and staff here. Making this place comfortable for students was one of my biggest goals.”

Karen Barr, senior instructor in business, said she agrees with Keefer in more ways than one.

Retirement See Page 3

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

News

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Helping students succeed remains Keefer’s priority Continued from Page 2

“He’s always been there for me whenever I needed something. I always knew that if I had a problem, I could talk to him,” Barr said.

“He always takes care of (the faculty). He makes sure that we’re comfortable and our classes provide a challenging environment for students.”

Keefer said that he made sure he built the best group of faculty and staff he could.

“Every person that came in for a job here, I made sure I interviewed them, too. I usually think to myself, ‘Will they be good at working with the students?’ and ‘Will they be a good fit here?’”

Keefer has always been involved with student life, perhaps more than most would think.

With events such as Cheesecake with the Chancellor where he would meet with students to discuss their issues, and his yearly speeches at New Student Day, it’ll be hard to forget the passion that he has for the school and its students.

Keefer made a point to talk to prospective students and their families.

He spoke at open houses, accepted student dinners and even welcomed families into his office while on tours with Lion Ambassadors.

For the past several years, he spoke to hesitant parents at every New Student Orientation program to help ease their minds about all their worries.

As Keefer sat at his desk, his love for the campus and his many plans for it are very apparent.

But retiring this early was not one of those plans.

“I really wanted to be here for another three to four years, but it just isn’t in the cards for me,” he said.

Last year, Keefer was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

ALS is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement.

The ROAR/Dante Massey

Above, Keefer speaks with students, faculty and staff at Cheesecake with the Chancellor on April 10, 2014.

The ROAR file art

To the left, Keefer takes graduate Lucas Morack for a ride in his twopassenger Super Ximango Motor Glider March 26, 2011.

With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease usually become totally paralyzed.

Despite his diagnosis, Keefer felt nothing was going to keep him from doing what he loved: his job.

“My doctor told me last year around this time that I should seriously consider retiring, but I wanted to get one more year in, and I’m so glad I did,” Keefer said.

Donna Kuga, director of Academic Affairs, said that his support of staff and everyone on campus is more than a help to him.

“The level of courage he has shown is just the ultimate. He has such a strong group of staff behind him that allows him to get away when he may need a break. They take care of everything so when he comes back, there’s

not a lot to come back to,” Kuga said.

The search for a new chancellor will be no easy task. Keefer will officially retire on June 30 and Kuga will act as chancellor for six months, putting off her own retirement to do so.

“I’m nervous. Learning a new job in such a short time could make anyone nervous. Gary (Keefer) will always be a phone call away if I ever need him,” Kuga said.

Kuga also said that her staying for an extra six months will make the transition much easier for the new director of academic affairs, who is expected to be announced soon.

“It’s not a good idea for us to retire at the same time, since they’d have to replace two huge positions at the same time,” said Kuga.

According to Keefer, the search for

a new chancellor will begin as soon as a committee is formed. The actual search with interviews will begin around the fall semester.

Despite the reason for retiring, Keefer said that his time at Penn State Beaver has been some of the best of his life.

“I think it’s a really nice place to be, so I’m going to miss it a lot.

There’s nothing in particular that I’ll miss more than others, except maybe the Italian wedge sandwiches from the Bistro. I love them!”

Director of Enrollment Dan Pinchot said he will miss many things about Keefer.

“He’s such a positive influence on me. He took a chance on me when I was young, he taught me how to be a professional and he set the bar high for me. He knew I could reach it,” Pinchot said.

“When I made mistakes, he sat me down, talked to me, and that was the end of it. Sometimes I didn’t like the conversation, but hey, people make

mistakes,” Pinchot laughed.

When Pinchot started at Penn State Beaver in 1997, Keefer was still the director of academic affairs, a position he held for only about a year before being named interim campus executive officer. The university later changed the title to chancellor.

“If you look around, you can see the many things that he’s responsible for,” Pinchot said. “But it’s the things you can’t easily see where he’s had the most impact.”

Pinchot pointed to Penn State Beaver’s reputation in the community and the high regard people have for the campus as Keefer’s most important contribution.

“People used to come on campus and ask if this was the community college. That doesn’t happen now.

People know and respect Penn State Beaver,” Pinchot said.

Barr, who worked closely with Keefer as chair of the Faculty Congress, said Keefer has been a great leader.

“He did such a fantastic job protecting us and everyone here from the highs and lows that came. When enrollment was down, he stayed optimistic and knew they’d go back up,” said Barr.

“Even when the whole (Sandusky) scandal came out, he never blinked.

He made sure we carried on and survived as a campus. He was not put in an easy position, that’s for sure.”

Keefer said that he is very happy with the way he is leaving the campus.

“I think it’s in a good place. Our campus is talked about very highly across the board, and I’m very pleased with that,” he said.

According to Pinchot, Keefer is leaving the campus in the best condition that he could.

“His legacy will live on, whether it’s the physical aspects, the organizational structure or the personal influences he had on everyone that’s here,” said Pinchot.

“It definitely won’t be easy without him, but I know we’ll be all right.”

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Penn State Beaver Roar

News

April 2014

Campus exceeds $3M fundraising goal Stephanie Clark Staff Writer

slc5684@psu.edu

Although the news was delivered in a small email, the message inside was big.

On Feb. 7, an email sent to the campus community announced that Penn State Beaver met its $3 million goal as part of “For the Future: The Campaign for Penn State Students.”

This seven-year campaign will bring in many new scholarships for students. The university’s overall goal for the campaign was $2 billion, and officials said in April that they exceeded that amount.

Of the $3 million raised by Beaver campus, nearly $2.3 million will be directed to student scholarships.

“That just really goes to show how much our donor base considers what the student need is,” said Diana Patterson, director of development.

Eighteen new scholarships were endowed and eight existing scholarships had at least $50,000 added to their endowment during the campaign.

An endowed scholarship means that the donated money is invested and the interest it generates is used to fund the scholarship, making the scholarship permanent.

It takes a minimum of $50,000 to endow a scholarship.

Smaller donations can be made to the campaign, but the scholarship is not given an award until that amount is met.

“For 2013-14, we awarded 35 students more than $64,000 in scholarships from those 18 new scholarships alone,” said Daniel Pinchot, director of enrollment. “In total, more than $186,000 in donor-funded scholarships was awarded to 119 students.”

Students who have received scholarships are able to see the benefits.

“I see these scholarships as just one more thing to help me alleviate those loans,” said junior Trey Trieschock.

Senior Dorian Gilliam said he is grateful for his scholarship. “When I heard I got this scholarship it gave me more confidence. It gave me the ability to work even harder than I did before.”

Sophomore Lindsay Bangor said her scholarship gave her more time for her school work. “It really helped make sure I can focus on studying instead of having to go work a full-time job and try to put myself through just on that, so I’m really thankful for that.”

Even though the campaign does not officially end until June 30, the campus succeeded in reaching the goal early.

Of the donors who have contributed to the campaign, Carl Bartuch, a Penn State alumnus, gave the last gift that put the campaign over the $3 million mark, Patterson said.

“It has been a really wonderful time to get to know some of our alums and find out what they’re passionate about, what makes them tick and hear about their time and their experience on campus,” Patterson said.

“So many of them received scholarships when they were here, and to be able to give back, in that sense, is meaningful to them.”

Penn State Beaver has an annual scholarship dinner each fall.

“The donors get to see the results of their investment, and the students get to meet people who have invested in them,” Patterson said.

If a donor has the chance to see the positive results of their invest-

ment, they will be more likely to give again, she added.

Penn State alumni, friends, local corporations and former employees have donated.

A few that Patterson named were Michael Baker Engineering Corp., Nova Chemicals Inc. and Bill Meacci, a former associate professor of kinesiology. All have endowed scholarships.

“The best thing that happened during this campaign for me was being able to start an endowed scholarship for Chancellor (Gary) Keefer.

Chancellor Keefer is the longest serving chancellor at this campus, and he has done a phenomenal job with stewarding the resources that have been available to him to benefit the students,” Patterson said.

Faculty, staff and advisory board members contributed to the scholarship in Keefer’s honor.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

News

5

Tuition may go up for students Information provided by Penn State Beaver Admissions & Student Aid

Julianne Bosley Staff Writer

jeb474@psu.edu

This past year, Penn State University President Rod Erickson requested a state allocation of $299.7 million, about $14.7 million more than the current level. In exchange, he promised to keep any tuition increase below 3 percent.

In February when Gov. Tom Corbett released his budget proposal, he proposed flat-funding Penn State – essentially keeping next year’s allocation the same as this year’s.

If his plan is approved by the state legislature, it could result in a higher tuition increase for Penn State students.

As a response to the threat of increasing tuition, Penn State’s Council of Commonwealth Student Governments sent a petition to each of the campuses.

The petition gave students the opportunity to sign in favor of maintaining the current tuition fees.

Nick Masci, president of Beaver’s Student Government Association, handled the “Drive to Strive” petition when it arrived on March 20.

For the few weeks prior to its arrival, Masci and other SGA members walked around campus and asked for signatures. When the physical petition arrived, Masci added

The ROAR/Dante Massey

Beaver’s signature sheet to the signed sheets of other campuses.

“We wanted to send a message that we care about our education,” Masci said.

Chancellor Gary Keefer said he thinks Beaver will get a little less than a 3 percent increase.

However, tuition has definitely had worse increases, with some years having as much as a 10 percent rise.

“I do hope that students appreciate that rises have been modest the

past few years,” Keefer said.

Keefer was referring to the 0.75 percent increase for fall 2013 and the 1.9 percent increase the previous year.

Although the actual tuition will not be official until the July Board of Trustees meeting, Keefer said that state funding probably will not go up.

“From a state perspective, there’s going to be no help,” Keefer said.

Without state funding, any tuition

increase means Beaver will have to readjust its budget.

“Campuses are tuition-driven,” said Luke Taiclet, director of finance and business. “As a ballpark, we get to keep about 70 percent of what we bring in,” meaning that the other 30 percent of tuition goes to University Park to support central operations.

Since tuition is such a large part of the campus’s budget, an increase would affect the campus in other ways as well.

This includes expenses such as construction, faculty pay and benefits and general operations.

Keefer said, “Our students in general have always been cost-sensitive.”

For senior Kristina Baker, an adult student, tuition costs definitely matter.

“It matters to me because I only get funding from one company,” Baker said.

Baker also works in addition to being a student, so she pays out of pocket. She only makes a few hundred dollars at a time.

“It doesn’t go very far,” she said.

Sophomore Amanda McGrogan also cares about tuition because she is trying to influence her younger brother to go to Penn State Beaver.

She wants him to realize the high costs of out-of-state tuition.

McGrogan said that the increase will not affect her now because she will not pay off her loans until a few years from now.

“It’s definitely going to matter later, though,” McGrogan said.

Although the specific tuition cost will not be known until the summer, Keefer said student enrollment should not be greatly affected because the Penn State degree is still very valuable.

“It does cost more,” Keefer said, “but you still get lots of value for what you pay.”

Card swipe system will automate Wellness Center sign-ins Khalia Adams Staff Writer

ksa5120@psu.edu

Penn State Beaver students who use the Wellness Center have gotten used to hearing the request, “Sign in, please,” over and over again.

But that’s about to change this fall when the new card swipe system is finally turned on.

In the wake of the Sandusky scandal, Penn State has clamped down on access to athletic facilities. Students using such facilities across the uni-

versity must now be logged into the buildings.

The card swipe system makes it easier to log the data.

Beaver planned to add the system since the new Wellness Center opened two years ago, but it took time to obtain and install. Last fall, campus officials said the system would be operating this spring semester, but the equipment has only recently been installed.

The new system is paid for by University Park operations, and Director

of Finance and Business Luke Taiclet did not know how much it costs.

The system will track all access to the building, letting officials know who’s in the building and how long that person is there.

That means students must swipe their ID card both entering and exiting the building, once the system is turned on this fall.

Decisions are still being made about who should have access to the gym beyond students, faculty and staff. For instance, no one has decid-

ed whether people with Penn State IDs from other campuses will have access.

Freshman Sidney Bates, a gym worker, said, “The new card system is a great way to keep track of students and keep them safe at all times. It also takes a load off the workers and keeps everything simple.”

Right now, the front desk has sheets to sign in and out with. “We run through a lot of paper within a week, so this new card system will help us save a lot of paper,” said BJ

Bertges, assistant athletic director.

Sophomore Cassandra Flowers said, “The card system will help protect our safety. It is also much easier than having to sign in and out every time I come to the gym. Using our cards to swipe will make it less stressful for everyone.”

Athletic Director Andy Kirschner, Bertges and University Police will be the only ones with keys to enter the building at any time. Coaches will have key cards to enter the building, but their access will be limited.

6

Penn State Beaver Roar

News

April 2014

Beaver campus loses faculty Professors Grunstra and Baumgardner will not return to Penn State Beaver in the fall Audrey Zanath Staff Writer

aaz120@psu.edu

As the end of the school year nears, so does two professors’ time at Penn State Beaver.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Science Matthew Grunstra and Instructor in Communications Terrie Baumgardner will not return in the fall. Grunstra accepted a new position at another university, while Baumgardner will retire.

After five years of teaching environmental science, geology and geography at Beaver, Grunstra will move to Texas to continue his career at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Grunstra said that he likes the family-type environment and will miss the atmosphere of the campus and university.

“I have found here that whoever you ask for help from the faculty and

Terrie Baumgardner

Matthew Grunstra

administration will say yes and go out of their way to help you, even at campuses like New Kensington and University Park. Everyone is friendly and open and that is something I will miss,” Grunstra said.

At UTSA, he will be looking forward to teaching students in his

major, which will allow for him to go more in depth with some topics.

He will also have the opportunity to teach higher-level, specialty and graduate courses.

Grunstra’s departure will allow for some changes in the earth and mineral sciences department. Instead of

replacing Grunstra for the 2014-15 academic year, Director of Academic Affairs Donna Kuga said that she will put several part-time faculty members in place to teach some new biological science courses and possibly a meteorology and online astronomy class.

Kuga said the campus is still debating whether it’s better to replace him or just have part-time faculty teach in his area. That decision will not be made for a while.

Grunstra has been popular among students and staff.

“He is a good instructor and adviser who cares about the students,” Kuga said.

Freshman Brianne Stewart said she hopes anyone else teaching the new courses will be just like him.

“He’s pretty cool,” Stewart said.

Meanwhile, Baumgardner said that it’s the right time to move on.

She has been teaching at Penn State Beaver since 1988 and is looking forward to spending more time with her grandchildren, her garden and the community groups in which she is involved.

She said that she will miss getting to know the students and will miss learning something new from all of them.

She said she will also miss being involved with the “exciting development” of the Roar.

Baumgardner has been a Roar coadvisor since 2007.

“She has done much to advance the curriculum in the communications program by offering several new courses and has supervised internships for communications majors,” Kuga said.

“She will be missed by the campus community, and we wish her well as she moves toward retirement.”

IST department: Two are leaving, one remains

With professors Wijekumar and Dwivedi leaving Penn State Beaver, only Dutt is left in IST Audrey Zanath Staff Writier

aaz120@psu.edu

And then there was one.

Penn State Beaver’s Information Sciences and Technology department will dwindle from three professors to one when Associate Professor of IST Kay Wijekumar and Instructor in IST Neelam Dwivedi leave campus at the end of the semester.

Dwivedi will be leaving Penn State Beaver to continue her dissertation research and career at University Park. Since she is still working on her doctorate, she must take classes and conduct research.

Although she teaches at Beaver, she travels to University Park every

Kay Wijekumar

Neelam Dwivedi

week to attend classes. Her new arrangement will allow for her to remain a faculty member and a stu-

dent without having to travel.

Dwivedi’s research deals with Penn State’s three-year information

systems replacement project from the Integrated Student Information System to LionPATH. Dwivedi is excited to teach at University Park, but she said she will miss Beaver.

She said that the Beaver campus is peaceful and the people are nice, helpful and supportive of her doctorate work.

“I get the leaving-a-friend-behind kind of feeling,” she said.

Wijekumar confirmed that she was leaving campus to take a new position at Texas A&M University, but preferred not to comment to the Roar.

Wijekumar has taught at Beaver since 2000. Her research on the

Intellegint Tutor has garnered more than $38 million in grant funds and employs both students and graduates.

These departures make Abhijit Dutt the only remaining instructor in IST returning to Beaver in the fall.

Dutt said he and the campus administration are working very hard to replace the faculty members who are leaving.

Dutt also said that the main goal is to make sure that IST students continue to receive high-quality education.

“I would like to reiterate that we shall make sure that no Beaver campus student will be affected in anyway because of faculty resignations,” Dutt said in an email.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

News

7

Alert: PSUTXT will soon text its last PSUAlert, the new emergency messaging system for Penn State, will come online this summer Chris Best Staff Writer

ckb5141@psu.edu

Freshman Tashaun Goode said he loves it when he wakes up to a PSUTXT that says class is cancelled.

“PSUTXT saves me a lot of time and energy. It tells me everything I need to know in a simple text message,” Goode said.

Indeed it does. However, things are about to change.

For years PSUTXT has been the official emergency messaging system for Penn State University. However, changes will be made this summer to the mass communication system many have grown to depend on.

“I think any alert system is nec-

“

My understanding is that the new system will send out text messages, voice mails or emails simultaneously to you depending on whichever one you choose. From that sense, it’s a more robust system.”

Gary Keefer Chancellor

essary,” said Luke Taiclet, director of business and finance. “It’s 2014; alert systems are necessary. They help inform our clientele – students and faculty – and alert them in a timely

fashion.”

Taiclet said it’s the best way to get news out to the campus, regardless of how big or small.

“PSUTXT helps inform us of anything minor, like a water main break, to something major, such as a community threat,” Taiclet said.

Beginning in May, PSUTXT will transition into a new emergency messaging system called PSUAlert. This change affects all Penn State campuses.

The new PSUAlert emergency messaging system will feature enhanced capabilities, phone-based voice alerts and an update in text and emails. The new system will be more interactive with campus Facebook

and Twitter accounts.

“As long as we still get our alerts, I’m fine,” said freshman Hailey Pletz.

“I think it’s cool that they’re updating the alerts. I’m excited to see the change. Hopefully it’s not confusing.”

The transition will start in late May and will continue through June.

Reminders will be given frequently to students, faculty and staff leading up to the change via Webmail and PSUTXT. “My understanding is that the new system will send out text messages, voice mails or emails simultaneously to you depending on whichever one you choose,” said Chancellor Gary Keefer. “From that sense, it’s a more

IMPROV COMEDY IN BEAVER COUNTY. YOU MIGHT AS WELL.

robust system.”

PSUAlert will be available for everyone to follow. Timely alerts will be posted on social media and distributed on many other platforms including campus and universitywide websites.

PSUAlert may appeal to more students, especially for those who have yet to use the existing emergency messaging system.

“Honestly I never really used PSUTXT, but I heard it’s really helpful,” said sophomore Robert Agurs.

“I’m definitely going to sign up for PSUAlert since it will be linked with Twitter and Facebook. I’m going to follow it so I can be updated with all the important information.”

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Penn State Beaver Roar

Viewpoints News

April 2014

Thank you, Dr. Keefer The Roar would like to thank Chancellor Gary Keefer for all that he’s done Managing Editor of Content Ben Keeler

bak5266@psu.edu

Managing Editor of Production Caitlin Vodenichar cav5119@psu.edu

Photo Editor Dante Massey

dwm5299@psu.edu

Copy Editors Mike Brayack

mib5566@psu.edu

Adam Davidson ajd5324@psu.edu

Business Manager Taylor Braxton

tmb5242@psu.edu

Page Designers Stephanie Clark slc5684@psu.edu

Dan FIsher

dtf5069@psu.edu

Andy Germani

arg5226@psu.edu

Amanda Palombo amp5831@psu.edu

Kathline Wherry kjw250@psu.edu

Morgan Zelkovic mlz155@psu.edu

Advisors Terrie Baumgardner tbm2@psu.edu

Cathy Benscoter cub15@psu.edu

Daniel Pinchot djp114@psu.edu

The content and opinions of this publication reside solely with the authors and not with the Pennsylvania State University or the Penn State Beaver Student Activity Fee Committee.

For Chancellor Gary B. Keefer, June 30 will mark his retirement from Penn State Beaver, having served 17 years as the campus’ chief executive officer and principal academic leader.

But the impact that Dr. Keefer has had on this campus will be felt for many years to come.

During his tenure, he’s cleaned up and improved much of the campus and backed much needed improvements.

Keefer oversaw the construction of the Ross Administration Building, improvements to the sidewalks, parking lots and roadways, and most recently the addition of the Wellness Center to the gym – a facility that now bears his name. But he’s done so much more that can’t be seen as easily.

Under Dr. Keefer’s insightful leadership, Beaver’s reputation in the community has become top notch, receiving honors like the Beaver

County Times’ award for Best of the Valley for numerous years.

He’s attracted top business and government leaders to assist the campus through its many advisory boards. Alumni, corporations and civic groups have opened their hearts and wallets to support the campus through donations and scholarships, all during his tenure.

He is a busy man and has recently been battling health issues, but still finds time to speak with students and parents nonetheless.

His dedication to helping students is his dominant quality.

About a year ago, a Roar staffer set up an interview with the chancellor about gun control on campus. After the reporter finished asking her questions, Dr. Keefer turned the tables.

He said it was his turn to ask her questions so he could get to know the reporter better.

This reporter was amazed.

He was genuinely interested in

her hopes and dreams for the future and her experience on campus. He wanted to hear her thoughts about classes, professors and safety. She was impressed by his humble attitude, the sincerity of his words and the wish to hear her opinion.

Turns out, this was pretty typical for Dr. Keefer. Any chance he got to talk with students, he took it.

He met regularly with each Student Government Association president.

He visited with Lion Ambassadors each year, pressing them with the hard questions about how they liked the campus and how they ended up here.

He even founded a town-hall style program, called “Cheesecake with the Chancellor,” to hear from students about their issues and concerns.

New Student Day, accepted student dinners and open houses were among the numerous events he spoke at on campus.

He’s worked with leaders throughout the community and brought together a huge network of people dedicated to helping students acquire the skills they need to succeed. We are sad to see Dr. Keefer leave, and we wish him all the best as he enters retirement.

And thanks to Dr. Keefer, we are also hopeful and excited for what’s to come for Beaver campus in its future.

Dr. Keefer’s made an impact on all the students, faculty and staff, and we owe him our utmost thanks.

So thank you, Dr. Keefer, for elevating our campus’ reputation.

Thank you for providing us with the best and brightest educators who share your dedication to the students.

Thank you for pouring your heart and soul into this campus.

And thank you, Dr. Keefer, for being an amazing role model. You’ve set an excellent example for us all to follow and we only hope we can live up to your expectations.

Rising tuition raises student concern So tuition rates are doing that thing they always do where they might go up and you’re supposed to gasp or care or something.

At this point you may have forgotten why you should have that reaction, and really, who can blame you?

Everyone’s pretty much screwed in the long run, so what’s one more nail in an already thoroughly secured coffin?

No, instead of focusing on the negative we should think of all that good stuff we’re getting for our tuition investment. All that good stuff. There’s plenty of it, I’m sure, even if I can’t quite recall specifics at this particular moment.

Oh, I’ve got something! What about the uniqueness of the “college experience?” In what other place

Mike Brayack can you pay vast sums of money so authority figures can give you a fulltime job with no benefits and still have the nerve to be offended if you don’t carry out your duties to their specifications?

Take a step back and think about it. You are paying thousands of dollars. For a full time job. One that has no pay nor benefits. And the people you “work” for — technically your employees — still have the gall to complain about your efforts. Who’s

paying whom again?

That’s the kind of paradox that would make M.C. Escher, that guy from Google images that you may not have heard of but certainly won’t look up, go, “Nah man, that’s too crazy for me to draw.”

Really, the only way to get a backward, illogical scenario like this outside of higher education would have to involve paying a dominatrix or joining a hardcore raiding guild in World of Warcraft.

“But you’re being paid in the magical currency of EDUCATION!” comes the cries in response, and those cries are not entirely without merit.

You’re going to end up with a pretty sweet piece of paper that will tell the people who actually want

to give you money that you may be worth giving money to.

And then you’re hired and it’s all convertibles and expense accounts — if the recruitment ads are to be believed. But that aside, what did you really learn from your strange, expensive experience? Was it worth it?

Would it still have been worth it if those potential employers ran out of checks to pass around?

Use some of those much discussed “critical reasoning” skills you were supposed to have developed by putting up with the bullshit and ponder that.

I’m ambivalent myself, but I digress.

So tuition might be going up, huh? Oh yeah, you guys are boned.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

xxx News

Accounting option coming to Beaver Andy Germani Staff Writer

arg5226@psu.edu

A new option is coming to Penn State Beaver’s business program in the fall, as students will be able to start working towards an accounting option.

The accounting option will consist of 18 credits of accounting courses along with the regular business major courses. The campus’ existing business option is in marketing and management.

Freshmen and sophomores who opt into this major should still be able to graduate on time. Juniors and seniors can take the option but it will add extra years because not all of the classes will be offered immediately or

“

I was really bummed that they didn’t offer it here when I started out.”

Abby Filippi

Business Student

in the same semester.

Current students who are already aware of the new major seem very interested, according to Karen Barr, senior instructor in business administration who teaches the current accounting classes.

“When I told my classes that they were offering this, the older students were disappointed it wasn’t offered earlier on in their academic career,” Barr said.

Senior business major Abby Filip-

pi was one of those disappointed upperclassmen. “I heard they were offering it and I was really bummed that they didn’t offer it here when I started out. I really wish I had the chance to take it.”

Filippi said if she had the chance to change to the accounting option without having to stay in school longer, she would.

Faculty will be brought in from Penn State Fayette to teach the classes but Barr said she would consider teaching Principles of Taxation.

The only new class to be offered in the fall of 2014 will be Intermediate Financial Accounting I and it will be taught by Michael Alan Ridenour Jr., instructor in business administration from Penn State Fayette.

Accounting Option

ACCTG 471 ACCTG 432 ACCTG 472 ACCTG 403W ACCTG 404 ACCTG 405

$ Intermediate accounting I

Accounting information systems Intermediate financial accounting II Auditing

Managerial accounting Principles of taxation

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Penn State Beaver Roar

News

April 2014

Amy Arnold receives campus Walker Award From Staff Reports

Penn State Beaver awarded sophomore Amy Arnold with its highest student honor, the Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award, at its annual awards banquet held April 16.

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.

Arnold is a business major, honors student and student tutor. She is active on campus, has served as a peer leader assisting new freshmen with the transition to college and has volunteered with the annual forensics competition.

In addition, senior Brenten Rhone was named the Outstanding Student of the Year. Rhone is an administration of justice major.

In addition to Arnold and Rhone, numerous other students, faculty and staff were honored.

Recipients of student academic awards were:

Seniors

Joseph Benscoter, Information Sciences and Technology (IST)-

Sophomores

Penn State Beaver photo

Chris Rizzo, director of student affairs, presents sophomore Amy Arnold with the Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award at Penn State Beaver’s annual awards banquet on April 16.

systems design and development; Armans Bimatovs, IST; Michael Brayack, communications-corporate communications; Jessica Davis, psy chology, Abagail Filippi, businessmarketing and management; Maddison Miller, psychology; Danielle Mrdjenovich, business; Nelly Per-

Police Beat

Fight in the Bistro From Staff Reports

University Police responded to an argument in the Brodhead Bistro on April 14, which turned into a fight between two students.

It is unknown what the students were fighting about.

Police refused to provide further information, including the names of the students, because the incident is under investigation.

Female student wants to be left alone

A female student reported to University Police April 14 that she had been receiving unsolicited text messages from a male student since February.

According to the police report, the female student told the male student that she didn’t want to talk with him but he refused listen.

Police did not identify the students. Police have since spoken with the male student and advised him not to contact her.

alta, administration of justice; Caitlin Vodenichar, communications-journalism.

Juniors

Matthew Curcio, IST technology integration and application; Tyler Madden, administration of justice.

Lindsay Bangor, liberal arts-English; Santino Graziani, engineeringelectrical; Dakotah McCalmon, engineering-mechanical; Megan Powers, science-chemistry.

The President’s Freshman Award was presented to Ruhiben Patel and Haojun “Charles” Sui. College Honors Program Certificates were awarded to Michael Deitrick, who graduated in December, and senior Shelby Hogan.

Campus Honors Certificates went to Arnold, Bangor, Madden, Powers, Sui and senior Valerie Stannard, junior Trey Trieschock, sophomores Morgon Allbaugh, Shahanna Begay, Brianna D’Itri, Matthew Downing, Matthew Fetch, John Fletcher, Zachary Houston, Kristin Macom, Bryan Magee, Carrisa Noce, Cody Zanaglio, Audrey Zanath and freshmen Hong “Conrad” Li, Katherine Loza, Joseph McFarland, Michael Norris, Ana Clara Passos Melo, and Roy Rowland.

Student Life Awards were given to Trieschock, sophomores Jessica Findling, Maura Francis and Nicole Nuske and freshmen Paula Sequeira and Wenjiao “Claire” Wang.

Peralta received the Adult Achieve-

ment Award.

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

Advisory Board Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award: Kristen Olson, associate professor of English.

Advisory Board Adjunct Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award: Jonathan Abel, lecturer in biology.

Advisory Board Faculty Excellence in Research Award: JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor in sociology.

Advisory Board Faculty Excellence in Service Award: Olson.

Advisory Board Staff Excellence Award: Jill Tress, learning center and disability services coordinator.

Advisory Board Staff Service Award: Linda Garlitz, faculty staff assistant.

Student Government Association Outstanding Organization Adviser: Dan Pinchot, director of enrollment and co-advisor of The Roar student newspaper.

SGA Outstanding Academic Adviser: Talha Harcar, associate professor of business adminstration.

The SGA also presented a new Community Service Award to the Psychology Club.

Can you smell that smell in the MBB? Lydia Aquino Staff Writer

Lra137@psu.edu

Many students might have been wondering why the Michael Baker Building has had a certain nasty smell to it.

The problem was a drain which, overall, is not a hard issue to solve, said Luke Taiclet, director of business and finance.

The sewer-like smell was an issue towards the end of March because of the warmer weather beginning to start.

It was most noticeable as soon as you walked into the lower level of MBB but permeated throughout the

entire building.

The device causing the problem was a dry trap in the pipe. A trap is a plumbing device filled with water to keep the sewer gases from escaping the pipe, Taiclet said.

Over time, the water evaporates leaving it a “dry trap” causing the sewer gases to escape, hence the rotten smell, said Taiclet.

Not knowing the problem, students were upset that the building smelled so bad.

“Why am I in a place that smells so bad? It made me want to go home,” said freshman CJ Fray.

Freshman Danielle Mcguire asked, “What am I paying for if I pay so

much to go here?”

The dry trap or smell can be fixed by one easy solution: water. The problem is identifying which trap it is.

In the case of the MBB, it was the mechanical room that had the dry trap, Taiclet said.

“By the time I called about the smell, it was already taken care of,” said Taiclet.

Unfortunately, the smell is still noticeable to anybody who walks into the MBB. The smell of the sewer gases has nothing to do with the building, Taiclet said. It’s something that just happens about once every two years.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

News

11

Students present their research projects Students present their research during the Undergraduate Research Fair on April 16. Presenting posters are, right, Taylor Braxton; and far right, top, Caitlin Vodenicar. At bottom right is Tyler Madden, giving his oral presentation. Poster winners were Braxton in the arts and humanities category for her project “Growing Up Disney: Do AfricanAmerican Disney Fans Adopt eurocentric Standards of Beauty?” and the team of Brandon Cahall, Zachary Melvin and Bryan Mooney in the social sicence category for “The Effect of Music-Induced Moods on the Recognition of Emotional Words.” Kathline Wherry and Maddison Miller won in the oral presentation for their project “The CrossCultural Study of Gender Roles.”

Penn State Beaver photos

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Penn State Beaver Roar

News

April 2014

Time to leave the nest “

Students explain the changing relationships with their parents after starting college Jennifer Bacvinskas Staff Writer

jlb6257@psu.edu

As classes end and summer break begins, students go from spending little to no time at home to spending more time there than they would like.

For most college students the relationship with their parents changes, whether it’s for the best or for the worst.

Senior Lauren Pier, who commutes to Beaver campus, has spent more time on campus than at home the past four years.

“It was hard for them to accept the fact that I was independent and on my own,” said Pier.

Pier’s mother began to worry a lot when she started college. “She always wanted to know what I was doing and expected a phone call all of the time.”

Even though Pier said her mom became more nosy, their relationship has grown stronger and she looks forward to going home for summer break.

Senior Nicole Bowersox’s parents thought they were in the clear when she lived at home her freshman year, but that soon changed when she moved into Harmony Hall.

“When I left they didn’t like the idea but they supported it,” said Bowersox.

Bowersox doesn’t talk to her par-

I became more independent because of college. My parents began to back off a little.”

Amanda Donatelli

Sophomore

ents as much as she used to. She talks to her mom everyday only to check in and only talks to her dad roughly twice a month.

“But when I go home I have the exact same relationship with all of them,” said Bowersox.

Senior Alnycea Blackwell has lived in the dorms for the past four years.

Over the years the relationship she has with her parents has changed a little.

“My dad expects me to pay for my half of the bills now,” said Blackwell.

“I am still close to my parents,” she said. “They realize I am maturing and now they treat me like an adult.”

Because Blackwell is graduating this spring and has become more independent, she will not be living at home.

Sophomore Amanda Donatelli has lived away from home for two years now and has experienced big changes with the relationship she has with her parents.

“We’re just people living in the same home. It’s not the parent-child

relationship anymore,” said Donatelli.

In high school Donatelli used to be close with her parents, but coming to college has put a strain on their relationship. “I became more independent because of college,” said Donatelli. “My parents began to back off a little.”

“I get treated like an adult at home now, but I’ll always have to respect my home and my mom,” said Donatelli.

When Donatelli returns home this summer, she said she knows things will be different.

The one thing that will be the same is the respect she has for her parents.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

News

13

Take charge of your college debt B.Keeler

Options for Student Loans

Managing Editor bak5266@psu.edu

If you’re soon graduating, your focus and worry may be aimed at landing a good job.

A job may not be your only worry; your student loans will likely come due in about six months, too.

According to Financial Aid Coordinator Gail Gray, the average Penn State Beaver student graduates with around $24,000 in debt which is significantly less than the average of $35,200 most of the class of 2013 faced last year.

But just because you may be graduating with less debt than your colleagues doesn’t mean you should relax.

“Student loans are a big responsibility,” Gray said. “Defaulting on your loan repayment can ruin your life.”

Senior Alex Angleton is graduating this semester and has about $9,000 in loans. “College is expensive. In the end, it’s worth it. It’s an investment.

Like starting a small business, you get a loan to pay for it or you get your family to help,” Angleton said.

With graduation looming, Angleton’s loan will soon be in repayment.

He admits he hasn’t really started

Payment Plan

Payments

Term

Standard

At least $50 per month

10 Years

Extended

May be fixed or graduated

Up to 25 years

Graduated

Are lower at first but than increase every 2-years

Up to 10 years

Income-Based

Based on 15% of discretionary income

Up to 25 years

Pay As you Earn

Based on 10% of discretionary income

Up to 20 years

Income Sensative

Bases on yearly income

Up to 10 years

Income Contingent

Are calculated year and based on family and loan size

Up to 25 years The ROAR/ B. Keeler

Students have seven options to repay their federal student loans.

preparing for the payments; in the end, it’s just another bill, he said.

Gray says there are ways to get in front of your loans and stay on top of them to keep the monster at bay.

Her first recommendation starts while students are still in college. If you have any unsubsidized loans, pay the interest that accrues while you are still in school.

“That interest (charge) just sits there like a lump and when you gradate that gets added onto your principal which means you will be paying interest on the interest,” Gray said.

“Just making payments on the interest can save you thousands in the long run.”

Most student loans are based on a 10-year repayment plan. That plan will save you money by paying off the loan quickly. But the monthly payments may be too high for recent graduates who could default.

The best way to avoid this fate is to look at the other seven re-payment plans which are based on your income. While they might take longer to pay off the loan, they determine a reasonable payment based on your earnings so you can pay on your student loans and have a life.

Amy Green is a 2012 Penn State Beaver Communications. Green has loans with three different companies, making it tough for her to keep up.

Like most students, Green took out low-interest federal Stafford loans. But it’s her two private loans that are causing the most pain. She pays $85 a month to Sallie Mae, but has a $490 payment due to Wells Fargo each month. Wells Fargo charges $8.88 for each day a payment

is late, she added.

Gray recommends limiting how much you borrow. Many students borrow money not only for tuition but also for books, living expense and travel. If you can pay for it in cash, avoid the debt, she said.

Ultimately, you want to avoid defaulting on your loans, Gray said.

Default is reported to the various credit agencies and could result in wage garnishment and the government taking your tax refund to pay your principal. Bankruptcy won’t get you out of repayment and student loan debt cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Should you find yourself in default, the best advice Senior Instructor of Business Administraion Karen Barr and Gray have is to contact your creditors.

“Explain the situation and ask for a reduction (or extension). Work with them to find a solution that pleases both parties,” Barr said.

“They do not want you to file for bankruptcy because then they don’t get anything.”

Green said her biggest challenge has been finding a job that pays enough to cover the loan payments.

Green’s advice for graduating students: “Get yourself out there and find a good job.”

Building credit early pays off in the long run B.Keeler

Managing Editor

bak5266@psu.edu

Many students walk around campus grumbling how they do not need a credit card and will just pay for everything in cash.

That may be a decent plan in a utopian society where everyone has equal amounts of money and prices do not change. In the real world, credit is unavoidable.

Senior Mike Schweitzer learned this when he found himself in need of new car.

Unlike most students who need their parents to co-sign a loan for a car, Schweitzer began establishing credit when he was 19 years old. By making regular on-time payments, he established a decent credit score and got a low interest rate, he said.

How does one establish credit?

Instructor in Mathematics Angela Fishman says the fastest way to establish a credit history is to get a credit card in your name.

Most banks offer a secured credit card, which is pre-paid to the amount of $300 to $500. You give

the bank the money in advance and make the payments just as you would a regular credit card. After a year of good payment patterns, the secured credit card usually becomes a regular credit card.

If you do not make payments, the bank keeps the money and ruins your credit score.

The second option is to piggyback off your parents’ credit, but that can be a double-edged sword.

“If your parents have good credit it can help, because you use their good name. But it can hurt you if

they have bad credit,” Fishman said.

Schweitzer said he established his good credit by “making small purchases and paying them off on time.

My credit was so good I got a really low interest rate too.”

Payment patterns and a credit history are not the only things that can stop you from getting what you want.

Credit scores will also affect the types of interest rates and the amounts you can qualify for.

“Credit companies look at what you can borrow and what you have

borrowed,” said Karen Barr, senior instructor in business administration.

“They check to make sure you are not over extending your financial resources.”

Additionally the number of times someone checks your credit can affect your score too, Barr added.

“Lots of things affect your credit and it’s important to build some credit even if it’s small. It’ll affect the credit limit on cards, shows that you’re capable of renting an apartment, and gives you an opportunity to get a loan,” Schweitzer said.

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Penn State Beaver Roar

Features

April 2014

Through the eyes of victims Administration of Justice instructor focuses on changing the criminal justice system Caitlin Vodenichar Managing Editor

cav5119@psu.edu

In homicide, rape and domestic violence cases across the country, prosecutors focus on putting the defendant behind bars for a set number of years before expecting them to reintegrate into society as changed human beings.

The victims and their families are expected to be able to rest easy knowing their assailant is being punished for his actions.

Lavarr McBride, instructor in administration of justice at Penn State Beaver, New Kensington and Shenango, doesn’t agree with this system. He said not enough is being done to ensure victims and their families are able to move past the incident.

“Our criminal justice system is not geared for healing, it’s geared for punishment,” he said. “There’s a lot our system can do to improve.”

McBride teaches the introductory criminal justice course and a course in courts and prosecution, as well overseeing internships and research for upper division administration of justice students at all three campuses.

His own research has led him to publish one book, with another on the way.

Set for release in August, “Finding Their New Normal” will be the second part to McBride’s first book, “Through a Convict’s Eyes: An Overlooked View of the Criminal Justice System.”

While the first book focused on former prisoners who gave up their pasts to become productive members of society, the second book focuses on the victims and their families.

“This book is through a victim’s eyes,” he said. “Each chapter is a different issue with survivors and victims. It tells their story and how they triumphed or, with homicides, how the family could move forward.”

He said it’s a book with a positive

Penn State Beaver photos by Cathy Benscoter

Above, Lavarr McBride lectures to a group of high school guidance counselors at an admissions program in October 2013.

twist. Victims of rape and domestic violence, as well as the families of homicide victims, end up feeling alone and carrying the burden’s weight for years. McBride wants to bring light to restorative justice, which will help victims through the trauma and give them the ability to move on.

Restorative justice is the idea of repairing the harm caused by the crime by helping the offender, victim and community to overcome the incident, instead of just punishing the offender. Getting the victim and community involved in the process

will help to empower and validate them.

The idea for restorative justice emerged after the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995, when Timothy McVeigh detonated an explosive-filled rental truck parked in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City.

Known as the most destructive act of terrorism before Sept. 11, 2001, the explosion killed 168, injured more than 680 and left an estimated $652 million in property damage.

McBride has worked in the crimi-

nal justice field for 30 years in various positions. He acts as a mediator between defense teams and victims.

“There’s an organic, or forced, relationship between the victim and the defendant,” he said.

The victim wants to know why the crime occurred, why the defendant did it and, in cases where the crime was between strangers, they want to know why the defendant chose them instead of someone else.

Because his main focus is helping victims through their hardships, McBride has also reached out to high schools in Beaver County and a few

throughout West Virginia and Virginia.

He said he’s noticed flaws in the anti-bullying programs that already exist, like Rachel’s Challenge, and wants to align them with other programs that will help students be more accountable for their actions.

His idea requires the troublemakers to sit down in the same room with both sets of parents to talk things out.

“Instead of expelling the students who get in fights or bully others, we need different methods of punishment,” he said.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

Features

15

Gamers step into the future with Titanfall Anthony Lamont Staff Writer

ajl5715@psu.edu

The new year has ushered in a groundbreaking-era of video game platforms, loaded with technology to make the game experience seem more real than life.

The latest new release is Titanfall from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts, released March 11 for Xbox One, and later for Xbox 360 and PC as a Microsoft exclusive.

Titanfall is a first-person shooter with a larger-than-life feel. Players are brought into a war where man and machine work in unison.

Titanfall provides gamers with two different ways to play, an on-line campaign and a traditional on-line multiplayer similar to that of the Call of Duty franchise.

The reason these games play similarly is because the developers who crafted Titanfall also worked on the construction of some of the Call of Duty games.

While these options may seem standard, the campaign is a theatric mode that must be played online in a multiplayer environment. Some may see this as a new innovative way to engage the gamer, while others may be displeased with the non-traditional set up.

Junior Dan Fisher said he is unimpressed. “I don’t like how the cam-

Courtesy from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts

Titanfall offers players a first-person experince of using robots in combat.

paign is multiplayer online; I would rather it be single player,” said Fisher, who is also a Roar staffer.

“I also wish you could play split screen with players on the same console.”

Not all who play the game agree on whether or not the online campaign is a drawback.

Junior Jason Garmen said he thinks that the online campaign is the best part of the game.

Garmen said Titanfall surpasses its Call of Duty predecessors.

Aside from new game modes, Titanfall offers large-scale battle sequences between active online players and bots. Bots are computer-generated enemies that fight in battle alongside the active owners of the game. This allows new users to focus on sharpening their skills while battling the bots, as they are easier to defeat.

Titanfall’s titans are large robots that the player can call into battle.

Similar to a kill streak earned in Call of Duty, the better a player performs the more chances they will have to airdrop their large robots.

There are three different customizable models for Titans in the game.

The Stryder is a lightweight robot that allows users to move quickly and out maneuver other players.

The second class is the Atlas,

which is a medium-armored assault version that allows for quick game play and resists damage better than the smaller Stryder. The final robot, unlocked after completion of the campaign, is the Ogre.

The Ogre is a heavily armored robot that can take and deal massive amounts of damage. Similar to a tank, this robot allows players to feel invincible in battle.

Titanfall shines in the futuristic atmosphere in which games are played. The maps are large and there are few-to-no limits on where players can go.

Perhaps the best feature is the double jump. When playing as a foot soldier, gamers can jump onto walls and then hit the jump button again to scale buildings. Players can even hang on walls and wait for unsuspecting enemies to pass by.

The Game Stop assistant manager at the Beaver Valley Mall said he thinks this is what keeps players interested.

“The game is well balanced, the titan’s are slower and pilots can double jump and wall run,” said the assistant manager whose name badge said Andy but who refused to provide his last name.

So far, the game has been well received at Game Stop. “People enjoy it; it’s like Call of Duty with (robots),” he said.

AOJ classes compete to help the Women’s Center Tyler Thellman Staff Writer

tmt5197@psu.edu

Penn State Beaver’s Administration of Justice classes won a competition with other Penn State campuses to raise money for victims of domestic violence.

For the competition the classes were asked to collect feminine hygiene and beauty products as well as money for the local women’s shelter.

Typical donations included makeup, various toiletries and hair acces-

sories.

This was the fifth year for this competition and each year surpasses the previous, said Mari Pierce, assistant professor of AOJ, who called this year’s results extremely close.

“Every year we seem to be getting more and more items coming in for the shelter as well as more students actively participating and enjoying it, which makes us professors who run the AOJ program feel accomplished and rewarded,” she said.

“Although this is only a Penn State fundraiser, this event has been a

huge part of the AOJ program.”

The AOJ classes at Beaver competed with the AOJ classes at Penn State Fayette and New Kensington.

“Not only does this help raise awareness for domestic violence, it helps get our program out there and build a solid reputation for future events for our AOJ programs,” said JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor in sociology.

“No matter the outcome of this competition, we are all winners.”

Sophomore Stephen Galmarini said he thinks the competition is a

great opportunity for AOJ students.

“This competition not only makes it fun for the students but it helps victims of domestic abuse, along with their families, and those are the people that really need the most help,” said Galmarini.

“It just makes you feel good as a person.”

According to Pierce, the competition collected more than 1,000 toiletry items from Beaver campus alone.

The items collected will benefit the Women’s Shelter of Beaver County.

“

Not only does this help raise awareness for domestic violence, it helps get our program out there and build a solid reputation for future events for our AOJ program.”

JoAnn Chirico

Senior Instructor in Sociology

16

Penn State Beaver Roar

Features

April 2014

Hank’s: Not your typical Mexican food Morgan Zelkovic Staff Writer

mlz155@psu.edu

Hungry? How about Mexican food and frozen custard.

Hank’s Frozen Custard offers both just over the bridge in New Brighton.

Hank Grosshans originally opened Hank’s in 1948, selling frozen custard and burgers. In the 70s, he switched to Mexican food because there were not any Mexican restaurants in the area at the time.

It’s been a drive-in staple ever since, attracting young couples on dates, ball teams after a big win and even grandparents sharing some nostalgia with the grandkids.

Hank’s is open every day from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and is located next to the YMCA in New Brighton.

Current owner Jeff Kohlmann said the most popular item on the menu is the tacos. Ingredients include either a hard or soft shell, ground meat, a blend of Mexican spices, Hanks’ own sauce, lettuce and cheese.

The ROAR/Dante Massey

A typical meal from Hank’s consists of tacos and frozen custard.

Sophomore Amanda Donatelli went to Hank’s once for lunch and had a taco and rice. “It was good and reasonably priced,” said Donatelli.

Hank’s offers different daily specials but any day you can order a combo that consists of three tacos and a drink for $5.59 plus tax. If you go on Facebook and like Hank’s page, you can get a $1 off the “Hump Day Special” on Wednesdays, which is listed on their page as special of the week.

Hank’s offers daily frozen custard flavors that are made with original recipes. Their popular flavors are pistachio, black raspberry and banana.

Frozen custard, unlike ice cream, is thicker with a creamier taste.

Two out of the four original Electro Freeze machines from 1950 are on display in the frozen custard room at Hank’s. Although they do not get used, they still run.

Sophomore Ryan Zagorski has been to Hank’s a couple of times, and his favorite item on the menu is the chocolate peanut butter cus-

tard. “I know plenty of people that go for a taco then for dessert,” said Zagorski.

Hank’s has been around for quite some time and has a car cruise atmosphere, particularly on Sundays which is their busiest day.

Older people bring their classic cars like the old days to hang around and eat, almost like a car show, according to Kohlmann.

Since Hank’s is an old time, drivein restaurant, the food is served through windows, like football stadium concession stands.

There are no doors to lead to an interior dining room because there is no interior. People tend to sit outside on the picnic tables they provide when the weather permits or they take their food and sit in their car to eat. The food is served in foam and plastic containers to go.

Hanks doesn’t provide a Penn State ID card discount, but Kohlmann is offering 10 percent off an order for students who bring in the Roar article with their student ID.

Beaver students to party like it’s 1999 Emily Winters Staff Writer

emw5343@psu.edu

A mechanical bull, Hawaiian luau, karaoke parties and laser tag were a few of many activities that Beaverfest offered students in years past.

This year, Beaverfest will once again give students many chances to relax and have fun.

Beaverfest will be held April 25 to May 2, the week before finals begin.

This year is 90s themed, and you can expect a lot of events that will de-stress you in time for your final exams.

Sophomore Nick Masci, Student Government Association president, said events will include a band,

a fashion and talent show, a block party, 90s-themed trivia, a bonfire and more.

Masci also said that everything is free for Penn State Beaver students, courtesy of the Student Activities Fee. The 90s-themed trivia will be held by sophomore Maura Francis, a resident assistant, in Harmony Hall April 19. Although it is located in the hall, commuters are encouraged to attend.

The Beaverfest T-shirts are $5 for students and $9 for staff. The “Beaverstreet Boys” are the theme of the shirt with the slogan, “It’s gotta be Beaverfest.”

Other shirts saying “Penn State

Beaver” on the front with a paw print on the back can be purchased for $8, for both students and faculty.

These come in pink, navy, black and lime green.

The bonfire will be held by the Psychology Club behind Harmony Hall on Friday, May 2.

The block party will take place before the bonfire, held outside of Harmony Hall. Everyone will come together to participate in activities and eat food. These events will conclude Beaverfest.

Sophomore Alicia Hampe said she is excited for Beaverfest.

“I love the fun games and activities that allow me to bond with fellow classmates,” she said.

Hampe added that she thinks this year’s Beaverfest will be better than last year’s.

“I am more informed on what is going on, so I am excited for the events I am going to.”

Hampe said she is most excited for the free food. “I’m also excited about my Twister event and the Beaverfest T-shirts,” she added.

Hampe is the president of the Residence Hall Advisory Council, which is sponsoring the Twister event.

Hampe is transitioning to Penn State Behrend in the fall, so this will be her last Beaverfest.

“I’m excited to fully experience my last Penn State Beaver Beaverfest,” she said.

This will be the first Beaverfest for freshman Claire Wang. “I’m really excited for all the activities,” she said.

“I think the 90s theme will be fun because we were born in the 90s.”

Wang, who is a member of the International Club, said she is looking forward to the club’s event, which is Holi.

Holi is a spring festival of colors. At this event, students have the opportunity to get each other dirty by throwing many different colors of paint onto each other.

Wang said Beaverfest will relax her in time for finals.

She also added that she hopes everyone will have fun and participate.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

Features

17

Professors do more than teach Kayla Wagner Staff Writer

krw5239@psu.edu

College professor by day, published writer by night. Robert Szymczak is consistently busy.

Whether he is teaching one of the many history classes offered each semester or he is doing research for scholastic articles, Szymczak, associate professor of history, is always focusing on his career.

Most recently, he’s been finishing up revisions on his first book about the American Slav Congress, which has taken several years to write.

Szymczak is like most faculty members, balancing coursework with the demands of research and service.

Students may not realize it, but faculty members do a lot more than just teach.

“It is not often easy. You have to go to archives a lot of times to find documents that haven’t been used

before. It can take weeks to a few months to write an article and it often requires travel,” he said.

Szymczak has advice for those seeking a career in higher education: find an area that interests you and be prepared to put in the work.

Many of the faculty members at Penn State Beaver spend hours each day on research and other obligations that tie into their coursework.

Most college students are unaware of the amount of time their professors put in outside of the classroom.

Associate professor of Spanish Robin Bower is another of the multitasking professors on campus. While she is known for teaching Spanish and other liberal arts courses, she plays other roles in the University.

Besides teaching and research, Bower also advises for Global Education. “Any student wanting any kind of international experience can come and talk to me,” she says. She also

has taken students to Spain in the past as part of a class.

Another important role Bower fills is as a faculty senator representing the Beaver campus faculty on the university-wide Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate is the governing body for faculty across the entire university. She attends senate meetings and serves on senate committees that oversee policy that affects the entire university.

While most don’t even know of Bower’s senate service, the work she performs as part of the senate impacts students at Beaver and across the university.

Coming all the way from South Africa in 2008, Cassandra Butterworth has a very interesting career as assistant professor of biology.

Outside of the classroom, Butterworth spends her time doing conservational genetics DNA research. She focuses on deer, bobcats and birds.

“It can be a challenge. Genetic research is time consuming. I can’t do it from home,” she says.

The majority of her research is done in the summer, when she has more free time. However, during the school year she has a lab assistant to help her and allow for more time to be dedicated to her research.

She also has become a published writer. She writes articles and presents her research to conference panels. Most recently, she was published in the Journal of Heredity for an article she wrote conducting her research on the genetics of brown bats in Pennsylvania.

Another member of the Penn State Beaver faculty who is extremely busy is John Chapin, professor of communications. He teaches, advises and works with students on research, but on the side he does much more.

Chapin studies violence prevention education. He works with wom-

en’s centers, helping them evaluate their programs by focusing on outcome measures and improving their curriculum.

Much like the other faculty members, Chapin is a published writer.

His work can be found in the Journal of School Violence and the Journal of Family Violence. Some of his articles focus on health communications issues and looking at domestic violence and sexual assault as public issues.

Growing up in a violent home before centers existed for women like his mother, Chapin finds this research extremely important. It is important on a personal level for him to help when he is able.

He works with two centers primarily, Crisis Center North and The Women’s Center of Beaver County, but has also worked on a large project involving 13 centers across Pennsylvania.

18

Penn State Beaver Roar

Sports

April 2014

Baseball team’s hot start comes to a halt

Colby Hill Staff Writer

clh5675@psu.edu

After an eight-game winning streak, the Penn State Beaver baseball team lost four consecutive games in a weekend, dropping its record to 8-4 in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, 10-9 overall.

Beaver lost April 12 in a doubleheader to Penn State Schuylkill, 9-5 and 7-4, followed with losses April 13 to Penn State Brandywine, 13-1 and 10-1.

Junior team captain Rob Trhlin said before the losses that these games would be the team’s first test in the conference.

Schuylkill was fresh off of a fivegame winning streak and got off to a fast start by scoring four runs in the top half of the first inning.

After falling behind, Beaver bounced back with a strong seventh inning.

Runs batted in by freshman Austin Logan, junior Tyler Thellman and freshman Gavin High gave life to Beaver during its strong seventhinning performance, but the team came up short 9-5.

Grant Scott catches the ball aganist Penn State Brandywine April 13.

Game two against Schuylkill began with a sloppy first inning by Beaver, which put Schuylkill in the driver’s seat, winning 7-0.

To start the double-header against Brandywine, freshman Matt Rose had an RBI double to hit in Beaver’s only run during a 13-1 loss.

The trend continued in the second game as Beaver was limited to only four hits compared to Brandywine’s

10. The final score was 10-1.

Freshman Blaise McCarty felt that the intensity of the games was down.

“We came out flat and the other teams took advantage of that.”

According to Trhlin, the team grew complacent, didn’t bring its A game and fell victim to base running errors.

“I can assure you that this is the last time that’ll happen,” Trhlin said.

The ROAR/Dante Massey

He gives a forewarning to those who think this past weekend’s poor performance will carry over to the rest of the season.

“This is a close knit group which is a big difference from previous years.

We are more focused than ever,” Trhlin said.

Sophomore Brad Verlihay agreed.

“Team chemistry is a big factor in how this team will bounce back.”

Coach Jack Hilfinger said that despite the recent losses, his faith in the team isn’t shaken.

“This is best start we’ve ever gotten off to in my five years of being here,” Hilfinger said.

“We are a young team, there’s no doubt about that,” Hilfinger added. “But the younger players have improved their skills from last August until now. We’re also deeper with our players. We haven’t been like that in the four years previous to this year.”

One way the team looks to get back on track is by focusing on its strengths, including fielding and limiting errors.

The team is looking ahead to its matchup April 22 at Pullman Park in Butler.

One Beaver player in particular who looks forward to this matchup is Thellman, a former Greater Allegheny player.

“Baseball is baseball. The only thing really different is styles of play,” Thellman said. “The move here was great, no disrespect to GA. They have a great team and coaching staff.

I just feel more comfortable here.”

Fightin’ Beavs fail to bring home the championship Tyler Thellman Staff Writer

tmt5197@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver Fightin’ Beavs in-line hockey championship run ended with a three-game series against Slippery Rock University in which Beaver won the first game but couldn’t bring home another win.

The Fightin’ Beavs won the first game April 2, 5-3, but a secondgame loss 5-1 on April 3 meant a winner-take-all third game on April 9. The promising season ended with a 6-1 loss in a hard-fought battle despite exceptional effort by the Fightin’ Beavs.

The team bounced back after a rough year in 2013, led by Coach

Steve Turyan and assisted by Justin Vorbach, an admissions counselor.

Both Turyan and Vorbach are alumni who played for the team.

The Fightin’ Beavs had a balanced attack on the ice between offense and defense, also with a different core group team seemed to have more success in the 2014 year.

The team finished its last regular season game with a blowout win against Grove City 8-0 leading them to the playoffs to face Duquesne in the first round. They later won 9-5 and advanced to face Clarion in the semifinals, winning that game 6-4 to advance to the championship game.

“I thought this year was a great season to build off of,” Vorbach said.

“We had such consistency and I feel that we can do it again in the future.”

Sophomore defenseman Mike Harrington said, “It is disappointing losing so abruptly, but I felt we had a tremendous year with the guys we had. I’m so proud of each of them.”

“I’m really excited for the future of this program. I think it has an endless amount of potential starting with our coaches all the way through the players,” Harrington added.

Sophomore defenseman Devin Baker said, “It’s a shame our season had to end. We all felt like we had worked so hard and could have played a lot more games, although we lost to a good Slippery Rock team.”

The ROAR/Dante Massey

Mike Harrington moves the puck in the final game of the championship aganist Slippery Rock University April 9.

April 2014 Penn State Beaver Roar

Sports

19

Lady Lions step up as leaders Marcus Smith Staff Writer

mas6432@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver Lady Lions softball team is struggling with a 2-8 conference record, 2-12 overall.

The team lost its first four conference games, two doubleheaders. On April 1, Penn State Fayette won 13-7 and 5-0, while April 5 Penn State Mont Alto won 7-2 and 13-2.

Beaver split the doubleheader April 6 against Penn State New Kensington, winning its first conference matchup 13-8 but losing 13-4 in the second game.

Most recently, the team split a doubleheader with Penn State Schuylkill April 12, losing 3-2 and winning 11-3. Beaver also lost a doubleheader April 13 to Penn State Brandywine, 9-8 and 12-11.

Coach Andy Kirschner said pitching is his big concern this year.

“This year the (team) lost Korey Freyermuth who was a pitcher and a third baseman (and) also a leader for the team,” Kirschner said, noting that Freyermuth’s graduation left a huge void fill.

Kirschner said two other pitchers are also out. “So the pitchers we have left are working hard to fill that void.”

Last year, the team took its second-consecutive Penn State University Athletic Conference championship. “We are going to have to battle to win our third-straight PSUAC title,” Kirschner said.

There are only two seniors, Lauren Pier and Nicole Bowersox, remaining on the team. Leadership is coming from every angle this year.

“The leadership comes from more than just the coaches and captains.

(Sophomores) Taylor Larson and Rachael Charlier have stepped up to be leaders as well,” Pier said. “We all hold each other accountable. The leadership is not from just one or two people.”

Freshman Kelsey Brooks said that new or old, all of the players are ready to step up and start winning.

“We still have a lot of games left, and we know what we need to do,” Brooks said. “There are a bunch of lower classman that are all on board to win and experience a positive attitude, even when things are going bad.”

Though the season isn’t off on a strong start, Brooks said she isn’t too worried. “It’s still early. I feel we can step it up and get on the right track.”

The ROAR/Dante Massey

Lauren Pier stands on the base awaiting the next pitch aganist Penn State Brandywine April 13.

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