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Penn State Beaver Roar
News
April 2016
Harmony Hall to get $800,000 renovation BROOKE DOERFLER Staff Writer
bmd5296@psu.edu
When sophomore Jessica Sigala returns to campus this fall, she might not recognize the residence hall. In addition to the normal cleaning and maintenance the housing staff provides Harmony Hall every summer, the hall will also be receiving an extreme dormitory makeover to the tune of $800,000. Harmony Hall will be receiving a facelift that will include new flooring, paint and furniture. But Jeremy Lindner, the director of Housing and Food Services, said the updates to the lobby will go beyond that. There will be new furniture to replace the current setup, with six couches, eight cushioned chairs, two coffee tables, high-top tables along the windows and four-seater tables. “We are going with smaller tables, but there will be more seating,” said Lindner. This ability of customization was a common theme in the renovation’s planning. Sigala, who is president of the Residence Hall Advisory Council, said that the lobby updates are something she is anxious to see. “It’s the first thing you see when you come in, and right now the furnishings look beat up and old,” said Sigala. The stair landings will get new, faux-stone tile flooring and a fresh coat of paint. The hallways will get new carpeting and a two-tone, offwhite-and-brown paint job. In the residential rooms, the floors will be a dark-blond, vinyl-laminate wood, the walls will be repainted offwhite, and there will be a green focal wall. Lindner said there will even be new dark-brown roller blinds like the current style seen in Harmony Hall’s lobby. The next noticeable difference in the rooms will be the new furniture, Lindner said. It will still be a blond wood like it is now, but with updates.
The Roar/ Brooke Doerfler
As Jermey Lindner, director of Housing and Food Services, prepares for harmony Hall rennovation, a desk in his office is filled with swatches of possible choices. From wall color to lobby furntire, Lindner has a lot of choices to make for this rennovation.
Lindner said the beds and MicroFridges will still look familiar, but that’s about it. New wardrobes will have two doors that open out to reveal two hanging sections with a shelf on top of each. One section of the closet will have drawers in it and the other half will have removable shelves that let the resident either leave room for folded items or remove them to make room for longer, hanging clothing. The mirror will also be on the inside of one of these doors. “The new wardrobes give more flexibility to how you want to design your space,” said Lindner. The new wardrobes will be complimented by new dressers that are a stackable unit. This set will have two drawers each and can either be stacked to be full-height or broken apart to fit under the bed.
The new desks will be smaller than the current ones, but there is good reasoning. “The new desk design will allow residents to either leave the desk where it is or to butt it to the foot of the bed,” said Lindner. “There won’t be overhang like there is now if you put the desk against the foot of the bed.” Freshman Spencer Myers was a commuter during the fall semester and became a resident of Harmony Hall this spring. “I was spending long hours on campus as an engineer. I thought it would be easier to get to class,” said Myers. Myers’ first opinion of Harmony Hall was that it is not bad for a residence hall, but he is excited for the updates. “I think it could change my experience on campus. It sounds like a
good update, and I would be more likely to move my room around with less-bulky furniture,” said Myers. Sigala, who lives in California, can speak from another perspective. “I think the updates will add a sense of comfort for out-of-state students and internationals.” When students come from far away to go to school at Penn State Beaver, they almost always live in Harmony Hall. Having a modern and customizable room could make these students feel like they have a space to call their own, she said. “We are trying to go a little homier in the hall,” Lindner said. Basement rooms will get some updates, too. The game room will have the same faux-stone tile flooring as the stair cases, and the laundry room’s new flooring will be like the water-tight bathroom floors. Changes to the study lounge are
still up in the air, but if they happen they will look a lot like the lobby. “When we do these projects, we don’t just pick random products. Penn State Behrend already did this project, and we have learned from their mistakes,” said Lindner. “I spent a lot of time working with their director.” “The time frame is going to be very tight,” said Lindner. The crews will only have 12 weeks to complete this extensive to-do list. Work has already begun. Broken heaters have been taken off walls, paint has been touched up, and unoccupied rooms have already been torn down. “During finals week, it is important for people to tell their RA when they leave so tear-down can begin in those rooms,” said Lindner. With all of the recent budget turmoil, it is a surprise that this project got approved, but Lindner explained how it happened. Every year, Housing and Food Services has a budget as a whole, university-wide, and ideas are pitched. This funding is in addition to selling the furniture that is still in good condition. Because Harmony Hall’s floors still have asbestos and can be rough to maintain, this triggered talk of replacing carpets – but when all the costs of that project came in, a more complete renovation became a plausible option. When asked about air conditioning, Lindner recognized that this is a continuous student request. “August is rough.” While Lindner said air conditioning is a consideration, the cost in comparison to the amount of usage needs to be contemplated. Air conditioning is an expensive project, and doing these other renovations makes more sense. Lindner is optimistic that this renovation will improve residents’ perceptions of Harmony Hall. “I hope students love it,” said Lindner. “I think they will be surprised how nice the building will look.”
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
News
The Wellness Center attracts students who want to work out, but some students recently reported getting bullied by others while using the weight room.
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The Roar/ Kate Serna
Students intimidated at Wellness Center JIMMY LEMA Staff Writer
jml5978@psu.edu
The gym is a place for people to go to work out and improve their health. But for some at Penn State Beaver, going to the Wellness Center is becoming an issue, not because of their workouts but because of how others are treating them. Students who are just beginning to workout say they have suffered from insults and gym intimidation from other users in the Wellness Center. Sophomore Adam Clarkson knows all about this. Clarkson said he just began lifting less than two months ago. “I felt weak in comparison to some of the other students, and some
students I could hear insulting my tall and lanky physique under their breath,” Clarkson said. “I will continue to use the weight room. I will sometimes just go at different times to avoid different people.” Sophomore Sam Younes said he has also been the target of gym bullying. “I was insulted for not doing enough weight on one of the machines that works the chest, when I wasn’t even trying to lift heavy weight. Someone also insulted me because of my hair. People will insult users of the gym for the most idiotic reasons.” Assistant Athletic Director BJ Bertges said no one has brought issues of gym intimidation to her attention recently. Bertges supervises the Wellness Center staff and would
handle issues like this. Bertges said when problems like this occur, “I would like myself or Head Athletic Director Andy Kirschner to be notified by our staff immediately.” The problem seems to extend to students’ guests, who are allowed to use the Wellness Center for free. Logan Loncar, who was the guest of dual enrollment student Nate Martin, said he was getting criticized so horribly he bought a membership to Planet Fitness and has not returned to Penn State Beaver’s Wellness Center since mid-January. “Some of the other people who were lifting in the gym would insult me for wearing a sleeveless shirt. They would tell me to hit the weights and that I shouldn’t be allowed to
wear a sleeveless shirt in here. It’s upsetting because I felt I was making progress,” Loncar said. Martin witnessed the insults. “I was lifting with Logan and my friend Jimmy every day. Students who don’t know us and we have no idea who they are, would insult Logan. People would laugh at him for the weight he would be using, and I heard a few people refer to him as ‘weak.’ Sadly, you can never just go to the gym and workout anymore.” Sophomore Jim Helbley has witnessed bullying happening in the Wellness Center. “I see people laughing at others who are using lower weight or have a smaller build than them. I’m not going to name anyone specific who bullies, but this is an issue that needs addressed.”
Bertges said the athletic staff has to be told about such incidents in order to stop it. “I would like to have this issue brought up to our attention at our staff meetings. I want users of the Wellness Center to be in a friendly environment. If staff informs me, I can instruct them to pay close attention to see if they notice bullying occurring and stop it in the act.” Bertges said the staff will work on new ideas to prevent this from happening. “If we have more conversations with staff at meetings, we can prevent this when we see it beginning to happen,” Bertges said. “When it does happen and my staff or users of the Wellness Center report the bullying, we can notify Campus Police and have them help settle the issue.”
POLICE BEAT
Student leader found under the influence in Harmony Hall
Freshman Fynn Mott of Beaver Falls was cited by Penn State Police for underage drinking. The incident was reported on April 2 in Harmony Hall where the police were called. Mott was recently elected as one of two student representatives to the
Penn State University Faculty Senate to represent students across the entire university.
STUDENT FACES DRUG CHARGES
Penn State Police charged fresh-
man Malik Frye with possession of drug paraphernalia after someone reported smelling marijuana in Harmony Hall March 13. Police said they found Frye after tracking the reported smell. Police filed the charges against Frye in dis-
trict court March 29.
MORE MARIJUANA?
On March 16, police were again called for the smell of marijuana. This time, police said they found nothing and the case is closed.
PHONE REPORTED STOLEN
Police were called to the Penn State Beaver Wellness Center March 31 after a student had reported his cell phone had been stolen. Police are investigating and the case remains open.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
News
April 2016
LionPATH: Good or bad? SAVANA C. GRIGGS Staff Writer
scg5198@psu.edu
Now that Penn State Beaver students have had the time to discover what the new LionPATH student information system has to offer, reactions have ranged from incredibly awful to somewhat positive. Freshmen Justin Gregory is not a fan. “To sum it up, it’s a f**king piece of shit. It looks like a website made from the ’90s, and it’s unfinished. So overall, [LionPATH is] terrible.” Gregory spent about an hour and
a half browsing through it, he said, seeing little benefit. “I don’t understand why [Penn State] would want to replace eLion. If they can improve on it, that would be fine. But as it stands right now, [LionPAT] feels unfinished.” Senior Steven Mengel was also vocal about the new changes. “I think that they shouldn’t change it. I agree that maybe teachers shouldn’t maybe baby people through scheduling, but why make it more complicated?” Senior Josh “Vito” Davis doesn’t understand why the university would
replace eLion. “I already got used to eLion, and now they’re changing it to LionPATH. The thing is that I was already used to one thing, and now it’s gone.” However, Davis mentioned a positive. “When I went on LionPATH, I didn’t really think it was any harder than eLion.” Advising Program Coordinator Gretchen Samchuck said that the change is going to be difficult for everybody on campus and asked everyone to bear with the modifications. “eLion is outdated,” Samchuck
said. “The people that were able to keep it maintained are no longer around, and so [Penn State] needed to switch it over to something more current, and move it into the 21st century.” Samchuck said she thinks students will eventually find it easier to use. “Change is hard, and [LionPATH] being different will take some time. I think once students learn it, they’ll like it better. It’s a huge adjustment for faculty, too.” Sophomore Brandee Robinson said the overall design seems unfinished, but it’s somewhat helpful. “I
started using it recently to see how I could start scheduling, and it kind of confused me, I guess, because it’s a really small layout.” Robinson added, “The sections were put together, and it was sort of organized. It could use work, though.” Then there are students who are less concerned about LionPATH. “All that I know about it is that it’s kind of like eLion, and I’m not going to worry about it until I go on LionPATH to schedule,” said freshman Jack Haser.
PERSON IN THE BISTRO
What do you think about LionPATH, the new replacement for eLion?
“I think it’s stupid. I think eLion was fine. [LionPATH] is making more work for students.”
“It’s too hard, and it’s confusing.”
Shawn Shaner
Sophomore
Albert Araiza
“Once you learn how to navigate it, it’s really easier. “
Brenna Cepull
“I think it’s a lot easier to access the stuff in it. It feels more organized.”
“I don’t like it, at all. And I prefer eLion better. Whenever I first saw LionPATH, I felt like it was a web page from 10-years-ago.”
Cheryl Xue
Freshman
“It’s terrible. It’s tricky. It’s too long of a process. We’re used to our advisers helping us out, and all of a sudden they’re not.”
Alan Frye
Junior
Sam Sharpless
Freshman
Carley Schroder
Freshman
Senior
“It’s terrible. It wouldn’t let me log in at first.”
Freshman
“I’ve heard a lot of negatives about it. I’m not eager to be ready to use it. I’m going to have to use it for the next two years.”
Brandon Jovanovski
Sophomore
“I think that it’s a hard transition for kids to adjust to. It’s been eLion for so long, and now it’s a totally new thing. It’s just hard.”
Christy Abraham Junior
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
News
5
Mott elected student rep to Faculty Senate TY COLE
Staff Writer
wtc5037@psu.edu
Freshman Fynn Mott has received one of the highest honors you can get as a student at Penn State University. She has been selected to be the student representative to the University Faculty Senate. Only two students in the entire Penn State system are selected to sit among the faculty to provide the student perspective for policy and issues. Students across all Penn State campuses elected Mott to become a student senator. She beat out five other students to receive this position. “It’s a great opportunity for me,” Mott said. “I figured I’ve been recently enticed in economic policy and politics in general, and this is a great start to get some experience.” Mott will go to University Park six
times a year to be part of various committees and groups as a senator. She will voice her opinion on the issues and relay the news back to all students. “My macro (economics) class with (Professor Rajen) Mookerjee is phenomenal. This will be a good position to get my first feel for something on the lines of that,” said Mott. Carey McDougall, interim chancellor, described Mott as “very passionate about everything she does. She’s a great listener and will represent us in the highest manner.” Mott has worked in McDougall’s office in Academic Affairs since last summer. “I want her to be the voice for Penn State Beaver students. I want her to represent the concerns our students have and bring that voice to University Park,” said McDougall. Associate Professor of Spanish
Robin Bower has been the Faculty Senate representative for Beaver for 12 years. This is Bower’s last year in that role. “This will be a great opportunity for Fynn,” Bower said. “She will meet all kinds of new people, and this will just be a great overall experience for her.” Bower said Mott will serve on different committees, voice her opinion on Penn State student affairs and be a voice for Penn State students. Reflecting back on her 12 years as a senator, Bower called the work “rewarding.” “It’s been very rewarding working with the people I have and doing the things I have for this school.” Assistant Professor of Administration of Justice Mari Pierce will take over as the representative in the fall, with Professor of Economics Rajen Mookerjee.
Class times to change at Beaver in the fall semester JULIE WORST
Senior Staff writer jaw6062@psu.edu
Following a common schedule is another major change coming to Penn State this fall. The common schedule means that all campuses will follow the same class time schedule. For Beaver, that means extending the amount of time between classes from 10 to 15 minutes. The regular class times students are familiar will change. A 9 a.m. class will now start at 9:05 a.m., a 10 a.m. class at 10:10 a.m., and so on. Night classes will still start at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday classes will be affected as well. Classes will be one hour and 20 minutes, but again the time in-between the classes will be 15 minutes instead of 10. The extended time between classes is due to the fact that University Park needs a 15-minute break for students to get across campus, if necessary. One of the reasons for the change was the new student information system Penn State is
implementing. “When switching to LionPATH, the system that runs behind the scenes and that was used to create the schedule needed to be the same for all campuses,” said Samchuck. One benefit of a common schedule is that it will be easier to schedule video-conference classes that are shared among multiple classes, said Daniel Pinchot, director of enrollment, pointing to programs like Administration of Justice and the new Project and Supply Chain Management. When all campuses share the same time schedule, it makes it easier for students to work those classes into their schedules, he said. This will also affect when common hour is scheduled, which may make planning events harder. The common schedule will take some adjustment for many students. “The schedule changing is confusing, but something I guess I will just have to get used to,” said freshmen Thomas Crivelli.
The Roar/Ty Cole
Fynn Mott works on a computer in the Center of Academic Achievment at Penn State Beaver.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
News
April 2016
Research fair students adjust to changes
NITA WILLIAMS Staff Writer
new5130@psu.edu
For 15 years, Penn State Beaver has been recognizing the hard work done by students outside of the classroom as well as in. The Undergraduate Research, Engaged Scholarship and Creative Activity Exhibition, to be held April 13, gives students the opportunity to show off their chops with various presentations of research, community service and artistic projects. Formerly known as the Undergraduate Research Fair, the exhibition at Penn State Beaver has been developed and updated to match that of University Park’s program, said Senior Instructor of Philosophy Irene Wolf. Wolf is a faculty advisor and this year’s head of the program. Students participating in the Undergraduate Research section work with a faculty advisor on an in-depth original research project and give an oral presentation at the exhibition. In the Creative Activity category, students submit or present any kind of art project, whether it be photography, dance, writing, music or painting.
Penn State Beaver photos
Maura Francis presents her creative activity project at last spring’s Undergraduate Research Fair.
The Engaged Scholarship portion recognizes students for their time in community service or writing scholarly articles. A total of 25 project submissions have been entered by students for the exhibition, Wolf said, the majority of which are service-learning projects.
Students have come up with a wide variety of ideas for projects to present at the program. Freshman Brenden Arena and sophomores Randy Meskow and Sam Younes, with the guidance of Associate Professor of Chemistry Michael Hay, have done a research
project on Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane, or POSS, molecules.“We’re trying to combine two of these POSS-type molecules to make a completely new molecule,” said Arena. In another project, sophomores Ella Bose, Colin Macon, Jared Boggs
and freshman Austin Schorr have studied self-sufficient, Net-Zero Living Houses for their sustainability class. The group took footage and interviewed the owner of a local net-zero living house and have put together their own documentary for the exhibition. Bose said the house is surprisingly normal in most ways, as the group has observed what day-to-day living is like there and compared it to a typical house. “The house generates energy, more energy than they actually use. We’re making the documentary to show how these houses are not that expensive and that they’re actually better for the environment,” said Bose. Wolf helped start the research fair 15 years ago and has been involved ever since. She says the projects take work, but what the students get out of it is definitely worth it. “Not to mention, it looks really good on a resumeé,” she added. The exhibition will be held in the Student Union Building Lodge on April 13, and all students are invited to attend to support their peers.
Panorama magazine exhibits students’ creative talents RYAN LOCKHART
Staff Writer
rnl5086@psu.edu
Once every spring, students at Penn State Beaver are encouraged to put their artwork and creative writing into a collective magazine for many to enjoy. Since 2009, Panorama, the student journal of the arts, has been a magazine made by students for students and faculty on campus. The publication is used to display any artwork or writing that the students have submitted to the magazine. “Student athletes are usually the ones being displayed for their talent,”
says junior Allison Crouse, a student editor of Panorama. “It’s a great way to highlight students who aren’t athletes.” Having a school journal like Panorama helps students who have hidden talents that they wish to share with everyone else, said Crouse. It is a cool way to showcase students’ artwork and to show that students other than athletes also have talent that should be recognized. “Entering artwork into Panorama can win you prizes as well,” said senior Brianna D’Itri, another student editor of Panorama. D’Itri is also a Roar staff member. According to D’Itri, each entry to
Panorama includes an entry for cash prizes for the top submissions. Prizes can reach $100, and if a visual piece of artwork like a painting or drawing wins, the artwork is displayed on the front cover of the magazine. Any creative talent a student has can be put into Panorama, said Crouse. Artwork or writing that can be submitted includes drawings, paintings, poems and short stories. Almost anything that is visual art can be entered into Panorama, but only visual artwork can be put on the front cover of the journal. The upcoming edition will be
released by mid-April around campus. Senior Maura Francis won the grand prize last year and had her drawing on the front cover of Panorama. Francis won with a drawing of a sunflower and received a $100 prize. “It was a cool feeling to have my picture win,” said Francis. “I was proud of it.” Francis also had other pieces of art within Panorama since students aren’t just limited to one submission. Other students should definitely submit to Panorama and get their art noticed, said Francis. “Encourage other students to do it if they have a
creative talent.” Even though it’s primarily for student’s work, faculty submissions can also be accepted if not enough students are submitting work on their own, says D’Itri. Panorama usually gets 50 to 60 submissions per issue. “The magazine is completely free and is located all around campus for anyone to take,” said D’Itri. After being printed, magazines are spread around campus on tables or are easily found in the library. Anyone looking to help out with the making of next year’s Panorama can email Allison Crouse at aac5418@psu.edu.
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
News
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Presidential front-runners worry students EVAN PINCHOT Staff Writer
emp197@psu.edu
As the nation enters the third month of the presidential primaries and caucuses , it is beginning to look more and more like Donald Trump will win the GOP nomination while former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton looks like she will be the Democratic nominee. Republicans and Democrats at Penn State Beaver say they aren’t very happy about how this election is shaping up. Both political parties are struggling to figure out who they will support in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary. “I support Hillary, but it is a tough decision to do so,” said sophomore Stephen Crnkovich. “We are going to have to make sacrifices, and I believe that Hillary has the more realistic outlook,” Cmkovich said. Crnkovich is a Democrat. He said that he likes the ideas of Sen. Bernie Sanders, but has made the tough decision to vote for Clinton. Though he admits he has compared this election to “picking the lesser of two evils.” Another Democrat on campus, sophomore Ryan Pinto, said that he will be supporting Sanders this April. However, seeing as how far
Photo Courtesy of L.A. Times
Photo Courtesy of Business Insider
Former Secretary of State and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton continues her long political career in her race to the White House.
Businessman and real estate entrepenuer Donald Trump is a new-comer to politics but is maintaining his lead as the GOP front-runner.
behind Sanders is at this point, Pinto said he realizes he may be stuck choosing between Clinton and Trump in the November general election. “I would support Hillary if I were to choose between the two,” Pinto said. “I just morally cannot support Trump.” Although he has been at the center of a lot of controversy lately, Trump has still managed to garner support with some of the students on campus. “I am voting for Trump because he has the best chance in a general
participated in primaries or caucuses in the past. “I am enjoying this whole process,” said Irene Wolf, senior instructor in philosophy. “The tone upsets me, but the process and the energy I think is very good, as well as the call for change.” With the April 26 Pennsylvania closed primary set so late in this primary season, many people are upset that the races may very well be over by the time they vote. “I don’t know why they can’t move it up,” said freshman Dallas Jamery. “We are such an important
election,” said freshman Louis Martin. Martin is a Republican and a very strong conservative. He said that he isn’t a huge supporter of Trump and all of his policies, but he will still be voting for Trump in April because he believes that he has the best chance of all the Republican candidates to beat either Democrat in a general election. While the primary process seems to be dividing people within their political parties, one outcome of this high-profile contest is that it’s attracting a lot of voters who haven’t
state, and the races will probably be over before I have a say in it.” Pennsylvania has a closed primary which means that only those who registered as Democrat or Republican before the March 26 deadline will be able to vote in the primary. Pennsylvania has more than 200 delegates to allocate to both parties. Democrats will compete for 186 unpledeged delegates and Republicans will battle for 71 delegates. States like Pennsylvania with large delegate counts are equally dispersed during the election cycle to avoid front-loading the race.
Penn State eliminates 16-credit late-drop limit this fall JULIE WORST
Senior Staff writer jaw6062@psu.edu
When freshman Lauren Hudnall realized she needed to change her major, she was faced with a tough decision. Should she use half of her 16 late drop credits to drop two four-credit classes, or stay in the classes even though they won’t count in her new major and risk a pulling down her
grade-point average? “I was changing my major and no longer needed the classes. I had to be really careful in my decision to drop the credits,” said Hudnall. Hudnall ended up dropping the classes, but can now breathe a sigh of relief. Penn State has changed the policy on late-drop credits. Starting this fall, there will no longer be a late-drop limit. “LionPATH has opened the
door for discussion about the policies Penn State has in place,” said Gretchen Samchuck, advising program coordinator. Penn State students who had a late-drop limit of 16 credits will now have no limit to the number of credits that can be dropped. “However, students will only be allowed to attempt the same class three times,” said Samchuck. “On the third time students will have to finish the class and get the
grade they earned,” said Samchuck This new limit may still cause headache for students who are struggling to pass a class required for graduation. When you late drop a class, not only does the late drop affect how many credits you’re enrolled in but it also affects your financial aid. Students will still need to pay attention to how many classes they drop in a semester, said Gail Gray, student aid and veterans coordinator.
“When it comes to your financial aid, late dropping a class is the same as failing in the sense that you did not complete what you said you were going to at the beginning,” Gray said. Students must complete at least 67 percent of the classes they started to remain eligible for financial aid. This now does not include classes dropped before the 6-day grace period at the beginning of the fall semester.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
Viewpoints
April 2016
Is three times a charm? New chancellor search underway; get involved
MANAGING EDITOR OF CONTENT Julie Worst
Jaw6062@psu.edu
MANAGING EDITOR OF PRODUCTION Brooke Doerfler
Bmd5296@psu.edu
BUSINESS MANAGER Elle George
Erg161@psu.edu
PAGE DESIGNERS Khalia Adams
ksa5120@psu.edu
Ty Cole
Wtc5037@psu.edu
Alexa DiPietrantonio And151@psu.edu
Brianna D’Itri
Bbd5033@psu.edu
Brianna Rice
Bmr5418@psu.edu
Maria Rogers
Mrr5425@psu.edu
Kate Serna
Kys5434@psu.edu
Matt Sweikowski Mrs5822@psu.edu
Rob Trhlin
Ryt5088@psu.edu
Zach Ulrich
Zau5001@psu.edu
ADVISERS Cathy Benscoter Cub15@psu.edu
Daniel Pinchot Djp114@psu.edu
For the third time in nearly two years, the campus will interview candidates for the chancellor position in April. The first search, which took place in fall 2014 after Chancellor Gary Keefer retired, ended with no candidates being offered the position. Last December, Penn State concluded its second search with the announcement that Lillian Schumacher of Tiffin University in Ohio had been appointed chancellor. But Schumacher backed out over the holiday break after Tiffin’s board of trustees fired its president and asked her to be their interim leader. While it was disappointing to have a candidate back out, the process cannot discourage the campus. The important thing is to find the right candidate, not
worry about how long the process is taking. The candidates for this round all have exceptional credentials and have shown true promise to step in and be the leader of the campus and be engaged with the community. The first candidate will be Scott McBride, dean of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in Kentucky. McBride will interview April 12. The next candidate, on April 20, will be Jenifer Cushman, dean of Ohio University’s Zanesville campus. The final candidate, on April 25, will be Laura Niesen, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. As part of the interviews, each candidate will have 50 minutes
to spend with students, who can ask questions to gauge how the candidate can positively impact Penn State Beaver. Additionally, there will be an open public presentation by each candidate to the campus community, which students can attend. The interview process is crucial as it gives students a chance to get to know the candidates and for the candidates to get to know the campus and our community. Everyone who participates in the interviews will be asked to fill out a survey to give feedback on the candidates. This process will play a significant in role in who is and who is not chosen for our next chancellor. We urge all members of the Penn State Beaver community to attend the interview sessions. Your opinion really does matter.
Put an end to Wellness Center bullies
The Wellness Center should be a place of positivity and motivation, not an area for bullying or mocking others as they work to better themselves. Getting into shape can be hard enough with finding time and the self-motivation to do so. It can be even more difficult if another student is snickering at you while you are finishing your workout. Bullying in the weight room has just become a problem, as multiple students have reported the bullying. There truly is no place for it in
the Wellness Center. Instead of mocking each other, we should be helping and motivating each other to be the best people we can be. Starting to work out can be intimidating for some students who may not be as fit as others. Don’t make it more difficulty for those trying to take the first step. Many people are already a little self-conscious about their appearance or their workout ability. Don’t force them to find those least crowded times or, worse, pay to join a gym like Planet Fitness just to avoid the
intimidation of bullies. Better yet, if someone is struggling or does not know how to use a machine, be a true Penn Stater and help them. The Wellness Center workers, who are there to supervise and assist, should also do their part by keeping their eyes and ears open for anything that might be perceived as bullying or intimidating others. If they observe something, they need to address it and stop it immediately. There’s no place for intimidating looks, mockery or sarcastic remarks at Penn State.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor are encouraged and can be emailed to: jaw6062@psu. edu. Please include your full name, address, email address and cell phone number.
ADS FOR CLUBS Free advertising space is offered to any universityrecognized organization or club to promote upcoming events. The space is limited to one eighthpage ad per club per edition. To reserve space, email The Roar business manager at: erg161@ 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.
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
Features
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Students and faculty agree: education about Arabs is needed SAEED ISAM Staff Writer
ski5028@psu.edu
Freshman Zakiyah Olatunji graduated from high school in Pittsburgh and enrolled at Penn State Beaver last fall. Like many students, she goes to class every day and calls Harmony Hall her home-away-from-home. But Olatunji is not like most students. She is one of two known Muslim students enrolled at Penn State Beaver. Her religious affiliation can easily be seen in the traditionally modest attire she wears, and perhaps most noticeable is the hijab headscarf she wears. Olatunji says that while she has never experienced any type of negativity on campus, she knows how it feels to be discriminated against as a Muslim in the United States today because of the political climate. With Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States and Sen. Ted Cruz proposing increased policing of Muslims, Olatunji says she feels politicians “like to pick on every Muslim over the actions of a small group of people.” Olatunji said the attention the Republican candidates are giving to immigrants – especially Muslims – makes “people just look at us differently. … It’s usually negative.” Olatunji recalled a time in high
school when she felt ostracized. “On the school bus, some would tell us not to sit next to them or touch them.” She went to Brashear High School in Pittsburgh, where she says friends were made up of social and cultural groups sticking together, rather than intermingling. While Olatunji is one of two Muslims, there are other Arab students on campus. “I identify as Lebanese,” said freshman Sam Younes, an Arab American who graduated from Blackhawk High School. Younes said that while some Arab Americans may get discriminated against, he’s never encountered anyone who has been negative toward him or his culture. “There is no huge difference between (Lebanese and western) cultures,” he said. Junior Omar Rahmani said he, too, has not encountered much negativity, especially during his time at Penn State Beaver. Rahmani is at Penn State University Park, but was enrolled at Beaver the past two years. “I didn’t have trouble meeting people or making friends,” Rahmani said. “Nobody has been directly negative towards me.” Rahmani is of Syrian descent and went to high school in the United Arab Emirates. With the ongoing presidential primary coupled with ISIS terrorist
The Roar/Khalia Adams
Zakiyah Olatunji stops for a photo outside of the Brodhead Bistro wearing her hijab, a traditional headscarf.
attacks, Republican candidates are calling for radical “solutions” to the “Muslim Issue.” Trump, the front-runner, has called for a complete denial of all Muslims entering the country, and his opponent Cruz has promoted the idea of patrolling Muslim neighborhoods to prevent radicalization. Both candidates’ viewpoints are getting significant play in the media. Juliette Storr, professor of communication, said “Muslims have been ostracized, stereotyped and stigmatized” when it comes to the media
and the political stage. Storr said there are often two common narratives about Muslims in the media: either the terrorist one or the passive, docile, fundamental-religious narrative. This does not aid in breaking down some of the barriers that American society has put up, she said. “The media cannot portray a vast religion with different cultures in such narrow frames,” Storr said. “It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and others, whether it is on the streets or in our homes.”
Younes, a biology major, agreed. “No media corporation correctly portrays Arabs and how we live.” Storr said that the public should hold those who are elected into office accountable, as they have the power to make change. “We need to be more responsible with who we elect into office.” Olatunji shared similar views. “We should educate people to let them know that you can’t judge an entire population from a few bad individuals. We’re all the same with different religions and cultures.”
When it comes to consuming news, students have a lot of choices MARIA ROGERS Staff Writer
mrr5425@psu.edu
Freshman Joseph Mallinger was in his dorm room in Harmony Hall March 22 browsing Reddit on his phone when he learned about the attacks that happened in Brussels, Belgium. “I use Reddit for the majority of my information and news,” said Mallinger. Students like Mallinger are turning to unconventional online outlets
for their daily news and information. Online news websites, outlets and apps strive to make news readily available to college students in quick and easy ways such as Reddit and Flipboard. Reddit is an online news community that allows people to vote on the hottest news stories, while Flipboard calls itself a “personal magazine” that delivers stories to users based on their expressed interests. Sophomore Boe Rice said he’s looking for the most objective new
sources. “I use the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) website for the majority of my news because it’s global and has less bias than places like CNN and Fox News,” Rice said. Social media also plays a role in the news information that reaches students from national, local and university sources. “We use all sorts of social media outlets to engage students and bring them campus news,” said Admissions Counselor Justin Vorbach.
The ways students are consuming news from social media and apps can be very diverse. “I use mostly Twitter for my news,” said senior Albert Araiza. “I use an app called Flipboard for national news the majority of the time,” said freshman Paul Lutz. These online news websites, outlets and apps aren’t the only way students are their getting news. Senior Steven Mengel is more old fashion and said he turns to television for his local and national sources
of news. Araiza said he frequently keeps up with his local television news station back home in Phoenix through its website while he attends school here. Campus Public Relations Coordinator April Johnston, who worked as a journalist at newspapers for several years, said she believes it’s very important for students to keep up with news. “It allows them to have their own perspective on matters in their communities,” said Johnston.
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April 2016
Beaver interns go global this summer KATIE MIHELARAKIS Staff Writer
kxm5539@psu.edu
Penn State Beaver will be represented in at least five different European countries this summer, thanks to three undergraduate students who have been accepted to international internship and study abroad programs for the summer of 2016. The students are from a variety of majors and hope to gain both cultural insight and professional experience in their travels. Sophomore hospitality management major Rebecca Dischman is looking forward to her five-week venture, during which she will travel around Europe to learn about its cuisine and culture. Dischman’s trip, which is a joint study program including students from Penn State and Oklahoma State University, will take her first to Maastricht, a town in the Netherlands. The group will then continue to Paris and then to their final destination in Florence, Italy. “I’m going to be taking mostly cooking classes and then a little bit of hospitality,” said Dischman. She said she’d also like to explore the cultures of other countries not on the agenda during designated free time on the trip. Dischman said she hopes the trip will give her experience and knowledge necessary for her future career. “Since I plan on doing international things with my life,” she said, “it’s going teach me about their cultures and how to communicate better and not accidentally disrespect someone.” Senior corporate communications major Marlee Bandish, on the other hand, hopes to gain real-world business experience in her public relations internship with Flame PR, a London-based firm. “They work with a lot of finance, business and tech companies,” said Bandish. “My goal for my internship will be representing their clients in the U.S. media.” Though she is unsure of what field she wants to pursue after she
Francis heads to NYC for
grad school
KATIE MIHELARAKIS Staff Writer
kxm5539@psu.edu
The Roar/Matt Sweikowski
Sophomore Kristian Tienda chats with friends Brandee Robinson and Tara Kubik in the Broadhead Bistro. Tienda will travel to Ireland in the summer for her internship.
The Roar/Matt Sweikowski
Senior Marlee Bandish will intern with Flame PR in London.
graduates in December, Bandish hopes the job in London will shape her interests and give her clues of how her skills might translate into a career. Bandish found the internship opportunity not through Penn State, but through a third-party company called The Intern Group. “You apply through them, and once you get accepted to the program then they work with you,” said Bandish. “They set you up with
interviews … and they match your interests with the companies.” Bandish says she was interested in going to Australia, but that advisors from the Intern Group convinced her London was the best choice. “They said the hub for [public relations] is really in London,” she said. “About three months later I was having interviews with different PR companies in London.” Another student, Kristian Tienda, has also landed an internship across the pond. The sophomore sociology and pre-law major will be traveling to Ireland for two months this summer on a study abroad and internship program in Dublin through Global Penn State. Tienda will be taking an international business etiquette course while working 200 to 300 hours in an internship. Tienda’s interest in international studies was piqued when she heard another student in Harmony Hall was attending a summer travel program. She immediately got to work searching for opportunities on the Global Penn State website. “I looked at the different possibilities, and I saw one that was specifically sociology,” Tienda said. “It
intrigued me because there’s not a lot of sociology-specific internships.” Tienda’s specific assignment has yet to be finalized, though she knows it will be somewhere within the city of Dublin. “They’ll probably place me with social work,” she said, “anything to do with familial issues or poverty.” Benefits of studying abroad during college are numerous, and international internships can add impressive skills and experience to a resume. Brenda Schultz, student personal and career counselor at Penn State Beaver, said it is a crucial part of the learning experience to expose oneself to different cultures. “It’s an international business world now,” says Schultz. “The knowledge you can gain from understanding the diversity can be very helpful.” Schultz pointed to the variety of cultures represented on this campus. “Look at the all the different flags that are flying in the [SUB] lobby,” said Schultz. “One side represents the countries that have been represented here, one represents the various states ... and that’s on our tiny campus.”
A doctorate degree hadn’t been on Maura Francis’ mind until an unexpected connection resulted in the opportunity of a lifetime at the prestigious St. John’s University in Queens, New York. The senior psychology major was speaking about her leadership experience at Penn State Beaver in front of the Penn State Board of Trustees when it visited campus last summer. That’s where she met a professor from St. John’s. “One of the trustee members is a professor at St. John’s,” said Francis. “After the meeting was over, we talked and exchanged contact information.” Francis said that they remained in touch and that soon after, the professor called her to see if she was interested in applying for St. John’s concurrent master’s and Ph.D. program in psychology. Francis was delighted yet surprised by this offer. “I was kind of content with the whole idea of just getting a master’s and then just seeing where it takes me from there,” she said. “I didn’t think I was applicable; I didn’t think I had enough experience.” After an intensive application process, Francis was accepted into the program. She said the type of study she will be doing at St. John’s is very close to her heart. She mentioned the university’s numerous opportunities to help the surrounding community, particularly, “at-risk youth and emerging adulthood.” Francis said she never would have known about the opportunity St. John’s had to offer were it not for networking. Her suggestion to students is: “Utilize your resources. Network and get involved, and just be open to different opportunities and possibilities.”
Features
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
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O Canada Spring breakers trade sun for snow in Quebec BROOKE DOERFLER AND JULIE WORST Co-Editors
On the first day of spring break, three vans, three professors and 15 students started an eight-day journey through Quebec, Canada. The trip was offered as part of this semester’s international studies and sustainability courses. On the first day, the group stopped at Niagara Falls. Once they got to Quebec City, they spent two days exploring the city and the culture. On day three, the group toured Hotel De Glace, which is made entirely of ice, except for the mattresses on the beds. The walls and furniture were formed of ice, with bright colored lights shining through the ice. In lieu of doors, it had curtains. The temperature in the hotel was colder than outside. On the way to Montreal on the fourth day, they stopped to go dogsledding, in pairs, with six dogs at the lead through the Canadian woods for miles. They also made maple syrup taffy from syrup made on site. In Montreal, they explored the 1976 Summer Olympic Village, the underground mall and the Notre Dame Basilica. For their classes, the students wrote a daily blog. The library will feature a trip display in late April. Above: Tour guide Pierre watches as student Zach Scott uses a drill press to make a shot glass out of an oversized ice cube at the Hotel de Glace in Quebec.
Right: Students go dog sledding, snowshoeing and held an epic snowball fight with their instructors at Chenill le Porsuitt.
Penn State Beaver faculty and students pose for a picture upon checking out of Hostel Gite de Plateau Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec. From left (back row) Jon Schipani, Austin Schorr, Zach Scott, Logan Ridgley, Justin Gregory, Christopher Rotundo, (third row) Rebecca Dischman, Allison Crouse, Julie Worst, Instructor Angela Fishman, (second row) Katherine Mihelarakis, Brooke Doerfler, Cheryl Xue, Jessica Sigala, Instructor Michelle Kurtyka, (front row) Instructor Sherry Kratsas and Samantha Douds.
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Penn State Beaver takes action Students and staff volunteer their time to the community ALEXA DIPIETRANTONIO Staff Writer
and151@psu.edu
Making time to go to a circus or ice skating may not be that important for most college students, but it is for sophomore Becky Kazmierczyk. In addition to maintaining good grades, working off campus and taking 21 credits, Kazmierczyk now has a 10-year-old “little sister” through Big Brothers Big Sisters who she hangs out with once every other week. Kazmierczyk got involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters by taking a class with Senior Instructor of Sociology JoAnn Chirico, who encourages her students to do community service. Kazmierczyk said that being personal with someone sounded like a great opportunity. Kazmierczyk is one of many student and faculty volunteers at Penn State Beaver who are recognized during National Volunteer Month in April. Somewhere in between friends, work and school, they still find time to volunteer in different ways. Sophomore Natalie Pollack lives with Kazmierczyk and also has a little sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kazmierczyk’s and Pollack’s little sisters are real sisters, so the four of them do a lot of things together like going to the circus, ice skating and other activities the littles would not be able to do without their bigs. While attending a Big Brothers Big Sisters event, Kazmierczyk and Pollack noticed that they were a lot younger than the rest of the bigs. “I can’t believe more young people don’t do this. More college students or even a little older should be big brothers and big sisters,” Kazmierczyk said. “We shouldn’t have to leave it up to the older people.” While Kazmierczyk needed the extra push to volunteer, freshman Mike Sucanic had already been vol-
Photo Courtesy of Becky Kazmierczyk
Becky Kazmierczyk poses with her “little sister” from Big Brothers Big Sisters at the Beaver County Ice Arena.
Students encouraged to volunteer Some people grow up volunteering, but others may need an extra push to get involved. JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor of sociology, has given students that push by encouraging community service as part of her classes since spring of 1998. Instead of doing a research paper or project, students in Chirico’s classes have the opportunity to complete 20 hours of community service and write a reflection about their experience. While Chirico said she believes projects and papers still help students learn, she also said getting
involved with the community is important. “It’s really valuable for anybody. There’s a lot of research on how it correlates to leadership and communication skills,” said Chirico. Students who have a real passion for volunteering are able to earn a minor in Civic and Community Engagement. “My hope is that people see better from the perspective of someone else. It’s humanizing,” said Chirico. Alexa DiPietrantonio
unteering in Brighton Township as a firefighter for the past two years. He immediately knew he would be using those hours for Chirico’s class. Chirico gives students the option to write a research paper, give a presentation or complete 20 hours of community service. Chirico said that some students choose the option to volunteer because they do not want to do the other projects, but some do it “because they genuinely enjoy volunteer work.” Sucanic first became a volunteer firefighter because of a friend but continues because he enjoys it. He said that even if he were to move, he would get involved at another volunteer fire department. Depending on the time of year, he does different things, but is especially busy during Lent because of the fish fries the department hosts as a fund-
raiser on Fridays. “I’ll do whatever they tell me to do,” said Sucanic. “I’m there to do my part and help out.” Students are not the only ones volunteering. Angela Fishman, instructor in mathematics, has been involved with Habitat for Humanity for about five years. She first got involved with Habitat for Humanity because one of the campus graduates was a volunteer coordinator. There are different volunteer opportunities available through Habitat for Humanity, but Fishman volunteers with the construction crew. She is part of the regular Tuesday crew, working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “There are six to eight of us working on any given day,” said Fishman. Depending on what they are starting with, the house could take nine months to two years to complete, she said. Sometimes they start with nothing and construct new, and other times they work on “rehab houses,” which are existing houses in need of repairs. “I like the rehab ones, but they’re a lot more work,” said Fishman. She is currently working on a house in Monaca and said that it will probably take them nine months to finish. In addition to the construction crew, she is also part of the Family Selection Committee. This committee evaluates applicant families on their need for housing, ability to pay and willingness to work with Habitat for Humanity. One thing that people may not know is that the families receiving the house have to be willing to work side-by-side with the volunteers throughout the year. “Because they have to help build the house, they learn basic things,” said Fishman. Chirico said that sometimes people do not feel like one person can make a difference, but he or she can. Having the opportunity to volunteer teaches people about different problems in the community, she said. It is not only beneficial to the community, but also to the volunteers.
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
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Popular housing and food staff member retires MATTHEW PALAHUNIK Staff Writer
mgp5156@psu.edu
After more than two decades of taking care of Penn State Beaver students, Janice Anderson, a custodian in Harmony Hall and a Brodhead Bistro worker, has retired. Anderson, whose last day was March 31, worked for Penn State for nearly 23 years. Anderson’s supervisors and coworkers celebrated her retirement with a surprise party on her last day of work. Anderson said she’s sad to be leaving the campus community after all this time, but said, “I’m starting a new chapter in my life.” On her first day of work many years ago, Anderson said she thought about quitting. She was moving a mustard cart
The Roar/Matthew Palahunik
Janice Anderson celebrates her retirement with Housing and Food Services Manager Kelly Marcello.
down to the Brodhead Cultural Center amphitheater when the entire cart fell over, spilling everything. She was so upset that she went home later that day and told her husband she was quitting.
However, she stuck with the job. Anderson said she loved working in Harmony Hall. She loved seeing and talking to the residents and enjoyed their company. She also loved her coworkers and enjoyed
working with them. “It is a beautiful little campus, and it has grown,” said Anderson. Anderson’s said her plans for retirement are simple: She will have her hands full with her six grandchildren. She plans to watch her grandchildren grow up by spending as much time as possible with them. Director of Housing and Food Services Jeremy Lindner said he is sad to see a hardworking employee and longtime friend leave. “It’s sad when they move on, but happy when they retire,” said Lindner. “I’m going to miss her quality of work. [She was] always on time, a hard worker and never really missed [work],” said Lindner. Manager of Housing and Food Services Kelly Marcello said Anderson was a great employee. “I am sad that she is leaving but
happy for her. She is a good person, a good soul,” said Marcello. “She always took pride in what she did.” Junior Christy Abraham, a resident assistant, stopped in the Special Events Room on Anderson’s last day to give her a hug and wish her well at her retirement party. “She was very hardworking and made everything go smoothly in Harmony Hall,” said Abraham. “She did a lot for us, and she was very hard working.” Abraham said Anderson took a personal interest in the students she served. “She was always kind,” she said. “She always asked how I was doing.” Another Harmony Hall resident, junior Radhika Navdiya, said Anderson kept the residence hall clean and did a very good job for the students. “I will miss Janice. She was great.”
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Human trafficking presentation surprises many BRIANNA RICE Staff Writer
bmr5418@.psu.edu
Sister Jeannette Bussen stood in front of the Student Union Building Lodge before a crowd of about 50 students, faculty and staff, all curious to hear what she had to say about a crime that can be found in the slums of Africa as well as the streets of Toledo: Human trafficking. “It’s the buying and selling of people,” said Bussen. “It’s sometimes referred to as modern-day slavery. It threatens the dignity of all people.” Penn State Beaver’s Health Services sponsored this event March 18 featuring Bussen, a member of the Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition of Beaver County. The coalition, primarily made up of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, works toward raising awareness for human trafficking in Beaver County through “prevention through education.” Many individuals showed surprise when Bussen talked about the prevalence of human trafficking within Beaver County. “It’s definitely in Beaver County,” Bussen said. “Between Pittsburgh and Cleveland is a corridor for drugs and most likely human trafficking also.” Bussen said that traffickers can be found preying anywhere where there are large crowds of people – at the mall, school events, parks, movie theaters, hotels, bus stops, etc. Human trafficking can take the form of labor trafficking or sex traf-
Penn State Beaver photo Students, faculty and staff listen as Sister Jeanette Bussen speaks on human trafficking March 18 in the Student Union Building Lodge.
ficking, Bussen said. This involves the obtaining and harboring of people in order that they may be used for domestic, street and industrial labor, or for forced sex and pornography purposes, to name a few, Bussen said. According to Bussen, there are 27 million people around the world who
are being trafficked, about 2 million of these being children. “There are very few countries without it, but those are probably the ones we can’t get into to measure,” Bussen said. Many were also surprised when Bussen said trafficking, a $150 bil-
lion industry, is the second fastest growing crime in the world and is second only to the selling of drugs. The reason? Bussen said that for a trafficker to sell people “is more lucrative than selling drugs because the same girl can be sold over and over for years
until she is no longer useful or dies.” “That’s one of the sad things about it,” Bussen said. “What we’re doing is treating human beings as commodities. It’s a buy and a sell. It’s not recognizing the human dignity and the human being as a person.” “There are countries that actually have child sex tourism, and people from the United States go to those places just for the sex of children,” Bussen added. JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor of sociology, said global poverty, over-population, financial and family stresses, running away, being lured by a potentially better life, or even being sold by a parent to pay debts are some of the things contributing to the success and prevalence of human trafficking. Bussen also talked about how countries are increasingly sexualizing young people, which also makes them vulnerable to human traffickers. “A sex trafficker once said that he didn’t have to ‘groom’ his victims because society did it for him,” Bussen said. Students who attended seemed surprised at the information Bussen had given. “It surprised me just how easy it is to prey on young people, especially girls,” sophomore Donnie Atz said. “It’s sad how people don’t feel loved enough and fall for these things.” Sophomore Arpita Katyal was also shocked. “I didn’t know it was so popular,” she said. “I knew it was there, but I didn’t know it was so common.”
Penn State Beaver campus to hold annual Beaverfest
ROB TRHLIN Staff Writer
ryt5088@psu.edu
Penn State Beaver’s annual Beaverfest will be held the week of Monday, April 25, offering multiple activities for students to relax their minds
as they prepare for finals. “I always look forward to Beaverfest because it is a great time to get my mind off of school and have some fun with my friends,” said sophomore Sunnie Liggett. This year’s Beaverfest kicks
off on April 25 with the “Stand for State” green-dot training from noon until 6 p.m. This is a great opportunity for students to learn how to handle tough situations and to stand up for what is right in
tough situations. “I went to the first greendot training and found it to really help me better understand how to handle a situation that may be out of my control,” said sophomore Shawn Shaner.
The highlight of Beaverfest has always been the health fair, including the free massages, which start at 11 a.m. “I love going to Beaverfest for the massages because they are really needed during the end of the semester,” said
senior Matt Sweikowski. Think you have talent? If so, come to Beaver’s Got Talent and show off your abilities by singing, dancing or performing other talents that you may have from 9 to 11:30 p.m.
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
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Papa Duke’s: affordable Greek cuisine KATE SERNA Staff Writer
kys5434@psu.edu
Located within two miles of campus on Brodhead Road, Papa Duke’s restaurant has been a convenient place for Penn State Beaver students to grab a bite to eat since 2009. The facade of the restaurant is plain. It’s only ornament is a happy hour special on Budweiser hanging in the window. Upon entering, a twinkle of Christmas lights and the smell of fried food grasps the senses. A chalkboard wall displays the specials of the day in swirls of color accompanied by doodles. A sign in the lobby reads “Please Seat Yourself.” The informality of the place allows its customers to feel at home. The family-owned bar and grill provides its customers with an affordable menu with a wide variety. Prices vary between $3 and $10. Items include fried appetizers, flame grilled burgers, sandwiches and Greek-inspired cuisine. Papa Duke’s recipes are original to Greece. The grape leaves are made based on a family recipe that was brought to America over 50 years
The Roar/Kate Serna
Beef, onion and mint are among the ingredients that are rolled into Papa Duke’s traditional grape leaves.
ago. Although its specifications cannot be disclosed, some ingredients include beef, onion and mint. “We’re definitely known for our gyros,” said owner Patti Papas. Papa Duke’s gyro consists of what
Americans associate with gyros, but traditionally it’s chunks of random meat on a stick. “You never know what you’re going to get.” Papas said that when visiting Greece, her cousin tasted liver in a traditional gyro that
he ordered at a café. The restaurant was voted the best gyro in Beaver County in both 2014 and 2015. Papas attributes the popularity of the gyro to its complementary
cucumber sauce. All of Papa Duke’s sauces are made “in-house.” Even if you haven’t visited the Center Township restaurant, it’s possible that you’ve enjoyed one of Papa Duke’s gyros at their popular concession stands in both PNC Park and Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Papas expressed pride in the restaurant’s ball park locations and said that most people don’t realize that the gyro they eat at a Steeler game can be purchased on Brodhead Road. The family also owns the original Papa Duke’s bar and restaurant in Aliquippa. In addition to a sit-down dinner and lunch menu, Papa Duke’s offers breakfast and take-out and catering services. Senior Haley Goonen said, “I grab their food for dinner if I’m not in the mood to cook at home after a long day of classes.” Junior Jenna Petrucci agreed. “When we get tired of Bistro food, we go to Papa Duke’s.” Penn State Beaver students are able to take advantage of a college discount, receiving half price off of a regular gyro when two or more are purchased.
Social media updates cause mixed emotions ALEXIS SHEFFIELD Staff writer
azs269@psu.edu
The recent social media enhancements to Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram may leave you making a frowny face like the ones that can be found from the wide range of new emojis. Facebook recently added love, ha-ha, wow, sad and angry buttons in addition to its like button. Live emoticons of these various emotions also appear when the post is “liked.”
Within the last year Snapchat has released more than 20 different lenses that transform the user into anything from a panda chewing on a bamboo stick to having large eyes with rainbow puke. Now you can live chat and send stickers to your Snapchat friends. Freshman Taylor Black says he never knows when Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will come out with a new update. “Snapchat is easier to navigate and so much better than before. I love it,” Black said. Instagram has broken the
internet several times since it first came out in 2010. The most recent update is that followers will now see the most popular likes from the user opposed to the usual chronological order. This update is not resulting in happy users. Social media guru Kylie Jenner, of the infamous Kardashian clan, is one of many who is upset about this. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” said Jenner on an Instagram post. “Instagram is getting annoying, so I try other apps like Beme,” said Black.
Beme is a relatively new app that allows users to share videos and lets their friends respond with reactions. Junior Asia Borders says she is sometimes out of the loop with the updates due to having an Android phone. Those with Androids often get updates several weeks after IPhone users, she said. “Androids need to get updates faster,” said Borders. Like Borders, many students rotate through the same three apps – Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook – daily, so it is important to keep up with the updates.
Roar Illustration by Maria Rogers
Facebook, Beme, Instagram and Twitter continue to have updates throughout the year.
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April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
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Beaver sweeps PSUAC opener
JORDAN STOBART Staff Writer
jjs6330@psu.edu
The Penn State Beaver baseball team opened the Penn State University Athletic Conference season with a double-header sweep of Penn State Wilkes-Barre April 2, bringing the team’s record to 6-10 overall and 2-0 in the PSUAC. In game one, Beaver jumped out to a 16-0 lead and coasted to a 19-4 victory. Beaver exploded in the second inning as sophomores Stephen Antolic and Duncan Miklos and junior Nick Casasanta combined for five runs. Game two was much more competitive. Beaver had to overcome a 1-0 deficit in the fourth inning and held on for a 4-1 victory. In the second inning sophomore Jake Debo plated two runs on a single to give Beaver the lead for good. The Penn State Beaver baseball
team prepared for the upcoming season with 14 preseason games. Although they went 4-10, Coach Jack Hilfinger explained that many of those loses were by a single run. “Our team just needs to find that spark.” Hilfinger said the keys to success for his team are to play clean baseball and avoid extended innings. “Defensively, I am very confident in our team.” Hilfinger said he is anxious to see how the rest of the season plays out. According to Hilfinger, senior pitcher Matt Sweikowski provides vocal leadership by encouraging his teammates on and off the field. Senior shortstop Tyler Thellman and pitcher and outfielder Casasanta both lead with their talent on the field. Thellman said the key to success is for the team to execute what it practices. Sweikowski said when pitching,
one of his goals is to find his groove in the first inning. He wants to put his team in the best position to win when he is on the mound. Sweikowski said good fundamental baseball and quality pitching are what the team needs to win. “Don’t get too down when you are down, and don’t get too excited when you are up. Stay in the moment.” Sweikowski and Thellman both said they will miss the game after the season ends. “I will miss the team,” Sweikowski said. “They are the best group of guys I have played with. Everyone gets along, creating a great atmosphere.” Thellman said his main goal is to win the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national title to close out his career. “Being with my teammates is what I enjoy most about playing the game. I will miss that going forward.” Both Sweikowski and Thellman
The ROAR/Rob Trhlin
Dereck Bozic loads up and unleashes on the ball for a double, leading to the start of Beaver’s sweep over Penn State Wilkes-Barre April 2.
said they believe that Penn State Brandywine will be their greatest challenge. The team’s upcoming doubleheaders include Saturday, April 9, at Penn State Mont Alto, Sunday, April 10,
at Penn State DuBois and Tuesday, April 12, at Penn State Fayette. The next home doubleheaders are Saturday, April 16, against Penn State Schuylkill and Sunday, April 17, against Penn State Brandywine.
Softball team’s chemistry leads to victory NICK CASASANTA Staff Writer
nec5137@psu.edu
The Penn State Beaver Lady Lions softball team split its Penn State University Athletic Conference home opener April 2 against Penn State New Kensington, making the team 1-1 in the PSUAC and 10-14 overall. Beaver dropped its first game of the double header 12-5. Beaver was down in the first inning 3-1, and then both teams went scoreless for the next three innings. New Kensington broke out for four runs in the fifth and seventh innings and scored one in the sixth. Beaver tried to answer but only scored a pair of runs each in the fifth and seventh innings. Freshmen Vanessa Jackson and Brenna Cepull and junior Asia Borders all doubled and had an RBI in game one of the double header. In game two, the Lady Lions found themselves down 1-0 going
The Roar/Rob Trhlin
Jenna Petrucci reaches base safely after being walked in the April 2 doubleheader against Penn State New Kensington.
into the bottom half of the first inning. Beaver did not panic and put three runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Leading the offense in game two was Cepull who went 4-4 at the plate, tallying five RBI’s. The Lady
Lions defense and pitching was stellar in game two and held New Kensington to just one run over four innings. Beaver continued to pour it on, putting up four in the second, seven in the third and then the mercy rule kicked in when Beaver scored
two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, making the final score 16-1. The Lady Lions had a rough start to the season when the team went winless in its trip to Vero Beach, Fla., over spring break and in its first two double headers at Grove City College and St. Vincent College. After a 0-14 start to the season, Beaver won nine straight, including two wins each against the Community College of Beaver County, Chatham University and Southern State Community College, and a win against Thiel College. The team also picked up two wins by forfeit against Community College of Allegheny County’s South Campus. It seems like the Lady Lions are starting to find their groove now. Senior captain Rachael Charlier said this year is different from previous years because “there’s no cliques like some years in the past, and we have great team chemistry.” Obviously losing is not fun, and
the team is hoping for redemption this year. The Lady Lions made the PSUAC playoffs last year, but were eliminated in the first round. “We need to have better plate discipline,” Charlier said. “We can hit. We just need to string it together, and we’ll be fine.” Junior Jenna Petrucci has been around to experience some of the past seasons and is very excited about this year. “We have a lot of depth on our bench,” Petrucci said. “We have players who play multiple positions very well, and good enough players that are able to learn a new position if needed.” Coach Andy Kirschner is very optimistic, despite having a very young team. He hopes to compete for the PSUAC title and hopefully get a bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament.
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Penn State Beaver Roar
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Lady Lions look back on a good season VASIL J. KRONSTEIN Staff Writer
vkk5041@psu.edu
Senior guard Khalia Adams said that the Penn State Beaver Lady Lions were too laid back in preparing for the women’s basketball semi-final game at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament March 4. Adams, speaking with a frank tone, said they were given a reality check when her team was handed a 92-71 loss by St. Joseph’s College. Beaver started the game off slowly and found itself trailing by 13 at the end of the first quarter. St. Joseph’s built itself a comfortable 19-point lead by the end of the half. The second half was more of the same. The women’s team from Vermont added to its lead and coasted to victory. Senior guard Morgan Kurtz scored 18 points and sophomore forward Brittany Jackson added an impressive 20 points of her own. Despite a decent point total, the Lady Lions shot poorly throughout the game, with 37 percent from the field, and missed all of their 17 three-point attempts. Coach Tim Moore openly admitted that the shooting was detrimental in the loss. “When you miss 17 threes, you don’t really give yourself much of a chance,” said Moore. “On a normal shooting night for us, this would have been a very close game. On some days, the shots just don’t fall. We had one of those days against a very, very good team.” St. Joseph’s was the No. 1-ranked squad in the USCAA national tournament, while Beaver was the reigning 2015 national champions. Moore and Adams had two different takes on the team’s mentality when facing the Fighting Saints. “The girls were definitely nervous, but they were confident about the game,” said the head coach. “They were a good nervous, if you know what I mean. Sometimes that gets you going.”
Penn State Beaver Athletics
Morgan Kurtz advances the ball down the court in the Lady Lions’ loss at the USCAA national tournament March 4 at Penn State Fayette.
Assistant Coach Al DeSalvo said that some of the younger women on the team were “culture shocked” by the experience of playing in a national tournament. Despite coming up short in the semi-final game, Beaver did score an 82-71 win against Maine Augusta University in the first round of the tournament. Kurtz, Adams and Jackson all hit double digits in scoring with the help of a six-assist game from junior guard Mason Depetro. In a game that endured five lead changes, DeSalvo praised the Lady Lion’s defensive discipline. “We handled ourselves very well on defense,” said DeSalvo. “Everybody filled in their zones well, and the rotations were great. When we play team defense like that, we’re a tough team to beat.” Freshman forward Miranda Davis said that they just wanted to play tough and to compete throughout
Penn State Beaver Athletics
Khalia Adams takes on the defense as she drives the ball to the net.
the whole game. “We knew that if we fought for four quarters and executed, we could win, and that’s exactly what hap-
pened.” That effort and the fight that Davis spoke about was honored on March 25 during an event held on
campus to congratulate the women’s basketball team on four consecutive Penn State University Athletic Conference championships. The celebration included a trophy presentation by Athletic Director Andy Kirschner and short speeches from Moore and Director of Student Affairs Chris Rizzo. Rizzo’s words resonated with all of the players, coaches and attendees. “This team has certainly contributed to the culture here on campus,” said Rizzo. “You’ve all given me some great memories that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” Moore explained that the team started off with five losses in the beginning of the season but was able to overcome their early struggles and win another conference championship. “It’s not about how you start. It’s all about how you finish,” said Moore.
April 2016 Penn State Beaver Roar
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Fightin Beavs lose championship CHRIS ROTONDO Staff Writer
ctr5138@psu.edu
The Penn State Beaver Fightin Beavs inline hockey team fell short of winning the Western Pennsylvania College Roller Hockey League (WPACRHL) championship when they lost 3-2 April 7 to Duquesne University. The final game in the teams’ bestof-three series started with a goal by sophomore defenseman Ryan Pinto in the first period. In the second, freshman forward Brendan Rossi made a goal, putting Beaver ahead 2-0. Duquesne later scored a goal, ending the second period with a 2-1 lead for Beaver. In the third period, Beaver struggled to make a goal, while Duquesne scored two goals, defeating Beaver with a 3-2 score. Duquesne won the
The Roar/Zach Ulrich
Grant Hombold and Brady Sipe defend against Duquesne’s rush March 31.
championship series 2-1. The team, led by Coach Steve Turyan, Assistant Coach Justin Vorbach and junior team Captain Dom
Rossi (older brother of B. Rossi), ended its regular season with a 9-5 overall record and a No. 3 seed. T his was the team’s third year in a
row in the WPACRHL championships. The team’s series against Duquesne started with a 6-5 loss on March 30. B. Rossi scored minutes into the game, giving the team a 1-0 lead. By the end of the second period, Beaver had a 4-3 lead. But in the third, Duquesne tied and took a 6-5 lead with about two minutes left in the game. The Fightin Beavs won their second game against Duquesne April 6 with a 5-4 score. The win kept the team alive in the best-of-three series. The Fightin Beavs won their first playoff game when they beat Carnegie Mellon University 9-1 on March 11. B. Rossi scored two goals and two assists in the game, including an assist on the first goal of the game. “We really came together as a team and reassessed ourselves in that
game,” said D. Rossi. “We just want to play some good people hockey.” The team went on to defeat Slippery Rock University - Green with a 2-1 win on March 23. Brendan and Dom Rossi both scored goals in the game, with assists by Baker and freshman Defenseman Zachary Pickrell. “Slippery Rock has always been a good rival of ours,” Turyan said. “Anytime we get to play Slippery Rock, it’s always a good game.” The team is now looking forward to next year’s season. “We’re going to miss players like [Devin] Baker,” said junior defenseman Alex Ribeau. “They’re the backbone of the team.” “I’m looking forward to shooting for another playoff run,” said junior forward Nick Goodbread. “This time, in my senior year.”
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