June 2, 2016

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

Undergrad yield rate hits record high Between 68 and 69 percent of admitted students to attend Penn SOPHIA LEPORTE Staff Reporter

This year, between 68 and 69 percent of students admitted to the Penn Class of 2020 committed to the school.

The number is between 68 and 69 percent because some students will be taking a gap year — so the number will be fluctuating for the next few weeks.

This is Penn’s highest yield rate in history — an increase of at least 2 percent from the yield rate of the previous two classes, which was 66 percent.

Only a few of Penn’s peer institutions have released their yield rates for the Class of 2020.

Based on the released rates, Penn’s yield rate is lower than Harvard’s (80 percent) and MIT’s (74 percent), similar to Princeton’s (68.5 percent), and higher than Dartmouth’s (53.1 percent).

In an email, Dean Eric J. Furda credited the SEE YIELD RATE PAGE 2

PWCC JOINS PHILA. ORCHESTRA ASIA TOUR PAGE 3

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

ZIKA IN

RIO Penn professors say Olympics must be moved or postponed

By Charlotte Laracy News Editor

What I have learned is that people consume news media as a monolith and are unaware of how it is actually made and functions.”

One hundred and fifty distinguished scientists, physicians and bioethicists from around the world posted a letter to the World Health Organization, urging the organization to put pressure on Olympic officials either to move the Olympics and Paralympics from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or to delay the games due to the public health crisis over the Zika virus.

This summer, Brazil will be simultaneously hosting the Olympics and the Paralympics as well as trying to fight the rapidly evolving mosquitoborne epidemic.

The authors of the letter estimated about 500,000 foreign tourists from around the world would arrive in Rio. This could create a risk of individuals

becoming infected and returning home to places where the virus could develop into an epidemic due to poor public health infrastructure.

The letter includes 10 scientists from Penn, including Steven Joffe, vice chair of medical ethics and associate professor of pediatrics.

“It is really out of control and yet in a couple of months Rio is having one of the biggest international events that happens in the world,” Joffe said.

“Bringing a half a million people to the epicenter of the epidemic is a serious concern to the people coming to the event as well as the broader population of the world.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone who lives in or travels to an area

where the virus is found can get it from mosquito bites, but it can also spread through sexual contact.

Zika infections in pregnant woman can pass the virus to the fetus during pregnancy. Zika is a cause of microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is significantly smaller than expected, often due to abnormal brain development. The virus has also been linked to neurological disorders in adults.

“The health threats of the Zika virus are not completely understood but are definitely quite serious,” Joffe said. As the opening day of the Olympics comes closer, scientists are learning more about the virus. The letter noted that Brazil’s Zika strain has more serious health consequences

than researchers previously knew.

As of now, there are no specific treatments or vaccines currently available for the Zika virus.

The letter also calls for the WHO to assemble an independent group of expert advisors to inform the International Olympic Committee about how to best deal with the virus during the Games.

The WHO and the International Olympic Committee have had a long collaboration. According to Joffe, the independent agency the scientists suggest would be able to autonomously advise the Olympic committee.

“The question is is the WHO truly SEE OLYMPICS PAGE 5

- Isabel Kim

PAGE 4

Mayor bans employees from business travel to anti-LGBT states

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The ban responds to controversy around “bathroom laws” MITCHELL CHAN Staff Reporter

ILANA WURMAN | DESIGN EDITOR

In a bold move this week, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney implemented a ban on city employees from traveling to states who passed anti-LGBT laws.

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Following the passage of antiLGBT legislation last month in Mississippi and North Carolina, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said city employees would be banned from traveling to those states on official business until the laws are repealed.

A month later, the laws in Mississippi and North Carolina as well as the city’s travel ban are still in force.

Kenney extended the order to two additional states for similar reasons.

Kenney — who took office as

mayor on Jan. 4 — first announced a ban on all non-essential city-funded travel by Philadelphia officials to these states on Apr. 20 in response to the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act in Mississippi and the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, commonly called “HB2,” in North Carolina.

The Mississippi law allows businesses to refuse service to LGBT customers for religious reasons, while the North Carolina law, which includes a clause requiring transgender individuals to use bathrooms consistent with the gender listed on their birth certificates, eliminates many SEE LGBT PAGE 2

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THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

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Students challenge Cramer’s stock predictions Wharton Grad students analyzed portfolio returns RAY POMPONIO Staff Reporter

Jim Cramer is a familiar figure in the financial world. The “Mad Money” host and bestselling author has made a name for himself picking stocks. However, a new study by two Wharton students suggests that Cramer’s recommendations may not be all that useful to investors hoping to beat the market.

The paper, published by Wharton graduate students Jonathan Hartley and Matthew Olson, investigates the performance of one of Cramer’s stock portfolios over a 15-year period. The findings indicated that Cramer’s “Action Alerts Plus” portfolio returned 64.5 percent cumulatively since its inception in 2001, versus the S&P 500’s 70 percent, after

adjusting for the reinvestment of dividends.

“One factor that likely led to the portfolio’s underperformance in the years following the Great Recession was Cramer’s large cash position and the associated underexposure to market returns,” Hartley said. “In good times such as the big stock market run-ups of 2012, 2013 and 2014, any idle cash causes the investor to miss out on some of the upside.”

“The main purpose of the study was to provide more transparency,” he said.

The students wanted to hold Cramer accountable for his recommendations, which often appear on television. While traditional financial advisers tend to report their performance to their clients, Cramer and other TV personalities don’t necessarily encounter the same level of examination.

Investors can obtain access to

Action Alerts Plus via a newsletter service. The $15-per-month subscription includes stock market commentary from Cramer and information about the portfolio’s holdings.

SAS and Engineering partner to solve energy problems Pres. Gutmann announced Vagelos Institute creation JORDAN DEWAR Staff Reporter

2016 YIELD RATES 68.5% This year, Penn had a record high yield rate of 68 to 69%.

This was up from a rate of 66% for the past two classes.

>> PAGE 1

anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals.

“By issuing a non-essential travel ban to those states, we take a stand against bigotry and prejudice happening in those states, and in cities and states nationwide,” Kenney said in a press release on Apr. 21. “I will continue to actively welcome any and all people, businesses, organizations and events who no longer feel welcome in their state because of these discriminatory laws.”

The mayor said in a statement issued to all city employees that he would reconsider the travel ban if or when North Carolina and Mississippi repealed the discriminatory laws. Essential travel for public health or safety reasons is still permitted if it is

THURSDAY

80%

74%

68.5%

pre-approved by the Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office.

Three weeks later, on May 9, Kenney extended the travel ban to the state of Tennessee following the passage of Senate Bill 1556, which allows mental health professionals to reject LGBT individuals as clients. The ban has also been extended to the city of Oxford, Ala., where transgender individuals can face jail time for using a bathroom that does not correspond to their biological sex.

The mayoral administration “will continue to stand up with and for LGBT people by using everything within our jurisdictional power to send the message that hate and discrimination against people for who they are or who they love is intolerable,” the city’s LGBT Affairs Director Helen Fitzpatrick told the Chattanooga Times Free Press on May

10.

Fitzpatrick previously stated that the mayor’s travel ban was not meant to punish either the people of these states or their legislatures. “[We are] using every method we can to communicate to the legislators charged with representing them that this biased, un-American legislation must go,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

Kenney’s decision has been part of a concerted advocacy effort as mayor against discrimination targeting Philadelphia’s LGBT community. He recently supported Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf’s anti-discrimination executive orders and posted “I believe in Jesus, and I love your suit! Keep being yourself,” on Facebook to a lesbian student in Pennsylvania who was kicked out of her high school prom for wearing a suit.

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Field, and the overflow will reside in Samson East, which will become a College House for the 2016-2017 school year.

Similar to previous years, a small number of freshman will also be scattered throughout the smaller houses, like Gregory and Stouffer.

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collective efforts of the Penn community,” Furda said. “It’s hard work. And so worthwhile!”

Part of this incoming class of freshman will be housed in the Quad, but none of them will call Hill House home. Instead, many will take up residence in the New College House at Hill

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effort during Quaker Days and the Multicultural Scholars Program combined with the Beyond Campus Initiatives as the reason for the high yield rate.

“I am so grateful to the

Olson received feedback from Wharton faculty, including professors Robert Stambaugh, Michael Roberts and Krista Schwarz.

“The Wharton faculty are definitely very encouraging of research whether it is through research-assistant work or independent study in our case,” Hartley said. “In addition, the faculty really go out of their way to make themselves available.”

Olson agreed, adding even undergraduates can take advantage of the various research opportunities at Wharton.

“A lot of professors are willing to sit down and explain what they are working on,” Olson said.

Hartley and Olson both attended the University of Chicago during their undergraduate years and worked together at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Since coming to Wharton, the two have become close friends.

MIT

DP FILE PHOTO

The Vagelos Institute of Energy Sciences and Technology will seek to inspire collaboration between many disciplines in the University. The institute will fund research in innovative solutions to energy-related problems.

>> PAGE 1

HARVARD

The sentiment was echoed by Vijay Kumar. “Energy is one of the grand challenges facing our planet,” he said. “It is one that requires not only fundamental advances in the basic science but also technological innovation to bring these advances to practice.”

The Vagelos Institute of Energy Sciences and Technology promises to help cement Penn’s position as one of the premier research institutions for sustainable energy research and innovation.

The Vagelos Institute will be made possible through a gift from 1950 College gradaute Dr. Roy Vagelos and his wife Diana Vagelos.

“There are so many technologies that can be looked to for future sources of energy — solar, fuel cells, wind, hydrogen fission — not to mention the chemicals that we don’t even know anything about now, which could hold answers for alternative energy,” Dr. Vagelos said. “My wife and I are passionate about this subject, and we have the notion that Penn can make a unique contribution.”

YIELD RATE

PENN

Penn Arts and Sciences announced the creation of the Vagelos Institute of Energy Sciences and Technology, an institute designed to fund and promote innovation and new solutions to problems related to alternative sources of energy and energy use and storage.

According to Penn President Amy Gutmann, the Vagelos Institute will inspire collaborative research efforts within the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Science and across many areas of the University.

“It will capitalize on Penn’s strategic strength in integrating knowledge across disciplines to address one of the most critical challenges facing our world today — the need for alternative energy sources,” Gutmann said according to Penn News.

The Institute is being developed through a partnership between Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering. The

institute will be lead primarily by senior scientists with assistance from other faculty members, fellows and students, all of whom will participate in team-based research.

The institute is designed to create a partnership across different departments of the University while simultaneously funding research in innovative solutions to energyrelated problems and training the next generation of energy researchers through seminars, lectures and symposiums on key energy research topics as well as the sponsorship of fellowships.

Dean of Penn Arts and Sciences Steven J. Fluharty and Nemirovsky Family Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Vijay Kumar both agreed on the importance of finding both innovative and practical solutions to energy problems.

“Finding sustainable solutions for energy needs is a critical priority for the nation and the world, and that’s why expanding our capabilities in this area is also a priority of Penn Arts and Sciences’ new strategic plan,” said Fluharty.

The publishing of the research paper, which was timed with the theatrical release of “Money Monster” starring George Clooney, quickly received attention among financial news

outlets. Cramer responded to MarketWatch, explaining that his subscription service was mainly for educational purposes.

Cramer told MarketWatch that he has “never promised outperformance.”

The question remains whether investors can truly benefit from a subscription service such as Cramer’s. Many of his viewers are novice investors and a sizable fraction may not fully understand the importance of diversification, Hartley explained. However, the study showed over the last 15 years, ignoring expenses, investors would have been better off being in the average mutual fund than mimicking Cramer’s portfolio.

While other studies have attempted to investigate Cramer’s stock-picking abilities, this is the first to include data from postfinancial crisis years. Throughout the research process, Hartley and

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THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

PWCC sponsors Philadelphia Orchestra Asia tour Orchestra focuses on both music and culture in tour CHASEN SHAO Staff Reporter

In a tour that includes visits to Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing and Japan, the Philadelphia Orchestra is expanding its connection with the people of China through additional avenues beyond sold-out concerts.

More than a tour that focuses exclusively on music, this 2016 tour includes social cross-cultural components as well.

In a May 25 visit to the

Eastman Strings workshop just outside of Beijing, select orchestra members including associate concertmaster Ying Fu, violinist Amy Oshiro-Morales, acting associate principal cellist John Koen and principal clarinetist Ricardo Morales performed Mozart’s Clarinet Quartet for workshop workers and their children.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is on its final trip to China, in the final year of a five-year residency agreement with the Chinese government.

The tour symbolized the culmination of the Orchestra’s

HEAR activities collaboration with the workshop, a part of the “Buy One, Give One” instrument program partnership with the School District of Philadelphia.

For every instrument bought through Eastman Strings workshop designed specifically for HEAR, one student in the school district receives a donation from the workshop.

In addition to these community-oriented events, the orchestra hosted a reunion with members of the historical first visit to China in 1973 before leaving Beijing. In Macao, Orchestra members interacted with

the local youth at the Macao Conservatory of Music.

As a presenting sponsor for the tour, the Penn Wharton China Center participated in community and social engagements in Beijing. The engagement included masterclasses given to Chinese students hosted by current Philadelphia Orchestra members which culminated in a reception in Beijing on May 24.

Regarding the collaboration, Ryan Fleur, executive vice president of orchestra advancement, voiced similar goals of commitment to international cultural diplomacy, in addition to the

major part that the PWCC has played in these goals.

“Our current tour and residency fully embodies this ideal,” said Fleur, “With the Penn Wharton China Center, the Orchestra has aligned two of Philadelphia’s best brands to promote our work on this tour, with a focus on Beijing.”

The PWCC opened in March 2015 in Beijing, symbolizing the long-term relation between the two countries over academia and public relations.

Among its missions, the PWCC aims to expedite Penn faculty and student research in

China, hoping to help students stay interconnected in a global environment.

In its collaboration with the Orchestra, the PWCC aimed to remain devoted to its key missions: interpersonal connections and fostering a people-to-people exchange.

Amy Gadsden, Penn Global executive director and executive director of Penn China Initiatives, voiced excitement for the opportunity for a pursuit of conjunction with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

The tour concludes on on June 5.

New York Times spotlights Philly, ICA in 36 Hours feature Previous cities have included Oahu, Amsterdam

SYDNEY SCHAEDEL Editor-in-Chief

The New York Times picked Philadelphia as the latest subject of its “36 Hours” travel series — and recommended starting out on Penn’s campus.

Philadelphia was featured after locales like Oahu, Amsterdam, Southeast London and Louisville.

“Begin on the west side of town in the heart of University City,” the article suggested.

“The Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania (free) is the city’s most prestigious space for modern work, with exhibitions that don’t shy away from provocation.”

The article went on to add that the ICA hosted Andy Warhol’s first museum solo show, as well as work by Laurie Anderson, and more recently has exhibited work from Robert Crumb,

Gillian Wearing and Rodney McMillian.

Another aspect of the article that might be familiar for Penn students was its nod to “B.Y.O.B. culture,” though the chef-driven, $75 tasting menu Will BYOB that it recommends may diverge from the typical college student’s night out. The New York Times makes a few food recommendations for a college student’s budget, including a $5 burger at Fountain Porter and the $10 roast pork sandwich at

John’s Roast Pork. The article also lauds the only slightly more expensive Pizza Brain restaurant and “pizza museum” in Fishtown. For the more adventurous palette, the $1 oyster happy hour it recommends at the Oyster House might also make for a decent deal.

Beyond restaurants, the Indego bike share program was spotlighted as the best way to get around the city, and rental stations for the bikes can be found on Penn’s campus as well.

DP FILE PHOTO

The New York Times recommended visiting the Institute of Contemporary Art at Penn in a recent edition of its “36 Hours” series.

PHOTO FEATURE

CHINESE LANTERN FESTIVAL Franklin Square, on 6th and Race Streets, is alight with Chinese lanterns each night until June 12. In addition to impressive lights, the festival features concessions, music and acts such as plate spinning and juggling.

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4

OPINION In one ear and out the other

The Summer Edition of the Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Pennsylvania THURSDAY JUNE 2, 2016 VOL. XXXIII, NO. 2 33rd Year of Publication

SYDNEY SCHAEDEL Editor-in-Chief ALEC WARD Opinion Editor CHARLOTTE LARACY News Editor JENNA WANG News Editor WILL SNOW Sports Editor ALEX GRAVES Design Editor

SERIOUS BUSINESS | Or, the news and you In a shocking twist of metatextual content, I’m going to use this week’s column to talk about the news.

A couple of years ago, I began working at the DP in the news department before transferring to the opinion section. Strangely enough, the complaints that come to both departments are eerily similar.

People dismissed the news for not reflecting their opinion and derided opinion for not reflecting what they saw as fact.

And of course, many people that I know — friends, family and administrators included — have told be at some point that they dislike the DP, or distrust journalists and the news as a whole, which is a great thing to tell the girl writing for her school paper.

Personal insult aside, that is troubling, because it indicates a dissonance in what those in the news media believe they are doing and what the public thinks that they do, a rift especially alarming in today’s incredibly media-overloaded society.

What I have learned is that

people consume news media as a monolith and are unaware of how it is actually made and functions. People — speaking broadly — expect one thing and receive another. Consequently, both the writer and the receiver leave frustrated — the writer at not getting their message across, the reader at not having their own mind reflected back at them.

First, a brief lesson: an opinion column is a piece of writing that relies on the author’s subjective beliefs, discussing a particular issue and coming to a conclusion about it.

A news article is a piece of writing that reports what happened at a particular place and time, often including eyewitness reports and an objective take on the subject.

The former is — as labeled — an opinion. The latter is fact, or as close to fact as the reporter can get. The former, subjective; the latter, objective.

Communication problems arise when readership assumes that the former is the latter and vice versa.

Of course, this situation assumes a perfect world filled with ethically perfect, intelligent reporters and columnists.

And yet, even in this perfect world, the two categories are conflated by the readership.

But let’s move from models and into reality, where writers don’t know what they’re doing and the points don’t matter.

Assume incompetence, distributed equally amongst readers and writers alike.

I’m not saying all journalism is bad journalism. Far from it — I skim three different publications a day, and it would be hypocritical for me to dismiss the institution. My point is simply that readers conflate news with opinion, and good with bad.

But the standards of what is considered “journalism” by the public has fallen, and if you want proof, go check out Buzzfeed’s quizzes such as “Can you guess which prom dress is the most expensive?” and “Can you pick the healthiest pizza?” — or read Ben Facey’s piece on why The Odyssey Online is objectively

awful.

This is where the writer fails. The line between “fact” and “opinion” is being blurred.

We, as a collective culture, aren’t creating clear distinctions between information and spin anymore. As with all things, a few morally questionable sites and writers spoil the bunch. And you, dear reader, along with everyone else reading, are being duped.

I gave you the definitions of what a column and an article are supposed to be, as opposed to what they actually become — your misunderstanding of journalism isn’t completely your fault.

There’s a body of evidence that suggests that people believe information that is written down, simply because it is written. We’re primed to believe the written word, even when that writing comes from questionable sources. (Though many don’t even question what the source is). The bias toward information that confirms preexisting values, further exacerbated by the tendency to look for news about things they

already care about, also leads people astray. And, last of all, emotion confers bias as well — a sob story will convince most far quicker than facts and figures, meaning that particularly emotionally manipulative content has a far better chance of swaying the minds of the average reader than a completely accurate, dry article.

Belief, fact, opinion and truth are all different things.

Just because someone doesn’t agree with you doesn’t mean that they’re wrong, but it might. In this rhetoric-based wild west, you have to understand both who is writing your articles and why they’re writing them, as well as what publication — whether that be The New York Times or their personal blog — they’re writing for.

To put it bluntly, standards are no longer standard, and perhaps never were.

We should all be applying the same skills that we’re supposed to be learning at Penn — i.e. critical thinking — to consider what we’re reading.

The fact that some journalism

is inaccurate is the fault of the writer, but the complete conflation of opinion and fact is often on the part of the reader.

Bemoaning the fact that “you can’t trust the news” is immature, rooted in the expectation that everyone universally is trying to be accurate — not trying to sell you something.

Interaction with media is a two-way street, and there is no excuse for pinning all the blame completely on newspapers.

Being unclear on how an institution works, and then interacting with it incorrectly puts the onus on the individual, not the institution. “I didn’t know” is never an excuse — for either the writer or the reader.

Blind belief is idiotic, misunderstanding of the game more so — but hey, this is just an opinion.

ISABEL KIM is a rising junior in the college majoring in English and Fine Arts from Warren, N.J. Her email address is kim@ thedp.com. “Serious Business” appears every other Thursday.

GUYRANY JEANGILLES Photo Editor DANI BLUM Summer Street Editor

CARTOON

LETTERS Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@ thedp.com.

The SP wants to ensure that all content is accurate and be transpanrent about any inaccuracies.

If you have a comment or question about the fairness or accuracy of any content in the print or online edition, please email corrections@ thedp.com.

By Isabel Kim

A more colorful palate ZOU IT ALL | Racial dating preferences aren’t as harmless as we think Perching atop a rocky outcrop in Central Park, I noticed a group of rubbernecking tourists. I traced back their stares and laughed silently to find a gay couple, male, white, around my age, embracing each other — much to the evident discomfort of their voyeurs.

Looking more closely at the men, I decided that they were somewhat attractive — solid 6s, if I had to rate them; however, I believed that I was more attractive than either of them in comparison. Then, I realized that they would probably feel the same about me.

Previous experiences justified this intuition. Once, when I teased my bisexual white friend that he would have sex with anyone, he sheepishly replied, “Well, not anyone — I wouldn’t have sex with you. I don’t know, I’ve just never been attracted to Asian guys,” — completely out of nowhere. And just weeks ago when I told my female friend I thought one of her white friends was cute, she bluntly told me that her friend “wasn’t into Asian guys.”

Though in neither case did I feel personally insulted, the

brusqueness with which they expressed their insensitive and dismissive opinions about my entire race was shocking and disorienting. I couldn’t help but feel that such broad preferences reflected not only isolated personal tastes, but also the legacy of a historical belief in white supremacy.

I do not believe that such preferences are unconditionally immoral, nor that they are avoidable. However, in an increasingly globalized world, which has for so long witnessed European preeminence, Western beauty standards have become nearly universal. Whether one is considered attractive largely depends on cultural standards set by white people, and I refuse to allow Western attitudes to convince me that to be male and Asian is to be inherently and non-negotiably unattractive.

However, overcoming such racialized standards is more complex than simply deciding to ignore them. A 2009 study conducted by OkTrends, the research branch of the OkCupid dating website, found that white men received more responses from heterosexual females from

almost every racial group and were preferred almost exclusively by Asian, Hispanic and white women, who themselves tended to elicit more frequent responses from men of most racial backgrounds but responded primarily to their own race. More importantly, these groups’ response rates to non-white men were notably much lower, at 21.9, 22.9 and 23.0 percent for Asian,

clear — while people of color place a premium on whiteness, so do whites themselves — and follow-up statistics from 2014 released by the same research group suggest that these racial preferences have grown only more pronounced and disparate over time.

However, up until a few months ago, I did not take issue with racial dating preferences.

And although I may be tempted to play the part of the victim, I recognize from my own Tinder-swiping experiences that I am also complicit in the devaluation of non-white attributes.”

Hispanic and white women respectively, compared to 29, 30 and 29 percent response rates to white men. Further, a sitewide survey revealed that 35 percent of white users, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, would “strongly prefer to date someone of [their] own skin color/racial background” compared to only 15% of non-white users. The implications here are

After all, I thought, how could I dictate who or what one finds attractive, or deny one’s right to his or her subjective taste?

The implications and consequences of such preferences, however, make it vital that we not simply write off such preferences as “taste.” Consider the hypothetical scenario: an attractive, non-white dating app user might subconsciously rationalize

a low number of matches to mean that s/he is not attractive and subsequently internalize those negative implications, whereas more frequent and more attractive matches awarded to an average-looking white user might develop into delusions of the opposite effect. Extended to society at large, this paradigm would suggest distortion of selfperception among whites and non-whites, and perhaps subconsciously fuel collective sentiment of racial superiority/inferiority and provide sustenance to existing hierarchies.

And although I may be tempted to play the part of the victim, I recognize from my own Tinder-swiping experiences that I am also complicit in the devaluation of non-white attributes.

I also see whiteness as something to be desired, a trophy of assimilation, and thereby, success. The fact is, I find myself swiping left on people of color without as much as a second glance, while lowering my standards for white men, the majority of whom qualify for a right swipe almost as if by default. I cannot justify pointing a finger at the white, cisgender, heterosexual

patriarchal elite (which is often the temptation) for the world’s obsession with whiteness in light of the fraudulence and hypocrisy of my own actions.

I am aware that undoing cultural conditioning is a challenging, if not impossible, task.

I do believe, however, that if we are aware of how we have been socialized to prefer whiteness and the connotations we associate with it subconsciously, we might find ourselves more capable of observing our attractions objectively and critically assessing their true motives.

Though overt racism is arguably becoming less salient in today’s society, it is within greyer areas that racism continues to dwell, to everyone’s detriment. And while these in-between areas are much more difficult to diagnose when assessing the true ubiquity of racism, it is nonetheless there, lurking — bitter, poisonous fodder for our every thought, action and swipe.

BENJAMIN ZOU is a rising College sophomore from New York City studying economics. His email address is zoub@sas.upenn.edu. “Zou It All” appears every other Thursday.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

Sen. Casey testifies in ongoing corruption trial Congressman Fattah is being investigated for fraud CHARLOTTE LARACY City News Editor

One of the most closely watched political corruption cases in recent Philadelphia history is underway this summer. The federal corruption trial against U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah continued the week of May 23–26.

Fattah and four of his close political allies are being accused of misusing federal grants, campaign contributions and charitable donations to pay off his debts and advance his career.

On Monday, May 23, Prosecutors focused on two education nonprofits that Fattah helped create, Educational Advancement Alliance and CORE Philly. The prosectors called witnesses who

OLYMPICS >> PAGE 1

independent?” Joffe noted. “Obviously the Olympic authorities wants the Games to go forward but is the WHO able to make an independent judgement here for the best public interest of the world? Or is the organization conflicted due to its relationship with the Olympic Committee?”

testified about the organizations’ spending. In their testimony, five federal investigators described their concerns surrounding grants that were used for political gains as well as Fattah’s allies’ six-figure salaries.

According to Philly.com, Fattah has been able to secure millions of dollars in federal funding for worthy causes, including his two nonprofits. He sponsored $3.2 million in federal earmarks in 2009 and 2010 to support CORE Philly, and prosecutors allege that the charitable donations and federal grants issued to the two educational nonprofits were used to repay Fattah’s illegal $1 million campaign debt during his failed run for mayor of Philadelphia in 2007.

A top Drexel University lobbyist testified about the tuition and academic troubles of Chaka “Chip”

Fattah Jr., on Tuesday, May 24.

Fattah’s son was assigned a payment plan three times but failed to pay his tuition so eventually he was barred from attending classes.

Prosecutors alleged that Fattah solved his son’s academic debt by stealing from his campaign fund.

The younger Fattah has already been found guilty of bank and tax fraud and is serving a five-year sentence in federal prison.

On Wednesday, May 25, Gregory Naylor, a former staffer and companion, explained to the federal jury that he assisted Fattah in falsifying campaign finance reports and stealing thousands of dollars of political donations.

According to Philly.com, Naylor delivered the most damaging testimony so far in the government’s case. The testimony directly linked Fattah to schemes to cover up and pay back the illegal $1

million campaign loan. Naylor’s testimony was part of a plea agreement with the prosecutors due to the fact that he admitted to his own role in the crimes.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) testified for the first time in a criminal case on Thursday, May 26. Casey is the highest ranking Washington leader to appear in the nine days of the trial. He told the jury that Fattah wanted his assistance in 2008 to obtain an ambassadorship for Herbet Vederman, a politically connected lobbyist who is also being charged.

On the stand, Casey said he knew nothing of bribes that prosecutors say bought Fattah’s support. Prosecutors alleged that in exchange for cash and other gifts, Fattah worked to help Vederman acquire a White House position.

The trial could last up to eight weeks.

The International Olympic Commission stood firm that the Games will go forward as planned. Earlier this summer, the WHO encouraged athletes and travelers who are planning to travel to Rio for the competitions to take precautionary measures to protect against infection.

U.S. officials are already starting a large effort to protect American athletes from Zika,

such as protective living and clothing arrangements, according to the Washington Post.

The day after the scientists had posted the letter, the WHO said there was no public health justification for postponing or canceling the Games. Based on its latest assessment, the WHO said, “cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international

spread of the Zika Virus.”

“I think it [the WHO’s response] was dismissive,” Joffe said. “It did not convey the seriousness and consideration that the letter calls for.”

The Zika Virus has spread to about 60 countries and territories, including Puerto Rico. In February, the WHO declared the spread

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U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah continued his defense in an ongoing federal corruption trial this week, which saw U.S. Sen. Casey testify against him.

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THE SUMMER PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM

BEST GREEN PLACES TO

EXPLORE IN PHILLY

DEALING WITH

DISTANCE

Rethinking the relationship with my parents as an international student | TRANG LUU To me, transitioning to college involves adjusting to the liminal spaces which I temporally, spatially and spiritually inhabit. The fact that Hanoi is 12 hours ahead of Philly means that I am constantly trying to vicariously clutch at the afterglow of life at “home,” knowing that most the fun things there happen while I’m asleep.

“Home” and “here” seem to be two parallel planes that never intersect. Relationships stretch thinly across continents; my family is oblivious to thousands of meaningful moments in my life. It saddens me sometimes, and I think it saddens them too, that we can never fully negate the inbetween of longing. There is an unspoken resentment at not “being there” for each other and often enough, at not being able to provide timely support, at maturing or aging without each other’s realization.

Here at Penn, I watch myself gradually transforming into my adult self. But I don’t know how FaceTime and Skype calls can encapsulate the experience. I have stopped telling my family about Fling weekend or what I learned in linguistics. I worry that the details of my daily life would be too embarrassing or too banal or just second-hand news that wouldn’t register any meaning, no matter how profound I

find them.

Instead, I talk instead about the constant and the immutable. Recipes for traditional Vietnamese dishes.

The friends from high school whom we all know. My mom says that since I left, she’s often had vivid dreams about my childhood. Our conversations revolve around the past and nostalgic reminiscences: we cling to the static certainty of the life we spent together.

I’m scared of what this sense

in Budapest. She, like me, also studied abroad, albeit in Europe, and took a trip to Hungary before returning to Vietnam for summer break.

She never made it home. Days after I heard the news, I kept thinking about loss. Lost time. Lost opportunities. Lost good-byes. What would fill in the gaping chasm left by the year she spent away from her family and the many years beyond that would never come to pass?

“We step outside of each otherʼs lives —not to grow apart, but to realize how much we value our own autonomy.” of detachment signifies. Is my love for my family waning?

Is this just a dissipation of their presence in my life, and mine in theirs? I have always believed that familial love is the greatest and most unconditional love of all. I dread the prospect that one day, physical distance would deepen into emotional distance, inexorably driving us apart as the space we occupy in each other’s heart becomes trivial and even redundant.

Last week, I lea r ned that a friend of mine had passed away in an accident

THIS SUMMER

College green doesnʼt count, guys | CLAIRE SCHMIDT Within a Reasonable Lazy Person’s Distance: Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd It’s a National Historic Landmark with a plethora of nicely manicured gardens to remind you there is better landscaping out there than the flowers around the LOVE statue that inevitably get crushed every year. Plus you you can bike there or take the trolley, so there will be less time wasted trying to maneuver your Uber driver through Philadelphia.

Spruce Street Harbor Park, 401 Spruce Street Go for the food and artsy beer, stay for the hammocks that you’ve seen all of your friends post on Instagram.

Honestly, not sure how much green space there actually is here, but it’s just enough to convince you that you’re experiencing ~nature~ while eating a bunch of Federal Donuts.

All of the Squares in Center Ci t y, i .e . Ri t te n h o u s e ,

As I learn to navigate college and adulthood, I also learn to navigate the depths of long-distance relationships and the possible discomfort of loving differently. I still believe that familial love is the greatest love of all, but the distance between us — and the relentless passage of time — force us to reconsider the meanings of our relationship.

We step outside of each other’s lives — not to grow apart, but to realize how much we value our own autonomy. We see how much we still fervently need each other.

Washington, Franklin, Logan.

Duh. Between the four of them you’ve got farmers’ markets, performers, fountains, plenty of grass to smother with your picnic blankets and a ridiculous amount of opportunities for surreptitious people-watching.

anywhere else along Forbidden Drive for some seriously beautiful views and over 50 miles of hiking trails.

Okay It’s Pretty Far Away But It’s Still Really Cool: Shofuso Japanese House and Garden This place is a traditionalstyle Japanese house and garden hidden away in West Fairmount Park. It looks endlessly cool, and they also have a bunch of cool classes throughout the summer, from drumming to kimono sewing.

Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Drive.

This place is literally just a 92-acre garden with more than 12,000 labeled plants and flowers (so you can learn, even when it’s the summer and you don’t want to!). Seriously, they’re really into gardens.

According to their website they have a rose garden, pennock garden, meadow garden, Japanese Hill garden, Ravine garden, sculpture garden, and a whole bunch of other gardens. #gardens. Plus it’s affiliated with Penn, so it’s free for PennCard holders!

Wissahickon Valley Park It’s huge, it’s amazing and you probably should explore it before you graduate. Head for the Valley Green Inn if you’re looking to both hike and eat bougie foods, Devil’s Pool to watch dumb kids jump into questionably safe water or

Smith Memorial Playground, 3500 Reservoir Dr. Okay, this one is honestly just a really cool playground. If you go you may be surrounded by children under the age of 10 and their frustrated babysitters, but the slide is amazing so it’s worth it. That’s it.

KEVIN JARRETT | COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS 2.0

NO INTERNSHIP, NO PROBLEM I really did not see this coming.

This semester was just too busy and too fun for me to sit down and make plans for the future. With the endless readings, volunteer hours, rehearsals, meetings, packing, papers, general cramming, end-of-year BYOs and tearful (and drunken) goodbyes that comes with junior year, I forgot that people actually do things over the summer. As a result, it is May 30, and I am still applying for internships that begin on June 1.

At this point, I am clearly and desperately trying to deny the undeniable: no internship for me.

* * *

At a school like Penn, where people voluntarily go through OCR (which honestly sounds like hell) is in order to find internships and eventual jobs, not having an internship for the summer is rare, curious and Undesirable #1. I’m someone who wants to spend the rest of my life performing to feed, clothe and house myself. But I

still find myself panicking at not having an internship to put on my nonexistent resume for the back-

particularly helpful in the matter either, constantly saying things like: “Well, I’ve heard that the in-

worth should not be so dependent on them. Having an internshipfree break is not the worst thing

“But perspective is always important.” up career I really don’t want to pursue.

Watching all of my friends and seemingly all of my peers spend their summer interning for well known companies and organizations, I can’t help but compare myself to them and feel so unproductive. I haven’t not had something to do since I was in junior high, and honestly, I feel a little useless. My parents are not

ternship after your junior year is the most important,” or, “If you’re not doing anything, you might as well make yourself useful around the house.” They mean well, but they’re not particularly good at the “reassuring parent” spiel.

But perspective is always important. Although it would be nice to have an internship — and we, as Penn students, seem to really value internships — our self

“At this point, I am clearly and desperately trying to deny the undeniable: no internship for me.”

that could happen, and for me, it’s slowly working out for the better.

* * *

Unpacking is a pain, and living with my parents while friends are figuring out leases and sublets in major cities just adds to that feeling of being useless, but it’s good to be home, possibly for the last time in my life, after living away from home for so long. I spent last summer working, rehearsing and performing in shows in Philadelphia, so I haven’t been home for over two years.

Additionally, because my dad is in the U.S. Army and had to travel constantly for a while, our family hasn’t been a complete unit for over four years. I love my family, and I didn’t realize how

Finding the value in a internship-less summer

BY CLARIS PARK

long I hadn’t lived with them or how much I missed them before I came back home. And really, my parents do mean well. They’ve helped me find other ways to occupy my time by asking (ordering) me to help out at home.

So far, they have managed to convince and rope me into helping with general chores around the house, tutoring my brother, assisting in designing a product, filing a patent and even helping

Fest, the annual DIY solo performance festival for performance artists this month. That’s more than enough to keep me busy.

I’ll spend the rest of the summer working on the pet projects that I had started during the school year but never got to finish (like perfecting a Scottish accent that I’ll never have to use, ever), and auditioning for smaller projects here and there.

I also recently decided to

“Just because I donʼt have an internship doesnʼt mean that this time isnʼt valuable.” them with an idea for a startup (which is arguably, rather interesting and potentially listable on a resume).

In terms of performing, during one of my frenzied internship search sessions, I panic-committed to co-creating and performing a solo play for Philly’s Solow

apply to and audition for graduate schools and training programs for acting this year, so I will be preparing for that crazy and harrowing ordeal as well. Just because I don’t have an internship doesn’t mean that this time isn’t valuable. I’m still preparing for my future — no cubicle required.

THEDP.COM | THE SUMMER PENNSYLVANIAN

SPORTS 7

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

Quakers go global on SEAS class service trip JACOB SNYDER Associate Sports Editor

As spring semester ended and students prepared to embark on their various summer journeys, one women’s soccer player had reason to be especially excited.

Erica Higa, a sophomore midfielder for the Red and Blue, traveled to Rwanda alongside fellow Penn Athletics representative coach Kerry Major Carr of women’s volleyball and around ten other Penn students and faculty as part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Rwanda Gashora Program.

The program was created to explore the possibilities of using solar energy and information communication technology in low-resource communities in developing countries. Students who participate in the program take

FOOTBALL >> PAGE 8

making his mark on the JSerra program. After earning a starting role as a sophomore in 2013 and securing 64 tackles, he exploded with four interceptions and 77 tackles – tied with then-senior and nowPenn starting safety Sam Philippi for his team’s lead – in 2014, securing a first-team all-league spot and forming an all-star safety pairing that will soon re-unite in University City. “Sam’s a great friend of mine,�

O’Brien said. “Off the field we hang out, go fishing, etc., and as teammates we competed for playing time, which helped us both earn starting jobs on both sides of the ball. We play well together.�

Just about any football player coming to Penn put up gaudy stats in his high school career, and O’Brien – who finished his career with another first-team all-league selection in 2015 – was clearly no exception.

But where O’Brien differs from the rest of the pack is the caliber of competition he dominated.

The Trinity League, for those unfamiliar with high school football, is a different beast. According to MaxPreps’ Freeman Ratings, it was ranked as the best league nationwide in 2013, and the second-best in both 2014 and 2015.

A “who’s who� of the quarterbacks O’Brien squared off against just in his five annual league games includes Josh Rosen – who started at UCLA as a true

HOOVER >> PAGE 8

hockey program. Hoover was also named Ivy League offensive player of the week four different times and finished second-team all-America.

Also unique to the program, she was featured in Sports Illustrated and in a featurette on a local Pennsylvania news radio station. Suffice to say, Hoover’s 2015 season will go down as one of the best in Red and Blue history. “It was one of the coolest things to ever happen to me,� Hoover said. “Usually you see senior players and junior players getting most of the attention. So to be a sophomore it was incredible and an honor to represent our team that way.�

Now Hoover and the Quakers are gearing up for the 2016 season.

After progressing all the way to an Ivy League championship game last year, the team said goodbye to four seniors: two forwards, one midfield, and a back, three of whom were full-time starters in 2015.

The graduation of Nicole Mackin, a former integral member of the backfield, leaves a huge hole in front of the net. After missing 2015 with injury, rising junior Madison Hendry looks to return to form after a successful 2014 campaign.

In her first playing time since the injury, Hendry provided a steady presence defending the net in the team’s spring tournaments.

Having a reliable defense has been key to the offense’s success.

For field-stretching forwards like Hoover and rising junior Gina Guccione, steady backfield play – which in 2015 came from Mackin, rising senior and captain Claire Kneizys, and now-juniors Jasmine Li and goalkeeper Liz Mata – gives the attack the confidence to go for gold.

a course in the spring, followed by the two-week summer trip to Rwanda.

When Higa first heard about the opportunity to visit the Central African nation, she was as surprised as she was excited — the Californian was actually in the middle of an interview for an Engineers without Borders trip to Guatemala.

Once the group arrived in Rwanda on May 17, the first task was to evaluate the project sites and adjust based on conditions.

The three main projects students participated in were purifying water at the health clinic, installing solar lights for the pathways at the Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology (GGAST), and routing power and internet access for the primary school students and teachers.

One aspect of the trip that struck Higa as particularly fascinating was the nature of the food supply. “In Philly, there is a ton of

freshman and threw for 3,688 yards and 23 touchdowns en route to 2015 Sporting News Freshman of the Year status – Travis Waller – who now goes by Travis Jonsen and is expected to battle with Dakota Prukop to fill Oregon’s QB vacancy – and KJ Costello, a Stanford commit ranked as the third best pro-style QB in the Class of 2016 by 247sports.com. “The Trinity League, top to bottom, has incredible talent and top notch coaches. It is unbelievable, and I definitely feel playing in Pac-5 and Trinity League is an advantage,� O’Brien said. “ I was never the biggest guy on the field, so playing against big, talented players has definitely prepared me for FCS football.�

And still, even against such stacked opponents, O’Brien helped take his Lions’ program to the top.

Before his arrival to the varsity program in 2013, JSerra had not qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs or won more than six games in any season in school history.

But head coach Jim Hartigan – who happened to coach O’Brien’s father and uncle at their respective high schools – led a transformation, with O’Brien at the forefront. In O’Brien’s three seasons, the team went 24-8 overall and finished in the top 21 teams in California according to MaxPreps every year, including a CIF-SS Pac-5 quarterfinal appearance in 2014. “I think Sam’s class was the real turning point for JSerra; they

“I trust that no matter where I am on the field they will be able to get me the ball or one of the other forwards the ball,� Hoover said. “With the defense that we have, I can trust that they’ll be able to handle everything in the way that they know how to handle it so I 100% trust my defense with that.�

At midfield, Alex Agathis leaves the lineup after starting every contest her senior year. A bit-part player in 2015, incoming sophomore Paige Meily looks to play a larger role this fall for the Quakers after earning extensive playing time late last season.

Also at midfield, Elizabeth Hitti graduated in May after setting the program record in assists. In 2015, Hitti connected with Hoover for a large portion of the then-sophomore’s goals and was the team’s most talented playmaker. “The chemistry our forward line had is something that doesn’t come around too often so it’s going to be a little difficult at first to get used to the fact that she’s not going to be there,� Hoover said.

Finally, at attack, the team loses Stephanie Honig, who made the jump from the school’s club field hockey program. The depletion, both in the starting lineup and coming off the bench, could be a concern for 2016’s squad.

When it comes to pinpointing new starters, Hoover is proud of the progress that rising sophomore Sofia Palacios made in her freshman campaign and figures that she will challenge for a large share of playing time in the upcoming season. “Sofia was definitely able to step up,� Hoover said, “and I [also] think that our incoming freshmen are going to be able to do a good job of getting used to the college level.�

in place to do so. In an effort to explain some of the finer points of the project to the Gashora Girls, Higa also did her own class with the girls, describing how the solar lights worked.

Although Higa worked tirelessly as a part of the solar panel and water filtration team, she also added her own Penn Athletics flair to the trip. “Between me and Coach Carr, we brought volleyballs, nets, soccer balls, and hand pumps to give to the community in Gashora,� Higa explained. “At GGAST, a few of the Penn students and I were fortunate enough to play with their [soccer] team.

They were great and we had a lot of fun! Football is a huge sport in Rwanda and around the world, so we saw a lot of fields, often with makeshift goals made out of tree trunks, occupied by children and adult men playing football.�

The trip also included a sobering visit to two Rwandan Genocide memorials, something

COURTESY OF KERRY MAJOR CARR

Besides all her work on the solar power and clean water team, sophomore midfielder Erica Higa also taught volleyball and soccer.

variety in the types of food available, but in the rural village of Gashora, Rwanda, it is all farm-totable,� Higa said. “You literally eat what you cultivate. The food was

raised us to the next level,� O’Brien said. “We’d never made it to the playoffs before 2014, so I feel very good about where the program is going and I’m proud to be a part of that.�

One by-product of JSerra’s newfound success is that the school has become a pipeline to Penn.

After sending Philippi – who immediately earned a starting role and contributed with 46 tackles and a team-leading four interceptions last fall – to the Class of 2019, O’Brien will join the team this fall.

And that’s not all, as O’Brien’s younger brother Riley, a defensive back and rising JSerra senior, also has committed to join Penn’s Class of 2021. “I’m very excited that Riley has chosen to attend Penn. We have a great relationship, but very competitive,� O’Brien said. “A pipeline should be established; JSerra has some kids who can flat out play.

They may not be the biggest or the fastest in the Trinity league, but they are the toughest, that’s for sure.�

At first glance, immediately cracking the rotation for a Penn defensive backs unit that returns three of its four starters in rising sophomores Philippi, Jyron Walker and Mason Williams might seem like a daunting challenge.

But for a kid who has spent his childhood learning from former Heisman candidates and his last three years going toe-to-toe with potential future ones, it’d be a foolish move to count him out.

Of course, the team lost four seniors, but just like any other year, incoming freshmen will help to fill in the gaps. Coach Colleen Fink announced the team’s six recruits this spring, and they will look to make an early impact. Hoover has familiarity with two incoming freshmen: Laura Shelton – who played at Perkiomen Valley High School, Hoover’s high school rival – and goalkeeper Ava Rosati – who played with Hoover for the United States Women’s Indoor Hockey.

The team has not yet played with the incoming freshmen in a formal setting, but players have been able to catch glimpses of the newcomers’ work in recruitment camps.

Hoover is impressed by their play and points out midfielder Alexa Schneck as a key contributor for 2016. “One of the mid-backs, [Schneck], moves the ball real well.

She’s a smart player; she’s not a selfish player. She has very good skills and field presence,� Hoover said.

Hoover enters her junior season looking to repeat an unbelievable sophomore performance. However, a torn meniscus that she suffered earlier in the spring curtailed a large part of her offseason of training.

Still, this is not the first time that Hoover has undergone that kind of setback – she tore her ACL and meniscus as a junior in high school – and rebounded well in her senior year at Methacton. Hoover is certain that the meniscus injury will not affect her play in preseason, let alone the regular season.

Hopefully she is right — if the team plans to take down the Tigers in 2016, Hoover’s health will certainly be a key factor to monitor next fall.

great!�

As part of the solar panel team, Higa had the difficult task of installing solar power to an area that had little to no resources currently

TRACK

that Coach Carr discusses more extensively in her blog on Penn Athletics’ website. The travelers saw the skulls of over 250,000 victims, as well as touching videos from survivors detailing what had happened to them and their villages.

In the end, the impact of the trip went far beyond the enjoyable sport-playing and teaching, and even beyond the engineering projects. “I was immensely appreciative for all the friendships I made,�

Higa said. “A few sentences for the DP can’t do justice in explaining how amazing these girls are. I am incredibly humbled and grateful to Rwanda and GGAST for letting me visit and learn about their amazing country and culture. “This was the first step to me applying the skills I am learning in Penn’s Engineering school to improve the lives of those around the world, and I intend to stay in contact and continue to support GGAST in the future.�

two spots outside of the top 12 that will travel to the Pacific Northwest next week.

Fellow junior Chris Hatler also came tantalizingly close to qualification in the 1,500.

Having run the 14th best time in the first round, he only needed to beat two other people in the next qualifying race to snag onto the 12th spot and subsequent qualification to the finals.

He ran out of gas, however, and couldn’t surge into the top group. Hatler finished 21st in the final qualifying round.

Several Quakers will be wishing they could have booked their golden ticket into the finals, but for Mattis and Awad,

>> PAGE 8

fates, however, and he placed himself wisely in the front group that split with the rest of the pack around 3,000m into the 5K race. He cruised into qualification with a finishing time of 14:10.33.

While the two senior stars may have been the only ones from Penn to make it to the NCAA finals in Eugene on June 8-11, some other Quakers had good days in Jacksonville.

Junior Noah Kennedy-White came within just half a meter of moving on to the finals in the discus. He finished 14th, just

perhaps the NCAA championships next week is not the only thing on their minds.

The pair of stars has also qualified for the United States’ Olympic Trials next month in advance of the Rio Olympics in August — Mattis in the discus, and Awad in the 1,500.

So while they will surely be going all-out for gold among all college students nationwide, the two clearly have bigger goals in mind — and would not want to get injured before the Trials come.

Awad will face the greatest test of his career on July 7th, while Mattis will throw for glory the following day.

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ONLINE

GOING GLOBAL

Look out for our coverage of the NCAA Track & Field Championships June 8-11 at THEDP.COM/ SPORTS

Read about women’s soccer’s Erica Higa and volleyball coach Kerry Carr’s journey to Rwanda >> SEE PAGE 11

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2016

TRACKTOWN

BOUND TRACK & FIELD | Pair of

athletes qualify for NCAAs

WILLIAM SNOW Sports Editor

They made the cut.

Seniors Tommy Awad and Sam Mattis are going to Eugene, Ore. to compete in the NCAA championships next week.

The pair booked their tickets this week at the NCAA East Preliminary meet — Awad qualified in the 5,000-meter run, while Mattis made his mark once again in the discus.

For Mattis, the procedure was fairly straightforward. The top 12 throwers

from the East would move on to the championships in TrackTown USA. And for the man who at one point this season held the title of farthest throw in the world thus far in 2016, finishing in the first dozen places meant little more than a warmup. Mattis hurled for 61.95m, putting him in second place for the prelims.

For Awad, however, qualification was slightly less of an expected outcome. Only the top five in each of the two heats would qualify automatically, meaning that if the senior had finished outside of the top group, advancement to Oregon would be left up to the fates.

Awad must not have wanted to tempt the SEE TRACK PAGE 7

New Quaker has big Red and Blue set to rally plans for rookie season around Hoover in 2016 FOOTBALL | O’Brien

ready to fight for starts

COLE JACOBSON Associate Sports Editor

A lot of athletes might say they were born to play their respective sport.

But a kid related to both the NCAA’s Division I-A singleseason touchdown passing record

holder and the winningest quarterback in Stanford history might have a slightly better argument.

Such is life for California native and safety Conor O’Brien, who is one of 29 recruits joining Penn football’s Class of 2020 looking to help the Quakers begin their title defense.

Needless to say, O’Brien needed no help being introduced to the sport. In his extended family are former Hawaii and

COURTESY OF CONOR O’BRIEN

A lot of hype is building around freshman-to-be Conor O’Brien, who expects to fight for a starting spot on the team immediately.

SEND STORY IDEAS TO DPSPORTS@THEDP.COM

Washington Redskins QB Colt Brennan – whose 58 touchdown passes in 2006 is a Division I-A record – and former Stanford and current Kansas City Chiefs QB Kevin Hogan, whose 36 career collegiate wins surpassed Andrew Luck for the Cardinal’s all-time record.

On a more immediate level, O’Brien’s father and uncle played high school ball at Mater Dei and Santa Margarita, respectively — a pair of Orange County powerhouses that have combined to produce the likes of Matt Leinart, Matt Barkley, Brennan and Carson Palmer. Both schools are in the same ultra-competitive Trinity League in which O’Brien made a name for himself at JSerra Catholic High School.

“My grandfather, uncles, cousins, we all played – the sport has helped shape me into who I am today and who I am going to be in the future,” O’Brien said. “I never felt a pressure to ‘live up’ to the standards they set. We chose JSerra because it was a new school and I would have the opportunity to leave my own legacy.”

Indeed, O’Brien wasted no time SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 7

FIELD HOCKEY | Star

and team seek Ivy title WILL AGATHIS Associate Sports Editor

The Red and Blue’s field hockey team had a bittersweet 2015.

After barreling through nationally ranked opponents weekly, the Quakers seemed poised to take back the Ivy League championship that had eluded them since 2004.

However, the season finale against Princeton did not feature the end result that the team wanted.

Just ask Alexa Hoover, the incoming junior who capped off a record-breaking season with a heartbreaker of a finish. To her, that 2-1 overtime loss has her teammates chomping at the bit for another chance at the Tigers.

“It’s definitely a huge motivation for us because we really want that game back. It was definitely a close game the entire time and at least that was a good feeling because we know we were right there with them,” Hoover said. “That’s definitely going to motivate us to get it back because we were so close.”

That was Hoover’s first Ivy

ONLINE AT THEDP.COM

DP FILE PHOTO

Despite a stellar sophomore season, star rising junior Alexa Hoover is hard at work to earn her team its first Ivy title in 24 years.

League championship game for the Quakers and may not be her last. Hoover’s freshman season in 2014 was very impressive – one of the best ever for a Penn freshman – but not enough to catapult the team to Ivy League title contention. In an interview from the previous summer, Hoover noted her concerns about the sophomore slump and her desire to avoid plateauing.

This summer, Hoover recalls the concerns she had in 2015 and credits her breakout campaign to her offseason training regimen.

“I think I was definitely nervous about the sophomore slump that everyone talks about and I think that pushed me to make sure it didn’t happen. I did everything I could in the offseason coming into my sophomore season to make sure I was prepared to go beyond what I’ve done before.”

She avoided the sophomore curse and then some in 2015. Her 27 goals and 63 points were both record highs for the Quakers’ field SEE HOOVER PAGE 7

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