THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Penn reacts to SCOTUS decision
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Family and friends wish to keep 2014 grad Anastasia Lyalenko’s memory alive DAN SPINELLI News Editor
Anastasia Lyalenko, a 2014 College graduate who died two weeks ago, compared her undergraduate experience to a footrace. “Like a runner keeping beat, I keep my eyes on the prize and never look to see who is running with me,” she wrote in a 34th Street article from March of her sen ior year. “But why don’t we try?” “We’ll stretch our tired limbs and let our straining hearts relax. I’ll stop for an hour if you’ll stop with me.” That theme — reserving time and care for others — permeated each area of Anastasia’s life, from her
involvement at the LGBT Center to her professional work with in the Computational Memory Laboratory at Penn. Nearly a year after she wrote those words, Anastasia lay in the Jefferson University Hospital intensive care unit suffering from viral myocarditis, a form of heart inflammation that disrupts the flow of blood to other essential organs. She was admitted to the hospital in early June after feeling chest pains and her condition quickly worsened. One by one, her supporters made cranes out of colored craft paper to brighten up Anastasia’s hospital room. “Her friends and roommates decided to make her hospital room ‘homey’ and personal,” said Victoria Lyalenko, Anastasia’s mother. Her room mate, 2014 Nursing graduate Kasey SEE ANASTASIA PAGE 3
Penn community largely supportive of decision to allow same-sex couples to marry in all 50 states BRYN FERGUSON Staff Reporter
It was a historic day on Friday in Washington, as supporters of same-sex marriage gathered on the steps of the Supreme Court to celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage in all 50 states. As the nation reacted to the momentous decision, members of the Penn community shared their thoughts on the long-controversial issue and its new future. Penn student David, who is the Co-Chair of Penn IvyQ and involved in Penn Queer and Asian and the Carriage Senior Society, was “ecstatic” when he heard the news. David wanted to be identified only by his first name because he is not yet out to his mother, who he said reads The Daily Pennsylvanian. “It means a great deal to me to have my desires represented on a federal level, especially when only a few select countries actually support gay marriage,” he said. “I think ultimately this decision will reduce discrimination. I feel like younger children will now grow up with the notion that gay marriage is legal and sanctioned by our government, and thus will view homosexuality through a less stigmatized lens.” LGBT Center Director Bob Schoenberg said that the decision was “very exciting.” “Most people I know are thrilled about it,” he said, though he noted that some LGBT supporters are concerned that marriage equality has taken precedent over other issues, such as workplace equality and transgender rights. “Marriage is in the forefront and has made it to the top court in the land,” he said. “I think the battles [over other LGBT issues] will continue and we will be victorious in those battles as well.” Political Science Professor Rogers M. Smith, who teaches Constitutional law classes at Penn, said in a statement that the Supreme Court’s decision has implications beyond same-sex marriage. “Important as it is, the Supreme Court’s SEE SCOTUS PAGE 5
Engineering prof wins grant to study the brain The Brain Research Foundation will sponsor Lee Bassett’s research on brain sensors VAMSEE MUPPARAPU Staff Reporter
Despite being an assistant professor in the Electrical and Systems Engineering Department, Lee Basset could uncover many mysteries about the brain with his pioneering research. Bassett recently received an exclusive Seed Grant from the Brain Research Foundation to develop a new class of sensors that will respond to chemical signals in the brain through quantum physics. These sensors can help scientists create a real-time map of brain activity in living animals, and, potentially, in humans. The grant gives Bassett and his collaborators, Bioengineering assistant professor Brian Chow and Bioengineering professor Andrew Tsourkas, $80,000 in funding over a two year period. Basset, whose academic background is in physics, described this research as falling under “quantum engineering.” “It’s sort of a branch of applied physics where we’re trying to find ways of using quantum physics to develop new devices or new technologies or other new science [innovations] that can be used more SEE RESEARCH PAGE 3
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Pre-frosh creates mental health support group
POPE’S SCHEDULE REVEALED PAGE 2
Facebook community allows incoming freshmen to discuss mental health
BRYN FERGUSON Staff Reporter
Even before arriving at Penn, a pre-frosh is looking to address student mental health concerns in a new way. When he read an article from vice.com posted in the official Class of 2019 Facebook group, “Going to an Ivy League School Sucks,” by a rising senior at Columbia University, incoming College freshman Owain West wanted to do what he could to help his future peers. After asking the input of fellow incoming freshmen, West decided to create the Facebook group “UPenn Mental Health Helpers,” as a space for students to support each other with issues related to mental health. Incoming freshmen are currently using the group to share their own stories and express support for others through the comment section. “I had the idea that there was something we could do, something simple, to set up a support group so that such a thing would never happen, that people wouldn’t become so stressed out that they would resent the fact that they were going to such an academic institution,” West said. “So I said [in
We pat ourselves on the back for the number of things we call oppressive on a daily basis.” — Clara Jane Hendrickson PAGE 4
FIELD HOCKEY ON THE RISE Members of Penn’s class of 2019 formed a Facebook group to be open about struggling with mental health.
a post to the Penn 2019 group] that I would set up the [UPenn Mental Health Helpers] Facebook group that would be there so people could talk to other people when they needed help.” West’s drive to positively influence the atmosphere of mental
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health on campus is also personal. “I’ve had a history of knowing a lot of people who’ve had issues with mental health or depression, and it’s always been something that hurt me to see them SEE MENTAL HEALTH PAGE 3
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