April 2019 Roar

April 2019

Penn State Beaver Roar

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

News

Democratic divide Upcoming elections spark conversation amoung students ALEXEY STERN

Senior Staff Writer ams8317@psu.edu

Fifteen Democratic candidates have officially thrown their hat into the ring for the 2020 presidential election. There are even more potential candidates, such as former Vice President Joe Biden, who are still considering a run.

Some at Penn State Beaver think Biden has the best shot of winning the general election if he decides to enter the race.

Peri Coleman, a 22-year-old senior, said she believes Biden is the strongest potential candidate.

“It really comes down to the fact that Joe Biden is currently the most moderate Democrat,” Coleman said.

“By being so moderate, he has a much better shot at winning over Independents.”

Rajen Mookerjee, professor of economics, agreed that Biden has a significant advantage over his potential competitors in the primary.

“Of course, Biden will run.

Everybody knows that,” Mookerjee said. “I think that Biden has the best shot because middle-of-theroad Democrats know electability is important.”

“As the campaign progresses, Biden will assert himself comfortably in the lead because he knows that he has to stick in the middle,” he added.

Mookerjee also said that he believes Biden could hold his own against President Donald Trump if he ran in the general election.

“I really do think that Biden is the type of guy that if you put him on a stage with Trump, he would trade insults with him and be comfortable doing it,” Mookerjee said.

Robert Szymczak, an associate professor of history, agrees that Biden would be a formidable opponent for Trump.

“The thing about Biden is that he always seemed to connect with the working-class people, and they make

up the largest majority of Trump’s supporters,” Szymczak said. “If he could take a chunk of (Trump’s) voters, that could really help him in the general election.”

Ultimately, however, Szymczak is skeptical about Biden actually announcing his bid for the presidency.

“Although there is a lot of buzz going around about him, he’s been around for an awful long time, and a lot of people might think his time in politics has come and passed,” he said. “He hasn’t even announced the fact that he is running yet.”

Anthony Santilo, a 21-year-old junior, disagreed. Santilo said he believes that Biden is almost definitely running in the Democratic primary and that he will have a good chance of winning the Democratic candidacy as well.

“I think there is a 95 percent chance that Biden is going to run, and I think that the key to his success will be how moderate he is compared to the other candidates,” Santilo said.

“It’s the same reason why Bernie (Sanders) doesn’t have a chance in the general election. He’s just too extreme and liberal for most Americans.”

Brian Brocato, a 20-year-old junior, reluctantly agrees that 77-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) who won the hearts of many college students four years ago with his progressive agenda, is just too extreme to win in the general election.

“As much as I would like for Bernie to win the primary, I just don’t think people are ready for socialist views yet,” Santilo said. “He would need to focus on broadening his policies if he wants a real chance at getting elected.”

Szymczak agreed with Santilo on this point.

“Bernie still has a loyal group of people that want to see him run again, there’s no doubt about that.

The problem is that he carries a socialist label and the Republicans will hit him hard for that,” Szymczak said. “We need someone who will have more of an appeal to a larger group of Americans.”

Mookerjee, on the other hand, said he believes Sanders has a real chance at winning the Democratic primary.

“People still like him. He still has support from his base. He’s passionate, and he would definitely be able to stand up to Trump on stage,” Mookerjee said.

Gail Gray, financial aid coordinator, said she is staunchly opposed to Sanders because the independent candidate doesn’t represent the Democratic party.

“I am a Democrat, and I have voted for Democrats my whole life.

I will never vote for Bernie Sanders. He isn’t a real Democrat,” Gray said. “He just uses the party when its convenient for him.

He only becomes a Democrat once every four years to run in the primary.”

Another front runner is former Congressman Beto O’Rouke, who almost unseated Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) last year. The biggest complaint among some is that O’Rouke, who is only 46, lacks any substantial policies and that this flaw will prevent him from winning the primary.

“Beto might have a real chance, but my biggest problem with him is that he doesn’t seem to really have any policies,” Santilo said.

Szymczak agreed.

“Beto O’Rouke has to develop some more concrete platforms,” Szymczak said. “He has a charismatic personality and comes off as sincere, but he needs more substance behind his policies.”

Mookerjee said O’Rouke’s time might come down the road.

“He did so well in Texas, but the fact of the matter is that he hasn’t been in the business long enough.

Most of his policies are not thought out enough, and this will result with him losing the primaries,” Mookerjee predicted.

“Give the guy another 10 years, and it could be a very different story.”

Mookerjee said he believes that Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) will have to wait for another election cycle as well.

“Booker is a very good candidate, but this isn’t his time yet.

This just isn’t his election cycle. He’ll have a much better chance in future elections.”

Szymczak shared that sentiment.

“Booker is well-spoken, and he will attract some voters, but the problem is that sometimes he fires too much from the hip,” Szymczak said. “ So he still has a shot, but I think that puts him at a disadvantage.”

Gray, on the other hand, said she believes that both O’Rouke and Booker will have a good chance, especially among the younger party base.

“Young people will definitely like Beto a lot,” Gray said. “Cory Booker could also do very well among young voters.”

Szymczak pointed out that, ultimately, no one really knows what is going to happen yet.

“It’s still too early to know anything for sure,” he said.

“A lot of things can happen between now and the next election.

We’ll just have to wait and see.”

April 2019

News

Penn State Beaver Roar

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Young, excited and ready to rock the vote ALEXEY STERN

Senior Staff Writer

ams8317@psu.edu

As the United States prepares for the 2020 presidential election, the young voters demographic (ages 18-29) is quickly rising to prominence as it shatters historic records in voter turnout.

According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), the nation’s leading research center on civic engagement of Millennials, young adult voters participated in the 2018 midterm election in recordbreaking numbers and the majority of these voters supported Democratic candidates by historic margins.

According to CIRCLE’s predictions, the amount of young democratic voters participating in the 2020 election will only be larger and the base will have an even greater

impact on the upcoming election cycle.

Robert Szymczak, associate professor of history, said that the demographics of the Democratic Party have changed since the 2016 presidential election.

“There’s a lot more younger people involved now,” Szymczak said. “The party is leaning more left and they have a lot more opinionated ideas.”

Rajen Mookerjee, a professor of economics, said that the demographics of the Democratic Party have undeniably shifted over the years.

“The Democratic Party is definitely younger, definitely more liberal, has a lot more people of color and they are definitely more opinionated,” Mookerjee said.

CIRCLE’s report explains that the reason there is a growing movement of young voters being active in politics is due to the extreme tension

and division occurring between the Republicans and Democrats; President Trump acting as the catalyst for the young voter’s overwhelming support for the Democratic Party, a.k.a. the opposition party.

In fact, according to two decades of research conducted by the Pew Research Center, the political polarization occurring between the Republicans and Democrats has never been as extreme as it is today.

The gap between the two parties has been estimated to have widened by more than double its original size in 1994.

With the young voter demographic rising in prominence, democratic candidates have taken notice and are marking more concentrated efforts in appealing to the rapidly growing base.

Gail Gray, financial aid coordinator, was amazed by how many young

voters participated in the 2018 midterm election.

“I’ve been voting since I was 19 and it was shocking to see how many of them came out for the midterms.

I’ve never seen it happen before,” Gray said.

Gray said she believes there are a lot of reasons young voters are coming out of the woodwork to get involved in the political process.

“It’s a tipping point. This is something that has been building and building and building over the years,” Gray said.

“Gun control is a big part of it.

It’s also a response from Trump winning. Some of these young people are still traumatized by the 2016 election.”

Other pivotal reasons young people are becoming so politically active relates back to money, or the lack of it.

“With the ridiculously high amounts of student loan debt, young people are realizing that they are going to be the first generation that will make less money than their parents,” Gray said.

“I think they are aware of this and they understand that if they don’t act now, they might never be able to dig themselves out of this hole.”

Gray said she believes that the reason the majority of young voters vote democrat is because the party is focusing on political topics they care about such as social issues and climate change.

“Neither party can offer everything, but the Democrats are at least offering something,” Gray said.

“They are focusing on some issues the young voters care about like diversity and inclusivity and climate change. The Republican Party isn’t offering them any of that.”

PERSON IN THE BISTRO

Who do you want to see win the Democratic presidential primary and why?

“Bernie Sanders. He knows what he wants and I know he’s looking out for the common person.”

Deontae Golden Freshman

“Bernie or Beto. I feel like they are more reasonable and I feel that they care about what the people want.”

Maria Slater Freshman

“Bernie Sanders. I like what he believes in. I like how he cares about social issues like Black Lives Matter and women’s rights.”

Maegan Crossland Freshman

“I’m leaning more towards Beto but I also like Bernie. I feel Beto is very rational, professional and stern in his beliefs.”

Heaven Bowman Freshman

“Bernie Sanders. He doesn’t take money from special interest groups or corporations. He’s dedicated to helping the average American worker.”

Robert Pratte

Junior

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

News

Few students attend safety training SOPHIA KRAMER Staff Writer

srk5268@psu.edu

“Run, Hide, Fight.”

This is the phrase which echoed throughout the Active Attacker Safety Training on March 27 where University Police discussed with students and faculty how to stay safe on campus.

Attendees gathered during common hour in a classroom in the Michael Baker Engineering and Sciences Building for the training.

Yet, despite several email announcements that led up to the training day, the majority of chairs were left empty.

Only four students and two faculty members were there.

This came to no surprise to training leader Sgt. Marque Wiese, who has participated in what amounts to six campus safety trainings per year during his eight years with the University Police.

Wiese said faculty members consistently show up and take an interest year after year, but it seems like students, in comparison, don’t pay attention or care. Wiese explained that he and his fellow officers are working on getting students involved and are open to suggestions.

The Roar/Dimitrios Kouvaras

Students watch the Active Attacker Safety Training video presented by University Police at a safety training March 27.

While the empty chairs sent a message of their own, the two professors and four students in attendance showed an increase in student participation compared to previous meetings.

The training session opened with a video simulating an active-attacker situation on a Penn State campus.

Students in the video were in a lifeor-death situation and the phrase “Run, Hide, Fight” was introduced.

The video demonstrated that the

best way to react to an attack on campus is to run away if possible, hide and barricade the area if it is unsafe to run and to directly fight the attacker if confronted.

Calling 911 should be the first priority as soon as one can do so safely.

In an emergency situation such as an attacker on campus, one should never assume 911 has already been called.

The end of the video emphasized the importance of having such safety

plans in place, which segued into the discussion portion of the training.

Assistant Teaching Professor Tiffany MacQuarrie said that at the beginning of each semester she tells her students a safety plan specific to her classroom.

Director of Enrollment Daniel Pinchot, who teaches communications classes, said he would take after MacQuarrie going forward and include an emergency preparedness section in his syllabi. Pinchot then asked the attending students their ideas for raising awareness.

The students unanimously agreed that campus safety procedures are important and should be discussed openly.

Freshman Maegan Crossland said her high school had two designated Safety Days each semester which were dedicated to teachers discussing different scenarios and safety procedures with their students.

Crossland suggested implementing a Safety Day at Penn State Beaver in order to raise awareness of important procedures such as those mentioned in the video.

The students, while taking the training seriously, agreed that they do feel safe on campus.

“Even walking to my car at night

Beaver welcomes new full-time officer

MATTHEW PALAHUNIK Senior Staff Writer

mgp5156@psu.edu

Christopher Veze is Penn State Beaver’s new police officer. Veze transferred from Penn State Greater Allegheny, where he spent five years before arriving at Beaver at the beginning of the semester. He’s been a police officer for 19 years.

Veze changed campuses because he moved to Hopewell Township in August 2018.

“This campus is very tranquil and peaceful,” Veze said. “It is comfortable here and a great campus.”

Sgt. Marque Wiese, station commander, said he is very excited to have a new member on the force. “We have been short of officers

since January 2018. (Veze) brings a lot of energy.”

Wiese described Veze as a very social and community-centered officer and said he believes he will make a great impact not only on the force, but across campus.

Wiese said the transition was smooth. All that Veze really had to do was learn the faces and geography of campus.

Associate Director of Student Affairs Amy Gartley said she is happy that a new member has been added to the Beaver community.

“I think he will be a great addition to our campus,” said Gartley. “I’m excited to see if he brings new ideas and curious of how we can improve our student involvement compared to Greater Allegheny.”

feels mostly safe,” said freshman Katelyn Fredericks.

Wiese’s message to students and faculty equates to “knowledge is power,” saying the more you know, the better prepared you would be if an active attack were to unfold.

Freshman Robert Rodgers said he attended the training in order to get answers to a few questions he had about defending himself and that he learned how to respond during an attack.

Crossland and Fredericks agreed that after attending the training they will pay more attention to their surroundings.

Police will host an intermediate scenario-based training Thursday, April 18 at 11 a.m. in room 8 of the Laboratory Classroom Building. Students interested in attending the scenario training can prepare by watching the active attacker training video located in the police section of the Penn State website at www.police. psu.edu/run-hide-fight-survivingactive-attacker.

Wiese recommends that any students or professors with concerns about their safety on campus attend.

“Come talk to us, ask questions and attend trainings. We are here to help.”

POLICE BEAT HARMONY HALL STUDENT FOUND WITH MARIJUANA

On March 8, a University Police officer detected the scent of marijuana while patrolling Harmony Hall. During his investigation, he seized marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Police later charged sophomore Keon T. Butler of Millersville, Md., with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Butler is a Roar staff writer this semester.

DATING VIOLENCE

Penn State Beaver photo

Officer Christopher Veze joined the campus police force in January.

University Police received a report from an anonymous source that dating violence might have occurred in Harmony Hall on Feb. 15.

The incident wasn’t reported until Mar. 12.

Police are investigating.

April 2019

News

Penn State Beaver Roar

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Mitchell leaving Beaver campus for Florida

KARL TRUSKOWSKI Senior Staff Writer

kzt5265@psu.edu

Student Activities and Residence Life Coordinator Sherikka Mitchell will be leaving Penn State Beaver May 15.

Mitchell’s decision to leave came down to advancing her career goals, avoiding the cold Pennsylvania weather and moving closer to her family in south Florida.

Surprisingly, she said she put her notice in about a year ago.

Mitchell said she is looking for professional growth in higher education but that she said she does not think that moving to a college town such as State College is for her.

“I don’t see myself being in the middle of this state in a complete college town,” said Mitchell.

Western Pennsylvania’s winters played a role as well. “It’s cold,”

Penn State Beaver photo

Peer leaders Jordan Davis, Josh Misiuda, Dominic Nocera, Vincenzo Croce, Shane Cepull, Karl Truskowski, Katie Work, Patrick Byers, Ashley Taylor, Cindy Chen and Savana Griggs pose with Sherikka Mitchell during New Student Orientation 2018.

Mitchell said jokingly.

Originally being from south Florida, she said that the constant backand-forth in temperature played a

pivotal role in her decision.

She also said she simply misses her family and being closer to them is important.

To her colleagues, Mitchell’s departure is like losing a family member.

Jill Bender, administrative support assistant in Student Affairs, said that while it’s part of the job that colleagues come and go, Mitchell was like a sister to her.

“We are complete opposites from each other, but we get along so well,” said Bender.

Amy Gartley, associate director of Student Affairs, said the campus is losing Mitchell’s visibility and approachability.

“The students could relate to her, which is so important for us,” said Gartley.

Bender said Mitchell’s high energy connected with students. “You would see her screaming, singing or jumping around the campus, and that energy is contagious.”

Junior Maddy Shaof said it is a

tough loss for the campus as some students were just starting to get to know Mitchell.

“I think a lot of us were beginning to get comfortable with her, and now we have to meet someone new,” Shaof said.

Sophomore Joshua Misiuda worked for Mitchell as a peer leader last summer and said it was one of the best experiences he’s ever had.

“It makes me so sad,” he said. “We had so much fun with her, and it’s going to be hard to replace her.”

Junior Shane Cepull, an Student Government Association senator, said Mitchell’s successor will have heavy shoes to fill. As he plans to move up in SGA, he hopes it’s not difficult with an unfamiliar face.

His sister, senior Brenna Cepull, agreed. “Although it is sad to see her go, I know she will continue to do amazing things in years to come.”

Three Roar staff members win state press award GABBY FIFFICK

Senior Staff Writer

gef5101@psu.edu

In the wake of the tragic events that struck Penn State Beaver in December of 2018, the Penn State Beaver Roar staff had no other choice than to report on it.

Penn State Beaver’s student newspaper, The Roar, won first place in the 2019 Student Keystone Press Award competition in Division II for the ongoing news coverage category for the news package “Shattered by Violence.”

The package was comprised of three stories related to the tragic murder-suicide of Chef Lesli Stone in December 2017.

According to the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, the Student Keystone Press Awards contest recognizes high school and college journalism that provides relevance, integrity and initiative in serving readers.

Three senior staff writers – senior Savana Griggs, current managing

STERN

GRIGGS

editor; senior Alexey Stern, current editorial page editor; and former managing editor Chris Rotondo who graduated in spring 2018 –wrote the articles in this package under the guidance of Daniel Pinchot, adjunct instructor of communications, who teaches Communications 260W and is a co-adviser for the newspaper.

“It was tough,” Pinchot said. “It’s a tough story because it’s so personal.

We all knew Lesli. Our hearts were broken but we still had a job to do.”

The articles focused on recounting the events of that day, reflecting on Stone and her contributions to the campus over her many years, as

ROTONDO

well as a look at domestic abuse.

Stone’s exhusband William Kelly shot and killed her in the parking lot in the middle of the afternoon before turning the gun

on himself.

Griggs documented the events that occurred on Dec. 13.

“I knew that it would be intimidating, but I didn’t really understand how hard it was going to be until I did my first interview with (former public relations director) April Johnson because I had the news portion of the story,” Griggs said. “I had to go over the details of the crime and I learned things many other students didn’t know.”

Griggs said she was shocked when she found out they received the firstplace award.

Rotondo’s article focused on

Stone’s life.

“Knowing we won the award is very humbling, but it was a weird article to win an award for. It’s an article we never wanted to write,” Rotondo said. “To be awarded this for the work that we did, maybe in some small way we made an impact and honored her legacy and be honest about the situation.”

Although all agreed it was a difficult story to report on, they all said it is the story they are most proud of.

“The article I wrote was definitely the most significant one I have ever written. I am both humbled and proud to have been given a chance to work with some of the best writers the Roar had,” Stern said.

Stern’s piece focused on domestic violence and he admits that he didn’t have to get as personal with the tragic event as Griggs and Rotondo.

“I felt that Chris and Savana were so respectful and worked so hard on their stories because they understood the gravity and importance of this

assignment,” said Stern.

Even Pinchot said he was surprised.

“In truth, I could have never thought this award would have come. It was a very pleasant surprise,” Pinchot said. “Now looking back on what they did, I never doubt that it was worthy.”

Pinchot said he was proud of his students.

“I think what was interesting is that you had three very different reporters with different styles and approaches covering three very different aspects of this tragedy. These story assignments matched them,” he said.

“This story was very difficult for them to cover because they were so involved. To do them right took a lot of work and effort. We got the very best work out of three of our very best reporters,” Pinchot added.

The three reporters were honored along with other contest winners at a luncheon in Hershey April 3.

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

News

PSU insurance mandate reversed TONY GOOD Staff Writer

apg5113@psu.edu

Provost Nick Jones said that the university has decided to “hit the pause button” on a proposed health insurance requirement that would have automatically enrolled uninsured students in a health insurance plan.

Jones, along with Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses Madlyn Hanes, met with Penn State Beaver students Feb. 28 to discuss issues on campus.

The decision to delay the requirement, announced just a day earlier, was based mainly on concerns about its impact on students, Jones said “We decided to implement it a little bit later,” said Jones. “The cost is a burden, but in the long term we are committed.”

Uninsured students can put their ability to succeed in school at risk if they become sick or injured, and can also be in danger of accumulating high debt, university officials have said.

Currently, the university requires all students to submit their health insurance coverage information through LionPATH after registering for classes.

Estimates pegged the cost of the university health insurance plan at more than $2,600 a year.

According to Jones, the proposed health insurance requirement was intended to start this fall. No time-

The Roar/Daniel J. Pinchot

Provost Nick Jones and Vice President Madlyn Hanes address students during a forum Feb. 28.

line has been announced about when the policy might be reinstated.

Discussion then shifted to the subject of the high tunnel, which was opened last October.

Farm students expressed that while the tunnel was a big milestone, they

were having issues with the smaller campus garden and the Laboratory Classroom Building greenhouse.

Students said that the location of the campus garden isn’t ideal and there aren’t enough sources of water.

As for the greenhouse, there simply

isn’t enough room for farming operations and class activities.

“Is it possible to get elevated racks in the high tunnel?” asked Jones. “ We could get funding for shelves,” said Carey McDougall, director of Academic Affairs.

“We can ask your chancellor and academic officer to follow up on that,” said Hanes.

The university leaders also discussed planning for Capital Day March 20.

Capital Day gave students the opportunity to speak and advocate with legislators on March 20. Five students traveled to Harrisburg for the day of meetings.

Jones and Hanes expressed concerns over the event’s lack of exposure on campus.

“Students tell us it’s a privilege,” said Jones. “Some campuses take a full bus load of students.”

Students suggested Stall Stories as a way to market the event more effectively. A collage of pictures from last year’s trip was also popular among students.

Kristen Doerschner, director of Campus Relations, helped coordinate the event.

“This year was a big learning curve,” said Doerschner.

“It’s the first year our campus has participated.”

Doerschner said that she would help prepare for next year’s event by starting the organization process earlier. “We need to meet ahead of time to review talking points,” said Doerschner.

Jones urged the campus to be more active with future Capital Days.

“This is not only a leadership opportunity, but a transforming opportunity,” said Jones.

Streaming issues force radio club to roll with the punches ALEXEY STERN

Senior Staff Writer ams8317@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver Radio Club, otherwise known as BVR Studios, faces streaming issues as the club transitions to a new service.

The existing streaming service was supposed to end March 31, though the old link still worked as of April1.

According to Alex D’Itri, the presi-

dent of the radio club, listerners will have to set new bookmarks for the station but they won’t know what these bookmarks will be until the transition is finished.

“There will have to be a new link with the transition but we don’t know what it will be yet,” D’Itri said.

Although the situation may seem negative, many of the members of WBVR have a positive outlook.

Greg Hartung, lecturer in communications and advisor for the club, said that as of right now, the club is operating as normal. In fact, Hartung looks at the situation as an opportunity to improve the club.

“March 31 is a deadline we are addressing and we are already in the process of solving it. We already have two or three potential streaming services we are interested in,”

Hartung said in late March “Having this short-term problem will actually benefit us in the future because it is encouraging us to work together and make decisions as a team.”

D’Irti said that the hardest part about the situation is just waiting for the transition to be completed.

“We should be able to replace it.

It’s just an issue that is causing us some stress since we still don’t know

how long it will take. But we are just rolling with the punches,” D’Itri said.

Ashley Taylor, a 20-year-old junior who listens to the campus radio, said that listeners just need to be patient and see what happens.

“I think it is important to support the club because you are supporting the Penn State Beaver community,” Taylor said. “We just need to give them some time to adjust.”

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Summer trade-off Students struggle to pay for classes without much help from financial aid NATE SHARIF Staff Writer

nas5758@psu.edu

The Roar/Marlena Engen

Josh Necastro uses an eBook while Lizzie Begley has a traditional textbooks their French 002 class.

Few students choose eBooks NICHOLAS CAIN Staff Writer

ndc5152@psu.edu

As more things shift toward a digital format online, many college students must decide whether to purchase textbooks on a digital medium like a tablet or laptop or pay more for a physical copy.

At Penn State Beaver, students seem to prefer old-fashioned textbooks.

Digital textbooks, commonly referred to as eBooks, have been taking many college campuses by storm.

Websites such as Yuzu and Chegg are two online education platforms that offer eBook services to college students. One of Chegg’s main taglines is that you can save up to 90 percent on textbooks, which can resonate well with college students, many of whom struggle financially.

For example, the textbook used in Management (MGMT) 301, “Contemporary Management Ninth Edition” by Gareth Jones and Jennifer George, can be purchased used at the campus bookstore for $239 and rented used for $152, whereas the digital ebook can be purchased from the campus bookstore for $219 and rented for $171.

Meanwhile, the same textbook is offered on Chegg in a digital format at just $12.99.

Despite the savings of eBooks, students at Beaver are not biting.

Campus bookstore employee Robin Marchitelli said that many of the popular books that are sold at the location also have a digital version to purchase in addition to their physical counterpart.

Marchitelli said that even though the bookstore offers a good amount of digital textbooks, most students go for the physical copy even if it ends up costing more.

“Students only seem to purchase digital copies if it seems to be an easier, lower-level course. For the harder, upper-level courses, the students lean more towards physical.”

Junior Shane Cepull had mixed reactions towards eBooks, but said he preferred buying physical copies. “eBooks are good due to their convenience and price factor, but I would rather have a physical copy in front of me,” he said.

Cepull added that he feels that there is more of a resale value when purchasing textbooks in a physical format. “You cannot resell a digital copy of something. There’s a better

return on investment when purchasing something physically.”

Faculty seem to dislike the digital variation of textbooks as well.

Angela Fishman, associate teaching professor of mathematics, said that she has taught classes in the past that used online textbooks, such as her MATH 21 course.

“There were many times where we had technical issues throughout that course,” Fishman said. She explained that there were multiple occurrences where students had problems pulling up their textbooks online.

Not everyone had something negative to say about eBooks, however.

Sophomore Madison Windmaier said that she prefers the digital medium over a physical variation.

“I find it to be an extremely cheaper alternative, and most digital copies have a search feature which can be very helpful to find something that you need quickly,” she said.

Windmaier added that she did not believe that there were any negative aspects towards digital textbooks.

“Almost all of my textbooks were purchased digitally over the past two semesters, but I rarely see any other students on campus using them,” she said.

Students looking to enroll in summer classes may have to dig deep financially depending on how many credits they want to take.

Penn State Beaver summer classes begin in May and run through August. The classes vary in length ranging from four to 14 weeks.

The price for summer classes at Penn State Beaver is determined by the amount of credits being taken.

For example, the rate for a Pennsylvania resident attending Beaver in a three-credit class is $1,572 dollars while out of state students will pay $2,613.

Unlike a typical fall or spring semester, financial aid may not offer much help for strudents in summer.

Registrar Rachel Zughaib says Penn State wants students to enroll in classes that they are comfortable with given the advanced curriculum and shortened amount of time to take the class.

However, since students seldom have any financial aid left from the previous semesters to pay for summer classes, this leaves some students at Beaver fretting over the bill as opposed to worrying about class

length or difficulty.

Financial Aid Coordinator Gail Gray says that while government student loans may not be available, there are options for students to receive funds without having to pay out of pocket.

Students may qualify for the Pell grant, work-study program and the special Pathways to Success summer program. Private alternative loans are also an option, as long as the student can pass the credit check or has a credit-worthy cosigner.

Students wanting to gain more information on financial aid should visit https://studentaid.psu.edu/.

To receive the high-caliber education that Penn State offers, it invariably comes with a substantial price tag.

“Affordability will be the factor on whether or not I can take summer classes,” freshman Matt Lewis said half smiling.

“Being able to pay for summer classes is my primary concern,” Lewis said.

Lewis is not alone in his concern over the cost of summer classes.

Junior Ashley Taylor says when she took summer classes, she would only take two. Taylor took summer classes so she can graduate early.

RECYCLE THE ROAR

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

Viewpoints

MANAGING EDITOR Savana Griggs

scg5198@psu.edu

PHOTO EDITOR Karl Truskowski kzt5265@psu.edu

BUSINESS MANAGER Nick Pelino

nap5311@psu.edu

COPY DESK Alex D’Itri

avd5623@psu.edu

Marlena Engen

mqe5192@psu.edu

Gabby Fiffick

gef5101@psu.edu

Tony Good

Penn State leaders: Thanks for listening Delaying the health insurance requirement a good move Penn State deserves kudos for stopping a university-wide student health insurance mandate from being enacted this fall.

The requirement that uninsured and underinsured students would automatically be enrolled in a health plan and automatically billed for it would have presented a very real financial hurdle for many students.

University leaders made the right choice to delay the decision.

The student body voiced its

concern and Penn State heard and responded.

With over 98,000 students strong from 19 Commonwealth Campuses, it’s easy to think that Penn State doesn’t pay much attention to its students – especially those who don’t take classes at the “main” campus.

Students still have a voice and Penn State officials have shown that they are listening.

But officials need to keep listening to student concerns on

this issue. Rather than delaying it, they need to kill the mandate altogether.

Penn State estimated the cost at about $2,600 a year. That’s an unconscionable bill to hand to students, especially the ones who likely couldn’t afford the cost of insurance in the first place.

Penn State should be applauded for its recent actions, but needs to finish the job by saying it will never mandate student health insurance.

apg5113@psu.edu

Shelton Hilliard szh151@psu.edu

Jesse Jamery jjj192@psu.edu

Dimitrios Kouvaras dpk5374@psu.edu

Sophia Kramer srk5268@psu.edu

Ryan Lockhart rnl5086@psu.edu

Robert Musgrave rum875@psu.edu

Matthew Palahunik mgp5156@psu.edu

Nate Sharif

nas5857@psu.edu

Alexey Stern

ams8317@psu.edu

Matylda Zamudio mmz5236@psu.edu

ADVISERS Cathy Benscoter cub15@psu.edu

Daniel Pinchot djp114@psu.edu

2020 presidential race deserves your attention Voting is a privilege.

Your voice can be heard, but you have the responsibility to be informed.

Without doing the proper research, you aren’t really doing anything.

You’re throwing a dart in the dark and hoping for the best.

Or, worse, you’re sitting back and letting someone else decide your future.

Nowhere will your attention and research be more critical than with the revolving door of candidates who have announced their intention to run for president in the 2020 Democratic primary election.

With 15 candidates having already announced and more in the wings —including former Vice

President Joe Biden, who is expected to run — voters will have their hands full learning about the candidates in order to make the most informed choice.

If you aren’t happy with the results of the 2016 election, then you have an obligation to step up to the plate and to learn about the candidates.

If you are happy with the results, then you still have an obligation to learn about the candidates.

What it really boils down to is if you really want to contribute to the upcoming election, you must do your homework on t he issues and the candidates.

You have a voice.

You have a vote.

Don’t waste it.

Your mom doesn’t live here (but if she did, she’d tell you to clean up the kitchen)

Dear Residents of Harmony Hall, We’ve been here before.

Once it was poop in the hallways. (Ewwww!)

Another time it was freakishly bad stuff in the bathrooms. (Did you really think THAT would flush?)

There have been little fires, stacks of laundry, bad smells. You name it, we’ve heard about it.

But now you’re verging into the relm of “why we can’t have nice things.”

The good people of Housing and Food spent a lot of time, effort and cold hard cash creating a community kitchen for you. They gave you appliances, a big island to gather around, and stuff to cook with.

Some of you are using it appropriately. We’ve seen yummy Facebook posts of seared salmon and pasta. We’ve wanted a dinner invite.

Others of you, not so much. See that food you left on the counter? Pick it up.

Wipe down the island. Clean the food off of the stove. Keep the grease out of the sink.

And for the love of the Nittany Lion and the Glory of Old State, do your damn dishes!

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor are encouraged and can be emailed to: scg5198@ psu.edu. Please include your full name, address, email address and cell phone number.

ADS FOR CLUBS Free advertising space is offered to any university-recognized 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: nap5311@ 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 2019

News

Penn State Beaver Roar

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Dirty dishes plague Harmony Hall M. L. ENGEN Staff Writer

mqe5192@psu.edu

Residents of Harmony Hall are concerned about the kitchen not being taken care of.

Dirty dishes are being left in the sink, food is left out instead of being thrown away, and even burger grease has been poured down the drain, causing it to clog.

Students have made reports to the Residence Life office that their fellow residents have not been cleaning up after themselves as they are expected to do.

Senior Taylor Myers, a resident assistant, has seen a majority of the kitchen problems.

“The most common problem is that nobody is washing their dishes,” Myers said.

“Many of the residents utilize the kitchen, which we like, but they won’t wash their dishes or clean the stove off when they are finished,” Myers said.

Jeremy Lindner, director of Housing and Food Services, said he’s not surprised that the residents are not taking care of the kitchen the way he hoped they would.

The Roar/ Marlena Engen

From left, Riley Thomas, Coltin Kunz, Robert Stoop and Brianna Ways use the kitchen in Harmony Hall. Students have complained to staff that residents aren’t keeping the new kitchen clean.

“This is my 15th year doing this.

I see how they leave the bathrooms and the hallways. So the realization is that we knew going into it that the students would not clean as much as we would want them too,”’ Lindner said.

Sophomore Malaysia Wallace said

she enjoys the kitchen and thinks it was a great idea to put it into the hall. She said it is not too much to ask for the residents to clean up after themselves when they are done using the kitchen.

“It is basically the same rules in the dorm,” she said. “You have to clean

up after yourself and leave it how you found it.”

Freshaman Riley Thomas said that she enjoys having the kitchen available when the Bistro closes.

“Students need to understand that if they don’t take care of it, it is going to be taken away,” Thomas said.

Andy Kiefer, residence life coordinator, said that the kitchen is there for the student use to cook and eat with their friends, but they have to be adults about it. If they were to have a kitchen in their apartment, they would have to have a certain level of cleanliness, he said.

Amy Gartley, associate director of residence life, said that cleanliness is the biggest concern for her.

Gartley said that everyone has their definition of what clean is, so while the kitchen would be considered unclean to one student, another one would consider it to be acceptable.

The housing staff tries to take care of the kitchen as much as it can.

Staffers clean it out every day unless there are special circumstances.

Kiefer said that Residence Life is using these problems as learning experiences rather than as punishments.

“Best case scenario, we will continue to try to educate the best we can,” Kiefer said.

“Worst case scenario, we would have to close it while we try to figure out better ways to fix the problems,” he added.

Undergraduate Exhibition will feature student work DIMITRIOS KOUVARAS Staff Writer

dpk5374@psu.edu

Penn State Beaver is drawing ever closer to its annual Undergraduate Exhibition at the end of the spring semester.

The Undergraduate Exhibition is designed to highlight research, engaged scholarship and creative activities of students, according to Penn State’s website.

The event showcases student presentations of in-depth, original and scholarly work and research from all academic disciplines.

It will take place in the Student

Union Building Lodge on April 24.

Sixteen students will be participating this year and their presentations will start at 12:15 p.m.

Irene Wolf, associate teaching professor of philosophy, is a member of the planning committee and will be coordinating the event alongside other faculty members.

“This event is a fun way for students to show off their amazing work and how well their tuition is paying off,” Wolf said.

“Rather than keep work in the classrooms, students actually get a chance to present to the public,” she added.

Wolf said she believes that this

event provides golden opportunities to the students who participate.

According to Wolf, multiple presentations will occur in four categories: three creative works, three in the humanities, four in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and five in the social sciences.

Each project requires one or more faculty members to mentor students.

Three professionals, all of whom are experts in their fields, will judge.

“The work presented at this event has the potential to look very well to future employers. Every year, the students do some absolutely amazing work and the event will really blow

your mind,” says Wolf.

Michael Hay, associate professor of chemistry and an event committee member, said he believes that the exhibit is an opportunity for people to socialize and learn from each other.

“Penn State University promotes teaching, research and service. Therefore, many of our faculty mentor individual students throughout the year in various scholarship activities, such as research, creative activities and service learning,” said Hay. “On the last Wednesday of the academic year, Penn State Beaver highlights those students and the activities that they have worked on

with their faculty mentor over the past year.”

Hay and John Chapin, professor of communications, another committee member, both said they believe that students should attend this event to support and socialize with their fellow students as they present their work.

“The event started as a way for students to share their research projects and compete for fabulous prizes.

Two years ago, we added the creative activities category, which has included photography and video,” Chapin said.

“Come for the projects, stay for the warm pretzels with cheese!”

April 2019

Features

Penn State Beaver Roar

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Students travel to Europe for spring break MATTHEW PALAHUNIK Senior Staff Writer

mgp5156@psu.edu

“Bonjour” and “hallo,” Penn State Beaver students said as they spent their spring break in Europe.

Assistant Teaching Professor of Business Daniel Smith was one of two faculty members who led students to France and the Netherlands for the week-long excursion.

“The trip was an excellent learning experience for all of the students.

Students got a chance to experience both the French and Dutch cultures,” said Smith. The trip was both fun and educational.

“The main goal of the trip was to familiarize students with international business, history, the arts, culture and the university system in the Netherlands and France,” Smith said.

Unlike most whose favorite spots were the tourist locations, Smith said his favorite spot was a quaint cheese shop in Delft, a “charming” city about 10 miles from Amsterdam.

“Europe was picked because Penn State Beaver has working relationships with Lille Catholic University in France and The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) in the Netherlands,” said Smith.

“It was great and hectic because we were changing countries every day,” said sophomore Zain Ansari.

“It was very mind opening and I learned a lot from the trip,” Ansari added. “The Eiffel Tower at night is one of the most beautiful things I saw because I didn’t know it flickered at the end of each hour.”

Ansari said he took the trip because of the price, friends who were going and Smith and Professor of Business Talha Harcar who went.

“I didn’t have to be alone and lost,” said Ansari. “We visited a lot of tourist places and everything was nice.”

Thirteen students participated in the trip.

“I wanted to learn about a different culture and see how business woks in a different culture,” sophomore Nupur Patel said. “I’m Hindu and I would love to learn about

Submitted by Marney Haddad

Students pose with Professor Talha Harcar in Amsterdam. Pictured, front, Kyle Cardwell, from left, Nupur Patel, Elizabeth Begley, Taylor Myers, Harcar, Madyson Widmaier, Robert Shoop, Sarah Olszewski, Joshua Hetzer, from top left, Zain Ansari, Marney Haddad, Tony Chen, Gareth Hudges and Kristine Behme.

different cultures and study them because I love to do that.”

Patel said it was her dream to visit the Eiffel Tower and watch as it sparkled at the end of each hour. “When I went there, I was so excited.” Patel said the most difficult part was to talk to others since they didn’t speak English.

Sophomore Marney Haddad said she loved Europe. “My favorite memory of Europe was Amsterdam and it was very different from Pittsburgh,” said Haddad, noting the architecture in Amsterdam was particularly beautiful.

Haddad said the students who took the trip all bonded. “We all became close friends.” Haddad said she went to Europe in high school and noted that it is so much cheaper now.

She said all students should participate in one of the international trips Penn State Beaver offers.

Submitted by Robert Stoop

Left: Robert Stoop, Nupur Patel, Zain Ansari and Marney Haddad stand in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Above: Students visited the Louvre museum in Paris.

Submitted by. Marney Haddad

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

Features

D&G Pizza expands location in Monaca ALEX D’ITRI

Senior Staff Writer avd5623@psu.edu

Students looking for a good slice of pizza at a low price less than five minutes away from campus are in luck.

D&G Pizza on Old Brodhead Road in Center Township has recently expanded its property. It is now offering lots of the crusty, square pizza customers adore, but with lots more space for patrons to dine in.

The locally owned pizza place now features a new bar and dining room area that are now joined to the original shop.

The original half of the location has a cozy, small town feel to it with large booths lining the walls and small tables filling the middle of the dining room.

The Roar/ Alex D’Itri

Chef Greg Powell puts pizza in a box at D&G Pizza on Brodhead Road.

The new bar and dining room side of D&G is dimly lit and has large, open spaces between tables, giving it

more of a nightlife aesthetic.

The owner, Lori Levato, said she was eager to claim the space that had

opened up next to her to expand her business. She has been the owner since 2004 and is proud of her family business. She said the first D&G pizza was opened in Beaver Falls by family members in 1965.

Levato says that they get a large variety of customers at different times of the day.

She said they have regulars who come in for lunch every day, new ones that come over from the Fairfield Inn hotel down the road and a large night crowd that comes for the bar and stays for the pizza and wings.

The square pizza offered by D&G is an old family recipe that Levato says has been tweaked over the years to be the saucy, cheesy dish it is today.

Junior Bobby Thompson says that the pizza there is unique tasting and is one of his favorites in the area.

“I don’t go as often as I want to.

It’s more of a special occasion place to me,” Thompson said.

Levato credits some of her recent success to her long-time friend and new manager Greg Powell.

Powell became the manager with the re-opening and has played a big role in introducing new items to the menu.

He also was responsible for the restaurant’s new lunch specials, which Powell says have become favorites among the regular customer base. “The customers tell us what they want and we listen. Right now, we are working on getting new margaritas and specialty cocktails,” Powell said.

“My favorite part of this job is getting to talk to people, hearing their stories and being a part of people’s days,” said Powell.

Features

April 2019

Penn State Beaver Roar

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Workers keep campus clean, safe for students ALEX D’ITRI

Senior Staff Writer avd5623@psu.edu

Early in the morning before any classes start, tucked away at the far end of the resident’s parking lot the Physical Plant building comes alive with the hum of engines and smells of coffee and engine grease.

Half of the 12 full-time Penn State Beaver Physical Plant workers head inside to clean buildings, with the rest of the team doing whatever is needed to do to keep the campus running.

In winter, snow is the crew’s primary concern.

Mark Beatty, physical plant supervisor, said that he watches the weather predictions closely and plans accordingly.

He said that they always err on the side of caution when planning on how to keep the campus safe.

Beatty said that during the winter they have people on campus prepared for the snow 16 hours a day, seven days a week and can put someone on overtime to plow snow and salt the roads longer if needed.

As seasons change, so does the work. In spring and summer, the crew focuses on cutting grass and landscaping projects like cutting down dead trees and replacing mulch in flower beds.

While the full-time employees spend their days keeping the large, open fields of grass cut with tractors, student workers keep the campus’ hills and smaller nooks and crannies near the buildings trimmed with weed whackers.

Full-time maintenance worker Andrew Holko, the newest worker on the crew, said that there is a lot he likes about the job.

He said he enjoys working with knowledgeable, hardworking people in the buildings and on the grounds.

“I love working outdoors, but even working in the buildings is good because of the people I work with,” said Holko.

In the fall, the focus changes to the falling leaves. This means attaching vacuum systems to the trucks and

The Roar/Alex D’Itri

The Roar/Gabby Fiffick

Top: Dion Petrella and James Terney use a reciprocating saw to trim the rough edges of an old rubber drainage pipe to be used in a flower bed. Bottom left: Petrella and Terney close off the dig site with caution tape in front of the Student Union Building. Bottom right: Petrella operates a small bulldozer.

tractors to suck leaves off the ground where they can, while the student workers use leaf blowers and rakes where the tractors will not fit.

Senior Ben Foringer has been a student employee for three years and says that it is the best job he has had yet.

“We work part time through the semesters at 20 hours a week and full time over the summer,” Foringer said. “It can be hard work, but the pay is decent for a college kid and my bosses treat me great. They let me work around my class schedule and I can take a day off if I ever need to.”

Beatty said that his student employees are invaluable to operations at Penn State Beaver.

They are responsible for cutting grass, salting and shoveling sidewalks and setting up and tearing down events.

Beatty is also proud to report that they have never had a major accident on the job.

Freshman Kloe Lind said that she often sees golf carts and trucks driving on sidewalks and they always look busy with something.

“Earlier this semester after a big storm, I saw them dragging tree limbs off the road and was surprised just how quickly they moved on it,” Lind said.

Physical Plant workers must be problem solvers.

Holko works the evening shift and is responsible for anything that needs to be done after 3:30 p.m., whether that is keeping the roads clear of fallen branches or keeping students safe during power outages.

Some weeks ago in the evening, Holko said he received a call that the lights in the gym’s parking lot had all gone out.

He said that it was up to him and two student workers to keep people coming and going safely at the basketball game.

Holko moved all of the trucks and utility vehicles up to the lot and parked them strategically to provide lighting until the electrician arrived to fix the power breaker, he said.

Problem solved.

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

Features

Lefties struggle in a right-handed world MOLLY VERONE Staff Writer

mev5149@psu.edu

Junior Anthony Pappas says he can still remember sitting in his firstgrade class and having to ask his friend to cut out his shapes for him because there were no left-handed scissors in his classroom. He found that he simply could not use the right-handed ones.

Cutting with scissors was one of the hardest things about growing up and being left-handed, Pappas said.

According to ScienceDaily, only 8 to 15 percent of the adult population is left-handed, which means that there are very few left-handed students at Penn State Beaver. That means that out of the roughly 600 students enrolled, between 48 and 90 would most likely be left-handed.

Pappas said his parents first

The Roar/Molly Verone

Anthony Pappas writes notes using his left hand during a class.

noticed that he was left-handed when he was in preschool and started to favor his left hand, but they weren’t surprised because Pappas’s father is also left-handed.

Now as a college student, Pappas

said that he hardly faces any challenges when it comes to being a leftie, other than writing in spiral notebooks. Since spiral notebooks are made to be written from left to right, anytime he writes in one, the side of

his left-hand gets covered in led from his pencil.

“Every-day things should be made for lefties and righties. You can get coffee regular or decaf. You should be able to buy a left-handed notebook,” said Pappas.

Junior Bobby Thompson is another student who is left-handed.

Thompson said he has learned to adapt to do things differently. He said he is a “lefty living in a righthanded world.”

Thompsons plays the guitar, and he said that finding a left-handed guitar can be very difficult.

“When I walk into a guitar shop, there are walls full of beautiful righthanded guitars and only two or three crappy left-handed guitars,” said Thompson.

Thompson said he does get a lot of attention for being a left-handed

guitar player though. He said that after his shows, people will come up to him and say, “Hey, I noticed you’re left-handed. You’re like that Jimi Hendrix guy,” said Thompson.

Student Affairs Administrative Assistant Jill Bender is also left-handed. Not only is she a leftie, but her husband is also left-handed.

Surprisingly, Bender’s two children are both right-handed. She said that her daughter does do some things with her left hand, but that her son does everything with his right hand.

A challenge that Bender said she faced with her children was trying to teach them how to tie their shoes because it was backward from how she does it.

“Overall, I really enjoy being lefthanded because it’s not as common,” Bender said.

April 2019

Features

Penn State Beaver Roar

15

Students ‘escape’ from mall’s newest addition KARL TRUSKOWSKI Senior Staff Writer

kzt5265@psu.edu

Conquer the Clock, a new escape room experience, had its grand opening on Feb. 2 in the Beaver Valley Mall.

Located next door to the old Macy’s, mall-goers are offered a unique challenge other than deciding on what shirt to buy that day.

An escape room is a game in which the players are placed inside of a themed room and must solve puzzles to make their way out.

In Conquer the Clock’s case, players find a riddle and may have a word that corresponds to the riddle. If players can solve the riddle before the 60-minute time limit, they are able to escape. “It’s like a scavenger hunt based inside four walls,” said owner Tara Winkelman.

Players are offered three different rooms to try to escape, with a fourth option coming soon. Both Christmas Chaos and Swan Song are traditional escape rooms which consist of finding boxes, locks and other hidden clues in order to escape.

Conquer the Clock’s third room, Finding White Rabbit, is a generation-two room. Winkelman said it is technology focused and players use a phone or other technology to

The Roar/ Karl Truskowski

Tara Winkleman, owner of the escape room at the Beaver Valley Mall, shows how to use the room’s equipment.

advance to the next step of escaping.

Tim Mascari, general manager of the Beaver Valley Mall, said that Conquer the Clock could not have come at a better time.

He had been looking to add an escape room to the mall for about two years, he said, adding that this initiative was due to a lack of an entertainment focus in the mall.

“The biggest growth segments in retail today are in entertainment and food,” said Mascari. “We were lacking in the entertainment department.” For Conquer the Clock, opening in the mall was the best course of action. Wickelman said the mall is offering its hand with marketing and, even without that marketing, there is much heavier foot traffic

in the mall than being in a standalone building.

“I’m here to help them succeed in any way I can,” said Mascari.

Conquer the Clock’s grand opening was successful enough to give Wickelman confirmation that this business can work. Her time slots were completely booked from 2:30 until she locked the doors at 9 p.m.

Another partner of Conquer the Clock is another local escape room located on Brodhead Road in Monaca. Operation: Escape Room is not considered a competitor, according to Wickelman.

“The thing with this business, none of our rooms are like theirs,” said Wickelman. “So if you come in and do all of our rooms, you can’t do anything until we switch them.”

She said that there needs to be variety offered, so the two businesses need to help each other rather than compete.

As the business continues to grow, Wickelman plans to expand into more than just escape rooms. Eventually, she would like to add more options such as laser tag or a trampoline park.

Freshman Matthew Lewis said he hopes they do expand to offer more entertainment options.

“I feel like you can only do an escape room so many times, even if they change it up,” said Lewis.

Conquer the Clock is open Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Each room costs $25 per player.

Reservations are needed and can be booked online at www.conquertheclock-escape.com.

DiscoverU helps undecided students find the right major AMANDA SCHOLL Staff Writer

als698@psu.edu

According to a report published by the National Clearing House Research Center, a nation-wide institution that focuses on higher education enrollment, only 54 percent of students who enroll in college graduate with a bachelor’s degree within six years.

The report says that there are many reasons why a student may drop out. One of the greatest factors is lack of motivation.

That’s why students in Communications 471: Public Relations Methods, will be hosting the event DiscoverU, to help undecided students learn more about options for majors.

This annual event will take place Wednesday, April 13 in the Student Union Building Lodge from noon to 1:15 p.m. Free food and drinks will be available.

Juniors Jesse Martin and Alexey Stern both started as managers on the project last fall.

“My favorite aspect of preparing DiscoverU was working with faculty

and facilitators to create the activities for the event,” said Stern, who is also a senior staff writer for The Roar.

DiscoverU is aimed at undecided students or those who are unsure if the major they have picked is actually right for them.

In essence, DiscoverU helps students that are having difficulty finding their passion.

“My favorite part of this event is making a real-world impact on the campus and making a difference on the lives of Penn State Beaver students,” Stern said.

“The hardest part of making an event of this size was making sure these moving parts are operating smoothly,” Stern said. “Another challenge is getting everything done on time.

Balance is key for the class and making sure that we do the event justice for our facilitators, clients and, most importantly, the students.”

DiscoverU is a unique event because it is centered on activities and games that are designed to engage and help students learn about majors.

The event works with faculty and aims to give students a chance to meet professors.

Martin said he enjoyed making the logos. “Having artistic liberties and freedom helped me put an image to DiscoverU.” Martin said there’s much to learn from organizing this event.

“The class itself gives you a realworld experience working with budgets, clients and team members. If you were in charge of another event as a job, this is how it would actually work,” said Martin.

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Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

Features

Rolling desks invade campus J. J. JAMERY Staff Writer

jjj192@psu.edu

Take a quick look into General Classroom Building classroom 102 on any given day, and it may look like a tornado just passed through.

With chairs sprinkled about the room in a haphazard order and white boards seemingly everywhere, many will see this room as nothing but chaos.

But there are others who peer into GCB 102 and see opportunity.

They see an educational space that is unique and engaging.

They see education being taken to another level.

Penn State Beaver is starting to break away from the traditional classroom and trending toward what are being called “21st Century Learning Spaces” all over campus.

The best example of the more futuristic learning space is GCB 102.

GCB 102 consists of 30 deskchairs, all on wheels. Additionally, there are three double-sided white boards on wheels. The room also houses a projector system, a podium and chalkboards.

Finance and Business Director Adam Rathbun said that the desk-

The Roar/J. J. Jamery

Sophomore psychology major Dante Anzevino, left, and senior IST major John Greer sit at rolling desks while in Spanish class.

chairs cost $440 each, $13,200 for the entire room.

The open floor plan in the room allows for movement and many different ways to arrange the seats.

This classroom setup allows students to take control of their learning environment, says Assistant Teaching Professor of English Tiffany MacQuarrie.

MacQuarrie teaches English class

in GCB 102 and was a big influence in its design and implementation, said Director of Academic Affairs Carey McDougall.

“The casualness of the room puts students at ease. Education does not need to be rigid,” said MacQuarrie.

She said the level of engagement rises while in this room. There are no isolated students in GCB 102, something that MacQuarrie witnesses fre-

quently in other, more traditional classrooms.

McDougall echoed this sentiment, saying she wants students to feel they belong at Penn State Beaver. A big part of this is having welcoming spaces for students to utilize, McDougall said.

Sophomore Jordan Henry said she feels more relaxed while attending class in this room.

Henry has a Spanish class in GCB 102 this semester.

But Henry also said there are down sides to the room. She said that she has trouble seeing certain parts of the board from her seat.

Sophomore Dante Anzevino agreed, saying he does not like the seating arrangement in the room.

According to Jodi Gill, a political science adjunct instructor, these are not the only problems with the classroom.

Gill started this semester teaching class at 9 a.m. in GCB 102. Gill said she came into a “mess” every morning, with chairs strewn about the room at random.

Gill said she believes this messy room type is not conducive to learning for many students.

Eventually, Gill said she grew tired

of the room. She said the final straw was when her good friend, Beaver County Commissioner Sandie Egley, came in to talk to her class and the room was a total mess.

“I bring in a lot of guest speakers to my class. The mess in that room does not look good for Penn State Beaver,” Gill said.

Gill requested a change of classroom and moved her class down the hall to room 108.

McDougall said that all classes are different, so different spaces are needed to most effectively educate students in different disciplines.

“Faculty are the experts in the classroom. We want to have a variety of different types of rooms so faculty can pick,” said McDougall.

The next space to undergo a similar renovation is the Library Seminar Room. McDougall and Rathbun both said they are excited about the renovation coming to this classroom on the lower level of the library.

The project, which may cost up to $350,000, will include rewiring, projectors, new furniture and carpeting with power outlets in the floor, said Rathbun.

Rathbun is hopeful the room will be ready for fall 2019.

Students work on GCB lounge mural LIBBY THOMAS Staff writer

axt408@psu.edu

The Roar/Matylda Zamudio

Professor Barnes and sophomore business major Zain Ansari measure amount of space needed for the lounge’s mural.

Students will unite to create a mural next month in a General Classroom Building lounge that will visually express how diverse the campus is.

Instructor Laurie Barnes and the students in Arts & Architecture (AA ) 100, Introduction to International Art, are creating a mural to display everyday life experiences and create a more inclusive atmosphere on campus. While talking about the details for the mural, Barnes was very enthusiastic and passionate.

Barnes said that the mural will be put into one of the lounge rooms on the lower level of the General Classroom Building.

Each student will be assigned to a country and create a textile that represents their country through artistic heritage, cultural values and symbols.

Different patterns, shapes and colors will be expected with this mural.

“We’re especially looking at patterns that come out of different countries,” Barnes said.

The students have not yet decided how exactly the mural will look, but they are sure that the art pieces will all be connected in some way.

The textiles will be fabric representation of artists, pottery, fashion, clothing and architecture from different countries.

Freshman Kyara Parrish is adding a piece to the mural representing South Africa.

Parrish’s textile will go for a floral theme and have South Africa written in a flower. Parrish will include South African culture in patterns within her textile.

Junior Tyrell Eleam said he is very excited about adding his textile to the mural.

Eleam is going for a more traditional look for his country which is

France. Eleam plans on mixing past traditions with the new and express how things have changed over time.

Barnes said she hopes the mural will bring the students together and get to experience diversity through everyday art.

The mural’s purpose is to make the study room in the GCB more welcoming and hopefully attract more students.

The specific day of when the mural will be hung has not been set but will be sometime in April.

Barnes said she is excited about “bringing a lot of things together to make something new and beautiful.”

April 2019

Sports

Penn State Beaver Roar

Tournament troubles Women come up empty in both PSUAC and USCAA

MATYLDA ZAMUDIO Senior Staff Writer

mmz5236@psu.edu

Thanks to a strong performance throughout the 2018-19 season, the Penn State Beaver women’s basketball team propelled its way to conference tournaments, competing in both the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) and United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) tournaments.

But the Lady Lions came out empty-handed after they fell to No. 1-seed Penn State Lehigh Valley 61-44 on Feb. 24 in the PSUAC championship and lost to the 201718 USCAA defending champs Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte in the USCAA national championship quarterfinal game 66-46 on March 4.

Beaver finished 23-6 overall this season and 13-2 in PSUAC conference play.

The Lady Lions secured a highly anticipated rematch against rival Lehigh Valley in the conference championship after they brought down two-time defending champions Penn State Brandywine on their home-court 74-59 in the PSUAC semifinals Feb. 22.

Junior Cheyenne Lopez said the key to beating a formidable opponent like Brandywine was for everyone to play as a team and stay relaxed no matter what the score was.

“One thing we struggle with sometimes is we go out there with nerves and not (being) fully mentally prepared,” she said.

Sophomore Diamond Thomas said that earning the victory against Brandywine was a big achievement for the team.

“They are the two-time defending champions, so they had the experi-

Penn State Beaver Athletics

Alexis Cross (No. 20) dribbles past a Lehigh Valley defender while Diamond Thomas (No.4) guards during the PSUAC championship game at the Bryce Jordon Center on Feb. 24.

ence as were ready for it. The fact that we beat them was great,” she said.

Lopez said while the team was excited about contending for a championship title, they had mixed emotions about having to go through Lehigh Valley to get it.

“Lehigh (Valley) is a great team.

They’re well-coached, they’re very athletic, they have heart and intensity that no other team in our conference has,” Lopez said. “It was very nerveracking to know that was the team we were playing, but at the same time, we knew we could get the job done.”

Unfortunately, they didn’t.

The Lady Lions felt the pressure early from the No. 1 seed in the east as Lehigh Valley took a 12-point run late in the first to put them down 16-3. But Beaver fought its way back to only a 7-point deficit at halftime (29-22).

Beaver got within striking distance in the third, when Thomas sunk a 3-point jump shot from behind the

arch to make it a one-score game at 39-37. But the Lady Lions unraveled in the fourth after missing critical scoring opportunities and were unable to slow down Lehigh Valley’s offense down the stretch, losing the championship game 61-44.

“Lehigh is obviously the best team in our conference because they didn’t lose one (conference) game: They’re very athletic, they get after it and put pressure on you the whole game and at some point, their pressure just wore us down,” Coach Sean Strickland said.

“We made a good run and we were only down by two with about a minute to go in the third and I thought we had them because they weren’t in too many close games this year,” Stickland said. “We just didn’t have enough gas at the end to make it.”

While the Lady Lions left the Bryce Jordan Center empty handed, their spirits lifted knowing they’d have another chance at a championship title in the USCAA champion-

ship after clinching the No. 5 seed the day before the PSUAC championship game.

“It was interesting because normally you play in a conference tournament and then you find out if you made a national tournament,” Stickland said. “We actually found out the day before, so we already knew.”

In the team’s first matchup of the national tournament, Beaver took a 5-point edge against Johnson & Wales in the first quarter (17-2), but the game was a back-and-forth affair in the second quarter, with the Lady Lions only leading by 1 point at halftime (31-30).

But the Lady Lions allowed an early 12-0 run by Johnson & Wales right after the break, which led to an 18-point deficit by the end of the third. While Beaver’s defense held Johnson & Wales scoreless for the first four minutes of the fourth, the Lady Lions couldn’t get enough stops down the stretch and lost the game 66-46.

“Being down one point was

17

enlightening at the time being. But I think being that close when they scored coming right out (of) half time that too many players put their head down, which is what we struggled with all year, and it cost us the game,” Thomas said.

Three of the players’ performances didn’t go unnoticed this season.

Thomas received the PSUAC Women’s Basketball All-Conference West Player of the Year. She and freshman Alexis Cross were both named on the PSUAC All-Conference First Team and freshman Emily Keener also received the John Fritz Sportsmanship Award.

Thomas also named a USCAA Women’s Division II Basketball First Team All-American.

“Making the USCAA first-team was such a delight and honor, and I am just truly blessed to have the coach I have and the belief he had in me,” Thomas said. “Since the beginning of the year he told me I was going to be an All-American and I never fully believed in myself until it happened.”

Strickland said Thomas’ performance has been “unbelievable.”

“She’s not just our best player, but she’s our leader and most vocal. She’s just kind of everything you want to have in a player as a coach,” Strickland said.

Strickland said despite the final outcomes of both title games, the level of success his young team achieved this season is above and beyond what he expected. “They gave everything they could in that conference season and I couldn’t be prouder of them,” he said.

Lopez said she has high hopes for Beaver’s young roster and she is confident that the team will make another championship debut next season.

“The reason we didn’t so well in the USCAA tournament and the PSUAC championship is that we’re young and inexperienced,” she said.

“I know that we’re not going to skip a beat, start right back where we finished and get the job done this time.”

“Next season is our year.”

18

Penn State Beaver Roar April 2019

Sports

Baseball hits early rough patch ROBERT MUSGRAVE Staff Writer

rum875@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver baseball team is 8-12 overall with a 1-5 conference record.

On March 23, Beaver began Penn State University Athletic Conference play as they faced Penn State Mont Alto in a double header at home.

Beaver was shut out of the first game 2-0 but came back to win the second 3-2.

In game 2, sophomore Stefan Romaniuk scored in the first inning off an RBI from junior Justyn Francona.

In the bottom of the seventh, with Beaver down 2-1, freshman Christian James scored on a wild pitch from third, tying the game 2-2. In the next at-bat, Francona hit a walk-off single that scored Romaniuk to win the game.

Beaver played Penn State Fayette at home on March 29, losing 7-6.

Francona scored Beaver’s first run in

The Roar/ Matylda Zamudio

Christian James (No. 7) earns a run against Butler County on March 19.

the second followed by a run from freshman Kyle Redding in the bottom of the fourth, but only after Fayette scored four runs in the top of the fourth.

In the bottom of the seventh Beaver scored four more runs, tying the game 6-6.

The comeback was short lived as Fayette scored at the top of the ninth to take the lead 7-6.

Then on March 30, Beaver traveled to Fayette to be swept in a doubleheader 10-8 and 6-5. The team started its season over spring break at Myrtle Beach with a 2-3 record.

“It was a good experience and brought us together as a team,” said Francona. “We played well but need to learn how to finish.”

This season Beaver has a very small roster, the smallest since 2010, when Jack Hilfinger became coach.

“We only have 12 players. I’m spoiled just because I have always handled teams with 22 to 31 players,” Hilfinger said. “Of the 12 players we have, they are good.”

Earlier in the season, Beaver lost both games in its home-opening doubleheader against Kent State Tuscarawas on a very warm March 14.

In the first game, Kent State had the bases loaded in the first inning and scored three early runs. Beaver was down 4-0 when it made a comeback in the bottom of the fourth on a hit from Francona that rallied three runs.

Beaver added one more run in the sixth to tie the game 4-4.

In the top of the seventh, Kent State scored three runs to bring the

score to 7-4.

“It was a close game,” said sophomore Lukas Mansell. “We were down at first and then we came back. They got ahead of us in the last inning and we couldn’t catch up.”

In the second game, Beaver lost 16-4 to Kent State.

Beaver later swept a road doubleheader on March 14 defeating Community College of Allegheny County Boyce 9-7 and 12-11.

In the first game, James went 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs. In the second game, Beaver was down 5-2 and 10-5 and staged a comeback to win 12-11.

Beaver won its next double header 10-6 and 11-1, this time at home against Butler County Community College on March 19.

Despite all of the struggles this season, Hilfinger said he believes in his team and is confident they will make the PSUAC playoffs.

“In the nine years I have been here, we have made the playoffs all nine years,” he said.

Softball team bats its way to 13-8 season start KEON BUTLER Staff Writer

ktb5239@psu.edu

The Penn State Beaver softball team has an overall record of 13-8, 5-2 in the Penn State University Athletic Conference.

Beaver is in second place in the conference, just behind Penn State Brandywine, with 12 more conference games left to play.

Most recently, the team split a three-game series 2-1 against Penn State Fayette. Beaver defeated Fayette March 29 at home 3-1. Junior Jessica Hughes, freshman Taylor Johnson and senior Brittany Zahn each scored a run. Senior Vanessa Jackson pitched the complete game and picked up her eighth win.

The next day, Beaver split a doubleheader on the road at Fayette.

Beaver lost the first game 5-1, with just one scored by freshman Peyton

The Roar/ Matylda Zamudio

Michelle Cisco (No. 14) gets a hit against Mont Alto on March 23.

Mattson on a single in the third.

Beaver took the second game 4-0.

Freshman Tyler Johnson led the way, going 1 for 3 at bat with three RBIs followed by Mattson, who went 1 for 3 with one RBI. Jackson pitched

another powerful performance, picking up her ninth win.

A week earlier, Beaver enjoyed a three-game sweep of Penn State Mont Alto in its PSUAC conference opener.

On March 23, Beaver won the first game of a double-header at home 9-0. Johnson led the offense going 3 or 3 at-bat and earning four RBIs, followed by senior Dina Cable who was 2 for 2 at bat. Jackson didn’t allow one from the mound and struck out six of the 17 batters she faced.

In a high-scoring second game, Beaver finished Mont Alto 19-10, once again in five innings. Freshman Michelle Cisco led the offense, going 3 for 4 at bat and earning four RBIs followed by Johnson, who was 1 for 1 while racking up three RBIs. Hughes pitched 3.2 innings and got the win after leaving Beaver with the lead.

Coach Andy Kirschner said he has 16 players on his roster, including seven seniors who provide leadership for the team: Brittany Zahn, Torey Cassidy, Cable, Carley Schroeder,

Brenna Cepull, Jackson and Brittany Garza.

Kirschner said he believes having seven seniors will put them in a great position to be a post-season threat in their conference.

Garza, an outfielder, said she’s confident the team will make the PSUAC playoffs and will also compete in the national tournament.

Garza said it takes a lot of effort get to post-season play, noting that the coaches all tell them, “You’ve got to give 110 percent, 100 percent of the time.”

Mattson said her excitement has remained since she began last fall.

She spoke highly of how great of a coach Kirschner is and how promising of a future the team has.

Kirschner said he believes there is a lot of hope for the team to pull in another playoff appearance.

April 2019

Sports

Penn State Beaver Roar

19

Fightin’ Beavs freeze up in playoff game GABBY FIFFICK

Senior Staff Writer gef5101@psu.edu

Ending the season with an 8-6 record, the Penn State Beaver Fightin’ Beavs inline hockey club went out on a low note losing in the first round of playoffs.

In their playoff game against the Community College of Allegheny County South on March 20, the Fightin’ Beavs took a blow, losing 3-0. After a season with more wins than losses, the players as well as coaches said they were let down by the loss.

“It was a bummer to lose a close game like that. I thought our players played pretty well,” said assistant coach Matt Welch. “I did get a sense

at times that some of the guys were gripping their sticks a little tight and felt playoff nerves, but that’s normal and to be expected.”

Although 33 shots on goal were taken, all of them missed in this firstround playoff game.

“I expected the season to go better than it did,” said sophomore defense player Jackson Glenn.

“The last game was embarrassing and terrible. As a team, we didn’t want to win the game. No one had to courage to take the shots and score,” he said.

For next season, the team is expecting better thing and hopes to make it through the playoffs.

“I want to win a championship,” Welch said.

“We will have some new faces next year on the team, some of whom I have not yet met, but I am excited to meet them and start working toward next season. We also will have some players going into their third season on the team, and that’s where I think we can really grow from,” Welch added.

Welch also said that he hopes to employ some new strategy.

“I’d like to move toward a more systematic approach to hockey, and I think that would help as we refine our game as the season moves along,” Welch said.

“I want to see my players do well academically and perform well on the rink,” he added. “If that happens, everything will take care of itself.”

The Roar/Savana Griggs

Goalie Gage Lechance attempts to block a shot made by the Community College of Allegheny South in the March 20 playoff game.

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