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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
News
‘Monologues’ open dialogue
Students and faculty perform ‘The Vagina Monologues’ to highlight women’s experience MIRANDA LAPSON Staff Writer
mul563@psu.edu
A sweeping hush settled over the auditorium as the blinding overhead lights dimmed to a warm red hue. Three women took their places on the stage, and when the spotlight ignited, they began the show. “I bet you’re worried,” freshman Aimee Hill said. “We were worried,” shrugged freshman Kaitlin Gabbidon. “We were worried about vaginas,” finished sophomore Maria Slater. Whispers and muffled giggles rippled in the back of the room. The shock and novelty of hearing such taboo words evoked the childlike giddiness of those in attendance. “The Vagina Monologues,” written by Eve Ensler, was brought to the Penn State Beaver auditorium Feb. 13 by Romina Holder, coordinator of student activities and residence life. The show consists of a selection of monologues capturing the experiences of women from all walks of
The Roar/Scarlet Cisneros
Zelma Daye performs her part during ‘The Vagina Monologues’ Feb. 13.
life. The mission of the production is to bring attention to the stigma around women’s sexual and reproductive topics. From the heavy to the beautiful to the shocking, these tales united the
women that heard them, reminding them of the fact that they are not alone. Among the topics covered, the piece titled “They Beat the Girl out of my Boy… Or so They Tried” told
of the reality that many trans women face in their lives. This monologue, narrated by junior Zelma Daye, Slater, Associate Professor of Spanish Robin Bower, sophomore Tylai Smith and Hill, vividly described the violence, isolation and pain that trans women are exposed to during their transition journey. “They beat me for it. They beat me for crying. They pummeled me for wanting,” Hill said during the scene. Bower said that she hopes the exposure to a production like this will help people to expand the way they think regarding these topics. “Conversation is important when it comes to marginalized and oppressed bodies, and that applies to not only women, but trans people as well,” she said. Sexual assault and violence towards women also held a large stake in the content of the monologues. In “My Vagina was My Village,” Director of Academic Affairs Carey McDougall recounted the drastic shift in perspective a woman
had after experiencing violent sexual assault. This particular story highlighted the lasting effect that such assaults can have on victims. Smith returned to the stage to perform “The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could.” The monologue jumps among the memories of a young girl who grew up experiencing various forms of sexual trauma. “People who are victimized as a child are more likely to be victimized as adults,” said Stacie Scheel, who has been working with the Women’s Center of Beaver County for 20 years. “Most times you can be standing next to a survivor and you’d never know.” Scheel explained her excitement surrounding the production. “This is the first time a production like this has been brought to Beaver County. We had a really nice community turnout as well,” Scheel said. “Survivors are the strongest people I know,” Scheel said. “Respect, ask, believe the victims. That’s the most important thing.”
The Roar/Scarlet Cisneros
‘The Vagina Monologues’ cast features, from left to right, Claudia Tanaskovic, Grace Coleman, Carey McDougall, Jo Sharpe, Robin Bower, Malaysia Wallace, Kaitlin Gabbidon, Zelma Daye, Aimee Hill, Maria Slater, Ramiya White, Heaven Bowman and Tylai Smith.
March 2020
News
Penn State Beaver Roar
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Athletes tell Provost Jones their concerns NATE SHARIF
Senior Staff Writer
nas5857@psu.edu
Students who attended a “meet and greet” with top university administrators Jan. 30 complained about poor conditions related to Penn State Beaver athletics. During the meeting, members of the women’s soccer team complained to Provost Nick Jones and Vice President Madlyn Hanes that they don’t have a field on campus to play on, as well as the poor condition of the locker rooms. Other Beaver teams – baseball, softball, basketball and volleyball – have their own fields to play on, they said. The men’s and women’s soccer teams play at an off-campus field nearly 20 minutes away, but practice on the baseball field adjacent to the Wellness Center, which is comprised of half dirt, half grass. “I came from New York to play soccer at Penn State Beaver,” sophomore Stephanie Sosa said. “They made it sound like we had our own field, but no.” During the meeting, the soccer players said that the current state of the baseball field is unsatisfactory
The Roar / Alex Ditri
Provost Nick Jones listens to students during a meeting on Jan. 30.
for training and performing and has resulted in multiple physical injuries due to the inadequacy of the field. Director of Student Affairs Chris Rizzo said that he is aware of the quality concerns related to the baseball field, but the price quoted to renovate the field was very high. “We conducted a feasibility study and found that it would cost between $3 million to $5 million to build,”
Rizzo said. Unmoved by these financial numbers, the soccer team said they want to host fundraisers in order to pay for a new field. Sosa said the men’s teams receive two pairs of practice jerseys along with duffle bags. The soccer team further stated that the women’s locker rooms need much improvement, the quality of
the soccer equipment was subpar and the buses that transport them to their games often break down. Athletic Director Andy Kirschner said that the gym is undergoing a feasibility study to find out the cost of renovation, including the locker rooms. Sosa said the men’s teams get to ride in luxurious coach buses while the women’s soccer team is transported in rental vans that consistently breakdown. Kirchner said that the vans utilized for team transportation on game day are a “hodgepodge” of both vans and buses rented through Enterprise. “The need for a soccer field is on the radar but the need has gone down,” Kirschner said, calling the off-campus field currently being used “top notch.” The women’s soccer team has 22 players from multiple states such as Pennsylvania, Florida and New York. “We could have gone anywhere else, but we chose Penn State Beaver,” Sosa said. “Our uniforms are soiled with oil stains and have holes in them.” Provost Jones said the team’s willingness to want to pay for new items
POLICE BEAT
Sexual assualt reported on campus A student reported being sexually assaulted in Harmony Hall on March 3. The report was made at 1:17 a.m., but the police report did not indicate a time that the alleged assault occurred. Police would provide no other details regarding the incident. A Timely Warning, as required by the federal Clery Act, was also not issued regarding the alleged assault as of more than a day after the assault was reported. The Clery Act requires that a notification go out to the entire University Community “to alert of a potential or ongoing threat of a Clery Reportable Offense,” as stated on the Penn State Police website. The website says that Timely Warnings
are sent via text and email through the PSUAlert system, and that “hard copies are sometimes posted in residence hall complexes and other buildings on campus.” Sgt. Marque Weiss said, “Every Clery crime has a timely warning decision matrix. If it falls into a timely warning, then it’s issued. If not, its not.” “A rape would fall into theat category,” said Sgt. Marque. “If there is a threat to the community, there is a warning sent out.”
STALKING AND HARASSMENT REPORTED
On Feb. 20 a student reported that
another student was being stalked on campus. The incident was reported at 8:49 p.m. University Police are still investigating. A student reported being harassed on campus on Feb. 29. The incident occurred between 8 p.m. and 8:50 p.m. Police are investigating and could not indicate if the cases are related.
CAR CRASH
On Jan. 17, University Police received a report from a student who said they were involved in a car crash at the intersection of University Drive and Brodhead Road between 1 a.m. and 1:55 a.m. There were no injuries reported.
such as a field shows a lot of heart. Jones said that the passion of Penn State students is remarkably serious. “When I feel that sort of passion, that tells me that this is something that is really important to the students… and when a number of students chime in … that tells me this is worthy of us having a good look at.” Adam Rathbun, director of finance and business, said that the athletics budget for Beaver is much smaller than other campuses, however, there is nothing preventing the women’s soccer team from fundraising for better uniforms, balls and other accessories. “Any funds raised are allocated towards the cost center of that specific team,” Rathbun said. Rathbun said he was not aware of the division between the sports teams. Chancellor Jenifer Cushman said she was clueless about the lack in quality uniforms. Cushman said Beaver needs to re-examine its strategic plan and look forward for solutions to these problems. Jones said athletics is important at all Penn State campuses. “We want to invest in athletics; we want to invest in the student experience.”
Lomotey trial delayed again JESSE JAMERY
Senior Staff Writer jjj192@psu.edu
Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology Richard Lomotey has had his non-jury trial continued once again. According to Allegheny County court documents, the trial has been rescheduled for May 12, which is a year and a day after the original charges were first filed against Lomotey. Lomotey, who moonlighted as an Uber driver, is accused of holding female passengers against their will in his car. Lomotey is facing trial on charges of kidnapping, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, false imprisonment and harassment. “Lomotey remains on leave as the case makes its way through the court system,” Director of Campus Relations Kristen Doerschner said. Lomotey pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him on Nov. 6 and has maintained his innocence throughout the entire legal process.
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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
News
Do you second that emotion? Art exhibit shows campus mood NATE SHARIF
Senior Staff Writer nas5857@psu.edu
Sprouting out of the ground like sunflowers, more than three dozen life-size interactive art fixtures stand in the center of campus. Boasting eight assorted colors, this installation allows students and faculty to publicly express their individual emotions by freely arranging the colored ovals as they see fit. Each color represents a different emotion, from sadness to glee. With each fixture individually held up by a solid steel beam planted deep in the ground, this art installation is topped with multicolored wooden ovals that are located in the heart of the Beaver campus. Artist John Peña, along with Penn State Beaver students, have been working on “The Campus Art Initiative,” a project that brings student interaction and expression out into the open, literally. The campus opened the interactive exhibit with an outdoor reception Jan. 28, though people had been able
to interact with it for weeks. “This is one of 10 projects that Penn State is creating for their campuses,” Peña said. “I wouldn’t mind if the students took the colored tops and threw them on the ground,” Peña added. “This type of art is designed around student expression.” Peña said the exhibit is formulated to engage students and faculty in order to draw out their inner thoughts and emotions such as anxiety, depression and happiness. The colorful wooden ovals were cut out and painted by campus engineering students using the CNC router in the Michael Baker Building. Students in a statistics class helped with a survey to determine which colors should represent which moods. Peña said he hopes this interactive installation brings greater awareness to the emotional and mental needs of college students. “I’m hoping to see this project evolve,” Peña said.
The Roar/Abigail Pereira
Freshman Misa Garcia replaces a sad blue oval with an excited orange one amidst a field of happy yellows.
New app puts Penn State services all in one place AMANDA SCHOLL Staff writer
als698@psu.edu
What started as an idea by Ted Froats, director of information technology, and his Beaver Information Sciences and Technology (IST) students, has led to an app that provides a seamless experience interacting with Penn State features at all campuses. Penn State Go, the all-in-one mobile app for Penn State, arrived in January. The idea for a student app came from the strategic planning committee in 2017. Penn State Go gives you single
sign-in access to popular features all in one place, such as Canvas, email, LionPATH, campus maps, campus safety, the academic calendar, Starfish, Lioncash, dining, events, student services, news and more. The goal of Penn State Go is to provide students, faculty, staff, alumni and campus visitors access to all of their needs, including academics, student life and resources, from anywhere, at any time. Froats was teaching IST440W, and his students took on a project in the spring of 2018. Froats then pitched the idea to the vice president of IT at University Park, who formed
a committee to make the app. Froats was part of the committee. “The app has been extremely popular,” Froats said. “There were 36,000 downloads in less than a week.” Ten thousand came from the campuses, like Beaver, he said. The downloads were not just students, but staff and faculty as well. “The three most popular things students clicked on were LionPATH, email and the lunch menu,” he said. “The app is most popular with freshman and sophomores. The juniors and seniors do not seem to have the app as much,” Froats said. While Froats said the app is popu-
lar, many people at Beaver say they still aren’t using it. Sophomore Alexis Cross said she likes to stay up-to-date. “I downloaded the app; however, I do not use it that often,” she said. Cross said she likes the app and thinks it is very helpful for multiple resources. “I use the app for LionPATH and menus. The app is very organized and easy to use,” she said. Freshman Paige Niedbala also downloaded the app. “I do not use the app very often, but when I do, I check my email or LionPATH,” Niedbala said. “I think the app can definitely be
improved and when it is, hopefully more students will utilize it more. Right now, the app has a lot of links,” she said. The next step, planned for later this year, is to have a website accompanying the app for desktops. The app is modeled after the University of Central Florida’s app. “In the future we want to make other personas for alumni, parents, and prospective students,” according to a Penn State press release. “The app is needed, and other universities have similar apps. Penn State has been looking for something like this for many years.”
March 2020
News
Penn State Beaver Roar
New faculty, staff welcomed to Beaver campus ALEX D’ITRI KRIS CAULDER Staff writers
Penn State Beaver recently hired a new faculty member and three new staff members. Yi-An Burleson started this spring semester as an assistant professor of psychology. Her classes include developmental psychology, multicultural psychology in America and a course on trauma and resiliency. Burleson said teaching has always been a passion and she enjoys working with her students. “In my last position I taught on the graduate level, and I’m back to undergraduates right now. It’s interesting working with students at the different levels,” she said. Burleson said she likes making her classes more discussion and hands-on
Burleson
Brown
based rather just giving lectures. She said she feels it is a welcome change of pace for some of her students. Burleson is involved in a research project that looks at the relation between people with panic symptoms and their sleeping and eating habits. New Assistant Athletic Director Renee Brown said she is loving the close-knit, family-like atmosphere of Beaver campus. “I really feel blessed to be in this position at this campus, everyone
Bibey
Florence
knows everyone,” she said. She is originally from the Pittsburgh area and most recently served as a staff member and assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown. “I loved coaching, but it is great to be on [the athletic administration] side, too,” she said. Brown said she is looking forward to getting know the teams a lot better and hopes to get to bond with them. Not all of the positions that have
been filled are fresh faces to the campus. Brian Bibey has been the men’s basketball coach for five years, but has recently taken on the position of coordinator of athletics in addition. “One of the biggest changes for me with this role is game days,” said Bibey. He now spends these days going around the gym making sure everything is in order for the game. “This is a good place with good people,” said Bibey. Another new face is residence life assistant coordinator Scott Florence. Florence was hired for the position part-time this semester after the previous coordinator, Andrew Kiefer, left last semester. For Romina Holder, coordinator of residence life and student activities, Florence’s hiring is much needed relief. “Him being here takes a weight off my shoulders,” she said.
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Coordinators are on-call 24 hours a day to intervene in student conduct when resident assistants are unable to handle the situation. This is on top of planning, creating and organizing student activities. After Kiefer’s departure, Holder and Amy Gartley, associate director of student affairs, split the responsibilities that Kiefer formerly had. Gartley explained that after the departure, she took over the student conduct side of the role while Holder took over the activities side. With Florence taking over the position, he is able to take over some of those responsibilities, such as working with RAs and deescalating volatile situations. Because he doesn’t have a master’s degree, he’s not taken over all of the responsibilities the position usually handles.
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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
News
Fear of coronavirus incites racism Penn State restricts travel abroad because of virus MATTHEW PALAHUNIK Senior Staff Writer
mgp5156@psu.edu
The novel coronavirus is spreading fear, not just of death but of discrimination. Junior Tony Chen lives in the United States, but has family in China. He is in contact with his family, who live in the southern region of the country. “They aren’t very concerned about it,” said Chen. One of the issues Chen said that he faces when it comes to the virus is discrimination here in the U.S. Chen said that “one of [his] friends (a native born of Chinese descent) was attacked in New York City because she was coughing.” Someone was hitting her because of that, he said. “It is a general fear of discrimination against us Chinese.” The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is an upper respiratory infection, like the flu though slightly deadlier. The flu has a mortality rate of 0.1%, while COVID-19 has a mortality rate of 3.4%, accrording to the World Health Organization. The coronavirus, which began in Wuhan, China, has been declared a global health crisis by the World Health Organization. With 77 nations and territories around the planet now infected and an estimated 90,300 cases worldwide and at least 3,100 dead, the virus is expected to infect more people and spread faster. As fear of the disease grows, some people believe that anything and anyone associated with China is a threat and is to blame. Chen said he has seen a rise in racial discrimination and rhetoric against Chinese people online. Sophomore Benjamin Chen, who
is not related to Tony Chen, has family in China that he said has been affected by the virus. “My family is nervous about it,” Ben Chen said. “Most of my family is in China, and only one cousin here in America. So many other diseases come from other nations, but just because it is now from China, people are getting all bitchy about it.” Ben Chen said he believes there is discrimination against people of Asian descent, especially from China. “People are just blowing it out of proportion. Because of Trump, people fear the unknown, and it’s ridiculous.” Ben Chen said he has a newborn niece. His father was planning a family trip back to China so the rest of his family can see the baby. Because of the travel ban, the family reunion has been canceled for the time being. Teaching Professor of Psychology Kevin Bennett said he believes the of fear the virus is not appropriate compared to the threat it poses. “Population hubs should be slightly concerned, but that’s about it,” said Bennett. “The flu is a bigger threat.” What people shouldn’t do is blame the Chinese for this virus, said Bennett. It is scary that people are using this outbreak as an excuse to be racist towards people of Chinese descent, he added. “It reminds me of how the U.S. treated the Japanese in WWII,” Bennett said. People are using cognitive shortcuts in order to make this super complex issue easy to understand, which is dangerous, said Bennett. The more a rumor is spread, the more likely people are to believe it.
People are starting to believe that all Chinese people are able to spread the virus, which is a very dangerous belief, said Bennett. Director of Student Affairs Chris Rizzo said the campus hasn’t taken any action so far when it comes to dealing with the virus. Penn State did recently announce travel restrictions for faculty and staff to China and South Korea, and it canceled spring break trips to Italy and elsewhere. Junior Marlena Engen, who transfered to University Park last semester, had a planned trip through Penn State to go to Vietnam this spring break. Her trip was canceled just 36 hours before she was suppose to leave. “It’s better to play safe than not to play at all” said Engen. “They don’t want to risk students.” The Stock Market is in chaos as the virus spreads. The Dow dropped 1,191 points on Feb. 27, making it the the worst one-day point drop in history. China is the world’s second largest economy, and the virus will cause issues, said Rajen Mookerjee, professor of economics. “China’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is 1 percent lower because of the outbreak,” said Mookerjee. In the city of Wuhan alone, 47,000 American businesses do work in that region and now they can’t due to the quarantines, Mookerjee said. The impact on American businesses includes a sharp decline of Chinese tourists coming to the U.S., stock market chaos, global trade issues and the possibility of a global recession, said Mookerjee. “The virus will be controlled, but the world might take a while to adjust,” said Mookerjee.
TheRoar/Colton Pleslusky
Counselor Brittany Hudspeth sits in the CAPS Chat room on the ground floor of the library.
CAPS Chat provides counseling in the library MALAYSIA M. WALLACE Staff Writer
mmw5793@psu.edu
Penn State Beaver has gained yet another resource for students to utilize on campus. For those who are seeking a less traditional therapy session, Penn State Beaver now offers CAPS Chat, another way of receiving mental and emotional help without the conventional feel of regular therapy. CAPS Chat is a counseling and psychological service that is provided across different campuses that offers students tools and advice to handle life’s stressors. This program, which is held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday in the lower level of the library, is run by Student Personal Counselor Brittany Hudspeth. She offers a more laid back and comfortable environment for students to have 30 minute sessions to talk about anything from academics, relationships or personal problems. H u dsp e th a n d In f o r m a tio n Resources and Services Support Specialist Amber Hopkins both orchestrated this program to help Hudspeth interact with students in between classes. “Students are using it,” Hudspeth
said. She explains how the program has helped her become more visible on campus. Hudspeth said she is confident that CAPS Chat is helping the student community on campus. Hopkins said she has hopes that CAPS Chat can end the stigma of receiving the help students may need. “Overall, mental health is important. It’s something that a lot of people will not get help on because of that stigma.” Hopkins also stated that the traffic in the library has improved this semester versus last, but is not exactly sure if it is because of the new program. Director of Student Affairs Chris Rizzo said he believes that CAPS Chat provides a more approachable location to help students engage with the campus counselor. “It’s like bringing counseling to the student in a different location in a way that’s less formal and more approachable.” Sophomore Jacob Kosuda said he is very fond of the idea. “It allows students to be able to handle their stress better.” Having one-on-one attention is what Kosuda said is better for students. Although CAPS Chat is new to Penn State Beaver, it has been offered at other schools for quite some time.
March 2020
News
Penn State Beaver Roar
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Classroom, pavilion enhance campus SPENCER MYERS Staff Writer
sam6517@psu.edu
Renovations to the library’s lower level classroom – expected to cost more than $350,000 – have just been completed, while the project to build a pavilion in front of the Laboratory and General classroom buildings is expected to get started soon. The library classroom was more of an upgrade designed to help students said Adam Rathbun, director of business and finance. He said, the classroom was not up to the campus’ standards. The renovations include a floor-toceiling upgrade. The room received new flooring, new ceiling tiles and a new paint job, Rathbun said. The campus also replaced the lighting in the room as well as the old-room partition. This classroom also received a tech upgrade “to connect to organizations and campuses nationwide,” Rathbun said. To top it all off, new furniture was installed as well. The library classroom was funded through the Learning Space Leadership Committee, an organization at University Park, said Rathbun. Faculty will be trained this semester on using the room’s new technology, and classes will be scheduled into the room beginning in the fall semester.
The Roar/Hsin-Lun Chin
Workers from TBI Contracting discuss the classroom renovation project in the lower level of the library.
Rathbun explained that the new pavilion project started with construction of the plaza last summer, but has been put off until spring because of issues with weather. The parts are on order and will be arriving close to spring, Rathbun said. The structure should be open for student use in early spring, he added. The total cost of the pavilion project is nearly $500,000. The pavilion will cost $234,000 to construct, but design fees and engineering
costs added an additional $50,000. Preparing and demolishing the sidewalk and old light poles costs another $50,000, and new concrete costs $82,000 and landscaping costs $40,000. “[This] included bringing in truckloads of soil, mulch and trees,” Rathbun said. This project gets its funding through multiple resources, Rathbun said. The pavilion saw $100,000 contributed from the student facil-
ity fee and another $100,000 from the alumni association. A campaign through the development office brought in $56,000, and $75,000 came from the campus budget. The rest of the funds came from University Park maintenance and beautification funds. This is a cosmetic change for campus, Rathbun said. “The pavilion was made more out of desire,” Rathbun said. “It will be a place for hanging out outside of class and a nice venue for events and out-
side organizations.” Rathbun said he believes the benefits of the pavilion will be well worth the cost of the work. Senior Kevin Dilts said he is interested in seeing the completed pavilion project. “It’s not the first thing I would have thought to put on campus, but it looks like it will be nice,” he said. Dilts also said that he had used the library classroom several times and agrees that it needed an upgrade. “It was not as nice compared to other classrooms on campus,” he said. Dan Kovaleski, a Penn State Beaver alumnus, said the projects will be a good upgrade to the campus as a whole. He said Penn State Beaver is growing and if it needs upgrades, the campus should do them. “[The costs] seem a bit on the high end, but I can see that making sense” said Dilts. Other upcoming projects include an upgrade to Laboratory Classroom Building room 121 and will include new technology and furniture. It has approval to start this summer, Rathbun said. In addition, a total renovation of the General Classroom Building is being planned. The campus recently held an open forum for students to express their opinions on what aspects of the building that need the most attention.
‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ highlights sexual assault JESSE JAMERY
Senior Staff Writer jjj192@psu.edu
Freshman psychology major Jo Sharpe is teaming up with campus nurse Barb Kugel to make the third annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event the one biggest yet. The event, scheduled for April 15, is meant to raise awareness for sexual assault victims and survivors. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Kugel has organized the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event, where male students wear red-high heels and walk around a designated path on campus. The path is usually in the quad area. Facts and other information is usually written on the ground that revolve around sexual assaults. “I went to a conference at University Park and heard about ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ there. I thought it would be a great thing to bring to our campus,” Kugel said.
The event is coordinated with the Women’s Center of Beaver County, which has been represented with a booth and as a partner at previous editions of the walk. This year, Sharpe wants to expand the event even more. The Women’s Center will still be involved, but Sharpe said she envisions multiple booths with different themes, all bringing light to the subject of sexual assault awareness. One booth Sharpe is looking
forward to is the “Why Didn’t I Report” booth. This booth will feature different stories and reasons as to why sexual assault survivors did not report their assault to authorities. Sharpe is hoping this booth will draw awareness to the number of sexual assault victims who never report their assaults and the reasons why. “I want to give a voice to the voiceless,” Sharpe said. “I want to stand up for something I believe in.” Sharpe has a personal connection
to combatting sexual assault as she was groped by a man on a train while she was in Japan. She said that when her first thought was “get used to this,” she knew she had to do something. Police Services, counseling services and the Penn State Beaver Library will all be represented with a booth at the event as well. Also, there will be a raffle for artwork and photo sessions with all proceeds going to the Women’s Center.
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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
Viewpoints
MANAGING EDITOR Gabby Fiffick
gef5101@psu.edu
NEWS EDITOR Nate Sharif
nas5857@psu.edu
BUSINESS MANAGER Marissa Bufalini
mmb6032@psu.edu
COPY DESK Alex D’Itri
avd5623@psu.edu
Tony Good
apg5113@psu.edu
Jesse Jamery jjj192@psu.edu
Matthew Palahunik mgp5156@psu.edu
Matylda Zamudio mmz5236@psu.edu
ADVISERS Cathy Benscoter cub15@psu.edu
Daniel Pinchot djp114@psu.edu
Kristen Doershner kld5739@psu.edu
Keep calm ... and wash your hands Don’t panic over coronavirus, but be cautious With much of the world on the nervous edge, now is the time to take a breath and stay focused. Americans should equate the novel coronavirus with the flu. Wash your hands more, touch your face less and cough or sneeze into your arm, not your hands. Over the past month, the famed coronavirus has spread more than just physical sickness across the globe. With it has come mass trepidation. While reports indicate that the amount of deaths from the coronavirus are astronomically high, they have yet to reach the yearly flu count in the United States. Internationally the corona-
virus has claimed an estimated 3,100 lives, yet the United States reports loses that range between 12,000 – 61,000 a year just from flu alone. From California to D.C, London to Africa and China to Vietnam, there has been widespread hesitation on any form of travel beyond what is considered a comfortable distance for residents in recent weeks. Fears of the spreading virus have already sparked serious discussion about delaying the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, many events from Seattle to Bali, including trade shows, festivals and conferences, have already been postponed
or cancelled. Having already lived through many diseases and sicknesses, Americans are currently in the best position to set an example of restraint and composure. During these difficult times it is not uncommon to hear negative talk about spreading disease and contamination. With all of the rumors and gossip currently being spread in the news and on social media surrounding this resilient sickness, experience proves that remaining calm and not jumping to conclusions is the best policy. Good judgement and clear thinking will win the day during this time of insecurity.
Kudos to winning student groups
Over the past few weeks, Penn State Beaver students roared with a vengeance, giving way to new heights and great victories for Beaver students.
BRINGING HOME THE WIN
The Lady Lions basketball team clinched a victory over Penn State Brandywine March 1 in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, bringing home the coveted PSUAC championship cup for an eighth time in the 13 years since the program was resurrected. The team truly defied the odds, doing so with a very young team – six out of 14 players are freshmen – and a new coach. In truth, Coach Tim Moore, the
PSUAC Coach of the Year, is anything but new, having served as a head coach and assistant for a decade before leaving two years ago to coach at Point Park University. But his return to Penn State Beaver this year was clearly just what the team needed to bring home the W. Good luck to the team as it heads to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.
WINNING FOR THE KIDS
Another record was recently set by a group of students who worked all year to raise money for THON. The students, led by senior Marissa Bufalini, raised a whopping $17,459 – breaking all campus fund-
raising records by thousands of dollars. Beaver’s contribution helped bring the total raised to nearly $11.7 million. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising money for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center to support research and care for pediatric cancer. While Beaver’s amount pales in comparison to the overall total, everyone on Beaver’s THON committee deserves a roaring round of applause for out-working and out-performing all of the THON committees that have come before them. To both the women’s basketball team and Beaver’s THON committee, thanks for making us Penn State proud.
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March 2020
News
Penn State Beaver Roar
9
Campus demolishes house on the hill
NATE SHARIF
Senior Staff Writer nas5857@psu.edu
The little house on the hill near Harmony Hall and the campus garden’s high tunnel, formally known as the Baker Dungan Museum, was torn down on Feb. 6 after Penn State approved a demolition plan. Director of Finance and Business Adam Rathbun said he submitted a request in 2019 for dismantling the age-old structure. Having stood since before the campus was established in 1965, the structure went from serving as a home, to a museum and finally to a storage unit. The building was difficult to
access, could not accommodate people with disabilities and had a musty smell, especially in the basement. As a museum, the upstairs rooms were set up to display antiques, but visitors had to walk down a flight of stairs to see the museum’s local historical exhibits. In recent years, rather than remain a reliable source of shelter, the house had become more of a hazard for the campus. With a rotting roof and other structural issues emerging, Rathbun said it was time to close the dooron the dilapidated building. “We were paying money for gas, electric and water on a building that no longer had use,” said Rathbun.
The Roar/RJ Long
Construction crews demolish the small house that was located behind Harmony Hall. The house, which was built before the campus was founded, had been used as a small museum and most recently for storage.
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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
Features
‘What we do Beaver THON committee sets new record MIRANDA LAPSON Staff Writer
mul563@psu.edu
Dancers Hunter Spisak, left, and Kylee Arms, right, make the Four Diamonds logo with Maddy Shoaf.
This year’s Penn State Beaver’s THON committee broke the campus’ fundraising record, contributing $17,459 to THON’s overall grand total of nearly $11.7 million. As the donations rolled in during the event Feb. 21-23, the students involved realized that they had broken the previous $15,000 record. The students cheered, filled with excitement and pride over what they’d come together to accomplish. “I’m relieved that it was as high as it was,” said senior Marissa Bufalini, head THON chair. “I was shocked. We beat our record for such a small campus, and I was proud to be able to contribute to this.” This year’s rules for collecting donations had changed and affected travel restrictions. This reduced the ways that the campus was able to collect money compared to the past, leaving the students holding their breath, wondering if they would hit their goal, let alone beat it. Amy Gartley, associate director of student affairs, said she thinks that Beaver campus is on its way to doing great things in regards to THON. “Marissa Bufalini really got things rolling for us and brought it to what it is right now. I think we have a lot of potential to further this next year,” she stated. Both Bufalini and freshman Allyson Pinchot, also a Beaver THON chair, worked hard this year preparing fundraising events and raising money. They created signs, letters and cards to keep the dancers’ spirits high. This year’s Penn State Beaver dancers, seniors Hunter Spisak and Kylee Arms, attended THON last year as supporters. The experience they had is was what moved them to dance this year, they said. They wouldn’t have put themselves through this, they said, if it hadn’t touched them in such a profound way. THON dancers are expected to be on their feet for 46 hours straight, with no breaks. This means there is no sitting down or even walking outside for a breather. All that standing can become physically taxing rather quickly. The venue also gets extremely crowded, filling
Beave floor
the st port affect packe as we or get At want air.” Th by th Pinch Georg As objec there spirits Ha movin “W incred THO The i
March 2020
Penn State Beaver Roar
11
o for the cause and the kids is incredible’
Photos by Allyson Pinchot
From left, Marissa Bufalini, Janice Manzano and Marissa King hold large letters representing Beaver campus as they offer moral support to the dancers.
er THON committee members, from left, Hunter Spisak, Marissa Bufalini, Kylee Arms, Maddy Shoaf, Katy Walcott and Kailey George pose on the of the Bryce Jordan Center during THON. The committee raised nearly $17,500 this year to support THON.
tands with people and organizations to supthe kids and their families that have been ted by cancer. The dance floor itself was ed wall-to-wall with dancers and their visitors ell, leaving little room to freely move around t any amount of personal space. one point, Spisak said, “You know what I more than anything right now? Some fresh
he dancers were supported from the stands heir classmates and THON chairs Bufalini, hot, junior Marissa King and seniors Kailey ge, Maddy Shoaf and Katy Wolcott. the dancers’ peers, the students had the ctive of moral support, making sure to be as often as possible to keep Spisak and Arms’ s up. aving the opportunity to witness THON is a ng experience, students said. What we do for the cause and the kids is dible,” George said when asked about her ON experience. “There’s nothing else like it. idea that I’m a chair member brings me so
much joy.” Most people say once you see THON for yourself, you’re a changed person. Both Spisak and Arms said this feeling is what inspired them to dance. The children who THON supports suffer things most people couldn’t even imagine, and that doesn’t begin to compare to the two days that the dancers endure, Spisak said. Dancing for 46 hours straight is no easy feat. The experience as an observer is drastically different from the experience of those dancing. Staying awake for that long, especially being on one’s feet the entire time, leads to the birth of a myriad of aches and pains, especially in the legs. Arms, along with Spisak and many other dancers, got her feet wrapped in an attempt to redistribute the pressure. “You’re going to want to saw your feet off and give them away,” Arms said. Spisak even indulged in an ice bath to ease his aching legs. A little more than halfway through the event,
the dancers were given letters written to them by family and friends. While opening her letters, Arms had an emotional response. “I know this is going to make me cry. There are so many letters. I wasn’t expecting to get so many,” she said. The venue offered activities such as massages, shampooing stations and plenty of games to distract them from their nagging pains and the curiosity of how much time had passed as well. While the dancers couldn’t leave the floor, the students offering moral support took turns with floor passes to support the dancers. This allowed them the ability to talk to Arms and Spisak and offer help in any way they could. Bufalini recounted her experience on the floor with the dancers during the final four hours preceding the end of the event. This is the time where the dancers are at their worst, falling asleep on their feet and experiencing delirium. “No matter how bad I was feeling, I couldn’t let them know. I wanted to be a positive reinforcement with my advice since I had gone through it
the year before,” Bufalini says. During her time with the dancers, she acted as a coach, taking them on walks and making sure to keep them moving and distracted from the discomfort they were experiencing and rubbing their legs and feet to stimulate blood flow. George said it was important to make sure the dancers were kept energized and awake and that they knew that those in attendance were really there to support them. “Seeing the other members dancing like crazy in the stands re-energized me, so I’m sure it did wonders for Kylee and Hunter,” George says. By the end of the event, both dancers were exhausted and ready to call it quits. “I want it to be over but I’d do it again,” said Arms. Spisak agreed. The end of the event was bittersweet for the seniors Bufalini, Arms and Spisak, as it marked the end of their student involvement with THON. The seniors are content knowing that THON at Penn State Beaver is set up to continue at a healthy rate. “I would 100 percent encourage involvement,” George said. “I’m excited to see Beaver grow, and I can’t wait to contribute as an alumni,” Bufalini said.
March 2020
Features
Penn State Beaver Roar
13
Shakes, burgers draw people to Penn Ave Pub ROBERT MUSGRAVE Staff Writer
rum875@psu.edu
Students looking for a new place to go and hang out can now make a short drive from campus to downtown Monaca for a new eatery. The place is called Penn Ave Pub, and it has been open since December. Penn Ave Pub is located in a former bar on 919 Pennsylvania Ave. and has been an immediate hit with people of all different kinds of backgrounds. “The clientele of the restaurant ranges from people who work at the courthouse all the way down to workers from Anchor Hocking and the Shell Cracker plant,” manager Yanni Lleglavar said. The interior of the restaurant features many tables where people can sit down, relax and have a good meal. The pub also offers a section for guests wanting to order alcohol. The interior of the restaurant features a British-style crest in the middle of a back wall behind the marble bar along with a Penn Ave Pub sign above, along with a casual dark wood floor and numerous television screens on the walls. The restaurant menu has a variety of food and big portions of hamburgers, fries and salads. One of the hamburgers is called
Submitted photo
The Roar/Tyler VanKirk
A large wooden Penn Ave Pub sign, above, hangs over the bar at the Monaca restaurant. The restaurant prides itself on good food and unique milkshakes, like the one, pictured to the right, decked out for St. Patrick’s Day.
the “Buffalo Pork Burger.” It features pulled pork and bacon and is dipped in buffalo sauce. Penn Ave Pub also has a variety of milkshakes that you can get with a variety of flavors. The shakes are large and come topped with icing and lots of whipped cream to satisfy your sweet tooth.
One of the more popular shakes is “Death by Chocolate,” made with chocolate ice cream and syrup that comes topped with chocolate icing and chocolate whipped cream. “Our food is the main attraction here and our staff is upbeat and there is good music to listen too,” employee Grace Vosmaer said.
Vosmaer also said that it’s more of a family restaurant and is a good place to go out for a date night, especially for college students. Vosmaer added that parking shouldn’t be an issue as it’s easy to walk to wherever you park in downtown Monaca. Sophomore Marissa King said the
food and experience was amazing, and she will be going back much more often. “The burgers were the best I have ever had and so were the milkshakes,” King said. According to employees, Penn Ave Pub opened in Monaca because of the construction of the Shell cracker plant in nearby Potter Township. “We have had an interest in Monaca for the past couple of years,” Lleglavar said. Lleglavar also said he had looked at towns along the river and saw Monaca as the right place and realized this past year was the best time to open a new restaurant on a very busy Pennsylvania Avenue.
Game Room Club plans 24-hour live stream to help sick children
ALEX D’ITRI
Senior Staff writer
avd5623@psu.edu
The Game Room Club will host its first 24-hour charity live stream beginning at 7 p.m. March 20 in the upper level of the Student Union Building to raise money for Extra Life, a charity for Children’s Miracle Hospital. Extra Life offers financial support to families with children who are in the hospital and are struggling to afford necessary medical care. Freshman Jordan Ritchey, the
club’s new president, described the event as “like THON, but for nerds.” The charity live stream will be open to all students on campus. Any guests looking to participate will need to be escorted by a current Penn State student, said Ritchey. Extra Life day is in November, but Ritchey said that he wants to schedule the event at a time when it can be performed each semester. Students participating in the event will gather in the dimly lit hub for a continual onslaught of video gaming. The event will be streamed on
Twitch.TV/psbgameroom . – the game room’s own Twitch channel, and will also double as the main platform on which players can donate. “I took a look at other campuses and how they arranged events like this,” Ritchey said. “I feel like this is a good way to unite people on campus around a single cause.” Recent hire Assistant Athletic Director Renee Brown, the advisor to the Game Room Club, said she is excited to promote the event. “I’m really excited to work with
the club on the event and I’m big into RPG games, too,” said Brown. Ritchey said there will be many games to pick from and they will mix up what is being played as the event goes on, depending on what is popular, just like a typical game party. There will also be more games set up than what is being streamed, so anyone who wants to can show up and play off camera and leave when they want to, said Ritchey. Although the Game Room Club has not yet secured a sponsor, they are hopeful for future sponsorships
after hosting the first event. “We aren’t setting a hard goal,” Ritchey said. “right now we are looking to get to $500 but that may go up as the night goes on. This is sort of a test right now to see what we can do the next time around.” This being a first time attempting a charity fundraiser, Ritchey admits this will be a learning experience. “Gaming is a platform for people to make friends. I want to see this community of introverted people come together, and I think that this a good way to do it.”
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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
Features
Drag king Remington Steel sings his heart out. The Roar/Jakelia Baker
The Roar/Kyara Parrish
Candice Candy, left, performs a number dressed in tiger stripes. Above, she puts on her makeup before the show.
The Roar/Abigail Pereira
What a drag!
Four drag queens and one drag king became the fabulous five when they took center stage at a drag show Feb. 26 in the Student Union Building Lodge. Sponsor Romina Holder, student activities and resident life coordinator, said she was thrilled with the turnout. “I expected maybe 50 people, and there were over 80,” she said. The show was received well by students, but faculty and staff also seemed to enjoy themselves. “It was a first for many of us,” said Amy Gartley, associate director of student affairs. “We’re still reflecting on the show.”
The Roar/Colton Pleslusky
Miss Shantay, above, flirts with a student in the audience. At right, Calipso performs on stage.
The Roar/Scarlet Cisneros
March 2020
Features
Penn State Beaver Roar
15
Students dislike Zoom classes EMILY BONZO
While students have expressed concerns with video conferencing classes, faculty members said that, despite the challenges, Zoom classes are beneficial as they give students access to classes or perspectives they wouldn’t otherwise have.
Staff Writer
eeb5405@psu.edu
Students enrolled in courses via Zoom said video conferencing classes are unorganized and hard to understand. Sophomore Layla Denny, currently enrolled in Geoscience 10, said that they can be unorganized and “hard to keep track of.” Rather than taking notes, Denny suggests that professors should post their slides to Canvas. Other students like junior Max Muller said that video classes can be hard to understand depending on how the class is organized. Muller, who was previously enrolled in a Zoom course in high school, said the class would be a lot easier to follow if the notes were printed and handed out to the students before-hand. Video conferencing classes are typically offered by faculty at another Penn State campus who teach to some students at that campus. The class is broadcast live using Zoom video conferencing software to a classroom at Beaver that has technology compatible with Zoom. Students in those classes come into a traditional classroom for their
Director of Academic Affairs Carey McDougall said video conferencing classes “are not the primary means to teaching” but give students access to classes beyond campus. She said students want face-to-face interaction and to develop a relationship with their instructors. She said it’s important for students to remain engaged and to remember it’s a conference not a video.
The Roar/Emily Bonzo
From left, Thomas Baumann, Taylor Menier, James Carbone, Cash Pcola and Max Muller sit in a geology class in room 3 of the General Classroom Building while Instructor Fahmida Amin broadcasts over Zoom.
meetings, flick on the lights, find a desk and are faced with a teacherless podium. Instead of utilizing the board, they turn on a television and connect with their professor through Zoom. Students can also download the
Zoom app on their computer or mobile device to engage in a live feed from their home. This option is available to students who prefer more independent studies or to professors that do not require their students to come to a classroom
for their meetings. Twelve to 13 classes are offered each semester in areas like Information Sciences and Technology, computer science, business, French, education, and supply chain management.
Associate Professor of Administration of Justice Mari Pierce teaches a class in the fall on juvenile delinquency and a defender’s class on child abuse via Zoom meetings. According to Pierce, video conferencing classes can have many benefits as they “allow students to utilize resources in a way that suits their needs.” However, she said that when communication problems occur, students should be able to express their concerns with their instructor.
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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2020
Sports
Beaver captures championship Undefeated Lady Lions head to nationals KRISTINA F. HOGUE Staff Writer
kph5425@psu.edu
Despite a young team and a new coach, the Penn State Beaver Lady Lions proved to be the best in the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) March 1, winning the tournament under the bright lights of the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus. The victory capped off an undefeated 17-0 PSUAC record for Lady Lions, launching them into the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) national tournament March 9-11 as the No. 1 seed. Beaver beat Penn State Brandywine in a tough 71-69 battle. Despite an early 6-point led by Beaver, Brandywine led at the end of the first quarter 14-13. But by the end of the first half, Beaver was on top 31-28 and continued that lead to the end of the third quarter, 46-41. In the final quarter, both teams rallied. Beaver led by seven, but Brandywine tied the game. Beaver went into the final minute of the game leading by five, and that lead proved to be enough to win the game, even with Brandywine making a 3-pointer with just seconds left. Junior Diamond Thomas led the team with 25 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double. Senior Cheyenne Lopez and sophomore Jimya Chambers added 15 and 13 respectively. This was Beaver’s first championship since 2016. In the PSUAC playoffs that led up to the championship, the Lady Lions dominated Penn State Mont Alto Feb. 25.
The Roar/Daniel J Pinchot
The Penn State Beaver women’s basketball team gathers around the trophy after winning the PSUAC Championship title March 1.
“
Every single four-year women’s basketball player to go through Penn State Beaver has graduated with a championship, so to be able to continue that tradition feels complete.”
Cheyenne Lopez Senior
The Roar/Anthony Pappas
Diamond Thomas guards a Penn State DuBois player Feb. 4.
The women took a commanding 31-3 lead in the first quarter and continued the domination until the end of the game, winning 101-43. Thomas led the assault, scoring 21 points and eight steals, with soph-
omores Emily Keener adding 20 points and Alexis Cross 19 points and four rebounds. In what could best be called a redemption matchup, the women went on to beat Penn State Lehigh
Valley 84-64 in the semi-finals Feb. 28. Lehigh Valley defeated Beaver in last year’s PSUAC championship. While the Lady Lions ended up winning, they didn’t have the lead the entire time; at the end of the first quarter, Lehigh Valley was ahead 12-10, but by halftime Beaver led 31-19 and maintained the lead until the end of the game. Thomas again recorded a dou-
ble-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Chambers also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Thomas was named PSUAC West Player of the Year. Both Thomas and Cross were named to the West First Team, while Lopez received an honorable mention. This successful championship run wasn’t surprising to Coach Tim Moore. “Based on the regular season, I knew we had a good chance to win the championship if we stayed healthy and played our style of basketball.” Moore was named PSUAC Coach of the Year. This championship was the icing on the cake of the women’s very successful regular season. Lopez said she was really hoping to help the team in winning a championship. “Every single four-year women’s basketball player to go through Penn State Beaver has graduated with a championship, so to be able to continue that tradition feels complete.” While the outcome was exactly what the team was fighting for, the fight was not an easy one. “The playoffs are like an entirely different season,” Moore said. “There is so much on the line. The coaches prepare more; the girls play harder.” The players said they are happy with their most recent success, but they aren’t finished just yet. Cross said, “We really believe we will win nationals, too. If we stay motivated and focused, we can get that ring!” The women will play in the first round of the national tournament March 9 and if all goes as the team hopes, they will play in the semifinals on March 10 and the national title game March 11. “We hope to add a ring to our conference championship medals,” Lopez said. “I know we have high chances to win a national championship because our team is hungry for more and we haven’t had enough of winning just yet.”
March 2020
Sports
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Lions come up short in quarterfinals MATYLDA ZAMUDIO Senior Staff Writer
mmz5236@psu.edu
After battling to the post-season for a consecutive year, the Penn State Beaver men’s basketball team fell to Penn State Mont Alto 79-58 on the road Feb. 25 in the quarterfinal round of the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) playoffs. The Lions finished the season 13-13 overall this year and placed fourth in the PSUAC Western standings with a 10-9 conference record. Beaver fought an uphill battle to return to the post-season as three straight conference losses to Penn State Schuylkill Jan. 25, Penn State Shenango Jan. 28 and Mont Alto Feb. 1 put the team below .500 in the conference rankings. But the Lions turned their season around by winning the four sequential PSUAC matches that were capped off by a 77-66 victory against Shenango Feb. 18 in their last home game of the regular season, which clinched Beaver’s spot in the playoffs. Junior Keon Butler said the team made sure it was fully-prepared to face off against Shenango because it was a must-win game for both teams to ensure a post-season appearance. “It was intense,” Butler said. “We knew the stakes for the game, but we knew we had to win to secure us going to the playoffs. We wanted to make sure we went this year because we made it last year.” The Lions jumped out with a 7-2 run, but Shenango tied it up at 7-7. The teams kept the game close for the next few minutes until senior John Foster delivered 14 straight points in a six-minute span to build a double-digit advantage for the Lions (25-14), who went on to lead 34-24 at halftime. The Lions controlled the tempo of the game for a better portion of the second half, but Shenango caught fire late and got the game within 4 points of Beaver’s lead on a layup at the 2:32 mark (68-64).
Keon Butler, No. 2, shoots a jumpshot from outside of the lane during the first half of the Feb. 4 matchup agaist Penn State DuBois.
The Roar/RJ Long
Kevin Louis-Charles, No. 11, fires a jumpshot in front of two opponents in the win over Penn State New Kensington Feb. 8.
But the Lions got the defensive stops they needed in the final minutes, holding Shenango to only 2 points while tallying up 5 points from behind the charity stripe to win 77-66 and solidify a playoff berth. Knowing this was his last regular season home game with the team, Foster said his mindset going into that game was to score 40 points. Foster finished with a double-double and a game-high 34 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and three assists. “I came up six short, but was definitely on a killer mentality. I watched Kobe score 60 points in his last game. I was like, ‘I have to go out with a bang,’ ” Foster said. Coach Brian Bibey said the Lions focused on winning the game and playing the style of basketball they needed to play in order to be successful against Shenango. “For us to win, our focus needed
to be on team defense, shot selection and taking care of the basketball,” he said. “The key to winning the Shenango game was our ability to put together a complete game.” “We were able to play with discipline and execute on offense and defense for 40 minutes.” With a chip on their shoulder from last year’s first-round defeat, the Lions couldn’t wait to face No. 1 Mont Alto in the PSUAC quarterfinal rematch. But the Lions didn’t get the redemption as they allowed Mont Alto to outscore them 16-2 in the first 10 minutes of play and went on to trail by 20 points in the first half (35-15). The Lions fought back in the second half, but the early deficit was too much for them to overcome, falling 79-58 in the game and putting an end to the season.
The Roar/RJ Long
“The game plan was to stop their posts, rebound and try to keep their guards out of the corner shots,” Foster said. “We did okay in the first 10 minutes if that, but the main thing that really held us back was we couldn’t score (in that span).” Despite the outcome, Butler said the team felt a sense of achievement making the playoffs. “It was great that we made it to the playoffs again (for) back-to-back years,” he said. “Last year was the first time in five years or so, and it was big for us to make it last year we had a good core that came back from last year, so we wanted to continue that.” “It was a little disappointing that we lost, but we’re still very happy with the season since we made it to the playoffs again.”
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Sports
Hall of Honor inducts standout players, coach FROM STAFF REPORTS
Penn State Beaver inducted five former athletes or coaches into the Athletic Hall of Honor during Athletics Spirit Weekend Feb. 8. This is the third class of inductees, bringing the total number of honorees to 19. The Hall of Honor honors those who have made exceptional contributions to athletics. The individuals displayed integrity, commitment and sportsmanship throughout their collegiate careers and have helped the athletic department achieve success on and off the playing surface. Becky (Garcia) Shrum competed in softball from 2004-2008 and was named to the Penn State University Athletic Conference all academic and all -conference team every year. Her teams made the playoffs all four years, finishing PSUAC runners up in 2005 and once again in 2007. She was named United States Collegiate Athletic Association All-American in 2006 and then again in 2007 and 2008. She was a captain all four years. In the classroom, she was named to the Dean’s list six times and was a part of the first graduating class in the Business program at Penn State Beaver. From 2006-2010, Jennifer (Hain) Edwards left her mark on the volleyball court, softball field and in the classroom. As a freshman, she was named a USCAA All-American in both softball and volleyball, PSUAC
Shrum
Edwards
All-conference in softball and volleyball and earned the team leadership award in softball. During her remaining three years, she collected three PSUAC All-conference honors in volleyball, one PSUAC Allconference in softball, a team leadership award in volleyball and multiple player of the week from both the PSUAC and the USCAA. Her team won the PSUAC championship in 2007. Academically, Edwards excelled as well, earning PSUAC All-academic All-conference six times, twice for softball and four times for volleyball. In 2009, she received the campuses Student Activity Award and the prestigious Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award. In 2010, she graduated with a degree in communications and received the Communications Baccalaureate Award. After graduation, Edwards returned to Penn State Beaver as an assistant volleyball coach in 2014.
Williams
This past season, she was named interim head volleyball coach, leading the team to a PSUAC runner’s up finish and its first-ever USCAA National tournament berth. Marcess Williams coached the Penn State Beaver men’s basketball team from 2004 to 2014. During his tenure, he coached 14 USCAA AllAmericans, 23 PSUAC All-academics and 22 PSUAC All-conference players. He accumulated a record of 136-92. From 2008 to 2014, the Penn State Beaver men’s basketball team was elite in the PSUAC. These teams won the PSUAC regular season five times, the PSUAC championship three times in a row from 2008 to 2010, were PSUAC runners up in 2012-13, qualified for the USCAA tournament every year, finished third at the USCAA tournament in 2011 and 2013 and finished as the USCAA runner up in 2013-14. In addition to coaching, Wil-
Miller
Shimek
liams was a full-time member of the Admissions Office and served as the liaison between that office and the Athletic Department. His responsibilities included recruitment for the entire Beaver campus athletic program. Nick Miller was a standout on the men’s basketball team from 2009 to 2013. In Miller’s freshman year, the team won the PSUAC conference championship and finished third place in the USCAA National tournament. In 2011, he was named to the PSUAC All-conference, USCAA AllAmerican and PSUAC All-academic teams. As a junior, Miller joined the 1000 point club as the team finished PSUAC runners up. He was again named to the PSUAC All-conference, USCAA All-American and PSUAC All-academic teams. He also received both PSUAC and USCAA player of the week awards.
In his senior season, for the third straight year, Miller was PSUAC All-conference, USCAA All-American and named to the PSUAC Allacademic teams. His team finished runners up at the USCAA National tournament. In the tournament, Miller broke a tournament record, most free throws made without a miss, with 16. After graduating, Miller played on a professional USA basketball team where he traveled across Europe and Finland. He averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 assists, and 5.1 rebounds and was named MVP for the tournament. He returned to Beaver in 2015-16 as an assistant for the women’s basketball team, helping to lead the team to a PSUAC championship. Brett Shimek didn’t graduate from Penn State, but played baseball from 1991 to 1993 during his first two years of college at Penn State Beaver. In his baseball playing days at Beaver, he was well decorated. In 1992, he led his team to a Commonwealth College Athletic Association championship. In 1993, the team again won the CCAC, but added a National Junior College Athletic Association regional championship and a trip to the NJCAA Junior College World Series, where the team finished fifth. Individually, Shimek was a twotime All-conference award winner and was named twice to the NJCAA All-region team, as well as NJCAA All-American.
March 2020
Sports
Penn State Beaver Roar
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Fightin’ Beavs are playoff ready after tough season KEON BUTLER Staff Writer
ktb5239@psu.edu
The Penn State Beaver Fightin’ Beavs Inline hockey team looks to make power moves in the playoffs despite having a slow start to the season, just 2-12 before heading into the postseason. The Fightin’ Beavs started out the season by losing to the University of Clarion by eight points. Shortly after the Beavs developed a pattern of losing by three or more goals over the course of most of the season. Eventually, the Beavs gained a second wind toward the end of the season by winning their first game against the LaRoche University 12-4 Feb. 12. In the very next game on Feb. 20, the Fightin’ Beavs scrapped out an impressive 3-2 victory over Duquesne University in overtime.
The Roar/Colton Pleslusky
Landon Hanna recovers and begins to advance down the rink after defending Beaver’s net.
The team finished its regular season with a tough loss to Robert Mor-
ris University 6-7 in a shootout. Despite the team having a poor
record and slow start to the season, it has the confidence that in the playoffs the team can redeem itself based on its recent success. After winning two out of the last three games, the team hopes to carry on the momentum heading into the postseason. Coach Matt Welch said he’s optimistic about his team’s possible success in the postseason. “If we can continue to build momentum, I don’t see any reason that we shouldn’t have success in the playoffs.” However, despite having one of the worst records in the conference, the Fighting Beavs has the two best scorers in the entire league. Junior Forward Landon Hanna has the most points in the conference at 22 goals while averaging 4.4 points a game. Freshman Forward Zachary Thomas has 16 points on the season
which is the second most in the conference. Thomas shared that he is looking forward to the playoffs with the hopes of having more support from fans. Junior Forward Jackson Glenn explained that the lack of experienced players is the cause for the amount of losses this season. “I’m not as happy with our results,” Glenn said as he spoke on the club hockey’s stats. “I would’ve loved to have more success given the circumstances.” Welch agrees that the team has potential. “If we can continue to build momentum, I don’t see any reason that we shouldn’t have success in the postseason,” Welch said. The Fightin’ Beavs will play their first postseason game against La Roche on Wednesday, March 18.
