spring2010 by Penn State Beaver

SPRING 2010

ENGINEERING MARVEL | FIT AND FABULOUS | BEAVER TO BC3 AND BACK

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Spring 2010

A Message from Chancellor Keefer A

t the March meeting of the Penn State Board of Trustees, the firm of WTW Architects, Pittsburgh, was approved to develop the design for the Wellness Center addition to Penn State Beaver’s gymnasium. There’s a great deal of excitement and anticipation as we move ahead toward the opening of the new Wellness Center planned for spring semester 2012.

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What gives me a great deal of satisfaction is knowing that the Wellness Center is made possible through collaborative funding provided by the campus budget, student facility fees, a gift from Beaver campus alumnus Carl Bartuch, and multiple funding sources from University Park.

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This project has been a part of the campus strategic plan, and more importantly, part of the campus conversation for many years. When completed, the new Wellness Center will enhance our ability to recruit and retain students because we know that amenities such as attractive, comfortable health facilities play an important role in a student’s final decision about where to attend college. The design process of the Wellness Center will include faculty, staff, and students, all of whom will have an opportunity to express their opinions on what should be included in the project. It will be the job of the architects and the campus design committee to distill that information into the best possible project while taking the budget into consideration. What gives me a great deal of satisfaction is knowing this project is made possible through collaborative funding provided by the campus budget, student facility fees, a gift from Beaver campus alumnus Carl Bartuch ’75 Bus, and multiple funding sources from University Park. From the beginning, everyone involved in this endeavor realized what an important project it is. In particular, I want to commend our students for their support. First, they had to approve the student facility fee charge for the campus, which was set at $100 per semester. Then they allocated $100,000 a year for three years from the facility fee funds for the project. This meant that even though some of the students involved in this decision-making process won’t be here when the Wellness Center opens, they’re still supportive of setting some of their tuition funds aside for the project. This generosity represented a great deal of foresight on their part, and I hope many of them will be able to come back to campus as alumni to use the Wellness Center. Another example of how collaboration within the University can make things happen is the approval given to Penn State Beaver, Penn State Shenango, and Penn State New Kensington to offer the Administration of Jus-

tice baccalaureate degree in the upcoming fall semester. The University’s overall Strategic Plan called for a regional approach to program offerings, and this degree was the first of its kind to be proposed under the current plan. The three campuses are now moving ahead in recruiting students and faculty for the program. To utilize our resources more efficiently, the Administration of Justice program will be delivered in the traditional classroom setting on the three campuses along with selected upperdivision courses that will be delivered using technology. This way, a faculty member from any campus can deliver a course to all three campuses. This allows us to support a new degree program with four faculty members for three campuses, rather than requiring each campus to have multiple faculty members in residence. The efficient use of interactive video and the Web make delivery of this program possible. While most of our students still seem to prefer the traditional method of classroom learning, many enjoy taking classes using technology. It’s widely recognized that today’s student uses technology almost as an afterthought. In fact, I recently heard that the average teenager sends and receives 2,200 text messages a month. Every day we see the use of technology growing in both the classroom and in the workplace. Delivering the Administration of Justice degree by employing technology will aid our students in preparing for their future work environment. I invite you to visit Penn State Beaver to see the transformation in our facilities and our landscape that has occurred during the past five years. I know that the addition of our new Wellness Center will be the crowning jewel of our campus. I always look forward to visiting with and hearing from our Beaver alumni. Please feel free to contact me anytime at gbk3@psu.edu or 724-773-3553.

INSIDE THIS EDITION SPRING 2010

ON CAMPUS

4 Healthy is in. Work on the new Wellness Center will begin in the fall. 5 New degree. Students looking for another option can now get a bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice from Penn State Beaver. 13 Voices against violence. The campus community focuses on issues of violence against women.

IN THE CLASSROOM

10 W inning style. Two of our faculty have received University-wide awards: Jim Hendrickson for teaching and JoAnn Chirico for promoting diversity. 9 Annual speaker series 12 Faculty Update

ALUMNI NEWS

6 B eaver to BC3. When academia knocked, Nick Neupauer answered, and he credits Penn State Beaver for where he is today. 8 Alumni Update 19 Outstanding Alumni Award nomination form

STUDENTS

4 Spring forward. Students spend spring break in Spain and Turkey. 1 15 Haiti love. A student loses family members to the earthquake in Haiti, while the campus community comes together to raise money for relief. 20 A day on. MLK Day means public service for students and staff. 9 Student Update

ATHLETICS

16 Taking it to the hoop. The men’s and women’s basketball teams repeat as conference champions but struggle at nationals. 18 Home run. The baseball and softball teams aim for conference titles. 18 Soccer. We have a new women’s soccer team and new coaches for both the men’s and women’s teams.

ON THE COVER Wild ride. Students Dan Domsic, left, Nick Hovanec and Ryan Jones, right, take a ride on their “riding-barrow” with Jim Hendrickson. The team of students made the riding-barrow from bicycle parts and other recycled materials for Hendrickson’s Engineering Design class. The students built it to transport materials around the campus. PHOTO BY JUSTIN VORBACH

EDITOR Amy M. Krebs

FAX 724.773.3578

DESIGNER Cathy Benscoter

EMAIL amk6@psu.edu

PHONE 724.773.3815

AOL IM BrAdmissions

www.beaver.psu.edu

The Nittany News is a publication of the Penn State Beaver Office of Campus and Community Relations, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA 15061. Please direct all inquiries about this newsletter to 724.773.3815 or amk6@ psu.edu. This publication is available in alternative media upon request. U.Ed. BR 10-08 © 2010 Penn State Beaver

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Spring 2010

FIT AND FABULOUS

Campus receives $100,000 gift for new Wellness Center Amy Green

SOPHOMORE, COMMUNICATIONS

Penn State Beaver got an early Christmas present last December, one that could have students working out in a plush new space on campus as early as spring 2012. Carl Bartuch ’75 Bus donated $100,000 to the campus’s new Wellness Center. The gift was the final piece in a $2.2 million funding puzzle that will allow Penn State Beaver to break ground this fall for a new Wellness Center. “Without his financial commitment, this project would still be on hold,” Director of Development Diana Patterson said. The campus has set aside money each year to come up with $1.05 million for the Wellness Center project. In addition, $300,000 will come from funds students earmarked from the Student Facility Fee. The remaining $750,000 comes from the University Facility Resource Committee and other funds provided by University Park. Chancellor Gary Keefer said he’s excited the project will finally get started. “The gym’s addition plan has been on the front burner for the past five years,” he said. “This is the second largest capital investment … we have had since I’ve been here.” The Ross Administration Building was the largest.

hopes it will be a big attraction in recruiting students. Athletes, in particular, may be drawn to the attractive facility. “We hope that it is a tipping point for people sitting on the fence,” Keefer said. Keefer and Patterson agreed that the project wouldn’t have been finalized without the gift from Bartuch, who has also donated $20,000 in scholarships for business students at Beaver. “Dr. Keefer and I made a trip to L. ROBERT KIMBALL & ASSOCIATES, INC. Houston (last October) to visit Carl Keefer said the Wellness Center will be an and his family. He is so involved with attractive focal point for the campus. this campus and wants to do his all to help the The project’s feasibility study (shown above) future graduates,” Patterson said. showed a glass front and modern curved shape, Bartuch owns two businesses, Metal Result and initial plans called for a one-story building Enterprise Inc., which he purchased shortly with approximately 4,000 square feet of new after graduating from Penn State, and Kegg’s and renovated space. The facility will include a Candies, which he bought because of his love of fitness and wellness space as well as an aerobics chocolate. studio. Metal Result Enterprise is the world’s leadThe project will also include improvements ing supplier of customized, made-to-order metal to the exterior landscaping and entrance to the parts for aircraft interiors. The company supplies gym, as well as a new classroom and additional high-end plating, including gold, silver and offices. platinum, on items such as tables, cup holders In March the Penn State Board of Trustees and door knobs for business and luxury aircraft. selected WTW Architects of Pittsburgh, who Kegg’s Candies is a 62-year-old Houston will provide the final design for the project. manufacturer of gourmet boxed chocolates and Once the building is done, Keefer said he handmade confections.

S C A M P UT E UPDA

Spring 2010

Penn State Beaver Nittany News

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AND JUSTICE FOR ALL Beaver to offer bachelor’s in administration of justice Sami Hulings

SOPHOMORE, LIBERAL ARTS

Beginning fall 2010, Penn State Beaver will offer a new bachelor of science degree in administration of justice. The addition is Beaver’s sixth baccalaureate degree program. Other four-year degrees are in applied psychology; business; communications; information sciences and technology; and letters, arts, and sciences. Beaver also hosts Penn State Shenango’s bachelor of science in nursing degree-completion program for registered nurses. “The administration of justice degree will be useful to those interested in law, detective work, the FBI, corrections work, and any aspect of the justice system,” said Dr. Donna J. Kuga ’78 H&HD, director of academic affairs. Penn State Beaver, Penn State New Kensington, and Penn State Shenango will deliver the degree jointly. All required courses will be offered at each campus, although students should expect to take some courses via interactive video and/or the Web. “All (the classes) will be new (except for) the criminology course already offered here,” Kuga said. Three new classes will be added to the schedule in the fall, and three classes for the completion of the degree will be added each semester until all of the new classes are offered. The administration of justice program will focus on the components needed to work in the criminal justice system and will prepare students with formal classroom instruction along with practical training and field experience. “(Students will have the) opportunity to design an emphasis within the degree on, say, theory or policing or courts or corrections, depending on what the campus is offering or what the student wishes to take,” said Dr. JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor in sociology, who teaches criminology and sociology classes. Beaver campus has hired Dr. Mary Pierce to teach in the fall, Kuga said. “We’ll have a variety of faculty members, and some will teach at multiple campuses using various forms of technology. That will broaden the offerings,” Chirico said. Chirico said there has been student interest in the degree for years. “Every year there are majors who would have

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I think that given the future job outlook, this degree looks promising. It’s a great option for students worried about the effects of the downturn in the economy.

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liked to have stayed here. Some go to (University Park) and others stay more local, maybe going to (Penn State) Fayette, which has had the same degree for a long time. Others we lose altogether. This gives them a chance for the Penn State degree,” she said. Kuga agreed. “Some students have made inquiries about the degree. Some may stay instead of transferring to another campus. It could also create an increase in students who want to come to Penn State Beaver,” Kuga said. “I think it will be a good fit for many who may be interested in going into legal sectors of employment,” said Gretchen Samchuck, adviser and coordinator of the Division of Undergraduate Studies. The job outlook for students with degrees in the criminal justice field may also add to the

number of students interested in the degree. “I think that given the future job outlook, this degree looks promising. It’s a great option for students worried about the effects of the downturn in the economy. It provides a much different option for a bachelor’s degree than our current programs,” Samchuck said. Dan Pinchot ’91 Com, ’04 MEd, director of enrollment, said he expects to see a growing number of students transferring from other colleges, especially the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC), into this program. “We’re already getting calls and seeing interest,” he said. Pinchot said CCBC has a strong police training program, and some of those graduates may want to earn a bachelor’s degree. This would be a perfect and convenient fit for them. Pinchot said increasing the number of baccalaureate degree programs at Penn State Beaver makes recruiting easier, especially among transfer students and adult learners. Kuga agreed. “My hopes are that the campus will become more attractive to an increased number of students due to more degree options,” Kuga said. “It will help the community by bringing in more students and allowing the campus to have more influence in the area.”

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Spring 2010

BEAVER TO BC3 THIS COLLEGE PRESIDENT CREDITS HIS SUCCESS TO HIS YEARS AT PENN STATE BEAVER

t’s a sunny spring day as Dr. Nicholas Neupauer ’89 Com gives a tour of Butler County Community College (BC3) and points out campus improvements that have occurred in recent years. To one side is the new Student Success Center that houses the campus admissions office, a learning center, the campus newspaper room and the bookstore. Beside it are the buildings where all of those offices were previously located. They are now being renovated into more classroom space for the expanding student body. Neupauer is proud of BC3. He should be; he’s been president there since 2007, and he’s overseen multiple campus improvements such as the new Student Success Center and a campus-wide beautification and safety project. But ask Neupauer where his heart is, and he’ll tell you: Penn State Beaver. STORY BY DANA SKLACK

“I mention (Penn State Beaver) at any opportunity I get,” he said. “For me it was important that I got my feet on the ground academically, and Penn State Beaver did that for me,” he said. Neupauer was a firstgeneration college student. Many of the men in his family before him, including his father and grandfather, had worked in the mills. “Although my parents wanted to help as much as possible, and actually did financially even though my dad was laid off, they didn’t necessarily know what advice to offer,” he said. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Ellwood City in 1985, Neupauer picked Penn State for a simple reason: football. “Forever I wanted to graduate from Penn State, probably because mostly I was a Penn

PHOTOS BY CLIF PAGE

I ALUMN LE PROFI

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Above: Nick Neupauer walks past some students during a tour of Butler County Community College’s campus. Opposite: Neupauer lectures in his introduction to public relations class. “That’s absolutely my favorite part of the day,” he says. State football fan,” he said. agreement was simple: He would Neupauer cited multiple faculty choose the career path that called first. members at Penn State Beaver, includ“It was a Monday and at about noon ing the late Harvey Kelly, a theater I received a call from West Virginia professor, and Director of Academic University accepting me to a Ph.D. Affairs Dr. Donna Kuga ’78 H&HD, program,” Neupauer said. “Fifteen then a kinesiology professor on camminutes later, I received a call from pus, as major influences on his life. Northeastern Illinois University to get “I remember him being very driven a job as their sports information direcwhen he first started college,” Ed Mator.” tuga ’89 Com said. The two met while If the phone calls had been reversed, they were freshmen at Penn State BeaNeupauer said, it would have “absover and later became roommates. lutely altered the course of my life.” After his two years at Penn State When he was applying for the Beaver, Neupauer moved to University As a young reporter at the New Castle News, Neupauer had the WVU program, Neupauer turned to an Park to complete his undergraduopportunity to interview Joe Paterno. He still keeps a photo of the old professor for help. ate degree in print journalism with a “Harvey (Kelly) played a major role interview in his office at BC3. minor in English. When he graduated in helping get me into my Ph.D. proin 1989, he moved back to Beaver County and fan,” he said. gram,” he said. became a sports writer for The Beaver County Neupauer quickly pulled out a picture from While at WVU, Neupauer earned a doctorTimes, where he had been a correspondent durthe interview that showed him as a young, mulate in education in communication and instrucing his years at Penn State Beaver. leted reporter and JoPa looking the same as ever. tion and won two teaching awards, Outstanding “I wanted to go to Penn State University and In 1991, Neupauer embarked on a career Graduate Teaching Assistant and Outstanding I wanted to be a sports writer, and I did that,” change by enrolling in Clarion University’s Professor. he said. graduate program. He majored in communicaFrom there, Neupauer began a career in the After the Beaver County Times, Neupauer tions with a focus in training and development academic world. He was a visiting professor at worked for the New Castle News for about a and worked as the campus’s assistant sports inBethany College in West Virginia before workyear. It was while working there that he had formation director. After graduation he looked ing at Marist College in New York. During the opportunity to interview Joe Paterno, head for a job in sports public relations, but he also his time at Marist, Neupauer helped to create coach of the Penn State football team. applied for one doctoral program. a sports communications degree and became “It was an honor to interview Joe — a guy His career path was determined by one I admired growing up as a Penn State football phone call and a pact with his future wife. Their CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

ALUMNI UPDATES Lindsay (Rossman) Anthony ’03 Bus is director of quality assurance for Hiperos LLC in Bridgeville. Robert M. Collins, P.E., ’85 Eng is project manager for the PA Department of Transportation. Ryan Glover ’04 IST, a financial analyst for Ariba Inc., is married and the father of a baby girl. MaryEllen Gray ’72 Edu is senior consultant for Io Consulting Inc. and president of the Penn State Beaver Alumni Society. James Janicki, P.E., ’86 Eng is vice president and general manager of Clinical Diagnostics for Life Technologies Inc., Carlsbad, CA. Norman J. Kraus Jr. ’77 Com is CBA Northeast Sales Manager, Hachette Book Group USA.

George Logue ’92 Sci is president of DevWare Technology Inc. Joni Marra ’83 Bus is an attorney working as a full-time volunteer for groups as diverse as LEAP, Common Ground, Harbinger Hospice, and River’s Edge. Emily Riggs ’08 Lib is working on a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education at Slippery Rock University, where she is also a transfer admissions counselor. Jarred Romesburg ’98 Com is president and owner of Romesburg Media Group in Somerset. Lee Young ’74 Edu, a business system analyst for the U.S. Navy, recently completed testing of SAP/ Business Warehouse applications for the Navy civilian workforce.

ALUMNI SOCIETY/CHAPTER NEWS 2010 GOLF OUTING

The Alumni Society’s 2010 Golf Outing will be held Friday, Sept. 10, at The Club at Shadow Lakes, Hopewell Township. To register for the event or to obtain sponsorship information, contact Diana Patterson, Beaver campus director of development and Alumni Society liaison, at dlp25@ psu.edu or 724-773-3558.

CHAPTER OFFICERS

Last fall, the Beaver Valley Area Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association elected officers for the Board of Directors. President is Michael Boser ’98 Bus, recovery analyst for Coventry Health Care, and vice president is Keith Poleti ’06 Bus, assistant vice president/financial services manager at ESB Bank. David Smarrelli ’98 Eng, financial advisor for GuyauxMandlerMah Financial Group, LLC, is treasurer, and Diane C. McClune ’76 H&HD, director of operations for the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health, is secretary. The public is invited to join the Alumni Chapter. Members do not need to be Penn State alumni. Dues are $10 for individuals and $15 for couples/families.

CHAPTER EVENTS

In November, the Alumni Chapter and Penn State Beaver students came together for a Habitat for Humanity build in Ambridge and to watch the Penn State vs. Ohio State game. In addition, students and chapter members participated in Bowling Nights at the Monaca Turners across from campus. In March, the chapter hosted its Fourth Annual Wine Tasting, which raised $700 for the group’s Beaver campus student scholarships. The Alumni Chapter also raised scholarship funds through its sales of Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream at the Brodhead Cultural Center summer shows. The Alumni Chapter’s largest project of the year is its annual Holiday Gift Drive for Children and Youth Services (CYS) of Beaver County. The chapter solicits gifts and raises funds to purchase gifts for children who are CYS clients. In December, 125 children received holiday gifts as a result of the project. For alumni chapter information, contact Amy M. Krebs ’78 Lib, director of campus and community relations and Alumni Chapter liaison, at amk6@psu.edu or 724-773-3816.

Spring 2010

I A L U M NT E UPDA

If you have news to share, we’d love to hear about it. Complete this form and mail it to the address below or fill it out online at:

www.beaver.psu.edu/alumniupdate First name �� Last name �� Maiden name �� Home address �� City______________ State ____ Zip �� Home Phone �� Personal Email �� Job Title �� Employer �� Work Address �� City______________ State ____ Zip �� Work phone �� Work email �� Years at Beaver Campus �� Penn State Degree �� Graduation year �� What news do you have to share? (new job, honors/awards, marriage, birth, promotion, etc.) �� Attach additional page if necessary. MAIL TO: Alumni Update, Penn State Beaver, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA 15061 or email amk6@psu.edu

Spring 2010

Penn State Beaver Nittany News

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Neupauer: Love of learning started at Penn State CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 chair of the communications department. He also received the award for School of Communication Faculty of the Year twice and was honored for his efforts for students with disabilities. “I had a chance to come back to Penn State Beaver in 1998 as an assistant professor (of communications). However, I was promoted to chair of the Communication Department at Marist College at the same time. This introduced me to higher education administration. Therefore, I stayed at Marist,” Neupauer said. “Although it was tough to pass on coming back to Penn State Beaver, it was the right decision and ultimately set the path toward being a college president.” “I was pleased he was interested in a faculty position (at Penn State Beaver),” Kuga said. “He was involved here as a student, and he took that level of excellence into the classroom.” Neupauer decided to return to the area a year later as dean for humanities and social sciences at BC3. His father was in bad health, and Neupauer wanted to be closer to him. He stayed in that position until 2004, when he became vice president for academic affairs. In 2007, Neupauer became the youngest president of BC3 and the first internal hire for the position. “He is very supportive of us as faculty,” said Susan Seibel, an adjunct faculty member and adviser of the campus newspaper. He “always finds time to give a quote” to the student reporters.

CLIF PAGE

Since moving to the Butler area with his wife, Tamatha, and their two daughters, Paige and Meredith, Neupauer has become an active member in his community. He writes occasional opinion pieces for the Butler Eagle and once a month participates in a morning radio show. But it’s BC3 that claims most of his time, and this spring day some of that time is spent in the classroom. Although he has been president of the campus for the past three years, Neupauer has continued teaching an introduction to public relations class every spring.

Faculty present annual lecture series The 2009-2010 Penn State Beaver Faculty Speakers Series featured a variety of topics. In October, Dr. W. Timothy Few, assistant professor of business administration, presented “Who Am I? Who Are We? How Questions of Identity Shape Life at Work.” Abhijit Dutt, instructor in information sciences and technology, discussed “Cloud Computing” in November. In February Dr. John Chapin, associate professor of communications, gave a presentation on “A Theory-based Ap-

proach to Violence Prevention.” Dr. Juliette Storr, assistant professor of communications, presented “Caribbean Journalism in the 21st Century: Globalization, Regional Integration, and National Identity” in March. In April Dr. Cassandra Miller-Butterworth, assistant professor of biology, presented “Illuminating the Darkness: The Upside Down World of Bat Research.” This year’s Faculty Speakers Series was coordinated by Dr. Peter Deutsch, associate professor of physics.

DESIGN AWARD

“That’s absolutely my favorite part of the day,” he said. His students, staff and faculty speak highly of him. “You definitely can tell he is driven,” said Tiffany Day, one of his students. “He said most of it came from his background growing up.” “He is the best (professor) I’ve had,” said BC3 student Larry Sniezek. Despite his pride in BC3, Neupauer is still drawn to Penn State Beaver and credits it as a big part of his success. “I really caught the (academic) bug at Penn State Beaver.”

NT STUDE S NEW

Junior business major Justin Vorbach won an honorable mention in the layout and design category of the 2010 Keystone Press Awards, Collegiate Division, a statewide press competition. Vorbach received the award for a cover page he designed for The Roar, the campus student newspaper, entitled “Oh Boy, George” which featured a dollar bill with a weeping George Washington that illustrated a story on the economy. Vorbach, a full-time student, works for the Admissions Office and is art editor of The Roar.

FACULTY SENATE

Claryssa Burroughs, a sophomore liberal arts major, and John Meanor, a freshman engineering major, were elected to serve as student senators on the 2010-2011 University Faculty Senate.

TWO DANCE IN THON

Senior Beth Vincenti and junior Ayodeji Odulaja participated in the 46-hour IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON) in February. This year THON raised a record $7.8 million for The Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.

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Spring 2010

JUSTIN VORBACH

Nick Hovanec, left, Brian Sharlow and Jim Hendrickson, right, examine a composter made by Hovanec and Sharlow’s team for their Engineering Design class. The composter will be used by Penn State Beaver to make mulch out of food and yard waste. Below, Hendrickson points out features of a circa 1890 Bessemer Natural Gas Engine. Members of his Engineering Design class created a computer model of the engine in support of the Muddy Creek Oil Field demonstration site at Moraine State Park in Butler County.

ENGINEERING MARVEL Instructor Jim Hendrickson honored with University-wide teaching award Claire Kraynak

JUNIOR, COMMUNICATIONS

Jim Hendrickson’s academic life has come full circle. A former student at Penn State Beaver, Hendrickson, P.E., ’82 Eng went on to Penn State University Park to complete his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. On April 9, he returned to University Park to accept the prestigious Penn State Engineering Alumni Society (PSEAS) Outstanding

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Teaching Award. His teaching was also honored in 2007 when he received the Penn State Beaver Advisory Board Michael Baker Jr. Inc. Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award. Hendrickson has been an instructor in engineering at Penn State Beaver for four years. Hendrickson said it was an honor to be nominated for such a prestigious award, but was very surprised he won because he has many outstanding colleagues.

I liked his classes a lot once I got a feeling for his teaching style. He was one of the most helpful teachers I’ve ever had in my life.

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Coming back to Beaver was a great opportunity. I had a fondness for the campus because I went here.

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“This award is really based on student opinions, which means that I’m doing more good than harm,” he said. “I like to work with young people who are enthusiastic about their ideas,” he said. “When you work in the engineering field, people become burned out and think everything is impossible, but I want to show (my students) that nothing is impossible.” Dr. Donna Kuga ’78 H&HD, director of academic affairs, was one of six people who nominated Hendrickson for the PSEAS award and submitted the final nomination packet to University Park. Kuga said he fit all the qualifications, which included demonstrating success as a teacher by combining competence of subject matter with an ability to inspire students, improving the tools of and/or conditions of teaching, and demonstrating teaching effectiveness in a manner that substantially exceeds normal expectations. Kuga said the award can be given to a maximum of five people annually — three at University Park and two at other campuses. She said there were a few steps in nominating Hendrickson for the award. “First, I put together a packet of student letters that explained why they were nominating him for the award. Then I got the student evaluations for his classes; these rate course and instruction quality,” Kuga explained. The highest rating a professor can receive is a seven, Kuga said. “Jim’s averages in his classes were either sixes or sevens. Those are strong evaluations,” she noted. While growing up on the family farm, Hendrickson wanted to be a mechanic. “I went to school for mechanical engineering, which is close to being a mechanic,” he said. He still lives on that farm. “I think the farm has been in our family since 1820 or so,” he said. Before returning to Beaver to teach, he worked for more than ten years as principal engineer for Mine Safety Appliances Company in Cranberry Township. He was also senior engineer for Westinghouse Electric Corporation’s Science and Technology Center and Nuclear

Y FACULT DS A W A R JoAnn Chirico works with Derrick Brown, freshman engineering, and Jennifer Vaughan, junior ap-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

CATHY BENSCOTER

plied psychology, in her race and ethnic relations course.

JoAnn Chirico receives University diversity award Amy Krebs

NITTANY NEWS EDITOR

Dr. JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor in sociology, is the recent recipient of the Penn State Multicultural Resource Center’s Faculty/Staff Diversity Recognition Award. She was nominated for the award by Heather L. Papinchak ’07 Lib, Agr, who is working on a doctorate in the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. Papinchak was one of Chirico’s students at Penn State Beaver. “When I learned about this award,” Papinchak said, “I knew Dr. Chirico was the perfect candidate. She’s so deserving of this. I looked at the information about submitting a nomination, and said to myself, ‘I’m going for it!’ ” “I’m truly honored to receive this award,” Chirico said. “It was wonderful of Heather to nominate me.”

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The award recognizes Chirico’s work in consistently promoting multiculturalism and demonstrating concern for and sensitivity to the needs of multicultural students above and beyond her job responsibilities. Chirico’s initiation and implementation of service learning projects for Beaver campus students has won recognition from the campus as well as the University. She won the Penn State Beaver Advisory Board Sky Bank Excellence in Service Award. She’s also received the Penn State Commonwealth College Service Award, the Penn State University Vice President for Student Affairs Award for Outstanding Program in the Diversity Speakers Series, and an honorable mention in that office’s Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program. While at Penn State, Cyndi Brown ’08 Lib, another of Chirico’s students, CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

JoAnn taught me to think and view life in culturally diverse ways, and she also increased my awareness of social issues that affect minorities as well as other people.

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Spring 2010

Faculty present papers, receive honors Dr. Robin M. Bower, associate professor of Spanish, and Dr. Rajen Mookerjee, associate professor of economics, are serving as University Faculty Senators. ——— Dr. John Chapin, associate professor of communications, wrote “Whose Tube Is It Anyway?,” a chapter in the book Ethics and Entertainment: Essays on Media Culture and Media Morality, edited by Howard Good and Sandra L. Borden. In addition, Chapin coordinated the Tenth Annual Forensics Tournament held on campus in March. Seventy-five students from area middle and high schools participated. ——— Dr. Zhongyuan Che, associate professor of mathematics, coauthored “Finding Repeats Within Strings” as part of the Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (DIMACS) Educational Module Series. The DIMACS Center is located at Rutgers University. In March, Che organized a free Beaver campus lecture about the life of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan entitled “Ramanujan, a Modest Talk About a Great Mathematician” presented by Dr. Javier Gomez-Calderon, professor of mathematics at Penn State New Kensington. ——— Abhijit Dutt, instructor in information sciences and technology, coauthored “A Study on Efficacy of Ensemble Methods for Classification Learning” which he presented at the Thirtieth International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS) in Phoenix. ——— Head librarian Marty Goldberg featured “The Lion’s Roar: Penn State Spirit,” a display of historical photographs of Penn State’s mascot, the Nittany Lion, in the campus library. The exhibit was organized and sponsored by the University Libraries. ——— Dr. Michael Hay, associate professor of chemistry, and Derek Pettner ’09 Eng, a Beaver alumnus and former student of Hay, were recognized by the Council on Undergraduate Research for coauthoring an article, “Aerobic Oxidation of Tetrahydrofuran by a Series of Iron (III) Containing POSS Compounds,” which appeared in an issue of Polyhedron, a journal published by Elsevier. Pettner is an associate engineer with the Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corp., which operates the Bettis Laboratory for

the United States Department of Energy. In addition, Hay was co-coordinator of the Fifteenth Annual Penn State Beaver/Midwestern Pennsylvania Association of Science Teachers Science Challenge. More than fifty students from seven high schools participated; the winning team was Riverside High School. ——— Dr. Talha Harcar, associate professor of business, coauthored “A Conceptual Framework Determining Factors Affecting Attitudes Towards Organic Food Consumption,” which appeared in the Business Research Yearbook: Global Business Perspectives published by the International Academy of Business Disciplines. He also coauthored an article, “Customer Segmentation Strategies in Banking Industry: The Case of Morocco,” which he presented at the Eighteenth World Business Congress held at International Black Sea University in Tbilisi, Georgia. In addition, Harcar coedited the Eighteenth World Business Congress book Management Challenges in an Environment of Increasing Regional and Global Concerns. ——— Dr. Clare Conry-Murray, assistant professor of psychology, wrote “Adolescent and Adult Reasoning About Gender Roles and Fairness in Benin, West Africa,” which appeared in the journal Cognitive Development. ——— Dr. Kristen L. Olson, associate professor of English, wrote an article entitled “PicturePattern-Poiesis: Visuality, the Emblem, and Seventeenth-Century English Religious Lyric,” which appeared in Emblematica, an interdisciplinary journal for emblem studies. ——— Dr. Carol Schafer, associate professor of theatre, integrative arts, and women’s studies, directed her students in Penn State Beaver Theatre’s fall production of The Pirate, the Game, and the Word “No” and the group’s spring production of The Frog Prince. ——— Dr. Donald E. Sheffield, affiliate professor of education, gave a luncheon presentation on “Promoting Excellence at Home: Behaviors for Successful Families.” ——— Dr. Juliette Storr, assistant professor of communications and faculty supervisor for student-run radio station WBVR, served as a facilitator for the radio broadcast workshop held as

Y T L U C A F E UPDAT

part of the Fifth Annual Communications Day. ——— “The Battalion That Never Was: Dr. Teofil Starzynski, the OSS, and the Polish American Special Service Unit Project, 1942” was written by Dr. Robert Szymczak, associate professor of history, and appeared in the autumn 2009 edition of Polish American Studies, a journal of Polish American history and culture published by the Polish American Historical Association. ——— Dr. Chris Wu, professor of mathematics, organized the Fourth Annual Math Competition. Fifty-five high school students, grades 9 through 12, participated; the winning team was Moon Area High School. ——— “Using Flickr to Connect a Multi-Campus Honors Community” was coauthored by Courtney L. Young, reference librarian and associate professor of women’s studies, and appeared in the fall/winter 2009 edition of the Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. In addition, Young was the keynote speaker for the Penn State Alumni Association’s 2010 City Lights Series at Pittsburgh’s August Wilson Center in February. Her presentation was entitled “Famous African American Penn Staters.” ——— Members of the 2010 Undergraduate Research Fair Committee were Dr. Zhongyuan Che, chair; Dr. JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor in sociology; Dr. Talha Harcar; Dr. Clare Conry-Murray; Dr. Carol Schafer; and Dr. Irene Wolf, senior instructor in philosophy. ——— More than 150 area educators attended the Regional Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Conference hosted by Penn State Beaver in March. The conference focused on preparing Pennsylvania’s youth to be globally competitive learners and workers. Faculty members who spoke at the conference included Dr. Zhongyuan Che; Abhijit Dutt; Dr. Angela Fishman, instructor in mathematics; Claudia Tanascovic, lecturer in chemistry; and Dr. Serge Yaskolko, lecturer in mathematics. The event was sponsored by Job Training for Beaver County and Southwest Training Services, in cooperation with Beaver campus and the Regional Career Education Partnership, with partial funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Page 13

Hendrickson CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

MARIA BRUNO

VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE Last fall Penn State Beaver faculty and staff launched Voices Against Violence, a series of programs designed to heighten awareness of domestic violence. Dr. JoAnn Chirico, senior instructor in sociology, initiated an exhibit of flags and markers on the campus lawn designed to represent the number of sexual assault and domestic violence victims in Beaver County and northwestern Allegheny County. In addition, a Silent Witness display was held in the Student Union Building highlighting victims’ stories. T-shirts designed by women and children who were domestic violence victims were on display in the auditorium

lobby in the Student Union Building. “The Pirate, The Game, and The Word ‘No,’ ” three short plays with themes of domestic violence and sexual assault, were presented by Penn State Beaver Theater under the direction of Dr. Carol Schafer, associate professor of theater, integrative arts, and women’s studies. Schafer received the 2009 Achieving Women Award from the Penn State Commission for Women, which honors University women who have shown leadership, supported Penn State’s diversity and equal opportunity efforts, and contributed to human causes and public service.

Chirico champions diversity on campus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 participated in several internships and volunteer opportunities with social service agencies, crisis centers, and other organizations serving people in need. “JoAnn was the person who opened my eyes to those opportunities,” Brown said. “She taught me to think and view life in culturally diverse ways, and she also increased my awareness of social issues that affect minorities as well as other people.” Chirico has cochaired the Penn State Beaver Campus Climate and Diversity Committee since 2008, and assisted in developing the campus Reach Out Program, which placed more than 100 students in community service positions.

She also chaired the Educational Equity and Campus Environment Team for two years and was a member of the Penn State Commission for Women. She’s a member of the Voices Against Violence Group that was formed by campus faculty and staff members in 2008 in an effort to bring issues of sexual and domestic abuse to the forefront. Chirico holds a doctorate in sociology and education and a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “She was ecstatic and very appreciative of winning this award,” Papinchak said. “JoAnn fills a niche at Beaver. She’s truly an asset to the campus.”

Service Divisions, Pittsburgh. Hendrickson, who received a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, holds U.S. patents in the fields of superconductive energy storage, power generation, thermal imaging, personal protective equipment, and continuous steel casting. So, what brought Hendrickson back to Beaver campus? “Coming back to Beaver was a great opportunity. I had a fondness for the campus because I went here,” he said. That fondness doesn’t translate into softness in the classroom. “Hendrickson’s classes are hard. He gets right into things. In the beginning, he wants to find out who really wants to stick it out and be an engineer,” said former student Andrew Kwiatkowski. Hendrickson is known for getting his students involved in classroom work that can turn into community service projects. “At Beaver Creek State Park in Ohio, the students created a 3-D model of the entire facility by using the latest computer software,” Hendrickson said. “To my knowledge, this has never been done before.” Hendrickson’s Engineering Design students worked on the restoration and redesign of Gaston’s Mill at Beaver Creek, which included a waterwheel water bypass safety system and the waterwheel brake and power generation system. The students also worked on the reverse engineering of the Bessemer oil field pumping engine project sponsored by Muddy Creek Historical Oil Field at Moraine State Park in Butler County, Pa. Junior Sam Wilton, another former Penn State Beaver student, called Hendrickson a great teacher. “I liked his classes a lot once I got a feeling for his teaching style. He was one of the most helpful teachers I’ve ever had in my life,” Wilton said. According to Hendrickson, not much about Penn State Beaver has changed since his days as a student. “There are a few buildings missing” and the Ross Administration Building is here instead, he said. “Professor Takahashi is still here.” Hendrickson said that Beaver campus just wouldn’t be the same without Leo Takahashi’s physics class. “My biggest accomplishment thus far in my life was passing Professor Takahashi’s class,” Hendrickson said.

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Spring 2010

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Penn State Beaver students visited L’Umbracle in Valencia, Spain. L’Umbracle, a parking structure with an arboretum on top, is the entry way to the City of Arts and Sciences, an entertainment and educational complex in Valencia.

BEYOND FLORIDA Students spend spring break in Turkey and Spain Matt Jones

JUNIOR, COMMUNICATIONS

NT STUDE S NEW

A giant fish-shaped aquarium that stands ten stories tall. A massive blue stone building. No, these aren’t parts of a fairy tale. They’re places from spring break 2010. Penn State Beaver sponsored international trips to Spain and Turkey during spring break. Dr. Kay Wijekumar, associate professor of information sciences and technology (IST), took seven students from her IST Integration and Problem Solving course to Spain to attend an academic conference in Valencia. Each of the students created an educational children’s computer game to present at the International Technology, Education, and Development (INTED) Conference. This is the seventh time that Wijekumar has

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, was a memorable stop for students who visited the country over spring break to study international business. taken students to the INTED Conference. Professors from more than sixty countries attend the conference, but Wijekumar is the only one who brings students. During their free time, the group took a trip

to the aquarium in Valencia, a ten-story-tall structure in the shape of a giant fish. The group also spent time in Barcelona, where they took a break from their work and relaxed.

Spring 2010

Penn State Beaver Nittany News Page 15

Paulau de les Arts is the performing arts center in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. Junior Jonathan Clise said he had a good experience in Spain. “Communicating with the locals was enjoyable and made me feel so good,” he said. The other spring break trip was taken by Dr. Talha Harcar, associate professor of business, who traveled to Turkey with five students from his International Business and Society class. Harcar is a native of Turkey. The group went to the University of Istanbul to attend a lecture about international business. The students also took a tour of a business in Istanbul to see how an international business operates. The students had some leisure time to explore the city and visit the museums. Junior Seth Edwards said it was a great opportunity to see some incredible sights. According to Edwards, the students visited the Staff of Moses, the arm bones of the prophet Joseph, and the fifth-largest diamond in the world. They also visited the Grand Bazaar, which has 60 streets and 5,000 shops. The students experienced Turkish culture firsthand. During the trip, Harcar’s uncle, who doesn’t speak English, led the students around the city on a shopping trip. Although the language barrier was difficult to overcome, Edwards said that communicating through body language made things a bit easier. The students also experienced a variety of Turkish food. Many of the dishes contained lamb, but there were also American-style restaurants like Pizza Hut. The students even got to try Turkish pizza. The scenery of Istanbul truly caught Edwards’ eye. The buildings are brightly colored, and each restaurant had a beautiful view, he said. The students saw mosques throughout the city, and even though they looked similar from the outside, Edwards said that each one “had its own identity.” “I’d go back as many times as I could. It was a fun trip.”

LOVE AND HAITI News of the January earthquake in Haiti spurred the Penn State Beaver Student Government Association, along with staff and faculty, to organize “For the Love of Haiti” to raise money for the ravaged area. Robin Schreck, coordinator of student activities and residence life, said the campus was wonderful in supporting the cause. Students volunteered to collect money in cans between classes, in the library and at campus events. Donors were given a “For the Love of Haiti” sticker and a red bracelet imprinted

with the project’s name. In March, a concert sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ raised $300 for the effort. More than 100 people attended the free concert by HdCOM at the Beaver Valley Mall. Ruthie Santiago, a freshman science major, is the band’s lead singer and acoustic guitar player. Because project organizers’ primary concern is the welfare of Haiti’s children, funds collected will be given to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Student loses family in earthquake

Owens-Townsend

For the majority of Penn State Beaver students and staff, the January earthquake in Haiti was a world away. For freshman Daina Owens-Townsend, it hit home. Owens-Townsend’s stepfather is of Haitian descent, and much of his family lives there. Some of them did not survive. Owens-Townsend said her family was celebrating a birthday party for one of her younger cousins around the time of the earthquake. About 40 people were at the party; all but two perished. One of Owens-Townsend’s cousins, who is about 12 years old, lost all of her family members in the disaster. Despite her family’s tragic loss, Owens-Townsend said there are many other family members in Haiti who have survived. “My 90-year-old aunt survived with just a broken ankle, and other family members have minor injuries from helping others out of the rubble,” she added.

Men repeat conference win, lose in nationals Page 16

Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Spring 2010

R BEAVE S HOOP

Amy Green

SOPHOMORE, COMMUNICATIONS

For the second consecutive year, the Beaver Nittany Lions men’s basketball team won the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) Championship in February when they hosted and defeated Penn College, 91-68, in a gym filled with loyal, loud fans. The crowd’s enthusiasm and the team’s intensity paid off in the win that sent Beaver to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Championship at Penn State Fayette in March. But Beaver lost there in the first and second rounds and finished seventh. “I enjoy seeing all the students, faculty, and staff coming out to support our varsity sports,” Chancellor Gary Keefer said during the PSUAC championship game. In the game, senior Zachary Fetchin led the team with 26 points and 17 rebounds, junior David McGarry scored 18, and sophomores Tony Houghton and Anthony McPherson each added 15 points. “Words cannot explain this repeat victory,” junior Billy Stoughton said. Because the game was at home, the team cut the net from the basketball hoop. Each player and coach climbed a ladder and snipped a section of the net. “It felt great to win the PSUAC again. That was one of our goals this year, and we achieved it,” Head Coach Marcess Williams said. “We were confident going into the USCAA,” he added. “We thought we had a really good chance of winning the championship and were ranked as the No. 2 seed.” It was not to be. Beaver’s first tournament match up was against the World Harvest Bible College of Ohio, a battle that ended when the Lions came up one point short, losing 61-60. The loss placed Beaver in a face-off against Penn State Wilkes-Barre, a team they defeated twice during the regular season. This time Wilkes-Barre won 57-55. “We’re losing some excellent players next season,” Williams said, “so we’re looking ahead now to rebuilding and hoping for another great year.”

JUSTIN VORBACH

Senior Zac Fetchin takes a shot during a game against Grove City College.

Fetchin reaches 2,000 Travis Whalen FRESHMAN, DUS

Senior basketball forward Zachary Fetchin passed the 2,000-point career milestone during his final home game, cementing his place in Penn State Beaver history as the all-time point leader. In March Fetchin was named an All-American by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. He has a career total of 2,056 points. Fetchin’s outstanding performance in the season’s final weeks highlighted his talent. He turned in several key performances and averaged 24 points and 8.6 rebounds a game. “He was at his very best at a key point in the season,” Head Coach Marcess Williams said, referring to the team’s second consecutive Penn

State University Athletic Conference Championship. While Williams was equally impressed by Fetchin’s training, workouts, and work ethic, Fetchin attributes a great deal of his success to Williams’ guidance and the support of his teammates. “Without a doubt, my teammates are very important to me. They’re so important, and especially Coach Williams. He’s been leading us for four years,” Fetchin said. Fetchin’s teammates feel just as strongly about him. “I’ve been playing ball with Zac since the fourth grade. He has always worked hard and earned everything he’s accomplished. That’s why he was such a great player at Penn State Beaver,” senior Tim Kubis said.

Juniors smash 1,000

Lady Lions win third PSUAC championship

Trey W. Hudspeth

Benjamin Teehan

In December, two Penn State Beaver Lady Lions basketball players each reached the 1,000 point mark, a major accomplishment for players in their junior year. Team cocaptain Jasmine Green hit the 1,000 point mark in early December in a home win over Penn State Greater Allegheny. Heather Sandusky reached her 1,000 point mark in mid-December on the road in a victory against Penn State York. Both players have been team stars since women’s basketball returned to Beaver in 2007. “Considering their minutes and games played, accomplishing this feat in the middle of their junior year is a great achievement,” Head Coach Bert DeSalvo said.

In February, the Penn State Beaver Lady Lions basketball team captured its third consecutive Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) Championship. In March the team fell short of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) championship with a fifthplace finish. After winning both PSUAC play-off games by more than 25 points at home, the top-seeded women were stunned by No. 8 seed University of Cincinnati, Clermont College, 72-58, in the opening round of the USCAA Tournament. In the loss, juniors Jasmine Green and Heather Sandusky led Beaver in scoring with 16 and 15 points respectively, while sophomore Katie Landis added 11 points with 14 rebounds. “We were having an off day, and it seemed like (Cincinnati) couldn’t miss a shot,” Sandusky said. “We played tremendously at nationals. We just had a tough first game,” Head Coach Bert DeSalvo added. Next, the Lady Lions took on Spalding University (Louisville, Ky.). Sandusky led all scorers with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds as the team won in overtime 70-69, letting them advance to the fifth-place game. Finally, the Lady Lions took on Robert Morris University of Springfield, Ill., with four straight 3-pointers, and cruised to a 60-45 win. “I’m happy that we could finish our year with two straight wins because it shows a lot about our team’s character,” Green said. “We didn’t quit just because we had lost our first game, but instead bounced back to play good enough to win the next two,” she said. The Lady Lions finished their season with a record of 26-4, the best record of any Beaver women’s team. “We have a really good group of girls, and we’ll be playing together over the summer, so I think we’re going to have great team chemistry for next year,” Green said. “We’ll definitely be going for it all.”

Spring 2010

Penn State Beaver Nittany News

SOPHOMORE, LIBERAL ARTS

“I’ve never been a part of something so prestigious, and I treated this event like just another game,” said Green.

Sandusky said having her family come to every game is a big factor in her success.

SOPHOMORE, COMMUNICATIONS

JUSTIN VORBACH

Above, Jasmine Green soars through the air in a face-off against Geneva College. Below, Heather Sandusky and players from Penn State Fayette wait for a rebound.

“I was close in high school to reaching 1,000 points, but it’s even more exciting to reach this level at Penn State Beaver,” she said.

The United State Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) named both Green and Sandusky All-Americans in March. Green also was named an All-American in 2008 and an Honorable Mention AllAmerican in 2009.

Sandusky was named a USCAA Honorable Mention All-American in 2008 and 2009.

Page 17

JUSTIN VORBACH

Page 18

Penn State Beaver Nittany News

SOCCER

Women’s team added; new coaches hired

S SPORT S NEW

Spring 2010

Bond Stockdale FRESHMAN

Penn State Beaver has hired new coaches for the men’s and women’s soccer teams. Dan Grant will lead the men’s team, and Brian Stoddard has been hired to coach the newly formed women’s team. “We have the opportunity to build something really incredible here,” Grant said. “We have the players, the support, and the heart. It’s a very exciting vision, and I’m glad to be a part of that.” Grant has won two national championships with the Hotspurs, a Pennsylvania West Classic soccer club. He started his athletic career at a young age in England, nearly making the cut for the Fulham soccer team. Stoddard gained experience as the women’s coach at Beaver Area High School for five years and later coached the men’s team there as well. “My biggest focus at this point is to qualify for the nationals,” he said. “I wish that will happen within the next few years.” With the addition of women’s soccer, Beaver campus now has seven varsity sports: men’s basketball, men’s soccer, men’s baseball, women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, and women’s softball.

JUSTIN VORBACH

Joe Scherer slides into second during the baseball team’s conference opener against Penn State Greater Allegheny. The team lost both games of the doubleheader.

BASEBALL

Lions adjust to new coach The Penn State Beaver Nittany Lions baseball team began its season with a No. 4 ranking in a PSUAC pre-season poll, but the team’s goal was to finish the season in first place, despite hiring a new coach in January. When he arrived on campus, Coach Jack Hilfinger’s priority was to prepare for the spring season, followed by recruiting and inspiring his players to perform to the best of their abilities. “We have a great core of ball players, on and off the field,” Hilfinger said. “I’m here to listen to the more experienced players and find out what’s worked for them, as well as guide the newer players.” Taking over the team has caused very few problems, Hilfinger said. His players agree.

“The new coach is upbeat and full of energy,” senior Ryan Raraigh said. “He constantly reminds us what we’re working towards — a winning season.” Senior Greg Frederick said Hilfinger is a positive addition to the team. “He’s very energetic and very passionate about the game.” The early part of the season, the team struggled. As conference play began, however, the Lions began to pick up steam, with a 3-3 conference record and 7-9 overall. “There’s a great camaraderie with this group,” said Hilfinger, “and that’s a strong, important aspect of this game. The pressure of having a new coach can be difficult, but we’re a tough team, and we hope to make it all the way.”

SOFTBALL

Teamwork, leadership the key to Lady Lions’ game Justin Parasida

JUNIOR, COMMUNICATIONS

After a 2009 Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) Championship and a fourth-place finish in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), the Penn State Beaver softball team had a lot to live up to in 2010. The team got off to a rough start, however, winning only one of five spring-training games and seven of twenty-one games in the first half of the regular season before conference play

began. Seniors Samantha Neely and Amanda Moore said it was important for veterans to set a strong example for new players to follow. “Seniors needed to step up into leadership positions,” Moore said. Head Coach Andy Kirschner agreed. “Having seniors to lean on definitely should help,” Kirschner said. Neely said she knows underclassmen look up to her and wants them to feel that if she can succeed, they can, too.

“There’s no division between upper and lower,” Neely added. “Everyone has put in hard work and earned their positions.” The team’s major strength, according to Neely, is hitting. “The defense will come as people start to come into their own and learn and play more,” she said. The key to a successful season, Neely said, is “the team members knowing that they won’t play every inning of every game, but what they do contributes to the team’s overall success.”

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Penn State Beaver Nittany News

Page 19

PENN STATE BEAVER OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD The Penn State Beaver Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes alumni of Penn State Beaver who have distinguished themselves through career achievement, community involvement, and/or involvement with Penn State Beaver. The award will be presented in January 2011.

I ALUMN D AWAR

ELIGIBILITY Eligibility is limited to individuals who have attended Penn State Beaver.

CRITERIA Consideration will be given to alumni on the basis of their professional achievement, contributions to society, and/or involvement with Penn State Beaver.

NOMINATIONS

CALENDAR

Nominations are solicited from alumni, the Penn State Beaver Alumni Society Board of Directors, the Penn State Beaver Advisory Board, and faculty and staff of Penn State Beaver.

SELECTING BODY The selecting body will be comprised of the Penn State Beaver director of development, two members of the Penn State Beaver Alumni Society Board of Directors, and two members of the Penn State Beaver Advisory Board.

AWARD The award will be a medal and/or accompanying plaque as determined by the campus administration.

Nominations are solicited and selection will be made in the fall. The award will be presented at a January 2011 dinner meeting of the Penn State Beaver Advisory Board and the Penn State Alumni Society Board of Directors.

CONTACT Office of Development, Penn State Beaver, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA 15061; 724-7733558.

PARTICIPATION The selected candidate must be available to attend the award ceremonial dinner and will be invited as keynote speaker to either the fall or spring commencement at Penn State Beaver.

NOMINATION FORM FOR PENN STATE BEAVER OUTSTANDING ALUMNI AWARD First name ��

Memberships, awards, honors, involvement

Last name ��

Penn State ��

Address ��

��

City___________________________ State _______ Zip ��

Business/professional ��

Home Phone __________________ Office Phone ��

��

Home Email __________________ Office Email ��

Community ��

Business Name ��

��

Title/Occupation ��

Additional information relevant to this award

Work Address ��

��

City___________________________ State _______ Zip ��

Candidate’s Family Information ��

Penn State Degrees (Include dates, majors, and campuses)

��

Date of Nomination ��

��

Nominator

Other Degrees (Include dates, majors, and universities)

Nominator Address ��

��

City___________________________ State _______ Zip ��

��

Phone ________________________ Email ��

Self Other ��

Attach additional pages as necessary and submit to: Office of Development, Penn State Beaver, 100 University Drive, Monaca, PA 15061 Penn State Beaver Alumni Contact: Diana Patterson, 724-773-3558, dlp25@psu.edu

Complete and submit this form online at www.beaver.psu.edu/alumni-award

Office of Campus and Community Relations Ross Administration Building, Suite 201 100 University Drive Monaca, PA 15061

Junior Seth Edwards, left, freshman Ricardo Rueda, freshman Jeremiah Gorrell and sophomore Justin Omert, right, work to build a dam near a mobile home park in Aliquippa.

Freshman Bridget McCullough, above, and Amy Gartley ’90 Com, associate director of student a ffairs, sort canned goods at the Center for Hope in Ambridge.

n most Monday mornings when the alarm clock sounds, students begrudgingly roll out of bed and trudge off to class. But on January 18, the national Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, 34 Penn State Beaver students got up early to help others. While some students performed strenuous physical labor to try to prevent a creek from flooding a mobile home park in Aliquippa, other students worked at the Center for Hope in Ambridge, organizing food and clothing donations. A third group of students joined students from the southwestern Penn State campuses for a series of regional community projects hosted by Penn State Greater Allegheny. “I’ve done volunteer work before, but this time really made me realize how important it is,” freshman Olivia Mulvihill said. She and junior Kylee Weaver were among the students who worked at the Center for Hope and found the experience uplifting. “People know that volunteer work exists and that it’s out there, but until you actually do it, you never realize how much of an impact it really does make,” Weaver said. At the Aliquippa work site, volunteers got dirty quickly as they loaded rocks into wheelbarrows to build a dam to protect a mobile home park from a nearby creek. Junior Seth Edwards helped build the dam. “At first I wasn’t sure how the day was going to turn out,” Edwards said. “It was cold and muddy. But I’m glad to have done volunteer work instead of sitting around all day.”

TO SLEEP OR TO SERVE? Students, staff lend a hand on Martin Luther King Jr. Day STORY BY ELIZABETH A. HAIN

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN VORBACH