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That’s a wrap! Leidman announces retirement after 38 years at IUP ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
“It was a beautiful, crisp blue-skied day when I came to interview. Who knew that was an exception to the weather here?” Those are the words from IUP communications media professor Mary Beth Leidman referring to Indiana, a place where she’s held great experiences and memories. Leidman will retire from this school after 38 years. Throughout her entire career, Leidman had success in primarily radio and television. Leidman got her bachelor’s and master’s degree in theater and music and was a communications and speech minor. She found the path to success when she went to Emerson College to study music and theatre, but also debuted on her first radio station WERS-FM and first TV experience on WBZ in Boston. “I almost failed out of high school and then went to a local community college called Montgomery College in Maryland,” Leidman said. “It was then when I started in all type of communications. “I went to Emerson College, and back then, there were only two or three major focuses, which were theater and radio. I actually got my degree in theater and music.” From an early age, she was always fascinated by radio and television. “My mother always used to say that television would ruin my life,” Leidman said. “I like to stay that I kind of got even by eventually making media my career. “Actually, she was very supportive of my creative side, and I am forever grateful for that. I hope that I’ve passed that on.” In Leidman’s early career, she was an artistic director for a theater company in Maryland. Then she got her firstclass General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to operate
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(IUP Website) Mary Beth Leidman made her mark in the world of education as well as on major media markets. She hosted radio shows that received as many as 20,000 listeners and television programs for local stations in major cities.
radio equipment. It was during this time that she began a side venture being a theatre and then media critic. She first started as a theatre critic in Washington, D.C. “D.C. is my home,” she said. “I love the diversity and experiences I’ve had there.” Leidman credits luck, timing and skill set with helping to have a successful and fulfilling career. “I have been lucky with being in the right place in the right time to get jobs,” she said. “It was all timing and having the right skill set.” Shortly after being a critic for a local newspaper in D.C., Leidman got a job at IUP after having spent years in television at WXEX and WCVE-TV in Richmond, Virginia. The Indiana Gazette also hired her to be a critic for the newspaper, and she worked there for 12 years. “I had a regular column at the Gazette,” she said. “I also was the reviewer for a couple of the Maryland and D.C. area radio stations.” Leidman credits being a theatre critic to having media be a huge part of her interest and experience. She never was in the movie scene but did a lot in television
and radio. Leidman went out of her comfort zone when she was able to create a book with Hollywood director Steve Binder. Together, they created “Fade Up-26: The Movers and Shakers of Variety Television,” which was an exploration of television and its impact on the genre. “The book literally dropped into my lap to do a fellowship in Hollywood,” she said. “I don’t exactly know how this happened, but I said the right thing to the right person, and he sent an email saying, ‘Hi, do you want to write a book with me,’ and the rest was history.” She got to interview 26 of Hollywood’s biggest television directors. “It was an amazing part of my life,” she said. “What an opportunity. Again, I was in just the
right place at the right time, and I was saying the right thing to the right person.” Throughout her career, Leidman has produced various television programs, including IUP Talks for more than 25 years, having the catchy sign-off phrase “Here’s to wisdom in your future and a happy tomorrow.” She also had radio programs on WGAY-FM and WGMS in Washington and at WCCS locally while at IUP. She’s worked on a children’s television show for eight years, and over the span of her career, she’s interviewed more than 500 people on radio, and more than 150 people on television. She became a professor because it was close to D.C. and she could teach radio and television. She said she feels lucky to have been chosen. “Teaching at IUP gave me a chance to take all the technical skills in radio and television to put it back on the air,” Leidman said, “and gave me the chance to formally leave theater.” Leidman is grateful for the opportunities, experiences and memories she’s gotten at IUP, especially thankful to her dean and colleagues, especially communications chair Dr. B. Gail Wilson. She also mentioned that one of her former students, Dr. James Lenze has become a valued colleague in the department. “The entire communications media department is terrific, and I owe all of them a huge debt of gratitude,” she said. In addition to being active in her department, Leidman also served on the university-wide
“One of my goals in life was that if I was going to be a professor, I wanted to be competitive with the outside world.” - Dr. Mary Beth Leidman
May 6, 2020
tenure, sabbatical and promotion committees, and for 26 years she served as a state delegate and longtime committee chairperson for the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF). “It’s all about being a solid university citizen,” Leidman said. “I’ve had tremendous luck with recognition at IUP. One of my goals in life was that if I was going to be a professor, I wanted to be competitive with the outside world. “I was always sending my media and writing to be judged. I won the A.I.R. (Achievements in Radio) Awards in Pittsburgh, and a documentary I sent out was recognized for a national film festival, to name a few; it’s been great.” She said IUP has been good to her and a great place to have a career, winning the Creative Arts award twice at IUP. “IUP was a really good place to be a part of in terms of support, optimism and opportunity,” Leidman said. “Students being able to feel at the end of the day that possibly I was able to make a contribution to their successes and college careers is something I’ll always remember. “I’m going to miss IUP. It’s been a very good home to me.” Leidman said she will miss her students and being able to be a part of their academic journeys. “I like to see IUP students who are successful, especially those who go onto big things after college,” she said. “One of the interns in the communications media department was trying to intern at Columbia Records. continued on page 4.
PREVIEW
Page 6: International studies student receives scholarship to study abroad. Page 8: Graduating seniors react to new graduation dates. Page 10: International study takes hit from COVID-19 pandemic.
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Media professor retires continued from page 3. “She was up against other interns from major schools like NYU, Syracuse and Penn, but she was the best and outshone the other students,” Leidman said. “This was not an unusual situation to see because students from IUP in the communications media department are competitive and successful.” Leidman taught regular production at IUP for years and loved teaching radio. At the doctoral level, she’s enjoyed teaching courses like media ethics and children and media. She will miss her “home” and family at IUP. “I am certainly going to miss my colleagues and the opportunity that IUP has personally given me to be able to address all the different parts of who I am; the creative, academic and connected parts of who I am.” Leidman, her colleagues, students and family know that retirement doesn’t mean doing nothing. “Anyone who knows me knows that it’s an absurdity that I’m not going to work,” she said. “I’m scheduled to teach a course at Webster Vienna University in
(TNS) Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said the Pentagon could request more recovery funding.
(IUP Website) Leidman hosted “IUP Talks,” a public access television program aired exclusively on IUP-TV. The show featured IUP faculty and staff members and their stories about events that impacted their lives. She was the show’s host for more than 25 years.
Austria. And I was supposed to go to Australia next week and speak there, but COVID-19 had stopped that plan in its tracks.” Leidman believes media is a powerful tool that brings people together. “One time I had a show in D.C. that got ratings that showed that 20,000 people were listening on average,” she said. “To have that kind of input, even for a short period of time
shows how important media is for bringing people together and ideas with print, radio and television media. “I’m very happy to be a part of that universe, even in the smallest way. I hope that the future in terms of my students and everyone else keeps to the forefront the idea that media can make the world better. Having had a piece of that was very special, even if it was small.”
Pentagon to request new COVID-19 recovery funding ANDREW CLEVENGER CQ-Roll Call TNS
The Pentagon expects to request new funding in the next COVID-19 recovery bill for medical supplies and economic relief for defense contractors, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said Monday. "We anticipate the likely need for additional monies coming out if there is a fourth supplemental," Esper said during a teleconference hosted by the Brookings Institution. The Defense Department has already been using the $11 billion it received from an earlier recovery bill to provide financial incentives to companies to produce protective gear and testing equipment under the Defense Production Act, he said. The Pentagon has already committed to pushing $3 billion to defense contractors by increasing the amount the department reimburses firms for expenses incurred during ongoing work. "We want people at work," Esper said, referring to the defense industry. "We want to continue with payments, we want to help with cash flow. DOD is not an island, we really rely heavily on the private sector." Esper did not specify how much the Pentagon would request in a future recovery package, but defense officials have said they need "billions and billions." House Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., opposes giving the Pentagon more COVID-19 relief funds, suggesting the department may be able to find the money within its current budget. Speaking more generally about the department's funds, Esper
repeated the need for 3 percent to 5 percent annual growth above inflation for the Pentagon's budget. "I am concerned of course that the massive infusion of dollars into the economy by the Congress and the executive branch may throw us off that course," he said, referring to the virus relief packages. This year's national security budget totals $738 billion, with the Pentagon receiving the lion's share. In documents accompanying the Defense Department's fiscal 2021 request, the Pentagon projected little real growth in its budget over the next several years. "We do need that sustained topline growth, and if we don't (get it), we're just going to have to accelerate the shedding of the legacy force and turning those dollars back into building the force we need in the future," he said. That translates into retiring older tanks, ships and planes sooner than planned and spending heavily on more modern replacements. In the coming decade, the Defense Department wants to replace all three legs of its nuclear triad: ground based missiles, ballistic submarines, and long-range bombers. Esper said he also is exploring creating a more dynamic force that responds to changing circumstances rather than the military's more rigid, permanent basing plan. "I want to move much more toward operational deployments as compared to permanently deployed forward forces," he said. Esper did not go into detail about where he might scale back forward deployed forces, but it raises the possibility of troop cuts in places such as South Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq, and less high-profile activities by special forces in Africa.
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Vines selected for NSEP scholarship, study abroad opportunity ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
IUP international and Asian studies sophomore Khala Vines has been selected for the 2020 National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Scholarship and will study abroad in South Korea for the 2020-21 academic school year. NSEP awards Boren Scholarships and Fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students who are committed to long-term, overseas immersive language study and to public service, according to NSEP’s website. NSEP recognizes its selected winners as America’s future leaders. In addition, students who have been selected for the scholarship receive funding to study the specific languages and cultures of their focus. Vines first heard about the scholarship and study abroad opportunity through IUP’s merit scholarship coordinator, Dr. Christian Vaccaro, who thought she was a good candidate and encouraged her to apply. She wanted to apply for the Boren scholarship because there is a commitment to utilizing the skills students have to take on employment for at least one year. “The Boren is a generous scholarship,” she said, “so it covers the cost of my study abroad program, but I was more interest-
(Facebook) Khala Vines received the National Security Education Program scholarship after the recommendation of IUP’s merit scholarship coordinator Christian Vaccaro.
ed in the commitment to federal service work. All Boren scholarship recipients are expected to work for the federal government for at least a year following the completion of their academics. There’s a wide range of jobs that fulfill the requirement that spans all aspects of the government.” The application process consisted of a series of essays.
“I initially wasn’t going to apply because I figured I had very slim chances of receiving the award,” Vines said. “However, about two weeks before the application was due, I decided to apply because of Dr. Vaccaro’s encouragement.” The most difficult part of the application were the essays, Vines said. The first essay asked students to describe how the country
they’re studying in is important to national security, and the second asked students to discuss future goals, like why students should study in the specific country and their academics. Vines found out about the news via email. “I was checking my email one night probably 10 p.m.,” Vines said, “trying to clear out junk mail, when the congratulations email came in from Boren. Apparently, they posted on Twitter letting applicants know results would be going out that night, but I wasn’t on Twitter at all that day, so I had no idea. It was a complete surprise to me. “I didn’t even read past ‘Congratulations!’ before I started crying happy tears. I woke my entire house up, as my grandparents were sleeping. I didn’t think I even had a chance of receiving the award, so I was very proud of myself.” Vines will be studying at Korea University in Sejong, South Korea. “I think study abroad is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “Study abroad teaches people a wide range of skills like organization, tolerance, patience and social skills. “It makes you a better person, too. People come out of study abroad programs having experienced diversity, new environments and language skills. I believe every college student should do it if they have the opportunity to.”
Vines knows this will be an academic learning experience and can be a great networking opportunity as well. “Applying for scholarships like the Boren not only provides you with funding for your program, but they open doors,” she said. “For example, I’ll being attending the Boren convocation in Washington, D.C. There, I’ll meet all the other recipients. I’ll be meeting new people in a new environment, making connections and networking. It’s just one great opportunity and there are so many more. “So, students should apply to scholarships like the Boren not only because they are a scholarship, but because they are an overall experience. Even if the chances seem slim, you should still apply. The worst-case scenario is they say no, and the best-case scenario is you receive scholarship.” She hopes to learn a lot from this study abroad scholarship opportunity but wants to maximize her time in South Korea and practice her skills. “During my time in Korea, my main goal is to grow my Korean language skills,” Vines said. “There will be ample opportunities to use it outside of the classroom, so I am very hopeful it will grow. “In addition, I’d like to take the time to get to know the Korean people and their country. As an international studies student, I’d also like to study the political atmosphere of Korea.”
Surge in COVID-19 cases spark debate between White House, CDC ALEX WAYNE
Bloomburg News TNS
An internal projection created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the U.S. coronavirus outbreak vastly accelerating by June to more than 200,000 new cases and 2,500 deaths per day – far more than the country is currently experiencing. The White House disclaimed the projection, calling it an "internal CDC document" but saying it had not been presented to President Donald Trump's coronavirus task force and didn't comport with the task force's own analysis and projections. It isn't clear who produced the document, obtained and published earlier by The New York Times, or what assumptions
underlie the forecasts. The projections, on two slides of a 19-slide deck, are dated May 1 and attributed to a "data and analytics task force." The document carries the seal of both the Health and Human Services Department and the Homeland Security Department. The CDC projection contains a range of estimates. The forecast of 200,000 new cases and 2,500 deaths per day are around the middle of the range. The documents are labeled "for official use only." The CDC did not respond to a request for comment. "This is not a White House document nor has it been presented to the Coronavirus Task Force or gone through interagency vetting," Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, said in a statement.
(TNS) President Donald Trump was not presented the internal projection created by the Centers for Disease Control with updated projections for cases of COVID-19 across the U.S.
"This data is not reflective of any of the modeling done by the task force or data that the task force has analyzed."
The U.S. reported about 25,000 new cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, on Sunday and more than 1,200
deaths. But with a swath of states across the South and Midwest beginning to relax economy-crushing social distancing measures, with Trump's encouragement, some public health experts have warned there's a risk the outbreak will flare up. "The president's phased guidelines to open up America again are a scientific driven approach that the top health and infectious disease experts in the federal government agreed with," Deere said. There is a history of the CDC overestimating disease outbreaks. In 2014, the agency said that in a worst case, there might be more than half a million cases of Ebola from an outbreak that began in West Africa. The actual number of total cases in the outbreak ended up being about 28,600, according to the CDC.
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An open letter from the news editor: (IUP Website) Seniors that were scheduled to participate in a formal graduation ceremony in May will now have to wait until September or even December to walk across the stage.
While the school year will end in an unorthodox manner, we as the IUP community came together and tackled the challenges presented to us. We not only reshaped the way we view education, but we also continued many things in our own homes that we would have done on campus. We at The Penn want to send a huge thank you to our readers, as your continued support helped us produce weekly issues; the IUP faculty and staff members for keeping our university thriving during this pandemic; healthcare workers at the Indiana Regional Medical Center and all over the country for working around the clock to ensure safety and health to everyone; our local businesses for staying open to provide food and supplies for those without it; and those serving in our law enforcement and military, as you continue to protect us during this troubled time. Before we depart for summer, I want to share a tidbit of advice for the upcoming months: Remember, we are not “stuck at home,” we are safe at home. Don’t risk your health and the safety of others for your own benefit. Where we are five months from now may be uncertain, but through perseverance and strength, we can overcome this pandemic. As President Driscoll would say, “We must stay IUP strong.” It has been a pleasure to serve you as your news editor this year, and I look forward to bringing you more content in the fall semester. Take care, God bless and stay safe.
- Jake Slebodnick
Graduating seniors share mixed feelings on new graduation dates ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
IUP officially named a new date for the rescheduled spring commencement ceremony. Graduating students and their families are welcomed back to campus Sept. 12 and 13 after the original ceremony was postponed due to the coronavirus. “A schedule of events for that weekend is expected to be available by mid-May,” IUP said in the news release. “College and departmental ceremonies and other recognition events that typically coincide with commencement ceremonies will not take place that weekend.” Many seniors and graduating students were excited about the news since their special day down the stage finally had a verified date. “At first I was annoyed,” Daniece Wade (senior, international business and accounting) said. “We all worked so hard just to not graduate on time. But now, I’m fine because at least IUP is letting the seniors and graduating students walk and have a graduation ceremony still.” President Michael Driscoll also mentioned the graduation date change in his weekly update videos. “You may have heard that we have plans for a Sept. 12 commencement ceremony to recognize our May and August graduates, and we’ll look forward to seeing you then,” he said. IUP plans to still recognize its graduates in a virtual ceremony, too. “In the meantime, graduates, look next week for virtual recog-
nition of your accomplishments that’ll show up on our website and social media channels,” Driscoll said. Many seniors are grateful IUP did not cancel the graduation ceremony like other colleges and universities did. “Although I’m sad that the semester didn’t end the ‘traditional’ way, I’m glad that IUP found a way to recognize the spring 2020 graduation class,” Melissa Horak (senior, psychology) said. “I really appreciate the fact that they took our opinions into consideration. “I just hope that nothing changes and that the ceremony can stay on the weekend of Sept. 12. I also hope that people are able to take time off of work or time off of graduate school in order to come to the ceremony, because this is a memory that many people are going to want to have.” Others, however, wish the ceremony would have happened when it was scheduled to in May due to job relocation. “I personally hate it,” Melissa Szmurlo (senior, psychology) said. “I’m moving to South Carolina in two weeks and working a full-time job and going to graduate school, so I’m not going to be able to come back for my own graduation ceremony.” There was an email that went out to students who were graduating in May to survey which month students preferred the graduation ceremony should occur. The options were September or December, and most chose September. “I’m glad that we are still getting the option to have our ‘graduation’ moment,” Jake Pascarella (senior, management information systems) said. “For me, the real measure of success was always to get a job out of college, but it
will be nice to return and see our friends and professors in person. “I’m surprised we are not combining our ceremony with the December graduates since I’m sure the turnout in September is going to be small.” Many students appreciate IUP’s efforts to ensure there’s still a graduation ceremony. “I think it’s very considerate of IUP to still try and accommodate the graduating class of 2020 with some type of ceremony,” Abraham Villagomez (senior, political science) said. “I signed up for the May ceremony, but I don’t believe I’ll be attending the September one. “Some people are probably more excited about it than others, and some are not interested at all at attending the ceremony for various family, job or moving reasons. I’m curious to see how many people, students and families will actually attend the ceremony in September compared to how many were supposed to attend in May.” For many, graduation is a milestone that is meant to be celebrated and deserves a formal ceremony and day for recognition. “It’s disheartening not being able to attend graduation in May like I always planned to,” Rachel Poffenberger (senior, general management and human resource management) said, “but I’m glad IUP is postponing graduation rather than canceling it altogether. “Graduation is a milestone in so many people’s lives, so I think it’s important an alternative time is still offered. IUP adapting their plan to accommodate graduating seniors speaks a lot to the university’s character and means so much to me and other graduates.”
(Twitter)
Good things come in pairs LA Times wins Pulitzers JOE MOZINGO
Los Angeles Times TNS
The Los Angeles Times has won two Pulitzer Prizes, for art critic Christopher Knight's watchdog coverage on plans for the new Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and reporter Molly O'Toole's audio story about U.S. asylum officers' discontent with President Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy. The prizes were given Monday in the criticism and audio reporting categories. O'Toole and The Times shared the prize with journalists from "This American Life" and Vice. The Times was also a finalist in three other categories: – In breaking news reporting for the staff's coverage of the Conception boat fire that killed 34 people off Santa Barbara in September. – In commentary, for Steve Lopez's columns on Los Angeles County's inability to deal with its ever-growing homelessness crisis. This marks the fourth time Lopez has been a finalist for his columns. – In explanatory reporting, for an in-depth story and interactive game showing the threat of rising seas to California's coast and the hard choices coastal leaders will have to make. The project was produced by environmental reporter Rosanna Xia, graphics and data journalist Swetha Kannan, and news application developer Terry Castleman. The Times has won 47 Pulitzer Prizes, beginning in 1942.
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How are high schools taking physical education online? KAREN ANN CULLATTA Chicago Tribune TNS
As a physical education teacher at Winston Campus Junior High in Palatine, Ill., Emmie Galan used to lead spirited volleyball matches and handball games in the school gym. Now she's hosting Instagram Live workout sessions for students from her living room. "My first thought was, I need to engage them in a way that will lead to maximum participation for all of my students, which is always sort of difficult, even when PE is not online," Galan said. "We're trying to keep our students' spirits high, and we don't want to penalize them, because they're going through a difficult time right now, and they need our positive support more than ever." So far, Galan estimates that of her 180 students, which includes six eighth-grade classes, about half the kids are consistently responding to her daily questions, including "What was your workout like today?" While joining in the Instagram Live workouts is encouraged, Galan said they're not mandatory, and her primary goal is to encourage her students to stay active and healthy during the sudden halting of their daily PE classes at the Palatine school. "Some of the kids send me videos of them doing their workouts, and I send feedback, and they love it," Galan. "But it's kind of an honor system, because I know there are students who are home alone, and have to watch their younger siblings when their parents are at work." While it's no simple feat to teach students the finer points of adjectives or algorithms from a Google classroom, keeping kids active, moving and participating in physical education from the confines of a computer screen has its unique challenges. Still, teachers and other experts agree that ensuring
students of all ages stay physically active and embrace a healthy lifestyle is more important than ever during this uncertain and anxious time in their lives. "Remote learning does not allow us to offer kids a typical PE class, but we know how important it is for both their bodies and minds that they're getting exercise right now," John Dolniak, a PE teacher at Patton Elementary in Arlington Heights, said. "Any time the kids turn on the TV or their phone, they're getting bombarded constantly with everything that's going on in the world with the coronavirus right now, and that's certainly not uplifting for their social emotional health," Dolniak said. A provision of the Illinois School Code that mandates fitness assessments for students was recently suspended because of the COVID-19 school closures. But given Illinois' reputation as a national leader in PE and health instruction, teachers like Dolniak say even during school closures, the classes remain a priority. In Illinois, public schools must offer students a PE class three days a week, but some school districts choose to surpass the requirements and many hold daily PE instruction for students in sixth through 12th grades. Dolniak said he and his fellow District 25 PE teachers aim to offer virtual instruction that is fun, healthy and creative. That has included using a digital platform to post links to online yoga practices and "minute-towin-it" challenges, like flipping a water bottle, and holding drop-in fitness classes and pep talks on Zoom. "We'd love to see kids up and active for 60 minutes each day, but we have to ask ourselves, is this realistic? And maybe instead, we need to look at how many kids looked, clicked and tried it, even if it took only 20 minutes," said Dolniak. "I also try to
jump in their regular classroom meetings, which is my opportunity to touch base with the kids, and remind them to try and stay active with their families." Across the U.S., there are roughly 200,000 physical education and health teachers in kindergarten to 12th grade schools, according to the Maryland-based Society of Health and Physical Educators, and many of them are now teaching virtually. Senior Program Manager Michelle Carter said that in addition to wide disparities in students' access to digital resources, the ability to lead a successful online PE class also varies dramatically, and often hinges on a teacher's level of expertise and confidence with using the technology. "I think teachers are making a heartfelt effort to really come together as a community, to tutor each other in things like Google Classroom and how to record and upload videos for their students," said Carter, adding PE teachers are also sharing advice and lessons on Twitter at #HPE@home. As teachers rally to bolster their students' physical, social and emotional health during the global pandemic, Carter said some educators worry that the economic downturn could prompt budget cuts that threaten PE programs nationwide. "Unfortunately, in many parts of the country, health, PE, and music and art classes are already marginalized, and we might have to fight to prevent them from being cut," Carter said. For students like Winston Campus eighth grader Kate Macias, who on a recent morning participated in a 20-minute high-intensity interval training workout led by her teacher, Emmie Galan, on Instagram Live, PE class has always been a favorite part of her school day. "I've always loved Ms. Galan's class ... playing lacrosse, basketball and volleyball, and coming together as a group is really fun. So following her Instagram workout makes me feel like I'm doing something productive, instead of just walking around the house procrastinating," Kate said. "I do it because staying fit makes me feel good about myself, which is really important during this whole quarantine."
(IUP Website) Students that studied abroad during the spring were sent home due to the pandemic.
Education abroad cut short from COVID-19 JESS TRUBY
Digital Managing Editor J.L.Truby@iup.edu @jesstruby
Education Abroad helps students travel the world while they work toward their degree. Recently due to concerns of COVID-19, the students’ time overseas was cut short. “Most all of IUP's Education Abroad students from spring 2020 have returned,” said Jessica Mulvihillm, director of Education Abroad. Colin Hale a senior political science major was studying in Spain this semester when the outbreak began. “So IUP actually allowed us to stay if we wanted to in Spain,” said Hale. “All the other universities sent their students home while IUP sent us an extensive email and paper we would sign in order to stay. Most people went home then or shortly after the recall of citizens to the U.S.” Spain began taking precautions earlier than the U.S. and is now beginning to ease on restrictions. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said each region would relax restrictions at a different pace, depending on the severity of its outbreak. “Being in Spain who was affected before the U.S., just hearing about the stories of the other Spanish cities closing, we became worried as students that we were next to be sent home,” said Hale. “I wasn’t scared or anything, but at first, I wanted to stay there and finish. I soon realized it was better for me to go home and be with friends and
family during this time.” The country had some of the toughest containment measures since March 14. “I didn’t experience much of the shut down in Spain but they’re a lot harsher than the U.S.,” said Hale. “You’re only allowed to leave the house to go to the grocery store or walk your pet. The police are patrolling the streets and will question you like they did with us as we were waiting at the bus stop to go to Madrid. But you’re only allowed to go out by yourself, no one with you. It just didn’t seem very appealing to stay as there is a bit more freedom here, and I came home to see my family.” The future of Education Abroad is not cemented yet, but Mulvihill has hopes for the fall semester that students will be able to travel. “Summer 2020 is suspended,” said Mulvihill. “We're moving forward with in-person study abroad for fall 2020, but we won't know until later this summer if this would change. Changes from the pandemic are affecting everyone across the globe, but with time, study abroad will rebound, and people will travel again for academic, cultural and personal reasons.” Education Abroad is available to all students and majors. Information workshops are held at 5 p.m. each wednesday on Zoom, and the final meeting is May 6. If you are interested learning more about the program, email cvtv@iup.edu to sign up for the Zoom meeting, or for more information visit the IUP office of international education website.
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(iup.edu) IUP seniors were expected to graduate this weekend.
The Penn’s message to graduates To IUP’s graduating students, I offer you an early congratulations as you finish up the last of your finals this week. This semester has not been an easy one, and I know online classes and Zoom meetups were not how you wanted to spend the last of your time at IUP. We were all looking forward to saying goodbye to all our friends and professors. Savoring the last bit of time we had in our college apartments. Spending one last weekend hitting the Philly Street bars. And coming out of class one more time to the rare warm, sunny Indiana day and getting to spend the rest of it sitting with our friends on someone’s porch, soaking in the sunshine. You may not want to admit it, but you’re going to miss Indiana. We all are. I started my four years at IUP in fall 2016. I knew college was supposed to prepare you for the real world, but I wasn’t prepared for three days off of classes
Opinion
while professors and supporters lined IUP’s campus – along with every other Pennsylvania state school – with picket signs during the APSCUF strike. It was an unexpected start to the college experience, so I’m not surprised that our college experience had an even wilder ending. We will get through this next roadblock of graduating into an economy recovering from a global pandemic. Regardless of every obstacle put in your paths these past few years, you officially made it to the end. You made it past the exams, long study sessions, group assignments, thesis papers and general stress of juggling school while trying to become a semi-functioning adult. Now, you can say you graduated. You should feel proud about the work you’ve accomplished here at IUP. Make sure you take some time this weekend, even if your department doesn’t have some kind of virtual ceremony, and celebrate your accomplishments.
You’ll have plenty of time to worry about finding a job later. You aren’t alone in that respect. Few people will have jobs lined up after graduation. We’re entering into the job market at a terrible time, but such is life. Now is the time to celebrate the simple fact that you have graduated. No other person has had to overcome what you’ve had to in order to get to where you are. Maybe it only took you three years to graduate. Maybe you’ve been working on it on and off for the past decade. Either way, no one else has had your college experience from start to finish. It wasn’t easy. But you did it. Stay kind to yourself throughout these next few weeks or months of figuring out what’s next. It will get better. For now, celebrate, and stay safe.
Brought to you By Katie Mest (TNS)
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Culture
Culture Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – ydmx@iup.edu
(Facebook) With celebrating graduation at home, you can make your own graduation cake by finding inspiration from Pinterest or Facebook.
Celebrate graduation from your couch with these tips ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
This article contains opinion. Graduation is something many people look forward to when they start their college career. Graduating college is major accomplishment. College is a different experience for every individual person, but for many people college is a time to learn, grow, socialize and study a wide variety of subjects. Unfortunately for seniors, graduation won’t exactly be what they expected it would have been, graduation ceremony-wise. As a graduating senior, I am grateful that IUP has chosen to postpone the intended May graduation commencement ceremony. Some schools have canceled ceremonies altogether, which seems unfair to seniors who have worked hard and deserve a day of recognition. IUP is having a virtual ceremony
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this week, which I’m excited about. I’m glad IUP is recognizing their graduating students around the actual time frame we were supposed to celebrate graduation. I have thought of a few tips, tricks and ideas to make graduation mean something more than being locked up and not being able to celebrate it with friends, family and other important people who’ve been a part of your college journey.
Dress up The one and only thing I’ve enjoyed during this quarantine and doing classwork online has been being able to wear sweatpants and staying cozy all day. I was never a college student who wore sweatpants to class, so being able to wear sweatpants while doing schoolwork has been a great experience for me. However, to make graduation more special and meaningful, put those comfy sweats away and
dress up. You deserve to look and feel nice on a day that was meant to be a memorable day.
Bake or get some drool-worthy food If you’ve been like most people, you’ve been trying to stay inside and use up some free time by baking a cake, brownies or cupcakes. Even though graduation won’t be celebrated with tons of friends and family, you can still celebrate with those who are living in the same household as you are. Many people are continuing to stay safe and are going out when they need things like food or bathroom products. However, if you’re out grocery shopping, pick up a cake or some freshly baked cookies to celebrate. Celebrating graduation in isolation and without a formal in-person graduation ceremony shouldn’t mean you can’t enjoy things like desserts and food.
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Video chat with relatives or friends Even though you can’t see them in person, that doesn’t mean you can’t video call them and celebrate. Zoom has been a positive aspect of this pandemic, allowing people to stay connected and communicate no matter how far or close they are. Video chat with your family, and then video chat with your friends. This is a great way to catch up, exchange congratulations and even potentially play fun virtual games to keep the fun going.
Wear your cap and gown and take pictures. Since IUP’s in-person graduation commencement ceremony is postponed until Sept. 12, this is a great way to celebrate and create graduation photos for friends and family. This can also be a graduation
announcement photo. You can work on your graduation announcement by adding any photos you take and sending them out now.
Make a scrapbook. I know I have so many pictures of myself and my friends throughout my four years in college. This is a great way to utilize online photo services like Shutterfly to upload pictures and create a memorable photo album for yourself, family members or friends.
Arts and crafts. If you’re like me, I haven’t decorated my cap yet. Therefore, it’s a great time to celebrate graduation week by decorating your cap and making it special. You can also decorate personalized cards if you want to mail out any cards to family, friends or professors.
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Seniors still decorating graduation caps despite postponed ceremonies ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
Graduation is a time for students to have graduation parties and take part in ceremonies. Along with celebrating with friends, family and other fellow students, many students celebrate graduation by decorating their cap. Students often look forward to graduation because designing their cap can be a creative outlet by honoring an important quote that’s stuck with them through school or displaying their artistic abilities. Even though the in-person graduation commencement ceremony is postponed until September, many students have already taken the liberty of decorating their caps. “I didn’t actually know you could design your own cap,” Nicholas Richardson (senior, fine arts) said. “I am a fine arts major, so I’m artistic, but I’m not entirely sure if I’ll decorate my cap or not. I don’t plan on having a graduation
(Facebook) Seniors decorate caps with a quote or something sarcastic or funny that sums up their college career in a nutshell.
party. I am probably just going to celebrate with my family.” Many students aren’t letting the postponed graduation commencement ceremony get in their way of celebrating their graduation day. “I decided to still decorate my cap because I wanted to do all the things I planned months ago for my graduation,” Imani Favors (senior, psychology) said. “I’m not having a huge graduation party like I originally planned, but I’m having a small get together at my
apartment just to celebrate this major accomplishment.” Some students have chosen to follow through with plans previously made, but just adapt them to the COVID-19 social distancing policies. “I decided to do everything I planned,” said Favors. “And just modified it to fit the new ‘normal’ because I still want to congratulate myself for finishing four years of college. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and I’m so proud of
myself and proud I finished.” To many students, decorating the graduation cap has special meaning to their college journey and life, and having a graduation party when things are open and safe is something they look forward to. “I still decorated my graduation cap because it still represents all my hard work,” Anita Morrison (senior, early childhood/special education) said. “It has an importance to me even though it’s just
a decoration. We may not have a ceremony, but we are still graduating, and I wanted to take my pictures to remember this moment.” Some students have decided to postpone graduation parties until summer. “I hope to have my graduation party in the summer if we can,” said Morrison. “I want the chance to celebrate with my family and loved ones. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, and I know my friends and family are too.”
Students weigh in on best graduation gifts ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
As students are continuing to work on material for their online classes, The semester is slowly coming to an end. It’s been one full of ups and downs for faculty, staff and students. For others, it was their last semester at IUP before they would graduate. Graduating students were expecting their last semester to be the best one yet, Their final semester at IUP was one they will never forget. Although in-person classes were moved to online platforms only, President Michael Driscoll and IUP assured students would still graduate. President Driscoll sent out an email to seniors who were supposed to have their graduation ceremony in May to vote for an alternative ceremony, either in September or December. For graduation presents, it is typical for seniors to receive money or common household
(Facebook) Stationary sets and gift cards make great graduation gifts for seniors.
items since they are likely to move into their own apartments or houses after graduation. However, money is probably the most gifted thing since students can choose to save, pay off their student debt or buy things they know they may need. “I’d say money and dress clothes would be the best graduation present for me, personally,”
Kyle Varone (senior, marketing) said. “You can’t go wrong with receiving money because you can save it or spend it on things you know you’ll use.” For some, a version of a care package can be the best gift. “I also think care packages for people who are shortly moving out of their parents’ home are great gifts,” said Varone. “I know I can use all the kitchen material
and bathroom supplies once I move out on my own.” Seniors can also use monetary gifts to afford a final graduation trip before they start working in the professional world. “I think good gifts are mugs, gift cards, computers or money that can go toward a graduation trip,” Manijah Henry (senior, political science). Some seniors are hoping a car
might even be a potential graduation gift. “I think some of the best graduation gifts are money, potentially a car, anything with an emotional attachment that is unique for the person receiving the gift and/or a framed picture of them with a loved one who passed away before their graduation,” Keith Stinnette (senior, exercise science) said.
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Return to Panem with new book from Suzanne Collins HEATHER BAIR Culture Editor H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
(Facebook/Twitter) Chris Hayes (left) and Cody Benjamin (right) co-authored the book “What About the Movies?,” an extensive look at the cinema.
Let’s go to the movies with former editors’ new book about the cinema RACHEL FOOR
Staff Writer R.G.Foor@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
Two IUP graduates and former editors of The Penn recently published a book about the future of cinema in a world of smartphones and streaming. Cody Benjamin and Chris Hayes graduated from the journalism and public relations department in 2016 and 2018 respectively. After graduation, Benjamin quickly went from being a staff writer for Ogden Newspapers to a sportswriter for CBS Interactive while Hayes works as a marketing assistant for Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers. Brought together by their mutual love of movies and writing, the pair decided to collaborate on “What About the Movies?,” a comprehensive look into the history and future of the cinema industry. “’What About the Movies?’ is part love letter to cinema, part exploration of its place in today's society,” Benjamin said, “where so much of our entertainment is consumed individually, at home or on the go. Its mission is basically to answer the question: Do the movies still matter? Theaters have been around for more than 100 years, but do they have a future in this world full of streams and smartphones?” As people born in the mid-90s, Benjamin and Hayes are both old enough to have experienced a world without smartphones and at-home entertainment and young
(Facebook) The book is available on Amazon and Lulu.
enough to have grown up during a technological boom in the 2000s. “The book is kind of unique,” Hayes said, “because it’s from the perspective of two guys who still remember the days when everyone went to the theater and bought DVDs and stuff like that, but we’re also young enough to be on the front lines of the transformation of the industry into what it is today, which is obviously a lot different than 20 years ago.” To compile the information needed for the book, Hayes researched topics like the history of popcorn and the world’s most unique movie theatres. Meanwhile, Benjamin interviewed dozens of movie executives, critics and other people involved in the industry. The most challenging part of the project was “combing through all the quotes and information we got
from industry sources,” according to Benjamin. “Everyone involved, from cinema owners to movie critics and so forth, were so helpful in offering insight into the business,” he said. “The challenge was taking all of that and giving the reader a clear, concise narrative.” Even when separated by a thousand miles, the pair was still able to work together on the book by using Google Docs and shared Word documents. After finishing their final rough draft, they used Lulu, an independent publishing company. “It was also super rewarding to read and edit the entire thing, which was the final step,” said Hayes. “To see the finished product on bookshelves and online is awesome, too.” Their collective academic experiences at IUP were invaluable to the creative process of writing the book. “The basic journalism classes were instrumental in shaping my grammar and style,” said Benjamin. “The civic journalism projects taught me about interviewing and compiling a breadth of sources. And all the experience outside of class, from editing and writing at The Penn to working on IUP-TV, made me a much more refined reporter. IUP was a true building block for the career I have today, and I'm very grateful for all those who helped mold me along the way.” You can buy your copy of “What About the Movies?” at Amazon or on Lulu.com.
In 2008, Suzanne Collins introduced readers to the world of Panem, a dystopian world set in the ruins of North America, where the Capitol and its outlying 12 districts participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Now in 2020, Collins is taking us back to Panem with new book, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” a prequel to the trilogy, also being made into a movie by Lionsgate. “The Hunger Games” centers around 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen after she volunteers for her sister, Primrose, during the annual Reaping, which selects the tributes who participate in the annual games, a fight to the death. In 2009, the sequel to “The Hunger Games” was released. In “Catching Fire,” the surviving victors of the 74th Games must compete again at the Quarter Quell, a cruel twist of the annual Hunger Games in which surviving victors are reaped to fight again against other surviving victors. With twists and turns galore, “Catching Fire” led to the final book in the trilogy being released the next year, “Mockingjay.” Lionsgate, along with Collins, began production on the movie versions in 2011, with the first film being released in 2012. “Catching Fire” was released in 2013. The third book was broken into two parts with the cinematic version, part two picking up in the middle of the book starts. The prequel book was announced in late 2019, with the new film being announced April 2020. A production or release date has yet to be announced, along with a cast list, however it has been said that the prequel film will focus on Coriolanus Snow, the future President Snow, at the age of 18 as he is chosen as a mentor for the 10th Hunger Games. In the trilogy, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is a cruel tyrant whom fans have hated since the very beginning. He rules Panem with an iron fist, and when Katniss and Peeta defy all odds in the 74th Games, his own rebellion ignites within him as he issues a personal vendetta against the two.
(Facebook) “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” will be released May 19.
While the cast list hasn’t been released, there is speculation that Jennifer Lawrence, who played Katniss in the original films, Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark), and Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne) will not be returning due to the timeline of the books. Since “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” takes place roughly 74 years before “The Hunger Games,” the characters we’ve long associated with the trilogy would not be present in the book. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t see familiar faces. One of the favorite characters from “Catching Fire” is Mags Flanagan, who served as Finnick Odair’s mentor in his games and makes an appearance in “Catching Fire” as a fellow tribute who teams up with Katniss and Peeta. We may also get to see younger versions of Katniss’s mother and maybe even her father, who is not present in the books other than in references, since he died in a mining accident when Katniss was 11. We may also get to meet Gale and Peeta’s parents, as well as a young Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), who is Katniss and Peeta’s mentor in the 74th Games. Director Francis Lawrence, who directed three of the four films, will also oversee the newest film. Collins was brought back on for approval of scripts and to help Lawrence with the film. There hasn’t been any further information released regarding the film. However, Collins’ new book will be released May 19 as originally planned for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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Finish the school year by binging anime on Netflix MARTY WEAVER Copy Editor zglz@iup.edu @mrweavs This article contains opinion.
The story follows Gon Freecss, a 12-year-old boy who is far too rowdy for his own good, as he searches far and wide for his absentee father and universally hated person, Ging. But it’s so much more than that. Whatever you think “Hunter x Hunter” is about, I guarantee that it’s wrong. Hell, I’m on my second full watch-through and couldn’t tell you what kind of show it is. So, I’m just gonna give a no-context spoiler for each major story arc. “Saw” before it was cool, beyblades, bardic inspiration, YuGi-Oh, math, turbo teen. There are two vital pieces of information you need before you embark on the “Hunter x Hunter” journey: 1) Killua has done nothing wrong and 2) Bungee Gum has the properties of both rubber and gum.
It’s only fitting that my last article while serving as copy editor for The Penn is about anime. This has been a hell of a semester. So sit back, relax and let me take you on a guided meditation through the topsy-turvy world of Japanese animation. This article is set up so the first shows I mention are better for beginners, and the later shows are best left to veterans.
“Death Note” Hear me out; “Death Note” was my first real anime. The show follows Light Yagami, a high school student that comes across a notebook that allows the user to kill anyone whose name is written in it. Light uses this power to rid the world of dangerous criminals while trying to fend off the Japanese police and mysterious detective, L. This makes a really good introduction to anime because it’s a fairly Western-style show. It plays out like a lot of detective dramas while having minimal supernatural elements. At only 37 episodes, it’s also a breeze to get through. So, if you’re into drama and complex morals, give “Death Note” a chance. It’s as popular as it is for a reason. But do not, I repeat, do NOT, watch the live-action remake on Netflix. I refuse to watch it because I have heard only terrible things. It’s also pretty unsettling that Light was played by a white actor, considering Light’s motivation was to kill the world’s prison populations. Oh, and a helpful hint: almost all the characters are thoroughly unlikeable.
“Ouran High School Host Club” On the exact opposite end of the spectrum lies “Ouran,” a parody of the stereotypical anime. This show actually does a great job of explaining a lot of anime tropes while also telling a great story about friends. The plot follows Haruhi Fujioka, a smart but poor student who gets a scholarship to attend a prestigious private academy. Haruhi struggles to fit in at first, while Haruhi’s new friends
“Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure”
(Facebook) “Death Note” and “Hunter x Hunter” are available on Netflix to check out for your first Anime experience.
struggle to understand what life for “normal” people is like. “Ouran” tragically has only 25 episodes, so it’s even easier to watch than “Death Note.” And while the show is actually pretty progressive, the manga was written in the early 2000s, and the anime adaptation came out not too much later, so some of the vocabulary used… is not the best. Just keep that in mind and acknowledge that it was pretty groundbreaking for its time.
“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” The queen of beginner anime, “Fullmetal” is as close to perfection as it gets. The story follows Edward and Alphonse Elric, young brothers that are state alchemists. The first few episodes drag on, but when the Elrics start digging into the imperialist actions of their
employers, that’s when it gets real good. Though this show is typically considered a “beginner” anime, it’s still pretty brutal at times. You’ll know what I mean when you get to Sad Dog territory. I can’t say much more without completely spoiling the show, so just trust me on this: “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” is one of the best pieces of fiction I’ve ever consumed. A word of warning: make sure you look specifically for “Brotherhood.” The original “Fullmetal Alchemist” anime started when the manga was still being written, so the plot changes after a certain point. And, like with “Death Note,” do not bother with any live-action remakes.
“One Punch Man” Time to come clean: I never
actually finished this show. Not because I didn’t like it; I just got busy and distracted. This is another show that’s sort of a parody of anime (superhero anime in particular), so it’s easy to watch if you’re still fairly new to anime. The story follows Saitama, a man that trained so hard that he can defeat any monster with just one punch. It’s good, I swear.
“Hunter x Hunter” The other day, Netflix tried to tell me that this was a “goofy show.” Netflix was lying. (Also Netflix has only the first four arcs, so keep that in mind if you want to watch it.) This is a 148-episode emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend finding a sort of a sherpa to guide you through because it can be a lot to handle without a veteran holding your hand.
The granddaddy of all veteran anime, “Jojo” was “Dragonball” before “Dragonball.” As implied by the title, it’s a truly bizarre show. There are gigantic men that magically turn into twinks (lookin’ at you, Jotaro), vampires, psychic fencing, and that’s just the first four parts. It started as a manga way back in the ‘80s, so don’t expect any useful women until the fourth part. There is also a lot of violence and “yikes” moments. The fun thing about “Jojo” is that the creator, Hirohiko Araki, loves Western music. So, almost every character and special ability is named after an artist or song. In fact, the big bad for the first few parts is named after Ronnie James Dio. This has led to a lot of copyright strikes, so the subtitles have to come up with clever workarounds. My personal favorite is “Boys Men Men,” though “Spicy Lady” has a special place in my heart. If you think you’re up for it, “Jojo” is a really fun ride. I will warn y’all that the “Jojo” fandom has the best memes to worst discourse ratio I’ve ever encountered, so keep that in mind when seeking out fan content. It’s been an honor and a pleasure serving as your copy editor. Stay safe, stay sane, watch some anime. This too shall pass.
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Relax after finals with new additions to streaming services HALEY BROWN
Lead Culture Writer H.Brown@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
This article contains opinion. The start of a new month brings countless possibilities as far as discovering new movies, TV shows and docu-series that mesmerize us like never before. Now that we have all this extra time on our hands, here are some of the best new releases to stream in May on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Disney+.
NETFLIX “Back to the Future Part I” and “Part II” (May 1) They promise all the fun they offered when they were first released in 1985 and 1989, respectfully. The California teenager known as Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) befriends a quirky scientist and partakes in one of his experiments, throwing Marty back in time to the ‘50s. He encounters a younger version of his parents and makes it his mission to ensure they fall in love, all while trying to save Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd).
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (May 1) This unique film shows viewers the strange existence of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt), who is “born” as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages backwards. His relationship with Daisy (Cate Blanchett) is what keeps him going throughout his strange journey through life as she grows up and he grows down.
HULU “Friday the 13th Part III” and “The Final Chapter” (May 1) The “Friday the 13th” movies are a series of slasher flicks that follow Jason Voorhees, a boy who drowned at Camp Crystal Lake decades prior to the movies. The lake is rumored to be cursed and is the setting for a series of mass murders, for which Jason is either the killer or the
(Facebook) April showers brings May flowers, but April also brings new additions to favorite streaming services, including “The Princess Bride” and “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
motivation of the killers. The third film centers around a teenage girl and her friends at a house on Crystal Lake where Jason has taken refuge. It also marks the first film in which Jason’s signature hockey masks makes an appearance. In “Friday the 13th Part IV,” which picks up right after Part III ends, Voorhees is brought to a morgue where he spontaneously comes back to life and escapes, returning to Crystal Lake to continue his killing spree.
“The Conjuring” (May 1) In “The Conjuring,” paranormal investigators Bill and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), are called to the house of the Perron Family. The family of seven have just moved into a home where a supernatural entity has made itself evident.
The threatening nature of the paranormal events escalate, and it becomes dangerous for them to remain in the house. They call on the services of the Warrens’ to help them understand and possibly eradicate the entities from the home.
“The Green Mile” (May 1) Based on Stephen King’s book of the same name, “The Green Mile” is a fantasy crime drama starring Tom Hanks. Hanks plays death row corrections officer Paul Edgecomb, who witnesses supernatural events surrounding one of the inmates, John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan).
AMAZON PRIME “The Goldfinch” (May 8) Based on the 2013 novel by Donna Tartt, “The Goldfinch”
follows Theodore Decker (Ansel Elgort) whose life is changed after his mother’s death due to a terrorist bombing at a museum. After the event, he is convinced to steal a famous painting called “The Goldfinch” from the museum. The movie follows Theodore as he travels through life and questions everything.
“Rocketman” (May 22) The 2019 film showcases the life of Reginald Dwight, better known as Elton John, one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history. The musical history includes some of his beloved songs, his teaming up with singer-songwriter Bernie Taupin, his breakthrough with music in the ‘70’s and his transformation from a timid piano player to the international pop superstar we know today.
DISNEY+ “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (May 1) The fourth installment in Disney’s popular franchise focuses on the wily Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), who runs into a past love, Angelica (Penelope Cruz). Angelica coerces him into accompanying her on a journey to the fountain of youth on a zombie-crewed ship under the command of the notorious Captain Blackbeard (Ian McShane).
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (May 4) The third installment of the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy is the final episode of the nine-part “Skywalker Saga.” It follows Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) as they lead the Resistance’s final stand against Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
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Sports
Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu
Year in Review:
Chronicling the Crimson Hawks’ successes during the shortened 2019-20 season
(Keith Boyer/IUP Communications)
(Matt Durisko/For IUP Sports Information)
(IUP Sports Information) TOP LEFT: With senior quarterback Quinton Maxwell leading the way, the IUP football team enjoyed one of the best offensive seasons in program history in 2019, went 10-2 and returned to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the fourth time in the past five seasons on the strength of its aerial attack. IUP set single-season school records for passing yards (3,622), passing yards per game (301.8), passing touchdowns (41) as well as 50-point games (six). TOP RIGHT: Sophomore sprinter Dre Carr won his first PSAC title in the 60-meter dash on March 1. He set the school record in the same event on Jan. 25 with a time of 6.71 seconds. LEFT: Freshman Joanna Stralka went 14-1 in singles play during IUP tennis’ fall season and won the PSAC singles title on Oct. 7, becoming just the second IUP player ever to do so and the first since 2004. ABOVE: The men’s golf team won its 29th PSAC team title on Oct. 20 and freshman Shaun Fedor, third from left, claimed the individual title. No other PSAC school has more than 14 conference titles in men’s golf. Meanwhile, IUP has won 14 titles in (Ryan Rebholz/IUP Sports Information) 24 seasons since 1997. Fedor became IUP’s 16th PSAC individual champion since 1993. More on Page 24.
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Year in Review:
Sports
Chronicling the Crimson Hawks’ successes during the shortened 2019-20 season
(IUP Sports Information)
(Autumn Dorsey/The Penn)
(IUP Sports Information) TOP LEFT: For the second straight season, the IUP men’s basketball team won the PSAC tournament title on March 8. The Crimson Hawks also won the PSAC Western Division title for the fifth straight year and earned the right to host the Atlantic Region tournament as the top seed in the region. They never got that chance as the NCAA canceled the remainder of the season. IUP finished the year 28-2. Senior Malik Miller was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year on March 5. TOP RIGHT: Junior Sam Lenze qualified for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships on Nov. 23 for the second straight season. Prior to the NCAA meet, he placed 29th at the PSAC Championships and sixth at the Atlantic Region Championships, earning All-PSAC and All-Atlantic Region accolades for the second time. RIGHT: Senior Lexi Griggs and the IUP women’s basketball team were 28-3 entering the NCAA tournament, and like the men’s team, earned the right to host the Atlantic Region tournament. The Crimson Hawks won the PSAC West Division for the third straight year and had a school-record 19-game winning streak in the regular season. Griggs was named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year on March 5. ABOVE: Sophomores Paige Mikesell, left, and Rachel Johnson were named to the Division II All-America team on April 8 after both qualified for the NCAA Championships. Mikesell qualified in four individual events, while Johnson qualified in two. At the PSAC Championships on Feb. 19-22, Mikesell was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Swimmer after winning four PSAC titles – three individual, one relay – and breaking two meet records. She entered the NCAA meet seeded sixth or better in three of her four events, including second in the 200 butterfly.
(Keith Boyer/IUP Communications)
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IUP senior lineman taken in CFL Draft From IUP Sports Information Former IUP offensive lineman Matt Guevremont was selected by the BC Lions in the fifth round of the 2020 Canadian Football League Draft on April 30. Guevremont was the 40th overall selection, including the ninth offensive lineman and the second player from a NCAA Division II school. He was the Lions’ fourth overall choice. A native of Pickering, Ontario, Canada, Guevremont started all 12 games at right tackle for the Crimson Hawks in 2019. He provided experience along a line that helped IUP post some of the best offensive numbers in the country. The Hawks ranked sixth in Division II with 44.2 points per game and 14th in total offense at 476.7 yards per contest. The offensive line’s ability to protect quarterback Quinton Maxwell in the pocket was a key reason why
IUP’s aerial attack had a record-setting season in 2019. The Crimson Hawks set multiple single-season passing records, including yards (3,622), passing yards per game (301.8), passing touchdowns (41) as well as 50-point games (six). IUP also gained more than 2,000 rushing yards, averaging 174.1 per game, and 32 rushing touchdowns. Prior to his lone season with the Crimson Hawks, Guevremont spent 2018 at Division II Malone University in Ohio, where he earned second-team Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors while playing every snap at right tackle. He also spent two seasons at Chabot Community College, where he was named Region I All-California as a sophomore in 2017. Guevremont becomes IUP’s first professionally drafted player since Akwasi Owusu-Ansah was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
MATT GUEVREMONT
(Keith Boyer/IUP Communications) Matt Guevremont, middle, who started all 12 games at right tackle for the Crimson Hawks in 2019, was selected in the CFL Draft last week.
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Due to unrest in Baltimore in 2015, the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles played an official MLB game in front of an empty Camden Yards. This scene is likely to be common when the 2020 MLB season begins. (Carolyn Cole/L.A. Times/TNS)
It’s happened before ...
... but sports without fans are a rare sight
JORGE CASTILLO Los Angeles Times TNS Plenty of unknowns remain about the return of live professional sporting events, but one thing is certain: Fans will not be in attendance for the foreseeable future. NASCAR announced that its premier Cup Series season will restart without fans in less than two weeks, on May 17. The PGA Tour will restart June 11 with no fans for at least its first four events. They’ll follow in the footsteps of the WWE, which has held events, including Wrestlemania, without fans for two months. The timeline is slower for major team sports leagues. They must account for more people – players, coaching staffs, officials, etc. – essential to the operation. Widespread testing for the coronavirus is considered a prerequisite.
Major League Baseball suspended operations during spring training March 12, but officials are confident they can hold some form of a regular season. NBA officials remain hopeful the league can salvage its regular season and playoffs. The NHL ruled out playing at neutral sites and the latest plan is to hold playoff games in NHL venues in four “hub” cities to minimize travel. It is considering playing into October and delaying the start of the 2020-21 season. MLS will reopen training facilities for players next week and is tentatively scheduled to resume its season June 8. The WNBA is contemplating quarantining teams and playing in one neutral location. The NFL has time to wait it out. None of the leagues are expected to have fans at games to start – and possibly into 2021. It will be uncharted territory,
for the most part. Only MLB and the PGA Tour have held events without fans. The American Hockey League, the NHL’s top minor league, has also staged games without fans. They were similar in their strangeness. Here’s a look at those few examples, and a peek into what temporarily will be our new normal.
MLB baseball (2015)
The only MLB game played without fans happened five years ago last week. The Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox played at an empty Camden Yards after unrest surfaced in response to Baltimore resident Freddie Gray’s death while in police custody. Riots forced MLB to cancel the first two games of the series. The finale was moved from night to the afternoon to comply with the city’s curfew. The decision was made to
not allow fans entry. The Orioles won, 8-2. Music and the public address announcer echoed. Players pretended to sign autographs. A ball girl did her job, protecting the empty seats behind her. After the game, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis, who hit a three-run home run in the first inning, compared the atmosphere to a spring training intrasquad game. “When you’re rounding the base and the only cheers were from outside the stadium, it’s a weird feeling,” Davis told reporters.
PGA Tour Golf (2012, 2016)
The PGA Tour has held two full rounds without fans present: the third round of the 2012 AT&T National in Maryland and the final round of the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. In both instances, fans weren’t allowed after inclement
weather caused damage and toppled trees. The third round of the AT&T National was played after a windstorm ripped through the area the night before. The storm left more than 400,000 people and the course without power. The round began after a six-hour delay with the temperature nearing triple digits and debris on the course. Fans were allowed for the final round the next day and watched Tiger Woods win.
AHL hockey (2018)
Weather caused a more recent example in hockey. On Jan. 17, 2018, the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers hosted the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Bojangles’ Coliseum. The arena was empty after 6 inches of ice and snow fell in the Charlotte, N.C., area and the Checkers discouraged fans from attending. The Checkers, won 4-3.
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KBO to the Rescue
Korean baseball catching on with sports-starved U.S. fans VICTORIA KIM Los Angeles Times TNS Former U.S. major league player Kim Hyun-soo sent the ball cracking over the left-field fence, marking the first home run of the long-awaited season of South Korea’s beloved baseball league. But instead of basking in thunderous applause and hollers from adoring fans, Kim loped across home plate to a smattering of claps from a few dozen reporters and league employees. After scoring two runs for his Seoul-based LG Twins, Kim approached a teammate who waited with his arms up, but caught himself at the last second, narrowly avoiding a high-five – banned by the league as a coronavirus precaution. He bumped elbows with another teammate. Most of the stadium’s 25,553 seats – a tough get in a normal year for a game between the Twins and archrival Doosan Bears – were empty.
(Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images/TNS) TOP: Choi Jung a starting pitcher for SK Wyverns in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), started in the league’s opening game between SK Wyverns and Hanwha Eagles on Tuesday. The game was played at the empty SK Happy Dream Ballpark in Incheon, South Korea. The 2020 KBO season started after being delayed from the original March 28 opening day due to the COVID-19 outbreak. BOTTOM: Chung Eun-won takes a hack during one of his at-bats for the Hanwha Eagles.
BASEBALL RETURNED to South Korea under drizzly and overcast skies Tuesday, a rare professional sporting league to resume games while much of the world remains under lockdown with no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic. The five-game opening day showed South Korea testing the waters for a cautious return to normalcy on a day the country reported just three new cases of the coronavirus, a sign that the virus’ community spread has largely been halted. With ESPN reaching an eleventh-hour deal to broadcast Korea Baseball Organization games, a host of U.S. fans starved for live sports were turning to the Korean league, with its distinct culture and avid fandom. Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League, which started up April 11, has also gained a following among Americans watching online. “Major League Baseball teams (in the U.S.) are more corporate, a little more sterile, not as passionate. The KBO feels like a college football game,” said Dan Kurtz, a longtime fan behind the site MyKBO.net. Kurtz said he was being inundated with messages from sports-deprived Americans in the lead-up to the season. “The KBO is going to fill that void, and that’s awesome.” The 144-game season, original-
ly set to begin in late March, was pushed back a few times before getting underway with a number of precautions. A 44-page manual distributed to the league’s 10 teams outlined detailed protocols – including bans on high-fives and spitting, and the minimizing of player contact with the general public. All games will initially be conducted without spectators; the league has said it will consider phasing in a limited of number of fans at a later date. ON THE FIELD in Seoul’s Jamsil Baseball Stadium on Tuesday, umpires and base coaches wore masks and gloves. The mascot for the home-team Twins – twin robot boys named Lucky and Star – also wore masks, as did the team’s cheerleaders and a drum squad that did its best to make up for the absence of fans. When they fell silent, an uncanny hush blanketed the stadium, interrupted only by the whiz of nearby traffic and the satisfying thwack of hits. The quiet was especially odd in a stadium typically filled with songs and chants customized to each hitter and situation and boisterously belted out by fervent fans throughout the game. “Without them, it’s a totally different animal,” said Twins pitcher Tyler Wilson, formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, who has been playing in South Korea since 2018. “Their energy and their passion and how into it they are, from the first pitch to the end, is what makes the games so special.” Wilson, who didn’t play in Tuesday’s opening game, said that, during this year’s preseason games, it was so quiet he could hear the broadcasters’ commentary, conversations in the field and in the dugout, and even the sound of his own spikes going into the dirt. PRECAUTIONS BEGAN long before opening day. Former Angels catcher Hank Conger, starting his first season as a battery coach with the Busan-based Lotte Giants, said players had been dining with plexiglass barriers between them in the lunchroom and wearing masks on the bus. Former teammates in the U.S. were eyeing the situation in Korea enviously, he said. “For us to finally start is surreal,” he said. “Everybody sees my Instagram and sees us getting ready for
the season, and they’re saying, ‘I can’t believe you guys are playing.’“ At the Giants’ game against the KT Wiz in Suwon – the teams are named after corporate sponsors rather than home cities – in lieu of a first pitch, a young fan encased in a clear plastic bubble shaped like a baseball walked from the mound to the home plate. In Incheon, where the Hanhwa Eagles played the SK Wyverns, banners with photos of fans in masks filled the bleachers to give the impression of crowds. Kim Tae-hyoung, the manager of the defending champions, the Doosan Bears, told reporters he wasn’t quite sure how the coronavirus-related measures and delays would affect his team, but at the end of the day, he just wanted to win. “This is a first for me too,” he said. A reporter asked if he had remarks for viewers from the U.S. watching KBO games for the first time. “Do I have to say that in English?” he said, to laughs. “Give us a lot of love please.” OUTSIDE THE closed stadium gates, 25-year-old Kim Gwang-ho was among a handful of fans who showed up wearing team hats and jerseys. The longtime Twins fan watched the game on his cellphone while listening to what sounds he could make out over the stadium walls, and he was hoping for a selfie with a player after the game. “I hope this corona situation ends so everyone can come and cheer them on, in time for fall baseball,” he said. “I hope they win the Korean series this year.” After pulling ahead with Kim Hyun-soo’s early home run, the Twins beat the Bears, 8-2. By the end of the nearly three-hour game, gray skies had given way to a picture-perfect sunny day. Kurtz of MyKBO.net, who is a Bears fan, said all of Korean baseball and its fans scored a win Tuesday with the international attention being paid to a league normally overshadowed by U.S. Major League Baseball. He said he hoped the country’s overlooked sports would receive some of the acclaim its music and movies had been getting of late. “Prior to today, it was very niche ... . ‘Parasite’ won,” he said, referring to the South Korean Oscar-winning film, “so KBO, let’s do this next.”