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News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu
Indiana University of Pennsylvania announced the first three positive COVID-19 cases within the first week of classes.
(Teddy Jeannette/ The Penn)
IUP announces first positive cases in first week of classes STEVEN LANGDON, JR.
Editor-in-Chief S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePenn_IUP
IUP has announced its first cases of COVID-19 since returning in the fall. This information was sent to the University from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which was then sent out in two emails to faculty and students. The first of two emails was sent out Wednesday Aug. 26 around 4:30 p.m. The individual was identified as a student living in residential housing. That student, as well as any others with direct contact, have been self-isolating. The second email was sent Monday at 1:20 p.m. This email confirmed three new cases.
News
“IUP has been notified by the Pennsylvania Department of Health that three members of the IUP campus community have tested positive for COVID-19 from August 27 through August 30.” Two of the students live in off-campus housing and one lives on-campus. The campus cannot disclose any names of faculty or students that are tested. It is up to the discretion of that individual to release the test results. For those who may be concerned you were in contact with the individuals, “the Pennsylvania Department of Health is actively conducting contact tracing. Anyone who had been in contact with these persons will be notified and advised on the appropriate COVID-19 response protocol,” ac-
cording to the email sent Monday. The Penn reached out to the Executive Director of Media Relations Michelle Fryling for IUP’s response to the positive cases, and if there will be any changes at the university. “We will continue to be vigilant about requiring face coverings and social distancing of students and employees (except when individuals have an medical exemption), following signage when entering or exiting buildings, using hand sanitizer and cleaning common areas, self-temperature checks, respecting the Governor’s order about indoor gatherings and outdoor gatherings,” Fryling said. “We also will continue to communicate with students to maintain the Pennsylvania Department of
September 2, 2020
Health and Governor Wolf’s mandates about face coverings, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings while off campus as well as when they are on campus.” There are currently no plans to move classes online the rest of the semester. Fryling also encouraged everyone to read the guidelines that could be found on IUP website. If you have been exposed to the virus, faculty is asked to report this to their supervisor, according to IUP health and safety. Also, if you are a student, you are asked to report that to the health service. IUP stated in Monday’s email that, “information on positive COVID-19 cases reported to the university will continue to be posted on the IUP website and
weekly updates will be emailed to the IUP community on Monday afternoons.” Fryling did state that these emails will be sent out around noon every Monday. For more information on the new cases at IUP go to the health and safety section on the IUP website and click on the COVID-19 dashboard or go to https://www.iup.edu/news-events/ coronavirus-information/covid-19dashboard/. There you could find how many new cases there have been during the week and total. You could also see how many are in Indiana County and outside of it, number of student in isolation on campus, numbers of isolation beds available on campus and how many have recovered.
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IUP Graduation looks different in 2020
News
Peaceful, prayerful protest happens in Memorial Park
(Heather Bair/ The Penn) The IUP Graduation Ceremony usually takes place in the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex (KCAC). EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Not all changes at IUP are viewed in a positive light. Although the Commencement Ceremony had originally been planned to be in-person, the administration decided a virtual graduation would work better due to the continuing pandemic. As posted on IUP’s website: “Since we announced our plans for an in-person commencement ceremony, we have seen growing concern about COVID-19’s transmission and more restrictive guidelines for large indoor gatherings. We have made the difficult decision to shift commencement ceremonies for May and August graduates, planned to take place on campus Sept. 12, to a virtual format.” “No matter how the ceremony takes place, it will not lessen our pride in what you have accomplished,” said IUP President Michael Driscoll. Many of the graduates were upset by this change. Both them, and members of the community, were quick to post their thoughts on social media. “As an alumni and parent of two students, I am beyond disappointed in this decision,” Renee Rohn Vichie said on IUP’s Facebook post. “Even if it isn’t until 2021, your students deserve an actual commencement,” Briana Doyle said on the same post. Despite making great memories during her time at IUP, seeing the graduation change was like “a slap to the face,” said Olivea Norris (theater). “It definitely sucks. I was a super senior and spent five extremely long years at IUP. I changed my major three times and had a plethora of
other crazy experiences.” Norris, who was a part of many activities as well as being a Residential Assistant, felt left out by the school. “Not walking across the stage really feels like a huge letdown and like my accomplishments are minimized.” The graduates said their biggest issue with the change is that the school went ahead and let freshmen mingle despite it seeming just as unsafe as an in-person graduation. IUP came under fire after posting photographs from Freshmen Welcome Week that took place Aug. 20. “It doesn’t appear that social distancing is taking place with the freshman class,” Lauren Towne said on the post. “Meanwhile almost all other students aren’t allowed back to campus.” Although she had not been planning on attending the graduation and was not surprised by the change, Kayla Dawson (anthropology) was still angered at IUP. “It’s definitely gross that they thought graduation was bad enough that they had to move it online but continued with freshmen on campus and in-person classes,” she said. “Looking at it alone, you’d think okay, IUP is doing this for my safety,” Norris said. “But then looking at it in conjunction with the fact that freshman went back to campus, the priorities of the university are simply financial.” The virtual graduation will continue to take place the same day as the in-person commencement was to take place: Sept. 12. at 9 a.m. It will be available through the IUP website. Graduates will also receive paper programs that they would have gotten at a traditional commencement. The IUP administration has yet to comment on the opinions of the graduates.
(Case Marshall/ The Penn) Tuesday night, a peaceful prayerful protest took place at the Memorial Park between Wayne Ave. and Washington St. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) were present (top) to take part in solidarity with the peaceful protest. Attendees wore masks and were able to take part in peacefully protesting against racism.
September 2, 2020
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Director of Student Wellness receives grant for campaign HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The director of Student Wellness & Engagement at Indiana University of Pennsylvania has received a grant to help develop and implement a new campaign on campus. Ann Sesti, the director of Student Wellness & Engagement at IUP, as well as the director of IUP Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Program (ATOD), was granted a $40,000 grant to help with the implementation of “Help-a-Hawk Reducing Dangerous and Underage Drinking” campaign. The grant was offered by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). The PLCB has been offering grants for many years. IUP and the ATOD have been recipients for over 10 grants while Sesti has been employed. The campaign will focus on helping graduate students, veterans, and military-affiliated students. Most of the campaigns the ATOD has done in the past focused on undergraduate student, Sesti said.
(Indiana University of Pennsylvania) Ann Sesti, director of Student Wellness & Engagement at IUP. “Stress can play a factor in misuse of alcohol and so we want to engage these students, and provide them with healthy coping mechanisms to be successful at IUP,” said Sesti. However, not everyone who applies gets a grant and not everyone gets the full amount.
“It is a competitive grant process,” she says. “You complete an application; they review it and determine if they wish to fund it. We were never fortunate that they accept our full proposal and we got full funding,” The grant is funded by the PLCB and focuses primarily on
alcohol. It is a two-year grant that will run from 2020-22. The PLCB was created in 1933, at the end of prohibition. Their mission, according to their site, is to responsibly sell wine and spirits as a retailer and wholesaler. They also regulate the manufacture, importation, sale, distribution and disposition of liquor, alcohol and malt or brewed beverages in the commonwealth. The Bureau of Alcohol Education from the PLCB provides a program to “prevent underage and dangerous drinking, including grants, an annual poster contest for children in kindergarten through 12th grade, an award-winning education and prevention campaign, the distribution of educational materials, an award-winning training program for resident assistants on college campuses and partnership-building with communities and organizations across Pennsylvania.” Sesti and the ATOD will be conducting surveys to see how many cases there are of dangerous drinking at IUP. The survey will be targeted toward graduate, military, and military-affiliated
students to get a picture of their drinking patterns. “We will then develop educational campaigns and provide supportive resources they can use to make healthy lifestyle choices.” There will be two graduate students facilitating the grant. “We will also be working with a number of student organizations to spread the message about the service and resources the grant provides.” “Our goal,” Sesti said, “is to help students develop healthy coping mechanisms and make safer and responsible choices about alcohol.” “Our office is here and available to assist any students if they have any concerns about their, or a friend/family member’s, alcohol or drug use,” said Sesti. “We also provide nicotine cessation services if students wish to quit smoking or vaping.” The ATOD office provides educational outreach to students and will provide programs. To schedule a program or for any additional information, the office can be reached at 724-357-1265, can be emailed at atod-oasis@iup.edu, or students can visit their site at iup.edu/atod.
Students, faculty adjusting after first week of classes OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer O.C.Carbone@iup.edu @ThePennIUP (This article contains opinion.) It’s no secret that almost every college across the U.S. have turned into “Zoom University.” Due to the spread of COVID-19, most students at IUP are strictly online with the exception of certain majors and freshman. Three days into the semester, IUP had its first positive COVID on campus. This then raises more questions: Will they send the freshman home? How many more students have it? Will everyone end up transitioning to all online? Despite being able to attend in person classes, the freshman will not get to experience their first year of college at its fullest due to the pandemic restrictions. The first week of classes brought out different emotions for everyone. The first week of the semester definitely took some time to get used to. One of the pros of being exclusively online is the that you can take your classes from anywhere such as off-campus housing,
(Paul Marchwinski/ The Penn) Most signage around campus includes reminding students to practice social distancing. your hometown, visiting a relative and everywhere else. Another pro to online learning is that we’re learning how to interact with people via Zoom and how to work with them from home. These skills can help us for future “work from home” jobs or jobs that require technical skills. One con to online learning is that we don’t get the social inter-
action and hands-on experience that students need to succeed in their classes. Zoom classes are more “turn this in at 11:59 p.m.,” or “answer this discussion post.” Another con is that there’s not a lot of substance to online learning because there’s little to no social interaction. “I don’t like online learning. I’m not getting the valuable, in-person
experience I need that will help me in my field,” said Alexis Smith (senior, biology/pre-med). “I think the first week of classes went a little better than expected.” Mason Carothers (junior, physical education) said he likes being able to take his classes from anywhere, but he’s also thankful that he has a few classes in-person as well.
“I am a Nutrition and Dietetics graduate student completing my internship with the university this year,” said Meghan McCreary (graduate, nutrition and dietetics). “I’m grateful that I get to experience some normalcy despite everything going on. I’m very grateful that my internship is in-person.” Hannah McCreary (junior, human resource management) said she misses seeing her friends, interacting with professors in-person and the overall college experience. “My first week of classes went really well,” said McCreary. “It’s just that it’s sad to see the world like this.” The first week of classes definitely took some time to get used to and will take some adjusting as the semester continues. As university students, we are coming out with better technical skills because of having to transition to online learning. We are hopeful for things to return to some normalcy by the Spring 2021 semester, but who knows what that will look like.
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Pros, cons of doing classes at home EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer gtkw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The college experience is one not many forget. Usually, this experience is full of students on campus making friends and memories. Due to COVID-19 however, many IUP students are seeing that their memories will be made through Zoom classes in their pajamas. IUP has asked that students who did not have in-person classes do not return to campus this year. Due to this, roughly half the student population are taking their classes online. The reasons behind their choice varies. Some students cited the health risks within their families and themselves. Such was the case for Elizabeth Stash (sophomore, kinesiology). “I live with my great-aunt and grandma,” she said. “My aunt has two forms for Leukemia, and that was truly the main factor. I was terrified for their health.” Tyler Gottshall (accounting, sophomore) also did not feel safe, even with the guidelines created. “I decided to stay home because it did not seem safe to gather people from all over in a compact area,” he said. “I’m not sure where everyone is from. I’m not sure how COVID cases are where they are. I can’t control who is social distancing and following CDC rules.” Although being at home may not be the ideal situation for all, the students who chose to do so have found the positive sides to their choice. Many have mentioned saving money as being the best part of their decision. “I’m now paying nothing for school, so I really am benefiting financially,” Stash said. “So I mainly decided to stay home for more financial reasons,” Allison Stanley (sophomore, criminology) said. “I live with my boyfriend, so I knew I would make more four-hour trips home than I would going to Indiana. I can now continue working at my job being home.” There was also an extra bonus in store for Stanley. “Also, I have adopted a kitten that will most definitely keep me entertained while I’m home.” “Pros of being home are that
(Paul Marchwinski/ The Penn) IUP has put up stepping signs throughout campus to help students know to keep six feet apart. my parents can actually see what classes I am taking this semester. Also, I can enjoy my local restaurants more,” Ann Gamble (sophomore, geography). Gamble did cite some issues, however. “Cons of staying home are missing my friends and needing to tell my parents to be quiet when exam time rolls around.” Anaivy Rodriguez (sophomore, criminology), who also stayed home wanting to keep her family safe, does not believe she is missing too much. “I do not regret my decision whatsoever,” she said. “Over the past two weeks, I’ve seen multiple frats open, very packed, and I saw that some classes are not requiring masks.” It is unknown if the school administration is aware of these classes not requiring masks. Despite the challenges that they may be facing, these students have been able to look on the bright side of their situation. “All of this is very challenging for us, but I am glad everyone has held strong,” said Stanley. As of Aug. 29, IUP has had only one positive reported case of COVID-19. IUP has warned students and faculty of this and have set up a webpage documenting any further cases. The webpage can be found at iup.edu/news-events/coronavirus-information. The page is updated by noon every Monday.
(Facebook/ Pearce’s Pet Place) The female alligator (bottom) is worth $1500 and her offspring (top) is worth $500, according to Pearce.
‘See you later, alligator’
Alligators stolen from local pet store MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zglz@iup.edu @mrweavs A high-profile, reptilian kidnapping has rocked Indiana since early August. Someone broke into Pearce’s Pet Place between the night of Aug. 8 and the morning of Aug. 9 “and tore apart a pen and stole two alligators,” store owner Mike Pearce said. The 6- and 8-foot gators were taken by someone who “knew what they were doing” and “had to have snares,” he said. “I guess they wanted [an alligator] bad enough that they just came and took it.” The 6-foot alligator was found after the dinstinctive markings were recognized in a post on Facebook. Alligators have different markings, much like fingerprints, that can help identify them. “We think we found them, but now it’s ‘how do you prove it’?” he said. Pearce has had experience with large reptiles for decades. He’s kept a caiman (a relative of alligators and crocodiles) for 35 years, having bred it for babies. He said that he keeps alligators in his shop to warn people what they’re getting into, showing them just how large alligators can get.
(Facebook) Pearce’s Pet Place is home to domestic and exotic animals. He implores the public not to release any alligators or large reptiles into the wild. Instead, Pearce offers to take in any large reptiles so they don’t get released or fall into the hands of people who would “treat ‘em mean.” In fact, Pearce’s main concern is the wellbeing of the stolen alligators. “Hopefully, they’re being taken care of well.” He said that some people think of getting alligators or other large reptiles because they think they’re “cool” or “real mean,” but he said that that’s not a good reason to get a pet. “I got a lot of years of doing this, so I just think of the animal.” Caimans are “not happy campers,” but alligators can be “pretty
mellow,” according to Pearce. He said that kids liked to pet and lie down next to the alligators – when the gators are muzzled, of course. Pearce said that he got his first alligator when he was 7, and it was one of the first animals he had in his store. Exotic animals require permits from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC). The PGC’s mission is “[t]o manage Pennsylvania’s wild birds, wild mammals, and their habitats for current and future generations,” according to its website, pgc.pa.gov. If you believe that someone is poaching or otherwise abusing Pennsylvanian wildlife, call 1-888-PGC-8001 or fill out an online reporting form here: https://pgcdatacollection.pa.gov/ operationgamethief
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News
The book sale this year looked very different than the one in 2019 (left) that was held at St. Thomas More Parish (right).
(The Penn Archives)
Annual book sale at local parish works around pandemic HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The yearly book sale that happens in Indiana happened this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The St. Thomas More University Parish held the annual Newman Used Book Sale Aug. 29. This was the 52nd year that the book sale took place and, while things looked a little differently than in previous years, it was still a better turnout than expected. “We had close to 70 or 80 cars drive through,” said Crystal Deemer, co-chair of the Newman Used Book Sale and IUP’s sociology department’s secretary. “We had over 60 orders from those cars.” In the previous years, the book sale had numerous categories to choose from. Whether you like Westerns, romance, science-fiction, mystery, non-fiction or biographies, the book sale would be able to accommodate your needs.
The white tent would go up the week before the book sale and bags, boxes and stacks of books would be moved out and placed on tables in the genres separated. The tent would be opened Friday and those looking for some new books, book collectors and even antique collectors would appear to search through the hundreds of books. “Buyers would sit on chairs around 8:30 or 9 in the morning,” said Deemer. “We don’t start the book sale until 4 p.m., but they would be there.” “We had one man call the church once to see if it was worth the drive. He was driving from North Carolina and decided to stop by and see what we have,” she said. “He arrived fairly early. Normally we have a 5-10-minute way time. He would sit and wait for hours to be the first one in the doors. We later found out he was a bookseller and that was how he made a living and provided for his family.” The man would arrive with his wife and children. He supported them by buying and selling books.
(The Penn Archives) St. Thomas More The Newman Used Book Sale started March 1969 when a woman from New York brought the idea to Indiana from the St. Jerome Guild, an affiliate of the
St. Thomas More church. “People didn’t want to read,” said Deemer. “So, after 16 years, they gave up on it.” However, five members banded together with the parish and started it back up again. “In previous years,” Deemer said, “the sale has gone a lot smoother. People like us to have all the categories, but there was no storage for us to store all the different genres.” Most of the children’s books came from the Ss. Cosmas & Damian Catholic School in Punxustawney. Some paperbacks were also from there and, while paperbacks are occasionally mixed in with hardbacks, the paperbacks were set off to a side in a stack. This way, it made things more organized and workers and volunteers were able to see what was able to be offered. “We had about 12 people come to help. We had a couple in the parking lot to help direct cars and about three people we used for reliefs when workers needed to use the restroom or step away for a few minutes.”
“We had two alumni from IUP come all the way from Virginia,” Deemer said. The book sale usually takes place the third full week of Sept. Deemer is hoping that there will be another sale in Sept. “We still have some romance left,” said Deemer. “We also have some children’s books. If we have enough left, we’re hoping to hold another sale in Sept. when we normally would.” Donations for next year’s book sale will be taken no time sooner than Spring 2021. The workers go through each book separately to make sure there is no damage or, at the very least, there is the bare minimum of damage. “Very rarely will we put out books that are damaged or dirty,” said Deemer. “Any books we find that are too damaged or damaged beyond repair, we find the most environmentally efficient way of disposing them.” The next Newman Used Book Sale will take place Sept. 17, starting at 4 p.m. through 19, 2021. Donations will be accepted starting Spring 2021.
News
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Opinion
CARTOONS
(Facebook) Gov. Tom Wolf has been the epicenter of blame throughout Pennsylvania during the pandemic.
‘It Takes Two to Tango’ One singular person is not to blame for lack of progress While COVID-19 brought a lot of uncertainties and interruptions to our daily lives during the past few months, one thing that’s widely noticed across the nation is the amount of blame people push on governmental figures. Pennsylvania residents have shown their frustrations towards Gov. Tom Wolf after his decisions led to the demise of small businesses around the state and plenty of double standards within his “recommendations.” One of them being the recommendation to cancel the fall season for PIAA athletics, for health concerns, but allowing a car show in Carlisle to occur at the peak of the pandemic. Other examples are New York residents expressing their distaste for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s initial reaction that allowed a surge of positive cases within the state from March to May. Others have gone as far as to blame President Trump for the outbreak in his lack of preparation for a nationwide disaster. So, the real question remains: Who is REALLY at fault for this pandemic? The answer: everyone. Let’s clear the air for the first
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topic by saying the way state and federal leaders have handled this has been a torrential dumpster fire. Then every step that follows acts as attempting to put out the fire with a can of gasoline. The president showed signs of apathy from the beginning by saying how it was all taken care of, the U.S. won’t be as affected as some other places and by infamously saying that fewer testing will yield fewer results. He also allowed governor’s complete control of their states to handle things how they want. Gov. Wolf became the thorn in everyone’s side after he shut down businesses and operations around the state for the opening months of the pandemic, hoping it would lead to a flattening of the COVID-19 curve. I think we all can agree he has yet to prove his worth in the state. This would turn into “we can’t open back up until there is a vaccine,” causing for turmoil among his residents. Sprinkle the atrocity of his work with the PLCB banning drinking at bars, but not when there’s a piping hot plate of food sitting in front of you. But they aren’t the only ones
contributing to the standstill the U.S. is in. Remember when masks were first mandated in businesses and restaurants? I can’t tell you the amount of people who I see in businesses that are not wearing masks because they believe it’s a form of government control. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t for masks when things started to get hairy, but I learned quickly that we wear them for the elderly couple sitting at table five of the local diner. Or the child, that you didn’t know just recovered from a disease that’s compromised his/her immunity, that passes you in Walmart. Sure, it’s easy to point fingers and blame others when times get stressful, but we seriously need to understand that we, both as leaders and citizens, all play a part in this. Wear your mask, continue to sanitize and let’s work together to end this pandemic.
Brought to you By: Jake Slebodnick Managing Editor
September 2, 2020
(Facebook)
Opinion
Culture
Culture Editor: Katelin Pompa – xzgw@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu
Food for Thought Students react to new dining rules
Campus is finally open again to students, but with Managing Editor some modifications to daily J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP operations. One modification was how campus dining will commence while maintaining social distancing within dining halls. As the Pennsylvania guidelines recommend not gathering in large groups and to stay six feet away from others, along with wearing a mask. So far, campus dining has provided a safe environment for students to pick up food on-the-go with the addition of GrubHub, Hand-and-Go and traditional take-out. Students are also noticing the benefits of these features, even though food choices are not as varied as in previous years. “I frequently order food from Chick-Fil-A even though we are required to use GrubHub to order,” Dora Sickles (freshman, communications media) said when asked what her go-to options are. “It’s not as efficient and there are less options, but the food is awesome and the employees are great.” Some students continue to use traditional dining halls as their means of acquiring meals. “I’ve been going to Folger Hall a lot and it’s really good,” Alyssa Weaver (freshman, nursing) said. “The staff there are super nice and willing to do anything for students, but the only downside is the shortened hours.” One of the most talked about dining halls is North Dining. Students praised the newest dining halls for the amount of options they have, but some say capacity could use adjustments to fit students’ needs. “I usually go to North for their quantity of food,” Sara Patrick (freshman, accounting) said. “It’s very rare that North doesn’t have something I don’t find interesting, and when they don’t, I just have a few slices of pizza. I have yet to have a bad experience there.” Austyn Howard, a freshman nursing major also enjoys how students can get more bang for their buck. “I eat at North a lot for the quality of their turkey burgers,” he said, “Not only that, but it’s a good way to use my meal swipes for the week.” Some students think that lack of seating plays a downgrade into dining adjustments this semester. “I go to North almost every day and they have a decent amount of food available,” Gabe Gillin (freshman, biology) said. “However, there is not enough seating which means I have to go back to my dorm to eat.” Currently, North Dining is operating weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. with take-out options available. A complete breakdown for dining hall hours and what is available for students to purchase can be found at iup.edu/dining/dining-fall-2020/. JAKE SLEBODNICK
Culture
(Case Marshall/ The Penn) North Dining Hall has some new changes with the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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Chemical Hearts Movie Review Megan Donny Writer bbcx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This article contains opinion. A teenage coming-of-age film, “Chemical Hearts,” was long-awaited by many fans favorite actress Lili Reinhart. Sadly, in many fans’cases, the movie sorely disapointed them. had long awaited the release of this Amazon Prime movie. I am a huge fan of romance movies as well as Lili Reinhart from the tv hit show. “Chemical Hearts” follows the story of Henry (Austin Abrams) who aspires to be editor-in-chief of his school newspaper his senior year. He ends up being co-editor with a new transfer student Grace (Lili Reinhart). Grace has many demons holding her back from truly being herself. She is somewhat of an enigma to Henry, who finds her fascinating. It’s clear from the beginning that Grace would rather keep her struggles to herself than open up to Henry. The entire film follows the struggle Henry faces trying to understand Grace. Her erratic behavior and mood swings make it complicated to know her. Grace was in a car accident the year before, which left one of her legs disabled and took the life of someone close to her. In my opinion, this movie moved very slowly. The first 10 minutes of the movie felt like an hour. I was overall confused why Grace was keeping so many secrets and acting so erratically. She had been through a huge trauma, but she didn’t have to keep leading Henry on only to run away from him again and again. Some of the scenes in the movie also just made me question what was going on. Grace takes Henry to an abandoned factory close to where they live. In the basement of the factory is an old indoor koi pond. Grace gets in the koi pond with a loaf of bread and starts talking about how she did water physical therapy. The koi pond is disgusting and definitely not sanitary, yet both Grace and Henry end up to their waists in the water that has been there for what seemed to be years. After they get out of the koi
(MolnarSzabolcsErdely/Pixabay)
All-time best movie treat!
Movies in 2020 to watch (Google/ Emma Louise) The movie “Chemical Hearts” is based off the book written by Krystal Sutherland. pond, they sit and talk. While they were having a heart-to-heart and exposing secrets, the only thing I could think is that they are both sitting in wet pants soaked with the koi pond water. There was also a scene toward the middle of the film where they were in a library, and Grace goes on a rant about their teacher’s syllabus and the reading list on it. It was never mentioned or shown before that they were in the same class or even grade. It was extremely random in my opinion. Also, I would have liked more focus on their relationship. I would’ve also liked to see more of their relationship, but it felt like the film makers only put the relationship in the movie to try to prove that the movie wasn’t just focusing on a heterosexual relationship but a queer relationship, too. I did, however, like the overall theme of the movie. It exposes how painful being young can really be. They also talk about the changing brain chemistry between transitioning from teenage life to adulthood. The movie was definitely very different from your typical teenage coming-of-age film. It showed a unique and honest perspective of teenage hormones and emotional states. Every movie appeals to people in different ways. I highly reccomend giving Amazon’s “Chemical Hearts” movie a try. You never truly know a movie until you watch it!
HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This article contains opinion:
for “normal” premiers to come back into play. Here are some of the most highly anticipated films that are to premier both online and in theatres within the four remaining months of this year.
Since quarantine began, mainstream entertainment consumption such as the movie industry has dropped off considerably due to forced business closings and increases in social distancing guideline enforcement. After countless movie release dates were pushed farther down the 2020 calendar, the pressure has been building across the U.S. and other countries to get out and get going again. Although the mode of entertainment consumption has shifted heavily into online media and adapted as best it could in order to meet everyone’s quarantine-bound entertainment needs, some cinemas are tentatively inviting limited numbers of consumers back into their lobbies and theaters again to enjoy new releases. Theatres including AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Marcus and B&B, among others, are reopening thousands of their locations across the U.S. within the last weeks of August this year. Movies such as “Tenet”, “Disney’s Mulan” and the new “Bill and Ted” have had postponed releases, but the hope is that with more theatres opening, the new release dates can stay where they have been set this time around. Many movies have already been released this year on online platforms with the online release functioning as their official premiers, but theatre openings allow
“BILL AND TED: FACE THE MUSIC” Returns to the silver screen Aug. 28, in a sequel to the 1989 movie, “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,” for more goofy time travelling shenanigans in “Bill & Ted Face the Music.” The film, directed by Dean Parisot, stars Keanu Reeves as Ted and Alex Winter as Bill and features many other fantastic actors including Samara Weaving, Jillian Bell and Kristen Schaal. This film will be released simultaneously through video on demand and in select theaters.
“The New mutants” Also being released Aug. 28 is “The New Mutants,” directed by Josh Boone. It offers a fast-paced look into the complicated lives of the next generation of X-men. The film is based on a Marvel comic book series of the same name. A lineup of up-and-coming young adult stars including “Split”’s Anya Taylor-Joy, “Game of Thrones’” Maisie Williams, and “Stranger Things’” Charlie Heaton, who discover their developing superpowers while trapped in a secret facility.
“tenet” Previously set to be released on Aug. 12, 2020, the film “Tenet” sports a new release date for Sept. 3 of this year. Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring John David Washington, the trail-
ers for this film leaves much to be discovered. While the trailers suggest international espionage as a general theme of this film, and thus likely involves plenty of action, the cryptic nature of the trailer certainly leaves the audience curious for more.
“mulan” Based on Disney’s animated “Mulan,” is to be released on Disney+ on Sept. 4, 2020. Starring Yifei Liu as Mulan, Yoson An as Honghui, Mulan’s love interest, Jet Li as the emperor, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Mulan’s mentor, and Jason Scott Lee as the main villain, Böri Khan.
“Antebellum” This film, formerly meant to be released on Aug. 21, 2020, has been moved back to premier on Sept. 18, 2020. This film, directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, seems to be a psychological thriller that revolves around the experience of a successful writer, played by Janell Monáe, who stumbles upon and becomes trapped in some sort of strange alternate reality. The trailer also gives off vibes that are comparable to other films like “Get Out” and “Us.”
“wonder woman: 1984” On October 2, 2020, the film “Wonder Woman 1984,” directed by Patty Jenkins, is to be released. The film stars Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman herself, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor and Kristen Wiig as the villain, Cheetah. This upcoming sequel to “Wonder Woman” is set during the 80’s at the time of the Cold War.
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September 2, 2020
College Cookbook Chronicles: Trying Cake
(Marty Weaver/The Penn)
Making cake campus style. MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zglz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This article contains opinion. After a rather interesting first week, I wanted to do a little something to celebrate. That something was to make cake. Though I went home this weekend, I tried to use only the equipment I had access to in my apartment. I did some actual experimenting this time ‘round to figure out 1) if it’s possible to make cake without an oven and 2) if anyone should. And lemme tell you, it isn’t worth it. I went with box cake mix and used a semi-popular “recipe” from a few years ago. If you combine one box cake with a 12-ounce can of soda, it makes a pretty OK cake without having to bust out eggs, water and vegetable oil. Mixing plain yellow cake mix with ginger ale tricks your brain into thinking you’re eating lemon cake, but like, bad lemon cake. It’s lemon cake that’s too sweet and not lemony enough. That’s what happens when you can find only yellow cake mix, and ginger ale is the only soda that doesn’t upset your tummy. Then, I tried to figure out how to make single servings of cake. I made a full recipe of batter to see what the ideal consistency is. The full recipe makes a thick but fluid
batter, like a fluffy pancake batter. So, consistency achieved, I tried a couple different cooking methods. First up was the classic microwave mug cake. I feel pretty comfortable saying that most mug cake “recipes” are complete BS. Don’t just take my word for it; Ann Reardon, food scientist and host of the YouTube channel “How To Cook That,” has gained some notoriety from debunking viral cooking videos. Many popular mug cake recipes don’t take into account leavening agents, aka the stuff that makes cakes rise and have a nice texture, like baking powder/ soda, whipped egg whites, air bubbles and occasionally yeast. So, the recipes often don’t include leavening agents or don’t account for rising during cooking. My first pass at the fabled mug cake was chock-full of mistakes. Remember, I do these things so you don’t have to do them. The first mistake was overfilling the mug. Though I made sure to leave a decent amount of space to account for rising, I evidently did not leave enough. My next mistake was putting it in the microwave for too long. Microwaves are weird. You can’t treat them like ovens and shove things in there for a while and expect them to turn out right. After a mere 30 seconds, the cake started overflowing. I managed to grab it (carefully) before I ruined my parents’ microwave
Overflowing Mug.
– they weren’t home for the weekend, and the last thing I needed was to destroy the house in their absence. So, I cleaned out the mug and tried again. I’ll admit that the only reason I didn’t use a different mug was for the sake of cute pictures; my brother got that mug from a trip to Austria a few summers ago, and it reminds me of him. Love ya, Sam, and please stop FaceTiming me late at night. The next pass was more successful. I filled the mug halfway
(Marty Weaver/The Penn)
and put it in the microwave for 10–20 seconds, keeping an eye on it and stopping the cooking when it looked like it was going to overflow. Every microwave is different, so cooking times vary. Just keep going until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or the cake springs back when gently poked. This isn’t easy, fun or particularly satisfying. But it’s cake, so… that’s something, I guess? Next, I tried making something akin to pancakes. I busted out
a nonstick pan, threw in some cooking fat and made some little cakes. And boy howdy, that didn’t work.I forgot that sugar makes things brown and burn faster, and if there’s one thing in cake batter, it’s sugar. Traditional pancakes usually have some sugar to encourage browning, but they don’t have nearly as much sugar as regular cakes. I also overestimated how sturdy half-baked cake is. Pancakes are sturdy enough to flip over without too much hassle, but regular cakes aren’t. Who looks at a perfectly good oven-baked cake and thinks, “Yeah, but what if I could do more work and make it worse?” So, if you really want cake, my genuine advice is to go out and buy an already-made cake. Mug cakes can be super fussy and messy, and the only cakes that should go in pans are pancakes. It’s in the name. I still had about two-thirds of the cake batter left, so I threw it in a cake pan and cooked it in the oven. Because I was brimming with embarrassment, I tried to put the real cake on a pretty plate and do some pastry-chef-ish decorating. Since I somehow forgot how sickeningly sweet the cake already was, I went for a sprinkling of powdered sugar which succeeded only in truly destroying the kitchen. Long story short: cake without an oven? Bad. Cake with oven? Also bad sometimes.
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September 2, 2020
Culture
September 2, 2020
Culture
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Makeup on a college budget can either make or break your skin, but with these tips your skin will thank you.
(Kcuachairina - Pixabay)
How to care for your skin on a college budget Haley Brown Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This article contains opinion It’s no secret that when people think of beauty and skin care purchases, they don’t necessarily think of store brand items. The fact of the matter is that most of the more affordable store brand and drug store “beauty” and “skin care” products at stores like CVS, Target and Walmart are exactly the same ingredients as the brand name products. The best part is they won’t break your bank account like some of the brand name products tend to do. “I really like Neutrogena’s Hydroboost Gel Cream,” says Olivia Tavoletti (senior, marketing). “It’s great for sensitive dry skin and leaves my face feeling extra moisturized. I think that it’s only about $8 at Walmart, and it works super well.” One frustrating aspect of marketing is that it has been designed and developed to be extremely effective, and a lot of the time, it works. For example, when you pick up two different priced packages of a facial cleanser in an isle and read the ingredients and concentrations, you can almost always find exactly the same item for nearly half the price. Essentially, you
are paying more just for a brand name, such as Clearasil, and the pretty packaging they can afford because they charge more for their products than a store brand would. Walmart’s beauty line, namely Equate Beauty, sells Quick Action Pads for acne treatment, which offers the exact same active ingredient in the same concentration as Clearasil’s Rapid Rescue Deep Treatment Pads. Both products contain 2 percent salicylic acid as the main active ingredient, both contain the same number of cleansing pads (90), and both products have the same texture. Walmart’s brand of the product rings-up at around $4.50, while the name brand version comes in at $10 on the brands’ respective websites. One aspect of the package design between the Clearasil and the Equate products that is especially frustrating is the accessibility of the ingredients list. Clearasil slyly hides their ingredients behind a hard-topeel tab that no customer in their right mind is going to spend two entire minutes of their precious time attempting to peel back to read about one active ingredient. On the other hand, the Equate version of these cleanser pads clearly displays the product information without hiding it behind an impossibly elusive peel tab, and it even urges consumers on the front of the packaging to
compare their brand of pads to the Clearasil brand of pads just to discover they are the exact same product with two very different prices. Other examples of these beauty “dupes,” as they are affectionately termed, include the Biore Pore Strips, which are affordably mimicked by a brand called Epielle. A package of Epielle pore strips, which come in packs of 5 strips, can be found for only $2 at Big Lots. They are claimed by some to clear your pores just as well as their pricier competitor, if not even better than the Biore brand strips, which come in packs of 6 strips and can be bought for about $6. While the difference in pricing isn’t stunning here, as a college student, every dollar that stays in your wallet counts. As one last example of comparable pricing and quality, many brands have begun offering pimple spot treatment stickers that you can place on top of a developing flare up to soothe inflammation and absorb some of the problem-causing oils to treat the pimple. The brand Hanhoo offers a pack of 36 acne spot stickers for only $2.50 at Walmart while the competing brand, Clearasil, offers 18 overnight sticker patches of the same size for around $8.50 at Walmart. No further explanation or persuasion should be necessary here. The numbers should speak for themselves.
(Kerdkanno - Pixabay) Cucumber, lemon, aloe and honey can help your skin. “My personal favorite affordable skin care items are The Ordinary face serums,” says Danielle Zdrale (junior, marketing). “They’re only about $8 at Ulta, and there’s a pretty wide selection for all skin types online, too. The Ordinary’s Niacinamie serum is made to reduce your skin’s sebum production, and it’s my favorite of all the serums.” While the beauty brand E.L.F. has slowly been gaining attention and notoriety in the beauty community over the past few years, they have always flown under the radar since their prices are so low. It has been assumed by many that since the prices of their products are so far below that of other competitors, their products must not be
of good quality. Recently, E.L.F. has been expanding their line of products to skin care instead of continuing to focus on their original offerings of makeup tools and makeup itself. If you decide to peruse their fantastic, easily-navigated website, you will find that all of E.L.F.’s skin care products are $12 or less, unless they contain CBD such as their CBD Facial Oil ($18) or one of their skin care kits ($15). Their moisturizers and newer masks, especially their Beauty Shield Magnetic Mask and their Hydrating Bubble Mask, have been getting a lot of attention on social media platforms like YouTube and are still just as affordable as the rest of the brand’s offers that you can find near you at any shopping center.
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Culture
Hawks Declassified: College Survival Guide
Norm the Hawk supporting our students. Haley Brown Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
The Basics 1. Use rate my professor when you’re building your schedule, so you don’t have to worry about any surprises during the coming semester. Most of the reviews on the site are based in strong opinion, so they are biased, but the tags related to each professor can prove helpful to new students and some of the written reviews are actually helpful as well as long as you can distinguish between the overly biased review of an angry low-grade student and a reasonable review. 2. If you are required to take language, take your language classes as closely together as you can. Leaving semesters between these classes will probably lead to you forgetting a large chunk of the material you learned from the previous course. As in many other courses, the material you learn in your language courses will always build on the previous course material, so it’s especially important that you don’t space these out if you’re prone to forgetting. 3. Don’t ever be afraid of professor office hours. Having relationships with your professors is not weird and can lead to real opportunities and lasting professional relationships and connections that could help you in your career later in life. 4. If you know your personal learning style, try to model your
study habits to match that. If you’re a visual learner use as many pictures and diagrams in your studying as you can. If you learn best with flashcards use Quizlet, or, if you know you won’t remember the material unless you write it out by hand, rewrite your class notes to help you review before a big exam. Everyone learns differently, so study habits should never be a one-size-fits-all scenario. Don’t be afraid to experiment while studying to find out what works best for you. Your GPA will thank you for your efforts throughout your college career. 5. Choosing a space specifically for studying is really important in building solid study habits. Once you have developed the habit of only studying or doing homework in that one space, whether it be a desk in your bedroom or a certain cubicle or corner in the library, it will help you focus on being more productive and more focused as soon as you sit down. If you study in your bed, odds are you’ll be much more likely to fall asleep than learn new material, so prioritizing your study habits in one space can cause an incredible uptick in study productivity. 6. Wear whatever you want to class. The more comfortable you are, the more confident you’ll feel...as long as wearing your sweatpants doesn’t make you fall asleep. 7. Planning out mealtimes strategically between classes might seem monotonous, but it makes it much easier to focus in class,
(The Penn archives) especially if you don’t have to listen to your own growling stomach and daydream about what you’ll eat when the class ends preventing you from missing any important information. 8. Make at least one friend or acquaintance in every class. Even if making new friends doesn’t come naturally for you, having an ally, someone to discuss the course material with, or someone to ask about the homework if you missed class, is a great asset to have and can take a lot of stress and guessing out of your classes. 9. Only register for early class times (i.e. 8 am or 9 am) if you are naturally an early bird or have incredible self-discipline and no bad sleeping or procrastination habits. This tip can also be applied to the mental health column of these tips, since staying up late to get stressful classwork done can be extremely detrimental to your sleep habits, and in turn, to your mental and physical health.
Mental health help
1. Working time into your schedule to stay active is extremely important for your physical and mental health. Staying on-schedule by going to the gym or a fun workout class with a friend on the same day at the same time each week will help you get into a routine that might even end up being your favorite part of the week. 2. Spending time outside instead of in a dark/enclosed room all day every day is also great for mental health. The Oak Grove
and community parks and gardens are there specifically for the purpose of socializing, enjoying some fresh air and green space. Go look at some trees every once in a while, it’s good for you. 3. Keeping your dorm room or apartment tidy can really help your focus and can be great for your mental health. Cleaning can also give you something to focus on if you’re having a hard time with being alone or you need a short break from doing classwork. 4. Don’t wait until you’re wearing your last pair of pants to do your laundry. Sometimes we forget to do laundry, or just put it off until the last possible second, but the more you put off chores like cleaning your kitchen or getting your clothes (and sheets!) in the washing machine, the easier it will be to put off your homework or put off going to the gym. More discipline in small areas of your life leads to better discipline in every part of your day and thus leads to better productivity overall. 5. Admit that sometimes you might need some help. Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends for support and practice some emotional health self-care if you’re feeling low or overwhelmed for more than a few days at a time. The campus counseling center is always there, even with e-appointments, and can provide the support you might need. 6. Call your parents (or whoever you might be feeling homesick for). Homesickness often goes undiscussed because, as adults, we are expected to be able to handle our emotions and be able to be independent from our
home units seemingly overnight. However, this expectation is unreasonable, and it is perfectly normal and healthy to miss your home base. Don’t be afraid of reaching out and letting them know that you’re feeling some nostalgia for the times you spent at home, wherever that may be. Odds are they’re missing you just as sorely and would love to hear from you.
Campus Living
1. Joining a club just because it might look good on your resumé is not worth it. Instead, choose a club that will make good use of your time and one that you will truly enjoy being a part of. 2. Being focused on your major is a good thing, but you shouldn’t feel like you have to put yourself in a box to accomplish that. Trying new things is what college should really be all about, so don’t be afraid to take a course that seems like it might be outside of your comfort zone. You might just stumble upon something you want to spend the rest of your life doing. 3. If you have a problem with noise from an upstairs or nextdoor neighbor, you should find a polite and possibly fun way to tell them about it. Leaving a note or even just knocking on their door and chatting about it will probably make you a new friend or two. Odds are they don’t even know they’re being loud, and they’ll try to tone down the noise and be more considerate of your eardrums.
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September 2, 2020
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Sports
Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu
(The Penn archives) Nazir Streater had an interception for a touchdown last year during the New Haven game.
Hot Take Jake: Streater has all the tools for NFL JAKE TAYLOR
Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726
(Wiikimedia Commons) Shot of Eagles’ home field, where Nazir could be playing come next season.
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PERSEVERANCE, WORK ETHIC, and RESILIENCE. Many people understand the opportunity created from a game. Nazir Streater (Senior, Management) , IUP Football’s top defensive back, knows this better than anyone. These values are among a plethora of characteristics displayed through sports. Sports were missed the past five months, not due to a need for entertainment but a desire for hope. There is no question Streater has the talent on the field. In just 9 games, he finished his junior year with 6 INT’s, 15 PBU’s, and 54 tackles. Streater has already received National Football League (NFL) attention. Streater was asked about his encounter with an NFL scout, “I talked to the Philadelphia Eagles scout and had a pretty good conversation with him. He told me I gotta keep producing and keep doing well,” said Streater. This was a huge moment in his career, and he was able to take it all in. “It was mind blowing man, it can actually happen. Everything is working out the way it
September 2, 2020
was meant to work out. Part of God’s plan.” Streater was planning on making a statement heard round the NFL this fall football season, but due to the current pandemic the PSAC postponed fall competition. Be that as it may, he has displayed key characteristics and values that prove he will be in the NFL one day. Streater was asked about how COVID-19 has impacted his NFL chances and how he plans to use this extra time, “This is more time to work out and get in shape. Time to get bigger, faster and smarter. More stats and more playing time in spring to build my stats and help achieve my goals in the NFL.” It would be reasonable to think that these circumstances would be seen as an inconvenience to most, but not to Streater.“This is a blessing in disguise, and I feel like it is all going to work out.” It is clear Streater has the mindset of not only a great athlete, but an even greater person. Without ambition, resilience, and perseverance it would be almost impossible to overcome life’s obstacles. Streater realizes there is nothing he can do about the pandemic except work his hardest to be where
he desires to be when it is all over. This understanding separates him from many other athletes. He understands it takes two to tango, and he combines his work ethic on and off the field. Streater spoke on his off-field preparation, “Definitely been studying a lot of film. Plenty of time to get your mentality right. Time to get critical. Stay consistent with workouts and gain a few pounds.” It is not a hot take, IUP has top caliber athletes. Streater is a prime example of these top caliber athletes. He displays the confidence he earns as well as the humbleness he strives for. This is clear in his statement regarding why an NFL team will take him. “The competitiveness. Even though I might get beat on a play, I don’t let it get to me. It pushes me to work harder” said Nazir “I am never gonna quit or give up. I am never gonna quit. I’m a fast learner.” Although Streater is weary about the NFL and NCAA competing amidst this pandemic, he will not stop striving for his goal. Everyone reading this should understand it is not a hot take, it's the stone-cold truth, Nazir Streater NFL bound.
Sports
September 2, 2020
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Field Hockey aims for playoffs come spring AUSTIN SMITH
Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP
Last season was a nail-biting experience for the IUP women’s field hockey team where they narrowly missed the playoffs, pandemic or not they are confident that they can have post-season success this spring. IUP finished at an overall record of .500 with going 5-5 at home and putting a 4-4 tally on the road. Close games for most of the season all around except for a few disappointing finishes. The two teams that handed IUP with the biggest problems on the scoreboard were West Chester and East Stroudsburg and IUP just could not really figure them out the whole season. They played against West Chester twice where they were unable to score a single point in two games against the No. 1 team in the country, and national champs. That is in the past and the future is filled with infinite possibilities, like IUP making a hopeful playoff debut during the next season. Of course, there are specific steps to get there, but with the dreaded COVID-19, what does this mean for the Crimson Hawks? The only way was to get an inside look from the one and only Coach Agard who gave an exclusive interview with The Penn. Coach was asked about how the current state of collegiate sports has affected his daily routine. “The biggest thing was practices changed because we couldn’t be with any other teams for any kind of scrimmaging, which made me have to come up with alternative solution and have us scrimmage each other,” said Agard. “As we all know, when it comes to a solid practice, it’s always good to get a taste of other teams offensive and defensive play. Playing against your team is better than anything at this point and at least sharpens the skills.” It is no new story that fall athletics have been cancelled for Division II, but this squad is hopeful for the return of sports. “We are planning on it, but everything is up in the air and we are very hopeful for a spring season,” said Agard. We can all be as hopeful in life, and in this case that is all Coach Agard and his team can
(IUP Athletics)
do. They are going to get well prepared like any other season, because in sports, you must be ready for the next opponent and challenge. So, what did Agard mention about how they were planning to make the playoffs and making a run during them? “It all depends on the personell and coaching, and with the combination of that, we are going to do quite well in the spring,” said Agard.
Great coaching and the team as a whole working together will at every practice and game will send IUP to a date with the PSAC playoffs. Coach Agard explained how he plans to be able to get on top of their Eastern foes like West Chester. “We are in the process of it right now, we are in the execution of scoring and being offensively oriented as well as being more structural defensively
and capitalizing on those big opportunities,” he said. Being able to put up more goals and produce offense is what is going to win games in this day and age, and Agard knew that from the start. IUP managed to average 2.5 goals/ game. While that stat may not be bad, Agard recognizes that it needs to better if you want to beat the teams the PSAC has to offer. Well, to make this all happen, you must have some star power. Coach Agard was asked, if there is any player currently
on the roster that you think can be a very impactful player this season. “Lizzy Clemmer (Senior, Nursing) will be a impactful player and So will Emma Wilhelm (Sophomore, Nursing) as well as both our goalkeepers will be very impactful in the spring.” It is obvious to Coach Agard that this team has the recipe for success with their routine, discipline, and development. When it comes time for spring, this team will be ready to put it all together on the field and make a run for the playoffs.
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Sports
Most wonderful time of the year:
(TNS)
Three major leagues entertaining us amidst pandemic Jeff Hart
Sports Editor J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePenn_IUP
In a normal year, October is the best time for any sports fan because, that is the only time of the year when all four major American sports can be viewed (NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB). Because of coronavirus, that magical time is taking place now. Currently the NBA, MLB, and NHL are staging their seasons after the initial news of the coronavirus pandemic. Even though the rest of the world may seem to be on hold, sports are in full-swing and fans are loving it. Let us take a step onto the ice and see what is going on in the world of the NHL. After postponing their season, the NHL has resumed the playoffs in a bubble situation like that of the NBA. Games are being played with no fans in attendance, which has been a weird experience for many fans. “I really do like the fact that games are being played in the bubble. Having no fans is a bit different for me, but it’s still enjoyable to watch,” said Charles Hawn (Junior, Nursing). Currently, all the series in the second round of the Stanley Cup
Playoffs have not been close ones. With all series having a team leading 3-1 and Tampa Bay already beating Boston 4-1. Many fans have taken a liking to Tampa out east after blowing out both Boston and Columbus in 4-1 gentleman’s sweeps. “I like Tampa Bay right now. They are dominating everyone they play right now,” said Hawn. Out west, the two favorites are Las Vegas and Dallas after taking a commanding 3-1 lead in their respective series. These two squads both have potential to challenge a team like Tampa Bay if they can make the Stanley Cup Finals. “I like Vegas out west. I feel confident that Vegas has the talent to put the west away. I would love to see them go against Tampa in the Finals,” stated Hawn. Taking a trip to the diamond, the MLB has just started their season and has had varying results that have left some fans dissatisfied with this season’s overall level of satisfaction. This season has even been described by some as a disappointment. Jacob Slebodnick (Senior, Communications) described his feelings on the 2020 season so far, “The league overall is serving its
purpose, but the season itself has been a disappointment. COVID-19 policies and umpiring has just left the overall experience lacking.” The league has had to postpone several games already because of COVID-19 concerns, like the meeting that was scheduled between the Mariners and the A’s for Tuesday. With the COVID-19 side of things aside. Teams like the Dodgers have emerged as early favorites by many to be top contenders this season after acquiring Mookie Betts in a trade from Boston. “The Dodgers are major contenders for me right now. They were already a solid team, and signing Betts was a big addition,” said Slebodnick. With other professional sports like the NBA and NHL establishing bubbles, some fans and analysts’ question whether or not the season will even be able to finish due to the current pandemic. “It is doubtful that the MLB will finish their season without a bubble,” said First Take’s co-host Max Kellerman. Whether or not the season will be able to have a conclusion remains to be seen, but fans should take the time to enjoy the season that is going on and see the great
baseball that lies ahead. Dribbling over to the NBA, the playoffs have been a huge success for many after deciding to finish the regular season and starting the playoffs inside of a bubble in Disney World. The early goings of the playoffs have been interesting as we have seen some teams like Miami come to life and beat the Milwaukee Bucks in their first game of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals. Milwaukee for much of the regular season had been many people’s favorites to potentially win the Eastern Conference, but after the 115-104 loss to the Heat some fans are questioning whether they can win the Eastern Conference. Some fans have said that Miami has been slept on all season and are a real threat in these playoffs. “I still have hope for Giannis and the Bucks, but I was leaning Miami at the beginning of the Playoffs. They are really good,” said Mohammed Sissoko (Senior, Criminology). While teams like Miami have been a surprise to some, it has come to no surprise that the Lakers handled their business and bounced out a hot Trailblazers squad that had fought tooth and nail for the eight spot in the West.
After the trade for superstar Anthony Davis, many realized that the super-duo of Lebron and Anthony Davis would cause waves around the league. So far, they have done just that after earning the No. 1 seed in the West and dominating the regular season. Their dominant performance has left many feeling that they could go the distance in the bubble. “I personally like the Lakers in the West. I feel like Lebron and A.D. can win a title together. It may just be them, but that’s enough to win it all,” said Sissoko. So far, the NBA title is up for grabs. There are multiple teams like the Lakers and the Heat, that could have a legitimate chance at winning a title. With so much more basketball left to be played, fans are eager to see how this modified season is going to end. While the world was on hold and sports were gone for months, we are now in a time where we have three at once. Sports fanatics have been rewarded for their patience and can now sit and enjoy all the high-energy action that is taking place all over the country. Now the world can socially distance and enjoy.