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IUP’s ROTC is located next to Davis Hall on campus.

Veterans Day honors those who fought for their country HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer myjv@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP remembers those who have lost their lives and those who continue to serve.

During a normal year, IUP would hold a lunch or dinner for veterans, However, due to COVID-19, a virtual event will be hosted by the Military and Veteran’s Resource Center (MVRC).

The event is Friday from noon to 2 p.m. There is hope of holding a dinner once restrictions are lifted.

The virtual event will include opening remarks and a video giving thanks to IUP’s veterans and service members. Members of the community will then give presentations on the services that are offered to veterans.

Cory Shay, director of the MVRC, will give updates on changes that have taken place regarding GI benefits and the MVRC. “As a veteran and a person who works with veterans,” Shay said, “Veterans Day for me is always an opportunity just to say thank you

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The Vietnam Veterans Memorial erected in 1982. for those who have served in the military.

“Any student who attends will put into a drawing for a prize pack from the MVRC and will receive an RSVP for when we do the dinner,” he said.

Following these events, the floor will be opened to anyone wishing to make comments or ask questions.

Ninety-one military reservists from Indiana County recently returned home from a war zone in Afghanistan.

Their deployment came in January amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

According to WTAE, the soldiers of the 420th Engineer Company of the Army Reserve were tasked with making sure supply lines remained

(Facebook)

open and traffic could travel smoothly in the region.

The deployment was expected to be for one year but lasted 10 months instead.

To welcome the reservists home, the sheriff’s office is organizing a Veterans Day event outside the Indiana Courthouse Nov. 11 beginning at 11 a.m.

“I am not sure if any IUP students were deployed in that unit,” Shay said. “But in any given year, usually a half dozen to a dozen IUP students are called to active duty.”

IUP has previously been nationally recognized for its efforts to assist students with military service experience.

“We welcome those soldiers back home to Indiana,” Shay said.

November 11, 2020

“Women and men who took an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States, and who gave up their rights to defend the rights of Americans.”

In 1982, the IUP Veterans Club and military science department designed and built a Vietnam Veterans Memorial on campus.

The memorial was dedicated Nov. 11, 1982, and was supported

by President John E. Worthen along with university administrators, according to a bulletin of the service.

Robert Gault, a marine veteran and past president of the IUP Veterans Club originally came up with the idea of a memorial.

Gault went to student veterans with the idea as well as the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

(ROTC) department and Worthen.

The memorial is one of three on IUP’s campus.

The other is a monument located

outside IUP’s Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) building.

This monument, called “Answering the Call,” was erected Nov. 11, 2018. It honors veterans who fought in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

“Answering the Call” was commissioned by IUP’s honor fraternity, Rho Tau Chi, which has active members as well as IUP ROTC cadets.

IUP also has a 9/11 memorial located in the Oak Grove beside Sutton Hall and the Patrick J. Stapleton University Library.

The memorial features a 13-foot remnant of the World Trade Center.

There is also a stone with a plaque in it, commemorating the area and reminding those of when a plane went down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, roughly an hour from Indiana.

The IUP ROTC has two phases for those who join. The first phase, The Basic Course, is usually taken during the freshman and sophomore years of college. The Advance Course is usually taken in the junior and senior years and focuses on tactical operations and military instruction.

There is also a minor offered in Military Leadership that is available for all graduates of IUP’s Army ROTC Program.

For those looking to join, you can call 1-800-IUP-ROTC.

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STEM students express opinion about changes at IUP RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer myjv@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Despite plans to make IUP a more STEM-oriented university, the Kopchick College of Natural Science and Mathematics (KCNSM) will retrench 16 faculty members in June.

These cuts account for 14 percent of KCNSM faculty.

“I find it hard to believe IUP wants to be more STEM focused,” Claire Shemon (senior, biology pre-med) said. “If they did, they wouldn't be making cuts in KCNSM. I personally feel as if it is a front they are putting on to make it seem like what they are doing is for the greater good, when it really is just all financial based.”

Shemon, who has put off applying to medical school for a year specifically to finish her minors in studio art and theater, is researching a stem cell regenera-

(Josh Rupeka - IUP/The Penn) Weyandt Hall (left) is the Natural Sciences and Mathematical Department. Kopchick Hall (right) is the new science building under construction, expected to be complete 2023. tion gene in planarians Schmidtea mediterranea called Timeless that “acts as a clock gene to regulate circadian rhythms and other timed physiological functions.”

“It turns out my research

advisor was safe,” Shemon said.

“Honestly, if she was retrenched, I wouldn’t be able to finish my thesis for the biology honors program.”

Other students, however, were

not so lucky. Arie Van Wieren (senior, biochemistry), a Goldwater scholarship recipient, learned Oct. 30 that his research mentor, Dr. Majumdar, would be retrenched from the chemistry department.

They had been researching the future development of a new anti-biotic drug “which is critical due to the antibiotic resistance crisis.”

“Receiving this award was extremely exciting and will set me up for a successful research career,” Van Wieren said, “but it would not have been possible without the guidance of Dr. Majumdar. He was the professor that first inspired me to take part in research as a freshman and helped me pursue the Goldwater Scholarship and many other opportunities. It bothers me greatly that future students will not have Dr. Majumdar as a mentor and that the research we have worked on will no longer take place at IUP.” Many students in the KCNSM worry that the retrenching of professors, but not reducing the number of programs offered, will lead to a lower quality in their education, as well as future students’ education.

“The sudden and non-transparent way the retrenchments have occurred really has seemed to devalue the relationships, collaborations, and projects that many have built with their professors during their time at IUP,” Van Wieren said. “I am sure that many great faculty will remain in the new Chemistry and Physics Department, but I don't think it would be unreasonable to say that with such a large cut in faculty, they will

be overworked and have difficulty fostering the same types of faculty-student research and learning experiences that have been critical to my time here.”

“I imagine if IUP wants to be STEM-oriented, they wouldn't be getting rid of any courses offered in the STEM field,” Shemon said.

“If they did, it would be hypocritical. So, to have the same number of courses offered but less professors is going to put stress on the professors who already have their hands full with teaching, advising and research.

“I can only imagine how many less published research articles and innovations are going to happen from the science department at IUP as IUP moves towards ‘IUP NextGEN.’” Although a new building is being constructed to house the KCNSM, most of the funds for the project have come from outside donations. This new building has been necessary for a long time as Shemon said “on the third floor, the ceiling in Stright is falling apart from water damage and mold” and there are still “urinals in the women’s bathroom.”

“Even though the restructuring plan makes it seem like IUP is prioritizing STEM, I feel like they are doing the complete opposite,” Shemon said. “Granted, we are getting a new building, but the funding for that was all from outside donations.”

Overall, students are upset about the messages coming from IUP administrators, saying it is inadequate and creates tension between departments and colleges.

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Do your hair toss, check your nails, speak out IUP’s Self-Care Day goes different than planned MARIAMA MANSARAY Staff Writer mbpbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Students continue to express suspicions about the motives behind the university’s designated “Self-Care Day.” On Nov. 4, in an email sent by IUP President Driscoll’s office, students were informed that Friday, Nov. 6, was designated as IUP Self-Care Day. A day, according to Driscoll, that was to be used by students to decompress, relieve stress, build self-confidence and lay a foundation of wellness throughout the rest of the semester and beyond, was viewed as something different by students.

Many students on campus feel as though this day was an attempt to “shut them up” amid their growing concerns about retrenchments on campus.

“I feel like they are doing this for extraneous reasons to cover up what’s been going on around campus lately,” Allison Lencer (senior, nursing) said. “It’s a cover-up, not really a self-care day.”

Another student shared a very similar perspective as Lencer.

“I personally think they are just trying to make the students happy because they are cutting our professors, and we are really upset about it,” Savannah Santiago (senior, music) said.

Brianna Adkins (senior, education of dance arts) said she believes the self-care day is a small concession of a larger issue.

“It’s a ploy to appease us, and it was mildly effective,” she said.

“On paper, it sounds like a good idea, but in practice, it’s not,” Jesse DesMuke (junior, social studies education) said.

“With all the crap that is going on with IUP, this sounds like a reactionary thing.”

Though another student, Evan Weaver (senior, psychology) said that the designated self-care day by the university is a “good move,” he does not believe that the university is doing it for the right reasons.

“It’s nice to have a day to take off classes to recuperate a little bit because things are starting to get stressful in the semester,”

Friday, Nov. 6 was designated as a Student Self-Care Day for IUP students.

Weaver said. “But I believe it’s a late attempt to quell some of the storm that has been happening at the university.

“The retrenchment has been on the minds of students and teachers, and I think there’s a lot of animosity coming from students. I see this as administration wanting to hopefully try to quell some of their complaints.”

Mara Aubrey (junior, criminology) said the university should have geared this self-care day toward faculty because they are the ones that need it the most, since they are the ones going through retrenchment.

Other students are suspicious of the self-care day because they said it came “a little too late,” and it wasn’t planned properly.

Though IUP wanted students to use this day to rest and recharge, the decision on whether to cancel classes on this day was left up to the discretion of individual professors.

“Please note that classes are still scheduled for Friday,” Driscoll said in the email sent to student about the IUP self-care day.

This warning, according to students, has led them to believe that the university did not have the students’ best interests in mind when this self-care day was being planned.

“It doesn’t feel right, and I believe it was too late,” Santiago said. “If they had this planned, they should have let us know a little bit in advance.”

Students said that though some professors chose to cancel class last Friday, student’s workload did not lessen because everything was still the same. They think professors are “required” to give the day off, even if they are against it.

Lencer said she believes not all the professors were on board with the idea, but they felt like they had to do it because of all the “firing” that is happening.

“Maybe they don’t feel safe, so they are trying to follow along with what president Driscoll wants them to do so that they don’t have to fear for their job,” she said.

She and her roommates, Lencer said, got lucky because they are pretty good at keeping up with their work. She said they used the afternoon of the day to do schoolwork and used the evening to relax. But, according to her, it was still hard to get the full day of relaxing Driscoll talked about in his email.

Lencer said she does not believe this self-care day was beneficial to students.

According to Adkins, she initially thought the self-care day was silly because nothing was different. Though, she stated, she got a “little” break from classes.

“By designating a self-care day, my roommate and I believe the university is giving us bubbles to make-up for our impending doom,” she said.

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Students faith restored with new presidential elect EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Ballot counting has come to a finish, and the U.S. has elected its next president.

Saturday, four days after the election, Joe Biden was announced as the next president of the U.S. by the Associated Press.

The former vice president won over incumbent President Donald Trump with an electoral count of 290 to 214. This election saw Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania flip since the 2016 election.

Though Indiana County voted more for Trump, many students at IUP showed that they were happy with the results.

When votes were still being counted, some students said that the changes were looking positive, even when Pennsylvania still leaned more toward Trump.

Adam McKeehan (sophomore,

(Facebook) The 46th President of the U.S., Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris English) said that even if counting was slow, it was “looking great.”

“The process is working,” he said. “The number of votes is astounding.”

The ballot counting was taking such time that memes about it became a hit on social media. Nevada was the state receiving most of the pressure to give an answer.

Charles Corrado (sophomore,

political science) was hoping for things to go quicker. He said the results were obvious even before the end.

“Nevada needs to hurry up so we can just get on with what we already know is the outcome,” he said. “That is a Biden win.”

After the results were announced, students continued to show their joy.

“I am so happy with the win,” Taylor Kuzma (psychology) said. “I feel like this was such a big step in the right direction.”

Abby Pacca (sophomore, criminology) said she was proud to be from Philadelphia. The city was what many believed helped change Pennsylvania to elect Biden.

“I am so happy and proud of my state,” she said. “Specifically, I am proud of my hometown of Philly.”

Another student shared this joy.

“I am overjoyed with the results, there’s finally hope for our country now,” Paige Martin (sophomore, psychology) said.

Mya Fitzgerald (criminology) was happy, but she wants people to remember it was not the end of the issue. She said that things still had to change.

“The decision of this election was a right step for America,” she said. “I’m proud of the outcome, but there is still work to be done.”

Others were happy with the win but did not fully support Biden.

Kortnee Flood (psychology, senior) was hoping for the best from both sides of the political spectrum in future election.

“Not happy with Biden but glad that we went blue,” she said. “I can only hope that both sides start giving us better options.”

Corrado, who had been positive for Biden’s win, felt similarly.

“I’m overjoyed that Trump lost, but depressed that Biden won.”

Others said they were just more relieved that there would be new leadership coming into the White House. This was the case for Andrew Muth (junior, music education).

“Finally, Trump is gone. America is back,” he said.

Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th president Jan. 20.

His choice for vice president, Kamala Harris, will make history as both the first female and first person of color to hold the position of vice president.

As of now, Trump is demanding recounts in states such as Wisconsin.

He has yet to concede.

IUP graduate from Butler chosen for Women’s International award EVE TILLICH Staff Writer jxsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP graduate Brittany Scott was chosen as a Silver Winner by Women World Awards and was recognized as the Outstanding Female Professional of the Year in the Sales/Business Development category.

This year was the 13th annual Women in Business and the Professions World Awards Program.

The program recognizes the world’s best in several areas such as leadership, organizational performance and other milestones from major industries across the world.

“It’s an honor to be named a winner by Women World Awards for this esteemed industry and peer recognition,” Scott said. “To have a company believe in me the way KnowBe4 has while allowing me to use my strengths to contribute to the organization has been truly inspirational.”

She grew up in Butler and graduated from Butler High School in 2008. She then went to IUP where she studied hospitality management. Scott was also a member of the hospitality honor society and the Disney internship

Brittany Scott (left) was chosen as a Silver Winner by the Women World Awards. program at IUP. “I wouldn’t be where I am without IUP, and the professors in hospitality shaping me and showing me who I wanted to become,” she said. “The experiences IUP afforded me from the hospitality honor society and through the Disney internships program really gave me the confidence I needed.

Those experiences and my professor’s direction and care prepared me to become a professional executive at such a young age.”

Scott now lives in Tampa Bay where she works as a sales leader and entrepreneur. She is the current vice president of SMB (small-

and medium-sized businesses) sales at KnowBe4. In this position, Scott leads a team of sales professionals.

KnowBe4 is the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform.

More than 35,000 organization around the world use this platform.

In addition to her professional career, Scott founded Gals4STEM, a nonprofit organization that helps inspire, educate, and mentor girls and women about STEM opportunities. Scott also volunteers through the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation. At KnowBe4,

she also heads the board for women in technology.

“I really believe in supporting women and mentoring young colleagues to help them get into executive roles,” she said. “I’m in technology, and in our field, only seven percent of CEOs are women. There’s a stereotype that you have to be abrasive and cutthroat as a women leader, and it’s just not true. I help other women to be themselves and find their confidence. For me, that trait was shaped by IUP.” She inspires young girls and women now but the person that inspired and guided her is Linda

(Facebook) Sullivan, a faculty member in hospitality management at IUP. Sullivan pushed Scott to get out of her comfort zone and grow in her field.

“I looked up to her,” Scott said. “She pushed me to be better. Her background and what she accomplished in such a short time impressed me. I was raised by a single mom and grandmother, and as an only child, I knew what strong women looked like. I went to IUP as a girl but left as a woman because of the confidence and support that IUP gave me.”

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IUP hosts event helping students prepare for graduate school OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kxxw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This week, The Office of Graduate Admissions hosted a virtual event to discuss their programs for current and non-IUP students.

This event discussed financial aid, early admissions, immigration policies and more.

At IUP, there are many pathways to earn your master’s degree. If you’re a current IUP student who is a junior or senior standing, applying for the early admissions program is a great way to start your degree early.

Students applying for this must have a 3.0 or higher and will also receive a $50 application waiver since they are current IUP students. If you’re not an IUP student, you must create an admissions profile in order to get started with your applications.

The requirements for applying, depending on the program, include: a $50 fee, official transcript, two letters of recommendation and a goal statement, a resume, and some require a Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Once the application is complete, it is sent to the department.

Some programs take one or two weeks to get back to you, and some take as long as a month.

Once admitted, the student will receive an email about the next steps.

There are many ways that IUP can provide funding for these programs such as graduate assistantships, scholarships, education loan programs, tuition assistance programs and student employment.

Next was a panel of individuals who work for the university including: Dr. Catherine Dugan, Director of Department of Disability Access and Advising (D2A2); Nicole Bukosky, associate director of Office of Alumni and Friends (OAF); Lauren Phillips, international student and scholar advisor of the Office of International Education (OIE); Ethan Munns, practicum student of the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC); Ragan Griffin, Director of Office of Financial Aid (OFA); and Theo Turner, director of Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE).

Dugan said that students may use their services even at the graduate level, and they function across all IUP campuses. Students

(Facebook) The 2019 winter commencement was held in-person, however this year’s will be held virtually. may have disabilities that are psychical, hidden and mental health related.

A link that further elaborates on the services they provide as well as their mission can be found at iup.edu/disabilitysupport.

Bukosky said they work closely with over 150,000 alumni in order to mentor students and keep them in the loop. Some of the alum include those who work for the Steelers, iHeartRadio, BuzzFeed and Google.

Additionally, they can help with finding jobs, reviewing resumes and more.

Once students graduate, they will become part of the Alumni Association, which helps with networking. There are no dues to pay or sign ups required.

For further information, students can get ahold of Bukosky at nbukosky@iup.edu.

Phillips said they will work with international students before, during and after to help with visa process, driver’s licenses, internships and social security numbers.

She said that because of COVID-19, the embassies aren’t open and are taking limited interviews. Thus, making it hard to get a visa. If accepted by spring, students may be able to get an interview date.

The biggest change they’ve had is they can now issue I-20s, which a multi-purpose document issued by an educational institution certifying that international students have been admitted full-time to in order to stay in the U.S., virtually.

Students can contact the OIE at (724) 357-2295 or by emailing them at intl-education@iup.edu.

Further information can be found at iup.edu/international.

Munns highlighted features that the CPDC offers, like networking and resume and cover letter reviews. Additionally, they offer events such as etiquette dinners and mock interviews.

They held a “debunking professionalism in the workplace” event Nov. 4, and students can

find more information regarding this later in this issue.

Further information can be found iup.edu/career/.

Griffin emphasized the difference in financial aid dispersion between the Bursar’s Office and Financial Aid. Components covered included FAFSA, scholarships and student loans. It is at the Bursar’s Office that you pay

and issue billings.

The 2021-22 FAFSA was made available for students and their families to complete on Oct.1, and students seeking information on how to fill it out can go to iup.edu/financialaid.

Students can also contact their office at (724) 357-2218 or by emailing at finandial-aid@iup. edu.

Turner said that the MCSLE is “One of the main veins of the university.”

They house over 250 student organizations, and they want IUP students to feel connected and to come together.

According to IUP’s website, they provide a variety of multicultural programs and student events from leadership opportunities to fraternity and sorority life for students to get involved on campus.

More information regarding MCSLE can be found at iup.edu/mcsle/.

IUP has many graduate opportunities for many students whether they are recent graduates or past, and these programs are the tip of the iceberg in terms of what the university has to offer.

Winter graduation to be virtual EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Keeping students safe continues at IUP. As of Thursday, the December graduation ceremony was announced to be virtual by the Commencement Committee.

The announcement was sent in an email by committee member Mary Greb.

“The decision to hold virtual ceremonies respects information about rising coronavirus cases in Indiana County,” Greb said. “Our concern for your health and safety, and the gathering restrictions that are currently in place.”

IUP alone has seen many cases of the COVID-19 virus among students. As of the school’s most recent update, there were a total of 45 new cases. There were 357 cases reported for the semester.

The news was not a surprise

among IUP students. May’s graduation, which was to take place in-person, was moved to a virtual ceremony in September.

The move had caused a lot of backlash from the graduating students who said that if the school can let freshmen live on campus, commencement could still take place.

The winter graduates, however, said they were not surprised by the sudden news.

“I expected it after seeing the number of cases the school has had,” Austin Dukes (senior, criminology) said.

He said he would not be attending the virtual event, as it did not have the same intimacy or feeling of being in-person.

“I’m not doing that,” he said. “I am not going to watch the event online. It is not even worth it. I just want my diploma.”

In order to be recognized at the event, graduates are asked to fill out a form by Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m.

Greb’s email also said that various departments would hold small get togethers around the day of the ceremony. These celebrations will be held Dec. 11 and 12.

Further emails regarding these events will be sent by the departments.

All winter graduates will receive a “graduation in a box.” This package contains a diploma cover, a commencement program book and an IUP alumni decal.

Due to it being far away, there is no determination on if it will be the same for May. The spring semester, however, will once again have most students learning remotely.

“While this winter’s ceremony will be different, we will continue to think of how we might honor our graduates in the future,” Greb said.

The commencement ceremony will be held Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. A link will be available on the IUP website.

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IUP finalist for award from Pittsburgh Technology Council JULIA ROBINS Staff Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP This November, IUP will be represented in two categories by the Pittsburgh Technology Council (PTC).

Every year, PTC hosts the “Tech 50 Awards” honoring technical innovation in nine categories. The awards representing IUP include the non-profit, education, community and top COVID pivot category.

“Winning an award at the annual Tech 50 Awards helps to shine a light on the tech community in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” Allison Kaharick, PTC’s director of major programs and initiatives said.

“It also gives us a chance to showcase true innovation in our region.

“A win in either of these [categories] would highlight the impressive work IUP is doing, not only in Indiana, but within the higher education landscape in Southwest Pennsylvania, especially now that – due to COVID – they were able to seamlessly migrate over 1500

(Facebook) The Pittsburgh Technology Council Tech 50 Awards honor technical innovation in different categories. courses taught by 650 different faculty members this year.”

The 2020 event theme is “Redefine and Recharge.” Kaharick explained that nominees are judged by their company’s accomplishments over the past year, the impact that the company is making, how they are revolutionizing their market and the company’s contribution to regional growth.

The COVID pivot award is special for 2020.

IUP was nominated for these two awards due to the work and in-

volvement of IUP Chief Information Officer (CIO) Bill Balint with the Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group.

“Bill and other IUP team members have been active participants in PTC events,” Kaharick said.

Balint became IUP’s CIO in 2006, and he has worked for IUP since 1989, just one year after he graduated with his bachelor’s degree in computer science.

He said that when he became CIO, "a goal of mine was to deepen the connection between IUP and the Pittsburgh IT community.”

In 2016, Balint was honored

by PTC for the Pittsburgh CIO Award. He is also a member of the Pittsburgh CIO Executive Summit Governing Board.

Additionally, he was the 2015 Emeriti Award recipient at the Pennsylvania Banner User Group conference after coordinating the first cybersecurity track for the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago.

This is the first time that his efforts have led to an honor for the university. Balint was initially reluctant about completing the application for the Tech 50 Awards after PTC came to him, as IUP is the only higher education nominee on the Tech 50 list and has been for many years. However, he reconsidered after talking to Executive Director of Media Relations Michelle Fryling.

“As far as IT Services goes, this is a tremendous honor,” he said.

“IUP is blessed with a very talented group of IT professionals that care deeply about the university and are very dedicated. It is always nice when a third party like the PTC

formally validates such an accomplishment.

“In this case, the employees who came together to help transition IUP’s IT infrastructure and support in the face of COVID-19 pulled off a remarkable feat.”

Being involved with PTC events led to being included in The Greater Pittsburgh CIO Group and The Pittsburgh CIO Executive Summit.

Balint explained that the interaction with global leaders like Highmark, U.S. Steel, PNC Bank, UPMC and many others allow university students and staff to attend events and “interact with IT experts both at Pittsburgh’s largest corporations and cutting-edge firms.”

Balint will also be speaking for PTC’s CIO Insights Series event Nov. 18 via Zoom.

The virtual Tech 50 Awards event will take place Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. via Zoom. The event is free to attend for PTC members, and students can waive the registration by using the code “tech50nm.” The Zoom link will be posted the day before on bit.ly/2020Tech50.

Opinion

Think proactive, not reactive

Don’t let a bad manager ruin your workplace experience In this day and age, we are coming up in a world where so often people are quick to point the finger and place blame.

Look no further than the state of our election, some of America’s “finest leaders” are so quick to blame ballot counters and the system.

What about putting some of that blame toward the person in the mirror? Most people at one point or another have encountered a “bad” manager. If you have been in the workforce, it is almost an inevitable roadblock.

I have been on the receiving end of a few bad managers. Being in retail for five years now for multiple employers, I have seen management from the perspective of a base-level employee making minimum wage as well as a supervisor making more than minimum wage.

Why is having a bad manager such a problem? Can’t you just ignore it? In 2018, careerbuilder.com found that “58 percent of people say they trust strangers more than their own boss.” That is truly a staggering statistic.

Over half of the people surveyed have little to no trust in their boss. This comes as no surprise as I have seen many workplaces marred by poor management and seen even the best workers become apathetic and unmotivated.

So many managers and company’s find themselves short of reliable workers and wonder why.

I worked for one company for an entire summer, then I returned to school. Once I came back for winter break, I had found that 85 percent of the workers I had worked with had moved on for some reason.

What could cause this? Poor management. This can come in many forms: laziness, micromanagement, apathy, and most notably, hypocrisy.

I have found that many retail middle-management type bosses work under a “do as I say, not as I do” sort of method. This could quite possibly be the worst way to

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(Teamwork) Bosses have implicit and undefined standards to maintain while at work. One being acting proactively during intense situations. manage a team.

The key to having a successful workplace first starts with being a leader rather than a manager. You need to effectively motivate your employees to be at work. That all starts with leading by example.

If an employee comes to work and is scolded by the manager for not maintaining merchandising standards, yet the manager rarely takes it upon themselves to show the employee how to do this, they begin to grow distaste toward management.

If bad habits like these continue or micromanaging everything your employees do, it will result in devastating effects on the workplace.

LinkedIn sums it up best, “A bad boss can take a good staff and destroy it, causing the best employees to flee and the remainder to lose all motivation.”

I have seen far too many workplaces lose stellar employees due to a bad manager. One quality above all that will cause a workforce to quit and sometimes even rebel is being overly critical.

If you are managing a workplace that consists of individuals making little money and having other commitments like school or other jobs, managers need to realize that this

is not their only priority. While yes, they need to be giving their best effort at that job, they do not want to go home and be stressed from an optional job that they chose to have.

Once employees begin to feel undervalued or become overly stressed from their job that was only to earn some extra income, thoughts like “I don’t even need to be here” become way too common amongst the regime.

If you find your workplace missing something as a manager, and you are not getting the most out of your employees, rather than place the blame on them and talk behind their backs or blame them, perhaps try to look at alternative methods of motivation.

Most part-time employees are going to be students and older employees who are partially retired, so find ways to motivate them to want to be there. Again, this is not their only commitment, so don’t blame and make them feel inferior.

Some methods that I have personally tried as a supervisor would be to maintain a positive attitude, discipline when necessary (not too much), give praise when worthy, give individual goals to employees

November 11, 2020

(Career Contessa) (this shows that you care about their individual progress), get to know them on a personal level and lead by example overall.

Retail can be an especially stressful environment when you have to deal with disgruntled patrons who take out their aggression on the wrong people, and you have to deal with a bad manager as well.

Having a toxic workplace will undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on sales and revenue. The process of hiring new employees is costly, time consuming and inefficient. These all could be prevented with proper management training.

Not all managers are intrinsically bad or bad people. They might not have been trained properly.

Careerbuilder.com also reported that “58 percent of managers said they didn’t receive any management training.”

Retail can be determined solely on who is in charge. Leaders can take a lack of talent and coach them to success. Conversely, talented teams can be led astray by poor leadership.

If you want to get the best out of your employees, look inside and try to change your methods to see if that has an effect. Simply placing blame will solve nothing in this world.

Brought to you by: The Penn Staff

Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Katelin Pompa – xzgw@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

Kelley Thompson hosted a presentation via Zoom and debunked myths of professionalism.

(Haley Brown/The Penn)

CPDC showcases do’s, don’ts in workplace HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Kelley Thompson, the associate director of the IUP Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC), hosted a Zoom conference about professionalism in the workplace Nov. 4.

Thompson went over the “do’s and don’ts” of professionalism and workplace etiquette from professional dress codes to how to foster healthy coworker relationships and set healthy boundaries.

She started the presentation with a short audience poll. The poll involved three questions designed so that Thompson could get a feel for where everyone stood in the preparation process for their professional life.

The poll involved three questions. First was about each watcher’s opinion about their own preparedness for succeeding in a professional environment. Next was whether the watchers knew what professionalism meant. Finally, it was about how important the audience thought professionalism was to their career success.

The audience polled that they were interested in learning more about professionalism to increase the likelihood of success in their future career.

After her short poll, Thompson began by asking her audience members what qualities they

Culture

thought of as professionals. The audience responded in the meeting’s group chat, and Thompson’s assistant, Jennifer Abraham, read the responses aloud. Some of them included: being calm, cool and collected, being respectful, being an organized and effective communicator, and being confident.

Thompson defined professionalism as an important workplace skill that should be applied in interviews, on job applications and in the workplace itself.

She explained that professionalism is one of the biggest factors that might lead to career success.

“This trait in particular involves and impacts every aspect of your job,” Thompson said.

“A lack of professionalism has the potential to cost you a job opportunity, a promotion, opportunities for advancement or bonuses at work, or even put you first in line for a layoff at work. So, it’s something you should really take seriously.”

She went over some common misconceptions that people may have about what it means to be professional. The myths she touched on were how professionalism is not just about dressing well,

being nice and saying the right thing.

She also spoke about the other myths that some of which, included: blending into your environment, how professionalism is solely about being a kind and pleasant person, and how it is not only about putting on airs.

deliver quality work because you’re driven to do so.”

Thompson also explained that professionalism has a lot to do with acting with integrity and being courteous to others. The audience was told that workplace etiquette can be thought of as the code that governs the expectations of social behavior in the workplace and is put in place to respect time, people and processes.

Work etiquette can include a wide range of aspects like body language and being conscious of facial expressions, appropriate work behavior, engaging in appropriate (Graphicmama-team/Pixabay) small talk, your social media and Thompson shared a slide conhow you portray yourself and hantaining some points about what dle lunch meetings and interviews. professionalism really is and listed The appropriate behavior aspect five key parts of professionalism. can include handling alcohol at “Professionalism is the conduct, work events, responding to emails behavior and attitude of someone and handling RSVPs and cancellain a work or business environment,” tions. Factors like understanding she said. “It’s also how you carry the dress code, managing healthy yourself. It’s your attitude and the work relationships and the approway you communicate with others. priate use of technology, such as It’s your ability to show you can be being clear and concise with online trusted and taken seriously. It’s the communication. inherent ability to do what is right Thompson shared some profesand what is expected of you, usualsionalism tips to follow including: ly when no one is watching, and to honoring the commitments you

November 11, 2020

make, being attentive, responsive and proactive, and getting to know and respect the workplace culture.

She also discussed how professionals should keep their personal matters to a minimum and avoid the negative side of workplace politics like gossip or making a coworker look incompetent.

The last professional tip was about communicating effectively, which involves not only what you say but how you say it, and to never put anything in writing that you would not say to someone in person.

She even shared a fun clip from “The Office” as an example of how coming to work sick is not only disrespectful to your coworkers, but it can make you look unprofessional as well.

Thompson highlighted some aspects of the professional dress code and asked the audience about their opinions on obligations to be social with colleagues outside of work and whether or not it is appropriate to add coworkers or your boss to your social networking sites.

She brought her presentation to a close by introducing Lorrin Rishell, a representative from CNB bank. Rishell spoke briefly about the company and all of the job opportunities they have available across the tristate area.

IUP’s CPDC is working remotely due to COVID-19. You could email them at career-development@iup. edu or call them at (724) 357-2235.

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Culture

(mohamed_hassan/Pixabay)

The Six O’Clock Series Nov. 2 showcased the process many immigrants take to live in the U.S.

Six O’Clock Series sheds light on immigration process

HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP hosted another of its Six O’Clock Series titled “The Long Road to Immigration” Nov. 2, which included presenters who spoke about their personal immigration to the U.S. The event was hosted by the Six O’Clock Series coordinator, Brianna Drylie, on Zoom. About 60 people from the IUP community tuned into the Zoom call and listened to each of the five panelists.

The event ran from 6 to about 7:40 p.m. with an open questions and comments portion at the end to allow the viewers to chime in on the conversation.

Presenters who participated spoke about their own immigration stories as well as the immigration stories of others, and they offered a window into the grueling process of immigrating to the U.S. They each spoke of their own journeys from Iraq, Thailand, Nepal and Canada. Additionally, they talked about the legal immigration process from student visas to tourists to the special immigrant visa.

The first panelist was Sara Burhan Abdullah who is now an

immigration lawyer in Pittsburgh, and an adjunct professor from the University of Pittsburgh. She briefly spoke about U.S. immigration laws as well as the different types of visas. She also told viewers about her own immigration from Iraq to the U.S. with her fiancé.

The four major immigrant visas that Abdullah spoke of included family immigration, employment visas, lottery visas and asylum, which she pointed out is different than being a refugee.

Abdullah explained that family immigration is usually involved with immediate family members.

Employment visas are required when an employer requests a specific skill set, and the employee has to come to the U.S. to work. Fifty thousand lottery visas are randomly assigned by the U.S. each year to qualifying individuals who must come from a certain country and be a certain age with a certain educational background.

The following panelist was Sameer Hameed who came to the U.S. from Iraq. He told the story of how he was led to immigrating.

He began to work with the U.S forces in Iraq as an interpreter in 2003, and he did not know any English, so he had to use hand signals to communicate.

Later, once he had learned

English in school, he aided the forces helping his local people and applied for a position with the U.S. forces. He had to cover his face and go by a nickname to protect himself from the Iraqi people who saw him as a traitor.

Hameed got his visa for the U.S. and needed specific papers and a strict background check with a mountain of paperwork as well. After three years of immigration processes, he was finally provided with two months of assistance to help him and his family get assimilated and find jobs in America. He also applied to several universities across the U.S. and was admitted to IUP. The next speaker, Poom Sunhachawi-Taylor, immigrated from Thailand and spoke about coming into the U.S. with the F-1 Visa, which is the student visa.

She came from Israel at the time and applied to IUP, which at the time gave international students in-state tuition, a huge draw to international students. She got her green card from marriage to a U.S. citizen, which put her at the top priority for a visa.

She also helped her parents and siblings immigrate to the U.S. from Thailand and spoke about the grueling process of becoming a legal U.S. citizen with the

incredible amount of paperwork involved. Once she became a citizen legally, she brought her whole family over and assimilated quickly.

She came to the U.S. in 1982, and even then, it was an expensive and an extremely time-consuming process at its best.

The final speaker was Sue Dodson, who is currently going through the U.S. immigration process from Canada. Dodson had a long and complicated immigration story and patiently explained all of the issues she had faced and is currently facing while she is still trying to become a U.S. citizen.

She married her husband in 2018 and began her immigration process in January. Dodson researched as much as she could at the beginning of her process and filled out all of the forms she thought were needed.

She spoke about feeling guilty, unwanted and constantly stressed.

Dodson also felt like it was impossible to jump through all of the hoops involved in the process.

Dodson was told without her social security number, she would not be able get a driver’s license.

She also struggled getting insurance coverage through her husband. COVID-19 made it that much worse as the offices closed

making the process harder.

During her immigration interview in Pittsburgh, Dodson was told that her birth certificate would not be accepted and that a birth registration was needed instead. After all that, the registration was complete thanks to personal connections.

At the end of the night of presentations, some audience members joined the conversation and briefly voiced their opinions about the frustrating difficulties surrounding the immigration process.

Audience members also mentioned how shockingly roundabout the process seems to be and how stressful it must be to go through and maintain patience with.

Despite all of the struggles, paperwork that immigrants face many have succeeded. We have the voice to ensure that future immigrants do not lose hope for their futures in the U.S. Even though there is a complicated process, change can be made by educating ourselves on politics and participating in smaller elections. We can put policy makers in places of power so the rules are changed and immigration becomes less of a nightmare for those who need it most.

Culture

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(Berhane_JE/Pixabay)

Falling leaves are the first sign of fall. Soon after that, the acorns start to fall, too.

Thanksgiving: Stuffed with turkey, pie and a dark past CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The end of November approaches and brings Thanksgiving with it.

The holiday is traditionally celebrated on the last Thursday of the month, and it is deemed as one of the most popular American holidays.

According to CNBC, Thanksgiving is the second biggest holiday for spending in America – losing only to Christmas.

Whereas in most holidays a person celebrates something deemed greater than themselves, on Thanksgiving people celebrate the good things in their own lives. This is probably why the holiday is so popular.

Psychology Today listed “being healthy,” “good food,” “having good friends” and “family safety” as some of the reasons why most people are thankful on Thanksgiving. A list that IUP students seem to agree.

“It’s a good day to make food and come together with family and friends and all,” Darius Flewellen (freshman, English) said.

As bright as the holiday might seem at first, its dark history causes many not to celebrate it.

Legend says that Thanksgiving started as a fraternal celebration between the Pilgrims and Native Americans. However, history tells that the English colonizers caused one of the bloodiest genocides in history and killed millions of Natives.

Many Americans feel uneasy to celebrate a holiday with such

background. In an interview for the New York Times in 2017, sociologist and author James Loewen points out this historical flaw that many history textbooks “forget” to mention. “[America was] a lovely place [for the pilgrims] to settle,” Loewen said. “Why was it available?

Because every single native person who had been living there was a corpse.”

Some people also point out that Thanksgiving reinforces the idea of American supremacy.

According to Vox, only five countries celebrate some sort of Thanksgiving as we know, and all of them have ties to American invasion and/or occupation.

That’s the case of the Philippines—a country that only started celebrating Thanksgiving after American occupation.

The same applies to Liberia, the Norfolk Island and Grenada.

Canada is the only exception because it shares its colonization history with the U.S. Other sources, such as Yahoo Finances, have argued that other countries like Korea, Japan and Germany have their own version of Thanksgiving and only call it a different name. This is not necessarily accurate, however.

Although the practices of the German Oktoberfest, the Korean Chuseok and the Japanese Labor Thanksgiving are similar and happen within the same timeframe as the American holiday, the history behind them and the things being celebrated are different; therefore, making them different holidays.

Some people believe that the dark history behind Thanksgiving

is one reason why we shouldn’t forget it and to respect those in mourning of this holiday.

The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) suggested replacing the holiday with a National Day of Mourning, similarly to what happened with Columbus Day. Others, such as Lakota-born Sean Sherman, winner of James Beard Award for best Ameri-

can cookbook, suggested not replacing the holiday but using it as a way to pay homage to fellow natives.

“No matter where you are in North America, you are on indigenous land,” Sherman said to Time Magazine.

“And so, on this holiday, and any day really, I urge people to explore a deeper connection to what are called ‘American’

foods by understanding true Native-American histories.

“There is no need to make Thanksgiving about a false past. It is so much better when it celebrates the beauty of the present.”

In a sentiment shared by Thomas Valcuckas (freshman, biology), “I understand that the origin is messed up, but [today’s] idea of it is pure.”

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Culture

Culture

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November 11, 2020

Feel the Holiday spirit with these festive drinks add ice cubes, hard apple cider, ginger beer, citron vodka, lime juice and cinnamon. Shake well, and then poor mixture over a cup filled with crushed ice. You can garnish with apple slices, lime wedge and a cinnamon stick to add some flare.

ALEXIS LOYA Copy Editor zphw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Penn does not condone underage drinking.

With Thanksgiving break around the corner, it doesn’t hurt to add some zest to your time off whether you celebrate the holiday or not.

While planning the perfect feast, it’s only right to have the perfect fall drinks to go along with it.

This article contains a list of Thanksgiving cocktails that you can create yourself in the comfort of your own home. Of course, this only applies to those who are at least 21 years old.

Apple Cider Mimosas Ingredients: 3 ounces apple cider, 3 ounces champagne, brown sugar and apple slices for garnish Instructions: You want to begin by garnishing the champagne flute.

First, take a thin apple slice with a small slit in the middle so that you can place it on the rim of the glass.

Then, slide the apple slice around

Apple Cider Whiskey Smash the rim to dampen the glass.

Remove the apple slice, and then dip the rim of the glass into a shallow bowl of brown sugar. Place the apple slice back on the edge of the glass, and then pour the apple cider followed by the champagne.

Salted Caramel Apple Martini Ingredients: 2 ounces caramel infused vodka, 3 ounces apple cider, salted caramel dessert topping, kosher salt Instructions: Fill a martini glass with cold water and ice cubes to chill the glass. Then, spoon enough caramel topping onto one plate to rim your martini glass and add enough kosher salt to another.

(JillWellington/Pixabay)

Next, dump the ice water from the martini glass and coat the rim of the martini glass by dipping it into the caramel sauce and lightly into the kosher salt. You want to then drizzle the inside of the glass with the caramel sauce.

Finally, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and mix together the cider and vodka. Shake well and pour the cocktail into the glass.

Apple Cider Moscow Mule Ingredients: 4 ounces hard apple cider, 4 ounces ginger beer, 1.5 ounces. absolute citron vodka, juice of half a lime and a dash of ground cinnamon Instructions: In a cocktail shaker,

Ingredients: 1 ounces whiskey, ½ ounces lemon juice and 4 ounces apple cider Instructions: Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Then add whiskey, lemon juice and apple cider. Shake well until it’s thoroughly chilled, pour over ice and enjoy.

Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour Ingredients: 1 ½ ounces bourbon, 1 ounces fresh lemon juice, 2 to 4 teaspoons maple syrup and a pinch of ground cinnamon Instructions: Fill a cocktail shaker about two-thirds full of ice. Pour in the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of ground cinnamon.

Shake well, and then pour fresh ice into your cocktail or fall themed

glass followed by the Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour blend you just created.

Spiced Cider Margarita Ingredients: 5 ounces spiced apple cider, 1 ½ ounces mescal or tequila, ½ ounces. Grand Marnier or Cointreau, ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice, lemon wedge and 2 table spoon raw sugar Instructions: Begin by garnishing the glass. In a small bowl, combine the raw sugar and cinnamon.

Moisten the rim of the cocktail glass with a lemon wedge, and then immediately dip the glass in cinnamon sugar.

Then, pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. After that, pour over ice in the rimmed cocktail glass. You can garnish with an apple slice, cinnamon stick and a dash of ground cinnamon if you’d like.

These cocktails are super easy to make, and yet they’re just as good as you would get at a bar.

Sit back, relax and enjoy your Thanksgiving break with these delicious cocktail recipes. Please drink responsibly.

Clash of the carbs: Students favorite side dish EMILY LOOSE

Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

When times may not seem so comforting, comfort foods can be a true source of help, and who doesn’t love carbs?

As Thanksgiving break approaches, students at IUP find themselves prepared to relax for a week and enjoy the holidays with their families.

Most importantly for some, however, is the food that comes with Thanksgiving.

Most families may celebrate with turkey or ham, but the side dishes are varied. Students gathered their thoughts on the best side dishes.

Noah Saylor (graduate, communications media) said that sweet potato casserole is his favorite due to its dual purpose as a side dish and a dessert.

“Slap some marshmallows on top, then put it in the oven,” he said. “You’re golden.”

Potatoes were also an important dish for Amber Uranker (sophomore, journalism).

Corn is often used as ornamental decorations around Thanksgiving.

“Any kind of potatoes,” she said. “Mashed or sweet, they have always been a personal favorite.”

Tristan West (senior, communications media) said he also enjoyed potato dishes, but preferred them to be classic mashed.

“I like mashed potatoes,” he said. “My mom has a recipe she makes. She also makes homemade rolls, and I like to combine them.”

Homemade recipes were a favorite for Casey Doyle (junior,

anthropology), as well. Though, if given the option, she would prefer dessert.

“Stuffing [is my favorite] because my grandma has the most amazing stuffing recipe,” she said. “But pumpkin pie would beat it.”

Nicki Silko (graduate, communications media) agreed with Doyle, even if she had to adjust the recipe.

“Stuffing is tryptophan heaven, but it has to be gluten-free,” she said.

Stuffing, as it turned out, was

(annacapictures/Pixabay) a popular choice throughout campus.

Alicia Smail (junior, biology) said that there were many parts to stuffing that gave it the top spot.

“It is so good with the butter and the crispiness it has,” she said. “But not the stuffing from the turkey. It has to be ones made outside.”

“You can’t go wrong with stuffing,” Madison Weakland (freshman, nursing) said. “There are so many ways to make it. If we didn’t have it, that turkey would

be nothing.”

Brooke Ippolito (senior, English) however said she hated stuffing.

“It might be a hot take, but I hate it with a passion,” she said.

Her personal favorite side dish was homemade noodles.

“It was something I made with my mimi as a kid,” she said. “It has been a tradition we always share. They are sentimental and they taste so good.”

Kamrynn Wantz (senior, communications media) also chose a side that was made special by her grandmother.

“My grandma had this baked corn recipe, and it is amazing,” she said.

The general consensus among the students came down to the importance of carbohydrates at Thanksgiving. Without them, no matter the form, students said that the holidays would not be the same.

Their choices in side dishes also showed the importance of family and togetherness, as many cited homemade recipes being their top choice as it gave them a sense of nostalgia.

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Culture

Culture

November 11, 2020

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STATIC spells eventful end of the month

(STATIC/Twitter) HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The STATIC staff has created fun events to showcase to the IUP community this month.

On Tuesday, STATIC is hosting its third and final monthly Trivia Night of the fall semester. The event will take place from 8 to 9:30 p.m. and does require preregistration.

The link to register can be found on the Trivia Night’s event page on STATIC’s website. Preregistration is required for this event because only 75 people will be allowed to participate, so if you’re planning on attending, register as soon as possible to ensure your team’s trivia night spot.

You must fill out the registration form on STATIC’s page, which includes your team captain’s name, IUP email, banner ID, cell phone number and trivia team name.

You must also provide the names of all your teammates and click a checkbox that acts as your certification of eligibility. The checkbox of eligibility is meant to prove that you and all of your team members are of 18 years of age or older and each member has their own active IUP I-Card.

The event will take place by TriviaHub Live, and cash prizes will be available to the winners.

Wikipedia lovers, brainiacs and the casual “Jeopardy!” watchers all are welcome to Trivia Night, which promises an exciting time where anyone can flex their knowledge, have a blast and take a shot at winning some cash.

On Nov. 18, STATIC will be hosting the IUP Spelling Bee. This virtual event is planned to run from 8 to 10 p.m. and joins STATIC’s lineup of IUP virtual

gameshow events.

The spelling bee will take place on Zoom, and no preregistration is required. The Zoom link to participate will be available on the STATIC event page. STATIC encourages the IUP community to attempt to spell some of the most difficult words during different themed rounds in the event.

On Nov. 19, there will be a Netflix and Chill Watch Party. During this event, watchers will be virtually viewing “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and enjoying the story of the ever wholesome and charming Fred Rogers.

The virtual stream of the documentary will begin at 8 p.m. and does not yet have a defined end time. It will be streamed through the Swank Online Portal.

To use the Swank Online Portal, viewers must either be connected to the IUP on-campus network and follow the link that STATIC will provide, or if you don’t have access to the on-campus internet network, you must utilize the link to be redirected to the Keystone Library Network page. Once redirected, you will be asked to input your IUP Web Sign-on login credentials, and the film will automatically launch.

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” consists of a combination of interviews with Rogers colleagues and family members, and it explores Rogers ideals, life’s work of providing quality entertainment and a safe space for children of all backgrounds.

The film also explores some of Rogers insecurities surrounding his work, and it delves into some selfdoubt he experienced throughout his life to become an outstanding and beloved television career.

Check out STATIC’s Twitter and website to keep up with these events.

Taking care of yourself mentally is very important when practicing self care.

(Wokandapix/Pixabay)

The Penn discusses self care with students OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kzzw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we know that mental health issues have also increased over the world since the start of this madness.

Dr. Melanie Duncan, assistant professor in the sociology department, came up with the idea to host this presentation for students while Emily Jackson from the counseling center ran the event.

The event consisted of a PowerPoint presentation on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health.

To begin, the PowerPoint addressed three main points. This included the impact on mental health, taking care of ourselves and supporting others.

COVID-19 has threatened mental health in a variety of ways. Some of which that were mentioned in this presentation included: the massive interpersonal loss, fear of contagion, uncertainty or lack of control, social distancing, conflicting messages from government, interruption to daily life, burnt-out and Zoom classes.

Jackson said that 53 percent of people from a study in July found that their mental health has been impacted negatively since the shutdown.

The next point talked about

how we can take care of ourselves by using the “Self-Care SPIES,” which is an acronym for Social, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual ways to help.

Social includes staying virtually connected, reaching out to important people, being open, and asking someone to check in on you and pets.

Physical includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle such as exercising, eating well, not using drugs and doing what you can to protect yourself.

Intellectual includes avoiding the “what ifs,” and following a daily routine, reminding yourself of things that are certain, and using a self-care accountability system Emotional includes limiting media exposure. Jackson recommends unplugging, living in the moment, practicing meditation, picking up a hobby, giving yourself permission to feel what you feel and seeking professional help if needed. There is an app that will help you practice meditation and is free for 6 months called “10 Percent Happier Meditation.”

Spiritual includes practicing religious coping strategies, seeking spiritual support, considering what gives your life meaning and purpose, writing in a daily gratitude journal, self-reflecting and connecting with nature.

In the third part of the presentation, they talk about supporting others. They list possible warning

signs that someone is in need of help such as poor performance, far removed emotional response, disruptive behavior, really fast speech, hygiene change, weight change, losing touch with reality, depression and anger. Signs of injury may include withdrawing, expressing feelings of helplessness and talks about suicide and disturbing content.

The last part of the presentation included ways to help by using “Watch, Ask, Listen, Support and Refer” techniques.

If you notice someone is in need of help, ask them about it. Listen to what they have to say and offer them your support. You can then refer them to professional help resources.

IUP Resources include the Center for Heath and Well Being, Academic Success Center and the Counseling Center. Some resources in Indiana include The Alice Paul House, Campus Police and The Open Door.

The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been an easy thing to live through. Some people’s jobs are gone, lives are lost, social interaction is almost cut entirely, and much more.

We must learn to take care of ourselves first before we can take care of the people around us.

Please remember to practice these tips and to call for help if you or someone needs it. Nothing is more important than your health and wellbeing.

Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

(IUP Athletics) Students are eager to return back to campus to watch their Crimson Hawks in action.

Hawk Nation is hurting for IUP sports to return AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Different sounds and noises have been coming from IUP’s campus.

The only thing is, it’s not your typical Friday night lights’ sound.

It’s the sound of cold wind blowing in the air.

At this time of year, the whole university would be filled with tons of excitement and cheer at the sporting events; whether that would be the shot clock buzzing at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex (PSAC), or fellow IUP students warming up with a fuzzy blanket watching the Crimson Hawks playing some playoff football on Frank Cignetti Field at Miller Stadium.

COVID-19 has put all athletics to sleep this semester, but what did that do to our Crimson Hawks on campus?

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“The sport I miss the most is definitely basketball,” Dwyane Bryant (junior, kinesiology health and sports science) said. “I miss the good times when I would meet up at the game and to just see the entertainment. My main team, IUP, would be throwing dimes, crossing people over and finishing right now.”

He said the pandemic has had a huge impact on the university because it hyped the players up into feeling more confident in themselves and to have control of winning their games when fans were there to cheer them on.

“I miss cheering for them loud and proud, but hopefully it will be a change in the future for us fans to see that again in person,” he said.

For Bryant, it seems basketball gave him something to look forward too with his friends, and that goes a long way when experiencing fun on a college campus.

Entertainment was huge for the

students at IUP since that’s what being a college student is about.

“I definitely think basketball is the most missed sport on campus, ” Trevor Cratty (senior, communications media) said. “The atmosphere at an IUP basketball game is unmatched, and the quality of play is great too. IUP has a winning mentality, and that’s why I think it’s so easy to get behind this team.”

He said going to games with friends is a huge part of the student culture here, and not only did COVID-19 completely change the way students participate in the classroom, it also affected the college experience outside of it as well.

It was the success the basketball team has that made Cratty miss this sport at IUP the most.

He is not wrong, IUP has many talented athletic teams. The experience was another big topic mentioned along with entertainment like Bryant had said. College is not much of anything besides

November 11, 2020

just going and getting a degree.

Going with friends to the basketball games are lifetime memories that you will never forgot once your college career is over.

“I miss [basketball] because that is what I grew up watching,” Tyler Omune (senior, computer science) said. “Watching players like Lebron, Kobe and Allen Iverson made me develop fervent love for the game. I think the sport had a significant impact on the student life in the university because it brings people from different ethnicities and different walks of life together.”

He said that having that sense of unity is really important in the university, especially during a time where there’s so much division.

For me, it would be tough just to pick one sport that I miss the most, but if I had to pick one, it would be football. Sure, all sports are dearly missed. However, football has made a big impact on me and the IUP campus.

Football has always been my second favorite sport, and as a young kid and still to this day, I would always look forward to the weekends. Football brought my dad and I really close, and we formed a stronger relationship.

Crimson Hawks football has brought the entire Indiana county together to cheer their Hawks to the road to victory. The cannon going off at Miller Stadium after each touchdown gave a blast of excitement to the fans.

It gave the entire community something to look forward to as the colder weather came on. It was the early bird to all the other sports.

After football, basketball was the sport to watch once it wrapped up.

Sports for the students at IUP are a second way of life, especially basketball at this time as we’ve heard several students say. We all hope for a spring semester filled with life again because some of it has been briefly taken away.

Sports

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Sports

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Steelers on track to win seventh Super Bowl Steelers underachieved during the “Killer B’s” era, and that is true.

However, the failure was necessary for both Roethlisberger and Tomlin.

Here We Go Steelers, Here We The constant playoff woes and Go! locker room drama have molded A chant heard not just around the two future Hall of Famers. This the 412 area, but Steeler Nation.

QB/coach duo clearly has a newFor the first time in Pittsburgh’s found appreciation for the player franchise, they are undefeated and culture relationship. through their first 8 games of the It takes more than NFL season. talent to win the Give credit where Super Bowl, and credit is due. This Pittsburgh underteam should have stands that. The been praised last relationship in the year, but due to the locker room and biased NFL meoff the field goes dia, Pittsburgh was far beyond on-field looked at as a lucky production.

8-8.

Although in There is not one Pittsburgh, grizNFL team that would zled veterans load go 8-8 in a season the roster with the when the team is likes of Big Ben, bouncing back and Cam Hayward, Joe forth between a secHaden, Maurkice ond and third-string Pouncey, Stephon quarterback.

Tuitt and David Just look at the DeCastro. The ros2020 Dallas Cowboys. ter also consists of (packersfandom) Mike Tomlin coached loaded young talent a team that was one with Juju Smith Week 15 Sunday Night Football Schuster, James Conner, T.J Watt, win away from the postseason.

Bud Dupree, Mike Hilton, Chase The 2019 Pittsburgh SteelClaypool, Diontae Johnson and ers suffered losses to the San Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Francisco 49er’s (eventual NFC Not only do these players have Champions) by 4 points, Seattle a great relationship off the field, Seahawks (11-5) by 4 points, and but they can perform together as the Baltimore Ravens (14-2) by 3 well. Pittsburgh leads the league points in OT. You are either A) a in crucial statistical categories. moron B) on drugs or C) both if The defense has a sack in 65 you think Ben Roethlisberger does straight games, which is three not make a 5-point difference. A short of the NFL record. The deHall of Fame QB adds a significant fense is currently the fourth best improvement to an otherwise rushing defense, third passing playoff team. defense and fourth overall. They The standard is the standard in also lead the league in sacks, Pittsburgh, and that standard is a yards allowed after the catch and Super Bowl. Pittsburgh is not like second in takeaways.

Cleveland, Detroit or Philadelphia As for the offense, they rank that would consider a playoff apthird in third-down conversions, pearance successful. The Steelers ninth in red-zone TD percentage have not had a losing season since and sixth in overall team offense.

2003; 17 years of pure dominance They are top 10 in both passing in arguably the best division in and rushing touchdowns. The football over that span. offense has only gained three sigThe argument will be that Pittsnificant pieces since last season, burgh hasn’t achieved its standard Ben Roethlisberger, Eric Ebron in 11 years. Many people think the and Chase Claypool.

JAKE TAYLOR Staff Writer J.M.Taylor8@iup.edu @JakeTaylor8726

(Teddy Jeannette/The Penn)

This only emphasizes the skill of Pittsburgh’s front office. The Steeler’s ability to draft skill-position players is unparalleled. They traded their first-round pick for Fitzpatrick and drafted Claypool in the second round. Both are key pieces for the team’s success this year.

“Pittsburgh’s future is very bright short-term,” Brian Taylor, IUP Alumnus of ‘88, said about Pittsburgh’s future. “Their window is closing to bring home another championship. It is time to show New England where the real ‘City of Champions’ is.”

Despite being a passionate Browns fan on WIUP-FM’s “Sports Talk Live,” Kody Hefner (senior, business) loved the story about Art Rooney’s rejection of the term “America’s Team.”

“When I heard the story of the chief, Art Rooney, turning down the nickname ‘America’s Team,’ I knew the culture in Pittsburgh is close-knit,” he said. “It is a team that is a little more than a team.

They set the culture throughout a city, although they will take a loss Week 17 against Baker Mayfield.”

Pittsburgh ranks among the league’s best. With Tom Brady out of the AFC, Mike Tomlin’s kryptonite is no longer an immediate threat. Pittsburgh has shown to have Lamar Jackson’s number.

As for the defending Super Bowl champions, Kansas City, Pittsburgh is 7-3 in the Big Ben era, including a playoff victory the last time Pittsburgh made it to the AFC Championship. Threats are minimal, and the writing’s on the wall. The Steel Curtain will continue to make a statement, the Steel City is BACK. Articles about the Steelers will be coming more often from this column, as I personally was born and raised in Pittsburgh and even had to go home to write this. It will not be full of hot takes or bias.

That is because the Steelers are going undefeated and winning the Super Bowl. Big Ben will win Super Bowl MVP and ride his motorcycle helmetless into the sunset.

So sit down, shut up, and drink an Iron City because the stairway to seven starts with 7.

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Sports

Fields or Lawrence: Who will go first in NFL draft?

STEVEN LANGDON Editor-in-Chief S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePenn Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence have lived different stories in college.

The two have been linked together since their high school days, and now they are in college and most likely the next level.

Their roots take them back to the Peach State of Georgia where both grew up. Throughout their time there, they attended the same camps and even had the same quarterback coach.

The top two recruiting class sites, ESPN 300 and 247 Sports, had them one-two with the same rating. ESPN had Fields at No. 1, and 247 Sports had Lawrence at No. 1.

So, why is this important to talk about? These two players are arguably the best that college has to offer and should be treated as such. There is not a single reason why Fields cannot be better and go No. 1 in the NFL Draft come April.

Back to why their college careers have been different. First,

there is Lawrence who is a household name from Clemson and expected to go first in the draft.

Rumor around the league is he is a cannot miss prospect, and it’s understandably so. He has gone to the National Championship his first two years and has lost one game which was against LSU last season.

His stats are undeniable as he has had close to 9,000 yards passing and 97 total touchdowns. His 66.5 completion percentage and 14 interceptions through three seasons has also been impressive.

Lawrence no doubt is a cannot miss player that would make any team better, but Fields is better equipped for the modern game.

The modern NFL is based upon deception more so than skill.

What does this mean?

Modern playbooks have introduced run-pass options (RPO).

The play allows the QB to determine based off of the positioning of the defense whether to hand the ball off or pass to a receiver.

This system has been used by Fields since his high school days.

Fields has been just as impressive if not better in college as far as stats go. He has had a

little north of 4,500 yards passing and 82 touchdowns. Fields’ 70.8 completion percentage and three interceptions are the stats to look at.

The best stat comes from this season so far. Fields is throwing 72 for 83 for an 86.7 completion percentage, 908 yards passing and 11 touchdowns with zero turnovers. He has more total touchdowns, which is 13, than incompletions. Fields does not look human since the start of the season.

One thing to keep in mind when comparing them is that Fields first committed to Georgia, where he played his first season, before transferring to Ohio State.

Fields also has lost one game he stated in his career, and that was to Clemson in the National Semifinals last year.

Their pass attempts are skewed because of this where Lawrence leads 995 to 476. Let us forget how many games they have started. Lawrence has had 36 to Fields’ 17.

Here is the stat that is most telling, which is Heisman voting.

They both only received votes last season with Fields earning 747 to

88 over Lawrence.

If Fields was starting his freshman year, would he be considered just as good as Lawrence?

We will never know, but there is a possibility they are QB1A and QB1B. The draft that is most comparable is the one from 2012. There was Andrew Luck, who was the consensus No. 1 pick, and there was Robert Griffin III, who was No. 2 pick but could have gone first.

The reason I pick them is based on their talent coming into the league. Luck is like Lawrence in that he is the field general. He has the football IQ that any team would want; someone that is years beyond some of the competition.

Griffin is a rusher and someone that could extend the play. If you take away the knee injury, he was a great player that first season.

Fields is better, though. He is more accurate with his throws, and his running abilities do not define the player.

Once again, not saying that there is a comparison as far as talent, but rather how the draft was set-up. Fields and Lawrence could become better than Luck

and almost as good as Griffin.

So, what should the teams do in the draft? If I were someone like the New York Jets, I would seriously consider trading out of No. 1. There are a couple reasons for that.

The first reason is that you could get a lot for Lawrence.

There have been talks for the last two years “tank for Trevor.”

A team, whether it is the Jets or someone else, could rebuild based off of a trade out of No. 1.

A team could trade down one or two picks and then pick up that team’s pick plus a first next year.

Who does not want more draft stock, especially if it is a rebuild?

There is also the possibility that a star player opens for a trade, and a team could still have a firstround pick.

Fields is just as good as Lawrence and has a realistic possibility of winning the Heisman.

The talks need to cool down on Lawrence being the best college football player.

Hearts do go out to Lawrence as he recovers from COVID-19.

Hopefully, he is able to get back on the field soon. In the meantime, sit back and watch what Fields has to offer.

(Teddy Jeannette/The Penn) Both Fields and Lawerence will be battling for the top spot in the 2021 NFL draft.