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News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

IUP student selected for fellowship through Pittsburgh BENJAMIN BRUMBAUGH

Staff Writer msqy@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

An IUP student has been selected for a Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience (PULSE) Fellowship.

Marissa Willson (senior, anthropology) will complete her fellowship during the 2021–22 academic year after she graduates in May. “Since 1994, over 375 PULSE fellows have partnered with close to 200 Pittsburgh nonprofits, contributing some 550,000 hours of service to the city and its residents,” according to pulsepittsburgh.org/. “PULSE fellows serve with a nonprofit, live-in community, and grow as a leader.”

The work that Willson will be completing closely aligns with some of her lifelong interests and passions.

“I'm interested in working in nonprofits in my future and want to bring culturally cognizant programming and training to the field and the great causes that they support,” Willson said. “Specifically, I've always been interested in working in women's health or in an organization focused on displacement and refugee/immigration issues.

“This program offered me free experience for a year in exchange for my time and effort, not to mention their [PULSE] program focused on a holistic approach to

News

Marissa Willson (senior, anthropology) was awarded with the PULSE fellowship. growth as the whole person and tying them to the community they are in,” she said.

This fellowship will allow Willson to work closely with a Pittsburgh nonprofit organization.

“I will be serving with one of their partners for an 11-month period starting in August,” she said. “I don't know yet who I will be partnered with as I have to interview this summer with their partners, but some of their previous partners include Planned Parenthood, Habitat for Humanity, the YMCA, United Way and many other smaller and local nonprofits to the Pittsburgh area.”

Willson hopes that her career path will lead her to a life of public service when her fellowship concludes in the summer of 2022.

“After this program, I plan on applying to graduate programs again with a focus on international development and public administration,” she said. “I would love to work for an international organization or nonprofit like Amnesty International or Care International to work on human rights issues at a global level within program

development and management.”

She credits her mother as a source of inspiration for her life.

“I've always felt a calling towards public service and social justice. My mom is a lawyer who has dedicated her career to fighting for others and was a big influence on myself and my passions.”

Willson, like a lot of students, wants to help better the world.

“I've always felt that the best way for me to be fulfilled and happy is to leave the world better for my having existed in it,” Willson said. “Nonprofits are the essence of service work, for little to no recognition at times, and is the perfect field for my values in life.”

Willson has been an active student and leader on campus during her time at IUP. “I am a student from Cook Honors College and will be graduating this May with a major in anthropology and two minors in psychology and global health with a certificate in cultural competencies,” she said. “I am also the current president of

April 21, 2021

Kacie's Cause IUP Chapter, a member and student adviser to the IUP Anthropology Club and a member of the IUP College Democrats club.

“I have been heavily involved with residential life here on campus as well, as I am a Head Resident Assistant currently in Stephenson Hall and have been

(IUP/Facebook) an RA for the past three years. I also work in the OIE [Office of International Education] as a peer advisor to help students looking to study abroad.

“Through my work with Kacie's Cause, I have been employed through MARTI-CBH [The Mid-Atlantic Research and Training Institute for Community and Behavioral Health] as a Research Assistant with Dr. Victor Garcia to get the organization founded and started on campus.

Our organization focuses on raising awareness, educating and connecting people to resources on the opioid crisis.”

Willson is also working toward finishing her thesis before graduating.

“This year I have been finishing my senior honors thesis in the anthropology department that is called: ‘Access and Ideologies: Women’s Experience’s Negotiating Birth Control.’”

Students interested in learning more about the program or applying to be a PULSE Fellow can visit pulsepittsburgh.org/.

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April 21, 2021

News

Distinguished alumni return to campus Criminology graduates speak about careers, offer advice GABRIELLA BYRNE Staff Writer bmwx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP’s department of criminology and criminal justice honored three alumni and invited them to speak about their successful careers to students.

It was a historic event for this department as three alumni were recognized with Distinguished Alumni Awards, receiving the highest honor given by IUP annually.

Of 150,000 alumni, only 369 have received the award before, which is less than 0.3 percent of alumni.

With more than 100 participants in attendance, the speakers discussed careers and gave advice for around 10 to 12 minutes, leaving questions from the attendees for the end.

As a 1986 IUP graduate, Retired U.S. Chief Deputy Marshal Michael Baughman spoke first.

He discussed his start in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, saying the police made a favorable impression on him and he knew he wanted to be in law enforcement.

Penn State Harrisburg professor of criminal justice Shaun Gabbidon, the second to talk, received his doctoral degree in criminology from IUP in 1996.

As a son of immigrants from Jamaica, Gabbidon described his

(Facebook) Retired U.S. Chief Deputy Marshal Michael Baughman (left), professor of criminal justice Shaun Gabbidon (middle) and retired special agent in charge of U.S. secret service, Eric Zahren (right), spoke Tuesday at a panel discussion hosted by IUP’s department of criminology and criminal justice.

The three men were awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award. inspiration for law enforcement to be related to a biographical background.

His family moved to Brooklyn, where he described it as a “great influence to [his] life due to experiences with being held at knifeand gunpoint.”

Retired special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service and president of the Carnegie Hero Fund, Eric Zahren was the last to speak.

At a young age of 22, Zahren was invited to become a part of the Secret Service in 1991, witnessing the transition of former presidents Bill Clinton over to George W. Bush.

He served this career until 2016.

The reputation of IUP’s department of criminology and criminal justice brought the alumni to the college at different points in their lives.

Baughman spoke highly of the academic and intern pro-

gram at IUP. Baughman started his career as a deputy U.S. marshal in Washington, D.C., transferring to a Pittsburgh office in 1995, where he moved up the ranks to a supervisor deputy until he became chief deputy in 2011.

As chief deputy, Baughman was responsible for all the people associated with the federal courts like the judges, jurors and witnesses.

He mentioned the marshal career “offered specialization in a student’s interests where one can work in judicial security, witness protection or with fugitives.”

Baughman advised that, while students may not always get the job they have their sights on, there will be stepping stones along the way for their careers.

Gabbidon spoke about where one ends up in life is a product of where one started.

He went on to talk about ini-

tially majoring in business at Iona University but found an interest in a law course and calling in criminal justice.

After graduating from Christopher Newport University in Virginia, Gabbidon tried for a sheriff department, passing

everything in the physical part of the test except the color blindness test which eliminated him from the program.

This disappointment led to a life lesson for Gabbidon and eventually brought him to IUP, speaking highly of the professors during this time of transition and the flexibility that IUP allowed him to develop into the next chapter of his life.

One of the difficulties from Zahren’s job had to do with the amount of time dedicated to it as he mentioned missing his daughter’s birth; however, he learned to adapt and count on the people around him.

He oversaw protective services in 15 countries.

Now, continuing his work with the Carnegie Hero Fund, Zahren partakes in all aspects of the organization, as it rewards individuals that show acts of heroism that often end up disabled or killed by putting their lives on the line for someone else.

A highlight of Zahren’s career had to do with a Make-A-Wish child being granted his wish to become an honorary member of the Secret Service with legitimate credentials.

The young man was greeted by everyone in the building at his headquarters.

All three alumni echoed and gave new advice for the attendees at the end of their speeches.

Baughman mentioned the stressors that come with working towards a career, saying control is hard to find, but attitude is always in the student’s hands.

Some of the advice Gabbidon offered was, “to be open to challenges, understand the importance of networking and to let rejection and failure motivate lifegoals.”

Zahren told attendees to “not undersell themselves, to keep open minds and always be the hardest worker as well as to always start from a position of respect.” “[They] are all extraordinary graduates of our baccalaureate and doctoral programs,” Dr. Alida Merlo said. “They represent our department and IUP in an exemplary manner.

“This afternoon, they graciously shared their knowledge and expertise with undergraduate and graduate students.”

April 21, 2021

News

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IUP program awarded best degree in the nation AMARI WALKER Staff Writer jqtbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP’s human development and family science (HDFS) program has been ranked as a “Best Bachelor’s Degree” by Study.com in the top 10 programs in the nation.

There were hundreds of programs examined throughout the U.S. However, only 50 programs were selected for the ranking.

Among all Pennsylvania public universities, IUP’s program involves a comprehensive curriculum that prepares students for positions that address all aspects of child and family life, from early intervention to counseling at-risk adolescents.

IUP’s program also includes opportunities for students to work within the on-campus Child Development Lab, which is authorized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

With the HDFS program at IUP, you can choose from three tracks that will allow you to be prepared for multiple job opportunities. With these three tracks listed below, you are able to specialize your degree.

Family Specialist Track •

•

Embrace all aspects of childhood development, family dynamics, and full-lifespan programs so that your professional choices are broad and fulfilling.

Develop teaching skills.

Infant/Toddler Mental Health Track • • • • •

Grasp the keys to administering child and family advocacy programs.

Specialize in the mental development of infants, toddlers, and young children.

Child Life Track Prepare for positions in health settings.

Delve deeper into understanding child development and the approaches for different stages.

The HDFS program has taught students like Rachel Hissong (senior, human development and family science) how to be a competent, well-rounded and experienced professional in their field.

“Not only does a degree in HDFS from IUP give you the knowl-

IUP’s human development and family science program was ranked as a “Best Bachelor’s Degree” by Study.com. edge you need to be successful but also the chance to develop related skills through hands-on observation, service learning and internship opportunities,” Hissong said.

Hissong’s biggest takeaway from the HDFS program is that the field of human services is constantly evolving. She said that there is almost an endless number of possible jobs you can get with this degree.

“From early education, intervention and case management, to teaching life skills and offering counseling/therapy to youth in need,” she said, “there is a place that is right for everyone.”

Hissong feels proud to share in the program’s accomplishment.

“Mainly, I think it attests to the hard work of our department’s professors, who stop at nothing to ensure that each student reaches their full potential,” Hissong said.

Hissong chose the HDFS program because she knew that she wanted to work with children.

However, she was not quite sure in what capacity.

“With a combination of coursework in psychology, education and social services, I was able to get a

feel for what career path was right for me,” she said.

This degree and one year of experience in a childcare center qualifies graduates to apply for the Pennsylvania Child Care Director’s Certificate.

Through studying, the student can realize how this degree can help apply to various careers within

the human service field, such as adoption services, community education, early care and education, foster care services and mental and behavioral health support.

Also in the career, one may become an instructor in educational programs for adults, a caseworker, a child life specialist, a crisis counselor or a life skills educator.

To prepare for these various job opportunities, IUP’s program provides direct experience with children, families and youth. They also provide the ability to work directly with children, either in the on-campus preschool or in other community settings.

One is also able to complete volunteer work with human service agencies to prepare for the chosen field.

Dr. Kalani Palmer (professor, human development and family sciences) joined the faculty in 2014.

“I chose to join the faculty at IUP's HDFS program because I wanted to pursue an applied research agenda and engage in meaningful experiences with students,” Palmer said. “I felt that IUP cared about students and valued faculty research. Here I can conduct

(IUP)

my evaluation work, as I am a program evaluator.”

With her job, she can support the overall growth of students through teaching, advising, and research.

“Essentially, I chose to join the faulty at IUP's HDFS program because I knew my work would be purposeful,” she said.

“As a faculty member, I have seen how valuable our applied curriculum is in preparing graduates for human service work,” Palmer said. “They are building skills and gaining knowledge that will allow them to be more effective service providers.”

With the chance of working with students in and out of the classroom, Palmer tries to build a strong relationship with them and support their growth.

“We want our graduates to understand the importance of rapport building, and to know how to relationship build,” she said. “We want them to know how to support individual and family growth.

“This ranking validates our efforts to provide a quality and affordable education to our students,” Palmer said.

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April 21, 2021

News

Presentation educates about identities MCSLE presents series about diversity, inclusion

MARTY WEAVER Copy Editor zglz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP An IUP student educated the campus community about transgender and non-binary identities in an event hosted by the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement (MCSLE).

Nic Sealer (junior, finance) was approached by Tedd Cogar, the senior assessment coordinator and LGBTQIA support of MCSLE, to speak about life as a transgender student at IUP. “I thought it was cool,” Sealer said about being asked to give the presentation. “It’s nice to be recognized…”

The event, which was held Thursday at 3 p.m., was Sealer’s first during his tenure at IUP. Sealer’s presentation was part of MCSLE’s JEDI series, standing

(Facebook) The transgender flag (left) was created in 1999 by an American trans woman, Monica Helms. The non-binary flag (right) was created in 2014 by Kyle Rowan. for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Sealer’s presentation discussed the similarities and differences of transgender and

non-binary people. “Transgender” refers to someone whose gender identity differs from the gender they were assigned at birth – “usually based on the

appearance of their external anatomy,” Sealer’s presentation said.

Non-binary, on the other hand, refers to people whose gender identity/expression “[falls] outside of the categories of man and woman,” according to the presentation. Non-binary people might also identify as transgender, but not always.

The presentation also touched upon how to identify transgender/non-binary individuals – or rather, how not to do so.

“It’s hard to identify a transgender person,” Sealer said during the event. “You can’t just look at someone and see that there is some sort of disconnect in the way they are presenting and presume that way.”

Sealer said that he was “pleasantly surprised” by the attendance. Some people from

MCSLE were in the audience, as well as some other members of the greater IUP community.

Sealer took questions from the participants, “which was nice,” he said.

A prospective educator asked how to make her future classroom more LGBTQIA-friendly.

“The easiest way is to, when you introduce yourself, to give your name and pronouns,” Sealer said.

That helps to “normalize” the practice of giving your pronouns along with your name during introductions. An educator doing that can also show students that they run an inclusive classroom. “[It was a] perfect little question,” Sealer said.

Another audience member asked what to do if they accidentally “misgender” someone, or use the wrong pronouns/refer to someone’s gender incorrectly.

“Acknowledge it in the moment,” Sealer said. “You say that you were wrong, and you try not to make a big deal out of it.”

Sealer, along with leading the presentation, is the treasurer of IUP’s Pride Alliance, which meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. on Zoom and in Elkin Hall.

Another source of information on LGBTQIA issues is the Queer Conversations, held every Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. Information on both the Pride Alliance and Queer Conversations can be found on IUP’s website.

“It was great to see people wanting to learn,” Sealer said about the event.

April 21, 2021

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IUP professor working with COVID-19 testing GABRIELLA BYRNE Staff Writer bmwx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP A year of COVID-19 has brought with it a new perspective and understanding in how to combat the virus.

Since the World Health Organization’s (WHO) announcement of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in January 2020, the virus progressed into a national emergency in the U.S. by March 13, 2020, where the rapid spread brought about a worldwide lockdown.

According to covid.cdc.gov, there are more than 31 million cases and more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. As of now, about 212 million doses have been administered.

Globally, covid19.who.int reports more than 100 million confirmed cases, around 3 million deaths and more than 700 million vaccinations administered.

Professor and chair of the biology department Dr. Bharathan Narayanaswamy has been working with the Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) as a project led scientist in testing the COVID-19 virus since April 2020.

Narayanaswamy uses reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, of which his research lab in the biology department at IUP is familiar with.

He uses these on an RNA virus, like COVID-19, to detect a viral RNA strand, diagnosing whether an individual has COVID-19.

Approximately 20,000 samples have been tested by Narayanaswamy with a group of physicians, a lab director and three research associates from IRMC. “I had an opportunity to train four individuals in COVID-19 RT-PCR testing,” Narayanaswamy said.

“We have established a strong collaborative relationship with a lead biotech company, Takara Bio, from California, and my protocol for RT-PCR testing has been significantly modified and can be adapted globally.

“The RT-PCR testing with our newly developed protocol using Takara Bio PCR kit will help to test 100 samples in three hours.”

On biospace.com, Narayanaswamy is commended and highlighted for his achievement in providing rural communities with faster COVID-19 testing, helping reduce time and cost.

Dr. Bharathan Narayanaswamy (biology) is working with COVID-19 testing to help combat the virus.

When asked about Indiana County and IUP’s response to the pandemic, Narayanaswamy spoke on the accessibility and face-toface classes in fall depending on vaccination.

“I strongly feel that IUP and IRMC are working closely in making vaccines available to the public and IUP staff, faculty and students,” Narayanaswamy said.

“People in the community have to understand that COVID-19 is here to stay, and we should learn to lead a normal life with COVID-19 by getting vaccinated, wearing masks and social distancing.”

For two semesters, IUP has been mostly online with the exception of freshman in dorms and those requiring an in-person learning experience or facilities. IUP offers free COVID-19 testing for students on-campus through pre-registration.

With a background in molecular biology, forensic biology and gene

editing, Narayanaswamy’s research program is active and transferred seamlessly into his current work with testing COVID-19, officially starting in May 2020.

Training more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students, many of his students are continuing their education in premier graduate schools to work towards a doctoral degree and medical schools.

Compared to the start of the outbreak of the virus, Narayanaswamy talked about the increase of understanding and education in both the scientific and general communities on this pandemic.

Though the number of daily deaths related to COVID-19 has decreased, it is important to remain responsible and aware of current updates on the pandemic as well as the people who continue to support, work and provide information and solutions during this strenuous time for all.

“IRMC collaboration is significant to the university, IRMC, IUP students and the community,” Narayanaswamy said. “It has been a pleasure for me to work with folks from IRMC and IUP. “I would like to thank President Driscoll, Dr. Tim Moreland, Dr. Deanne Snavely (dean college of Kopchick College of NSM), and Dr. Hillary Crealy (dean graduate school) for their support.

“All this would have not happened but from the support from Steve Wolfe (CEO of IRMC), Ms. Jackie Sansig (laboratory medicine director from IRMC), Dr. Steven Wilson (MD), and Mark Richards from IRMC.”

(IUP/Facebook)

IUP president to host town hall meeting Courtesy of IUP President Michael Driscoll IUP president Michael Driscoll is hosting a town hall meeting Thursday.

It will take place on Zoom at 5:30 p.m.

The topics will be focused on the fall semester and how IUP is planning to get “back to normal.”

Other topics include the impact of IUP NextGen and the scheduling changes being put into place. The scheduling changes include additional time between classes, as well as Crimson Common Hours.

Crimson Common Hours are workshops that help lead students

in how to be sucessful throughout college and into their real-life careers outside of IUP. As well as Driscoll, Provost Timothy Moreland and other university leaders will be available for questions.

According to the email, a “significant portion” of the town hall will be set aside for Q&A session.

Participation is limited to 500 students, and those attending must register in advance.

A recording transcript will be made available afterward for those who cannot attend the event.

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April 21, 2021

News

Some heroes wear capes, some wear combat boots Soldiers may return back to U.S. after 19 years in Afghanistan CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP President Joe Biden has announced that he officially plans to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11, marking the end of America’s longest military effort.

The U.S. first invaded Afghanistan back in 2001 as a response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack provoked by Al-Qaeda. War was never officially declared because neither the Al-Qaeda nor the Taliban (the group that ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001) were recognized states.

Although support for U.S. intervention in Asia rose after the Sept. 11, it quickly dropped back down. According to a poll by The Washington Times, by 2004, around 67 percent of Americans believed that the U.S. went to war based on incorrect assumptions (though the poll does not differentiate between the military efforts in Afghanistan and in Iran, which was equally unpopular.)

“I think we have no business in there anymore.” Kendall Gomez (freshman, Spanish/international studies) said. “At the time it might have made sense to them, but it’s been 19 years, and now we know a lot more.”

Gomez isn’t alone in this feeling. She is part of an entire generation that grew up not knowing

(Teddy Jeannette/The Penn) Come October, the U.S. will have been in Afghanistan for 20 years, however President Joe Biden has announced he plans to formally pull U.S. troops from Afghanistan before then. an America at peace.

“If you think about it, most of the freshman were born either at the end of 2001 or in 2002.”

Madison Reddick (freshman/nursing) said. “We were born as the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, most of us even after the invasion. So, we have a different point-of-view, I guess.

“Maybe they understand better what led to the war, but we understand better how America is impacted by it,” she added.

While it is true that most “Zoomers” (a colloquial term to describe people who are a part of Generation Z) are against the war in Afghanistan, this is not to say people from older generations necessarily support it either.

Notoriously, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who had originally voted in favor of the military intervention in Afghanistan, has been a critic of it since 2008.

In 2011, when former President Barack Obama first proposed removing U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Sanders claimed that

he believed America has “paid a high price both in terms of casualties and national treasure.”

More surprisingly, former President Donald Trump, who notoriously has been criticizing

Biden since the highly disputed presidential race of 2020, has publicly praised Biden’s decision – not without criticizing the president’s timeline for doing so, however.

"I wish Joe Biden wouldn't use Sept. 11 as the date to withdraw our troops from Afghanistan, for two reasons,” Trump said.

“First, we can and should get out earlier. Nineteen years is enough, in fact, far too much and way too long. Sept. 11 represents a very sad event and period for our country and should remain a day of reflection and remembrance honoring those great souls we lost."

Before handing the presidency to Biden Jan. 21, Trump signed a deal with the Taliban. In the agreement, the U.S. agreed to remove troops from the country and quit invading Taliban-controlled territories if the Taliban agreed to cease international terrorism against the U.S. and its allies. This was seen mostly positively, with Sanders calling this

deal “the only good thing Trump has done.”

While the fact that both Biden and Trump can agree on a topic may suggest that opinions are unanimous, this is not the case.

Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other republicans in the Senate have been active criticizers of the idea of pulling troops out of Afghanistan – even when the idea came from Trump.

“This administration has decided to abandon U.S. efforts in Afghanistan which have helped keep radical Islamic terrorism in check,” McConnell said.

McConnell and the Senate republicans may find themselves with little-to-no support, though.

Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani told CNNC [they] agreed the nation no longer needed America’s help with dealing with the Taliban, though he recognizes this will “radically change” the country.

April 21, 2021

News

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Earth Day celebrates 51 years of protecting the planet HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Earth Day has been around since 1970 and with every year, it works to bring awareness to the Earth more.

Since April 22, 1920, the annual Earth Day event has demonstrated support for environmental protection.

Events are coordinated globally by earthday.org.

At United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conference in 1969, John McConnell, a peace activist, proposed the day.

Originally, Earth Day was proposed to be celebrated on the first day of spring.

A month later, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson had a nationwide environmental teach-in April 22, 1970. Him and a young activist, Denis Hayes, who was speaking at the teach-in, renamed the event “Earth Day.”

(Facebook) The Earth Day flag was created in 1970 by John McConnell and features the Earth as the focal point.

More than 20 million people were at the event and it is still the largest, single-day protest in human history.

In 1990, Hayes made the event international and organized events in 141 nations.

In 2016, the U.S. and 120 other

countries signed the landmark Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement focuses on climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance.

Now, an entire week is devoted to Earth Day with activities that surround the day.

During Earth Day 2020, over 100 million people celebrated the 50th anniversary.

At IUP, Earth Day is celebrated any number of ways.

In the past, Earth Day has been celebrated by students and professors in the Oak Grove.

Environmentally Conscious Organization (ECO), a student organization at IUP, spearheaded the event.

Any environmentally-themed efforts that could be displayed were welcomed.

The event would run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Because of COVID-19, in-person events have been pushed to online, however IUP has not let that stop them.

STATIC will be hosting an Earth Day celebration over Instagram and Zoom on Thursday from 8 to 10 p.m.

For the event, students can pick up DIY planters and stuff-a-plush animal kits.

For the kits, there were only 50, so students needed to register in order to reserve one.

Picking up of the kits began Monday and by Tuesday, they were unavailable.

You can snap a picture of your best plant or plus animal and send it to STATIC’s Instagram for a chance to be featured.

Opinion

Chauvin rightfully will serve time for the crime Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd and should be convicted for his actions.

Floyd passed away May 25 in Minneapolis after being taken into police custody.

He was being arrested due to suspicion that he was using counterfeit money inside a local convenience store. Officers arrived at the scene around 8:08 p.m. J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane assisted Chauvin in the arrest while an officer, Tou Thao, made sure that no bystanders interfered during the arrest.

After Floyd was in handcuffs and laying on the ground on his stomach, Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck between seven to 10 minutes. With the different testimonies and video evidence, the exact number is had to determine.

As Chauvin was kneeling on Floyd’s neck, Floyd said that he could not breathe. Floyd also said that he was having breathing difficulties prior to being on the ground.

“I’m about to die,” Floyd said.

Floyd said that he could not breathe at least 16 times.

The officers at the scene did not call an ambulance until 8:22.

They called on a nonemergency basis but changed it to an emergency a minute later.

Bystanders were angry and told the officers to check on Floyd after he fell unconscious.

Kueng found no pulse after checking Floyd wrist. From there, Floyd was taken in an ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead at 9:25.

The killing of George Floyd has spread internationally outrage and has brought police brutality and racism to the forefront of discussions. Protests happened daily around the world in response. The Black Lives Matter movement gained a lot of momentum and support.

The movement did garner some backlash though from many conservative groups.

Chauvin as well as the other officers involved were fired from the Minneapolis police.

As of right now, Chauvin is on

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(twincities.com) Derek Chauvin (right) was on trial since March 29. On Tuesday, he was convicted on all three counts. trial for the homicide of Floyd.

His trial began on March 29 and is still on-going.

Chauvin was facing three charges that include second-degree unintentional homicide, third-degree homicide and second-degree manslaughter.

Jerry Blackwell, a special prosecutor, said that Chauvin’s actions betrayed the principles of the Minneapolis Police Department during his beginning statements. “[This is] a small badge that carries with it a large responsibility and large accountability to the public,” Blackwell said during the trial while holding a police badge. “Mr. Chauvin betrayed this badge.”

The prosecution has shown that Chauvin put his knees on Floyd neck and back.

“You can believe your eyes, that it’s a homicide, that it’s a murder,” Blackwell said.

Another prosecuting attorney, Steve Schleicher, emphasized that the jury should not look at the police as a whole but should look at Chauvin and what he did.

“There is nothing worse for good police than a bad police,” Schleicher said during the trial.

“What the defendant did here was straight-up felony assault.

This was not policing. It was unnecessary, it was gratuitous, it was disproportionate, and he did it on purpose.”

As for the defense, they must prove that Chauvin’s use of force

April 21, 2021

was reasonable. They also must prove that Floyd died because of a health-related issue and drug use.

Eric Nelson, Chauvin’s defense attorney, has been questioning witnesses and experts or the

prosecution’s side throughout the trial.

Nelson has been arguing that Floyd’s use of drugs was the cause of his death. He questioned why the paramedics put Floyd in the ambulance but did not start treatment at that point.

Nelson’s questioning implied that the treatment could have saved Floyd.

Looking at all of the evidence, Chauvin is guilty of the murder of George Floyd. While this is not the jury’s final decision, it is hoped by many that they will reach this conclusion. The actions Chauvin took were unacceptable and malicious, and there should be consequences.

It was announced just after 5 p.m. Tuesday that Chauvin was convicted on all three counts by the jury.

Brought to you

By The Penn Staff

Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Eva Tillich – jxsbc@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

(Facebook)

Drag queen Alyssa Edwards competed on season 5 and All Stars 2 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

B-I-N-G-Oh no she better don’t

Fierce, fabulous Alyssa Edwards hosts BINGO with STATIC, RHA HALEY BROWN Lead Culture Writer tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP On April 14, the Student Activity Committee (STATIC), working in tandem with IUP’s Residence Hall Association (RHA), was proud to present Drag Queen Bingo featuring Alyssa Edwards as the famous and fabulous host.

The event was hosted via Zoom and was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The meeting began about 20 minutes later than was planned, but the event was well worth the short wait. There were about 150 participants during the event’s peak, and everyone appeared to have a fantastic time.

Each bingo player received a link to access a special Alyssa Edwards Bingo card with the letters across the top spelling “Shade”

Culture

instead of the typical “Bingo” letters. The free space of the bingo card was even a tiny picture of the queen herself, and each column was a different color of the rainbow. For each round, participants could choose to generate a brand new randomly created Bingo card for their next card.

Winners were urged to say “bingo” loud and proud in the meeting chat, and after it was called, the winner was allowed to share their video and were allowed to unmute themselves.

After each winner was brought into the main video display, they had the chance to have a chat personally with Edwards.

She asked them their names, year in college and what they were studying. There were a handful of nursing students, a musical theatre student and a communications media major.

There was a portion where the Zoom group chat was asked to nominate two participants to compete in a lip sync battle with one another. The group chat was so enthusiastic and persistent that three different participants were brought into the main video display to sing.

Edwards greeted them, had a small chat with each of the players and then invited them to go get their wigs and makeup on before their performance began.

They had one round of bingo to get ready, and the results were incredible.

There was a “squad” of five girls, a drag queen named Summer Diamond, and another drag queen who called herself Grace Vanity. The group lip synced and danced energetically to the song “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga featuring Arianna Grande.

April 21, 2021

Every participant grabbed their last-minute wigs, added an extra touch of makeup and absolutely brought their “A game” to their mini competition while Edwards cheered from the sidelines. She admitted that she could not possibly choose one winner and that each lip-sync battle participant would receive a signed picture of her as their prize.

“Drag has made me such a more confident person,” said Garrison Lutch (freshman, English literature and culture, religious studies), also known as Grace Vanity while in drag. “When I’m in drag, I feel comfortable to change social norms and break out of my box. At the same time, drag has taught me that I can express my femininity in a comfortable way.”

There were about five rounds and some of the prizes consisting of a $25 Co-op gift card, an IUP

merchandise bundle, a starlight projector, an Apple air pods bundle and the grand prize of the night, which was a flat screen TV bundle. RHA members admitted that they had been working hard to come up with the event planning and the prizes since January of this year.

Every time bingo was called, Edwards whipped out her hot pink metallic “beast” fan and fanned herself while dancing along with the celebration music that played for the winner. Throughout the event, Edwards also shared some playful banter with Zach Clark, STATIC’s adviser and director, and asked him to reveal what his chosen drag name would be. He told Alyssa that his drag name would definitely be Urethra Franklin and that he was fully prepared to answer that question.

Continued on Page 12

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April 21, 2021

'Ordinary Days' is ready to take the main stage

(The Penn/Kadi Mellott) “Ordinary Days” will be performed on and streamed from the main stage in Waller Hall.

KADI MELLOTT Contributing Writer mlwy@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Planning on attending the performance of “Ordinary Days”?

Prepare a box of tissues as you will likely cry tears of sadness and joy.

The show will be streamed on the Lively Arts YouTube channel Thursday through Sunday.

There will be two casts that will perform. The red cast will go on Thursday and Saturday, and the blue cast will perform on Friday and Sunday.

“Ordinary Days” takes place in New York City, where four people search for connection in their lives. The connection they search for is emotional and real.

The show is based on real emotions, experiences and people.

This play is also special because any ordinary person, like any IUP student, could stand in the shoes of one of the characters.

Sabin Fisher (junior, music education, vocal performance) said that “Ordinary Days” is an emotional performance that could make some viewers tear up.

“Going into the show, expect to experience a lot of emotions,” Fisher said. “This show is both the most hilarious show I’ve

worked on, and one of the most emotionally taxing shows due to its themes of purpose, grief and joy.”

Fisher also said that they hope viewers will call loved ones and old friends following the show.

“That’s truly what this show is about: finding appreciation for life and those around you,” Fisher said.

Fisher plays the character Warren in the red cast.

“He (Warren) is an ambitious, silly, artistic, LGBTQIA+, twenty-something who just wants to get people to appreciate art and the aspect of being alive,” Fisher said. “This character is being portrayed by two non-binary people, myself and Elijah Thomas.”

Elise Reichenfeld (junior, music education, vocal performance), who plays Claire in the blue cast, said that “Ordinary Days” is about regular people finding their own meaning in human connection.

Many of the performers are music related majors so being able to perform gives them more experience. The performance is not just a show to be given, but it provides more meaning to their future careers.

Dr. Oliver Lo, music director for “Ordinary Days” and an IUP

associate professor of voice, said cast members had the opportunity to attend a master class for them by Adam Gwon, who is the composer of “Ordinary Days.”

“Adam Gwon is a wonderful composer,” Lo said. “His music depicts the characters vividly. He used accidentals (flat and sharp) to make us understand the tone of the character. ‘I’ll be there’ is the most beautiful love song that is related to Sept. 11.”

Lo said that the score for “Ordinary Days” is difficult.

“The singers need to sing their melodic lines independently most of the time. The ‘doubling’ (which is the norm for some of the main repertoire) is not often found in the score. It has been a great training score for the students’ musicianship. They also learnt so much from the faculty members and students from the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance.”

If you are interested in seeing a performance of “Ordinary Days,” tickets for the play can be purchased through the Lively Arts or at the box office from noon to 4:30, Monday through Friday. With an I-card, the cost is $7.50. It is $10 for regular admission, and group viewing is available for $20.

Culture

Fierce, fabulous Alyssa Edwards hosts BINGO with STATIC, RHA Continued from Page 11 After the Bingo portion of the event was finished, Edwards took the time to look into the chat and answer a handful of the participant’s questions. She spoke a bit about her very first drag show when she was about 20, and how she had to choose her drag name at the last minute.

She laughingly admitted that her drag name originated from her love for Alyssa Milano from “Who’s the Boss.”

She mentioned that she had been shy and introverted, but once she entered amateur night for her first drag show and she stepped onto the stage, she felt incredible. Edwards gave advice about how to get into drag and to build a character from scratch to be everything you might feel that you cannot be or do while you are yourself.

One audience member, Madison Zimmer, asked Edwards for some advice for someone who might want to become a dance teacher. Alyssa talked a bit about the dance company that she has owned for 18 years called Beyond Belief Dance Studio.

“I like to share a lot of my experiences and offer as many utensils as possible and tools that I have,” Edwards said.

“It’s so joyous to watch my students graduate from my pro-

gram and go on to be incredible humans and people and assets to society. My advice to you is that when you walk into every classroom share your knowledge, share your spirit, share yourself and just be mindful that these kids will remember you when they go into the real world.”

Edwards finished the event off with a big thank you to STATIC and RHA for organizing this event and asking her to be a part of it.

At the last second, Clark sent a message in the Zoom meeting chat to tell the attendees to watch their IUP emails for free giveaways of prizes from STATIC in the near future.

“Alyssa coming to IUP was honestly such a groundbreaking event,” Lutch said. “I grew up in a small town where drag is never spoken about. Seeing her come to a state where we don’t have the most open-minded people really showed that drag can be found and acknowledged anywhere.

“The experience itself was amazing, and I couldn’t be more thankful.”

The Drag Queen Bingo event was received well by IUP, and many are hoping that this event comes back in the future because of the fun and excitement that it brought.

(Facebook) Michelle Visage (left) and Ru Paul (middle) are judges on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and have given Alyssa Edwards (right) praise and critiques during her time on the show.

Culture

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April 21, 2021

STATIC uses their green thumb in honor of Earth Day STATIC HALEY BROWN tbfx@iup.edu

I am Haley and will be writing weekly about the upcoming events for STATIC. Stay tuned.

As the semester starts to draw toward finals week, the Student Activity Committee (STATIC) is keeping the fantastic events coming with DIY Earth Day Crafts, a Scavenger Hunt, a Drive-In Movie and DIY Spa Night.

On Thursday, this year’s Earth Day, STATIC will be hosting an Earth Day DIY Celebration event. The event was arranged by Claire Rodgers, STATIC’s membership chair, and Cassidy Krug, STATIC’s executive chair. It will take place via Zoom and STATIC’s Instagram.

The event is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. and end around 10 p.m.

If you would like to snag one of the craft activity kits associated with this event, preregistration is required. If you have registered in time to get one of the kits you will receive an email to notify you.

The event will include craft tutorials to make your own plush animal, as well as a DIY planter.

“When STATIC was brainstorming new event ideas at the end of 2020, I had mentioned a ‘plant night’ idea,” Krug said.

“I love houseplants and thought it would be fun to provide students with the opportunity to bring some greenery into their dorms. We stumbled upon the stuff-a-plush kits on

(The Penn Archive) STATIC’s Drive-In Nexflix & Chill will take place at the field behind Miller Stadium.

Amazon and fell in love with that idea as well, so we decided to merge the two activities together for the spring semester to celebrate Earth Day.” This is the first time STATIC is hosting an Earth Day Event, and it might just become an annual tradition to celebrate and appreciate our home planet. The tutorials will take place live, with Rodgers and Krug providing the directions stepby-step. The two STATIC members will lead participants in stuffing their plush animals and planting while giving some fun facts about plants, animals and Earth Day. On Saturday, STATIC is hosting its fourth and final Scavenger Hunt. The format will be the same as previous scavenger hunts. The hints will be posted at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. on STATIC’s Instagram. The prizes will be given via vouchers that participants will find on-campus and take to STATIC to cash in and receive their prizes.

On Sunday, STATIC will be hosting a Drive-In Netflix & Chill Night. It will be an in-per-

son event and will take place at the open field next to Miller Stadium. The featured movie will be Disney’s “Soul” and will

begin at 8 p.m. It will be socially distanced, and participant are welcome to stay in their cars, but it may be difficult to hear the movie that way.

Lawn chairs, blankets and masks are encouraged instead for this first in-person event.

There will be no trivia for this Netflix & Chill, but there will be free individually-packaged snacks and drinks for attendees.

“We had many different movies to choose from thanks to Swank Motion Pictures,” Krug said.

“A number of STATIC members have seen ‘Soul’ already and loved it, so we all agreed it would be a great way to end our movie nights for this semester.”

The last event of the week will be the DIY Spa Tutorials 2 event that will take place on Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The tutorials will be streamed via Instagram Live with STATIC’s graduate adviser, Ali Walker,

giving step-by-step directions.

There will also be posts of prerecorded tutorials by STATIC’s Cultural Events Chair Jenise Lewis. Some of the tutorials that will be included will be how to make a citrus body sugar scrub, a watermelon-flavored lip scrub, DIY bath bombs and how to make a floral soap bar.

“We went with a fun, fruity, floral theme to celebrate spring,” Krug said.

To receive one of the spa kits participants will have to preregister and pick it up from the Hadley Union Building (HUB) in the STATIC office beginning on Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you cannot pick up a kit, the list of ingredients and materials can be accessed on STATIC’s webpage for this event.

The free grab-bag tutorial kits will include everything needed from sugar and essential oils to the silicone soap mold and dried flowers.

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April 21, 2021

Culture

9th Street Deli wins it all

IUP’s Favorite Bite declares its winner Favorite Bite Steven Langdon Jr. pbyw@iup.edu I am Steven and love to eat local food. Join me to determine the Best restaurant in Indiana.

After five weeks, our social media followers have decided IUP’s Favorite Bite. Three days of voting left us with one clear winner.

The winner of the finals was determined by The Penn’s Instagram and Twitter followers.

The results were collected from a three-day vote count from

Wednesday to Saturday.

Finally, I am pleased to announce the winner is 9th Street Deli. It was able to edge out Romeo’s 46.8 to 53.2 percent.

This is the second time 9th Street Deli has won the bracket. The other time was the first competition in 2018. Romeo’s will have to wait another year to try to dethrone the back-to-back champions.

9th Street Deli is located along Philadelphia Street next to the Indiana Library and opened in 2000.

It is known for its variety of different subs. According to its website, it currently has around 50 subs including a two-foot sub for those who are very hungry or want to share it with a friend.

There is more than just subs served as you could also get burgers, chicken tenders, fries, pastas and salads.

With the end of the competition here, I would like to give a couple awards revolving around the competition.

Best match up Romeo’s Pizza vs. Tres Amigos The first semifinal was the most entertaining battle this year. It featured the best pizza and international restaurants voted upon by our followers.

By the time the polls closed on Twitter, it was a tie. It then came down to how Instagram voted where Romeo’s won by two votes.

This battle was by far the

closest by the end of voting.

Hopefully down the line they will square off again.

Biggest surprise Not much change from 2018 At the end of the competition, it was interesting to see that there was not a lot of change from three years ago. There was some change leading up to the Final Four, but at the end there were three restaurants back in the semifinals.

The only difference from the first competition was the exclusion of Steel City Samiches, which is currently undergoing a remodel and was not included this year. This gave Brunzies an opportunity this

year, and since we combined it with Sub n’ Suds because they share the kitchen, they proved to be a steep competitor making it to the semifinal.

The real MVP Our social media followers Without our followers on Instagram and Twitter, this would not have been possible. It has been a great competition throughout and has been entertaining to say the least.

We will continue to run polls the remaining couple of weeks this semester. If you are interested, make sure to follow us on Instagram @thepenniup and on Twitter @ThePennIUP. Thank you once again for helping us throughout the competition and congratulations to 9th Street Deli.

Culture

April 21, 2021

15

H S A C E R O M G N I Y A !

P S E L T I T T S O M R O F

SELL YOUR BOOKS BACK TO US!

APRIL 29-30 & MAY 3-7 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Please return rental books before Monday, May 10 to avoid additional fees

April 21, 2021

16

Culture

The Rave-Ups

Editor shares tips to The ‘80s musical melting pot help heal the Earth EVA TILLICH Culture Editor jxsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Local Bands LANE LANNAN ffpcc@iup.edu

Protecting the planet start with all of us. So, in honor of Earth Day, here are some tips and tricks that you can use year round to help save and protect our planet. There are many creative and even simple tips that you can try to do at home and in the community that will make an impact.

I am in the top .001 percent of The Beach Boys’ fans on Spotify.

I also like playing games and vibing with my party lights.

Ever get tired of one genre of music? Well, you are in luck: The Rave-Ups have you covered.

The Rave-Ups were formed in 1979 by Jimmer Podrasky on guitar and vocals, Michael Kaniecki on guitar and vocals, George Carter on bass and vocals and TJ Junco on drums during their stay at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

This initial group did not last long, as Junco left that winter. Richard Slevin replaced him on drums soon after he left.

In 1980, Slevin left the group.

Victor McPoland joined the band to replace Slevin on drums, and the band made plans to move from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles. The band went back and forth a couple times, until the band split up. Later, in 1982, the band reformed with Podrasky, Tim Jimenez, Colleen Campbell and Danny Zippi.

Soon after this reformation, Campbell and Zippi were replaced

by Chuck Wada and Douglas Leonard, and the band signed with Fun Stuff Records for a six-song EP. This deal led to the band separating, reforming and releasing an album in 1985 titled “Town + Country.” The lead single, “Positively Lost Me,” became a hit for the band.

“The song (‘Positively Lost Me’) wasn’t bad,” Matthew Levenson (freshman, accounting) said. “I didn’t really like the vocals too much, but the instrumental in the background was pretty cool to hear.”

Levenson expanded on his thoughts by saying that the lead vocalist’s style was odd. The way his voice sounded, Levenson said, was not necessarily bad, but he just did not like the sound.

The release of “Town + Country” allowed the band to get more acclaim, which would lead them to a small part in the movie “Pretty in Pink.”

Following the success the band

Follow the three R’s

(Facebook) The Rave-Ups experienced some challenges while they were still together. saw after their movie appearance, as well as wrapping up a legal battle to switch record labels, a contract with Epic Records was signed in 1987. This allowed the band to release the album “The Book of Your Regrets” in 1987. The best-performing song from this album was “Freedom Bound” with 1,691 streams on Spotify.

“I think the song (‘Freedom Bound’) was really fun,” Dylan Roberts McDonald (freshman, psychology) said. “It had a nice rocking feel that carried the song really well.”

McDonald went on to say that the song was a great listening experience, specifically sighting the instrumentation and lyrics as why he liked the song as much as he did. Despite the good quality, Epic Records did not promote the album, so sales were minimal. This almost caused Epic to drop the band, but they were given one more chance to release another album.

In 1990, the band got to work on recording another album. The hope was that it would be enough to convince Epic Records to keep them signed to the label. The album was released in 1990 and called “Chance.” The lead single, “Respectfully King of Rain,” became a small hit, getting some airplay on MTV.

“I wasn’t sure about it (‘Respectfully King of Rain’) at first,” Olivia Wanat (freshman, history) said.

“After, I got more into the song; I actually liked the feel of it.

Wanat went on to say that the song at the start was not good in her opinion, but that it got better as the song went on, citing that the chorus was really nice. Unfortunately for the band, Epic Records did not like the low sales numbers that “Chance” was pulling in. The low numbers were due too little to no promotion from the record label.

Despite the label being at fault, the band was dropped from Epic Records based on the low sales of both “Chance” and “The Book of Regrets.”

The band struggled to stay together following being dropped by Epic. The band played some small concerts and appeared on one episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

Despite this, the band unofficially broke up in 1992.

Despite the breakup, members of The Rave-Ups remained in contact, even managing to get Omnivore Records to re-release “Town + Country” in 2016 as a 30th anniversary celebration of the album’s initial release.

So, why not give The Rave-Ups a listen for a great sound, as well as a mixed bag of musical styles and genres.

This tip is pretty much a given and something that you have probably heard before. In case you forget the three R’s, they are reduce, ruse and recycle.

This means that you should try to limit what you throw out. Try to repurpose old items or clothing or even start a compost bin.

If you need any ideas for new clothing or how to start a compost bin, a quick Google search will help you out.

Conserve water By using less water, you can help reduce the amount of pollution in our streams. Our water usages contributes to runoff and some of that can be harmful to the environment.

So, when brushing your teeth, turn off the faucet. You can also set a timer for your showers or even turn off the water when you are not rinsing off.

RIDE YOUR BIKE Biking reduces the amount of harmful chemicals that are being released in the air when you drive

your car. Bike is not only a good way to heal the planet but it is also a good way to exercise.

Be a smart shopper When going shopping, bring reusable bags. This way, you will not be using unnecessary plastics.

Also, when buying food try to avoid processed items if you can.

Reducing the amount processed foods you buy and consume is beneficial to your health and the environment. You should try to go buy organic or from local farmers.

PLANT A TREE or grow a garden Trees and plants are a great way to clean our air and help prevent climate change. Trees and plants alike produce oxygen for us in a process called photosynthesis.

Not only is maintaining a plant something positive for the Earth, but it is also a great activity to get you outside and to appreciate the nature around you.

EDucate yourself and Others It is important to understand the value of our planet and its natural resources. So, educate yourself and those around on how to be more conscious of the Earth and our effects on it. It is never too later to become informed.

On this Earth Day, go outside and try to make the world a cleaner, brighter and better place. We only get one Earth so it is important to try to preserve it and help combat climate change issues. Hopefully, you can adopt some of this tips and tricks into your own life. Just remember to reduce, reuse and recycle because it is easy to do.

Earth Day is celebrated on Thursday.

(Pixabay)

Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu Lead Sportswriter: Austin Smith – A.S.Smith7@iup.edu

Down but not Out: IUP golf forced to withdraw during home invitational JEFFERY HART Sports Editor J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

“Health trumps golf,” said IUP golf head coach Dan Braun. “Everyone just wants their teammates to healthy and safe.”

The IUP men’s golf team was in the midst of competing in the Cecil Spadafora invitational when they found out the news.

“I got a call from one of my players on Tuesday morning saying that three of our golfers didn’t feel well,” Braun said. “Our trainer talked with us about proper protocol. We sent them naturally to the health center, the whole team had gone out for dinner together. The entire team was asked to stay home until we got further details on the players who were not well. They did test positive for COVID-19.”

This news could not have come at a more inconvenient time for the Hawks. IUP was leading after the first round of the tournament by a slim one-stroke lead ahead of Shepherd University. In fact, they were in the midst of their lowest-scoring performance of the season before the news hit.

After finding out about the team’s initial exposure, it was determined that the entire team would need to withdraw for health and safety concerns.

Despite the event being IUP’s home invitational, teams were still able to compete after IUP’s withdrawal.

“It was determined that the contact was not close,” Braun said. “All schools were notified by their medical staff. With the nature of the game, there is reason to be cautious, they naturally don’t play close to each other.”

The final results of the tournament were, Shepherd taking the team victory with Bluefield State and Millersville following suit.

To worsen the situation, the Atlantic/East Regional tournament is roughly two weeks away. And with an entire team quarantined, where does that leave IUP? “We are going to quarantine and follow protocol for all players who test positive for COVID-19,” Braun said. “If a player goes five

Sports

(Natalie Stanton/ The Penn) The IUP golf team was forced to withdraw from their home invitational after health and safety concerns. days without testing positive, they will be allowed to return to compete.”

Luckily, this gives the Hawks enough time to get most of their team back, barring no one else testing positive. Even though this news would be hard for anyone to hear, this team took it in stride.

“I think they handle disappoint-

ment with grace and dignity,” Braun said. “We were leading the tournament with our lowest score.

It would be easy to handle this situation differently. They understood the situation, and what we could and could not do. We just hope that everyone’s health is OK. “I think now we will appreciate the opportunity we had to play

April 21, 2021

all semester. Also, we can start to sympathize with those who have been in our position before. And will be in our position after. This has is happening at every level.

Nobody is immune to having this issue with this virus.

“What’s difficult for us, another sports team can reschedule for other sports team. It’s a tourna-

ment, it is still going to happen without us or not. We don’t have that luxury of changing schedule.”

Braun and this squad will be hungry to make up for lost time at the Regional tournament on May 6 at the Lake View Country Club in Northeast, PA. Even though they might be down now, the Hawks are not out of the big tournament.

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April 21, 2021

Sports

Crimson Hawks soar to solid day at Bill Lennox Invite STEVEN LANGDON JR

Editor-in-Chief PBYW@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Tighten those spikes and gather your throwing equipment because the Crimson Hawks are back. The team traveled to PSAC rival Slippery Rock University for the Bill Lennox Invite on Saturday. It was the second time this season they traveled to Slippery Rock.

Although there was not an individual winner, the team collected three second-place finishes. The meet was not scored, but it served as a motivational boost with many top-five finishes.

A big standout was in the women’s 800-meter race. The Crimson Hawks finished second and third with Paige Wess (sophomore, nursing) finishing with a time of 2:26.55, which was 0.07 faster than her teammate Tori James (freshman, nursing) with a time of 2:26.62.

Wess has been one of the standouts for the Crimson Hawks, who is competing in the first outdoor season of her career after last season's cancelation.

“I think for not competing in about a year, and for it being my first collegiate outdoor track season I have performed well, but I’m not fully satisfied just yet,” Wess said.

Although she has had several top finishes in the 800-meter this season Wess still wants to improve her time.

“I would definitely like to cut a few seconds off my 800 time, so hopefully I can make that happen before the season ends,” she said.

This kind of motivation is exactly what is needed as the season winds down. Having a teammate like James, who can run next to Wess, will be important as well when it comes to meets that score team

From IUP Sports information Chantal Jimenez (freshman, biology) scored four goals in the game’s first 19 minutes, helping the IUP women’s lacrosse team jump out to a big early lead en route to a 17-12 victory against Gannon Saturday afternoon at Miller Stadium.

Jimenez was one of seven Crimson Hawks to score a goal as they used balanced scoring to improve to 4–4 overall and 4–3 in PSAC West play. Gannon fell to 1–7 overall and 0-6 in the division.

points. They are two names to keep an eye out for in the 800-meter.

The track team also had Brianna Herr (senior, food and nutrition) finish in second place during the 5000-meter race. She finished with a time of 19:28.65.

Saturday was the first meet that IUP competed in the 3000-meter steeplechase. On the women’s side was Emma Grace Alexy (sophomore, natural science biology) who finished seventh with a time of 13:37.32.

James and Wess were not the only Crimson Hawks to finish backto-back as Cahsia Page (freshman, fashion and interior design) and Cassidy Kline (freshman, safety sciences) finished ninth and 10th respectfully.

Finally on the women’s side was Haley Dodson (freshman, history), who collected her first career topfive finish with a 38.12-foot throw-in shotput. That throw was good for fifth overall.

Heading over to the men’s team where Sam Lenze (senior, biochemistry) led the way in the 3000-meter steeplechase. He finished in second with a time of 9:57.49. Soon after Lenze was Nate Kuntz (freshman, kinesiology health and sports science) finishing in fourth with a time of 10:31.39.

Freshmen continued to dominate the day for the Crimson Hawks with Marco Cardone (freshman, political science) finishing fourth in the 5000-meter with a time of 15:44.90.

Yet another duo had a top-five finish, this time in the high jump.

Jayden Thomas (sophomore, marketing) and Trejon Turner (freshman, finance and legal studies) finished tied for fifth after clearing 6.10 feet.

Justin Jones (graduate student, mathematical and computer sciences) continued his solid season in the

1500-meter. His 4:14.31 time was good enough for fifth place overall.

Gregg Taylor (junior, kinesiology health and sports science) continued the day for the throwers finishing sixth in discus. His best throw was 132.45 feet.

Back on the track, IUP’s Ethan

Ribelin (freshman, management) finished ninth in the 5000-meter with a time of 16:11.31. Addison Singleton (sophomore, finance) ran a 16.61 in the 110-meter hurdles, which was good for ninth. Finally, was Mitch Chunta (sophomore, psychology), who finished 10th in the 800-meters

with a time of 2:02.83.

Next on tap for the track and field team is the Paul Kaiser Classic on Saturday in Shippensburg. The week after they will be back locally as they will travel to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown for the Pitt-Johnstown Invitational.

Who stood out Jimenez scored five goals, had 10 draw controls, two ground balls and caused two turnovers.

Kayte Zeiler (senior, exercise science) scored five goals, had three draw controls, one ground ball and one caused turnover.

Jordan Kulp (sophomore, nursing) scored seven points on two goals and five assists.

Sarah Reustle (freshman, academic affairs) scored three points on a goal and two assists, had seven draw controls and two ground balls.

Hannah Sharkey (freshman, education, and humanities) grabbed seven ground balls and caused six turnovers.

Shannon Reape (senior, nursing) had four ground balls and four caused turnovers.

How it happened The Crimson Hawks jumped to a big early lead, scoring the game’s first eight goals with Jimenez netting four. Zeiler and Kulp each added a pair of first-half goals as IUP went

into the break with a 10–3 lead.

The IUP defense was tough from the start, forcing Gannon into 17 first-half turnovers and allowing the Golden Knights just six clears in 11 chances.

Gannon did try to gain some second-half momentum, scoring consecutive goals three times in the first 16 minutes to cut IUP’s lead to 14–9. The

Hawks responded with three straight scores, with Zeiler, Reustle, and Emily Elliott (freshman, business) putting the game out of reach at 17–9 with four minutes to play.

Kelly Macnamara (junior, health and physical education) a natural attacker, earned the win in her first career start at goalie. She finished with three saves.

Up next These two teams meet again Thursday in Erie in a game that was originally scheduled for March 23.

(IUP Athletics) The Hawks were determined to stand out this weekend at the Lennox Invitational.

April 21, 2021

Sports

19

IUP tennis extends win streak, beating Bluefield State and Salem AUSTIN SMITH Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP As most teams will be gearing up for a good playoff run, the IUP women’s tennis seems to already be geared up for a big battle.

The Hawks currently stand at a 11–3 overall record and a perfect 6–0 in the conference. The big weekend victories took place at Maple Courts, home of the Crimson Hawks, and started with a 6–1 victory against Bluefield State.

This victory put the Hawks at a 4–1 record against Atlantic Region top 10 competition. The doubles game was clicking for the Hawks in this one as they picked up three victories. Idoia Huerta (junior, biology) and Lydia Vlachou (freshman, public health) in the doubles match won by a score of 6–0, which was their ninth straight win.

“I feel that the team is its best momentum right now,” Huerta said. “Everyone is doing great; we are healthier than at the beginning of the season, and we are ready to battle the next step. I feel really good about my game. Right now, we are just focusing on the matches. There is not much we can do right now to improve our fitness level or make big corrections in our game.

“Now we take what we got, we get efficient practice that take one hour at most just to get repetitions in, the motions and the feeling with the ball to get us ready to battle every match. We are ready for the post season.”

With putting up great numbers like that, you know you are doing something right. Even in a short practice duration, the Hawks get done what is needed of them, and that’s why the Hawks are in the great position they are in right now.

We can’t forget the duo of Karolin Kirchtag (junior, sports administration) and Katy Graydon (freshman, undecided), who won their ninth straight with a 6–4 win at two.

To cap it off, Laura Dunarova (junior, accounting) and Abby Jones (freshman, environmental engineering) got a 6–4 victory in their matchup against Bluefield.

Just because there is more individual contribution in tennis more than other sports does not mean it is not a full team sport. It takes a lot of teamwork in the doubles matches to bring that complete game.

“Every match matters; every

opponent matters,” Huerta said.

“All the matches we have in our season matter, otherwise they would not be in the schedule.

There are different things to learn at each match: Either you win or you don’t.

“Going 5–1 this year against teams ranked in the top 10 of the region matters to me. It means that there’s still work to do, and we have the opportunity and skills to be the best team in the region.

We are ready to prove that by giving our best tennis in the next two weeks. The end of the year results is based on the season results. If we don’t take seriously the season and care about all the matches we play, we won’t make it to the post season.

“Every match is important,” Huerta said.

After a solid win against Bluefield State, the Hawks had a quick turnaround with a date against Salem the day after. They picked up right where they left off and picked up some doubles victories with the duo of Huerta and Vlachou earning their 10th straight victory.

Shortly after, Kirchtag and Graydon claimed their 10th straight victory with a score of 6–3. As far as the singles matches went, Kirchtag defeated Ana Kunic by the scores of 6–3 and 6–1. Graydon took care of her business by the scores of 6–3, 5–7 and 10–8.

Huerta had a challenge against Salem’s Iryna Rusyn. Huerta did fall by the scores of 6–3, 4–6 and 10–8.

The Hawks are excited and confident in how they have performed so far this season and want to make a big splash this year.

“We dominated the conference in the regular season,” Huerta said. “We are giving the message of being the best team in the region, but we have to prove that every day at every match.

“The rest of the teams know that and they bring they best tennis to try to beat us. We keep proving it; we are the best team in the conference, and this build confidence that helps us going into regionals and the national tournament.”

With a thriller weekend and regionals and nationals coming up, the Hawks will look to keep the train rolling. Their next matchup will be against West Liberty on Wednesday at Indiana at 3:30 p.m.

They will then wrap up their regular season at Bucknell on Friday at 2:30 p.m.

(Steven Langdon Jr./ The Penn) IUP tennis has been on a 10-game run that has the team in good position.

April 21, 2021

20

Sports

(IUP Athletics) Kaitlyn Beers will go down in IUP history after setting the program home run record.

The Hawks hitting their way through success: Beers sets program home run record.

AUSTIN SMITH Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The Crimson Hawks softball team shattered records on Monday.

The Hawks currently sit at an overall 17–11 record and a 15–9 record in the conference.

This is following the historic performance on Monday, during which Kaitlyn Beers (graduate student, psychology) set IUP’s home run record in the doubleheader against Edinboro in the sixth inning of Game 2 Beers broke the softball program's all-time record with her 29th career homer.

She surpassed the former

record held by Sarah White (2003–06) and Jasa Mitchell (2012–14). With 12 homers this year, she now has her sights set on the single-season record of 15 held by Mitchell (2014).

The Hawks started with a busy weekend against Edinboro leading up to Beer’s historic moment, posting a 3–1 record. The Hawks started with a victory on senior day by a close score of 9–7.

Amanda Fischer (freshman, biology) got the win for the Hawks that improved her record to a 7–2 on the mound this season.

Game 1 of senior day started with RBIs from Haleigh Zimmerman (sophomore, safety science) and Ashley Renzi (sophomore, kinesiology), which gave them a 3–1 lead. Edinboro jumped on top to a 4–3 lead shortly after.

The third and fourth inning was when the Hawks started stirring up the offense and regained the lead and went up 8–4, courtesy of Zimmerman starting it off with a two-run home run to right-center field. Fischer also struck a solo shot in the sixth inning before Edinboro made it a very close game.

IUP did manage to hold off Edinboro’s late push with Fischer finishing off her strong pitching. In Game 2, it also came to the wire with the final 3–2 victory for the Hawks. Edinboro was up 2–1 in the game earlier on.

It was a 2–1 game up until the seventh inning when Renee Wall (senior, criminology) hit a two-run home run in left field to give the Hawks a 3–2 victory, finishing off their senior day with a 2–0 record.

The four current seniors on the roster are Shayanne Kimmel (human and family services), Rachel Rodriguez (senior, kinesiology), Wall and Sara Hull (senior, sociology).

The Hawks then headed to Edinboro to finish off the weekend series. In Game 1 at Edinboro, the Hawks got up to an early 2–0 start courtesy of Margret Russo (sophomore, biology) with an RBI single in the second. In the fifth inning, Beers swung a double, scoring Walls.

Hope Jones (sophomore, psychology) pitched very well through four innings, taking a perfect game into the fifth inning.

The sixth inning was when Edinboro exploded offensively, taking control of the game to pick up the 9–2 victory. Game 2 was more a revenge game for the Hawks, as they took the victory of 6–1.

They got off to a three-run inning in the first to grab the lead. Zimmerman drove in Jenna Rhue (junior, criminology) and Beers with a double. In the fifth,

IUP went up 5–0 with a two-run double off the bat of Walls.The game was called after Edinboro managed to get the 6–1 victory to finish off the weekend against Edinboro.

“I believe that this team is headed on the right track right now,” Jones said. “We are playing better as a team and playing for each other. We are on track to hit our peak right when we need to and are excited to see what the rest of the season holds.”

The Hawks had a date with Millersville for a two-game series Monday and went 1–1. They won the first game 8–0 and lost the second one. The Hawks will start a series next weekend at Gannon for the first two games, starting Friday at 2:30 p.m.