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CEREMONY DIGS UP DIRT FOR NEW SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH BUILDING

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News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

(Karis Cornelius/The Penn) The John J. and Char Kopchick Hall broke ground Sept. 23, with appearances by Dr. Michael Driscoll, president of the university, and John and Char Kopchick (right).

Ceremony digs up dirt for new scientific research building JULIA ROBINS Contributing Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The groundbreaking ceremony for John J. and Char Kopchick Hall, the new science building, took place in the Oak Grove Sept. 23.

The first to speak at the ceremony was Vice President for University Advancement Khatmeh Osseiran-Hanna. “[Kopchick Hall] will be the epicenter of all of our stem work,” she said. “It will provide our students with top-notch opportunities and our faculty members with a new home that will allow them to expand research and explore new ways of sharing their love of science and mathematics.

“The building behind me points to our future. We want to be leaders in research in discovery. We want to be known as a destination for curious scientists and mathematicians who want to learn more and share what they have discovered.”

The building will be 142,536 square feet with four floors and a basement. It will be equipped with an anatomy lab, green-

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house, imaging lab, laser lab, planetarium and vivarium.

Kopchick Hall will replace and Walsh and Weyandt Hall, which were both built in the 1960s.

It will also sit on the ground of Leonard Hall (English Department), which was named after Jane E. Leonard who taught for 46 years and fought for the advancement of women’s rights.

Dr. Deanne Snavely, the dean of the Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, explained the history of how this new science building came to be and her optimism for the future.

“The first request that IUP put in for a new science building was over 20 years ago,” she said. “It has been on the docket for a long time. I am in my 10th year here at IUP, and when I arrived, I was told I was going to be designing the new science building for IUP. “Ten years later, we are getting to the point where we are doing the groundbreaking. This has been in the plans for a long time.”

Snavely said the building represents the “continuation of high standards that we strive for in science and math at IUP.” She also praised the efforts of

faculty, staff and students who are working together to build a scientific community.

Dr. John and Char Kopchick, both IUP alumni, gave 23 million dollars to IUP’s Imagine Unlimited Campaign in April 2018 for the new science building.

In October, IUP will reach the goal of fundraising 75 million dollars for the building. The money left over will also go toward scholarships and research opportunities for undergraduates. John Kopchick explained why he chose to give that money to IUP. “Without my education here, I wouldn’t be in a position to give anyone money,” he said. “It is a way of giving back, looking forward, paying ahead. We are very proud to do that. We are very fortunate to be able to give some back.”

Kopchick said he is humbled to have the building named after them.

“We are very honored by it,” he said, “but the biggest thing is what is going to go on inside the building, and that is the training of young minds in the mathematics and the sciences.”

After John Kopchick earned his bachelor's and master’s degree in molecular biology at

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IUP in 1975, he went on to teach biology at Ohio University. His wife, Char, is the assistant dean of students there. John also became the co-inventor of the drug Somavert, which treats the rare hormonal disorder acromegaly.

Char Kopchick spoke of the different definitions of what groundbreaking means and its importance in stepping toward a bright future.

“What I would like you all to remember about today’s groundbreaking is that today is much more than turning the first sod of the construction of what is going to be a new and amazing building,” she said. “It is about the groundbreaking things that are going to occur within its walls. It is about the faculty and students who will discover remarkable things by being innovative, and these same faculty and students will pioneer new fields of inquiry in science and mathematics.”

Most importantly, she said it is about the students so they can build a solid foundation for their futures.

“Our town is Indiana, our state is Pennsylvania,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said. “But our reach [with Kopchick Hall] is the whole world. Here, they will do

more than be in awe of new discoveries; they will make them.”

Geoscience professor Dr. Jonathan Lewis also looks forward to the new building.

“I am excited to teach and guide student-driven geoscience research in a modern building purpose-built for science,” he said. “The open configuration and shared lab spaces will enable cross-disciplinary conversations and more sharing overall.

“Sharing ideas leads to synergy, and this will provide a rich environment for training the next generation of problem solvers.”

The finished building in fall 2023 is a long way away. This year, according to Director of Engineering and Construction Jason Mackovyak, students can see excavations, hauling and underground utility work being done.

The current schedule is for concrete footers, the major structure of the building, to be completed in late April 2021.

Steel erection, the framework and shape of the building, will start in May 2021 and extend until October. The demolition of Weyandt will begin in August 2023 after classes have started.

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The Haven Project’s annual RAINN Day was Sept. 23. The day brings awareness to rape, abuse and incest and the survivors of those violences.

(The Penn Archives)

Haven Project hosts annual event bringing awareness to sexual assault MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zglz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP IUP’s Haven Project hosted its annual RAINN Day (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 23 in the Oak Grove.

This event was preceded by the Chalk the Walk event from 4 to 7 p.m. the day before.

“RAINN Day typically occurs in April for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, but we have moved it to September to be able to hold it outside for people to view in the fall semester with generally nicer weather,” said Jennifer McCroskey, the Haven Project’s sexual violence prevention educator and organizer of RAINN Day. “It also compliments Take Back the Night which, typically occurs in April to also support Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.”

RAINN Day “empower[s] college students to be an ally and educate their peers about sexual violence, bystander intervention and recovery resources,” according to McCroskey.

As in previous years, umbrellas lined the sidewalk in the Oak Grove, decorated with resources or messages of support. Normally, the Haven Project would hold umbrella-making workshops prior to RAINN Day, but COVID-19 threw a

(Facebook) The IUP Haven Project’s moto is “Supporting Survivors, Stopping Violence” and works to do so. wrench in this plan.

“Instead of host[ing] several umbrella making workshops, we created umbrella making kits that could be picked up and returned,” McCroskey said. “People were able to pick up a kit, create the umbrella in their own space, bring everything back, and the kit would be sanitized and restocked for the next person. We had one organization and two individuals create umbrellas for this year’s event.”

The Chalk the Walk event went off without a hitch. Participants covered the sidewalk with positive messages, resources and statistics.

“We asked people to use hand sanitizer before taking the chalk bags and cleaned everything once it was returned,” McCroskey said.

“We encouraged attendees that took part to stay distanced from one another while chalking.”

This year, around 100 people interacted with the Haven Project’s table set up in the Oak Grove.

The number was 541 last year, but McCroskey felt that their work was as important as ever.

“We didn’t see the same volume of people this year due to less being on campus because of COVID-19, but we felt it was still impactful for the ones that did communicate with us,” she said.

This year’s Chalk the Walk event saw 76 participants, while last year’s saw 52.

The Haven Project also had to account for social distancing guidelines during volunteer training. Only 12 people were allowed to attend in-person training, so the rest of the volunteers had to tunein via Zoom.

Since October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Haven Project will be hosting several training sessions both in-person and over Zoom.

A program called “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” will be held via Zoom two times throughout the

month. The first presentation will be 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8; the second will be 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 19.

It’s On Us volunteer training will be held 7 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 both in-person in Suites on Maple East Room G-6 (limited to 10 people) and online via Zoom, according to McCroskey.

The Haven Project will also set up a rotating Silent Witness Display in the residence halls through October. Silent Witnesses are silhouettes of people containing the true stories of someone who was killed in an act of domestic violence in the U.S. The displays will be open for viewing in each of the residence halls two to four days in October.

“The Silent Witness stories contain descriptive themes of sexual and domestic violence, including child abuse,” McCroskey said. “Please do not read the stories if such topics trigger you or make you upset.”

Generally speaking, the Haven Project helps students who have been affected by sexual violence, domestic/dating violence and stalking, according to Dr. Jessica Miller, the Haven Project’s director.

The Haven Project focuses specifically on prevention – “educat[ing] the campus community on these issues by providing educational programming and awareness campaigns and events” – and intervention

– “support[ing] victims and survivors by providing confidential counseling and information on resources, accommodations and reporting options,” Miller said.

She meets with students to discuss their options in the wake of an incident.

“During the process, the student is in complete control, and no further action happens unless they choose to move forward,” Miller said. “I just want students to know they don’t need to go through this alone.”

The Haven Project works with university police, Pennsylvania State Police, Indiana Borough Police, the Alice Paul House and the counseling center, according to its website, www.iup.edu/haven.

IUP’s Haven Project is a threetime recipient of Gov. Tom Wolf’s It’s On Us Grant, which has given close to $4 million through 149 such grants to postsecondary institutions since 2016, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

“It's On Us PA is a statewide campaign that invites everyone to play a role in ending sexual assault,” according to its website.

The Haven Project can be reached via email, haven-project@iup.edu; phone, 724-357-3947; or, during nonCOVID-19 times because the office is currently closed to the public, by visiting Suites on Maple East Room G-2.

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Local pub closes doors for last time

Family-owned sports bar closes to rebrand with new name RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer myjv@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Twisted Jimmy’s, a family-owned sports bar in downtown Indiana that opened its doors eight years ago, will rebrand as “Pig Iron Public House.”

Along with Twisted Jimmy’s, the Lang family owns two other brands that are recognizable in the Pittsburgh and Indiana areas: Pig Iron Public House and Steel City Samiches.

The first Pig Iron Public House opened in March of 2015 as a family friendly restaurant and bar. The location boasts 66 beers on tap, craft liquor and locally sourced food. Now, it’s coming to downtown Indiana.

“The last few months have given us time to reflect on the past 12 years of our business,” the Lang family said. “We are extremely grateful for all the

support we have received from the Indiana community since day one.”

They first opened Pig Iron Public House north of Pittsburgh.

“We have come to realize that in these changing times, consolidation of our three concepts into one uniform brand will allow us to focus and provide the best chance of future success,” they said.

Thus, the family has chosen to “move ahead” at their Indiana location as Pig Iron Public House.

“Over the next few weeks, we will begin a refresh of our physical space as well as our social media accounts and overall brand footprint,” the Lang family said.

The move to consolidate the three brands came as a surprise to much of the Indiana community, with many believing the location was permanently closing instead of just rebranding.

“I really enjoyed the environment at Twisted Jimmy’s,” Gabrielle McCracken (senior, music education) said. “The bartenders were amazing, as were the bouncers, and I’m sad to see it go because that’s a bar that the music students frequented. I can’t say I like any other bar in Indiana as much as I liked Jimmy’s. I’ll go to the new place just to check it out, but it just won’t be the same.”

An IUP alumna, Alyssa Padilla, was saddened to hear that Twisted Jimmy’s is closing their doors.

“So many nights full of great memories and fun spent there with friends,” she said. “Their amazing orange and blue crushes will forev-

(Josh Rupeka/The Penn) Twisted Jimmy’s is undergoing renovations to change the name from “Twisted Jimmy’s” to “Pig Iron Public House” after 8 years under the previous name. er hold a special place in my heart.”

However, customers will still be able to enjoy many of the fan-favorites from the original Twisted Jimmy’s menu at the new Pig Iron Public House.

“We will continue to provide the excellent customer service and food that we have for the past 12 years,” the Lang family said. “There will be some menu changes, but we will keep the favorites that you’ve come to love.”

The family also mentioned that

gift cards for Steel City and Twisted Jimmy’s will be honored at Pig Iron Public House.

“The main changes will be to our atmosphere, marketing and branding, so you’ll see your favorite servers wearing some cool new merchandise,” they said.

While there is no set date for the reopening of Twisted Jimmy’s as Pig Iron Public House, updates of their rebranding progress can be found on their various social media accounts.

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Midterm grades released before exams are taken JULIA ROBINS Contributing Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Despite many students not yet having midterm exams, professors will be entering midterm grades from Sept. 21 to Oct. 5 this semester.

Midterm grades are a point of advisement to help students gauge their academic success in the course. Usually, they are paired with midterm exams, but this doesn’t appear to be the case for the fall 2020 semester.

In previous years, professors had from Oct. 11-21 to enter those grades, which is when midterm exams and projects took place. For those who require midterm exams and projects that are later in the fall, the change in dates could be confusing. The grades might not be quite as accurate because it could only show a few homework or attendance grades.

“For a major requiring a consistent GPA, midterms are a good checking point,” Mackenzie Gillie (sophomore, speech pathology) said. “You can adjust how you are going about classes at this point if needed. I think if midterm grades were a week or two later, it would be more accurate with the tests that all come in.”

On the other hand, there are many classes that do not require midterm exams, or exams at all, for that matter. So, a midterm grade is only an update on how students are doing at this point in time. Both D2L and Moodle’s grade category does not show an average. It only shows specific assignment grades.

Many students may find it useful to see earlier how they are doing in a class. Either way, any midterm date will have its advantages and disadvantages for different types of classes.

“The reason for the change was to alert students earlier to poor performance so they may make informed decisions about course withdrawal,” Dr. Michele Papakie, chair of the Department of Journalism and Public Relations, said. “I understand this would be helpful to students, but their midterm project is not due until Oct. 6 because I need to provide instruction on it up until then. Therefore, I am not sure how useful midterm grades will be to them.”

Psychology professor Dr.

(Facebook) Schools included in the integration change are California University (left), Clarion University (right) and Edinboro University (bottom).

(Facebook) Students can check their midterm grades by clicking “Academics” on the MyIUP site.

Christina Ceary shared a similar viewpoint.

“It really depends on the class,” she said. “Your midterm grades will be based on what you have done so far, but a lot of the possible grades come in the latter half of the semester. So, it is hard to say how useful it is other than as a gauge of where students are currently.”

Science classes, especially those paired with lab sections, also run into trouble with midterm grades. Many sciences offer separate midterm grades for lab and lecture sections despite them being combined at the end of the semester.

Geoscience professor Dr. Jonathan Lewis said that midterm grades will be based on the students’ reflection and lab notes.

“That's not much to go on which means if you've missed a few assignments the grade will be shockingly bad,” he said.

Oct. 5 is the deadline for both course withdrawal and pass/fail forms, which can be found at https://www.iup.edu/registrar/ forms/. With the pass/fail form, students can choose a “pass or fail” option as opposed to the typical letter grade system.

Having earlier midterm grades can help students decide on this matter, but if their classes haven’t had meaningful assignments yet, these decisions become more difficult.

IUP not involved in integrations changes among PASSHE schools EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Schools within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) are making some surprise changes, but IUP is not included in these plans.

Announced in early September, Pennsylvania universities have decided that they will affiliate together. The decision came after proposals by PASSHE Chancellor Daniel Greenstein were made this past July.

The three western Pennsylvania schools in question are California University, Clarion and Edinboro.

Affiliation for these schools means that certain programs will be merged with other universities.

However, instead of calling these changes mergers, they are being called integrations.

It is said that these integrations will help save money and cause ease amongst students and administrations alike.

California University will be affiliating with Clarion and Edinboro, and they will join with Slippery Rock. Aside from western Pennsylvania, Mansfield University will affiliate with Lock Haven.

Greenstein released a statement regarding the decision being made.

“The goal of university integrations is to expand opportunities for students beyond those a single school can achieve on its own,” Greenstein said. “We’ve been clear since the start – the data and analysis will ultimately drive us toward the right combination of universities.”

However, not included on the list of schools affiliating are IUP and West Chester University.

Michelle Fryling, executive director of media relations at IUP, was reached in question over the school’s omission.

“We certainly support the Chancellor’s System Redesign initiative,” Fryling said. “When Senate Bill 50 was passed, IUP and West Chester University were removed from the universities that would be considered for integration.”

Though she did not have a reason to why, she referred to the chancellor’s communications person, David Pidgeon, for further explanation. At the time of this article, he has yet to return with a comment.

The reasoning behind the need for affiliations among schools hails from the struggles that PASSHE universities have dealt with financially over the years. As a whole, the universities have seen a lower rate of student enrollment, hurting their budgets.

Despite the fact that this idea had been brought up in July, it was

still an overall surprise to those working with the school system.

Faculty members and administrators were informed at the same time as the general public was.

As reported by Inside Higher Ed, the president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties Jamie Martin was taken aback by the news release.

“It’s rather premature, even by the chancellor’s own timeline,” she said.

However, others in the school system look forward to the change.

This includes Edinboro’s Faculty President Peter Kuvshinikovm who said it would help bring strength to the schools.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students coming to college has taken a more drastic blow. The integrations may help stop this from adding to the hurt that universities would face originally.

Though details remain blurry overall, there is still a lot of time before any definitive results or predictions can be made about the decision. Since not all PASSHE schools are being involved, there may be some answer later on in telling whether the decision was actually helpful or not.

If things go well for the integrations, perhaps IUP and West Chester will join the group of schools themselves.

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Justice not served

Trial leaves officers without murder charge EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The recent trial of the three officers who took part in the raid that resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor ended with no charges for her death.

The saying “No justice, no peace” has been prominent throughout 2020 as the Black Lives Matter campaign continues on.

Taylor, an ER technician at the University of Louisville Health, was killed at her home March 13 after the officers came to her apartment to execute a search warrant.

The forced entry into the apartment with Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, resulted in a shootout, believing the police to be intruders. It is still unknown whether or not the officers announced themselves before coming through the door.

Though Walker was not hurt, Taylor was shot six times, dying

(Facebook) Breonna Taylor was murdered in her home on March 13 by officers who were there to execute a search warrent. at the age of 26.

None of the officers were charged with murder. However, one of them, Brett Hankison, was charged with three counts of “wanton endangerment” for shots into the neighboring walls.

Each charge could mean a fine and up to five years in prison.

The other two officers received no charges.

Public opinion on the matter has been mixed, though most

continue to fight against the trial decision. Those who found the verdict to be wrong have stated it is due to racism. Others have said they did not think the police did anything wrong and were only doing their job.

Student opinion at IUP has been just as strong about the matter. Though all who were questioned found her death to be unfair, their opinions on the verdict was more mixed.

Austin Dukes (senior, criminology) said he believed his opinion was unpopular, especially among other students.

“The incident happens to be horrible,” he said. “She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

However, Dukes also said that because he did his own research, there is some justifiable reasoning behind the police’s actions.

He said it followed protocol.

It does not mean he thought the police were charged correctly however. He said there needs to be a change in the system.

“We’re in a chaotic time where everyone is in an uproar, and a lot of misinformation is making it worse for us,” he said. “We also do need a justice system rework because there’s a lot of issues we face that aren’t changing.

It shows that our leaders aren’t willing to make the proper changes.”

Aura Weaver (senior, biology) said she felt very upset at the turnout of the case. Like Dukes, she did not think the judicial system did a proper job.

“They wrongfully killed someone, and they weren’t even at the right place,” Weaver said. “They should have been held accountable for what they did and not be okay to walk free.”

Just as upset by the outcome is Savannah Kyler (senior, theater), who has been outspoken in her thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement, both in the country and at IUP. She is an administrator for the Facebook page BLM at IUP. “I haven't been this devastated and despondent my whole life,” she said.

She said that more people should be upset because this is not a one-time event, nor will it be the last time it happens.

“Everyone should be concerned about one particular profession being able to break in and kill people with complete impunity,” she said.

Protests over the verdict continue. It is unknown whether there will be any further convictions or retrials, but an FBI investigation is still ongoing.

IUP ROTC program changes amid pandemic, keeps safety top priority OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kxxw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Due to COVID-19, IUP’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program had to change up their normal routine.

Cadet Captain (CPT) Adam Becker, assistant professor of military science, explained what ROTC is all about, and what they’re doing this semester.

“ROTC was established at IUP in 1950 and is considered a college elective for students that decide to participate,” he said.

“Students do not join the Army just by enrolling. Students that apply and are chosen to receive contracts will become commissioned officers in the Army upon successful completion of the ROTC course requirements.”

Since the program has begun, they have commissioned 2,129 officers.

The ROTC has been in place since 1950.

Becker said the ROTC program has two phases. The basic course is usually taken during the freshman and sophomore years of college. It involves the study of Army history, organization and structure.

“Students can expect to learn basic military skills such as rifle marksmanship, first aid training,

(Credit)

and land navigation,” he said.

The advanced course is typically taken in the junior and senior years, and it focuses on military instruction and tactical operations.

Command techniques, leadership and management are stressed throughout both courses in the year.

“To ensure our cadets get the best training possible, we have continued to conduct most operations while adhering to safety protocols established by the CDC, state health department and IUP,” Becker said. “Since much of our training was already conducted outside, we can ensure social distancing while training.”

He said that they have continued to conduct daily physical fitness, but they have added daily temperature checks and facial coverings. They also spread platoons farther apart to enable social distancing.

“Classes have continued, and we recently completed our fall field training exercise where cadets learn the skills necessary to become leaders in the Army,” he said.

During the field training exercise, Becker explained that cadets were able to participate in multiple events including completing an obstacle course,

firing multiple weapons and rappelling.

The ROTC program has participated in multiple IUP events such as the recent freshman move-in and the Sept. 11 commemoration ceremony.

During the freshman movein, cadets helped direct new students to their dorm rooms in an orderly manner.

In the commemoration ceremony, which was the 19-year anniversary of the attacks on Sept.

11 held in the Oak Grove, they showed their support with the presence of the entire battalion.

The color guard and cadets laid a wreath at the memorial.

For details on individual events and pictures, students can visit their Instagram @ iup_army_rotc. Additionally, students can take a look at this fall’s IUP ROTC magazine, and on page 11, it has an overview of early operations during the COVID shutdown.

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End of month brought historical events, landmarks to U.S. HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The last day of September brought about many historic events that would change the course of history as we know it.

From the first voyage around the world to the Nuremberg Trials in the 1940s, the world would never be the same.

In 1787, the very first U.S. voyage around the world took place.

Aboard the “Columbia Rediviva,” also known as “Columbia,” Captain Robert Gray and John Kendrick ventured from Boston to sail around Cape Horn in search of fortune.

The American-China trade had merchants seeking porcelain, silks and teas. Boston entrepreneurs decided that trading the furs of sea otters would be beneficial, as they were highly prized in China, in exchange for tea and other Chinese goods.

The “Columbia” wasn’t the only ship to set sail that year, as “The Washington” also departed. However, “Columbia” was the first to return, Aug. 1790, almost three years after it had set sail.

The ship became the first American-flagged ship to circumnavigate the globe.

Robert Haswell, who joined “Columbia” as the ship’s third mate, kept a record of the ship’s journey and the occurrences on board. The record was published as “A Voyage Around the World Onboard the Ship Columbia-Rediviva and Sloop Washington, 1787-1789” between 1791 and 1792.

1864: Black Soldier Given Medal of Honor for the first time Out of the billions of soldiers who fought in wars and who have received the U.S. Medal of Honor, a black soldier did not receive it until 1864.

Robert Blake, who served as a Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War, was the first black soldier to receive a Medal of Honor.

William Harvey Carney, who was

(Facebook) Robert Blake (left) was the first black soldier to receive the Medal of Honor. The Hoover Dam (right) was first dedicated in 1935.

also a black soldier, was the first soldier to perform a Medal of Honor action, however Blake was the first to physically receive the medal, with Carney receiving his in 1900.

Blake fought in the American Civil War aboard the USS Marblehead, where he served as a steward to Lieutenant Commander Richard Worsam Meade.

On Christmas, 1863, a Confederate howitzer – a type of artillery weapon used to propel projectiles over high trajectories – fired at the Marblehead.

Blake could have retreated below deck, where he would have been safe from the battle, but he refused to go down without a fight.

Upon going down to the ship’s gun deck, he was knocked off his feet by an exploding Confederate shell. The powder boy, who’s job it was to run powder boxes to the gun loaders, had been killed in the blast.

Blake began doing the powder boy’s job himself.

After receiving the Medal of Honor, he was promoted to seaman and re-enlisted for another term in the navy.

1935: The Hoover Dam dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt The Hoover Dam is located between Arizona and Nevada, in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River.

The Dam was first dedicated by President Roosevelt Sept. 30, 1935.

After five years of construction during the Great Depression, it involved thousands of workers and cost over 100 lives.

In 1933, the Dam was originally known as the “Boulder Dam,” but was renamed “The Hoover Dam” for President Herbert Hoover.

Hoover Dam is a tourist attrac-

tion for many. It holds back Lake Mead, which is the largest U.S. reservoir, when it is full.

In 1900, the Black Canyon and Boulder Canyon, situated near each other, were investigated in order to decide how they would support a dam that could control floods, produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation water.

Congress authorized the project in 1928, with construction beginning by Six Companies, Inc. in early 1931.

Something this large had never been built before and some of the

techniques used were used for the first time on the Dam. The Hoover Dam now sees almost a million people per year.

The generators in the Dam provide power for utilities in Arizona, California and Nevada.

1946: The Nuremberg Trials After World War II, a series of military tribunals were held.

These tribunals involved prominent members of the economic, judicial, military and political leader-

ship of Nazy Germany who carried out or participated in the Holocaust and other war crimes.

The trials were held in Nuremberg, Germany, starting Nov. 20 1945 and ending Oct. 1, 1946, the day after the verdicts were made.

The punishment was execution for those found guilty. They were carried out Oct. 16, 1946. Those found guilty were hanged using the standard method.

Twelve of those accused were sentenced to death, seven received prison sentences, three were acquitted and two were not charged.

Join at 8:00 PM via Chrome’s Netflix Watch Party.

Must have own account.

Movie, trivia, & prizes!

1787: First u.s. voyage around the world

Opinion

Inmates of Social Media

How staying connected led to Pandora’s Box of fake news Social media is an ever-growing platform that allows people from around the world to connect and share, but it also comes with unintended consequences.

Generation Z has known social media since middle school. One thing we know for sure is that it creates a false sense of reality, and when it was first introduced, it led to an exponential spike in suicide rates according to Netflix’s recent documentary “The Social Dilemma.”

As time went on, social media became an essential part of existence for billions of users, and this deceit has become the very foundation of our existence.

“The Social Dilemma” features interviews from former tech experts of major media companies, businesspersons and researchers from universities like Harvard and Stanford. They address the dark side of existing platforms such as Email, Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

“We are the product,” Justin Rosenstein, former engineer for Facebook and Google, said.

“Our attention is the product being sold to these companies.”

Social media changes the way we think and behave, and that’s exactly what they seek to do.

Tanual Thakur, film critic and journalist for The Wire, worded it in a way I believe we can all relate to.

“I don’t remember when [social media] began,” he said.

“I don’t remember why it began either. Was it the restlessness, intellectual curiosity or plain old dopamine hit?”

Likes, retweets, comments, messages and even refreshing the feed as if you’re at casino pulling the lever on a slot machine creates an addictive behavior with instant gratification. It’s ritual at this point. We constantly check our phones hoping there will be something new for us there.

“We’re all inmates in the jail of social media,” Thakur said, “and many don’t even know they’re locked in.”

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(NeedPix) Networking sites, along with users’ addictions to them, continues to grow.

Despite how rewarding social media feels, people can no longer differentiate between addiction, consumption and manipulation. Welcome to the dark reality.

The primary dilemma that our digital society faces is the spread of disinformation for profit. Every interaction and frequency of those interactions are recorded from your digital device, creating an algorithm.

This algorithm knows everything about you. These major media companies now have the power to hook you in with content that best suits your personal views and interests.

Due to these algorithms, there is no way to tell what’s true and what’s false.

According to the documentary, users are six times faster

at getting fake news than true news, and Facebook is the most powerful tool of persuasion to ever exist. We are surrounded by like-minded people, so we constantly fall for this false sense of reality. Now, the fake news has become part of the algorithm.

Why is it then that people are so quick to turn to journalists as perpetrators of “fake news?”

Far too often are posts, both written and visual, getting thousands of shares.

That means it must be true, right? Why aren’t journalists reporting on this?

This sort of rationale has created a society that no longer trusts each other, and it creates a “I’m right, and you’re wrong” way of thinking because your feed consists of the same belief system as you.

September 30, 2020

So many people are absorbed into their digital realities, therefore they cannot possibly believe they’re part of the problem when it comes to fake news. Social media is the master manipulator because we all receive different variations of the truth dependent on these algorithms. So, this is why I believe journalists receive

the brute force of distrust.

We can see how this manipulation has come into full effect.

Democrats and Republicans hate each other more than ever, and conspiracy theories such as Pizzagate and flat-earthers spread like wildfire despite not having a concrete foundation. Yet, people continue to feed into their own destructive behaviors that they’re completely oblivious to.

It’s irrational to suggest we all delete our social media accounts or throw away our phones. It’s too ingrained into our very existence.

What we can do as users, however, is challenge ourselves to follow and interact with content that we may not agree with in attempt to throw off the algorithm.

As journalists, we must strive to inform society in a fair and impartial manner while also upholding journalistic integrity.

Misinformation, or “fake news,” cannot continue to influence our society. We must be more critical of the information presented to us instead of blindly following it.

Brought to you by: The Penn Staff

CARTOON (Flickr)

Opinion

Culture ‘Endlessly

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

Grateful’

Rae shares career story with IUP at STATIC event HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Student Activity Committee (STATIC) presented an evening with actress, author, comedian and Youtuber Issa Rae via Zoom for the IUP community Thursday, Sept. 24.

Since all STATIC events scheduled for the Fall 2020 semester do not require ticket purchases, this event was free for all IUP community members.

The Zoom waiting room for the event opened at 7:30 p.m., and the event began promptly at 8:00 p.m.

Questions for Rae to answer were submitted to STATIC through email or through direct message on STATIC’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.

The evening began with an announcement from STATIC’s Ali Walker about some of the upcoming events including Stargazing, Family Feud, the STATIC Words with Friends Tournament and a living room concert with AJR. Rae spoke about how she started her career on YouTube with her series “Awkward Black Girl.” She continued her gradual upward climb toward fame with “Red Cups” and “Rosé with King Ester.” She even starred in the TV series “Insecure” and “The Hate You Give” among others.

She is now recognized by many fans and said that she never expected her work to get as much recognition and support as it has and currently does. She

Culture

told viewers that she is “endlessly grateful for all of the support and love,” and occasionally, she still can’t believe her career has come so far.

“The transition was definitely not seamless,” Rae said. “It took about 10 years total. I started my first web series when I was in college, which was something called Dorm Diaries and was about what it was like to be black at Stanford University.”

Before that, Rae had been trying to break into the industry since she was in high school either as an actress or as a writer.

“I was very impatient,” she said. “I eventually realized I just had to put the work in.”

Rae also spoke about the many different positions she has taken up during her career. Aside from being an actress in and other projects, she has also been a screenwriter and producer.

Her show “Insecure” was inspired by her real-life experiences and the people in it, and she wanted to make it as genuine as possible but still be as relatable as possible.

“The support is amazing,” she said. “I think the people have made the show what it is. The inspiration did come from my real life and my real friends.

“When I started, it was about a real-life relationship that I was in and my real-life lawyer best friend and about her love life.

When we got a writer’s room, of course, the show expanded to the other men and women in the room, and that has served as the constant inspiration of the show.”

Despite all of her incredible

(Courtesy of STATIC)) During a Pandemic, video conferencing platforms like Zoom are a great way to stay connected.

(Jason Johnston/Flicker) accomplishments, Rae remains humbled by the amazing widespread show of love and support from her audiences. She seemed awed and amazed by her fans’ investment in her series.

“The first season, you’re just hoping your show doesn’t get cancelled,” she said.

Rae explained that it’s hard to be a new show and “break-in” because there’s competition with other shows that are already out there.

“I saw people on my timeline [on Twitter] arguing about Issa and Lauren,” she said, “and it was just so weird to log in and see that that was the conversation. The whole week [after the season one finale] people were talking about those characters, and it just felt so great. We were so excited.”

Rae has spoken out against the racial inequality that our society has experienced, and unfortunately, has contributed to recently. She has promoted action against these injustices both on the screen and in her personal life. She even created a fundraiser for Alton Sterling’s family, which received over $700,000 for the Sterling children to attend

September 30, 2020

the college of their choice.

“I have tried to figure out how best to use my platform,” she said According to Rae, it all started with a tweet saying that someone should start a scholarship fund for these children.

“I was like ‘oh, I can do that,’” she said. “This time and this culture allows for anybody to make a difference.”

She passionately talked about the racial injustices that African Americans and other minorities have been constantly facing in present times. She also voiced that with all of her heart. Rae wanted to encourage people to use the power they’ve been given to make a change for the better for every person in the U.S. “I want to tell people to vote,” she said. “I know that so many people are discouraged, but there are so many ways that you can make a difference, and when I tell you that it matters, it absolutely matters to use your voice and exercise your power to vote.

You really have to see who’s running for attorney general, who’s running for congress, etc.”

Rae spoke for a little longer

about her new starring role in the HBO film “Coastal Elites,” which follows the lives of five characters living through the COVID-19 pandemic. She told viewers that the production experience was the first thing she had been able to shoot during the pandemic, and that it was the perfect platform to vent about what we were all going through.

Concerning her recent and upcoming movie collaboration with Jordan Peele from Universal Pictures, she kept quiet about any spoilers to expect from the film “Sinkhole.”

The film is supposed to tackle difficult questions about female perfection and identity. Despite her resistance to exposing any secrets, she expressed her excitement about the film and her collaboration with Peele.

When the night came to an end, Rae thanked her audience for listening to her “political rant” and laughed with the STATIC moderators about how wonderful the evening was despite it being over Zoom.

She graciously told the attendees that she was so thankful for the IUP community for welcoming her virtually, and again, encouraged everyone to vote and act for the good of society.

She also thanked everyone in advance for taking action against racial injustice.

To attend more STATIC events, check their website and follow their daily tweets.

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September 30, 2020

Culture

The Wellness Center invites students to play Kahoot!

BREANNA HOWELLS Contributing Writer hhsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Health and Wellness Promotion Peer Educators hosted a virtual Kahoot trivia event for students to test their knowledge from 7-8:30 p.m. Sept. 24 via Zoom.

Despite its scheduled time, the event only lasted 32 minutes as the competition was fierce.

The trivia night consisted of three rounds. The first round was dedicated to celebrity and music. This was quickly followed by a SpongeBob trivia round and the final round consisted of general Nickelodeon trivia.

For several rounds, the top five, or leaderboard, were only 100 points from each other.

Despite a moderate turnout of around a dozen people, a group of friends and roommates held the leaderboards for several rounds and won the final two games.

“This was a challenging game compared to the other Kahoots I’ve joined into,” Eric Goins (freshman, computer science) said. “Some of the questions made me think.”

The questions ranged from “What member left One Direction in 2015?” to “Where did Mr. Krabs and Plankton go to school?”

The Health and Wellness Promotion Peer Educators host these Kahoot trivia nights every Thursday from 7-8:30 p.m.

First place winners receive a mystery prize. The winner of the celebrity and music

round was a player going by the name “MC,” and they had 18 out of the 20 questions correct. MC was followed by a player named Corrine who only missed one more question than MC and Eric G. (Eric Goins) received the third-place title for the round.

The SpongeBob lineup in the second round ran a bit differently.

“Bennyboy” (Ben Swanson), took home the firstplace prize. “Sammyboy” (Sam Shelenberger) received the second-place prize, and “Smileyboy” (Miles Basinger) received third place. Smileyboy also won first place in the third round.

Students who had the chance to participate in trivia night gave some positive feedback for the event.

“It was fun playing Ka-

hoot with everyone,” Miles Basinger (freshman, music education) said.

Eric Goins said it was a nice break from the homework and typical stress of college.

“If that and having fun were the intended purpose of Thursday’s event, then it definitely reached its intended purpose,” he said.

Troy Florian (freshman, undeclared) believes the event was fun and well-organized, and he successfully received third place in the Nickelodeon round of Kahoot.

All-in-all, Thursday night trivia with the Health and Wellness Promotion and Peer Educators is a recommended event for anyone who wants to forget about their worries for a while and (Tumiso/Pixabay) get a chance to win a few Kahoot! Is a fun way to test your knowledge. cool prizes.

J.K. Rowling releases new controversial book CAIO GOMES Contributing Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP J.K. Rowling is facing public backlash revolving around her new book “Troubled Blood” in which a cisgender man dresses up as a woman to commit crimes.

In “Harry Potter,” Rowling said to pity the ones who live without love. Why then does she antagonize a group that is already a target of so many hate crimes?

She has been going on a downward path, antagonizing the transgender community since December 2019. It all started when she tweeted in defense of Maya Forstater, the tax expert who was fired from the Center of Global Development for her alleged transphobia.

“Dress however you please,” Rowling said. “Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who’ll have you. Live your best life in peace and security.

But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?”

Unsatisfied with the criticism faced previously, Rowling made the headlines again in June when she inaugurated Pride Month by posting a series of tweets stating

that she believes being transgenthe one assigned to them at birth.

Hermione Granger, agreed with der somehow erases women.

J.K. Rowling’s stance has anRadcliff.

“If sex isn’t real, there’s no gered many fans as well as Harry “Trans people are who they say same-sex atthey are and traction,” she deserve to said. “If sex live their lives isn’t real, the without belived reality of ing constantwomen globly questioned ally is erased. I or told they know and love aren’t who trans people they say they but erasing the are,” she concept of sex said. removes the Now, ability of many Rowling to meaningfulstrikes back ly discuss their with her new lives. It isn’t book “Trouhate to speak bled Blood.” the truth.”

In the crime (Stefan Keller/Pixabay) What Rowlnovel, a cisgender J.K. Rowling is best known for the Harry Potter series. ing doesn’t man, who was seem to understand is that trans Potter’s cast. abused as a child, dresses up as a rights have nothing to do with “Transgender women are womwoman to kill women. gender erasure. The Gay and en,” Daniel Radcliff, who plays In its review of the book, The Lesbian Alliance Against DefamaHarry Potter in the eponymous Telegraph said that “the moral [of tion (GLAAD) defined transgender movie series, said. “Any statement the book] seems to be ‘never trust as “people whose gender identity to the contrary erases the identity a man in a dress.’” and/or gender expression differs and dignity of transgender people Even The Guardian, which gave from what is typically associated and goes against all advice given the book a positive review, critiwith the sex they were assigned by professional health care associcized the characterization of the at birth.” This definition does not ations who have far more expertise villain. “It is tone-deaf of Rowling erase sex, contrary to Rowling’s on this subject matter than either to write a killer who disguises himstatements. It merely states that Jo or I.” self in women’s clothing,” Alison some people don’t identify with Emma Watson, who plays Flood, The Guardian’s crime book

reviewer, said.

The wounds, however, are way deeper than they seem to be. This is because Rowling does not use her name as the author. She instead uses the pen name “Robert Galbraith.” This is the same name of the infamous American psychiatrist, who in 1972 claimed to have “cured” a homosexual through shock therapy.

Rowling’s team has denied the offensive connection.

“J.K. Rowling wasn’t aware of Robert Galbraith Heath when choosing the pseudonym for her crime novels,” a spokesperson from Rowling’s team in an interview for The Bustle said. “Any assertion that there is a connection is unfounded and untrue.”

Whether or not Rowling knew of the connection, it’s important to remark that Galbraith’s theories over sexuality have been scientifically wrong.

In 2015, the UK Council for Psychotherapy partnered with the UK’s Department of Health to launch an agreement banning conversion therapy in the UK, as there is no scientific basis for it.

In the U.S., conversion therapy is still legal in 29 states including — the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Culture

September 30, 2020

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September 30, 2020

Culture

Virtual classroom— students share their thoughts EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The mark of midterms at IUP is slowly closing in as the pandemic continues, and both professors and students continue to find themselves lost amidst the madness.

The classroom, whether virtual or in-person, remains to feel foreign to many. When interviewed, many said they felt “the new normal” was more stressful than last semester.

Michaela Shaw (junior, psychology) said she found virtual learning to be an “exhausting experience.”

“There’s a disconnect,” she said. “It’s so impersonal. I am sitting here staring at a screen all day and I do not feel like I am really learning anything.”

Shaw said that her experience has been so stressful that she could go on about how bad of an experience it had been.

She is not the only one to feel

this way.

Amy Steedle (graduate, communications media) said that while professors have been understanding, she finds the classes difficult to pay attention to.

“I find myself being much more fidgety than I usually am in an in-person class,” she said.

“It’s like I’m distracting myself on accident.”

Scott Sinclair (graduate, communications media) just transferred to IUP this year from Penn State. He said the experience has been confusing.

“The classes aren’t bad, and

everyone is making the most of them,” he said. “But the support system; peer-to-peer, to professor and to outside services is lacking.”

Students who have been at IUP longer agree with Sinclair.

Kaiya Reed (sophomore, anthropology) said the experience is “pretty rough.”

Reed is not new to virtual learning. Doing it for several of her high school years, she said it was not a fun experience because she felt like her own teacher. The experience of doing it in college has not seen im-

(IUP)

provement.

She is currently taking 21 credits, so the semester has been highly stressful.

“I kind of feel like I’m getting put back in that ‘teach yourself’ box and work is being piled on like each class is the only one I have,” she said. “I definitely prefer learning in-person.”

Liam Noble (senior, communications media) said that the lack of in-person classes has taken a toll on him. He said it has caused him a lot of stress.

“I understand why we must be mostly online, but I wish it were

UPCOMING EVENTS

otherwise,” he said.

With an upcoming Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) town hall discussion on possible retrenchment among professors and faculty at IUP, even more questions remain up in the air about classes. Retrenchment at IUP would see the loss of 130 faculty members, including tenured staff.

While some students stated this could cause more confusion, Steele says it depends on how it is implemented.

The meeting will take place Wednesday, Sept. 30 from 3-4 p.m. via Zoom. It is open exclusively to students and student journalists. IUP is one of several schools who may seek retrenchment.

To register for the event, students can fill out the form at https://docs.google.com/forms.

It is not possible to know how far in the future it will be before IUP resumes with in-person classes, but as far as student opinion has been concerned, sooner would be better.

Join at 7:00 PM via Zoom. Hosted by STATIC. Prizes for winning family. Preregister on the STATIC website.

Join at 8:00 PM via Chrome’s Netflix Watch Party.

Must have own account.

Movie, trivia, & prizes!

Join at 8:00 PM via Zoom. FREE! Open to entire IUP campus community!

Official IUP Homecoming Concert!

Join at 8:00 PM via the Swank Film Portal link.

Must have IUP network access.

Part of IUP Family Weekend.

Co-sponsored with IUP Campus Recreation and Intramurals.

Register at IMLeagues.com/IUP. Prizes for winning brackets!

Join at 8:00 PM via Zoom. Trivia platform provided

by TriviaHub. Cash prizes for winning team. Limited seats!

Join at 8:00 PM via Zoom. Hosted by STATIC. Prizes for winning guesses. IUP ‘celebrities’ perform just for you!

Join at 5:00 PM via Zoom for various fall crafts & pumpkin carving. Prizes for best creations.

Retrieve DIY kits from STATIC office.

for more info, check out

www.STATICatIUP.com

Culture

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September 30, 2020

Emmy Awards made history by most black actor nominations The Ellen DeGeneres show was very popular in the early 2000s.

(wikimedia)

Ellen DeGeneres addresses toxic workplace HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Ellen DeGeneres, one of the most wellknown celebrity promoters of generosity and kindness, recently addressed allegations of a toxic work environment during the recent season premiere of her show.

The issue of toxic work environments is a well-known one, and though the idea of working on a celebrity talk show seems glamorous and like a dream job to some, it can apparently become nightmarish under certain conditions.

The romanization of working in the television industry is detrimental for the workers who actually suffer from toxic work environments in the industry.

In the summer of 2020, multiple sources, who were former employees and some allegedly current employees of DeGeneres’ show, came forward to speak out anonymously about the toxic work environment that was occurring behind the scenes of the talk show.

There were complaints about a lack of communication concerning status, pay and working hours, among other things.

For a two-week period from late March to early April of 2020, crew members claimed that they received no information about whether or not they would be paid. Phone calls to the production team were rarely answered, and questions from the crew were skirted around as much as possible by the production team when they did happen to answer calls from concerned employees.

The issues that these employees expressed also include claims of harassment, intimidation and racism from the producers of the show.

Many of the anonymous crew member with complaints shared that the lack of personal outreach from the leaders of the show’s production team was upsetting to say the least.

A spokesperson from Warner Bros. even admitted that communication should have been better, but they also attempted to place most of the blame on the fact that most of the issues arose because of the confusion and complications caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This suggests that Warner Bros. wanted to take responsibility for these workplace injustices without actually taking any real responsibility at all.

The core stage crew of the show was further frustrated and outraged by the fact that during coronavirus, DeGeneres hired an outside nonunion tech company to help Ellen film her show remotely at her home in California.

Reportedly, only four crew members currently work to remotely film DeGeneres, and this unfair treatment seems to be in stark contrast to DeGeneres’ mantra for her audience: “be kind.”

During the opening of this season’s first episode, the female show host joked sarcastically about how great her summer was and went on to address the issues that had been brought to light by the former and current crew members with complaints.

DeGeneres apologized and claimed that the show would do better from now on, including the sentiment that she was as responsible as any of the lead production members and that she would take responsibility for what happened behind the scenes.

“As you may have heard, this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show and then there was an investigation,” DeGeneres, during her address of the allegations during the most recent season’s premiere episode, said.

“I learned that things happened here that never should have happened,” she said. “I take that very seriously, and I want to say I am so sorry to the people that were affected. I know that I am in a position of privilege and power, and with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility for what happens at my show.”

Despite the apology and supposed claim of improvement in the show’s production environment, many of the anonymous employee sources remained skeptical that conditions would improve.

One specific female employee claimed that the apology and outreach of the managers of the show to the dissatisfied employees was just too little too late, and she said she would not return to the industry in the foreseeable future.

The Emmy Awards recognizes actors for their hard work.

HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

With the Black Lives Matter movement gaining more momentum than ever before, the Emmy’s also made history this year with a record number of Black actors receiving the esteemed awards.

In 2018, the Emmy Awards sent home six black actors, setting the highest record of black actors awarded up until that point. This year, the Emmy’s set a new record by awarding seven people of color with the acting trophies.

Before this year’s 72nd Annual Emmy’s award show even took place, the lineup of nominees was far more diverse than in years past.

In the acting categories, 33 percent of the nominees were black compared to a mere 15 percent in years prior to this.

Even the producer was well chosen to set records as the Emmy’s first ever black producer. Reginald Hudlin took the lead this year.

The record-breaking main category winners of color included Regina King, Zendaya, Uzo Aduba, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Ron Cephas, Ron Cephas Jones, Eddie Murphy, and Maya Rudolph.

King won her fourth Emmy when she received the award for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or television movie for her role in “Watchmen,” which also tied the record for most Emmy’s awarded to a person of color with Alfre Woodard. King’s co-star, Abdul-Mateen II, was rewarded the Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or movie, which was his first Emmy win.

The award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie went to Aduba for her role in “Mrs. America” as headstrong female politician named Shirley Chisholm.

(Alan Light/Flickr)

Rudolph was awarded an Emmy for her work on SNL and received the guest actress comedy series Emmy, as well as a 2020 Creative Arts Emmy for her voice acting in the animated series “Big Mouth” as Connie, the female hormone monster.

Jones was awarded the Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his work in the tv series “This Is Us” as William Hill. This was an especially interesting win because Jones and his daughter became the first father-daughter team to win acting honors in the same year. His daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones, won the award for outstanding actress in a short film comedy or drama series for her role in the series “#FreeRayshawn.”

Zendaya also set Emmy history as the youngest actress to win best lead actress in a drama at only 25 years old. She was awarded the Emmy for her role in HBO’s “Euphoria” as Rue. The show received six nominations this year, though Zendaya’s was the only one for an acting category.

This win was so shocking because Zendaya had been competing with acclaimed actresses much older than her, including Jennifer Aniston, Laura Linney and Sandra Oh. Though not considered as a main category win, RuPaul also scored two Emmys for outstanding host for a reality or competition program, as well as being awarded the Emmy for outstanding reality of competition program, both awarded for his show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

Though the record was broken this year for black acting wins, it is a fervent hope of many that other minorities will be better represented in the Emmy ceremonies in the future. There has been a call for more representation from actors of Asian, Latinx and even from the LGBTQ community, and hopefully, new and encouraging records of spreading equality will be set in the future.

September 30, 2020

16

(Courtesy of Abby Heit) Heit is a sophomore who has started a headband business.

Culture

(Courtesy of Natalie Greco) Greco specializes in vegan cookies.

Students bring their businesses to IUP EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

As the semester goes on, more businesses among students are popping up, as well. Each business has its own unique take and some are doing their part to bring joy and fun among others.

This is the case for Abby Heit (sophomore, interior design) and her headband business.

Beginning right after the onset of COVID-19 in the U.S., Heit said the most interesting part of her business was how convertible headbands were.

“I make them serve the purpose of being a stylish accessory as well as the ability to be worn as a mask,” she said.

Her idea for the business first popped up when she saw Etsy ask for creators to make masks.

At first, Holt created her product to only be used as masks but realized she was not keeping up with the pace of others.

“I decided to make something that would separate me from the rest.” Heit said.

This is how she came up with the idea to make her masks also work as headbands. In no time, Heit found that she sold a lot. As of the posting of this article, she has sold almost 500 headbands on Etsy and even has some being sold in stores around Pittsburgh.

Her business endeavors do not end there, however. She also said she was interested in working with sororities on fundraisers.

“I thought this could be a great opportunity for them,” she said. “I am very flexible and have designed custom patterns and provided different designs upon request for multiple organizations.”

Heit also said she can work with the organizations at wholesale rates to benefit the places their donations go to.

She can be contacted on her Etsy page @abbymaemerch.

For those craving sweet treats, there is also a cookie business at IUP. Under the name NRG’s Perfections, the business is run by Natalie Greco (senior, hospitality management).

The Facebook page for the business says NRG’s Perfections is “a small, home-based bakery

(Courtesy of Natalie Greco) specializing in vegan (plantbased) cookies and treats.”

She said she has gotten suggestions from customers detailing ways to prepare her cookies for the upcoming holidays. She is still continuing to take ideas.

Greco’s first review came from her father Joseph, who said his company enjoyed her sugar cookies that were made to look like construction trucks and other related items.

Greco also has a deal for those who buy cookies from her shop.

If someone that is referred by a friend buys at least two dozen cookies, the person who did the referring becomes eligible for a free dozen of their choice.

In order for this deal to work, the reference must confirm first.

All cookies are available for the free dozen except for the sugar designed due to time. It is a one time deal.

Some of the cookie flavors Greco makes includes chocolate pecan cluster, snickerdoodle and sugar. Though she has been

baking for a while, NRG’S Perfections’ page on Facebook was created in August.

Though she does not ship cookies out via mail, it is something Greco has begun to look into. She said she will drive to close destinations.

“I’m willing to adjust to any dietary restriction or allergy, order whatever cookie cut outs you would like, and deliver for an extra charge, varying on where you’re located.”

NRG’s Perfections can be found on Facebook at https:// www.facebook.com/NRGS.Perfections. Greco also accepts calls and texts at (814) 853-6888.

Have a business and want to get your name out there?

Please email e.d.loose@iup.edu or message her on Instagram @ emily_deanne98.

Supporting local business helps your communities pockets grow, not greedy corporations that make millions. Especially for college students who are known for being broke. Take your time to check out these local entrepreneurs and help their businesses grow.

Culture

September 30, 2020

17

STATIC plans free events in October novel, the 2017 movie horror/ thriller focuses on how Pennywise became a bloodthirsty clown and the outcast children who risk everything to defeat him.

This event will also be watched through Swank Motion Pictures’ Online Portal.

JULIA ROBINS Contributing Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Being part of a community is an important aspect of the college experience, and IUP’s Student Activity Committee (STATIC) continues to help students feel connected.

Listed below are some virtual STATIC events that students can participate in to help ease the anxiety of COVID-19.

IUP Family Feud Oct. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Ever heard of “Family Feud?”

You know, that show on ABC hosted by Steve Harvey where families compete against each other in trivia competitions? Well, IUP is doing the same thingwithout Steve Harvey.

The deadline to enter your group has passed, but the Zoom link to watch is https://iupvideo. zoom.us/j/96552288493?pwd=VjNOVzhZR0NaemRwTXBaOVNUM2hNQT09.

Netflix Watch Party: Hasan Minhaj Oct. 7 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Something you need right now in this stressful time is a good laugh. Using Google Chrome’s Netflix Watch Party extension, students can watch the standup comedy film “Homecoming King.” STATIC will also ask Facebook trivia questions with prizes for the winners.

STATIC will also ask trivia questions. The zoom link is yet to be released, but it will be posted on their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @STATICatIUP. For more information on how to use the Chrome extension, visit https://www.netflixparty.com/.

IUP Homecoming 2020 ft. D Smoke and Flawless Real Talk Oct. 8 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Rappers Daniel Farris and Flawless will be performing live for IUP via zoom. The zoom link is yet to be released, but it will be posted on their social media. You can also direct message or email STATIC any questions you would

(STATIC) Joing STATIC events is a great way to stay involved in the IUP community, like the rappers to answer.

Netflix & Chill: “Good Boys” Oct.15 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Students can watch the 2019 comedy/adventure “Good Boys.”

After 12-year-old Max’s drug addict neighbors catch him spying on them with his father’s drone, he and his friends must find a way to get the drone back, ultimately getting mixed up in some serious and hilarious trouble.

The event will be hosted using Swank Online Portal, and the link will be advertised on STATIC’s social media.

Trivia Night 2 Oct. 20 from 8 to 9:30 p.m.

IUP will host its second monthly trivia night using Zoom and the TriviaHub Live platform. Challenge your friends and foes for bragging rights and a chance to win cash prizes.

There is space for 75 students, so register your group soon. You can register at https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/bb980129aa70404fa4079f22e495f8a6.

IUP Masked Singer Oct. 22 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Fox’s “The Masked Singer,” a show where celebrities compete in a singing competition masked in hilarious costumes, will come to IUP with its own local “celebrities.”

The Zoom link has yet to be released, but it will be posted on their social media.

Fall Fest: Craft Tutorials & Pumpkin Carving Contest Oct. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m.

IUP’s annual Fall Fest will be online via zoom this semester, but that will not limit the fun.

Who wants to prove that they are the best pumpkin carver?

Pre-assembled craft kits and pumpkins for carving will be available for pickup from the STATIC office located in the Hadley Union Building (HUB) in room 215 and 216 during the week of Oct. 19.

Specific dates, times and Zoom link will be posted on their social media.

Netflix Watch Party: “Insidious” Oct. 26 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Oct. 26 will start the week of Halloween, so it’s time to get ready for some horror movies.

First up is “Insidious,” where a comatose little boy becomes possessed by a demon.

To spice it up the spooky fun, trivia questions will also be asked.

Netflix & Chill: “Invisible Man” Tuesday, Oct. 27 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Next up on is the thriller list is “Invisible Man,” where a woman’s ex-boyfriend scientist turns invisible so he can terrorize her.

This event can be watched through Swank Motion Pictures’ Online Portal. The link will be advertised on STATIC’s social media.

Netflix & Chill: “It” Oct. 28 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Based on Stephen King’s

Netflix & Chill: “It 2” Oct. 29 from 8 to 10 p.m.

Curious what happened after “It?” Students can watch the sequel that takes place 27 years later when Pennywise returns, and the original children who must cope with their traumatic past and put up a final stand.

This event will also be watched through Swank Motion Pictures’ Online Portal.

Halloween DJ Dance Party Oct. 30 from 8 to 11 p.m.

Closing out the week of Halloween, students will be able to dance along with STATIC’s DJ for a virtual Monster Mash.

The link will the advertised on STATIC’s social media.

Stay tuned for more information on STATIC events by visiting the full event calendar.

Sports

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

(Case Marshall/The Penn) The golf team looks to make big strides this upcoming season at the Indiana Country Club.

IUP Men’s Golf team has high expectations for next season BRAD O’HARA

Sports Writer B.L.Ohara@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The IUP Men’s Golf team is a force on the green year after year.

Coming off their 2019 season, where they won the Mercyhurst and Snowshoes invitationals and had great individual success, the Hawks look to do some damage again this season.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted just about everything in 2020, and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) was not an exemption. With schools having to take new paths for the fall semester, all fall sports had to be canceled.

Each sport had its time to cope with the news, and the IUP Golf team was not alone in that. After a successful 2019-20 campaign was cut short, the golfers were forced to look past the fall as well.

However, their sights are now set on 2021. Instead of sulking in what could have been, they are looking towards the future and preparing for what is yet to come.

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(IUP Athletics) Jack Buccigross (left) and Jeremy Eckenrode (Right) Last season, IUP Golf saw great success both as a team and in individual competition. As a team, IUP won at both the Mercyhurst Fall Invitational and the Snowshoe Invitational. In individual competition, IUP had eleven topten finishes from golfers.

This included a win at the PSAC championships for Shaun Fedor (sophomore, marketing). Fedor became the sixteenth golfer in IUP history to win the title.

Everyone from last year will be retuning for 2021 and with it the hopes of continued success. Last

year, IUP had three golfers make the NCAA Division II All-Atlantic Region team in Jack Buccigross (junior, marketing), Jeremy Eckenrode (graduate student, finance) and Shaun Fedor. Eckenrode and Fedor also made the All-Conference first team.

Fedor was also given two prestigious honors and a place in history.

The PSAC Freshman of the Year and Athlete of the Year were both awarded to Fedor. This was only the third time that both awards were given to the same person

September 30, 2020

in PSAC history and the second time in IUP history.

“I was very surprised last spring when coach called me and told me that I won both player and freshman of the year,” Fedor said.

“If felt great to see my name next to those accolades. A lot of hard work has been put into my game the last couple years, and everyone on the team has a great hardworking mindset as well.”

Fedor was also awarded the IUP Freshman of the Year honor.

Head coach Daniel Braun also took home his share on honors last year. Braun was given both the PSAC and IUP Coach of the Year Awards.

The IUP Golf team got two additions for their 2021 campaign.

Luke Lestini (freshman, finance) and Jeffrey Mankins (freshman, finance) will look to continue and add to the success that IUP has seen. Lestini and Mankins have already had success in individual competition.

Lestini won the Tri-State Section PGA Junior Championship in 2018 and took second the following year. Mankins won the

Westmoreland County Junior Amateur Championship in 2020 and took third in the Tri-State Section PGA Junior Championship in the same year.

“Unfortunately for the freshman they're having a different introduction to college and college golf compared to the past,” Eckenrode said. “To get them adjusted we're having practices during the week like we usually do and we're playing as much as we can and having competitions amongst ourselves.

“I think for freshman the hardest thing to get used to is the travel and balancing school work and golf. It’s hard to prepare them for that because that's something you learn on the fly so this spring might be a little overwhelming as far as schoolwork and travel goes so just helping them with that and giving any advice they might need for that.”

With the past success, the returning golfers, and the new additions, it is safe to say that the IUP Golf team is prepared and eager to get back on the course in 2021.

Sports

Sports

September 30, 2020

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Eagles’ start leaves fans questioning season AUSTIN SMITH

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

(Teddy Jeanette/The Penn) Despite their poor start to the season, the Eagles look to bounce back.

Tuning into a primetime game has begun back-up and that means the NFL is back in full swing. Week 3 has already flew by, and some teams are off to a great start, others not so much. The Philadelphia Eagles are a top team in the league, the NFC Conference, and of course the lack-luster NFC East.

Unfortunately for the 2018 Super Bowl champs, they have yet to find a win.

Philadelphia has played three opponents so far and one divisional game as most teams start with in week 1. The Eagles had played the Washington Football Team in week 1, the Los Angeles Rams week 2 and had a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengles week 3.

In the past few seasons, the Eagles have not gotten off to a very consistent start but have managed to make the playoffs and do damage since they did win the Superbowl back in the 2017-18 season.

There is usually always a reason on why teams are off to a slow start right? The biggest problem with the Eagles right now is a weaker defense and the ability to capitalize on important opportunities.

Problems start in the beginning and for Philadelphia, that was the Washington Football Team. The Eagles lost 27-17 in that game.

Scores do not tell everything, especially on how the game went.

The birds were up 17-0 at one point in the game.

On the offensive side, Dallas Goedert had a good game with 101 yards and a touchdown. DeSean Jackson had a few good plays as well. Carson Wentz looked pretty good early on but then started to slip in the second half.

The problem was the defense at the end and the sloppy play of Wentz. He threw two interceptions, got sacked eight times and there was a lost fumble.

In week one the Eagles could

not stand their ground on defense in the second half at all. The pass protection was very weak for Wentz, which is why Washington was able to storm back.

Wentz’s play is something that is a concern for many NFL fans.

Back in the early goings of their 2018 Super Bowl run, Wentz was a front-runner for league MVP until his leg injury.

“The Eagles have been poor this season because Carson Wentz is an average QB, in my opinion.

He is paid like he is an elite,” Charles Hawn (junior, nursing) said. “The poor QB play is why I think they are one of the worst teams in the league so far.”

After returning from his injury, (pixy.org) Wentz has not been the same. Since entering the league, Wentz has thrown more interceptions than any quarterback in the timeframe.

The week 2 opponent for the birds was the LA Rams. The Rams are a solid team on both sides of the ball. It showed against the green in week two.

The Rams won 37-19 in the game. They were up 21-9 at one point in the second quarter, but the birds marched back and made it a seven-point game.

It was hard for the bird to stop the passing game of Jared Goff as he threw for three touchdowns and had a 20/27 passing completion. That to me is a stellar performance as he also almost had 300 yards.

The Eagles had a chance in this game as they had the momentum for a while at the end of the second quarter, and were down 24-19 going into the 4th quarter.

Why couldn’t the birds rally back in this game?

It might have something to do that Wentz threw another two interceptions in this game. This has seemed to almost become a trend for him.

It is simple; when you are inconsistent and turn the ball over a lot, you will not win a whole lot of games.

Story Continued on Page 20

September 30, 2020

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Sports

Philly’s season is already in trouble

(witf.org) Wentz is continually under pressure from defenses so far this season.

Story continued from page 19 The defense played well in this game considering that they had to go up against Goff and Sean McVay’s creative play calling. A big downfall in this game was two more interception’s thrown

by Wentz. Going back to the Washington game, Wentz was scrambling around, and yet again, the pass protection was not all there.

You cannot blame it in all on the pass protection because in the end, Wentz is the one making the decisions with the ball. They are just too late sometimes and far too inconsistent.

Going on to week 3 where the Eagles hosted the Cincinnati Bengals, Wentz threw another two interceptions. That puts Wentz at six so far this season.

He is leading all NFL QBs in the first three weeks for interceptions.

Now, there are a few other QBs with multiple interceptions thrown, but we are talking about Wentz. We know he could be a solid quarterback. We saw that in his MVP-candidate season.

Did the turnovers and the lack of consistency hurt the white and green? Of course.

You will not win any games

period with consistent turnovers and the inability to hold down leads. This game was the closest as far as score is concerned.

The game needed overtime, and the game still ended by the score of 23-23.

At least the Eagles did not lose, but they did not win either, which is still just as bad. Wentz had a great drive and scored a touchdown to get the birds a shot to win the game.

When I mentioned being inconsistent and not doing the right things at the right times hurt, they do. Jake Elliot had a chance to end the game in a victory for the Eagles with a 59-yard field goal in overtime.

Matt Pryor on the offensive line had a false start and ruined Philly’s chances of winning the game. Jake Elliot had one more chance at a 64-yard field goal, but Pederson decided to send out the punt team.

“We were going to go for the game-winner with the kick, felt comfortable with Jake, had the wind,” Pederson said in his postgame press conference. “The false start backed us up, so we just said ‘Hey, let us just let’s just punt the football here.’ We didn’t want to give them the ball toward midfield, or even a chance to go

for it on fourth down and long, an incomplete pass, something like that."

Philly will have a chance to prove themselves in the big stage on Sunday Night Football this week. They will be taking on a depleted San Francisco team potentially without Jimmy Garoppolo. If they can’t get the job done there, I have serious questions about this team’s future.

If the Eagles cared enough to at least try to win the game, they would have. Now the Eagles sit at an 0-2-1 record because of turnovers, inconsistent play, lack of defense and questionable pass protection at times. Hopefully, the Eagles can get things started but time keeps on moving, and they have a date with the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday night.

Carson Wentz and Pederson will be able to showcase what they are made of against this depleted 49ers squad.

In a weak NFC East Division, every game counts for this team.

The division has a combined record of 2-9-1 in the first three weeks of the season.

If they can’t get it done against an depleted San Francisco squad, Eagles fans may be in for a long season.

(Pinterest)