Imprint Left on Lady Lions’ Legacy

By Symantha Marrero, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, sjm5946@psu.edu

Over the last four years, the Lady Lions have found success on the basketball court due in part to four particular women.

Jessy Gledhill, Jilly Gledhill, Lauren Munro and Cashae Hinton are all seniors at Penn State Brandywine. In their four year careers at Brandywine, each senior has contributed to the legacy of the Lady Lions, and each in her own way.

First, these ladies built a foundation of trust.

“On this team I have met an outstanding group of girls whom I have become close with and consider my sisters,” Hinton said. “I will truly miss being a part of the sisterhood when I am gone.”

Jilly concurred with Hinton’s emotional statement.

“I met my closest friends (Lauren and Cashae) playing here,” Jilly said. “I’ve enjoyed every second of my career at Brandywine.”

The Gledhill twins are known not only for their similar faces, but also their similar jumpers. With a combined total of 1,231 points, these sisters know not only how to score, but also how to push one another.

“It’s been a lot of fun playing with my sister,” Jessy said. “We didn’t plan on going to college together. I remember Jilly saying, ‘I’ll go if you go.’”

Although they’re both known for their clutch shots, each sister has other attributes to their game that truly stand out. Jilly arguably sacrificed her body the most out of anybody; she is believed to have taken the most offensive charges in Brandywine history, while Jessy was the one to go to when Brandywine needed to shut down an opponent defensively.

The other two seniors, Munro and Hinton, each surpassed 1,000 points this season.

Despite the fact that her quick moves to the basket and powerful rebounds are what will be remembered most from her game, Munro led the PSUAC in field goal percentage this season at 53.4 percent. She also ranked fourth in steals in the same conference.

For the second straight season and third time overall during her career, Hinton claimed All-Conference honors after leading the PSUAC in assists per game (4.7) and steals per game (3.8). Hinton also has a PSUAC Championship under her belt.

It wasn’t always about the on court success, however.

“I was also able to learn under a great group of coaches who taught me how to better myself both on and off the court,” Hinton said.

Munro couldn’t agree more.

“This establishment has provided me with so many amazing opportunities that have prepared me to take this next step in life,” Munro said. “I’m excited for what the future holds.”

The four seniors are finishing internships this semester, as they prepare to graduate in May. Graduate school could be next.

“After taking a year off, I will get my master’s in special education and hopefully become a Special Ed teacher,” Munro said.

If there’s one thing these four women absolutely agree on, it’s that their freshman year, the year they met one another and became friends, was their favorite.

Stand for State Program

Ciera Britton, Lion’s Eye Editor, clb434@psu.edu

Brandywine was introduced to Green Dots, a part of the university wide program called Stand for State.

“Be more positive, Green Dot,” Danielle Smith, a student at the presentation, said.

Stand for State was created to give students information on how to respond and remain calm and confident in order to avoid intensifying a bad situation. Two hundred Penn State employees have been trained to date on the program created by Penn State President Eric Barron’s Sexual Assault Task Force.

The goal of Stand for State is to infuse constructive and encouraging ways of handling problematic issue that occur on and off campus.

The main concept is based off of two color dots: Red Dots and Green Dots. Red Dots are acts of violence such as interpersonal violence, stalking, hitting, rape, and other accounts of assault or unwanted touching. Green Dots are influential and positive choices that protect individuals.

Individuals involved in interpersonal violence can involve others in an already dangerous situation and understand how to approach and diffuse the situation. The Green Dots help students understand what to do when a Red Dot situation occurs and how to remain safe themselves.

Throughout the presentation tactics were explained such as how to defuse situations and how to be proactive. The crowd was taught how to distract, as well as given everyday examples of being a Green Dot. Some examples of being a Green Dot are to serve as the designated driver, call for help when one sees something suspicious, or call a friend over if a situation seems uncomfortable.

Students were also shown how to assertively approach a suspicious person to determine safety. If an individual is nervous about approaching a situation directly, leaders explained there is nothing wrong with drawing attention away from it in order to turn a Red Dot situation into a Green Dot situation.

Stand for State’s program explains that bystanders also have an obligation in a Red Dot situation to save themselves, while trying to prevent harm. With a Green Dot involved, no one has to get hurt.

Students were encouraged to spread awareness of the campaign in several ways like wearing a Stand for State pin as representation in order to draw attention and encourage questions and involvement about the program.

Many people do not speak out in fear of being harmed themselves. A presentation on diversions and continuing the spread of Green Dots was made more crucial by this program. The message: we must all stand together in order to speak up for and protect those who are unable to protect themselves.

To continue with the university’s cause of avoiding and preventing Red Dot situations, a Stand for State Leadership Institute training session will be held on Saturday, April 16.

For more information, contact Ronika Money-Adams at rmm29@psu.edu or Stephanie Jones at snf120@psu.edu.

Story updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Another Successful Chance Auction for THON as New Dancers Emerge

Another Successful Chance Auction for THON as New Dancers Emerge

By: Paul Alberici, Lions Eye Writer, paa5102@psu.edu

Over the past few years, one of the annual events that Brandywine Benefiting THON has held is a chance auction in January.

There are a variety of baskets and prizes to be won, with members from all across the Brandywine community enjoying the night. But last year, a tradition started that appears to be here to stay. The organization now uses this event to announce who will be representing the organization in that year’s THON weekend.

This is the first time in years that Brandywine THON will have more than two dancers as part of the more than 700 dancers who will be standing on their feet for 46 hours in support of families affected by pediatric cancer. For THON 2016, Brandywine THON’s dancers are Alexis Proctor, Derek Osborn, and Abby Wilt.

“[The announcement] felt unreal,” sophomore Public Relations Captain Alexis Proctor said. “I was so hyped and speechless.”

After being a general member her freshman year, Proctor has been the Public Relations Captain of the group during this year’s fundraising effort. She is responsible for the group’s social media presence as well as working with the fundraising captain to create flyers to be posted online and around campus. She has also started a new social media video campaign online involving the members of the group.

Needless to say, tension was high among the six potential dancers, yet they were also fully prepared to cheer on their other members, who are also their friends.

“I was prepared for the worst, but hoped for best,” senior Abby Wilt said. “I was ready to cheer on whoever won if it wasn’t me. I was especially nervous though with this being my last THON weekend as a student.”

Wilt’s involvement with THON started back in 2011, when she started her Penn State career at Mont Alto, but then transferred to the Brandywine campus in spring of 2012, thus attending her first THON as a Brandywine member. She was named a shift captain for THON weekend 2013. Upon her return to Brandywine, Abby added that rejoining Brandywine THON was her top priority. Of all the different reactions of those who had won, the general consensus was a sense of shock.

“My initial reaction was shock,” sophomore fundraising Captain Derek Osborn said. “I thought ‘this is actually happening? It took a while to set in, but when it did hit I was overjoyed that I could help the people who needed it.”

Last year, Osborn was one of the group’s most active freshmen. As a freshman, he attended a majority of the group’s events and was even given the opportunity to tour the Hershey Medical Center. After attending THON weekend last year, he felt inspired to do more and volunteered to be the group’s fundraising captain. This position involves planning events, contacting University Park executives for event approval, as well as collaborating with the public relations captain to make the flyers.

“I contribute a lot of free time to planning and setting up events,” Osborn said.

The three dancers will be helping to support families battling cancer and, for each of them, it means something very special.

“This honor means a lot to me,” Wilt said. “All the hard work pays off, I get to do this for the kids and in honor of my grandmother. This has been a year to remember and this just highlights it.”

Proctor also has a personal reason for wanting to dance.

“[It means] everything to me,” Proctor said. “I get the chance to do something I’ve wanted for a long time. Not only do I get to dance in memory of my best friend’s little brother, but I am able to better understand what the families are going through.”

Osborn has a very selfless approach to this as well.

“I have the honor to help those who need it,” Osborn said. ”I get to be the silly and ridiculous reason these kids forget they have cancer. And I also get to carry their burden so they don’t have to.”

Osborn commented on the success of the event itself because aside from announcement, the group still had to raise money.

“I was extremely happy with the success of the event,” Osborn said. “I really liked how it turned out, the silent auction was much more successful, and overall everything was great. I was happy with final profits because they were very similar to last year’s success.”

The Chance Auction raised more than $2,000. Proctor, Wilt, Osborn and the rest of the THON Organization can barely hold in their excitement leading up to the THON weekend which begins on Friday, February 19, at 6 p.m.

 

Surprise Bridal Shower for Brandywine Admissions Counselor

By Nicole Graham, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, ndg112@psu.edu

Penn State Brandywine’s admission staff hosted a spectacular surprise bridal shower for Admission Counselor Kari Haffinger.

The well-designed event took place during Common Hour on February 24 in Brandywine campus’ Main building. It was organized by Administrative Support Assistant Jade Cheng with the help of Jessica Menges, a fellow administrator in the admissions department.

Cheng says  she has been planning the party for about a month.

“I came up with the party theme because she loves Dr. Who, so we figured we would have a Dr. Who themed party,” Cheng said. “Students made the decorations for the tables and the admissions staff helped me put the event together.”

Business and Marketing sophomore Fatoumata Conteh and Razhan Toossi, a fellow Brandywine student, helped decorate the room and prepare guests for the surprise entrance of Haffinger. The students prepared for the surprise for quite some time.

“Jade was pretty good with the whole setup and planning everything beforehand,” Toossi said.

After everyone arrived, they waited quietly for Haffinger to enter. Everyone yelled, “Surprise!” Haffinger was extremely shocked and ran out of the room into the hallway. After a few minutes, she reentered the room and was very emotional. Haffinger was very happy that Penn State students and staff took the time out to celebrate her soon-to-be arrival.

“I was told that I had to be here for a mandatory sexual harassment training,” Haffinger said. “I’m so glad that this is what it is and not a training.”

Haffinger was completely unaware because invitations were sent out via email from Dani Remenier.

“Jess and Jade asked me to send a mass invitation email excluding [Haffinger’s] email address to keep it a surprise,” Remenier said.

Haffinger appreciated all the efforts of the students and staff and smiled throughout the whole event. It was a grand success.

Oscar Films Worth Watching from 2015

By: Michael McCarrick, Lion’s Eye Writer, mqm5415@psu.edu

There are times when the Oscars do not determine the best movie of the year. “Citizen Kane” is widely regarded as the greatest American movie ever made, but did it win Best Picture at the Oscars. It lost to some movie called, “How Green was My Valley,” which has since faded into obscurity. It’s not about what audiences look back as the most memorable and entertaining movie, but rather the most well-made and mature film that pleases critics. In fact, the only Best Picture winner that a majority of students reading this can say they saw is, “The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King.” Advice for students who want to become filmmakers: if you want to win an Oscar, make a movie about making movies, as three of the last four best picture champions have had some relation to the entertainment industry in “The Artist,” “Argo,” and “Birdman.”

There is also the issue of black Hollywood stars and filmmakers boycotting the Oscars because most of the nominations feature white actors. An example of their racial prejudice case is the fact that “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan did not get nominated for Best Actor while his white co-star Sylvester Stallone was nominated for Best Supporting Actor supposedly because the studio made a bigger push for his nomination.  Some will argue that the Academy and the studio have a prejudice about nominating for black actors. Maybe the most likely explanation is that Hollywood has failed to create roles and films for black actors and actresses that are worthy of Oscar consideration.

The times of Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington are beginning totransition to a new generation of black actors such as Michael B. Jordan and John Boyega from “Star Wars.” Soon those actors will be given roles that are Oscar worthy—and the need for this outcry will fade away. Nevertheless, for film fanatics it’s still fun to watch some of the best actors and filmmakers in the world come together and celebrate the year in movies. Whether it’s the performances of the best song nominees, the in memoriam segment, the memorable speeches or the fashion, The Oscars always have something memorable. In preparation for the big show, here are the films that will be celebrated this year at the 88th Academy Awards on February 28 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. Expect host Chris Rock to make some hilarious remarks about the social situations the Oscars are experiencing.

“The Revenant”
Winner of Best Drama, Director, and Actor at the Golden Globes, “The Revenant” is primed to clean up at the Academy Awards with 12 nominations this year. And it might finally end the drought every film fanatic has been waiting for: Leonardo DiCaprio winning an Oscar. The film is a tale of survival and revenge in the 19th century with remarkable cinematography and incredible snowy landscapes.

“Spotlight”
Based on a true story, this is a dark and intriguing look at a group of reporters investigating Boston priests of child-molestation allegations. With a star-studded cast featuring Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Mark Ruffalo, this drama gripped viewers with the shocking information these reporters uncovered.

“Creed”
In Philadelphia sports, there are no dynasties, except for Rocky. The much beloved “Rocky Balboa” franchise that started in 1976 has been passed down to a new generation with “Creed,” which tells the story of Apollo Creed’s illegitimate son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) moving to Philadelphia to become a professional boxer like his father before him, having the old man himself (Sylvester Stallone) train him. Stallone’s performance has already won him a Golden Globe and might give him his second Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, the first he won for writing the original Rocky.

“Mad Max: Fury Road”
The unlikeliest of Oscar contenders, “Fury Road” is a reboot of the violent “Mad Max” series made popular in the 1980s with Mel Gibson. Tom Hardy takes the reigns as Max, but it’s Charlize Theron’s performance as Furiosa that steals the show. What makes this film a cinematic masterpiece is the incredible shot action and spectacular practical effects from director George Miller, who filmed the original “Mad Max” films. Nicholas Hoult also has a great performance as the deformed Nux. Expect this to be the movie to take home all the technical awards such as visual effects, cinematography and sound.

“Bridge of Spies”
What’s more Americana than a Cold War era movie starring Tom Hanks and directed by Steven Spielberg? It’s like Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr working their magic together in the first Super Bowl. This time Hanks plays a lawyer who has to defend American soldiers accused of becoming spies for Communist Russia. The trial takes place in one of the most dangerous parts of the world at that time–East Berlin.

“Brooklyn”
Best Actress nominee Sairose Ronan, who is just old enough to be a senior in college, has already been nominated for an Oscar when she was a mere 13-year-old for “Atonement.”  In this film, she plays a 1950s Irish immigrant who comes to America to live on her own; she is quickly torn between staying in her homeland and making a new life for herself in Brooklyn.

“Carol”
Cate Blanchett is becoming as royal to the Academy as Meryl Streep, as she and her co-star Rooney Mara are both nominated as lesbian lovers during the early 20th century. Blanchett plays Carol Aird, a housewife who is threatened with losing custody of her daughter because of her relationship with another woman (Mara). Kyle Chandler and Sarah Paulson are also featured.

“Straight Outta Compton”
One of the most popular movies of the year, “Straight Outta Compton” tells the true story of the rise and fall of one of the most famous and influential rap groups of all time: N.W.A. This rags-to-riches story follows members such as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube (played uncannily by his son) and Eazy-E. Themes of police brutality and minority suppression ring true with audiences today, making it the perfect time to tell the story of N.W.A.

“Room”
This gripping drama is about a young woman (Brie Larson) who was kidnapped and incarcerated for years while giving birth and raising her son. When the two finally find a way to escape, they now have adapt to the world outside, especially the boy, whose whole world thus far was confined to one room. The talented Larson is a favorite to win Best Actress.

“The Big Short”
Any movie featuring the team of Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell is bound to attract attention at the Oscars. The film takes a look at the beginning of the 2008 housing market crisis and the uncovering of the Wall Street brokers corruption that led to its collapse, all foreseen by Bale’s genius character. The film is fast-paced with snappy dialogue and brutally honest humor.

“The Martian”
The winner for Best Comedy/Musical at the Golden Globes, “Alien and Blade Runner” director Ridley Scott returns to science fiction. Scott adapts the best-selling novel about an astronaut (Matt Damon) being left behind on Mars and forced to survive relying solely on his wits as he awaits rescue, which takes a couple years. Both humorous and dramatic, “The Martian” is a rare sci-fi movie, not based on a film-franchise, that has become a classic.

“Joy”
Fans of “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle” will probably be a fan of “Joy” as the stars and director of said movies have reunited to make another run at the Oscars. Jennifer Lawrence plays the titular character who goes through some rough patches to find success as the inventor of the Miracle Mop in spite of her overbearing family, including her father (Robert De Niro). Bradley Cooper also co-stars with Lawrence again, though not as her romantic partner, but as her boss.

“The Danish Girl”
Last year, Eddie Redmayne won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as Steven Hawking in “The Theory of Everything.” This year, he’s campaigning for a repeat, as he portrays an artist in the early 20th century who decides to become a woman. His wife, played by Alicia Vikander, is also nominated for Best Actress for the film and Best Supporting Actress for “Ex Machina.”

“Inside Out”
The slam-dunk for Best Animated Feature seems to be this film. “Inside Out” dives into the mind of a young girl’s brain, showing her emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, fear and disgust personified. It’s up to them to give her the right balance of emotions in order for her to be a functional human being. Pixar’s latest classic does what it does best —humor and entertain both children and adults… and make them cry.

“Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”
The only movie on this list that a majority of students saw last year, “The Force Awakens” rejuvenated the biggest pop culture phenomenon in the world by being visually stunning, emotional and genuinely fun. Nominated for five Oscars, it won’t win a lot of awards, but it’ll be remembered as the movie everyone went to see and loved in 2015. The other nominated films were well-made, but “Star Wars” was a movie that had the “Wow!” factor.

1000 Points for Hinton

David Brown, Lion’s Eye Editor, dvb5451@psu.edu

As the Brandywine Lady Lions continue their successful season with a record of 10‐6, Cashae Hinton has made history with her 1000‐point season and has no desire to slow down.

Hinton, a Norristown native, leads the league in assists and ranks sixth nationally, averaging 4.5 assists per game. She ranks ninth nationally and second in the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) in steals per game with 3.5. Hinton is coming off an All‐American season while leading the team with 25 minutes per game. As far as credit for Hinton’s success, the senior point guard gives it all away.

“All the credit goes to the coaches and team I play for,” Hinton said. “I can’t tell you the amount of times they took me out of a game when I was frustrated, calmed me down and still believed in me.”

When asked on how she felt about being the eighth player to reach 1000 points she said, “It’s pretty amazing. A big burden and a lot of pressure come with it, but I couldn’t have done it without the outstanding players I have played with.”

Lady Lions Head Coach Larry Johnson couldn’t say enough about Hinton’s character and effect on the team.

“She (Hinton) is a leader, our captain, and I would say the best point guard in our league,” Johnson said. “Cashae knows how to get her teammates involved. Whenever we need a big steal, she comes up it. She is definitely our best defensive player.”

Johnson also mentioned Hinton and Olivia Encarnacion as the squad’s quality shooters. The two have become key players on offense with a combined average 23 points per game, while the entire offense averages 73 points per game. Defensively, the pair averages 8.2 rebounds and five blocks per game.

Johnson talked about the team’s defense, touching on improvements the team could make.

“We have to get better defensively 100%,” Johnson said. “We give up too many points to other teams that shouldn’t score that many points.”

“We need to be helping on D (defense), helping each other, and having consistent ball movement,” Hinton said.

The Lions’ defense has been an issue for the team this year as they have been averaging 20 turnovers per game, 66 points against overall and 75 points against in conference games. Hinton didn’t sell her team short when it came to expectations for this season.

“We can get to Nationals,” Hinton said. “This is a very talented group of girls, and besides losing two key players from last year, we have the same squad and can be very successful.”

The coach concurred with Hinton’s expectations.

“Our expectations are to always make it to the PSUAC playoffs,” Johnson said. “If we come together I think we could win the championship and make it to the national tournament.”

This Brandywine squad has been successful since Hinton’s freshman year, and even more so under Coach Johnson and his staff. In his nine‐year tenure, the team has a winning percentage of .660 accumulated with a 163‐84 record.

Johnson has brought Brandywine nine PSUAC South Division championships in a row, two regular season championships, two PSUAC tournament championships, three USCA tournament bids and PSUAC coach of the year award during the 2013‐2014 season.

With all that said, this Brandywine squad looks to add to Coach Johnson’s resume.

Hinton reminisced on her favorite moment of her basketball career at Brandywine.

“My favorite moment was as a freshman to help the upperclassman overcome a 20‐point‐deficit to win the championship,” Hinton said. “It was surreal.”

Similar to that squad in 2010 Hinton referred to, the Lady Lions has challenges to overcome, but does have the talent that could drive them into the postseason. Defensively, improvements do need to be made, but this team has done more with less before.

Only time will tell if Hinton’s favorite memory of bringing home another championship to Brandywine will be repeated this season.

The Lady Lions finished the season with a record of 18‐9, losing in the Final Four to rival Penn State Beaver. Hinton finished the season with 1,176 points.

Story updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Rebuilding Year for Brandywine Men’s Basketball 

Erin Dolan, Lion’s Eye Writer, evd5158@psu.edu

The Penn State Brandywine men’s basketball team is rebuilding its foundation for future basketball seasons.

The 2015-16 season has showed promise with a team record of 4-13 thus far, already exceeding the number of wins from last season’s 1-23 record. Head Coach Omar Richburg found his first year challenging. This season, he looks forward to blending the talents of veteran and rookie players. With eight conference games left, he’s pleased with the team’s 3-5 record. Richburg believes the young team shows potential, but needs to work on free throws and rebounds.

Starting center Cyrie Spencer has made a presence inside the paint. Spencer is a key returner and leads the team in rebounds (6.8) and points per game (12.9). Throughout the season, Spencer has sacrificed his position at center to work as a guard and forward. In previous games, opponents have attempted to shut down Spencer by double-teaming him.

With the previous year’s leading scorer ineligible, freshman Naifes Smalls has stepped up as starting guard. Smalls is not far behind Spencer in rebounds (4.4) and points per game (8.4). Smalls’ incomparable defensive skills have made him a crucial asset to the team.

Freshman Terrence Quinn has worked his way into a starting position after having a career high of 18 points against Valley Forge.  Quinn leads the team in free throws, shooting 75-percent from the foul line.

With three years left of eligibility, Richburg sees a bright future for Quinn.

“He has grown over past four or five games and is playing his role,” Richburg said.

The inexperience of the young team has equated to missed free throws and rebounds, and thus potential wins slipping away.  While fine-tuning their skills, the team remains focused on their main goal– the playoffs.

“Our main goal is getting to the playoffs, continuing to have a strong year, building the chemistry and culture of a winning program and staying focused and working hard,” Richburg said.

With many players returning including Spencer, Smalls and Quinn, the team has big plans for the 2016-2017 basketball season.

“Getting better, adding pieces to the puzzle, and increasing in size,” Richburg said.

Richburg remains committed to preparing the program by recruiting players who best represent Penn State Brandywine.

With the determination to excel on and off the court, the team anticipates giving Penn State Brandywine the recognition it deserves with a championship title.

Updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Involvement Fair Looks to Recruit New Students

By: Michael McCarrick, Lion’s Eye Writer, mqm5415@psu.edu

In contrast to its size, Penn State Brandywine has its fair share of clubs to interest any student; on January 19, Penn State Brandywine held its Student Involvement Fair in the gymnasium during common hour.

It is one thing to go to college and take classes, but it is better to be taking classes and participating in a club that matches a student’s interest and passion. Not only do students have the opportunity to get involved in clubs, but also they are also likely to make new friends with club members because of their shared interests.

There were nearly 20 different booths, along food and refreshments available while pop music was playing in the background at the fair. Attending the Student Involvement Fair, newcomers discovered the various clubs on campus while the others saw what new clubs were established this year.

Among the many booths were the club titans that have been a major part of Brandywine’s culture such as THON, Brandywine Events & Activities Service Team (B.E.A.S.T.), Student Government Association (S.G.A.) and Phi Beta Lambda. However, the lesser-known clubs were the ones that enrich the fair, such as Nittany Needles, Rainbow Alliance, A Capella and Anime Club.

Among the new clubs were the Badminton Club, the Musicians Collaboration Club and the Trapshooting Club. With all these new clubs arriving on campus, it should encourage students to create a club that fits their niche.

Stephanie Jones, the Associate Director of Student Affairs, was one of the coordinators for the event. Jones was everywhere trying to make everything coherent and appealing to the students.

The purpose of the fair was to, “Show students ways to engage in their campus community,” Jones said. “I hope they [the students] learned about ways to get involved and about student organizations on campus.”

The next Student Involvement Fair will take place in September and will likely be outside, making it impossible to miss. In addition, it is not too late to join a club. For more information on joining a club, contact the club leader or go to the website brandywine.psu.edu/student-clubs-and-organizations.

 

Updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Road to Europe Begins at Brandywine

By: Michael McCarrick, Lion’s Eye Writer, mqm5415@psu.edu

One of Brandywine’s unique opportunities for students is the study abroad program.

It’s a one-week trip to a country in Europe which provides students with a taste of culture from another continent. Last year, Brandywine students had a fantastic voyage in Greece, where they experienced its scenic views and ancient history.  Before that, trips to London and Italy gave students a refreshing taste of culture and inspired their imagination.

This Spring Break, Penn State Brandywine will have three trips going on simultaneously: Ireland, Paris and Cuba. The trip to Paris was originally going to be held over Thanksgiving break last semester; because of the terrorist attacks, it was changed to March 6-13 for the safety of the students.

There are various classes for students to take, depending on the trip.  Each class appeals to students of almost any major or minor.  Students going on the trip to Paris are enrolled in either Introduction to the Arts in Paris led by Professor Dr. Paul Green, Black American Writers taught by Dr. Kimberly Blockett or Cross Cultural Psychology by Dr. Pauline Guerin.  Each course is worth three credits and the work for each class is online.

For Ireland’s Spring Break trip on March 4 to 12 there are several different courses including: Family Disorganization, Wellness Theory, Irish Art and Philosophy and the Foundations of Linguistics. Linguistics professor Evan Bradley is excited for the Ireland trip and speaks about the trip’s purpose.

“In a general sense, the whole concept is giving exposure to the world and other cultures,” Bradley said.  “In an academic sense for linguistics, we can do research for the difference in the pronunciation of words in another culture, and get a wider view on things worldwide.”

The Cuba trip on March 5 to 12 is for students taking courses in Civic and Community Engagement or Ethics and the Design of Technology. Art History Professor Dr. Paul Green describes that experience.

“You could take multiple courses for one trip and have the opportunity to graduate with a minor in International Studies,” Green said.  “It would look great on any student’s resume.”

Students who were unable to travel this semester can look forward to future trips. Those who want to keep in touch with the program and find more information about it can go to the website brandywine.psu.edu/global-programs. Each trip costs less than $2500, which is affordable.

No matter what trip each student is participating in, it will be an experience he or she will not regret.

Updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Young and Hungry: Women’s Softball

Meghan Burton, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, mcb@psu.edu

The 2016 Penn State Brandywine women’s softball team might be young but they are hungry.

The team is led by head coach Mark Caserta and assistant coaches Christine Mattis and Clarissa Harris.

Caserta’s coaching style focuses on positive energy and encouragement. Captain Julia Allman (Broomall, Pa./ Marple Newtown) explains how his style works.

“He has so much confidence in every single player, from the beginning to the end of the season,” Allman said.

This positive coaching style and a young team filled with talented players led the team to finish the 2015 season on a high note, as the team claimed the PSUAC softball title.

Some key players that played a part in that victory and are returning this spring could be called the fabulous five. These women are all sophomores looking to defeat their biggest rival Penn State Hazelton again. They include: Katie DeStefano (Kennett Square, Pa. / Kennett), Julie Foeldes (Kendall Park, N.J. / South Brunswick), Robynn Gannon (Lansdowne, Pa. / Archbishop Prendergast), Jen Patterson (Springfield, Pa. / Springfield) and 2015 All-American Katy Steffen (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West).

“Our team as a whole is an awesome unit, because we click on the field and are all such good friends,” Foeldes said.

Following up on this upcoming season, the team is looking forward to numerous things.

“I am looking forward to seeing how well all of the new freshmen do on our team,” Allman said. “They all seem really aggressive and have love for the game.”