Category: About

Food for Thoughts

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As a culture, we’ve became so used to our own habits, that we are often unaware of some that may be changing.

Cultural foods, changed eating habits, and fast food have grown in popularity. Shown dramatically at the recent Global Dialogue Luncheon, the revelation may have caught one off guard.

With an extensive variety of food and traditions that surround us, society has incorporated the variety into our everyday lives and we do not even differentiate between foods of other cultures. At the Global Dialogue Lunch, students were able to expand their knowledge of different cultures, food, and understand the difference of some cultures.

While the theme of this lunch was, “You are what you eat,” students were taught how the eating habits of our society are beginning to change, not just in the United States, but also around the world.

Penn State Brandywine student, Catherine Mills, left the event with a whole other perspective on cultural eating habits. “I was shocked to find out that many of the ingredients weren’t processed in other countries. I, on the other hand, live in a country where a majority of the food I eat is processed,” said Mills.

By way of comparison, other cultures will take the time to sit down with their family for meals regularly. In this luncheon, guest speakers taught our audience the ways other countries handle their meals through the day, and even the way they are eaten. In other countries, meals are not rushed and in some situations, taken very seriously.

“We don’t take the time to enjoy food like other countries do, but we should,” Mills added about her experience.

Some cultures will spend hours preparing an important meal. They also are very picky, using only the freshest ingredients, that are, many times, home grown. Surprising to American culture, some cultures will even butcher their own animals for the meats of the meals.

With every country, there are differences in their outside food and home food eating habits, but that’s what makes learning these different traditions so interesting. With every country comes another culture. It just proves that two countries’ cultures will never be the same.

Lion’s Eye Staff Writer
Nathaniel Forwood, Nlf5120@psu.edu

Spring is here just in time with multiple championships in mind

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Soon jackets will be shed and warm air will be returning to Delaware County. With the weather quickly changing and the ball fields thawing, it is almost that time of the year—it’s time to play ball!

Spring 2017 promises many opportunities for Penn State Brandywine. There’s history to be made and records to be broken for our baseball and softball teams. With spring, just around the corner, both teams are hopeful and excited for what this season has in store.

While our softball team is busy starting a dynasty, they’ll be entering this spring holding two consecutive conference championships, with a confident mindset and an even more tenacious demeanor.

Even though softball recently arrived as part of Brandywine athletics in 2014, they have already made their mark with dominance in the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC). The man behind the magic, Coach Mark Caserta, has earned the Coach of the Year award for the past two years. Coach Caserta will be entering the spring holding a 46-11 conference record and two conference championships.

Julia Allman, senior softball captain, also has a vision for this upcoming season.

“We enter this season with countless goals in mind. Our very strong freshman class and incredibly experienced upperclassmen are ready to be seen. Since this is my final season, I look forward to making this one as memorable and unforgettable as possible,” said Allman.

With the support of their upperclassmen and coaching staff, the women are preparing to make this season one for the record books.

As the softball team looks forward to reaching their next milestone, Brandywine’s baseball team is seeking out to make history of their own.

Returning from a disappointing finish last spring, the baseball team ferociously looks ahead with one thing on their mind—a championship. The PSUAC title is something that the majority of the upperclassmen have been within arm’s reach of achieving, but have not obtained.

Fall 2016 brought new opportunities with the promotion of Vinny Gallo to baseball head coach. The team also welcomed, Corey Hepher, Tony DiGiammo and Mike Sciasci, as new assistant coaches.

Optimistic senior captain Joey Samohod says, “The talent this team possesses, and the unbreakable brotherly bond this team carries will lead to dominance. With the challenges, not only in baseball but in school and life, you learn it’s about the people you surround yourself with that makes the biggest difference. We’re so lucky to have a family of brothers who are continuously there to pick each other up without hesitation on and off the field. This team has been through a lot to get them to be the strong and recognized team we strove to become.”

John Gorgone, senior captain outfielder, states, “There’s different building blocks that a team takes to the road of a championship title. This team has never had a thing handed to them, we’ve worked for every little thing. This dedication is something we’ve been building off of in the past four years, and that’s what is giving us success in this moment.”

Nathaniel Forwood, Joe Samohod, Tommy Crumlish and John Gorgone, all baseball team captains, are hoping to make this season memorable. With a few college baseball careers coming to an end at the conclusion of this spring 2017 season, it is their goal to make this last year memorable and, more importantly, to leave their mark on the school and the program.

Captain outfielder Tommy Crumlish concludes with, “This determined group of men are coming back from a year of incredible performance but unsatisfactory finish and ready to set fire to the field, and bring Brandywine our first ever baseball championship title.”

In early February, the baseball team opened their season with the softball team following in early March. Both groups of student athletes are prepared to put their countless hours of sweat and stress to the test.  With both teams chasing a goal of their own, they share a common motivation—success.  The championship title sits right at their fingertips, ready to be taken.

Lion’s Eye Staff Writer
Nathaniel Forwood, Nlf5120@psu.edu

Enhancing the Student Experience at Brandywine

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By: Najla King and Alyssa Abbonizio, The Lion’s Eye Staff Writers

Since the groundbreaking ceremony in Spring 2016, the Brandywine community has been preparing for the arrival of the new residence hall and student union buildings, projected to open in Fall 2017. As construction continues and the structures develop, students are anxious to know the finer details of the facilities. Aliyeah Houston, a junior at Penn State Brandywine expressed her excitement for the new residence hall building.

“I’m glad we’re getting dorms. I used to live on campus at another PSU location so it brings back a lot of good memories for me. It’ll feel more like the ‘real college experience’ for students living there, which I think is needed,” she said.  

The new residence hall will be named Orchard Hall because prior to being an institution of learning, the campus land was an apple orchard.

Orchard Hall will house 254 students, two per bedroom, on three floors. Six beds will be reserved for resident assistants and two professional staff members living on campus. There will be 24 compartmentalized bathrooms on each floor and will introduce a new concept of shared bathrooms to students living in the dorms.

This facility will contain many fun living features: laundry units, with text alert options on completed loads; a variety of student lounges, areas reserved to study, quiet and general space to utilize and hangout. Van services, for transportation to various locations near campus, like the grocery store, or the mall, are planned for students without a vehicle.

In order to be become an Resident Assistant, students have to complete and pass a course offered in Spring ‘17, with a “B” or higher, to be considered. Current students can begin the residence application process on October 16 at noon, and prospective students can begin as they are accepted into Penn State. All student applicants will be picked at random to live in Orchard Hall.

Not only is Penn State Brandywine getting a residence hall, but a new student union building. Located adjacent to the Vairo Library, it will be the home of food services and include two floors of student dining, conference space, student recreation areas, the bookstore, an expanded Lion’s Den and student affairs offices.

Food services will be new to the campus and although the menu is still being created, once completed, students will be able to give feedback on the items they wish to keep, discarded and added.

Gluten free and vegetarian food options will also be available to students, and a registered dietitian will be on site. Forecasted to be a student favorite, the Shake, Bake and Brew station will feature frozen treats from Creamery’s Ice Cream, baked goods from University Park bakery and other goodies still being discussed.

New meal plan options offer a variety of choices and are available for all students to purchase.

According to Elizabeth Kearns, the director of Brandywine housing and food services, University Park will provide and deliver all food items.

The campus has decided to introduce environmentally friendly concepts with the addition of the new buildings. RHEAL, is a healthy eating program, paired with the Green to Go, reusable fill up container program will be offered to students as well. “We have a go-green reusable container for a $5 deposit; you use the container, bring it back and we give you your $5 back,” Kearns said.  

This building will also include a health and wellness center with health professionals and The addition of the student union building and Orchard Hall will enhance the student experience for returning and prospective students. With new advances and the integration of sophisticated technology, millennials will feel right at home at Brandywine.

Brandywine softball defeats Rosemont

Posted By under About, Advertising, Alumni, Campus News, Entertainment, Networking, Sports, Uncategorized

By Brian Bosco, Lion’s Eye staff writer, bwb5310@psu.edu

 

The Penn State Brandywine softball team traveled to Rosemont College on Thursday, April 21, and came away with two blowout nonconference wins.

 

After a 9-0 shutout win by the Lady Lions in the first game of the double-header, they set out to do the same in the nightcap.  Game two started off with a bang as Brandywine plated five runs on three hits that included a three-run RBI triple by Katy Steffen.  The other two runs were knocked in with a pair of singles by Julie Foeldes and Steph Harvey.

 

Foeldes led seven players with at least two hits by going 3-4 at the plate.  Harvey was not far behind Foeldes’ performance as she tallied five hits and three RBI’s over both games.

 

“We were able to put Rosemont in a hole early,” Head Coach, Mark Castansa said.

 

The early lead was all the senior pitcher, Olivia Encarnacion, needed.  Encarnacion blanked the Ravens over the first 4 ⅓ innings before an error allowed Rosemont to score an unearned run.  She finished the game with six strikeouts, only allowed five hits, and earned her sixth win of the season.

 

“I was just trying to get the ball over the plate as much as possible,” Encarnacion explained when asked how she kept Rosemont on edge.

 

A four-run fourth inning sealed the deal for the Lady Lions.  The inning was led by last year’s All-Americans, Katie Steffen and Katie DeStefano.  Steffen added an RBI double to score Foeldes, and Katie DeStefano recorded a big run scoring single.  This ran the score up to 12-0 in Brandywine’s favor.

 

Heading into the top of the fifth inning Brandywine knew it had to hold Rosemont in order to keep the 10 run rule in effect.  In college, the 10 run rule takes effect when one team is beating the other team by 10 runs or more through five innings.

 

Knowing they had to keep Rosemont from scoring two runs, Brandywine looked a little tense at the start of the inning.  The inning started with a leadoff single, followed by a throwing error that allowed one run to score.  This left Brandywine with a one run cushion and a runner on third.  Next batter hits a rocket down to Grace DeRosa at third base.  She slung it home to the catcher, Steph Harvey, as who embraced a forceful collision while tagging the runner out at the plate.

 

“It kept the game at 10 runs,” Harvey said.  “I wasn’t trying to hurt her, I was just trying to do my job and get the out.”

 

Harvey got the out, while also making the play of the game.  The next two batters hit lazy fly balls, and that ended the game with a final score of 12-1.

 

Brandywine is now 14-14 (7-1 in conference) and heads to Widener on Friday afternoon. Their big challenge comes this weekend with conference doubleheaders against Penn State New Kensington, and Penn State Fayette.

 

Brandywine Softball: 2016 Preview

Posted By under About, Campus News, Entertainment, Sports

Brian Bosco, Lions Eye Editor, bwb5310@psu.edu

The Penn State Brandywine softball team is returning to defend its championship title in the Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC).

In just their second season as a varsity program, head coach Mark Caserta led Brandywine to a 23-12 record and its first PSUAC championship.  The Brandywine Lady Lions won all 18 of their games against league competition, while outscoring opponents 220-51 during those contests.  The women are eager to show the league they can do it again.

This season there will be six returning players, two of whom were named All-Americans as freshman.  The All-American duo of Katie DeStefano and Katy Steffen helped lead the team to the championship last season, and they look to forward to everyone gunning for them as Caserta said.

DeStefano was also PSUAC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year for 2015, with seven starts against league competition, and posted a perfect 7-0 record with a 1.02 earned run average and 54 strikeouts in 41.0 innings.  On the offensive side of the All-American duo is Steffen.  The first baseman registered a team best eight home runs, 51 RBI, and had a batting average of .377 with 24 extra-base hits.  The two have been working hard to be even better this year, and will help elevate their overall team play.

Entering the 2016 season, the Lady Lions are down seven players from 2015.  Last year’s starting shortstop and centerfielder, players named USCAA All-Americans, did not return to the team this year because of personal issues.  This has created some question marks in the lineup.

However, the Lady Lions welcomed seven new players, including two pitchers who are dedicated to help out DeStefano.  Having multiple pitchers with different strengths is another asset this team has lacked in years past.  Each of the seven players brought in are hoping to make a positive impact on the starting lineup.

“One of the strengths of this year’s team is going to be how versatile each player is,” Caserta said.  “There will be lots of options for me as each position will be interchangeable.”

Key matchups for the Lady Lions include conference games against Hazelton and Schuylkill.  Penn State Hazleton won the championship in 2014 and gave Brandywine a run for its money in the playoffs last season.  Penn State Schuylkill will also be a matchup that will be tough as they qualified for the national United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) tournament last season.
Caserta had some interesting insight as to how a softball season can go.

“Every year could be different, one year a team could be bad, but the next they could have a pitcher that could turn the whole team around,” Caserta said.

All-in-all, the 2016 Brandywine softball team will be a force to be reckoned with.  Having a great core of upperclassman leadership, along with adding dedicated freshman, will help this team have the depth they need to go all the way.  These women are seeking a championship from pitch number one.

Rebuilding Year for Brandywine Men’s Basketball 

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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

The New Waiting List

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Sara Piatetsky, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, svp5316@psu.edu

As the spring semester kicked into gear, the Writing Studio introduced an online scheduler for appointments.

The Writing Studio, Penn State Brandywine’s very own writing centric lab, made appointments even more accessible this semester. As many of the campus’ features become available through online reservation such as the study cells (reserved work space in the back of the library, perfect for group projects) and media commons rooms, students are now able to schedule appointments online to meet with staff of the Writing Studio.

Though appointments have always been available, the staff has made it easier for students to reach out for the assistance they need. Students can now schedule appointments, well in advance, for anything from brainstorming to assistance with proofreading one’s drafts.

Along with scheduling appointments, the online scheduler also offers a waiting list option, much like the waiting list for scheduling courses. Now when students are stuck on a paper or maybe need some additional peer editing last minute, it’s as simple as filling out a form and receiving a notification when there is an opening in the studio.

“Students have started using the online scheduler and it’s working well,” Dr. James Berkey, Director of the Writing Studio, said. “They’ve been able to schedule appointments on their own and, when needed, cancel them ahead of time, which is nice because it then opens up that time for another writer. The waitlist feature promises to be useful, but only a handful of students have had the need to use it so far. I imagine it will be more useful later in the semester, when the Writing Studio is traditionally busier.”

Not only is the online scheduler convenient, but also it’s easy to use. Students simply register with their PSU email and select the date and time they would like to make an appointment. Students can even choose their tutor if they have a preference.

“I think it’s convenient that you can make appointments now online,” Ciera Britton, a junior corporate communications major, said. “Now when I receive an assignment I can quickly log in and schedule an appointment before my paper is due instead of waiting and possibly forgetting.”

It’s never too early to prepare for an upcoming assignment and the online scheduler allows students to schedule up to three weeks in advance! Get ahead of semester by registering at https://brandywine.mywconline.com/ or do it the old fashion way and stop by the Writing Studio located in the Vairo Library.

Pre-Season Thoughts on Brandywine Baseball

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Brian Bosco,  Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, bwb5310@psu.edu

As spring approaches, the warmer weather shines light on the coaches and players on the Brandywine Baseball team.

After a disappointing end to the 2015 season, the Lions look forward to a fresh start as they have a new mentality and are preparing for the road to a championship.  The new year has meant new players along with a pitching coach who is ready to push these players to their limits.

Head coach Bill Haines along with assistant coach Toby MacCart plan to lead the team to success, and this year they have new strategies that will help accomplish their goals. The Brandywine baseball team lost in the semi-finals of the 2015 playoffs to Penn State Beaver.  Key changes for the 2016 season were made after that loss.

“Personally, my goal is for my team to buy into the new culture and way of coaching I have developed through some minor changes,” Haines said.  “They may not even notice some of the small changes but hopefully will see the big impacts.  My goal is to always have my team come together and play together for one another.  One of my big motto’s for this year’s team is ‘STRONGER TOGETHER.’”

Improvement comes by players working together.

“If we establish a culture from the beginning with the thought of doing everything we can to be successful and play as hard as we can for every one of our teammates then we will be very successful and win a lot of games.” Haines said.

Coach MacCart is the new pitching coach for the team, and is a crucial part of this reconstruction process.

“Self-belief is the most important factor,” MacCart said.  “If a player believes he can have success, then that will provide all of the motivation to continue to improve.  If the team struggles, so will player attitudes and that will affect how we finish the season.  If we believe in ourselves and in each other we will find success on and off the field.”

It is clear that the coaching staff is dedicated to this team, however it will be up to the individual players to work on their own aspects of the game, and better the team as a whole.  With a team of mostly underclassman, it will be up to the seniors to help instill this new culture into the younger players, and ensure the Brandywine Baseball program is headed in the right direction for years to come.