Student Views on Campus Construction

 

image1By: Sara Piatetsky, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, svp5316@psu.edu

What has been part of a master plan for the Brandywine campus is in the process of beginning, starting with the Vairo parking lot.

Dorms on campus have been both a rumor and long time goal for Penn State Brandywine. With a plan of action now in progress, the campus is preparing for the addition of a residence hall and student union. The new buildings will be located between the Tomezsko and Vairo buildings and behind the Vairo building.

The trailers in the Vairo library parking lot are just two out of the predicted 10 that will be stored in the small parking lot during construction. What this might mean for students on campus now is an increase in noise, traffic and maybe even confusion.

“I understand the longer term benefits for the campus and future students but it seems like current students aren’t being considered,” Jennifer Lindauer, a junior corporate communications major, said. “Most of us have busy schedules and rely on the convenience of coming to campus and going to class. Now I have to come early and plan ahead for parking. It’s just inconvenient and stressful.”

Junior Sam Andricola, a communications, arts and sciences major, agrees that one benefit to our campus was the convenience.

“When the trailers were being delivered, it was early in the day and I ended up in a line of six cars and almost didn’t make it to my class on time,” Andricola said. “I didn’t know what was happening. I expected all this of happen at night when the campus is less crowded.”

The Vairo library parking lot will not be the only affected lot. The front parking lot adjacent to the Tomezsko building will be used as well.

Brandywine’s Director of Marketing and Communications Bill Tyson says the university will be providing information about the construction projects to students through email and signs.

“One of the impacts will be on parking,” Tyson said. “The lot near the Vairo library will have reduced space due to construction trailers and the lot next to the baseball field will be used for contractor parking. In addition, the sidewalk between Vairo and Tomezsko will be closed and the walkway will be detoured onto a mulch path.”

The campus community is also being warned of noise and vibrations that may be heard or felt because of the use of heavy equipment. That will likely only apply to classes in the Tomezsko and Vairo buildings.

The groundbreaking ceremony, the official event commemorating the new additions to the campus, will be March 29 during common hour.

Speed Networking with Alumni

By: Sharifa Small, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, sns161@psu.edu

One way for college students to learn about what the real world has to offer is to network and connect with alumni.

Penn State Brandywine’s Career Services collaborated with the Student Government Association, Blue and White Society and University Relations to host the annual Speed Networking with Alumni event on February 24.

The purpose of the event was for students to get a better understanding of and experience with networking. By practicing networking, students may feel more comfortable when engaging in two-way dialogue.

Olivia Shiner, a junior business management major and the President of S.G.A., was one of the many people who made the event a success.

“This event offers an excellent opportunity to make contact with people from Penn State and within the local area,” Shiner said. “Because of the past speed networking events, I have met many alumni. Plus, I know at least three people and myself who have worked with alumni after the event.”

Shiner believes networking is essential and once students start talking to people, they will realize what they have in common and how others can help in a job search.

How it worked

The networking event took place in the Tomezsko Lounge during common hour.  The lounge was staged as a coffee house; refreshments, lunch and music were available. There were 27 students and 14 alumni in attendance. Each alum was assigned to a numbered table and each student received a number upon arrival, which placed them as a group.

The group consisted of one alumni and two to three students. For the first half of the event, and at the sound of a bell, participants were able to take turns asking questions and delivering their elevator pitches. Each session was timed, so students rotated to the a new alum’s table every four minutes.

Photo by: Sharifa Small
Photo by: Sharifa Small

Observing the success of the event, and one of the many people in charge was Christine Allen, the Career Services Coordinator.

“Feedback from both students and alumni was very positive,” Allen said.  “Students were primarily from two Internship Prep classes, (BA 420 and CNED 280) but student leaders opened the event to all students. Many connections were made for potential opportunities and students are better prepared and more confident as they prepare for Career Days on March 1st and March 24th.”

Denita Wright Watson, Penn State Great Valley’s Academic Program Manager, said she loves participating and been to several of these events.

“I think it was a great event,” Watson said.  “The students were very well prepared, and they asked thoughtful and insightful questions and were very receptive to receiving advice. One thing that stood out to me was the way in which the students traveled in pairs to each station. I think it allowed them to offer support to each other. What I noticed in some of the groupings is that one person might have been nervous. However, the person they were paired with was very reassuring in making the person feel more comfortable by nodding and smiling.”

Virginia Harrison, Penn State Brandywine Assistant Director of Development and Blue and White Society Adviser, said she enjoyed seeing Penn Staters connect.

“The Speed Networking event at Brandywine was an excellent opportunity for alumni to be mentors,” Harrison said.  “It also gave them a chance to come back to campus and remember their time here.

Career Day will be held March 1 and 24; March Madness/Resumania will be held on March 21 and 22 to help students prepare. For more information or a list of all the events, visit www.bw.psu.edu/acs-events-fairs, or stop by Career Services located in 104 Main Building.

Men’s Basketball Outhustled by Penn State York

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

The Penn State York men’s basketball team defeated Penn State Brandywine 91-69 on January 30.

From tip-off, Penn State York’s momentum and speed outhustled was evident.  In the first half, Brandywine shot 20 percent from the field verses York’s 62.1 percent.  Missing shots and being outrebounded impacted the team mentally.

Omar Richburg, Brandywine men’s basketball coach, explained what went wrong.

“It appeared there was a lack of energy and passion,” Richburg said.

In addition, within the first ten minutes of the game, both teams were in foul trouble. York racked up 12 fouls, but shot 11 for 13 from the line, while Brandywine racked up ten fouls and went 9 for 17 from the line.

By the end of the first half, York led 53-24. In the second half, Terrance Quinn, Brandywine’s guard, came out strong shooting two 3-pointers. The team’s momentum picked up, but could not be sustained. With five minutes remaining, York had its largest lead — 32 points.

York’s freshman duo of Trent Thomas and Mike Coleman led their team in points; Thomas contributed 28.

Fan Margo Gargus claimed, “Thomas was unstoppable.”

Brandywine’s forward, Marcus Turner, lead the team with 18 points, four rebounds and three assists.

“Turner played phenomenally,” Richburg said.  “The game is his first game back from an ankle injury, so he is trying to get his flow and repetition back.”

Turner’s high energy assisted in closing York’s lead. Brandywine forward Cyrie Spencer grabbed eight rebounds for Brandywine.

Brandywine’s victory against Penn State Hazleton the night before, 73-59, couldn’t offer any added momentum in this game.

“Back-to-back games were challenging because the team didn’t get home until late last night after beating Penn State Hazleton,” Richburg said. “But it’s not an excuse.”

With a 3-6 conference record, the team hopes to make a run for the playoffs as they approach their final seven games.

Richburg talked about his strategy going into a game against Penn State Mont Alto.

“We will go back to the drawing board and take a few days off to focus on the game ahead,” Richburg said.

Winning four games this season, Penn State Brandywine men’s basketball players look to improve their record by playing with more passion.

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.

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.

 

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

The New Waiting List

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

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.

 

 

New Student Initiated Fee Proposal Receives Approval from Administration

Alexis Cavalli, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, acc5407@psu.edu

Penn State students will no longer have to pay three separate fees, on top of tuition, as President Eric Barron and the administration passed the Student Initiated Fee set to be implemented this upcoming fall.

Currently, Penn State students pay a Student Activity Fee, Facilities Fee and a Technology Fee which equate to an additional $992 a year along with tuition. This rate is flexible and usually rises every year in order to compensate for department spending.

The new fee will allow money to be efficiently separated into four categories which include Student Activities, Facilities, Recreation and Services based on need.

“We are constantly finding new initiatives to improve our campus, but sometimes these considerations do not fall into the standard categories,” Olivia Shiner, Brandywine’s Student Government President, said. “One example, is the unprecedented funding request from the Student Activities Fee for a psychiatrist at Brandywine. The new fee structure will allow less ambiguity when allocating funds that best fit.”

The new proposal does not include a Technology Fee because technology is now considered to be a part of the classroom experience. Therefore, that fee does not qualify to be separate from academic essentials. Barron has decided to separate out that fee but will keep tuition the same by paying the fee down with a dollar-for-dollar transfer into tuition.

As for the Student Governments, who have spent so much time and energy advocating this bill, they are excited to finally see it passed.

“I think that this fee is extremely beneficial. With this new structure put into place we now know we can just pay one straightforward fee instead of two or three separate fees,” Alex TenBroeck, Council of Commonwealth Student Government Southeast Caucus Director & Mental Health Ad Hoc Committee Director said.

Again, the new Student Initiated Fee will be implemented Fall, 2016.