Month: February 2015

Outstanding Brandywine Professor: Dr. Lynn Hartle/Lab for Civic Engagement

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By: Victoria Marotta, vim5121@psu.edu

Students don’t have to look far to find professors with a variety experiences. Case in point — Lynn Hartle, the Executive Director and Program Coordinator of Civic and Community Engagement Laboratory.

Hartle majored in Women’s and Black Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. She later transferred to Thomas Jefferson College in Michigan where she earned a Bachelor of Philosophy as well as a teaching and Montessori certifications.

Looking for a new journey, Hartle founded, directed and taught the “Montessori Children’s House of Cookeville Inc.” Putting her heart and soul into this inclusive PreK/Kindergarten in Cookville Tennessee, she managed to earn an M.A. in Early Childhood Education with an Early Childhood teaching credential from the Tennessee Technological University.

Hartle didn’t stop there. She furthered her education through the doctoral program at Penn State University where she earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis on Early Childhood.

After 20 years as a professor at three universities in Florida, she joined Penn State Brandywine. Hartle was drawn back to the keystone state to be closer to extended family since she’s originally from Pittsburgh.

“I was drawn to the position at PSU Brandywine because of impressive faculty and their mission to support a high quality education at a small campus that is connected with all the resources and esteem of the larger Penn State University community,” Hartle said.

Penn State Brandywine has led Hartle to a new venture — the Lab for Civic & Community Engagement (CIVCM). CIVCM started in the fall 2011 with a mission of integrating campus intellectual talents of students and faculty with those of the community to make a difference. They intertwine these beliefs and activities through the fabric of the campus, connecting the broader Penn State Brandywine community of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to public scholarship and democratic practices. CIVCM would not have been possible without a generous donation from David and Marjorie Rosenberg.

Hartle tries to instill the mission of the lab to “enhance student engagement through the application of concepts, content and skills from their academic disciplines in and out of the classroom while meeting a need in a community, civic, or non-profit organization through volunteering to service learning to civic engagement.”

There are many features Hartle describes about the lab. Some initiatives are for making or collecting items that local shelters, food banks or hospitals need, tutoring and serving people in need.

The CIVCM Lab partners with clubs or can work with faculty running a course that includes service learning, to help with expenses for travel to sites, materials, planning and implementation of CIVCM initiatives. It also supports the Trailblazers, a student group that supports buying and selling Fair Trade products on campus & in the community.

“In addition to making a difference in your community, when you are involved in CIVCM, you are able to create networks, acquire special skills to help you attain and succeed in your desired career,” Hartle said. “Employers are looking for CIVCOM-minded individuals like you who know how to collaborate with diverse people express themselves, and can present decisions.”

Several factors drive Hartle and her work with this lab.

“As a teacher, I have always valued the greater context of teaching and learning – the entire community supports an educated society,” Hartle said. “When something in a child’s life is challenging, such as not enough food, parents out of work, or family members are experiencing any kinds of addictions that impacts their learning.”

When the opportunity of this position surfaced, she welcomed the opportunity to expand her reach to the community beyond elementary and high schools.  Each day is different for Hartle; she coordinates volunteers, organizes food drives and helps students complete the applications for the CIVCM minor. While these are additional duties to her assigned work as a faculty member, she is also teaching college classes, researching and advising Education majors.

“Working with the students as they make a difference in their communities is so rewarding,” Hartle said.

There is one specific action from this lab that stands out to her. It is when all of the items for a drive are collected and they take the loads to the food bank and outreach centers.

“Seeing the appreciative community members we are helping leaves me speechless,” Hartle said.

As for CIVCM’s future, Hartle hopes to incorporate Civic and Community engagement as regular experience for all Brandywine students, starting with freshman. She thinks that even starting as early as fall 2015 for new Student Orientation days would be great.

“We have also proposed an ‘alternative’ spring break service-learning trip for spring 2016 to another country or region within the US,” Hartle said. “The 2014-2020 Strategic Plan for the Penn State Brandywine campus includes several civic and community initiatives, including a long range plan for an Institute for Social Justice that will encompass the CIVCM Lab.  The CIVCM lab is evolving as clearing house for faculty, students, clubs, and staff projects in the community as well as democracy building awareness and action, such registering and then encouraging voter participation.”

Hartle is an extraordinary professor with a huge heart at Penn State and feels very strongly about the CIVCM. The message for current, new and prospective students, as well as alumni, is that Civic and Community Engagement includes opportunities for a wide spectrum of interactions for students to engage with citizens of all ages and to participate in decisions, step up as leaders and take action through community involvement.

Alumni have come back to tell us that their volunteer and internships and earning the CIVCM minor were deciding factors for employers to hire them.

“When students engage with others to help others to make a difference, they are also learning lasting skills for career and life!” Hartle said.

Chinese-American Author Explores Diverse Heritage with Students

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CathyBaoBean

Written by: Kahri Jones, kjj5053@psu.edu

Chinese born American author, Cathy Bao Bean, spoke in front of students in Tomezsko lounge Thursday, February 19, during common hour.

The opportunity for the American students to learn exactly what it means to be bicultural became readily available as Bean began to share her experiences since moving to Brooklyn, New York from China in 1946.

She is a firm believer of self-empowerment through life stories. This self-awareness of being bicultural ultimately led Bean to write The Chopsticks-Fork Principle, a memoir of exploring her multiple identity roles.

Bean’s presentation gave the audience detailed recounts of her experiences of acculturation in America after emigrating from China with her parents and growing up in the 1950’s.

She affirmed that dealing with the pressures of her native ideologies and western beliefs has shaped her to become a more dynamic person.

By request, Bean asked the students to have some sense of humor when exploring cultural differences.

Bean informed the students, “To be culturally based, you have to understand a cultures humor.” She followed by explaining, “There is a fine line between dysfunctional stereotypes and functional generalizations.”

Bean professed that good humor allows one to see things from different perspectives.

“You have to admit when you do not understand,” Bean told the audience. “It is only then where you allow others to play the role as teacher.”

Bean noted that 25-percent of Americans view Chinese people negatively. She then joked that any U.S. president would be pleased to have an approval rating of 75-percent. Mainstream images of foreign cultures rarely do a good job at portraying realistic insight into others who happen to live in other places. Bean recounted purchasing a house near farmland with her Caucasian husband. The neighbors thought that she was the housemaid until there was an exchange of communication and perspectives.

Student were equipped with philosophical advice for understanding oneself. Bean informed the students that one must step out of structure to get a hold of your true self. She also reminded students that people are a formation of the relations with others and your duty to them.

Bean ends in a light note and encourages people to embrace differences. Her book explores the balance between traditional cultures and modern cultures. It resonates not only with people from traditional Chinese families, but also with all cultures. We all are internally full of diverse ideas, beliefs and customs that help build societal relationships.

Traditional culture requires more time than modern life calls for.

Bean offers suggestive advice when taking the time to acknowledge other cultures different from ours. The observer or learner must give attention to the ordinary events and figure out how it binds cultural meaning. What is normal to one person may be strange to others; it works the other way around too.

In light of the Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, Chinese-American food was available for those who filled the lounge in attendance.

Alongside the students who are born American citizens was their international exchange student peers.

Vince Wang, a freshman whose hometown is not far from Shanghai, China, ecstatically describes Chinese New Year as a time when families gather and celebrate over a huge dinner. “Dumplings are a favorite food item in my family,” Vince states as he waits for a serving of veggie dumplings. “After we eat, our parents give children red envelopes that represent fortune and luck. There are many fire works too.”

Chinese New Year is a major holiday that is sometimes referred to as Lunar New Year, and is celebrated by neighboring cultures, because of the commonly shared lunisolar calendar.

Are PSU Brandywine Students Addicted to their Cell Phones?

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iphoneBy Alexandria Hatchett, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer

On any given day, one could walk through campus and find a number of people on their cellphones.

Studentsl know that cellphones are useful tools in our everyday lives, but have they taken control of a person’s way of functioning in society? Cellphone usage can now be classified as an addiction because of its heavy use. Among the highest groups of people who over-use their cellphones are college students. According to Lizette Borreli, author of Technology Addiction: Warning Signs of a Cell Phone Addict, “College students are most susceptible to developing the cell phone addiction because they are considered to be the heaviest users of information and technology.”

Four Penn State Brandywine students were interviewed. When asked if they used their phone everyday, three out of four students claimed that they did. Some use may be practical; other usage may not be. According to Borreli, 66-percent of people suffer from nomophobia. Nomophobia is the fear of being without one’s cellphone. One may ask what classifies someone as a cellphone addict.  Borreli claims that cellphone addicts take out their phones to scan their screens in order to feel a sense of peace and security.

Fellow Brandywine students who were interviewed checked their phone about nine times an hour on average.

When asked if she could recall the last time she left her phone at home, Brandywine student Lizzie Citrone responded, “yes… [for a] school retreat.”

Citrone said that she was “anxious at first, but adjusted.”

Liam Chambers felt worried that he would miss a very important phone call. Morgan DiAntonio recalled leaving her cellphone at home and feeling calm. Aly Mitchell does not recall ever leaving her phone at home, but claims she would be bored if she had.

Have you ever been somewhere where there were plenty of people around, but you did not know a soul? Did you try to talk to people or did you immediately start to use your phone? Borreli said that one’s addictive behavior heightens when that person is alone. Cell phone usage can be a way to cope with loneliness. Instead of having an emotional attachment to other humans, addicts are emotionally attached to their phones and may feel vulnerable outside of its presence. Other signs of addiction can be described as “the need to frequently check your phone without having an incoming call, text, or e-mail.”

Out of the four students interviewed, half claimed that they were addicted to their phones. Citrone feels she needs her phone to “communicate with friends, [and to] find something to do when [she is] bored.”

On the other hand, Liam Chambers is not addicted to using his phone.

“I’ve gone days without my phone because I either lost/misplaced it and I still survived,” Chambers said.

Oscar Roundup

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By: Brooke Byrne, Lion’s Eye Staff Editor, bzb5183@psu.edu

With award season buzzing during a new semester, it can be hard keeping up with nominations and seeing the latest movies. Here is your guide to the films up for best picture at the Academy award ceremony this year!

American Sniper – Based on the true story of Chris Kyle, the most-celebrated sniper in American military history, this story depicts the challenges he endured juggling four tours of duty, his family back home and the daunting task of being a lethal legend. See review elsewhere in this edition. Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller

Birdman – Riggan Thomas, a washed up movie star known for acting in superhero blockbusters, decides to mend his family, his career and himself by directing and starring in an edgy theater production. As opening night approaches, juggling these tasks while battling inner demons makes his journey all the more difficult.

Starring: Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton

Boyhood – Taking nearly 12 years to film, this unique concept follows the life of a young boy named Mason. He begins as a six year old and deals with bratty siblings, parents’ divorce, puberty, and everything else that life throws at young people as he progresses to age 18.

Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette

The Grand Budapest Hotel –When a legendary hotel in the 1930s loses its oldest and richest patron, it comes to light that she strangely left her most priceless work of art to the famous concierge. The concierge is then thrust into a whirlwind adventure of silliness and suspicion as the patron’s greedy heir uses all manner of underhanded and illegal tactics to pin her death on the concierge and gain ownership of the artwork.

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Tony Revolori

The Imitation Game – The real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing who raced against time with a team of mathematicians at Britain’s top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park during World War II.

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode.

Selma – A chronicle of the three-month period in 1965 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a campaign for equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The march he led from Selma to Montgomery resulted in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. See review elsewhere in this edition.

Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson

The Theory of Everything – Follows the life and love of Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant physicists of all time. This film focuses on how he met his wife and started a family with her despite being diagnosed with a fatal illness, which at age 21, gave him only two years. He is still alive 52 years later.

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Emily Watson

Whiplash – A talanted young drummer enrolls in a prestigious music academy and finds himself under the wing of the most respected professor at the school. The drummer and professor form an unlikely bond of a scathing teaching style and an obsession with being great.

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser

Integrating Multi Lingual Students

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By: James Berridge, Lions Eye Writer jrb1055@psu.edu

An event that schooled the audience on perception and application of cultural and language differences left Brandywine students all a little bit more compassionate.

Hosting the December event included three of Brandywine’s very own multilingual students, as well as two guest speakers from the University of San Francisco, Dr. Johnnie Hafernik and Dr. Fredel Wiant.  The guest speakers spoke about the challenges of students who are not originally from this country and the different obstacles they must overcome.

Eric Garay, Fatimat Karamoko and Lazine Chowdhruy are three Penn State Brandywine students, but are from far different backgrounds then the majority of fellow students. They informed the standing room only crowd about life here in the United States and how it differs from life in their home country.

They informed the crowd that what seems like easy tasks for someone originally from this country, may be difficult for someone that is not.

“For someone whose first language is not English, it is difficult for us to put our idea onto paper while writing an essay,” Garay said.

Fatimat came to the United States in 2007 from West Africa.

“In Africa they do not teach English until college,” Fatimat said.  “Since I was still in high school when my family moved here, I was not able to learn any English until my first day of school.”

The students also told stories of their home country and the differences from their schools back home in comparison to education here in the States.

“The most surprising thing about American schools is the freedom that the students are given,” Fatimat said. “I like that I can share my thoughts here.”

The students also gave some tips on how to teach to a non-native student.

“Cursive writing is much harder to read than print as a bilingual student,”  Garay stated.

“Activities after lectures help us learn the material much better,” Fatimat added.

As the event was coming to a close, a new sense of understanding was evident in the room.  Although Africa may just be an Atlantic Ocean away, to Fatimat and the rest of the guest speakers, it’s a totally different world.

Student Involvement Fair

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James Berridge, Lions Eye Writer jrb1055@psu.edu

The Student Involvement Fair this year was an abbreviated success.  Due to weather conditions on Wednesday, January 14, the Student Involvement Fair, which showcases all of the clubs that Penn State Brandywine campus has to offer, was cut short.  The fair, during common hour, only lasted 30-minutes, but still made students aware of the vast variety of clubs they may want to consider.

A sense of excitement was evident when walking into the Student Involvement Fair.  Each club had a table set up around the perimeter of the gymnasium so students could walk around and visit while enjoying a cold refreshment or snack.  Tables were set up by the members of the various clubs, highlighting what they do and how to get involved.

While interacting with members of different clubs, it was obvious that each once spoke highly about their cause.  Paul Alberici, a member of Penn State Brandywine’s THON group, was no different.

“I enjoy being a member of THON because you are able to meet the people who really need your help; the people whose lives you can impact by being a member of THON is overwhelming.” Alberici said.

For students who may be unaware, THON is the largest student run philanthropy in the world.  It brings together students from the entire Penn State community to form a dance marathon that continues for 46 consecutive hours during a weekend in February.  The club raises money for the Four Diamonds Fund which supports children suffering from cancer at the PSU Hershey Medical Center.  Last year, THON raised more than 13.34 million dollars to help find a cure for children’s cancer.

Olivia Shiner, a member of the Student Government Association, enjoyed being involved in her club.

“We are the voice of the student body,” Shiner said.

The Student Government Association works with Penn State Brandywine executives to plan events, make decisions and team up with other branch campuses to work on issues involving the Penn State community.

With all of the hustle and bustle of the spring semester, extra time is hard to find, but being involved in a club has many advantages.  Whether it be THON, the SGA, or the Lion’s Eye, being a member of these clubs provides students with a sense of community that they may not get from just attending class.  Being involved also looks great on resumes.  So do some research, find a club that may be of interest and get involved.

Made With Love Service Project

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By: Jake Gibbons, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, jmg6173@psu.edu

A new year calls for a lot of new changes, and 2015 is no different.

For this year’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Week of Service, the Made with Love project aimed to provide service to others in a different kind of way.  A project which enabled students to make blankets from scratch for donation to a local nursing home took place January 20.

On that morning, a small group of students gathered around separate tables. Two sheets of warm cloth were required to make the blankets, each piece needing to be individually cut, folded and tied together to form a single piece. Inspiration for the project came from Nittany Needle Work, a sewing club that was offered a few years ago at Brandywine that embarked on a similar pursuit. Just as before, the blankets would be donated after being made to the Fair Acres nursing home located just up the road from Brandywine to be used as lap blankets for those in wheelchairs.

“Each person is given a handmade blanket when they enter the home,” Amy Dealy, Brandywine’s programming coordinator for student affairs and leader of the project, said. “So when we offered to make some for them they loved the idea immediately.”

The turnout for the event was relatively small, but a fair number of blankets were still made over the course of the event. After the blankets were made, free pizza was given to those who helped out, which actually encouraged a few other students in the Den to help as well.  Sushrut S., a freshman at Brandywine and prospective computer science major, was one of the students participating.

“It’s for a good cause and it seems like a good use of common hour,” Sushrut said. “That, and there’s free pizza.”

Dealy was satisfied with the event, and will be planning more events similar to this one for upcoming service weeks or just as a general event. She hopes that if they do this sort of event again that she’ll be able to gather more people and in turn make more blankets to donate. This time about eight were made in total, with more to be made later on.

 

Selma

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By: Alexandria Hatchett, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, anh5454@psu.edu

On January 22, the Student Affairs Office sold tickets to see the film Selma for $2 at the AMC Painter’s Crossing Theatre in West Chester.

Directed by Ava DuVernay, Selma is an historical drama about the march to secure the African American’s right to vote. The march was from Selma to Montgomery and led by Dr. Martin Luther King.

The film took place in 1965 during the Civil Rights Movement. Selma is number eight at the Box Office, and so far brought in over $39 million.

DuVernay was inspired to create the film from her memories as a child during the summer in a small town close to Selma. Because of this film, she is the first black female director to be nominated for both the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Award for Best Picture.

When asked why the Student Affairs Office decided to sell the tickets to the Brandywine students, Director Ronika Money explained that, “[it] would be good for our students to watch.”

Many students are not aware of Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy and of how much he sacrificed for equality. Money was “moved by the story and its authenticity.” The film brought attention to the struggles southern blacks faced daily. The Student Affairs Office believed that this film’s timing was perfect. This year marks the 50 years since the march from Selma to Montgomery.

In an interview with Melissa Harris-Perry, John Lewis stated, “America is a different America because of Selma (the town).” One of the marchers present was John Lewis, now a U. S. Congressman and Democratic Representative from Georgia. At 74 years old, he is the only living “Big Six” leader from the Civil Rights Movement.

He was also an activist for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Played by Stephen James in Selma, Lewis was a college student when he became active in the Civil Rights Movement. During that time, there were many other college students who stood up for their rights. This just shows that at any age one can make a difference in their communities and even the nation.

THON Dancers Revealed

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By: Liz Gramlich, Lions Eye Staff Editor, eag5283@psu.edu

At this year’s annual Brandywine Benefitting THON Chance Auction the dancers selected by Brandywine THON were revealed. What is THON and why do people dance? THON is short for Penn State Dance Marathon. THON is one of biggest student run philanthropies in the world. It raises money for children diagnosed with cancer at the Hershey Medical Center. At the end of each fundraising year, Penn State holds a forty-six hour dancer marathon to raise money for this cause.

Brandywine THON raises money all year and selects two dancers to dance for these forty-six hours. Each year Brandywine THON holds an election to see who will represent Brandywine as dancers at THON. This year, in order to be eligible to run for dancer; candidates had to go great lengths to help fundraise for this cause.  In addition, to be able to vote in the election you had to be considered a member of Brandywine THON.

This was instilled for the first time this year to give each candidate the best possible chance to be elected. On Jan. 14 six candidates presented to their fellow THON members reasons why they they should dance in THON 2015. Every candidate had different reasons, but one reason remained the same: they wanted to dance for the kids, or as THON members say:  “FTK.” All of the candidates have dedicated their year to ensure they could provide for the kids at the Hershey Medical Center.

These members are all deserving of the opportunity to dance in THON 2015, but only two could dance. After the votes were cast and counted, the dancers were announced at Brandywine THON’s Chance Auction. The two dancers who were selected for THON 2015 were Michael Mensah and Paul Alberici. Michael Mensah is a sophomore at Brandywine and has participated in THON since his freshman year. He is currently the canister solicitation “canning” captain for Brandywine THON and has worked on many THON events throughout the year.

Mensah states, “I want to be dancer to entertain the kids and help put a smile on their faces even if they might be going through a lot. I want to remind them to never lose faith, and to never give up!”

Paul Alberici is a junior at Penn State Brandywine and joined THON his freshman year as well. Alberici is currently the public relations captain for Brandywine. With this job he has done all of the public relations work for each event and has worked on other fundraising for the organization. Alberici states, “I’m doing this to let these families know this is no longer just their family’s fight, this is a fight undertaken by every THON volunteer.

Even if you are not a physically raising money, you are raising one of the greatest things you can give somebody…hope.” Paul Alberici and Michael Mensah have been revealed as Brandywine’s dancers for THON 2015. Their hard work and dedication to Brandywine THON’s organization has proven that they are ready to take on the daunting task of dancing forty-six hours.

This will be to celebrate those who have defeated cancer, support those who are battling, and honor those children who have lost the battle. This may be the hardest, most emotional, and memorable experience of their life. The task of dancing forty-six hours may be one of the most selfless things they will do for anyone, and it is a journey of a lifetime.

MLK Day of Service Project

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By: Liz Gramlich, Lions Eye Staff Editor, eag5283@psu.edu

Penn State Brandywine teamed with The Giving Garden Food Pantry & Community Garden to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.

On January 19, Brandywine students aspired to get involved with the community and start a tradition of a community service project on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  King was an asset to his own community, and the world, that Brandywine Student Affairs personnel thought this would be an insightful way to commemorate all that he did.

Student leaders Ryan Stone, Paul Alberici, Luke Burdsall, Elisabeth Gramlich and advisor Stephanie Jones worked together on this community service project. They drove to Foundry Church in the Brandywine community and were greeted by enthusiastic members, all there for the same cause. Their goal was to create food packages for those who were in need.

The Brandywine students and adviser split up into two groups. One group was in charge of checking food to make sure that it was not expired nor damaged. The other group was in charge of packaging foods for families and students in need. Throughout the day they checked hundreds of food items and put together about 80 packages for families in the community.

Those who visit the pantry are primarily single mothers and college students. It may be hard to think that by doing these tasks it can make an impact on families, but it really does. Families are relieved that they have a helping hand supporting them and helping them out. One thing I learned is that many college students have problems with not eating correctly or not enough, because that is the one cost that they can control. With paying for tuition and other bills, it leaves little room for food. This cause helps people across the Delaware County by supplying them with food and nourishment.

The Giving Garden Food Pantry & Community Garden is located at the Foundry Church. They collect and give to the community all year long. Students can help by volunteering, planning a food drive, or sponsoring. The Food Pantry is open on Fridays 4- 6 p.m. and is open to those in need.

“The fact that the people there were so caring was very touching,” Stone said.  “We walked in there as complete strangers but they treated us like they had already known us”.

King was a selfless leader and was an inspiration to others. There was not a better way to honor him then by participating in a day of community service. Student Affairs set up this event in the community to accomplish this task. It was a great day to give time and efforts to help others on, not just a day off of school, but a day to commemorate a great man.