Category: Entertainment

Soul Steps

Posted By under Entertainment

Soul steppers Photo

Lion’s Eye Staff Writer Lauren Tweed, lmt5428@psu.edu

The Soul Steppers are dancing their way around the world and they made a pit stop at Penn State Brandywine. The Soul Steppers, founded by Maxine Lyle in 2005, are a dance group that originated in New York City. Lyle is a dancer, choreographer and a producer. The group has traveled the world performing and conducting workshops. They specialize in crowd participation; hand-clapping, stomping and even dancing alongside the steppers. The crowd was also involved in a Soul Steppers roll call, which included reciting name and major.

The steppers even taught a bit of history while performing a dance. Step dance resembles Gumboot Dancing, the way African mine workers communicated behind their bosses back during the late 1800s. The mining job itself and oppressive bosses, made it difficult to communicate. To compensate, they would slap the sides of their boots and stomp out rhythmic codes to each other to speak about their pain, sorrow, and also mock their bosses. The workers were asked, by their bosses, to come and show off their skills. Their bosses did not realize they were being mocked the dancers and continued to promote the dance. Stepping started in the 1920s on college campuses. The students would march and clap to show solidarity. The Soul Steppers also incorporated this form of dancing into their routine.

“That’s an interesting form of communication,” said Patricia Carlos, a sophomore communications major. Their dances are high-energy with combined percussive movements, hip hop rhythms, and call and response. The Soul Steppers use their whole bodies to show what they are saying and feeling. When the steppers went to war, their dance had evolved to include sharp and defined moves as would be seen in the military marches.

A sophomore music major, Hannah Chu said, “this has been the most entertaining thing ever! This is the greatest way to learn about black history month.” The Soul Steppers were named the 2010 Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities Cultural Artist of the Year.

They dance to the beat of their own drum by using the rhythm of their clapping, slapping, and tapping. They even stomp their feet to create a beat. The Soul Steppers dance to the beat of their own drums, and you can too. To learn more, go to soulsteps.com.

 

Cotton, Compassion and Creations for Love Ones

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By: Autumn Simms, Lion’s Eye Writer, als6765@psu.edu

For Valentine’s Day, student affairs personnell hosted a Stuff-a-Plush event in the heart of the Lion’s  Den.  Many people like to go out and buy candies, chocolates, cards and other romantic goodies for this special day, but a handmade adorable Penn State plushie can also spread jow.  The free event drew in many students during their common hour, an hour of recollection and relaxation.  They got to step away from preparing for their next class and spend a little bit of their free time creating a gift that will last for a while.

Freshman Tayna, “I’m giving my stuffed animals to my niece, everyone gets love.” She and her friends sat together in a circle with their plushies discussing their plans for the holiday and what to do with their bears.

Students had a variety of animals from which to pick. Some were creating stuff animals for relatives or significant others. Other made plushies to add decoration to their room. Sophomore,Tamarah Jones, said, “I am probably going to keep mine for myself. This was fun!”

When asked about the process of creating the stuffed animals Michelle Delaveaga said, “I just grabbed a bunch of stuff and put it together.”

Sophomore, Oscar Delgadillo said, “You know what this means to me? I’m giving it away to someone.” His group of friends started laughing with him. Some of his peers had lions and bears in their hands that were also potentially going to someone else to loved and appreciated. This event allowed students to create cuddly creatures to keep them warm this winter season.

 

Food for Thoughts

Posted By under About, Campus News, Entertainment, Food, Networking , , , ,

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

Posted By under About, Entertainment, Sports , , , ,

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

Trump Sworn in as the 45th President

Posted By under Entertainment

On January 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington, D.C. after defeating Democratic nominee Hilary Clinton in the election. Thousands gathered in D.C. and millions watched around the world as Trump took the oath of office. Surrounded by his wife, Melania, and daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and sons Eric, Donald and Barron, Trump was sworn in by Chief Justice, John Roberts. Reciting the oath as his left hand was on the Bible and his right hand raised, the world watched.

He then addressed the American people calling January 20, “the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.”

He addressed the middle class, mothers and children living in poverty, the education system, crime, gangs and drugs that robbed the country of potential and said, “that stops now.”

“Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families,” Trump explained. “We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs.”

President Trump said the United States will follow two easy rules: “buy American” and “hire American.” He plans to get people off welfare and back to work as well as keep jobs and companies in America by rebuilding the country with American hands and labor.

He concluded his speech with his slogan that he used throughout his campaign: Make America Great Again.

“Together we will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud again,” Trump concluded. “We will make America safe again. And yes, together we will make America great again.”

While many people are excited about Trump’s win, there were riots and protests that took place in D.C. and across the country. People were destroying businesses and many people were arrested. There were also protests where people marched holding signs and chanting “not my president.” Trump took to social media to address the situation.

“Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don’t always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views.”

 

Lion’s Eye Staff Editor, Alyssa Abbonizio, aqa5498@psu.edu

Snakes, Skinks, and Lizards Invade the Lion’s Den

Posted By under Campus News, Entertainment , , ,

Autumn Simms, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, als6765@psu.edu

Putting aside their fears of reptiles, students at Penn State Brandywine got to interact with various reptiles deep within the Lion’s Den. Keith Gisser, founder of the HERPS ALIVE!! program, brought creatures of varying sizes and intimidation levels for students to learn about.

Gisser has over thirty years of experience handling reptiles and amphibians. Since 1990, HERPS ALIVE!! has been traveling to 250 colleges in 36 states educating students on reptiles in a fun interactive way. They have been to Villanova University, Temple University and Delaware Valley College to name a few places.

Students like, Antonio Nicosia, got to pet one of four tortoises.

Nicosia said, “They’re pretty awesome. This stands out to me as a semester highlight.”Several students volunteered to be draped with an eight foot five inch Albino Burmese Python named Silas. Silas weighed 40 pounds. A student, named Ameer, described the snake as “super soft, exciting, and slippery.”

Bridget O’Donnell, assistant director of student affairs, said the event was, “Educational-something different for the students.”

While assisting Gisser and O’Donnell with the python, student helper, Vince Dejohn, said, “This is something I want to do for a living.”

There were skinks (a type of lizard), corn snakes, a baby alligator, a bearded dragon and an Asian Water Monitor. All the cold-blooded reptiles appeared extremely friendly and comfortable being in the hands of curious Penn State students.

There was a 5-foot, 10-year-old Asian Water Monitor named Gator, weighing 25 pounds. Gator nestled herself like a baby on students’ shoulders.

Jake Fida said, “It was fulfilling to hold a very large lizard.” He wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

Keith Gisser is also the executive director of the non-profit Herps Alive Foundation started in 2013 and dedicated to rescuing neglected and/or abused reptiles and amphibians. The volunteers of the Herps Alive Foundation rehabilitate these animals and provide a sanctuary for them until they find a new home. They emphasize the importance of educating the public about reptiles and amphibians.

Herps Alive Foundation is a member of the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologist, U.S Association of Reptile Keepers and Zoological Association of America. They have their own website at gggreg.com/herps_alive.html and a Facebook page at Herps Alive.

 

 

Top 5 Mobile Games for Commuters

Posted By under Entertainment, Uncategorized

By: Khaleel Walker, kjm6184@psu.edu, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer

During the many hours of downtime during a long commute to school or a during study video games can provide the mental decompression a college student craves.

There are many new games to feature, as videogames are extremely popular outlets for college-age students, but this article will address these 5 games: The Simpsons Tapped Out,

Vector, Asphalt 8, Steppy Pants, and Pokemon Go.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out is a free-to-play sim city mobile game in the world of the Simpsons. It includes the main characters of Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa as well as their 150 cast members.The goal of this game is to rebuild a destroyed city of Springfield from the ground up. Each construction success unlocks new items and characters.

Vector is a 2D side scrolling game that focuses on Parkour. The player automatically moves to the right. As you progress through the game, the levels become more difficult to overcome. Jump over huge gaps and wall jump from building to building to reach the end of the level. Brandywine COMM student Brandon has strong opinions about this game. “This is a pretty intense game. You have to keep going or you’ll get caught. The character uses Parkour to avoid obstacles; there’s this guy chasing him and, if the character hits an object, the guy gets closer.”

Asphalt 8 is a great, arcade-style racing game that has easy-to-understand gameplay and breath-taking graphics for a mobile device. Brandywine COMM student Najla enjoys the game. “This is a fun game. The graphics look really good and has addictive gameplay. You tilt your phone to control your car. As you race, you can unlock upgrades and new vehicles through gaining experience points.” The game is trending on the App Store as of one of the top free apps.

A fun Crossy Road clone, Steppy Pants is a colorful endless runner that is enjoyable for a variety of ages.Brandywine COMM student Alyssa likes its art style. “In this game the objective is to step over the cracks. The game tracks your distance as the player continues. It’s a fun endless runner game with a color, box-like art style.” In detail, the further one can goes, the more coins earned. Those coins can be used for a lottery machine which provides outfits for the character.

Pokemon Go exploded this summer and continues to hold out onto its millions of users. Pokemon is once again a trending phenomenon due to this game. Brandywine COMM student Margot likes how clever the game is. “This is a very clever game. It entices players to go outside your house and explore! In this game, historical landmarks are used as PokéStops where you can battle other players. There are thousands of Pokémon to collect!” In addition to that, Pokemon Go uses Augmented Reality (AR) to display the much loved creatures as if they’re in the real world. Depending on your location, the types of pokemon you get varies. For example, if near a bay or the ocean, the user will likely find a water type Pokemon!

These five games will provide many hours of leisure for times when students do not want to pursue their academics. Look for more reviews in the future.

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.

 

Speed Networking

Posted By under Advertising, Alumni, Campus News, Entertainment, Networking , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Penn State alums at the Speed Networking with Alumni event offered students the unique opportunity to practice before the real interview.

The event was an opportunity for the students to network with the alumni and practice their ‘‘elevator speeches.’’ The Speed Networking with Alumni saw a total of 14 alumni and 27 students attend. The feedback received from both the alumni and students was encouraging and very positive.

The collaboration of the Student Government Association (S.G.A), Blue and White Society (B.W.S), Career Services and Alumni Relations made the event a success. The event was open to all students; for two internship prep classes (CNED 280 and BA 420), participation was mandatory. For the first half of the Speed Networking with Alumni, the students rotated from one alumni station to another after every four minutes.

“I attended the event because it was an excellent opportunity to network and meet knowledgeable and experienced PSU alumni,” senior Jodi Mitchell said.

Jim Callagher, who is employed by Hotel and Restaurant Management, shares his reasons why he is always there to help the students of Penn State.

“PSU is what it is all about,” Callagher said. “It is important to share our business experience with future students in the business world. It can help them with better interviewing skills.”

Penn State alum Michael Cappelletti works at Warfel Construction Company.  He was honored to attend.

“Penn State has the best students,” Cappelletti said. “They are always present for events and great at networking. I am here to help the students learn to reach out, to communicate and to network.”

After lunch, Penn State Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations Virginia Harrison explained how she could not miss the event.

“I am the adviser to the Blue and White Society and in the campus alumni relations office,” Harrison said. “I came to see and help alumni and students network and interact.”

Numerous connections were made for potential opportunities, and students are better equipped and more confident as they prepare for upcoming job opportunities.

Don’t stop now

Posted By under Advertising, Alumni, Campus News, Commencement, Entertainment, Graduation, Networking, Op/Ed , , , , , , , ,

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

As Penn State Brandywine 2016 commencement draws near, students are wrapping up research projects, internships, independent study classes and exams in preparation for what lies ahead.

The commencement ceremony is set to be held on Saturday, May 7, at 10 a.m., in the Commons Building/Athletic Center. Additionally, the commencement speaker will be Jennifer Morgan, President of SAP North America.

While many students are counting down the weeks until graduation day, which tends to be the busiest, others are reminiscing about their first day on campus.

Will Gruehn, a senior Corporate Communications major, is set to graduate this spring. He remembers his first day as a freshman.

“It was fairly uneventful,” Gruehn said. “I remember thinking that the campus was a lot smaller than I initially envisioned it.  I also remember being very shocked by the general size of most classes, but as the days passed by, the class sizes were a thing of the past.”

Within the weeks leading up to graduation day, there are always activities on campus to either ease one’s mind of final exam stress or help a student look for a job. Such activities include mock interviews, speed networking with alumni, career day prep (Resumania), career day and internship poster and capstone presentations. There are also fun events like Tunes Thursday, Movie Night, Senior Send-off, Spring Fling and much more.

Commencement is a joyous occasion. With that being said, seniors are urged to RSVP with attendance and ticket requests by April 20 for the commencement ceremony as well as pick up their cap and gowns, as it is very much needed for the service. Seniors are still required to RSVP even if they do not plan to attend the commencement ceremony, to ensure an appropriate count of attendees.

“I have a lot of mixed feelings about graduation, Gruehn said. “I honestly cannot wait to be finally finished with research papers, presentations and exams; however, I am also a bit sad about the prospect of leaving my friends behind.”

Congratulations to those seniors graduating. A new chapter will begin soon. It starts with being called a Penn State alum.