| FALL 2003... |
College News
Author, political critic, physicist, and physician highlight Distinguished Speaker Series
An author and activist for the abolishment of the death penalty, a syndicated columnist and political critic, the world's leading theoretical physicist, and a physician and social critic of healthcare reform headline an all-star cast for Penn State Altoona's 2003-2004 Distinguished Speaker Series.
 The series kicked off on Tuesday, October 14, when Sister Helen Prejean, author of
Dead Man Walking and activist for the abolishment of the death penalty, presented her message "Dead Man Walking – The Journey Continues."
Sister Helen Prejean began her prison ministry in 1981 when she dedicated her life to the poor of New Orleans. Sister Helen turned her experiences into a book that not only made the 1994 American Library Associates Notable Book List, but was also nominated for a 1993 Pulitzer Prize.
Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States was number one on the New York Times Best Seller List for 31 weeks. In January 1996, the book was developed into a major motion picture starring Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen and Sean Penn as a death row inmate. The movie received four Oscar nominations including Tim Robbins for Best Director, Sean Penn for Best Actor, Susan Sarandon for Best Actress, and Bruce Springsteen's "Dead Man Walkin'" for Best Song. Susan Sarandon won the award for Best Actress.
Molly Ivins is a nationally syndicated columnist who writes about Texas, national politics, and other bizarre happenings. She is a keen observer of our newly elected leader George W. Bush and author of Shrub, which details George W.'s dismal record in Texas and his road to the White House. She'll present her message, "Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?" on Monday, November 17, at 7:30 p.m.
 As a novelist, political critic and syndicated columnist, Ivins' freelance work has appeared in
Esquire, The Atlantic, The Nation, Harper's, TV Guide, and numerous other publications. She also does occasional commentary for National Public Radio and the
NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Ivins served for three years on the board of the National News Council and is active in Amnesty International's Journalism Network, as well as the Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press. She writes about press issues for the American Civil Liberties Union and several journalism reviews. She has received a number of journalism awards, and was named Outstanding Alumna by Columbia University's School of Journalism in 1976.
Ivins has appeared as a weekly commentator on 60 Minutes, the perennially popular CBS newsmagazine. She is the author of the best-selling book,
Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She?, a collection of essays on politics and journalism. Her second book, Nothin' But Good Times Ahead, was published in 1993. She published her third book,
You Got to Dance with Them What Brung You: Politics In the Clinton Years, in 1998. Her most recent book is about George W. Bush entitled,
Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush. She is now at work on a book about the consequences of the Bush presidency on regular people, to be released in Spring 2003. She has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize three times, and received 1992's Headliners Award for the best newspaper column in Texas.
 Dr. Brian Greene, one of the world's leading theoretical physicists and a brilliant communicator of cutting-edge scientific concepts, will present his message, "Explaining the Elegant Universe" on Tuesday, February 3, 2004, at 7:30 p.m. He is a best-selling author, a Columbia University professor known for a number of groundbreaking discoveries and a riveting public speaker. In his national bestseller,
The Elegant Universe (a Pulitzer finalist and winner of the Aventis Prize, Britain's top science book award), Greene recounts how the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics transformed our understanding of the universe, and he introduces us to string theory, a concept that might be the key to a unified theory of the universe.
With artful metaphors and often-humorous analogies, Greene succeeds in making the most sophisticated concepts in physics and cosmology accessible and entertaining to a general audience. "We're talking about the biggest questions of all time," says Greene. "Why is there a universe? What is space? What is time? How is it all put together? You don't have to be a physicist to find this stuff fascinating." He is currently working on his new book,
The Fabric of the Cosmos, which will be released in 2004.
Greene is hosting a three-part NOVA special, "The Elegant Universe," on PBS (Fall 2003), which takes audiences on a thrilling journey through hidden dimensions, superstrings and black holes in a quest to unify all the laws of nature. Greene's "elegant universe" and study of string theory have been widely profiled by the media, including a one-hour segment on ABC's
Brave New World series on Nightline (hosted by Robert Krulwich),
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CNN, Charlie Rose, Conan O'Brien,
Scientific American, USA Today, and The New York Times.
Penn State Altoona's Distinguished Speaker Series concludes on Tuesday, March 2, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. with a visit from
Dr. Jane M. Orient, executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, when she speaks on "Why Your Doctor Is Not In."
 Dr. Orient started out to be a doctor, a professor of medicine, and a clinical researcher. But she got distracted. The first threat to her profession that she noticed was an article entitled "A Marxist View of Medical Care" in
The Annals of Internal Medicine that cried out for a response. Researching the response led her into a number of nooks in the library that she had never explored as a chemistry and mathematics major—even to a dusty counterculture bookstore to get a copy of Mao Tsetung's
Little Red Book. The eventual article was never published, at least not as a single work, but its author had been infected with a writing compulsion. After that, one thing led to another. Dr. Orient is now the author of more than 100 scientific articles, book chapters, editorials, book reviews, lectures, and essays.
Dr. Orient took a foray into fiction writing with the medical thriller Sutton's Law, published by Hacienda Publishing in 1997, and the science fiction books
Neomorts and Moonshine. Her nonfiction work Your Doctor is Not In: Healthy Skepticism About National Health Care was published by Crown Publishing in 1994. Most recently, she has authored a textbook for medical students entitled
Sapira's Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2000) and has prepared the literature examinations and vocabulary lessons in the Robinson Self-Teaching Home School Curriculum.
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Railroad Enthusiasts Come to Penn State Altoona
Railroad enthusiasts from across the country learned more about Altoona's significance to the Pennsylvania Railroad and toured some of the area's railroad attractions as part of Penn State Altoona's Elderhostel program this past August. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) was America's largest and most consistently profitable railroad and Altoona served as the PRR's major design, construction, and repair facility in the railroad's heyday. Penn State Altoona's week-long Elderhostel program allowed visitors to explore the incredibly rich heritage that resulted from the PRR industry and learn about the people, manpower, and expertise that was invested in creating the PRR. Field trips included the Allegheny Portage Railroad, Gallitzin Tunnels, Railroaders Memorial Museum, and a visit to and train ride around the famous Horseshoe Curve.
Elderhostel is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing extraordinary learning adventures for people 55 and over. Last year, a quarter of a million enrollees took part in more than 10,000 Elderhostel programs in over 100 countries. The Elderhostel program promotes lifelong learning and the sharing of new ideas, challenges, and experiences.
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By the Numbers: A Profile of Penn State Altoona's Entering Freshman Class
| Total enrollment: |
1333 |
| Average SAT score: |
1019* |
| Total male: |
646 |
| Total female: |
687 |
| Students entering baccalaureate degree programs: |
1186 (89%) |
| Students entering associate degree programs: |
147 |
| International students: |
6** |
| Minority students (reporting): |
147 (11%) |
| Students age 17-22: |
1304 (97.8%) |
| Students age 23-30: |
20 |
| Students age 31-40: |
7 |
| Students age 40s: |
1 |
| Students age 50s: |
1 |
| Pennsylvania residents: |
1118 (84.1%) |
| Non-PA residents: |
215 |
| Top 3 non-PA states represented: |
NJ (66);
NY (64);
MD (10) |
| Students living on campus: |
598 (44.9%) |
| Students living off campus: |
735 |
*1239 of 1333 reported SAT scores
**Foreign countries represented: Taiwan, China, India, South Korea, Luxembourg
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Judicial Affairs Office Receives Grant for Underage Drinking Enforcement
The Office of Judicial Affairs at Penn State Altoona was recently awarded a $15,720.00
Enforcing the Underage Drinking Law (EUDL) Grant by the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE), and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) to reduce underage alcohol consumption.
In 1998, Congress set aside $50 million to be used to combat Underage Drinking in the United States. Of that money, $25 million was appropriated for use in a series of Block Grants, and Pennsylvania received a portion of that money. The Pennsylvania State Police, BLCE, via the PCCD, was awarded $360,000 in the form of a block grant. Each year since that time, and again this year, the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) awarded the Pennsylvania State Police $360,000. The grant period this year runs from June 1, 2003 through May 31, 2004.
The Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (PSP/BLCE) has set aside approximately $15,720 for each of nine post-secondary institutions throughout the Commonwealth to use for the purpose of enforcing Underage Drinking Laws. Penn State Altoona was the college selected this year from within the local BLCE District.
Each school is required to develop or enhance coalitions including, but not limited to, employees, campus leaders, students, local government officials, law enforcement, and local tavern owners. Each PSP/BLCE District also participates with the coalition to develop enforcement strategies, social norms within the community, and public education of the negative consequences of underage drinking.
According to Dr. Jay Burlingame, Director of Judicial Affairs and coordinator of the EUDL Grant, several exciting initiatives have been developed or augmented through this opportunity. "New NAP (Nights at Penn State) programs have been added, which take place after 10:00 p.m. every Thursday and Friday evening, and several workshops for the College's Greek-letter organizations and athletes on responsible alcohol use are among efforts to limit high-risk behavior among our students."
In addition, collaborative efforts with Campus Police Services, Logan Township and Altoona Police Departments, as well as the local BLCE staff to step up on and off campus enforcement have been put into place.
Other organizations involved in these efforts include Pennsylvanians Against Underage Drinking (PAUD), Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) and Affiliated Rape Crisis Centers throughout the Commonwealth.
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Homecoming Celebration Returns to Ivyside Park
 A series of weeklong activities, including varsity athletic contests, the crowning of a king and queen, entertainment, a community service project, special presentations, and a fantastic fireworks display highlighted Penn State Altoona Homecoming 2003…a Tradition Returns, in October.
Homecoming 2003 incorporated many of the elements generally associated with the traditional event into seven days of programming that was specially-designed to appeal to Penn State Altoona students and their families, alumni and members of the community.
The crowning of the Homecoming 2003 King Jayson Wucca and Queen N ikki Nelson occurred during halftime of the Penn State Altoona-Mt. Aloysius men's soccer game on Saturday, October 18,at Spring Run Stadium on campus. Post-game activities included the presentation of the Team Spirit Award to a student organization and fireworks.
A full day of activities on Saturday also included four varsity athletic events, a barbecue buffet luncheon at Laurel Pavilion, a Homecoming Carnival featuring Antique Photos and other fun attractions, and guided campus tours.
Penn State Altoona's highly-acclaimed Distinguished Speaker Series, Diversity Series and Performing Arts Series also were an integral part of Homecoming 2003. Sister Helen Prejean, author of "Dead Man Walking" addressed an audience in the Adler Athletic Complex on Tuesday, October 14. The following day, BluesWorks offered a jazz performance in the Slep Student Center. The Sauce Boss (Bill Wharton) kicked off the weekend with swampy blues music and samples of gumbo at Laurel Pavilion.
 During Homecoming 2003, Penn State Altoona students were offered opportunities to participate in a window painting competition, a social for the Homecoming Court, numerous contests that helped to determine the Spirit Award, and a blood drive conducted by the American Red Cross. A dance and movie also were among the offerings to students. Homecoming Week ended on Sunday, October 19, with a brunch in Port-Sky Café and a women's volleyball match.
Homecoming returned to the Penn State Altoona campus for the first time in more than 20 years. Based on the level of participation and the enthusiasm of students, parents and alumni, the event was deemed a rousing success.
"We have been a four-year college for several years now, and it was an appropriate time to help our students create a tradition at Penn State Altoona," stated Gina Baird, assistant director of student life and Homecoming 2003 coordinator. "Although the idea of Homecoming has been discussed in recent years, it was just this past spring that students really set their minds to creating a schedule of events. I believe it was an exciting week for all involved."
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Penn State Altoona Galleries Feature Sculpture Exhibition
Concrete Relevance, an exhibition of sculpture which opened in October and runs through December 6, includes works by artists Dietrich Anjelmurra Wegner and Sean Irwin.
 Deitrich Anjelmurra Wegner is a graduate of the Ohio State University and the Maryland Institute, College of Art, holding both Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degrees. His work focuses on the body, sometimes being enlarged up to ten-foot high. Nebulous forms begin to take on multiple associations. The works take into question what things our society views as beautiful and the similarities between things when they are magnified. He finds that the act of looking close reveals these basic forms that relate to the primal part of people, forms that creep deep under the skin and make viewers react in their gut and under their spine.
Sean Irwin is a graduate of the Plattsburgh State University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art. He is currently attending Syracuse University to obtain a Master of Fine Arts. His work utilizes architectural and historic subject matter as a basis for further contemplation. The intention is not to recreate a replica of a subject, but merely to use it as a starting point. By using repetition, inaccessibility, and absurdity, but not overly specific detail, Irwin enables the viewer to consider historical reference and adolescent creation. Some relation to function, no matter how far fetched, always holds a degree of relevance in his work.
The McLanahan and Sheetz Galleries are located in the Community Arts Center on the Penn State Altoona campus. The Galleries are handicapped accessible and are open to the public, free of charge, Monday through Friday from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, and before and during performance events. For further information, call the Community Arts Center at 814-949-5451.
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Students Receive Degrees at Summer Commencement Ceremonies
More than 50 summer graduates at Penn State Altoona received their degrees on Saturday, August 3, as part of the College's Summer Commencement Ceremonies.
Lee Ann De Reus, associate professor of human development and family studies and women's studies delivered the commencement address, and a reception for graduates and their families was held following the ceremony in the Community Arts Center.
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Penn State Altoona Student Receives Walker, NAACP Honors
Penn State Altoona junior Juhanna Rogers, a major in the College's four-year bachelor of arts degree in integrative arts with concentrations in business and public relations and minors in entrepreneurship and dance, was named the 2003 recipient of the Eric A. and Josephine S. Walker Award.
The Walker Award is given to a Penn State student whose outstanding qualities of character, scholarship, leadership, and citizenship contribute to the prestige of the college and have been directed into student programs and services. Rogers, who served as president of Penn State Altoona's Black Student Union this past year, was also awarded the Women in Leadership Award by the Blair County Chapter of the NAACP. Rogers is a native of Newark, N.J., and is currently studying abroad in Spain.
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Two Longtime Employees Retire from Penn State Altoona
As the new school year began, a time for farewells was also in store for two longtime members of the Penn State Altoona staff.
Donna Harpster and Donna Strum retired from the University at the end of September. Donna Harpster, Staff Assistant in the Continuing Education and Training Office, began her career with Penn State Altoona on January 29, 1973. Donna Strum, Staff Assistant in the Office of the Registrar, was hired on October 17, 1983.
Donna Harpster |
Donna Strum |
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Penn State Altoona Team Takes First Place in Relay for Life
Penn State Altoona employees participated in the 2003 Relay for Life at Mansion Park in Altoona on June 13 and 14. The Penn State Altoona team received first place by raising the most money through advertising and also received a silver award for raising $3,000.
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Working with Students with Disabilities:"In Their Shoes" Program is Marketed Nationally
The Penn State Altoona-developed program "In Their Shoes," was recently presented at the national conference of The Association for Higher Education and Disability in Dallas, TX. The conference focuses on state-of-the-art trends, ADA policy, and documentation and acommodation standards as they relate to colleges and universities.
Dr. Joy Himmel and Essie Auker of the Health & Wellness Center presented the "In Their Shoes" program at a poster session during the conference. "In Their Shoes" is a web-based training program for personnel in higher education. The interactive web-based program provides an understanding of responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and provides a glimpse of what it might be like to "walk in the shoes" of an individual with a disability. This program is being marketed to other colleges and universities and is password protected. Each college or university that registers for the program is assigned a unique password for program entry. Visit the site at www.altoona.psu.edu/intheirshoes.
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Staff Assistants Receive University-Wide Awards
Michele Kennedy received the Vice President's Award for Quality Improvement from the Division of Student Affairs at Pennsyvania State University for unwavering commitment and dedication to the philosophy, practice and application of the results of Continuous Quality.
Lori Robinson, staff assistant, student affairs, was presented with The Vice President's Award for Achievement at the University-wide Staff Development Program Rewards and Recognition Luncheon at University Park. The award was presented by Bill Asbury, Vice President for Student Affairs.
Michelle Kennedy |
Lori Robinson |
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Penn State Altoona to Offer New Biology Degree Beginning Fall 2004
Penn State Altoona's newest degree program will begin enrolling students during Fall 2004. The Bachelor of Science degree in Biology is designed to prepare students for professions requiring competence in biological science or for gaining an understanding of the world of living things. The professional group includes students who intend to secure advanced degrees through graduate study, students who are interested in work with various governmental agencies or industries having biological responsibilities, and students who want to prepare for careers in medicine or other health-related professions. Students whose interests are not professional select the curriculum because its broad approach can result in an educated view of the structure and function of living things. Achievement of these goals, including a special interest in a particular area of biology, can be met by selecting one of six options offered by the Department of Biology.
These options include plant biology, ecology, general biology, genetics and developmental biology, neuroscience, and vertebrate physiology.
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Penn State Altoona Opens New Career Services Suite
| As Penn State Altoona continues to grow and to offer more degree options for its students, the need for a comprehensive and modern Career Services Center is more important than ever. For this reason, Penn State Altoona recently completed a $100,000 renovation of its Career Services Center that will allow the College to provide enhanced services to students, as well as to potential employers within the community. The Career Center hosted an open house in October to showcase its new facility in the Slep Student Center, which houses three private interview rooms for potential employers to meet one-on-one with students, one conference room with multi-media capabilities, a comfortable and attractive lobby area, and a career library.
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