November 2010 Archives

We're almost there, Fellows. The end of the semester is almost here and hopefully everything is going well for you. I am writing to you in order to bring you up to speed on what is happening with the Advisory Board and how what we're doing will affect in the near future. This week at our meeting, the Advisory Board discussed our progress on the recognition event that will be occurring in January. We are currently in the process of getting our wearable item created for the event and putting together a program. When we get all of the kinks worked out, we will be creating an order form of sorts that you will be receiving via email within the next month. It will be very important that you complete and return the form as soon as possible because this will tell us how many people plan to attend the event and who will be recognized. Again, this will be pivotal in our planning, so I cannot stress enough how important it is that you actually respond when you receive this email.

In addition to the January, we are currently planning a forum for April in conjunction with the LAUC and the Center for Democratic Deliberation. More news about this will be made available when the specifics are finally decided, but we will most likely be looking for people to help with this at some point next semester. Finally, I have received some questions about some of the requirements of the Paterno Fellows Program and how to know whether or not you are on track to graduate as a Fellow. Currently, the program is working to create a database that will answer some of these questions and help you plan what you need to do in order to finish the program. It is currently in the testing phase (actually the Advisory Board and some others are being used as the guinea pigs for the database) and will be available to all Fellows and Aspirants when all of the glitches are fixed. Hopefully this entry answers some of your questions about upcoming events and requirements. Have a great Thanksgiving break!

Attention Honors Students and Paterno Fellows (and Aspirants) Majoring in English and Comparative Literature!

You are invited to a screening and informal evening seminar on the 1999 film Fight Club.

Fight Club
Tuesday, November 30
6:30-9:30
135 Burrowes Building (The Journals Room)

You have probably heard of David Fincher's 1999 Oscar-nominated film Fight Club, which has developed a cult following because of its fascinating explorations of male desire, proto-fascist ideology, and the lines separating dream and actuality. One of the most culturally resonant and influential movies of the '90s, Fight Club has spawned the still-active titular clubs for young men. In the film, an unnamed insomniac corporate drone (played by Edward Norton) meets roguish rebel Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), and together they form a cathartic but brutal underground society in which men fight each other freely and aggressively. But the line between reality and sleepless haze blurs when propagandist Durden begins to transform the Fight Club from a group of non-conformists into a nihilistic cult.

Dr. David Greven of Connecticut College, who has published widely on film, popular culture, and gender and sexuality, will be here to introduce the film briefly and to lead some discussion after the screening. It's going to be an evening of fun that will also be enlightening (all at no cost): We'll provide pizza, the movie, and Professor Greven (and maybe some popcorn, too); all you have to do is watch a really thought-provoking and entertaining film, and then talk about it with your peers and a dynamic visiting expert.

This special seminar is limited to the first ten people who sign up; you can bring one guest if you wish, but you'll have to register that person, as well. To reserve a spot (first come, first served!), contact Professor Ben Schreier at bjs44@psu.edu.

It's amazing what some new friends, a few home-cooked meals (mmm...pumpkin pie...) and a common cause can do.

Last month I went on my first canning trip (putting in a guiltless plug for Glee Club / Oriana THON here!). And may I reiterate: this is my first canning trip as a student and as a canning chair. I knew my fellow co-chair RJ and I have a lot of responsibilities on our plate, and frankly, the idea terrified me.

I had no idea what to expect, but knew I had to learn fast- I didn't want to let anyone down and I felt that, by being so inexperienced, I already wasn't pulling my weight. I didn't want to be the new girl, the outsider, or the idle officer.

So armed with a "Canning Manual" borrowed from Springfield, the tell-tale THON posters, and a lot of nervous energy, I packed up my sub-zero sleeping bag (can you say overkill?), crest toothpaste and a change of clothes and headed out to Johnstown.

First, my fellow Oriana and Glee Club THON(-ers? is there a word for this?) met up for at a local Italian restaurant to bond over pizza and planning. I learned (and promptly forgot) everyones' names. I worried over which people were already friends, if they would bother acknowledging me and whether or not anyone would notice me reaching for the last slice of white cheese pizza. 

This being his home, our Glee Club Chair John knew all the restaurant staff (and seemingly the entire population of the town). So, as we finish our meal, John surprised me saying that- no-we're not paying- we're singing for our food. Well, we are choir kids after all- so I guess it was the first and only logical option. And I can say now, with the utmost conviction, there is no better ice breaker than a few choral versions of Billy Joel tunes sung around a pizza parlor piano.

The rest of the weekend whipped by in a fast-forward montage of canning, eating, (not) sleeping, and more canning. And you can really get to know people when you spend several hours in the cold with them, begging for change on a sidewalk corner. And the rest of time was spent singing along to "Glee"  tunes while driving around Johnstown arguably/utterly lost. The frigid October weather warmed up, and by the end of the trip, I had stripped off my shyness like a puffy winter coat.

Sunday afternoon, the remaining cann(-ers?) counted the dollars, nickels, quarters and dimes.

It's amazing how quickly the money adds up.

 

Each one dollar bill a tired mom pulls from her purse, each handful of change from a pick-up trucks' dash board. Every last gummy penny from in between someone's sofa cushions- it made a difference.

One of my biggest challenges in talking with the people I met was simply convincing them their contribution mattered. And at the end of our trip, our numbers didn't lie.

 

 In two days we had raised $4,618,25.

 

Yup- over four thousand tiny little donations, tiny little moments a person took from their day to stop and give. To not question or to doubt, but to trust that their actions mattered in a way that extended far beyond the tired-looking college kids in sweatshirts and signs standing before them. It's hard to see the grand total in a hand full of pennies- but it's there. I stood there, watching these everyday people who understood that hope comes in all sizes and looks a lot like a five dollar bill.  That maybe their Starbucks' Macchiato could wait. Because they saw that in our cans was something greater than the sum of its parts (or..coins rather) - well, that helped me see. More so than I could have imagined.  

Open a window into contemporary Italian life and deepen your language learning by studying the Italian and the Italy that is not in your textbook. What does Italian hip hop and rap sound like? What are the chants of the most spirited soccer fans? What cross-cultural observations are the best Italian pundits making? What did Pinocchio have to say that Walt Disney left out of his version?  What lies beyond Tuscany, Rome, Venice and Milan? Follow your language learning beneath the surface and see the good and the bad of Italy.

Accelerated sections of Italian 002 and 003, as an alternative to regular sections of the same courses, allows motivated students to share their passion for Italian language and culture with their instructor and peers and creates the possibility to cover more material in greater depth.  This select group of students benefits from greater instructor/student interaction and develops a valuable rapport with their instructor. Lessons are enriched with varied media and authentic cultural materials (such as music, films, readings, Italian websites, TV commercials, and Italian newspapers) to further the study and application of grammar concepts, as well as enhance writing, comprehension, and speaking abilities. Accelerated Italian strongly facilitates a livelier exploration and discussion of Italy's language and traditions. It focuses on elaborating students' knowledge of Italian history, culture, and customs, as well as offering a glimpse into contemporary Italian life.

For Spring semester 2011, the accelerated sections will be Section 002 of Italian 002 and Section 006 of Italian 003, both meeting 10:10-11:00am MT RF. Students completing this course are ideal candidates for 300 and 400 level coursework in Italian.  Moreover, the coursework provides excellent preparation for students planning on studying abroad, wanting to solidify their language skills, and/or considering an Italian minor. SHC students and Paterno Fellows are eligible to pursue an Honors option in the accelerated Italian courses.

If you have questions about the courses, please contact Jason Laine at jcl20@psu.edu.  If you are ready to sign up for the course, send an email to Rebecca Cross at rlc21@psu.edu and make sure to cc Jason Laine (jcl20@psu.edu) on this email as well.

News Item:

The Department of Anthropology at Penn State will hold "Bone and 3D Picture Day" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 6, in room 107 of the Carpenter Building on Penn State's University Park campus. Bones and bone casts from humans, primates, and many other animals will be on display. Bone experts will be on hand to explain why skeletons are much more than something spooky on Halloween. Participants will learn how crime scene investigators determine gender, ethnicity, and age using human skeletal material, and also will find out how scientists learn about the way animals lived by studying their bones.

Researchers studying the differences and facial shape and size in families will be in attendance to take 3D pictures of siblings who attend. The pictures will help researchers to understand resemblance between siblings and how faces grow and develop. (Parental consent is required for participants below the age of 18.) Image collection and filling out consent/information forms takes approximately 5 minutes, and participation is strictly voluntary -- participants who come to the bone lab do not have to participate in the study. For more information, contact John Starbuck at jms1043@psu.edu.

Those who wish to volunteer but cannot be at the bone lab on Nov. 6 can get in touch with Starbuck to set up a visit. This research is under the direction of Joan T. Richtsmeier, who can be contacted at jta10@psu.edu, and has been approved by the Office for Research Protections at Penn State.

Hello Fellows! Hopefully your semesters are going well and those incessant exams and papers haven't completely burned you out because I am very excited to say that the rest of the Advisory Board is planning quite the event for all of you to be a part of, Aspirant and Fellow alike. In the near future, all Fellows who have been admitted into the program will be receiving an invitation to a recognition event, which is being planned for the beginning of next semester. And for all of you Aspirants out there, you're welcome to join in on the fun. This event will mark the transition from the status of Aspirant to Fellow and will even include a wearable gift from the program to you. This way, you will be able to show, rather than say, that you are truly a Paterno Fellow. When we get a final design and development plan going, you will learn a lot more about this. And it will be very important for you to respond to any emails you may receive about this if you actually want this item (I mean seriously, it's free; why wouldn't you want it?).

At the same time, the purpose of this event will also be to create an increased sense of the values that are associated with being a Fellow and to acknowledge the people who have donated their time and money into making this program work. We're planning to have some special guests and food (now you're listening). Since I am fully aware of how busy everyone is, I am going to wrap this report from the Advisory Board up by asking you to be on the lookout for some more important information about the event that I am describing. You'll be hearing from me in about two weeks when a lot more will be set in stone. Until then, good luck with all of your classes and everything else that you are juggling, Fellows (and Aspirants)!

Hello Paterno Fellows, and welcome to November!

Many of you have already been in touch with me regarding your interest in the Excellence in Communication Certificate, which is one way of fulfilling your communication requirement as well as a great opportunity in its own right! (If you haven't heard about the ECC yet, check out our newly revamped website.)

Most students who aspire to the ECC will create their e-portfolios through the Penn State blog system. This week, I am hosting our first set of blog trainings--Wednesday, November 3 from 7:00-8:30 pm and Thursday, November 4 from 5:00-6:30 pm. This week's workshops are a chance for students to create the blogs that they will shape into their e-portfolios. It's also a chance for students to ask me any questions they may have about the ECC process.

To sign up for one of our two blog trainings, EMAIL ME ASAP! (mcs288@psu.edu) Then, go to blogs.psu.edu and click the green sign-in button to register for your Penn State webspace. (You won't be able to participate in the workshop unless you have already registered, and the processing can take 24-48 hours.)

If you are interested in the ECC but are not receiving ECC-related emails from me, now is your chance to get started! Send me an email at mcs288@psu.edu, or use our online signup form.

I look forward to hearing from you soon, and to seeing many of you in just a few days.

Yours,

Michelle Smith