In the past few months, Penn State University has been under scrutiny for the trail of Jerry Sandusky and findings of a long-string of child sexual abuse charges. Witnesses were coming forth, left and right, with accusations of events that had taken place with the former Penn State Employee. In the throes of the investigation, we lost a pillar of the University, Head Football Coach Joseph Paterno. His passing came shortly after the PSU Board of Directors voted him to be fired from his head coaching position, one he has held since 1966. After Sandusky was acquitted, the NCAA was weighing the options of what to do with the Nittany Lion Football Team. Do we give the team the 'death penalty' or some sort of alternative? Although the team can still play, they are ineligible to play in Bowl games, as well as other stipulations put on the team. But my question is where do we go from here? Was the punishment that was handed out punishing the right or wrong people? As a Penn State Alum, I, like most people, followed this story closely. As I watched the news stories and such, I remembered all the great things that I was able to experience, the people I've met and the wonderful memories I've made, all on account of being a student at Penn State University.
In the early Fall of 2000, I was ecstatic. WHY? I had graduated high school and ready to begin a new chapter in my life - college. I remember receiving that acceptance letter in the mail. I was accepted to the College of Liberal Arts at Penn State McKeesport (now Greater Allegheny). Needless to say, I had no idea what the next five years would entail, but ready or not, it was coming. Orientation was a huge eye-opener, to say the least. There were people there from different states & countries from around the world. This was definitely no Norwin High School anymore. Orientation lasted three days and was jammed packed full of workshops, lectures and other things to get students exposed to collegiate life. They ended the orientation with a boat ride on the Gateway Clipper Fleet along with two other Penn State campuses, in downtown Pittsburgh. Once classes started, I knew this was going to be no cakewalk. Being a Liberal Arts major, I was basically taking general education classes as well as beginner's teaching courses. I wanted to be a teacher and work with kids and young adults for as long as I can remember. I was introduced to the Student Government Association my freshman year by a group of people in the 'BUB' Union one day, and from there, the rest was history. That first year, I was involved with SGA, was a Lion Ambassador, an after-school tutor for a group of fifth graders, acted/sang in a performance group called 'Amplified' and made a close group of friends. All while maintaining a 3.0 GPA. I had held all sorts of positions on campus through my tenure at PSU-GA, from Admission student worker to Radio DJ and much more.
After two years, I faced a decision, stay or go? I opted to remain at the local campus I was at and enroll in a Corporate Communications major with a minor in Applied Psychology. As time passed, I also began to gain an interest in Kinesiology and Physical Therapy. My junior year, I was still involved in the SGA rather heavily and even obtained the title of Club Coordinator. This position was brand new and created just for me by the Student Affairs/Student Government Association. It was my job to make sure that all organizations on campus were doing what they were supposed to at all times. Another thing I was involved with for 4 years at that point was Penn State THON. THON, for those of you who don't know, is a 46-hour dance marathon at Penn State University Park, benefiting childhood cancer research and relief efforts for the families at the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA. This event is a great way to meet new, interesting and energetic people. It also let's you take the focus off yourself & problems. For two days straight, you energy and focus is on the children and their families. It's like one big dance party that got out of hand....in a good way! This was some of the most fun that I had at Penn State and wouldn't trade it for anything.
After leaving Penn State in 2005 to pursue other educational options, I didn't leave Penn State far behind. As an Alum, I've had the opportunistic to meet distinguished people from the worlds of government and the arts, as well as volunteer in some incredible events. From Parking for PAWS to All That's Jazz, and more recently, attended the Blue and White Ball this past November, Penn State is still giving me opportunities to market myself as a professional.
Even with all the recent negative stigma associated with Penn State University, you can't deny the fact that it is a highly regarded academic institution that provides a quality experience for its students. i honestly don't know where I would be, or who, for that matter, if it weren't for the people I've met, the things I've done and the opportunities I've had, if it weren't for Penn State. So, before you start PSU bashing and saying Pitt is better. Before you've been to a Penn State football game, or before you even step onto a Penn State campus, think about of the things your college experience gave you and maybe you'll change your tune to "For The Glory of dear Old State."
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