Veteran’s Day of particular significance for Behrend freshman

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By Steve Orbanek
Marketing Communications Specialist, Penn State Behrend

Papers and exams can be a point of stress for first-year students, but it’s not the kind of stress that Mike Wehrer knows.

Wehrer, a freshman communications major and current managing editor of the Behrend Beacon, is a member of the United States Air Force Reserves. The 23-year-old Girard, Pa., native spent a half year deployed in Afghanistan in 2011, and it’s safe to say college exams pale in comparison to some of the things that Wehrer experienced.

In honor of Veteran’s Day, I decided to catch up with Mike to get his thoughts on the national holiday and find out what personal significance it holds for him. While many Americans may think of Veteran’s Day as just another day off of work, for Mike and more than 21 million others, this day is a part of their identities.

Here’s what Mike had to say on the topic:

Steve: Hi Mike, thanks for taking the time to chat with me. Could you give me a feel for your background and what ultimately led you to enlist in the military?

Mike: Well, I started out at (Penn State Behrend) out of high school, but basically ended up dropping out after two semesters. I wasn’t a good student and I lacked motivation. It made sense to join the military to help pay off the student loans I already had, and also to help provide the discipline and motivation I needed to grow up a bit.

Steve: When did you enlist in the Air Force Reserves, and what was your experience like from there?

Mike: It was December 2, 2009, and I was 19. I left for basic training in February, I think it might have been Valentines’ Day actually, and that was at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Then I entered the Air Force Security Forces Academy. From there, I joined my current unit at Niagara Falls at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. I was told when I got there that I’d be on the next deployment.

Steve: Wow, that had to be startling to have the deployment come so quickly. Was that scary?

Mike: It’s what I wanted. The reason I joined security is because it’s the most deployed career field in the Air Force. I thought it would be a good thing for my career. I want to be a war correspondent and an embedded reporter, and I thought it would be a good resume point.

Steve: When was it that you were actually deployed, and what was it like once you got to Afghanistan?

Mike: I left Erie in May, but I actually hit Afghanistan on July 7, 2011. There’s a famous quote, I’m not exactly sure what it is, but it’s along the lines of “there are long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror.” I was security for Kandahar Airfield, which basically meant I was controlling access onto the airfield and responding to rocket attacks.

Steve: What was that pressure like? Was it difficult to have such responsibility right away?

Mike: You kind of didn’t have a choice but to do it. You had to accomplish it. If you didn’t, they’d find someone else who could.

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Steve: Switching gears a bit, when did you come back to the United States, and enroll back here at Behrend?

Mike: I left Afghanistan on January 15, 2012, and I got back on January 20. It’s been four years since I was last enrolled here, and I applied for and basically got an academic reset. That’s not what it’s called, but that’s basically what it did. It allowed my GPA to go back to zero, so I could start from scratch.

Steve: Was returning to college always a goal of yours?

Mike: It was always a goal. I knew what I wanted to do.

Steve: Why did you choose to come back to Behrend? This fall, Victory Media once again ranked Behrend among the top 20 percent of Veterans Affairs-approved institutions based on the services and resources they offer to military-connected students. Did that factor into your decision at all?

Mike: I had been freelancing last year for the Behrend Beacon, and I knew that I could get a good position on the paper right away. If I went to any other school, I didn’t know if I would have those opportunities right away.

Steve: Would you say your experiences overseas have had an effect on your current college experience?

Mike: Yeah, definitely. It’s small changes, like I always look around a room whenever I walk in it. Half of that is my deployment, and half of that’s just being a cop. As far as academically, it kind of made me realize how easy college really is.

Steve: To follow up on that, you mentioned earlier how you initially enlisted in the military to help improve your discipline and motivation. Do you feel as if your experience overseas has helped you do that?

Mike: I definitely got that. I have realized that not going out on the weekend, and having to stay in and do homework is not a big deal. There are much harder things that I’ve gone through, and that I’ve seen others go through. This is all easy, and it’s easy to make these sacrifices.

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Steve: With Monday being Veteran’s Day, can you give me an idea of how it feels for you personally on that day?

Mike: It’s hard to define. It makes me proud. I’ll probably wear a pin or something. The VA class defines me as a combat veteran because it was a combat mission, but I don’t see myself as a combat veteran because I never had to fire my weapon. So, I still don’t like to call myself a combat veteran because I know guys who have been shot, wounded, or had to kill someone, and to put myself in the same class as them seems not disrespectful but close to it.

Steve: As a veteran yourself, how would you suggest people go about honoring this holiday?

Mike: It’s the small things. Thanking people in uniform means a lot to veterans. Making a donation to something. And, of course, there are a thousand different organizations that you can donate to. Give time, money, whatever you can. My dad has worked with homeless veterans at the VA, and a lot of people don’t realize how many people can’t cope with coming back. You can also always send care packages to those who are still over there, especially now that we’re getting closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

6 spooooky things about Penn State Behrend

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By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

In honor of the upcoming All Hallows’ Eve festivities, I dug up six spooky (and some just silly) things about Penn State Behrend.  Enjoy!

1. There’s a place in the Wintergreen Gorge on  the edge of campus called “Devil’s backbone.”

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Devil’s backbone is the name given to the gorge’s highest vantage point in Wintergreen Gorge, about 250 feet above Four Mile creek. Read more about the gorge (page 13) and watch videos here (under “Extras from this issue”).

In the mood for a good ghost story? Check out this story we found online (but do not attest to): The Ghost Child of Wintergreen Gorge.

Speaking of enduring ghosts haunting campus…..

2. Ken Miller, senior director for campus planning and student affairs, has been working at Behrend since George Michael’s “Faith” topped the pop charts, “Heathers” was showing at the theatres,  and the average cost of a gallon of gas was just 91 cents.

Are we making him sound old? Nah, it’s only been 25 years. 😉 And, fortunately, he hasn’t lost his sense of humor…or that awesome ‘stache.

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Ken Miller, right, with his brother Tim outside of Lawrence Hall, circa 1989.

3. This tree by Wilson Picnic grove:

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According to Dr. Mike Naber, lecturer in geosciences, the “tumor” on this tree could be Agrobacterium tumefaciens that causes a plant disease called crown gall. Or, Nabor said, it is simply a “burl” caused by stress, injury, or a virus.

Or it could be a zombie calling card.

Speaking of signs from the dearly departed…

4. Bruno’s Café is named after a dead dog. Even spookier? Legend has it that said dog is buried on campus.

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So, if you hear a German shepherd howling late at night…

5.  The cashier at the bookstore has gotten really thin.

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Somebody get this guy a peanut butter sandwich.

6. This tree by Lilley Library:

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While it’s shaped like a witch’s hat, this is actually a Purple Fountain Weeping Beech, native to Europe.

You know, Europe…where Transylvania is (just sayin’).

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Pose with the PSB Lion at ZooBoo

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By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

My first job after graduating from college was working in the public relations department at the Erie Zoo.  I worked for Scott Mitchell, known around the Erie area as the ZooGuy.  (By the way, Scott, who is now the President and CEO of the Erie Zoological Society, is a Penn State Behrend alum — Class of 1984!).

As you might expect, every day at the zoo brought something different. I aquired lots and lots of unique skills and knowledge in the four years I worked there.

For example: I know exactly how to pick up an alligator without getting bit.  I know that the foulest smelling (and most stupid) animal on earth is the giraffe. I can stuff at least 2,000 plastic Easter eggs in a day. I can set up 200 chairs in less than an hour. And, I can make a scarecrow out of scrap materials in minutes.

So when I read in a recent Erie Zoo newsletter that they were inviting area organization and businesses to create a scarecrow to display at ZooBoo (the zoo’s annual evening Halloween event), I begged my boss to let me make one for Penn State Behrend. (Go ahead, ask him, he’ll tell you that I begged).

Lest you think the staff of the Office of Marketing Communication spend their days building scarecrows, I should tell you that a coworker, Jodi Herman, and I built this cute little cub after work in less than an hour with materials I had laying around.  (Yeah, I’m that good at scarecrow construction.)

What do you think?

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Snap a pix with the PSB scarecrow

If you’re going to ZooBoo with your little boos and ghouls (see, writing clever puns is yet another skill I learned at the zoo!), be sure to look for the Penn State Behrend lion scarecrow. And, if you gather round, take a photo, and send it to us via email (hjc13 at psu.edu) or post it on social media with the hashtag #behrendscarecrow, we’ll put together an album to showcase our Penn State Behrend scarecrow pride (You know a group of lions is a pride, right?)  and share it with everyone.

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About ZooBoo

ZooBoo is the Erie Zoo’s annual Halloween event and a rare chance to see the zoo after 5 p.m. There are trick-or-treat boooooths (*groan* I know, but I. Just. Can’t. Stop.) for kids 12 and under and Halloween decorations and lights strewn through the zoo grounds.  This year, ZooBoo opens on Friday, October 18th and runs through Wednesday, October 30th from 6 to 9 p.m. nightly.

A few insider tips:

  • Save yourself some time waiting in line and pick your tickets up in advance at the zoo office (423 W. 38th St. next to the zoo) or buy online then you can enter the advance line near the stage (no waiting!). You can even buy your train & carousel tickets in advance!
  • Don’t go right at 6, go at 7 or 7:30 and you’ll miss the big crowds.
  • Ride the train first…most people ride it at the end and the line gets looooong at the end of the night.
  • Expect some animal changes. The orangutans and a few other animals won’t be out (they do not like their sleepy-time schedules messed with), but the big cats will likely be up and moving around — they’re nocturnal animals and they really “come alive” after dark.
  • This might be obvious, but…if you don’t like crowds, opt for a less-than-perfect-weather night. ZooBoo is open every night until Oct. 30, rain, shine, sleet or snow. Also, weeknights — particularly Mon.-Wed. — tend to have lower attendance.
  • On busy nights, the back gate — off Glenwood Park Ave. — is often open.

Penn State Lives Here

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If you’ve been anywhere near Penn State Behrend (or any Penn State campus across Pennsylvania) recently, you’ve probably noticed there is a new brand initiative — “Penn State Lives Here.”

The initiative was publicly introduced with a two-minute video during halftime of the Michigan game on Saturday, October 12, in Beaver Stadium on the University Park campus.

The theme made its appearance at Penn State Behrend yesterday:

* Ten students and the Penn State lion unfurled a twenty-foot banner that now hangs off the balcony at John M. Lilley Library.  (Thank you, Mother Nature, for providing picture-perfect outdoor-event weather!)

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* Twenty lawn signs popped up all around campus.

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* “Penn State Lives Here” doorhangers were hung on throughout the residence halls.

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* “Penn State Lives Here” buttons, vinyl window clings and paw print cookies (delish!) were distributed at lunchtime at Bruno’s, where the campaign video was aired for students, staff, and faculty.
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Clearly, Penn State lives here at Behrend.

So, what does it all mean? What is our branding message about?

Here is an explanation, from the folks who created it:

“Penn Staters are not only high academic achievers, they’re doers. They are nurtured by a culture that encourages setting lofty goals and investing the effort to achieve them. They are molded in an environment that values success, teamwork, and service to others—and graduate intent upon living purposeful, inspired lives. All universities talk about producing leaders, but ask employers where they go to find individuals who inspire others, know the value of hard work, and lead by example. They find them at Penn State.”

Excellence. Innovation. Passion. Collaboration.

These are the things that live at Penn State.

Watch the video here and see for yourself.

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Students: Join us on Monday for unveiling of PSLH

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Penn Staters make an impact everywhere. Now, there’s a brand initiative that puts it right out there.

The University will introduce the initiative on Saturday, October 12 during halftime of the Michigan game in Beaver Stadium. Penn State Behrend will be unveiling the brand message on Monday (October 14), and students are invited to be part of the announcement.

At 11 a.m., Lilley Library Lawn:
Come watch as your fellow students unfurl a big banner with the theme of PSLH (that’s your only hint!) from the balcony of Lilley Library facing the Bayfront Highway. If you can attend, you’ll see the action from the lawn just below.

At 12:15 p.m, Bruno’s Cafe:
See a short yet dynamic video, grab a cookie, and get your free theme button and vinyl window cling–while supplies last!

Join us Monday to see and hear just how PSLH.

Kochel Center gets a makeover

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By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

Have you noticed the new have-a-seat-and-stay-a-while environment at Irvin Kochel Center? The stiff, metal benches that once lined the halls are gone, replaced by attractive plush chairs and wooden end tables. On the lower floor, the computer kiosks have been revamped and carpeting put down to add warmth and help muffle echoing footsteps.

The changes are largely the result of suggestions made by students.

“Projects done by students in CAS 252: Business and Professional Communication helped drive many of the improvements to the civility and quality of the Kochel physical and social environment, including the digital signage screens, the up-scale coffee machine, the new furniture, and the printer near the new computer kiosk,” said Dr. Rod Troester, associate professor of communication.

According to Dr. Ken Miller, senior director of campus planning and student affairs, funds from the Student Facility Fee paid for the furniture and carpet, funds from Technology Fee paid for the computers and kiosks, and Housing and Food Services provided the coffee machine.

“It was really a team effort to improve a highly-trafficked area,” Miller said.

Students seem to have embraced the kinder, softer Kochel Center. When I walked through on a Thursday at 2 p.m., nearly every comfy seat in the house was taken.

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Regarding the SFF

Projects funded by the Student Facility Fee are voted on by students. The Kochel project was placed on a campus-wide survey of students who indicated it as a priority for improvement. Then, the SFF committee, a nine-member group with six students as voting members, chose to fund the project. (Currently, Kyle Stephan, student government association president, and Miller co-chair the SFF committee.)

The SFF Committee also funded the construction of The Galley (which Housing and Food Services outfitted), lighting of the soccer/lacrosse field, Reed Auditorium and lounge renovations, and hydration stations across campus.

Future projects under consideration include, the Mary Behrend Monument and Memorial Garden, a recreation center, and a Frisbee golf course.

As for those metal benches that were removed for Kochel? They will likely be repurposed for outdoor use around campus.

International Coastal Cleanup soggy, but successful

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By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

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Steady rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of nearly 100 Penn State Behrend students, faculty members, staff, and friends who participated in Saturday’s Pennsylvania-Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup, an annual event in which volunteers collect garbage from more than a dozen waterways and sites in Erie County.

Penn State Behrend typically focuses on the Four Mile Creek, which flows through Wintergreen Gorge, cleaning it (and it’s tributaries) from the headwaters in Greene Township to the mouth where it empties into the lake in Lawrence Park.

But a steady all-night rain and rushing storm waters made Four Mile too dangerous to clean on Saturday morning.

“The only spot we could safely clean up off campus was an area at the mouth of Four Mile creek ,” said Ann Quinn, lecturer in biology and coordinator of Behrend’s International Coastal Cleanup

There, a school bus full of students, faculty and staff collected 372 pounds of trash, including a tire and an anchor.

My daughter, 10, and I were among the group cleaning up at the mouth of Four Mile. As we left the site, lugging out our bags and bags of trash and recycleables, a slight movement in the sand caught my eye.

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A baby snapping turtle.

I couldn’t believe that none of us had trampled the little thing in our cleanup efforts.  My daughter and I marveled at the tiny creature for a few moments. She, of course, wanted to take him home. I, of course, said no.

“He is home,” I said as I put him down on the beach where he blended perfectly into the sand and rocks on the shore of the lake.

“Well, then, I’m glad we made it a little cleaner for him,” she said.

“Yeah, me, too,” I said.

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Back at Penn State Behrend, another group of volunteers conducted a clean up around the Wintergreen Gorge where they collected 150 pounds of trash, 75 each of recyclables and trash. And more than 1,000 cigarette butts!

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A Glenhill proposal

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By Heather Cass, Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

Glenhill Farmhouse has been the location for everything from Behrend family dinners to VIP luncheons to a women’s dormitory to the chancellor’s office.

Last weekend, it became the location for a marriage proposal when Greg Bossart ’12 proposed to Emily Harrington ’12.

The two met in Antonella Cupillari’s Introduction to Mathematical Proofs Class.

“Neither of us knew anyone in the class and we ended up sitting next to each other. Group work was a strong component of weekly assignments in the class and since Greg looked like the friendliest person there, I quickly asked him to be my partner,” Emily said. “I never expected (nor did he) that my math partner would end up changing my life.”

Their partnership grew, progressing from homework “dates” to real dates. The two would often engage in long talks over cups of coffee at the State Street Starbucks in downtown Erie.

Soon, they were a couple, sharing many, many long walks across campus from Burke Center (Greg was an Electrical Engineering major) to the Otto Behrend Science Hall (Emily was a molecular biology and biochemistry major).

“We took that walk between REDC and OBS/NICK so many times, sharing casual conversation and deeper ones including talking about some of the harder times we were both going through,” she said. “There were so many times that while walking side by side, we would slow down just to enjoy our surroundings. The serenity of the campus and natural beauty are beyond compare.”

On Saturday, September 14, Greg woke Emily up early and asked her to get in the car. He had made a CD full of songs reminiscent of their college days when they would share an iPod while studying in the library together.

 “We arrived at Behrend and got out of the car, taking our ever-familiar walk,” Emily said. “As the sun poked through the clouds in the early morning, and while Behrend students all slept in their beds, Greg took me over to the Glenhill Farmhouse, kissed me, and dropped to one knee.”

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She said yes, of course.

“Greg and I are best friends and share a love that started at Penn State Behrend; there was nothing more perfect than coming full circle and returning to the place where we started to grow as individuals, met, and fell in love to become engaged to each other in this place,” she said.

We think it’s perfect, too.

Well done, Greg. Congratulations to both of you!

Greg and Emily

Editors note: Um…Greg, what’s with the Pitt hat? LOL. It’s OK, we know you love PSU more.

Greg and Emily currently live in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Greg is an electrical engineer at ATI Allegheny Ludlum and is working on his Masters in electrical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Emily is a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Graduate Program at the University of Pittsburgh. She holds a laboratory research position at Magee-Women’s Research Institute working on her thesis project on breast cancer.

~ Heather 

P.S. We hope to welcome some little Bossarts here in 20 or 30 years. 😉 (I’m just sayin’)

Campus running routes, 5Ks, and more

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By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

With more than 850 acres of property in beautiful Harborcreek Township, Penn State Behrend’s campus is a runner’s paradise.

Offering everything from paved paths to cross-country paths through fields to rugged trails through the Wintergreen Gorge to a brand new 8-lane competition-level track, you’ll never run out of places to…well, run at Behrend.

Another thing you’ll never run out of here? Hills. Just try to find a route around this campus that doesn’t include hills (not counting doing circles around the track!). The good thing, though, is that hills will make you a better, stronger, and faster runner/walker and you’ll learn to love them (or you’ll love to hate them).

In winter, the campus paths are well maintained and lighted, making it a safe alternative in the dark, snowy days of winter. And, yes, you should run outside in winter — it’s spectacular! (But, please be safety minded and run with a friend, or two…or ten).

I have several routes I like to run around campus with friends, including (click on the links for a map on mapmyrun.com):

* A 5-mile Summer Loop.  This route starts on the Bayfront Bikeway trail (back corner of Erie lot) and winds its way down Shannon to Cooper Road and back up to campus via the Wintergreen Gorge trail before heading up to Knowledge Park to loop through the wooded paths and circle back to the parking lot.

* A 5-mile Winter Loop. This is much like my summer loop, but it cuts out the Wintergreen Gorge portion as it’s not safe to run through there in the winter (it’s not plowed or lighted) and we spend a little more time in Knowledge Park, which is both lighted, plowed.

* A 5K (3.1 miles) from Junker Center. This is a challenging course thanks to the giant hill that is old Station Road.

* A 12.5-miler from Knowledge Park. In the mood to go long? This is a fairly simple long run route takes advantage of the peaceful country roads you’ll find south of campus.

* A simple 1.5-mile loop in Knowledge Park. It may sound boring to loop, but Knowledge Park is wooded and beautiful any time of the year and, after 6 p.m., there is virtually no traffic, but plenty of street light.

Want more options?

Just search for “Behrend” on Mapmyrun.com and you’ll find a whole list of running routes that other people planned, including some trail runs mapped by police services officer Dave Lesher and a nice  8-miler (beware of Kane Hill…it is, um, a challenge!) mapped by Chris Coulston, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Of course you can also map your own route. If you do, be sure to “unlock” it so the rest of us can try your route, too!

A few words about safety

Again, please run with a friend (or a few) because some of the routes I listed above take you into isolated areas that don’t see much traffic. There is safety in numbers.

And, of course, heed the basic rules of runner safety, including wearing reflective gear (white won’t cut it).

Racing around Behrend

Ready to test your meddle? You’ve got two opportunities to race around campus in October, which is, of course, one of the most gorgeous times to run on campus!

The Harvest Hoof-It is a 5K run or a 2.5-mile fun walk on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 9 a.m. sponsored by WCTL, Erie’s Christian radio station. More info/application here.

The Penn State Behrend cross-country team is hosting a Twilight 5K at Behrend on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. The Twilight event includes a 5K run, a 2-mile fun walk and a kids’ race, too. More info/application will be posted here.

~ Heather

P.S. If you have questions about running at Behrend, or the upcoming races, feel free to email me at hjc13 at psu.edu.

Help needed for International Coastal Cleanup (free T-shirt and lunch!)

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By Heather Cass
Publications & Design Coordinator, Penn State Behrend

1,400 pounds – that’s the total weight in trash that 150 Penn State Behrend students, faculty members, and staff cleaned out of Fourmile creek during last year’s International Coastal Cleanup.

From the headwaters of the creek at Hartman Road in Greene Township through campus (Fourmile is the creek that runs through Wintergreen Gorge) and on to Napier Park in Wesleyville, volunteers collected 63 bags of trash and 58 bags of recyclable materials.

That’s a lot of cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and soda cans that didn’t make it into the lake (because, eventually, it all ends up in the lake!)

You have to step back and realize that the watershed is not just water,” said Ann Quinn, lecturer in biology and coordinator of Behrend’s International Coastal Cleanup. “It’s everything that leads into it.”

The Pennsylvania-Lake Erie International Coastal Cleanup is an annual event in which volunteers collect garbage from more than a dozen sites in Erie County, including Presque Isle State Park.

This year’s cleanup event is scheduled for Saturday, September 21 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Can you help?  Faculty members and staff are needed to help lead student groups. Community members and children are welcome to participate, too.  Bring the whole family!

Volunteers will meet in front of Reed Union Building at 9:30 a.m.  All necessary materials (gloves, trash bags, etc.) will be provided, and you’ll also get a free T-shirt and a free lunch at Bruno’s after the cleanup.

Word to the wise: wear boots and/or shoes that can get wet & dirty!

If you can volunteer, please contact Ann Quinn at abq1 at psu.edu by Saturday, September 14!