PAGE 2, THE BEHREND BEACON, JANUARY 14, 2000 y
NEWS AND WEATHER
MLK celebration begins this Sunday
In Liz Haves
\\ !iv CFvice, editor
This Sunday, the celebration of the
birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., will begin here at Behrend
and continue through the beginning
of next week, ending Tuesday
evening, January 18.
From 5:30 p.m. to 7:0(1 p.m. on
Januar, lb there will he a
Candlelight Vigil held in the Reed
Commons. Ms. Dorothy Smith,
president of the Erie chapter of the
NAACP, will he the guest speaker,
and the Behrend Inspirational Mime
and Ultimate Praise groups will
perform.
On Monda\ Jan 17, the day-long
celebration will begin with a
symbolic breakfast held in Bruno's
from 7:15 a. in. to 8:00 a.m. Dr. King
traditionally celebrated his birthday
by ba‘ing breakfast with friends and
family.
From 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the
celebration will continue with a
creative writing session led by
internationally known poet, activist,
and lecturer Sonia Sanchez.
%,(estieen coif th(te Wevi
WHAT WERE YOU DOING ON NEW YEAR'S
EVE?
-Rob Bergeron, 02, Aerospace Engineering
Sanchez is the director of Women's
Studies at Temple University and hoick
the Laura Carvell Chair in English
Sanchez is a contributing editor to
Black Scholar and The journal ol
African Studies. She has Written
fourteen books, including home girls
and handgrenades, which won a 1985
American Book Award. In 1999 she
received the prestigious Lindhack
Award for Distinguished Teaching.
In addition to leading the writing
session, Sanchez will he the featured
speaker at the All-College Celebration
from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on
Monday. This lecture is sponsored 1 - ),
the Office of Student Affairs, as it is
part of the Speaker's Series.
A memo was sent out earlier this
week from the Provost's office.
requesting that any classes scheduled
during this time he relocated to the
Reed Commons so that as many
students and faculty as possible he able
to participate. Following the
celebration, a cake reception will he
held in the Wintergarden.
From 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Sanchez will be the guest of honor at a
1 was at a party in Pittsburgh.-
-Nancy Richardson, 04, ELM.ED
-Maria Niemiec, 04, BIOL
"I was with my girlfriend."
had my first house party, and my friends had to
carry me to bed in my own house.-
-Jesse Colazzi, 02. Art & Communications
was working.-
"I was party hopping
-Elly Vahey, 06, COMBA
dinner reception in the Logan House.
Finally, the last celebratory event
\\ ill he the MLK Forum held on
Tuesday, Jan. 18, in Reed 117. The
Forum will he led by a panel of
students, faculty, and community
leaders, and it will he examining the
current cultural trends in the United
States, focusing on programs for
underrepresented groups (such as
•Affirmative Action and diversity
t tilts)
The Candlelight Vigil, All-College
Celebration (and following cake
reception), and MLK Forum are open
to the public. However, the Family
Breakfast, the Creative Writers
Session with Sonia Sanchez, and the
dinner at Logan House all require
reservations, the deadlines for which
were on Thursday. January 13. For
more information, those interested
.huuld contact the Dean of Students
Office at x6lll.
ROT ffersopportunities
This article was written by
Behreoft ROTC to introduce students
to the new program.
By now, many students malize that
Army ROTC has returned to Penn
State Behretui but'may not understand
the purpose and some opportunities
available.
Captain.! Scott Assistant
Professor of Military Science, states
that many students mistake Army
ROTC as the same type of recruiters
who pursue high school seniors to
enlist in the Army. `That simply is not
our purpose" said Gillespie.
Army ROTC.is an academic course
just like any other class offered on
campu& Students receive academic
credit for the class that counts towards
their degree completion. Gillespie
states the purpose of Army ROTC is
to develop leadership, make better
citizens, and commission the future
leadership of the . United States Army
in the Regular Army, Amly Reserves,
or Army National Guard. Only about
1 in 10 will pursue a commission.
Typically, Army ROTC is a four
yeatprogram that consists of Ole Basic
Course and the Advanced Course. Any
student can take Army ROTC their
first two years of college without
incurring any military service
obligation. Students who desire to
pursue the military as a career can
contract into the . Advanced Course
during their junior year of school.
Upon graduation, they pin on their
"gold bars" as Second Lieutenant&
Students who contract as a junior earn
Police And Safety
12 IF: V' C 27 1
1/1/00 00:15 Six seventen- and eighteen-year-old non students were arrested for
violation of Section 6308(A) of the crimes code.
1/5/00 14:45 A threat was made from a student that appeared to he directed
towards a complainant.
1/5/00 09:10 A phone in Room PlO3 was reported stolen.
1/9/00 17:50 A complaintant reported that damage had been clone to their
assigned fleet vehicle.
1/11/00 16:54 A complaintatn called to report that his roommate passed out in
the elevator.
1/12/00 18:40 Duty officers were dispatched to see a complaintant about a
harassing phone call.
14.1 10
40 1°P
ur
P 0
4
$200.00 per month while in school.
In discussing additional
requirements other than taking the
course, Gillespie said there are very
little, Most of our cadets, even our
contracted cadets, only have to come
to class, attend a leadership lab once
every two weeks, and attend two
Saturday training events once per
semester. "If students really want to
get something out of ROTC, they
should attend these events to
experience the real meaning of our
' program,"
The training is also exciting. Cadets
experience a multitude of outdoor
training activities including
rappelling, white water rafting, squad
maneuvers with laser gear, plus
additional clubs and organizations to
which cadets can belong. A color
guard and a Ranger Challenge Team
are available. Ranger Challenge in
particular is very physically and
mentally demanding. Students on the
team compete every October against
21 other schools.
Many misconceptions exist with the
military. One of the biggest fallacies
is the Army only has one job; infantry,
for all its officers and enlisted
members. "We offer just about any
career you can imagine." said
Gillespie. Cadets can be branched in
one of 18 branches. "We have doctors,
lawyers, nurses, police, intelligence,
logistics, communications,
maintenance, and many other areas."
Job experience and exposure in many
of these areas will make students more
marketable in the civilian sector if they
decide to get out. In fact, just about
any major corporation will tell you
they prefer to hire junior military
officers over college graduates
because of their leadership experience.
Second Lieutenants commissioned
on active duty will incur an eight-year
service obligation. However, officers
can separate anywhere from three to
four years of active duty service and
spend the remainder of their
commitment in the Army Reserves or
Army National Guard, The starting
salary for a newly commissioned
officer is about $32,000 per year.
Many two and three year
scholarships are also available. Most
students who apply for these
scholarships and meet eligibility
requirements will earn one of them.
Scholarships pay full tuition, $450.00
annual book fee, and a monthly
paycheck of $200.00 per month.
Gillespie says the Army is currently
having difficulty commissioning
officers due to a strong economy and
low unemployment. "These things go
in cycles and right now, we are having
a hard time commissioning officers
and fell 500 short last year."
Students interested in the program
or scholarships should visit Captain
Gillespie on the 2nd floor of the
registrar office or call 898-7279.
"Students should at least consider
taking the course and can still register
for Army 102; Introduction to the
Military Profession, this spring" said
Gillespie.