THE AMERICAN DREAM... AMERICAN DREAM IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM BEHREND SPEAKER SERIES Shirley 'launches' Behrend Speaker Series Chastain encourages students to shoot for 'goals' United States women's soccer player Brandi Chastain spoke to a large audience of Behrend students, young athletes and parents on Thursday, November 16, 2000, as part of Behrend's "The American Dream in the New Millenium, Speaker Series." Chastain spoke about being unselfish, following your dreams, and making an impact on the people around you. Chastain opened her speech by passing around her Olympic gold medal from the Atlanta Games in 1996 and her silver medal that she recently won in Sydney. She said that her medals are a way to thank the people that supported the women's soccer team these past years. Chastain's first success on the national team came when the women won the first ever World Cup in China. Much to her surprise, the women's game didn't catch on in the United States and even more surprising she was cut from the team shortly after. Chastain's need for redemption overtook her life. She said, "I ran, ran, and ran some more. I played soccer into the darkness." She added, "nothing was going to stop me. I wanted to be on that team. I needed to be on that team." Shortly thereafter, Chastain was back on the team. From that point on, Chastain won a gold medal in Atlanta, and a silver medal in Sydney, Australia, earlier this year. Chastain hooted the winning penalty kick in front of thousands of fans in the Rose Bowl at the 1998 Women's World Cup. She remembered the eruption of those in attendance and reminisced of times when she would dream of sinking the winning shot when she was a kid. Only this time, it was kicking the winning goal, and it wasn't a dream. West sets out to restore hope in America When Dr. Cornet West took the stage in the Reed Commons on February 28, he looked out at the filled-to-capacity crowd and stated, "I hope I say something that thoroughly unsettles you." And then he set out to do just that. West, a university professor of Afro-American studies and philosophy of religion at Harvard University, presented his lecture, "Restoring Hope," as the last segment of the American Dream in the New Millennium Speaker Series. His lecture was also part of "Working for What: Winners and Losers in the American Dream," the conference hosted by the Institute for the American Dream. West discussed the effects race relations have had and are still having on American society. He defined race as a "legacy we are still wrestling with," and said that many are still uncomfortable with the knowledge that the American dream has been founded on the backs of African slaves. He believes that America is the only country that feels it was founded in innocence. But he encouraged the audience to ask Native Americans, women, and blacks for their perspectives on the founding of the country, as the questioner would probably get a radically different answer. Another central issue of West's speech involved the true meaning of democracy and the lack of it in the United States. Martin Luther King ►r. Behrend joined the rest of the country in the celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 15. As in former years, Behrend put together an array of events in honor of Dr. King. The main body of the celebration took place in the Reed Commons and was called "Celebrating a Movement through Music." This year's celebration was under the direction of Ms. Mila Cooper, director of educational equity programs. Provost and Dean Dr. John Lilley gave the welcome to start program, which was followed by the singing of the Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The program was narrated by students Chris Buchanan, Melissa Davis, and Jacqueline Jackson, as well as Mr. Dan Schiesser, coordinator of Residence Life. The narration explained the On Wednesday, September 13, speaker Donna Shirley kicked off the "American Dream in the New Millennium" Speaker Series, which is new to Behrend this year. Shirley has been greatly involved with NASA the past 30 years, and regaled the audience assembled in the Reed Commons with stories of her experiences After Provost and Dean Dr. John Lilley introduced her, Shirley began her speech with some background information on how she became interested and involved in space and engineering. Growing up in rural Oklahoma, she always wanted to be a pilot, and her dream came true at the age of 15 when she began taking pilot lessons. Several years later she enrolled in the aeronautical engineering program at the University of Oklahoma, in which she was the only woman. After the presentation, Shirley was asked to comment on the difficulty of her minority status. She almost shrugged off the difficulties she faced then, and said that even now, in managerial positions, there is a very solid glass ceiling for anyone who does not fit the mold, not just for women. Shirley proceeded to describe the numerous projects she worked on. It all began with the Mariner 10 project in 1970-1973. Other projects she spoke of included solar energy usage; the Mission Design project which focused on how to maneuver from one planet to another; and several different robotics projects, particularly those involving planetary rovers that gather geological data and specimens on Mars Marsalis 'jazzes' up MLK Jr. Day On January 15, Penn State Behrend, along with the rest of the country, celebrated the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the observed date of his birth. There were several activities for the Behrend community to participate in throughout the course of the day, with jazz legend Ellis Marsalis' lecture being the highlighted activity. The celebration began with the Eighth Annual Family Breakfast in Bruno's Cafe. Traditionally Dr. King celebrated his birthday with friends and family at the breakfast table, and the Behrend community was invited to do the same. This year's theme was "Celebrating a Movement through Music," featuring guests Ellis Marsalis, St. James A.M.E. Church Mass Choir, and Mary Alice Brown as well as the Behrend Gospel Choir and Concert Choir. After the celebration Marsalis met with several students, faculty, and staff for a dinner at Logan House at 6:00 p.m. The day's events concluded with the third installment of the 2000-2001 Speaker Series, "The American Dream in the New Millennium," again featuring Ellis Marsalis. Marsalis has long been an extraordinary figure in the development of jazz music and artists. In addition to being a renowned artist himself, Marsalis has also taught several of the genre's stars. celebrated campus-wide BEHREND AND BEYOND vement. Toward the end of the program, students Asia nton and Twynell Kimble performed a mime to song "Still I Rise." The Behrend Concert Choir Jed the event in leading the audience in the song We Shall Overcome." The guest speaker Ellis Marsalis gave the closing remarks and encouraged everyone to keep the dream strong and continue to strive for equality. iportance of music to the Civil Rights music, as 11 as how Americans were abused and treated firing the Civil Rights movement. Mary Alice )wn, Penn State Behrend's Gospel Choir under , direction of student Shekia Brown, and the St. ames A.M.E. Church Mass Choir accompanied narration with song and rhythm. Also exhibited , as a Power Point slide show controlled by Andrew Aters, which displayed various events during the George W. Bush visits Erie twice during presidential campaign As the presidential campaign approached election day, Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush contin ued their final push to take control of the all important "swing" states that could have decided our next president. Hadassah Lieberman, the wife of Gore's running mate, made a stop in Erie. She visited the Interna- tional Bakery then held a roundtable discussion with seven local women at the Marketplace Bush held his second rally during the campaign at the Erie Interna tional Airport with many local politicians in attendance. Pennsyl vania governor Tom Ridge and General Colin Powell both spoke and introduced Bush in front of thousands of local supporters. "The opportunity for our club to see George W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Governor Ridge in this type of positive and motivating atmosphere was amazing," said Behrend's College Republican President Erin Students help students get registered to vote Various groups on campus, such as College Republicans, College Democrats, Women Today, and the Beacon all at various times last fall ran voter registration booths to sign up students to vote. But according to federal laws passed in 1993 and 1998, the college itself should be making an effort to register student voters. In 1993, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act, which is also known as the Motor- Voter Bill. This requires colleges and universities to make voter registration forms available to students. In 1998, Congress passed and Clinton signed the Amendments to the Higher Education Act, changing the school's role from passively making voter registration forms available to students, to actively trying to register voters. Behrend's Registrar's Office when contacted stated that they were not aware that forms should be available there. Upon further investigation it was discovered that voter registration forms were available for students at the office Mock presidential debate looks at the issues of Election 2000 Behrend's College Democrats and College Republicans dueled in "A Look at the Issues: A Simulated Presidential Debate." The event took place in the Reed Commons on October 18, in front of 80 students, faculty, staff and Erie citizens. State Senator Jane Earll was also in attendance for the debate. The event was sponsored by the Behrend Beacon and the Behrend Honors Program, headed by coordinator Dr. John Gamble. Representatives from the College Democrats and College Republicans, two newly reformed groups on campus, took on the task of acting out the parts of Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush. Al Gore was played by Steve Webb and George W. Bush was played by Dave Sandy. Opening statements made by the candidates captured the main platforms of the two presidential candidates, with Webb stressing McCurdy, who led 20 Behrend students in taking an active part in the rally. Seven members from the group sat on stage with Bush to help represent the student vote Bush hoped to win. McCurdy added, "we have been working so hard in support of Bush that it was really nice for us to have the opportunity to meet him." think that seeing Governor Bush reminded us all why we work so hard to campaign for him," said McCurdy. Bush's first visit to Erie had 600 people in attendance, while his second reached more than 1,500. of Student Affairs. This meant that they were in compliance with the 1993 law, but not the 1998 Ken Miller, Dean of Student Affairs, said, "Voter registration forms are available in the Office of Student Affairs. We [the Office of Student Affairs] were planning to run a voter registration drive in conjunction with the Student Government Association, but various other student group, such as the College Republicans and College Democrats ran voter registration drives. We consider them to be an arm of the University, so we did not feel that it was necessary to run a drive of our own." The Penn State website does not discuss any way that the University does distribution or give access to voter registration forms on campus. It instead refers students to the national voter registration form provided by the Federal Election Commission website. This form can be printed and mailed as an official voter registration form in Pennsylvania. people to make their own decisions. A panelist of three Behrend faculty members and a Behrend student asked questions to the debaters for the first half of the debate. Panelists included Dr. Colleen Kelley, Dr. John Rossi, Dr. Matt Davies and Mike Frawley, managing editor of the Beacon. Throughout the debate, Webb blasted Bush's plans and policies on his tax plan and social security. On questions involving his personality and relationship with Bill Clinton, he responded, "I am my own man. I am Al Gore." Closing statements reaffirmed what will be done under their respective administrations, and which Americans will benefit under whose plans. Most students in attendance called Sandy the winner. Gore's concern for working, middle-class families in the United States. Sandy followed with Bush's tax plan and his trust for the American
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers