March 29,2002 1* Pages
Vol. XLIX " No. 25
* A Penn State Erie Student Publication •
PENNSTATE
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Spring 2002
Friday’s forecast:
Mostly Cloudy
High: 55°
Low: 39°
Check page 2 for the
weekend weather outlook
NEWS
A panel met on Thursday in
honor of Women’s History
Month and International
Women’s Day. The panel
discussion, titled “The
Legacy of the American
Women’s Liberation: Post
-9/11 Afghan Women and
International Feminism,”
featured Dr. Colleen Kelley,
Dr. John Rossi, Dr. Eric
Corty, Allison Parr-Plasha,
and Dr. Syed Andaleeb.
See page 2.
The annual Evening of
Dubious Taste will be held
Tuesday. A Behrend tradi
tion since the ‘Bos, it is a
night of bad writing and
frightening food. Check it
out on page 2.
The dynamic duo Yellow
Rage performed at
Behrend on Wednesday.
Through spoken poetry,
they help to diffuse stereo
types of Asians. Read
more on page 3.
Behrend
Ne w5... 1-3
Nat’l Campus
News.. A
Calendar...s
Editorial... 6-7
Features... 8
A&E...9
Sports... 10-12
NEWSROOM: 898-6488
FAX: 898-6019
E-MAIL:
behrcolls@aol.com
Offices are located
downstairs in the
Reed Union Building
Poet Martin Espada inspires,
in both English and Spanish
On Thursday night, poet Martin Espada read to about 75 students, faculty and staff in Reed
117. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Espada first visited Puerto Rico when he was 10 years old and has
returned several times. Espada’s poems were often biographical, including one about his time
as a lawyer in Puerto Rico and his discussion with Pennsylvania death row inmate Mumia Abu-
Jamal.
Some of his poems were bilingual, combining the smooth rhythm of the Spanish language with
verse carefully crafted in English. One poem addresses the common stereotype of Puerto Rican
culture that Espada encounters, one of how a “Puerto Rican” should look, act and dress. In
addition to subtly satirizing stereotypes people hold, Espada uses several of his poems to offer
insight of the issue.
Espada's animated, powerful, and lyrical reading made him another accomplished addition to
the English department’s Creative Writer series. The event was sponsored by the Student Activity
Fee, the organization of Latin American Students, the Lion Entertainment Board, and the Clarence
A. Smith & Eugenie Baumann Smith Fund.
Convocation to give
communication students
taste of real world
by Nicole Charsar
staff writer
Calling all Communications
majors! Are you interested in
gleaning the benefits from
years of valuable “in the
trenches experience” of
communications
professionals? Then you
should attend the first annual
Communications Convocation,
titled “Creating A Personal
Matrix for Success,” it will be
held on April 6 in Roche Hall
froml0:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Although this event is geared
especially towards
communications majors,
Students of all majors are
welcome.
“This event is a first for our
campus and it’s a golden
opportunity for. students to
listen and learn from
communications specialists in
the various fields of television,
journalism, public relations,
advertising and new media,”
said John Kerwin, professor of
communications and one of the
co-coordinators of this event.
The other coordinators are
Richard Welch, a professor
from Mercyhurst, and Behrend
professor Clare Porac. He
added that the day will be for
and by the students from
Edinboro, Gannon,
Mercyhurst, and Penn State
Behrend. The students will
facilitate the day’s activities
and the afternoon’s break-out
sessions where companies such
as Bensur Advertising, Erie
Convention and Visitors
Bureau, Erie Times-News,
WICU-TV, General Electric,
and Corry Publishing will share
their perspectives and
employment opportunities in
their respective fields.
Erie mayor Rick Filippi and
his communications assistant
Tina Mengine, a Behrend
professor, will chat with the
students during a catered lunch
at Bruno’s. Breakfast and
lunch are both free, but students
must register between 10:30
and 11 a.m. and receive a ticket.
For more information, please
contact student facilitators
Angela Rush
(asrl42@psu.edu) and Megan
McNamara
(msm24s@psu.edu) of the
Association of Women in
Communications.
PHOTO BY JEFF HANKEY / BEHREND BEACON
Brandi Hovis renews commitment to SGA
by Kevin Fallon
assistant news editor
A sign that hangs in the SGA of
fice reads, “The difference between
'involvement’ and ‘commitment’ is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the
chicken was 'involved’ —the pig
was 'committed’."
If this is true, then Student
Government president, Brandi Hovis
has really been hamming it up during
her years at Behrend.
And Hovis is further
demonstrating her commitment to
Behrend by running uncontested for
SGA president for a second straight
term, a feat that is rarely done.
“Brandi has shown exceptional
commitment to SGA,” said Ken
Miller, Director of Student Affairs
and SGA advisor. “She is very
interested in student concerns and
suggestions and uses every
opportunity to seek feedback from
students. If she says she is going to
do something, she will and do it
well” Hovis will likely start her
second term in the fall.
“I’m very excited and look
forward to serving for a second year
because I understand and know a lot
more going into SGA,” said Hovis.
Many said the school will benefit
from Hovis’ upcoming reelection
because she can pick up right where
she left off.
“(The reelection) is a good thing
because this way Brandi knows what
she didn't accomplish," said SGA
senator Jason Snyder, "It benefits
students because there are a lot of
pressing issues she didn’t have time
to address.”
And there are many issues Hovis
Behrend business
students take a closer
look at the world
by Niki Clouse
staff writer
Professor Jana Goodrich’s Inter
national Management students trans
formed Behrend’s Reed
Wintergarden and McGarvey Com
mons into 34 countries Sunday
evening.
The students called this interna
tional event “Walk the World, Taste
a Nation,” and that was exactly what
people got to experience when they
walked around the booths that were
set up inside McGarvey Commons.
Each exhibit had four to six students
who where chosen by Goodrich
from her two MANGT 480 classes.
Goodrich said the exhibits were
designed to reflect the culture and
business practices of other countries.
“We live in a global world where,
even if we never have an ‘interna
tional' job, we will be interacting
with people from other countries and
cultures very frequently and must be
well prepared to do so,” she said.
At each exhibit, the country’s flag
was draped over the tables and poster
boards were displayed to show pic
tures of the people, buildings, ani
mals, and food in that country. Popu
lation and poverty statistics which
compared one country to another
were also displayed. Some booths
had televisions or laptops that dis
played a slide show of the countries,
and all of them had comparison
sheets or handouts for guests to pick
up to read more about business and
culture in each country. Several
friends and family of students loaned
items to be arranged on the tables as
part of the display.
Angie Leasure, a student in
thinks SGA needs to look at next
semester.
“I think SGA needs to really play
their role with the student population
and what the students want,” said
Hovis. “We need to inform the
students of things that are affecting
them and making them realize that
they do have a voice at Behrend.
Name: Brandi Hovis
Age: 22
Major: Bus. Management
Future plans: To go to
graduate school for Student
Personnel Administration
then work in higher educa
tion.
History in SGA: senator,
secretary, president, and
THON chair.
Hometown: Cochranton,
Pa.
They can voice their opinions on
faculty, advising, information
technology, parking, diversity, and
construction."
Hovis is running with Katie Leary,
and next semester will mark the first
time Behrend has seen females
filling both president and vice
MANGT 480, said that she feels she
will not embarrass herself in her job
because she has a better grasp on
what is happening in the global busi
ness world. Goodrich said that was
one of the main goals of the event.
"As students become international
business people, or become involved
with organizations that do business
internationally, they need not only to
recognize that there are very signifi
cant differences among cultures, but
to be able to research those cultures
so that business can be conducted
there safely and effectively,” said
Goodrich.
The exhibits were not the only in
ternational events that attracted other
peers, parents, professors, and even
a few kids. There was also Latin
dancing that was presented by Ron
and Cheri Mahovsky and an instru
mental presentation including bag
pipes played by professor Dr. Pamela
Silver and drums played by Douglas
Clark. Ashraf Jessani, a student of
Behrend, did Henna painting. Near
the end of the event there was a
raffle.
The food buffet, that sat to the left
of the entrance, seemed to draw a lot
of attention. The menu had a variety
of foods such as the Ecuadorian treat
mini potato pancakes, Greek spinach
pie, a Russian cookie, an Asian ap
petizer (mini egg rolls) and many
other delicious dishes.
Students were dressed in business
apparel ready to answer any ques
tions that the guests had about their
display and research. The evening
ended with Goodrich thanking her
students for their outstanding work
and accomplishments.
president seats.
"I think it’s great,” said Hovis.
“Since I’ve been here it’s always
been girl/guy combos so it’s
something different. But, in my
eyes, it’s whether we have the
dedication and enthusiasm that really
matters and counts."
Hovis will have to deal with an
almost brand new senate, with only
three of 11 current members running.
But she said she is excited to try and
build a strong senate with new faces.
“There are going to be a lot of new
people. However, they are going to
have a strong base in understanding
their role as an Behrend SGA
senator," said Hovis. “I will strongly
encourage that each senator
represent and reach out to all
students so they have a better
understanding of SGA and the power
every student at Behrend can have
to make a difference."
Hovis has a modest view of her
own presidency. She would rater
point the attention to other members
of SGA.
"The important people are the
senate because that make all the
decisions,” said Hovis.
Her humble attitude though
doesn’t stop people from singing her
praises
"Brandi has demonstrated
excellent leadership for SGA this
past year and
represents the students of Behrend
in a consistently strong manner."
said Miller.
Hovis' view on involvement and
commitment is evident when she
said, “I feel that if you’re going to
do it, then do it good."
And it seems she has indeed.