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April 26, 2002 RECEIVED 20 Pages, 2 sections
Vol. XLIX APR z No. 29
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Friday's forecast:
Sunny
High: 48°
Low: 35°
Check page 2 for the
weekend weather outlook.
NEWS
Ever wonder about that
pool next to the Glenhill
Farmhouse? Read about
its history and memories
surrounding it on page 2.
Ted and Barbara Junker
and First Lady Kathy
Schweiker took part in the
Butterflies for Kids
fundraising day on Mon
day. See page 3.
The first Independent Film
Fest took place on Tues
day. Six short films com
peted for awards. See
page 3.
Starting with Earth Day on
Monday, Behrend cel
ebrated Earth Week in a
variety of ecological activi
ties. The week's theme
was, "It all comes around
to you." See page 4.
— ll/11211111T
Behrend
News...l-4
Calendar...s
Editorial... 6-7
Nat'l Campus
News... B-9
Year in Review...lo-11
Humor ..12-13
Features...l4
A&E...15
Advertisements...l6
Sports...l-4B
1/1//MMEIF
NEWSROOM: 898-6488
FAX: 898-6019
E-MAIL:
behrcolls@aol.com
Offices are located
downstairs in the
Reed Union Building
Reber,
university relations, leaves Behrend for Venango
by Nicky Galloway
staff writer
Chris Reber, Behrend's associate
provost for advancement and
university relations, has accepted a
job as executive dean of Clarion
University's Venango campus.
Reber's legacy goes back a long
way. He has raised $4B million in
gifts and pledges in a seven-year
campaign for Behrend's $5O million
capital campaign. During 18 years
at Behrend, he also helped to develop
an award-winning speaker series and
helped oversee assorted Behrend
media outlets including WPSE.
"There are so many possibilities
and opportunities here that it's
virtually impossible to make progress
on all of them, but I feel a sense of
satisfaction for having left Behrend
a better place for my efforts," Reber
said.
He feels that his time here working
with people and improving the
college has also had a positive impact
on his life.
"My experience at Behrend has
made me a far better person and
professional, and for that I will
always be grateful," he commented.
Some of his other
accomplishments include the
development of program statements
for several renovations of the Reed
Union Building, Bruno's and Almy
Hall. Reber has also created and led
the Penn State Behrend Childcare
Center.
On a regular basis, Reber works
with donors, alumni, friends of the
Two science profs receive
by Erin McCarty
news editor
Two members of the Science
Department received faculty awards on
Sunday. Dr. Pam Silver, associate
professor of biology, received the
Council of Fellows Faculty Research
award, and Dr. Chuck Yeung,
associate professor of physics,
received the Council of Fellows
Excellence in Teaching award.
"They both exemplify the teacher
scholar that we have at Behrend, and
I'm very pleased that was
recognized," said Dr. Roger Knacke,
director of the School of Science
Both Silver and Yeung are no
strangers to winning awards. Silver
received the award for teaching in
1996, and Yeung received the award
for research last year.
"Pam Silver has done some very
interesting work in ecology," Knacke
said. She has been well supported
by the National Science Foundation
and has contributed to the well-being
of the campus with her commitment to
[reserving as much of Belvend's natural
landscape as possible.
"She is very contributing faculty
member," said Knacke.
"One of the nice things about Behrend
is that they see teaching and research as
highly integrated," Silver said. "The
place they connect is with the students...
Research drives my teaching. It's what
makes my heart sing. It's an expression
of me."
Silver considers herself an aquatic
ecologist, and her two major research
projects both involve the water. Since
1994, she has worked with Dr. Margaret
Palmer of the University of Maryland
to investigate Goose Creek in Virginia.
The purpose of the project is to look at
how the special organization of resource
patches in streams affects the animals
that live in the sediment.
Since 1995, she has worked with
associate provost for advancement an
university, and a first-rate staff. He
oversees outreach efforts to the
alumni and university friends, in
order to get them more involved with
the college life. As mentioned above,
Reber helps raise money for
endowments to fund programs that
aid students and are important in
Behrend's academic mission. In
addition to college fundraising and
alumni relations, he oversees the
media aspect of Behrend, including
publications, the web site, and
WPSE, Behrend's business, news,
and sports station.
When asked about his
accomplishments during his time at
Behrend, Reber was modest,
answering that "my accomplishments
here have all been the result of a team
approach, so my accomplishments
have been others' accomplishments."
This teamwork attitude has been
beneficial for both the college and his
career. With a focus on teamwork,
Reber has had a profitable career and
formed many lasting friendships.
"My greatest satisfaction has come
from the opportunity to know.
support, and learn from so many
wonderful students, faculty. staff,
alumni, and friends of the university,"
Reber commented on the many
heroes that have served as his
inspiration and helped form the "very
special community that we call Penn
State Behrend."
Reber was the director of student
activities from 1981-84. After this,
he left Behrend for three years to
work at Lakeland Community
College in Mentor, OH. At Lakeland
associate professor of biology Michael
Campbell on a project funded by the PA
Department of Transportation. They
hope to discover the effect that the new
highway has on salamanders who have
been displaced by its construction.
**The theme that underlies everything
I do is a landscape scheme," Silver said.
BY ERIN McCARTY / BEHREND BEACON
Dr. Pam Silver and Dr. Chuck Yeung were recipients of this year's
Council of Fellows research and teaching awards.
"How does the arrangement of elements
affect the organisms living there?"
Silver said her research has also
proven a great learning experience for
students.
"Half of my job is supposed to be
research," she said, adding she is grateful
that Behrend is willing to provide money
for student participation. Her students
have received $20,000 in funding for
their research. "Behrend is extremely
good at providing support for
undergraduate researchers."
Yeung recently gave a talk presenting
research he has done with computer
simulations and polymers, which
displayed his skills as a teacher and
researcher, said Knacke.
"He is very caring and friendly to his
students. He gives his lectures just using
a blackboard, and it's as though an artist
wrote those mathematical equations.
They're just perfect," said Knacke.
Community College, Reber was the
director of the human resource
development division. During his
three-year absence from Behrend, he
completed his Ph.D.
In 1987, Reber returned to Behrend
to hold the position of Dean of
Student Affairs. Ie held this position
for 11 years, from 1987 to 1998,
when he accepted his current position
as Associate Provost for
Advancement and University
Relations.
Reber speaks highly of the 18 years
and the good portion of his career here
at Penn State Behrend. He refers to
Behrend as a college that has
benefited from "outstanding
leadership, a strong vision, and a
commitment to its students and the
region."
As for who will take over after his
last day, June 14, Reber is not quite
sure. He said there will probably be a
national search for his successor and
an interim person will carry out his
duties until someone has been chosen.
Reber's new job title will be the
Executive Dean of the Venango
Campus of Clarion University of
Pennsylvania. He'll he one of four
deans of the university, and
responsible for the School of Nursing.
Clarion is located in Oil City and is
celebrating its fortieth anniversary
this year. Clarion is the oldest
regional campus in the Pennsylvania
state system of higher education.
With this title under its belt, one of
the current goals of Clarion is to
develop a better relationship with the
Oil City and Franklin communities.
1 don't use a lot of high-tech stuff,"
Yeung said. "It's a 1950 s kind of thing. -
His classes are predominantly lectures,
allowing room for students to ask
questions.
"Most of teaching is common sense,"
he said, insisting that there is nothing
special about his teaching style but
I tq't 4i4
41st annual Awards Convocation
ceremony held In Erie Hall
Mom than 80 different awards were distributed during the 41st Annual
Honors and Awards Convocation. Here are a few of the highlights.
Most Oustanding Student Organization Member
Most Ouetending Student Organization Officer
Most Outstanding Student Organization President
Best Student Org a nization Advisor
Guy W. Wilson Award for Service to the College
Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Service
Outstanding Adult Learner
Student Activities Leadership
Student Government Association President's Award
P. S. Behrend Alumni Society Leadership Award
Irvin H. Kochel Lion Ambassador
Outstanding First-Year Student
Irvin H. Kochel Award
Thomas H. Tumbull Award
T. Reed Ferguson Award
Eric A. And Josephine Walker Award
iBfiARY
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Chris Reber, who has served the Behrend community for 18 years,
has accepted a position at the Venango campus of Clarion University.
His lasi day is June 14.
Together, the university and the
communities will develop a strong
partnership to support economic
development. To achieve this
ambitious goal, Clarion is adding
several new positions to run
marketing. and to continue
education. An associate dean will be
added to improve academic
programming.
awards
expressing gratitude to the students who
nominated him. "You have to know
where you're going. I make the class a
whole as much as possible. I try to
foreshadow topics... I think most faculty
probably try to do that." Yeung said that
he prefers his smaller classes because
there is more opportunity for
communication.
"It's no fun teaching if no one is
participating," he said. Another thing
that adds to the enjoyment of teaching
is research. "Research keeps you
interested in the subject," Yeung said.
- In the hest classes. the instructor has to
be interested."
"Physics is generally regarded by
students as difficult," Knacke noted,
pointing out that the class Yeung teaches
has been described by some as the
hardest in the curriculum. "It's great that
we have a superb teacher."
Knacke also commended the students
who were honored at the Honors and
Awards Convocation, saying that there
are several excellent students graduating
this year.
Patrick Smith
Sonseerhay Parker
Jacqueline Jackson
Stacey McCoy
Brandi Hovis
Jason Snyder
Rebecca Stanton
Guy Reschenthaler
Cassandra Willey
Nicholas Pflugh
Allison Jawdy
Nicole Cipriani
In the future, new residence halls
will also be added to accommodate
the increasing student enrollment.
Reber comments that including
himself, "everyone at the university.
the campus, and in the community is
enthusiastic and highly committed to
the campus' development."
Attention
seniors: Plastics
Majors leading
the way once
With two weeks left to go
before more than 400 students
graduate, plastic engineering
majors are showing their spirit
and generosity by signing the
most senior class gift pledge
cards. The challenge is on. Are
plastics majors really the best?
Perhaps they are. Perhaps it's
time for another major to take
the lead in donating.
The senior class gift project
is going quite well, but more
contributions are still needed to
make the Sept. 11 Memorial
Flagpole a reality. Seniors can
donate the balance of their
general deposit, which is
money that was set aside in
your student account when you
first enrolled at Penn State.
The average general deposit
remaining after graduation is
less than $4O.
Jason Snyder
Kelly Storolis
Dante Spain
Pledge cards can be picked
up and signed at the RUB desk.
Also, pledge cards can be
found on page 4 of this issue
of the Beacon. They can also
be turned in at the RUB desk.
The committee would like to
thank all of those who have
supported Senior Class Gift
'O2.
Douglas Smith
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by Clint Lewis
contributing writer