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The Behrend Beacon
Cultural feast entices
parents, families
by Dana Vaccaro
staff writer
The weekend is jam-packed with
an array of activities. Improv at
Bruno's, The Murder Mystery
Dinner and the hand Berlin Project
are just a few events that will be
taking place on campus this
weekend. The special dinner that
will kick off the fun-filled weekend
is the 17'h annual Harambee Dinner.
Harambee is Swahili for "let us
all pull together." The term
Harambee originated in Kenya,
where it was used as a slogan for
national unity. The Multi Cultural
Council (MCC) is proud to sponsor
the dinner today at 5:30 p.m. in the
McGarvey Commons. In order to
attend the event, sign ups were at
the RUB desk prior to the dinner.
Olga Nacalaban, vicepresident of
the MCC, said that the Harambee
Dinner is "an event to convey what
diversity and unity is among people
that can be spread throughout
campus."
Nacalaban feels that having the
event in conjunction with Parents
and Families weekend will help
display the unity of diversity on the
Behrend campus.
The Harambee Dinner is a semi
formal gathering completed with a
dinner, guest speaker Forest Parker,
and a performance of "Alma de la
Tierra." The Irish-American society
will be contributing the Irish
invocation before the meal, while
the executive board of the MCC will
he speaking in between the
performances throughout the night.
The mouth-watering meal
consists of an assortment of food;
tossed salad, honey Dijon chicken,
Behrend
kicks off
United Way
campaign
by Courtney Straub
news editor
The United Way Campaign is the
official charity of the entire Penn State
System
For the past four years, Behrend has
been involved in the campaign. The
Behrend contribution to the United Way
Campaign supports the United Way of
Erie.
The United Way in Erie County is many
agencies rolled into one. Instead of 38
separate agencies conducting 38 separate
fund-raising campaigns, the United Way
ties them all together. In addition, the
United Way helps in the coordination of
services among those agencies, thus
reducing redundancy and additional cost.
On campus, the campaign is coordinated
by Catherine Hanhauser and Peggy
Shupenko, Both Hanhauser and Shupenko
work in the Dean's Office.
Within the campaign individual
committees exist. Dr. Jim Kurre chairs the
faculty committee, Ms. Brenda Bane
chairs the tech service committee and Ken
Miller chairs the staff/student committee.
All of these committees have the
"immense help of Jill Forsman and Jill
Parker," said Miller.
Forsman and Parker both work in the
Student Affairs office. Part of their
involvement in the campaign has been
working with the student body. Students
in the residence halls will be independently
raising money to donate to the United Way.
The important thing for students to
understand is that there are a good number
of students, and in some cases faculty and
staff, who have benefited from services
provided by United Way agencies," said
Miller.
Some of the services include The
Gertrude Barber Center, the Crime Victim
Center, Safenet. The centers have directly
helped students at Behrend.
"By supporting the United Way,
students support one another and those less
rice pilaf, vegetable medley, cheese
lasagna, meatballs and dinner rolls
complete the menu at the Harambee
Dinner. To complement the meal, a
marble sheet cake will also be
available for the guests.
Following the dinner, guest
speaker Forrest A. Parker will speak
about "Team Work through
Diversity."
According to the press release from
the Jodi Solomon Speakers, Parker
is a "President and Chief Executive
Office of The Virginia Educational
Council on Multi-Ethnic Concerns."
He is also "founder and director of
the annual and national Multi-Ethnic
Perspectives Conference and was
honored as a Virginia Hero by former
Governor L. Douglas Wilder."
"Alma de la Tierra," which means
"soul of the land", "is a magic
realistic journey in two acts referring
to all of Latin-American, presented
with elements of fantasy and myth,
in a familiar and dreamlike world."
The dance performance comes from
the Tom and Susana Evert Dance
Theatre located in the Cleveland
area. According to the press release,
"modern dance must usually be
content to evoke, but the characters
conceived and the terrific costumes
bring one face-to-face with a view
of different aspects of life and death
that stand in profound contrast to
Anglo culture."
Nacalaban feels that everyone
should understand that "Harambee is
not an event portraying one ethnicity;
it is simply the gathering of all people
to recognize the similarities that we
all have instead of focusing on the
differences that is usually done."
National Depression Screening Day is Tuesday
For the fourth consecutive year, Penn State Behrend will be
taking part in National Depression Screening Day. On Thursday
from 11 am til I pm, three of Behrend's personal counselors
will be outside Bruno's. Depression screening forms will be
available. This is a completely confidential service and
screening evaluations may be done that day. Others may make
appointments at the Personal Counseling office to be further
evaluated.
An online option is available for depression screening via
the Penn State-Erie website. (Click on "Student Life", "Services
For Student" "Personal Counseling" then `National Depression
Screening").
Last year at Behrend, 267 students filled out depression
screening forms. Of those screened, 46 percent tested positive
for depression, and 34 percent tested positive for anxiety. During
the 2002-2003 school year, 26 percent of Behrend students had
a history of being treated for a psychological problem.
So why do we have a day dedicated especially for depression?
According to Sue Daley, Director of Personal Counseling at
Behrend, "It's an easy and effective way to diagnose students
who are walking around with undiagnosed depression and (who
may) be at risk for suicide."
The screening forms, which will be used during the event,
include screening for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). After the 9/11 attacks, anxiety and PTSD
were added to depression screening forms. "This country is
scared", says Daley.
Fourteen million Americans have a mental illness. That's one
in five people. Less than half of them will ask for help. The
U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher plans on spending $3
million within the next three years on marketing. He hopes to
raise awareness of mental health in entire communities. People
need to know where to go for help in their area and that mental
disorders are very common.
So how can college students cope with depression? "Exercise
is an excellent remedy during a depressed mood...also eating
properly," suggests Daley.
The Personal Counseling office has many resources that are
free to currently enrolled Behrend students. These include free
and confidential counseling, strategies and coping skills and
self-help tips. Dr. Max Gottesman, a consulting psychiatrist
from St. Vincents Health Center, is on hand to conduct personal
interviews with students.
Many people suffer from psychological disorders and it is
nothing to be ashamed of. The counselors at the personal
counseling office want to help. If you have any questions or
concerns, contact Sue Daley, sxd2.l@psu.edu, or Allison Parr-
Plasha, alp9@psu.edu. You may also call them at 898-6504 or
898-6164. They are located on the I floor of the Reed Union
Building.
Friday, October 3, 2003
10 kilometers for hunger
Mrs. Cathy Sargent Mester's communication & civility class walked the Crop Walk at Presque
Park.
The average walk from anywhere on
campus to either Dobbins or Bruno's
takes roughly five minutes. The average
walk in a third world country to get food
is roughly 6.2 miles.
That is how far members of Mrs.
Cathy Mester's communications class
walked on Saturday to raise money for
the Erie Country CROP Walk 2003. The
members of Commu 297 C were not
required to participate in the event
because it is religiously affiliated, hut all
of the students except a few participated.
"She told us we didn't have to
participate, but it was something that 1
would have otherwise not done," said
student Megan Brophy.
This year's walk was held at Presque
Isle State Park. Approximately 1,000
people participated and had a choice
between the 6.2 mile walk or the one
mile walk to the finish line at the Perry
by Amy Wilczynski
calendar page editor
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by Lauren Packer
editor in chief
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Monument. After the walk, participants
were bused back to the parking lots to
save tired legs
"My legs hurt. I don't exercise," said
class member Atheia Mobley.
"I think we did really well. It was
awesome. I was surprised that people
actually went out and fund raised," said
Mobley. "I learned from this event and
I really wasn't expecting to do anything
but go there, walk and come hack. It
made me realize how far it is to walk for
food."
With 23 students in the class, the total
should have come to $ll5. But the
students went above and beyond the $5
per student and raised $507.86. That
equals roughly $22 per student, four
times the required amount to individually
"I didn't think that people would go
out and fund raise," said class member
Laura Spencer. "We broke a lot of
stereotypes by raising more than they
expected. But we care, we actually
PHOTO BY SCOTT SOLTIS / BEHREND BEACON
The screening forms, which will be used during the Tuesday event, include screening for
depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What can you do? 6 tips to help a student in distress
1. Talk to the student in distress: Help them figure out where the problem lies.
2. Listen to what the student has to say. Make sure to give them your undivided
attention.
3. Give the student hope. Reassure them that you are there for them.
4. Avoid judging the student. Make sure the student knows that you care about them
and that is why you are trying to help.
5. Refer the student to services that could help them such as the Personal Counseling
Office or Health and Wellness.
6. Follow-up on the student. Provide support as long as the student needs it.
Courtney Straub & Justin Curry, News Editors
behrcoll@aol.com
"I'm happy we went so far above what
we were expected to raise. It goes
against the bad wrap that college students
normally get. It shows that we care,"
said class member Brophy.
In 2002, the pledges totaled $84,000.
Three-quarters of what is raised goes to
international organizations, while the
remaining quarter of the funds stays in
Erie. Some of the local organizations
that benefit from the CROP Walk are:
The Salvation Army, Second Harvest
Food Bank, North East Community
Food Pantry, City Mission, Summit
Community Food Pantry and Sisters of
St. Joseph Neighborhood Network.
World Church Service started CROP
Walk in 1947 to give Europe's war
ravaged country the overflow of
America's food bounty. For the past 26
years, Erie County has participated in the
CROP Walk and has raised over one
million dollars. Over $250,(X)0 has been
raised for Erie charities.