The B ehrend Beacon
Friday, October 8, 2004
Development and
University Relations
decide to split
By Brian Baffin
Staff writer
Two offices here at Behrend have decided to split
from one another. The Development and Alumni
Relations and the University Relations offices have
decided to reorganize and are now two separate
offices.
The Development Relations Office and Univer
sity Relations Office focus on similar but different
topics within the college. Dr. Jack Burke, CEO and
Dean of the college, said that Development Rela
tions is more concerned with fundraising and schol
arships for the college. Dewayne Wright, Director
of University Relations said that University Rela
tions is more involved with advertising, public re
lations and marketing.
The reorganization has been in the works since
last spring and marketing was one of the reasons
for the split. “University Relations is getting more
and more into marketing and that is one of the rea
sons we reorganized it, so they can each focus mote
on their respective missions,” said Dr. Burke
The Advisory Board along with Dr. Burke made
the decision for the reorganization. The decision
was made so each office can work on what they
need to do and to concentrate on their field. “If
you’re in a meeting and you’re in Development
Relations your listening to a lot of University Rela
tions topics that don’t pertain to you and vice versa,”
said Burke.
Burke went on to talk about how the two offices
were related to the university organization. “Every
office here is part of the university organization,”
said Burke. “Development Relations is part of the
whole Development Office at University Park; Uni
versity Relations has people that they work with at
the university level, but they are part of Behrend in
the sense that they are budgeted here”
Despite the splitting of the two groups, their of
fices will still be held in the same building. The
University Relations Office will still be on the third
floor of the Logan House, and the Development
Relations Office will be on the second floor in the
Logan House “There will still be a constant com
munication between the two offices, because a lot
of what we do can help each other,” said Wright
Even though the two have split from one another
the focus and plan of each office will still remain
the same.
“It’s not going to be any new focuses,” said
Wright. “It’s going to allow each office to dedicate
more time to things that are specifically their areas
and responsibilities.”
Wright said that he has worked at universities that
have had combined offices and at universities that
have kept offices separate. “I think that the reorga
nization will be positive for Behrend in that it won’t
dilute either office and it will allow us to focus on
our responsibilities to Behrend.”
Inside
Women’s basketball team in Italy.
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A Penn State Erie Student Publication qCT 0 8 2004
Students participate in the second session of Debate Watch on Tuesday. They viewed and then discussed the Vice Presidential debate
Charles Brock speaks first on American Dream
Smith Chapel packed with students and community members
By Meghan 800 l
staff writer
The American Dream Series began this past Tues
day with an impressive turnout. The Smith Chapel
was filled with many students and community mem
bers as well.
This series is introduced as the American Dream
of Fundamentalism because fundamentalism has
become such a crucial issue in the world today.
These lectures question and discuss how the Ameri
can Dream relates to freedom, equality, and suc
cess and how we can learn from each other.
Reverend Charles Brock, the presenter of the first
lecture, states that “it is important for students to
attend the American Dream Series to try to get an
understanding of how the world works as well as
the religious and political dimensions to the world.”
It has been an American myth that religion and
politics do not mix, however the truth is that they
do indeed mix everyday. This is a huge issue in our
world through the political election taking place
today.
During Tuesday’s lecture, Rev. Brock spoke about
the three aspects of the American Dream, freedom,
equality and success, and where they came from.
These three aspects have been relevant in our lives
through printed text as well as historical figures such
as Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Jefferson, John
Winthrop, and so many more.
Dr. Gregory W. Fowler, a professor here at
Behrend, felt that it was important for two of his
classes to attend the American Dream Series. He
wanted his Greek mythology class to learn “why
religion is often influenced by the culture in which
it developed” and he wanted his English 15 to “un
derstand how the American identity is influenced
by religious ideas.” His hopes were that his stu
Midnight Bingo returns
Lion Ambassadors resurrect
By Sarah Weber
staff writer
Five years ago, a group of resident assistants
sat around a table scheming. Little did they
know that a program they were about to create
would go on to be one of the most loved activi
ties on the Behrend Cangpus.
Midnight Bingo immediately gained attention
and the Friday night activity became the best
attended on campus. The founding members de
cided to create a club to run the event a year
later.
“It really took off. Who knew college kids
wanted to play bingo?” said Ken Miller, direc
tor of student affairs. Miller attributes part of
the activity’s success to the creative posters the
Midnight Bingo club posted around campus.
“They had the best marketing I’ve ever seen
with any organization,” said Miller.
He said the posters were so ingenious and well
designed, students would often put them in their
Rev. Charles Brock, professor of religious studies, was the first to speak in the Institute of the
American Dream. He traced the idea of the American Dream throughout the ages.
dents would walk away a little bit more knowledge
able then when they started. As a result, two of
many students benefited from attending the first
lecture of this series.
“I enjoyed the presentation very much. I learned
how fundamentalism relates to religion,” states Zak
Walko, DUS 01.
“The American Dream to me means that I can
convey my personality without being prosecuted
for my beliefs,” added Dan Covino, DUS 01.
Brock started this institute about five years ago,
when he returned home to Penn State Behrend af
ter he retired from Oxford in England. The CEO
here at Behrend asked him if he would do this and
as a result he jumped in and got into it in a very big
rooms after the events. One of such posters fea
tured a person’s back side - jeans slung danger
ously low - and the words, “Up until the crack
of dawn.”
Scott Soltis, president of the SGA, said he was
a member of the Midnight Bingo club his fresh
man year. He said it was sad to see the organi
zation dissolve after the founders graduated a
year ago.
“It was a really great event that students
liked,” said Soltis.
But there is good news. The Lion Ambassa
dors have decided to take up the Midnight Bingo
torch and run with it.
Lindsay Patton, CMPBD 07, Chair of the
Earnst Committee which will be heading Mid
night Bingo, said the Lion Ambassadors were
excited to get the program up and running again.
“I think it was that we missed it. We all used
to go to Midnight Bingo and we wanted to bring
it back,” said Patton.
She said that the Ambassadors have styled the
“In my dotage it has really been a lot of fun,”
states Rev. Brock. He also included that he appre
ciates and enjoys feed back from the people who
attends his lectures to enhance his presentations.
Reverend Brock can be reached by email at
cjbl6@psu.edu.
The second American Dreams Series lecture will
take place on Oct. 19 in the Smith Chapel at 7:30
p.m. The presenter for this lecture will be Profes
sor Baher Ghosheh from Edinboro University. He
will discuss the meaning of Islam and the numer
ous views of Islamic Fundamentalism. This pre
sentation, as well as all the ones to follow, are free
and open to students and to the public.
to Behrend
popular game
new Midnight Bingo after the bingo of old. Ad
mission and one game board will be free (addi
tional game boards can be purchased for 50
cents) and the prizes will include picture frames,
gift certificates, t-shirts, pillows, lamps, a
George Foreman grill and more. Munchies will
be provided and 30 Papa John’s cheese and pep
peroni pizzas are scheduled to be delivered at
midnight.
Patton says that if this Midnight Bingo is suc
cessful, and it’s anticipated that it will be, a sec
ond event will be held in November. Lion Am
bassadors are also shooting for three bingo
nights for the spring semester.
“I was really glad to see Lion Ambassadors
bring it back,” said Soltis.
The first Midnight Bingo will take place to
night in Reed. The event starts at 10 p.m. and
will run through 1 a.m. or until the prizes are
gone. For more information, contact Lindsay
Patton at lmp2l2@psu.edu.
Vol. LII No. 7