I The Behrend Beacon Get your study abroad on By Kate Kelecseny opinion editor Poet, essayist and literary critic Samuel Johnson stated, “The use ot traveling is to regulate imagina tion by reality, and. instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are." Learning is life long, plastic, continuous and not restricted to the classroom, h very day there are obstacles and situa tions that change an individual’s perspective and challenge his or her views and beliefs on certain issues. Using knowl edge obtained from the classroom as a founda tion students are encouraged to build and expand upon it, absorb ing as much as possible from the real world. Education is extremely valuable and should not be constrained by the walls of the classroom, or for that matter, the borders of the United States. Studying abroad is something which all professors and advisors support and promote. Not only will this expe rience enrich classes and requirements, it will also enhance one’s apprecia- tion of the world's diverse cultures. Embracing new cultures will expand awareness and potentially open the door to future opportunities and experiences. Penn State University has over 150 study abroad programs in over 46 countries. In today's world, every student, regardless of his or her major, needs to graduate with knowledge of other cultures in order to succeed. Penn State has programs to fit any major and programs range from one week to an entire year. At Penn State Behrend there are several programs Students and staff By Deb Workman contributing writer With the overwhelming possibility that snowfall will come before Halloween, students in the Behrend community were asked about their thoughts on winter—driving in certain weather con ditions. getting up for class, and if they feel that they are prepared for the snow. For the most part, Behrend students and staff say, “Bring it on"! With it only being a few weeks into October, the conversations and plans have already begun. On campus students can't wait for the first snowfall, the snowfall that is bound to bring countless snowball fights and games in the snow. Freshman Ashley Knight said that she is very excited about the snow. “I can't wait to see a snowball war outside my dorm window or going on outside of Bruno’s. 1 would definitely join in! That’s what the winter is all about!” Because the winter season in Erie is so cold, keeping warm has become an issue that many stu dents are concerned about. “I went out and got a lot of new winter clothes, like warm sweaters, a hat, some gloves, and a scarf. Then, I had to get a pair of boots, too, because everyone was telling me how cold it was here so I got them in case,” says Aseel Want help writing papers Open daily from and studying for exams? 6:00 a m. to 9:30 p.m. 825-1134 Receive exam coaching and help with writing papers from a former technical writing instructor who taught at: •Behrend •Mercyhurst •Gannon . '& '* -it*-- • ■ .* —\ AV*' * 0 .ql \V \ 1.-** V V* \ f* ♦ r* -* * ..rf* P'LIDEI IT LI available which travel to Canada, China, Costa Rica, England, and Spain. These programs do not necessarily involve enrollment in a specific class or require any prerequisites After considering the different programs and deciding which is the best for your specific major, there are plenty of ways to obtain financial aid in order to make this invaluable experience affordable. There are both need-based and merit-based scholar ships available in addition to possible funding by the Schreyer’s Honors College and other outside sources. Do not rule Pflueger, the Behrend study abroad advisor, along with Dr. Dean Baldwin, will be there to answer any questions and provide all the necessary information in order to begin planning for a successful and priceless expe rience. Past participants of various study abroad programs will also be in attendance to give advice and share their experiences. Studying abroad is one of the best things a student can do to enhance their education and cultural awareness while having an amazing time in the process! ready for snowfall Soudah Erie is definitely cold during the winter and dressing warm is key if you don’t want to get sick. Senior Dylan Stewart said that, chances are, he’ll catch a cold this season. Being a commuter student, Stewart says he is excited about the snow and not necessarily nervous about driving through it. That was definitely not the case with a few of Behrend’s faculty members. Professor Alvear-Madrid says that she is terrified of driving in the snow because of icy roads. This fear or nervousness of driving was near ly universal amongst the commuter students. Lastly, students mentioned the likelihood that they will skip classes in order to avoid the cold. Mike McLean theorized what students will be doing when it comes to winter and classes. “I think people are going to be more apt to sleep in and skip class or work to dodge the cold. I know I’ll end up sleep ing in to stay warm, especially if I have an 8 a.m. class.” It seems that Behrend students are excited about the upcoming winter season. Despite a few worries about driving, the students and faculty at Behrend are looking forward to snowfall and all that comes with it. Bring on the snow! Want wireless internet access while you wait for your laundry? * Only a five minute drive so It’s close to campus * Large capacity washers and dryers * Quick cycle times * Clean, bright environment out the option of studying abroad merely based on the monetary aspect! One of the most important things is to start planning early. Deadlines for some of the programs are quickly approach ing; getting organ ized is vital. There are meetings on Tuesday, November 7 at noon and Wednesday, November 8 at 1 p.m. in Reed 112. Various programs be presented and discussed. Ruth v 1 \ term Open house determines students’ future We can all remember the dilemmas we faced during our senior year of high school: What col lege do 1 chose?: What major do 1 choose?; What kind of activities are there to do?; How will 1 even pay for my tuition? After attending Behrend's Open House, we were able to find out the answers to those particular questions. Many of us now attend Behrend because of what we experienced at the event. “On a scale from 1 to 5, I’d have to give it... probably a 5," says freshman student Patrick O’Loughlin as he recalls his experience at last year's Open House. "When I went to Open House, there were many things I was looking for that I was able to find that would help me ease into the college transition." Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Mary-Ellen Madigan, describes what this week end's Open House will consist of for the new group of high school seniors. “They will have the chance to attend the Student Services Fair that will have tables set up for many of the offices on the campus so that students can find out about all kinds of activities that will be offered." "Faculty from all the different departments will be set up to talk to students about what the college has to offer," she added. Madigan also mentioned the many of programs that will take place. "There will be a number of presentations that will take on issues like choosing a major, admissions and financial aid and to fresh- man interest group information." She also went on to detail some of the student involvement with the Open House. “We have a lot of current students who are involved. We have stu dent volunteers who will be greeters; we'll have students from the Lion Ambassadors who will give campus tours, and then we have students who have volunteered to show off their rooms as part of the housing tours, which will show off all the residence halls including the apartments." Madigan mentioned a big change between this Economist David Hale visits Behrend ©aily ©rink Specials frijzs Wings Greek f)ogs $.75 Matural tight 3516 Buffalo ftoad 1 By Nick Kraynak staff writer Mike Sharkey/"! he Behrend Beacon pizza Friday, March 31, 2006 specific Open House and others throughout the year. "One thing that is different about this Open House than our other ones is that it's part of what's called Penn State Day. Across the state, most cam puses are having an Open House on Saturday and as part of that, the University provides us with a whole bunch of t-shirts that we can give out to all the students who are coming." O’Loughlin was able to give more insight on some of the feelings he had about Behrend and going to the Open House. “First of all, I got the chance to take a tour of the campus which was obviously a plus when trying to get a first impres sion of colleges." He continued, “Of course I wanted to see what activities, like clubs, were here at Behrend, so I could do something outside of the classroom. There were students available to answer questions about the school. I basically asked them their feelings on the campus and their reactions influenced me greatly." O’Loughlin also championed the fact that pro fessors were on hand to chat about the campus and its programs. "I liked the fact that a lot of the fac ulty was there to talk about what things were out there for careers; the faculty were probably the most important people that you could talk to. And it was kind of interesting because originally I was n't looking at the major I’m deciding on now, but had in mind a different one, and so my experi ences with Open House kind of enlightened me a little bit to look into it." While it may be difficult for a young student to determine his/her future so early, the Open House is sure to answer many questions. O'Loughlin said, “My parents and I also took advantage of the presentations that were being held; it gave us a chance to kind of go back home and discuss dif ferent possibilities and to focus on what I was interested in doing. It’ll be pretty weird to see those students who's shoes I used to be in. and I know that Behrend's Open House will be as rewarding as it was for me." On October 26, 2006, renowned global economist David Hale spoke at Penn State Behrend's annual Speaker Series, held in McGarvey Commons. Hale is the founder of Chicago-based Hale Advisors, LLC. An expert in the economy of China, Hale also serves as Chairman of the Board of China Online, LLC, a service which provides news and economic feeds about China. Hale has also frequently contributed to publications such as the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Financial Times 16 oz. f)ra/t