Friday, May 1, 2009 lie Tear in Kevf The best stories from the 2008 and 2009 school year Jerome Bettis speaks to students at Behrend By Christine Newby and Nick Blake sports editors censos6(& psu.edu npbso4l(« psu.edu November 14, 2008 Jerome Bettis, a former Pitts burgh Steelers’ runningback, spoke at a packed Junker Cen ter on Thursday as part of Behrend’s Speaker Series. The overall purpose of Bet tis’s message was to speak about championship decisions and share his football experi ences. Bettis drew students, faculty and members of the public to the Behrend campus. Over 2,000 people gathered to listen to the speech entitled “Champi onship Choices.” “I was very excited when I found out Jerome was coming,” said freshman Emily Griffith. “I’ve seen him speak before, and he is very inspirational and down to earth.” Bettis, also known as “The Bus,” has achieved much suc cess on the football field throughout his 13 year career. He won awards that include Rookie of the Year (1993), NFL Comeback Player of the Year (1996), six Pro-Bowl and three All-Pro selections, and what he considers to be his greatest ac complishment, Super Bowl XL champion. Playing in a total of 192 games, he ranks fifth in all time rushing in the NFL with Jun By Evan Koser arts editor emk5110(« psu.edu April 24,2009 Last Friday, the All-American Rejects and their opening acts brought down the roof of Junker - literally - while con cert-goers had lined up from the Junker Center to Jordan Road to the Bayfront as early as noon that day. Material fell from the ceiling of the Junker center during the sound-check of the sound sys tems around three in the after noon. “It’s not a problem,” Kris Torok said, who headed the en tire event in place of Jill Cald well. Caldwell, who would normally act as head of the ac tivity, was out for maternity leave. It’s not so extraordinary to see celebrities at Behrend. Last year the Junker Center played host to comedian Jim Gaffigan in the fall and 90s alternative band, Third Eye Blind in the spring. Playing in front of a sea of unfamiliar faces, Vedera lead singer Kristen May asked the Junker Center crowd to re member their name. By the end of their set, there was no way anyone would be forgetting. Formerly playing under the name Veda, Vedera formed in Kansas City in 2004. It didn’t take the foursome long to land a record deal and get started on the road to stardom, a road which led them to opening for the All American Rejects at the Junker Center. Vedera opened Behrend’s date of the “I Wanna Rock” tour CoatactUs Newsroom: 898-6488 Fax: 898-6019 www.thebehrendbeacon.com M; rcrsos7@psu.edu 13,662 yards. Not only did Bettis receive awards on the field but also off the field. In 2001, he won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his volunteer and charity work. The Bus Stops Here Founda tion and the Asthma All-Stars Program are two major charity works that Bettis is involved with. According to Bettis’s of ficial website, The Bus Stops Here Foundation began in 1996 and improves the quality of life for troubled and underprivi leged children in America’s inner cities. Bettis spent the majority of his NFL career with the Steel ers. From 1996-2006, he played in over 160 games for the black and gold. Surprisingly “The Bus” was not raised on football- bowling was his sport. With two older siblings going to college, he knew that money was short and his family wouldn’t be able to pay for his college education. “I thought to myself, ‘my older brother and sister are both going to college so there won’t be enough money for me to attend college,”’ said Bettis. At this time in Bettis’s life, he realized that it would take other means to get him to college. Football would be Bettis’s an swer and ticket to college. “The Bus” began his football career as a freshman in high school, which was a very late start compared to many NFL er rocked by All-American Rejects for 2,500 people that didn’t even know they were playing. With their name left off the posters and advertisements for the event, Vedera proved dur ing their 20-minute set that they have every right to have their name next to the All- American Rejects’s. Following Vedera was the solo project of Ace Enders, the former frontman of the Early November, aptly titled Ace En ders & A Million Different Peo ple. Enders’s foray into solo ma terial doesn’t stray far from the formula he crafted with the Early November in 2002. Ever since then, swarms of whiny kids in tight pants with swoopy bangs longed to emulate En ders’s style at every cafe and talent show they could. Seven years past his prime, Enders too seems to long for his past glory. Next to take the stage was Shiny Toy Guns. Dawning their heavy face make-up and stunning apparel, STG was a band who put on more than a show for show’s sake. This rel atively unknown group per formed in front of thousands of men and women, most of whom hearing this unique blend of sound for the first time. Leading the Shawnee, Okla homa based band on this night was the petite vocalist, synthe sizer, and bassist Sisely Treas ure of STG. STG put up a phenomenal show. A sea of more than 2,500 people felt their ears tingle as a combina tion of synthpop and alternative dance-rock flooded the Junker REJECTS on A Penn State Behrend Student Publication athletes. Bettis knew nothing about the game, let alone what position he would play. “When I showed up for prac tice the first day, the coaches asked me what position 1 played,” explained Bettis. “I looked at them and said ‘What pqsjtipp does it look Jike I Jerome Bettis speaks to students at Behreni play?”’ Bettis did not play the run ningback position until his jun ior year. His freshman year, he was a linebacker, while his sophomore year brought a po sition change placing him at tightend and nose guard. Bettis’s hard work and deter- DANIEL SMITH / The Behrend Beacon Tyson Ritter of the All-American Rejects rocks Junker Center The Behrend Beacon would like to ex tend its condolences to the friends and family of lan Johnson. lan passed away peacefully at his home in Naperville, IL lan Johnson was a psychology major, an avid computer gamer and a member of the Men’s Water Polo Team. / The Behrend Beaeon mination to go to college paid off as he received a scholarship to play at Notre Dame College. According to the Official Web site of Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, he averaged 5.7 yards per carry while rushing a total of 337 times for 1,912 yards. During Bettis’s speech at the see Bettis on page 6. News 1-3 Perspectives 4 Arts 5 Sports 6-8 Vol. LV No. XXVI Police cite Behrend stu dents for under- age drinking By Matthew Schwabenbauer news editor mjss3B7(