BEHREND BEACON
PI \\
PSB to complete
convenience
store Spring 11
Every year the Penn State Behrend
Student Facilities Fee Committee
(SFF) recommends a number of reno
vations that would improve the overall
appearance and functionality of the
campus.
The college's Stu
dent Facilities Fee
funds such proj
ects and this year
was no different.
Soon, students will
expect to see a
convenience store
attached to the
Reed Building.
In 2008,
Penn State
Behrend students
voted in favor of a
$lOO per student
per semester fee,
which is used
solely for improve
ments to student
facilities.
Convenience
Store: Quick Hits
Who: SFF Com
mittee - six stu
dents, six staff
members and
administrators.
What: On-cam
pus convenience
store that will
sell items to
make students'
lives a bit easier.
When: School
officials hope to
have the con
struction com
pleted sometime
in Spring se-
Future con
struction and ren
ovation projects
such as the new
convenience store
are determined
based on recom
mendations from
the SFF Commit
tee.
mester this aca
demic year.
Where: Just
outside of Reed,
joined with
Bruno's Cafe.
Why should
anyone care:
It's students'
money that is
creating it, and
it will cut down
on those frantic
Wal-Mart runs.
The commit
tee includes six
students plus six
staff members and
administrators,
and recommends
how SFF funds are used.
Student Government Assistant Pres
ident, as well as SFF co-chair, Stephen
Burger are excited about the new ad
dition.
"Typically the committee does not
work on a proposal basis but on sur
veys," said Burger. "A convenience
store was ranked as the second most
vital thing students would value most
and we can finally give it to them."
continued on page 3
Brazil plays host to
Chance of a lifetime for soccer team as they Basketball athletes go head to head against
tour the countryside playing against locals r Brazilian teams, help teach natives English
This summer Behrend's Men Soccer
team got the chance of a lifetime, a trip to
Brazil where they would get a Me to
play against local Brazilian
..mg. The
country has always been . s
;flu , its
major impact on soccer yy y
days of Pele (the godfather e
beautiful samba like play the' recent
Brazilian teams as led by Kato- and
Ronaldino.
The Lions went on a nine day trip from
May 17-26 and were able to vista the cities
of Sao Bento do Sapucai, Rio de Janeiro,
and Paraty. The team played three games
against local Brazilian teams, along with
coaching. clinics for the local children.
Coach Dan Perritano took 31 players,
coaches and parents on the trip to Brazil.
"This trip is a great opportunity for our
players, who are excited about the adven
ture and chance to compete internation
ally," Perritano said on psblions.com.
"Soccer is a significant part of the trip, but
sharing in the cultural experience with
their teammates will be of even greater
value."
One thing the men quickly found out was
how different the countries were. Aside
from Raphel Bretz who was born in Brazil
no one had been there, so to discover the
major difference in culture was a shock for
some. Seeing slums and dogs roaming the
street was evidence of this.
"I learned how good we have it in Amer-
gadons
Opinion: 5
Culture: 2
Showcase: 6
News: 3-4
Sports: 7-8
JENNA ABATE
news editor
Behrend singer auditions for American Idol
To win American Idol, one must sur
vive several weeks of live audience
performances, some not-so-pleasant
critiques by judges and always a final
reveal of who's made it through to the
next week and who has not.
First, though, one must audition.
Just the word "audition" can make
the stomach vibrate with nerve in
duced butterflies, very similar to how
most react upon hearing that they I knew I had to nail it immediately after 15
have to give a speech or presentation.
Unlike giving a speech or presenta- seconds. I thought they would've cut me off,
tion, which normally involves standing
behind a podium for support, those
but they didn't.
auditioning have nothing to hide be
hind and no music to guide them
along. Contestants are putting them
selves out there, saying "I have talent,
ELESE MERKOVSKY
sports editor
SHANNON EHRIN
culture editor
ica," said senior. Zech Herd. "Brazil is
extremely poor country; definitely '
more of an appreciation for the
have here in America. This
dent On the way to Rio, ti
pretty shocking to see. Evr
could tell it was a poor c
dered around everywh'
old, and the technology
as it is in America."
While the country fay
the beauty of the cow.
While the team was not
clinics, they were able
the Brazilian culture.
coffee being produced,
and a boat trip around '
"We got to go on a sk
all around the differei
Paraty. The scenery wa
breath taking," said Br
blions.com.
The team was there to play
did very well with a 2-1 record
Brazilian teams. One thing the
adapt to was the fact that the
not communicate easily with tl
other team, and fans. Throug
common bond was formed.
often traded jerseys, a sign of ri
in professional soccer, and th
lowed the team as if the men wi
"I definitely feel like we had a
pact on the kids," Herd said. "
think, but they don't see Ameri
continued on page 7.
, friday
7 2 15 8 sunny
I can sing," and they have to really
back that up.
Out of the thousands that audition in
the first round, only 100-200 people
are chosen to go through to the next
preliminary auditions. The tryouts
seen on TV are nothing compared to
what actually happens at the large
venues holding them. Behrend senior
Earl Bass experienced that first hand
this summer.
asketball and soccer teams
Bass auditioned for the next season of
American Idol on Aug 3 at the Izod
Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
After driving seven hours to get to the
audition, Bass had to wait another 12
hours to actually sing.
One of the last hundred people to go
out of almost 10,000 people, Bass had
to audition on the arena floor, where
there were still many contestants wait
ing.
Earl Bass, senior
, saturday
79/62 sunny
KAELA BISHOP us since they've been here. They really did
senior reporter a nice job throughout the whole trip."
• The Lions took away much more than bas
eson .11 skills and a good time from this trip.
il. During' 4.am was welcomed everywhere they
historic cit The players were able to see and ex
and Paraty. a ge the different landscapes and cul
\tests against ture 3‘ -
two basket- "The el I, cultural experience that
our guys were, le to take away form it is
hard to mea '." Niland said, "We were
able to dct_ e some things that not only
opened es but also, hopefully for our
es them a perspective on the
6 how people live."
am played a game in the city of
I. The game was advertised with a
on the building which was reward
the players to see. They won the
nd after, interacted with the other
ayers and the audience, which con
f many children.
earn also traveled to the city of Sao
le Sapucai. This city is home to a
inous region. From their bus, every
s able to experience the view as it
v. Also, in this city the players taught
to the local children.
n you put all that together the kids
ain an appreciation for the beauty of
ind the different cultures," said Ni-
Iso, you gain a tremendous appreci
what a great country we live in and
come back and realize that the
tates is a
I be entering
named the
en times, has
8 Pages • Volume 57 • Issue 2
A Penn State Behrend
Student Publication
"Totally not private," was how Bass
described it, which could make any
singer slightly more nervous.
Auditioning in front of two produc
ers, Bass first sang "Get It Together"
by India. Arie, but not one song or even
two or three were enough. The judges
wanted to hear more and Bass obliged
them with performances of "Ordinary
People" by John Legend and back-to
back renditions of "Halo" by Beyond..
These songs were not chosen by ran
dom, either, especially "Get It To
gether."
"I like to sing songs that have mean
ing to me," said Bass. "'Get It To
gether' is my motivational song. It
keeps me focused and positive, plus I
sang it for my cousin who was killed
in May.
continued on page 3
ontinued on page 7.
, sunday
8 2 / 6 4 sunny