OCTOBER 26,1984
Redenius Acclaimed as National Scholar
by Marge Tomczak
Collegian Staff Writer
Dr. Charles Redenius, Pro
fessor of Political Science and ac
ting division head of Business and
the Social Sciences, recently
received full professorship at
Penn State-Behrend, which
verified his national reputation as
a scholar in his field.
Redenius received a B.A. in
Political Science from Western
Michigan University and an M.A.
from the University of Michigan
in 1965. He earned a doctorate in
Political Science from the Univer
sity of Michigan in 1968.
Redenius began his career as a
teaching fellow in Political
“Eagles” Doesn’t Fly
by Risa Glick
Collegian Editor
In the late 1970’5, Iran had
worldwide attention when 52
Americans were held hostage
there for 444 days. However,
one year before this crisis oc
curred, Tehran was the scene
for an unjust imprisonment of
two United States
businessmen.' It is the latter
story which is told in On
Wings of Eagles.
Known for his other novels,
Eye of the Needle, and The
Man From St. Petersburg,
Follett makes his non-fiction
debut with this tale of heroism
beyond the call of duty.
After reading the first ten
pages, a-noticeable difference
develops. Follett is famous for
his twist approach in delivering
a story by focusing on the
enemy. The main characters in
all his books have been the
‘bad guys’; a Nazi spy, a Rus
sian assassin. Now he tells the
story of the ‘good guys’; a
story which is depressing in its
telling.
Although On Wings of
Eagles is a heroic, patriotic,
and sometimes moving story,
it does not seem to capture the
readers’ attention. The flow of
the story is constantly inter
rupted by boring, almost
nonessential background on
the major characters, of which
there are many.
The story begins as the
Tehran branch of Electronic
Data Systems Corporation
prepares to leave the country.
Two top employees, Bill
Gaylord and Paul Chiappone
stay behind to keep the
business at a minimum. While
the rest of the employees go
back to America, these two
dedicated men are summoned
by the Iranian government.
FEATURE
Science at the University of
Michigan. He was an instructor
and an assistant professor at col
leges in, Michigan, California,
Wisconsin and eventually came to
Behrend in 1973.
His duties as an assistant pro
fessor at Behrend included
teaching: American National
Government, American Political
Thought and Culture, and Public
Law. Redenius is also approved to
teach American Studies courses
(which may be part of the
Behrend curriculum in Fall 1985).
As acting division head,
Redenius has under his direction
nine majors and minors. These
include, in Bussiness: Accounting,
Soon after, they are arrested
and held on Sl3 million bail.
Back in the states, Ross
Perot, owner of EDS, pulls str
ings in the U.S. government to
save his men. Efforts are
fruitless and another plan has
to be made. It is this plan
which takes most of the book.
On Wings of Eagles, prais
ed by many of the top critics as
being Follett’s finest book, is
not all it is made out to be. The
premise, non-fiction or other
wise, is interesting and
bestseller material. The book,
if told in Follett’s regular style,
would be a wonderful use of
the reader’s time.
Instead, Follett builds up
every person on the rescue
team to be larger than life,
something which he could get
away with if the story was fic
tion. Because the book is non
fiction, it’s difficult to im
agine these men as they are
portrayed.
When Follett gives
background information on
the characters, it seems that he
tells it in the minutest detail,
never omitting a drop of infor
mation. This makes the story
slow, boring, and easy to put
down.
If by chance you happen to
make it to the end, it might be
the biggest letdown book
you’ve ever read. You might be
better off, if interested, in
looking in an old issue of the
National Enquirer and
reading what they had to say
about it. You’d learn just as
much in addition to saving
yourself some time.
With all that extra time
available by not reading On
Wings of Eagles, you might
want to reread Follett’s fiction.
BEHREND COLLEGIAN
Dr. Charles Redemus .
Political Science Professor
Business Economics, General
Business, Management, and effec
tive in Spring semester 1985,
Management Information
Systems. The latter degree is one
of only a dozen offered in U.S.
universities, that meet the
guidelines of the ACM (Associa
tion for Computing Machines).
Categorized under the Social
(Emne Wmßifip With Mb
OFF CAMPUS WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Bus Transportation Available For 11:00 a.m. Services
Bus Leaves Reed 10:15 a.m. Sundays
MESSIAH LUTHERAN CHURCH
Eastern and Gray Avenue
Wesleyville, Pa.
Phone 899-6386
The Rev. Martin Roth, Pastor*
Sundays 8:15 and 11:00 a.m.
Sunday Church School ' 9:30 a.m.
WESLEYVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH
Buffalo Road and Market Street
Wesleyville, Pa.
Phone 899-9243
The Rev. George Schoonmaker, Pastor*
Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Sciences, the degrees are:
Economics, Political Science,
Psychology, and Business and
Behavioral Sciences. The latter is
a multi-disciplined study con
sisting of three modules.
Redenius is a member of the
Dean’s Advisory Council. As a
member, he helps prepare divi
sional responses for the College
Budget and Planning document.
In addition to his many respon
sibilities as professor and acting
division head, Redenius has had
several publications. Not only has
he presented papers at profes
sional meetings throughout the
U.S. and Great Britain, but he
has also had articles published in
numerous journals within his
discipline.
The most recent, with Dr.
Zachary Irwin, Assistant Pro
fessor of Political Science at
Behrend, was published in the
Canadian review of American
Studies. There have also been
books and excerpts from books
published that Redenius worked
on alone or in collaboration with
others.
EAST ERIE ASSEMBLY OF GOD
2653 Saltsman Rd.
Erie, Pa.
Phone 899-5247
The Rev. Cliff Hamilton, Pastor*
Sunday 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Christian Education 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
ON CAMPUS WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS
Saturdays, 5:30 p.m.
R.U.B. Student Lounge
PENN STATE-BEHREND CAMPUS MINISTRY
•Paiiicipating Campus Ministry Office Clergy
In addition to all of the
previuosly mentioned
achievements, Redenius has been
awarded several research projects
and grants. He was a visiting
research fellow in Great Britain
from 1981-82.
On a local level, Redenius has
been interviewed numerous times
by Scott Cassidy of WTKN-AM
in Erie, Fred Hansberger of
KDKA-AM in Pittsburgh, Jim
Van Dongen of WQLN-FM in
Erie, and John Liesering of
WLKK-AM, also in Erie.
Redenius will be the political com
mentator on WLKK-AM from
7:30 p.m. to midnight on Election
Day, Nov. 6. He will provide on
the-scene comments on the local,
state, and national election
results.
Dr. Redenius stated, “People
talk about going out in the ‘real
world’ after graduation. The ‘real
world’ is about ideas, values, and
caring. What better place do we
learn to be a whole, healthy per
son with ideas, values and cares,
but at a university. The university
is the only place I want to be.”
ST. JAMES R.C. CHURCH
2635 Buffalo Road
Erie, Pa.
Phone 899-6178
The Rev. Robert W. Cohan, Pastor
Sunday Masses 7:30,9:00
10:00,11:00 a.m.
12:15,5:00 p.m.
WESLEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
3306 South Street
Wesleyville, Pa.
Phone 899-3302
The Rev. George Schmidt, Pastor
Sunday 8:15 and 11:00 a.m.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Evening Fellowship 6:00 p.m.
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