Returning Adults Series
"Adult learner" encourages
others to get busy
Debbi Mallek
Staff Reporter
Our series on "returning students" continues. This
perspective was submitted to the Capital Times by Rosemary
F lamini.
I am a member of the older population who return to
college - those designated by this University as "adult learn
ers." To be truthful, even though I am surrounded by class -
mates two generations younger than myself, I never feel older.
How did I get to Penn State Harrisburg? During the
ten years I worked at the Hershey Medical Center, I had a goal
to obtain an Associate's degree.
I earned one, with the bonus of graduating with my
daughter and daughter-in-law on the same day, although their
degrees were BAs in Communications and Education respec
tively. Then I retired from my job at the Hershey Medical
Center.
After much persuasion from my family - all "Penn
Staters" - I decided to pursue my BA. So here I am at
Penn State Harrisburg, learning new material and making new,
much younger friends. But our age span does not seem to
matter to them, nor does it matter to me.
Believe me, I was apprehensive before I arrived, but
that anxiety disappeared in less than a week. Everyone I have
met students, faculty and administrative staff, helped me fit
in with ease, all kindly ignoring my orthopedic sneakers, lens
implants (from cataracts), and loss of breath when climbing
the stairs to third floor classes.
To others of my age group who may read this, I can
only say: "get busy, enroll, enjoy!" The benefits? You'll
still get older, but you'll get smarter.
We welcome your comments and additions to this
series. If you're interested in participating in this
series on returning students, please contact Debbi
Mallek at the Capital Times Office (717) 948-6440. We
look forward to sharing your stories.
One hater
of good people
Student addresses racial
vandalism on campus
Throughout the time since the first African set foot
on the American continent, a concerted effort has been made
to control and subjugate them. As time has progressed, we
have seen a gradual diminuation of the number and boldness
of white supremacist acts. This progress is an unequivocal
endorsement of the efforts of all the good people whom
African-Americans have met along the way. Many have had
no reason to help, other than their love of humanity and their
love of God. Many wonderful Americans have used the pow
ers of love and positive education to check the forces of
hatred.
Recently, an act of racist vandalism on campus has
turned more than a few heads. After the initial shock, we
should carefully consider this incident as what it really is:
a parameter for judging the progress which has been made
over the years. As I said before, the boldness of racist acts
has decreased. We moved from the whip to the police dog to
1996, when a racist's only recourse is to proclaim his supe
riority on the wall in the john. Whoever the poor soul is, he
knows that his brand of iniquity will meet no approval in a
place populated by good people.
Even the fact that an act was committed by a racist
individual instead of a racist group bodes well for the cam
pus. There is no organized support group for haters. A
boatload of haters cannot stay afloat in a sea of decency.
We African-Americans have been insulted before.
We will neither accept it, nor be bogged down by it. The fact
is that others have tried for centuries to hate us into obliv
ion, deluding themselves into believing that if they could
just hate us efficiently and effectively that we would disap
pear. Dr. Nairn Akbar points out that "[We] have proven that
we are more powerful than the forces which have sought for
so long to destroy us. After they have done their absolute
best, we are still here." Having routed the standing armies
of white supremacy, what is an appropriate response to an
isolated display of hatred on campus?
The good people of the campus should be cautioned
not to look for a scapegoat in this instance. We have seen
first-hand that hate is not a successful tactic. Hating the
hater is tantamount to adopting the failed strategy of our
defeated foe. That would be foolish, because we know for
certain where that leads: straight to the john.
Mark L. Walston
Senior-Public Policy
Coordinator, Minority Academic Excellence Program
(MAEPpp)
in a sea
the shooting does not affect
PSH "just because it hap
pened on a Penn State cam
pus."
"Of course my heart
goes out to all of the families
that are involved," Bankos
said. "But, I don't feel
unsafe at this campus. If it
would have happened at
E 1 izabethtown College or
another local university, then
I think it would have affected
my feelings of security
more."
American studies
major, Rosemary Flamini said
that despite the distance
between the Harrisburg and
University Park campuses,
her membership and past
history with this university
connect her to the tragic
event.
"I was devastated.
That is a lawn that I've
walked on, and I'm not cer
tain that I can walk on that
lawn again without remem
bering what happened there,"
she said.
"The shooting injured
all of us. It really did,"
Flamini added.
Cindy Knaub, public
policy and criminal justice
major at PSH said, "I don't
know how the rest of the stu
dent body feels, but you can't
Seniors interested in participating in the on-campus recruiting programs at PSH and University Park must attend one of the
Career Services Information Meetings that will be held in the Olmsted Auditorium. Meetings are scheduled for:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Thursday
Hie new "TeSS" system and procedures will be reviewed and the on-campus recruiting process discussed
FeSS -- IT'S HERE!!!
Career Services has completed the installation of its new computerized registration/job hotline system. All students interested in accessing
the employment opportunities whether part time, full time or co-op/internships are required to register in the new system. To learn more
about TeSS, individuals should attend one of the Career Services information meetings or visit Career Services in W-117. Once registered,
individuals will be able to dial in and:
hear voice recorded job listings (full time and part time) that match their particular career interests
learn about co-op and internship opportunities
listen to "NEWS" about pending workshops, seminars, and career fairs
schedule interview appointments with visiting employers
verify future interview schedules
ALL 24 HOURS A DAY -- AT THEIR CONVENIENCE!
In addition, resumes of students and alumni can be searched by the system and those resumes faxed (by the computer) directly to the
employers who have contacted l'enn State Harrisburg regarding their Human Resource needs.
Race fans are close to the action at Silver
Spring Speedway in Mechanicsburg
Kelley Thomas
Staff Reporter
It i s a place where
hundreds of fans gather in
the stands as they cheer and
shout for their favorite dri -
ver - and though it is not
NASCAR, it is still a thrill to
watch the local weekly race
live, rather than staying at
home and watch Daytona on
your television.
Every Saturday
evening in Mechanicsburg,
fans line up to purchase
their tickets at Silver Spring
Speedway to see in the end
which race car driver will
have their picture taken at
victory lane.
When you walk
through the gates, you are
greeted by the smell of
french fries and pizza that
linger from the food stands
into the air. Fans crowd
around venders looking to
buy Official Racing Programs,
pictures of their favorite race
VIEWPOINT
not care."
Knaub said that she
would like to see programs
started and pamphlets dis -
tributed at all Penn State
campuses that educate stu
dents about preventative
measures and deterants for
violence.
She also said that
there should have been better
communication at PSH to
inform students about the
shooting at University Park.
"I think PSH should
have addressed the shooting
in the 'This Week,' and they
should have 1 isted a contact,
like the student assistance
center, if students had ques
tions they needed answered
or if they needed counsel-
Chief Supenski said
that he has started crime
prevention and awareness
programs on campus. On Oct.
7, a program was conducted
by Police and Safety Services
to educate resident students
about personal protection.
"It's easier to prevent
scmeone fran being a victim,
but that involves individuals
taking responsibility for
their own security," he said.
Supenski said that
students should remember
that the campus has an escort
service and bike patrol which
October 7, 1996
October 8, 1996
October 9, 1996
October 9, 1996
October 10, 1996
October 10, 1996
ATTENTION: ALL JUNIORS, SENIORS, GRADUATE STUDENTS
cars and souvenirs.
Trailers loaded with
sportsman race cars drive
into the pits and unload their
cars quickly so the pit crew
members can look over the
race cars. One pit crew may
change a tire while another
pit crew may put gas into the
gas tank
Late models and
street stocks are two other
types of race cars that race at
the Springs. They pit behind
the racetrack.
All of the colorfu 1
cars are numbered and are
covered with local sponsors.
Some even have national
sponsors such as Saturn,
Pepsi and Old Milwaukee.
Family, friends and
fans stand on top of the trail -
ers in the pits so they can
have a clear view of the quar
ter mile dirt track about to
be raced upon.
After all eyes looking
up at the American flag move
down to the race cars, you
CAREER SERN'ICES INFORMATION MEETINGS
TeSS -- YOUR LINK TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES!
can be used to escort stu
dents to their cars or dorms.
Gordon Moon, pres i -
dent of Chi Gamma lota (XGI)
said that the PSH campus
administration should have
been more open with infor
mation regarding the shoot-
"We're an educational
institution. We should be
able to discuss this event.
We have forums on every
thing else on campus, why
not this?" Moon said.
"Keeping things
hushed up won't change a s it -
uation. If the students are
concerned, then the issues
should be addressed," he
said.
Julie Osborne said
that as an alumna she was
surprised that the shooting
happened at Main Campus
because University Park is a
low crime area.
Osborne is a 1992
speech communications grad
uate from Penn State Main
Campus. She is now locally
employed as a marketing
coordinator at the Thousand
Trails Hershey Preserve in
Lebanon, Pa. She maintains
her connection to the univer
sity as a member of the Berks
chapter of the Penn State
Alumni Association.
"It's a shame. College
5:15 pm- 7:00 pm
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
8:00 am - 9:30 am
3:00 pm- 4:30 pm
9:00 am - 10:30 am
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
know that the races are about
to begin.
Drivers wearing their
fireproof racing suits put
their helmets on and buckle
themselves into the race cars.
The engines are start -
ed, leaving a roaring echo in
your ears. The drivers circle
the track s lowly and form the
starting line up for the first
heat.
The white pace car,
who leads the pack, puts on
its left turn signal and exits
the track. Just a straight of
way to go, the yellow light
flashes to green and the dri
vers put the gas pedal to the
floor.
The ground rumbles
and the dust flies. The bill -
boards surrounding the track
became a blur when you have
you eyes focused on a 90-
mph race car.
There are really fast
cars, excellent drivers, slow
cars and crazy drivers.
Anyone can pick them out.
CAPTIMES, October 10, 199+6
is a time when you can enjoy
your freedom as a young per -
son. I hope that the students
can overcome this event and
enjoy their education."
Chief Supenski said
that it is up to the students
as to how this tragedy will
affect their lives.
"You can allow your
self to be paralyzed by such
an incident, or you can make
yourself more aware," he
said.
Provost Bruhn said
that an events like the shoot
ing at the State College cam
pus make us "especially sen
sitive to human frailties."
"We are all saddened
by the loss of a young 1 ife
and must now look forward to
a period of healing and for
giveness as we seek to
rebuild together the sense of
sanctuary that is a necessary
part of our community," he
said.
A scholarship has
been established to honor the
memory of Melanie Spalla. It
will be awarded to an under
graduate student at the
University Park campus.
Contributions may be
sent to the Office of
University Development, 116
Old Main, University Park,
PA 16802.
After the checkered
flag is waved on the tenth
lap, four more heats follow.
The top four cars from each
heat make it to the final race
- the feature. The remaining
cars from the heats race in a
consolation race. Out of the
two consolations, the three
top cars from each make it to
the feature also. This puts a
total of 26 cars in the feature
event.
"All right ladies and
gentlemen," the announcer
from the press box exclaims.
"What time is it?" The fans
clap, whistle and reply, "It's
feature time!"
The water truck fin
ishes making its rounds
watering the dry dirt track
while pit crew members push
the race cars out onto the
track so the drivers can start
their engines and begin the
feature.
'The 26 race car drivels farm
a double line up. After the green
See Race pg. 6