"I embrace it."
Twenty-three-year-old Joy
Maatman - a 1996 PSH graduate -
never thought about "embracing" com
puter technology. She has always been
surrounded by it at home and at school.
Maatman says that one of the
reasons that she was offered her
research associate position for
Greenlee Associates in Harrisburg, Pa.,
was due to her Internet experience.
She says that keeping up with technol
ogy is very important to her company
because prospective clients typically
learn about Greenlee Associates
through the company's home page.
Additionally, as a lobbying firm, the
company requires their employees to
spend extensive time obtaining
research on the Internet.
She says that she doesn't
worry about receiving unequal treat
ment at work because of her gender,
and she does not anticipate that she
will be left out of technology training
because of her sex.
"In my opinion, my use of
the Internet has nothing to do with my
being a woman. The Internet is about
opportunity. To be successful in
today's market, it is important to be on
the cutting edge, regardless of your
gender."
Dennis says that corporate
need for employees that are "net
smart" has the potential to help elimi
nate a great deal of gender inequality
in the workplace. She says that many
jobs are opening up across the country,
but that there are not enough "Web
people" out there.
"Employers are looking for
people who can build and maintain
Web pages," Dennis says. "And, they
don't care if you have a penis, warts or
whatever."
She adds, that corporations
are also going to assume that young
people, like Maatman, will be knowl
edgeable about the technology.
At the age of 47, Dennis
laments that she cherishes the era that
she grew up in, but also feels cheated
that she did not have Internet technolo
PENN STATE AUTUSDURG
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gy as a child. Children today, she says,
have no fear of that technology. And
girls, she adds, are no longer shut out
from computer science. Even if their
schools discriminate against them, they
have computers at home, she says.
Dennis says that on the Web,
she has witnessed a change in gender
attitudes. For example, men will come
across a female Web page, and they
won't use derogatory language, she
says.
A study of gender communi
cation on the Internet in 1993 by the
Simon Fraser University School of
Communication in British Columbia
supports Dennis' observation. That
study found, that men and women were
able to communicate far more easily
on-line. Additionally, the university
discovered that both genders felt that
females had more of a "presence" on
line and that it is easier for women to
make their voices heard on the Internet
than in a face-to-face conversation
where their opinions might be dis-
missed due to physical characteristics.
Don't expect all sexism to
disappear when you're on-line, Dennis
advises. "The world has bad spots, the
Internet has bad spots too."
Dennis adds that women
shouldn't waste their energy worrying
about the exploitation of women in
cyberspace, or anywhere, because, she
says, "It's always going to happen in
one form or another."
She says that despite the
potential problems for women, the
overall positive benefits of women uti
lizing the Internet outweigh the nega
tives. It offers such a resource for
finding support and connecting to other
women, that Dennis believes the
Internet will not only offer women
individual rewards, but will provide a
network for women's issues in this
country and around the globe.
Thome says that she believes
that it is too early to tell what the
Internet will or won't ultimately do for
women and their issues. "I am, how
ever, optimistic that women will learn
to use this resource well."
GIVE TO
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Quinn agreed that the
event - although exhausting -
was a 1 ife changing experi
ence, because despite how she
felt physically, she felt com
pelled to keep going to
encourage the children with
cancer, who also attended the
dance marathon, to keep
going.
They are in pain. What we
felt was nothing compared to
what they go through on a
daily basis," Quinn said.
The children were the
major focus of Thon, but
Quinn and McGlennen had
other encouragement too.
University President
Graham Spanier and N ittany
L ions coach Joe Paterno were
two of many guests that
stopped by in support of the
event, Wentzel said. Oprah
Winfrey even sent a letter,
which was read to the student
participants, which conveyed
.
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MARCH is
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EIMMESIEHME
In honor of Women's History Month, the
Penn State Harrisburg Book Store has a
dynamic and diverse selection of titles
that celebrate women's achievements
and contributions, and that explore the
issues facing women today. Stop in,
pick up some books, and uncover the
too-often buried history and concerns of
women
The Bookstore is also featuring books by
Ntozake Shange.
* $2OO-$5OO WEEKLY *
Mailing phone cards. No experience necessary
For more information send a self-addressed
stamped envelope to: Global Communication,
P.O. Box 5679, Hollywood, FL 33083
CAPTIMES, March 6, 1997
how proud she was to see col
lege students performing
such an unselfish act.
Of the 540 dancers
that began the dance
marathon that Friday, Quinn
and McGlennen were counted
in the 534 that successfully
completed the 48 hour event.
"I'd do it again tomor
row if I could," said Quinn.
Wentzel said that
there is already a "push" for
PSH to participate in the
Thon event next year and to
increase fundraising cam
paigns so that this campus
can beat this year's contribu
tion.
"I believe that anyone
that does not experience Thon
at least once in their life is
missing out on something
very, very important,"
Wentzel said.
DIVIDED SISTERS
Positions Available for students
interested in providing a summer of
recreation for special needs children
& adults. Beacon Lodge Camp,
located in Central PA, is seeking
camp counselors for the summer
camping program beginning May 28
and ending August 13. Also hiring
WSl's; Lifeguards; Program Director;
Unit Directors; Nurses and the
following instructors: Canoeing,
Kayaking, Archery, Riflery, Games,
Arts & Crafts, Music Drama, Nature,
Ropes Course. The summer offers a
well rounded program of activities
from bowling to overnight camp outs,
and canoe trips down the Juniata
River. To request an application
andiOr additional information, write
PA LIONS BEACON LODGE CAMP
114 SRIO3 SOUTH
MOUNT UNION PA 17066-9601
PHONE 814-542-2511
FAX 814-542-7437
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