"Fluffy" wants a word with you... - See page 2 April 21,1999 Volume XXXIX, Number 3 Two prominate Humanities professors to retire Their teaching efforts span a combined 61 years between them at Penn State Harrisburg Dr. John Patterson, Humanities By Barb Roy Editor “I’m Dr. John Patterson and you’re listen ing to the‘Chords Are Stacked.’” In his dis tinctive smooth and mellow voice, Dr. "Cameron" play well received By Kim Glass Staff Writer Have you ever had an imaginary friend? Maybe, he was the buddy who built sand castles with you in a sandbox in the back yard or she was the princess who ate choco late chip cookies at your tea parties. They were special companions, who knew all your secrets, and were the perfect scapegoats when something went wrong. Recently, under the white stage lights of the Olmsted Theater, students in Professor Eton Churchill's Creative Dramatics class, produced Cameron, a moving dark comedy about an imaginary friend named Cameron, who devilishly manipulates Gilbert Van Hooter, his creator and best friend. The playwright, Jesse Moore Gutierrez, a senior communications student, says Cameron can be seen as Gilbert's imaginary friend, or a spiritual being that motivates Gilbert. "Gilbert is a real momma's boy, a dorky guy, who is real unstable. He (Gil bert) becomes a puppet that Cameron has tight control of." Gutierrez wrote Cameron in the spring of last year in Churchill's play wrighting course. Interest in the play grew and the Creative Capital Times Seeking resistance fighters to the Matrix. Patterson always speaks these words in the - intro to his weekly 8 p.m. Saturday night public radio (WITF FM-89.5) show. For two hours he plays “a few of the songs I love,” as he always phrases it. The folk song radio show, which he alone hosts and produces, is just one of the “things he loves,” that he will spend more time doing when he retires in May after thirty-one years of teaching at Penn State Harrisburg. Dr. Patterson, Associate Professor of American Studies and History, in the Hu manities department at PSH, has been a pres ence on campus almost from it’s start. Liter ally. “At first, they housed faculty in Meade Heights. I lived there with my wife, Fiona,” he says. “I came here because, like many college grads, I was looking for a job and they offered me one here.” “It was an experimental then, to have this Photo by Kim Glass Matt McKeown lists winners of school-wide achievment awards. - See page 5 Please see "Patterson " on page 3 Theron Holmes and Doug Grave in "Cameron " Dramatics class formed. "Every student in this class brings something to the table, whether they are acting, creating the cos tumes and sets or handling the promotions and public relations," says Gutierrez. Creating the play from ground up has been a challenge for all the students involved. "I Please see "Cameron " on page 10 Dr. Theodora Rapp Graham, Humanities By Barb Roy Editor Picture yourself as a long-distance swim mer, adrift in a wide, deep, cold lake. The waves are washing over you and you are New faces for top positions with the SGA By Barb Roy Editor Two newcomers ousted incumbents in the recent Penn State Harrisburg Student Gov ernment Association (SGA) election, while the dozing student body showed signs of stir ring. There were 157 valid votes for the can didates this time, more than twice as many as last semester’s 64 votes. There are 3,160 enrolled students. The two students who were elected to the top leadership roles have not been involved with the SGA before. Roderick Lee is the new President and Savita Mukhedkar is the new Vice President. Lee replaces Sean Limric, who had been the President since last spring’s election. Limric, who graduates this May with a de gree in Public Administration and has tenta tive plans to attend Graduate school at PSH, had been running for this position again, but Kristy 'Pipher gets in step with Irish dancers. - See page 10 Photo by Kim Glass exhaustedly fighting the current. You did not think you could cross over to the other side when you first got into the water, and now, half way there, you feel you couldn’t take another stroke. But, there is a voice coming from the boat ahead of you, offering encour agement, and you keep your eyes focused on her face. She is the coach who demands you continue, because she knows that you can do it. Dr. Theodora Rapp Graham has been this coach to many students and colleagues at Penn State Harrisburg. She is credited for having played a key role in their lives, chal lenging them to push harder for something academically they may not have thought they could do. She sets the bar high for her own achieve ments and then looks back to see who will follow her lead. Her passion is literature and Please see "Graham " on page 3 was defeated by a vote of 132 to 65. “I was disappointed, but it taught me a valuable les son,” he said. “I attribute my loss to improper campaigning. Next time I’ll cover my bases and take a more active role in campaigning, such as sending out e-mails.” The new President is a thirty-four year old former Staff Sergeant and Advanced Indi vidual Training Instructor with the U.S. Army. He is majoring in marketing and in formation systems. On the ballot he stated that his primary purpose in pursuing the presi dency is to “be a voice for the students and in particular address the needs of the non traditional student.” “I am as non-traditional as it gets,” stated Lee. “I am from Florida and I came to Har risburg to stay with my uncle after serving in the Army from 1983 to 1994.1 went to H ACC and did well and decided to keep going,” Lee made the decision to get involved in the student government when several class mates approached him with the suggestion. “They told me I was a people-person and seemed like I could be trusted,” he said. According to Lee, the campus needs more cohesive involvement of the clubs, which are sponsored by the SGA. He hopes to see monthly meetings of all of the club’s mem Please see "SGA" on page 4
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