10 • SENIOR NEWS GSA 'Phoenix' continues to rise Next semester's officers and delegates announced at awards ceremony On April 5, the Graduate Student Association at PSH hosted its award cere mony in the Morrison Gallery. At the cer emony, GSA advisor Dr. Howard Sachs characterized the organization's revital ization this year as a "phoenix-like" re emergence after a 32-year hiatus at PSH. Dr. Sachs administered the oath of office to new GSA officers, and students who were instrumental in re-activating the GSA were also honored. Kenneth Enos, former GSA vice president, was presented The Leadership Award. Jon Smith will be stepping in for Enos, who is headed to Dickinson Law School. Jennifer Kasunick, who served as executive secretary and delegate for the school of the humanities this semester, received The Outstanding Member Award. Jennifer Boger was awarded as the outstanding delegate. Boger, this semester's delegate to the school of pub lic affairs, will fill this position again in the fall. Joseph Werner, vice president of the Student Government Association, received a gift bag representing The Perseverance Award. Werner, the only non-member of the GSA to receive an award, was instrumental in re-instituting the GSA. By Joshua Dußrock For The Capital limes the CAPITAL TIMES The new GSA officers are: Jon Smith, vice president; Jennifer Kasunick, executive secretary; Becky Butler, trea surer; Jennifer Boger, delegate for the school of public affairs; Sarah Turnblom, delegate for the school of humanities; Laurie Beers, delegate for the school of business; Lakisha Edwards, delegate for the school of behavior sciences and edu cation; Nora Carreras, delegate for the school of public affairs; Keith Corson, delegate for the school of science and technology; and Ray Anthony Virgo, graduate council representative of Penn State University. Current President, Roderick L. Lee, plans to remain president until the fall semester. After the awards were distributed, closing remarks were delivered by Director of Student Activities Dr. Janet Widoff, and GSA co-advisor Sue Ellen Ramer. Widoff is pleased that the GSA has been resurrected and she commended the group for its community involvment. Widoff was especially impressed by the GSA's donation to the Bethesda Mission. Ramer expressed pride in the GSA and optimism for a bright and lengthy future for the group and its members. Engineering seniors finish up final projects It's that time of year again the weather starts getting wanner, and you don't really want to go to class (not that you ever really want to go). Senior engineering majors do not have the luxury of taking time off now to just relax and enjoy their last days with friends. They are currently finishing up their senior projects. In order to graduate, each engineering major is required to do a hands-on, real world project for four credits. I interviewed some of the students in the structural design engineering technof ogys program and the mechanical engi neering technology program to get some information on what they are working on. In the structural program, there are two options for the senior project: a design project or a construction manage ment project. I spoke to the members of three management groups: Keith Smith, Mike Pfeifer, Stephanie Dodge and Phil Simansky; Stan Robbins, Jimmy Joe Boyle and Mike Pohronezny; and Chris Splinter, Jason Zioncek and Bill White. Their project concerns the construc tion management of the Derry Township Early Childhood Center. This project is currently underway, and the students are taking on every aspect of the construc tion: from contract bidding to the final construction of the building. The students were assigned this project by department faculty. One design group I spoke to, Jeff Nichols, Justin Baird and Jon Wiltanger, told me their project was to design a 50,000 square-foot warehouse with office space. They must use pre-cast pre stressed concrete construction. The mechanical engineering technol ogy program's projects are more varied because the students can chose their project. GSA boot camp ends this week by Roderick Lee For The Capital 'Times The newly formed Graduate - Student Association is expected to end its rigor ous training program on Wednesday April 18. For the past three months, members of the GSA have been put through a stren uous program that tested their will and determination. In the brief period since its re-emer gence, the GSA has conducted the fol lowing events: a Personal Care Item Drive, Spring Flower Sale, Bowling By Kerry Monaco Capital Times Staff Writer MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2001 Johnny Kowker, Kevin Mouer, Mike Hartley, Matt Farkas and Scott Goines are constructing a portable stone conveyor that attaches to the back of a dump truck. This project is being sponsored by Handwerk Contractors, where Kowker works over the summer. The goal of the project is to create a more efficient may to fill ditches along the sides of roads where dump truck chutes can't reach. A more effective way to wash and dry bottles is the aim of the project being undertaken by Matt Williams and Pete Turpak. Turpak works at a brewery where he said there are complaints when bottles that have been filled come down the con veyor with dried beer on them. The cur rent system does not effectively clean and dry the bottles. Williams and Turpak hope to improve the system. Barbeque grills currently sold are large and clumsy. Kevin Smith, Jason Adams and Jeff Wert are in the process of building a mechanically powered stove to solve this space problem. Their grill will be completely portable and easy to use and handle. Corey Metz and Mike Checket are building a gas turbine engine, also known as a jet engine. They plan to construct and analyze their turbine through the use of a personal computer for data acquisition. They will use a computer to read the tem peratures and pressures throughout the engine; therefore, being able to calculate its efficiency. Checket and Metz got their idea from an editorial they read. They decided to research the issue further and see if it was a possible project. Hopefully, the projects will be soon completed so the students will get to enjoy their last days of having few responsi bilities. Outing, Skate Jam, two Graduate Mixers and an Open Forum. Additionally, it has taken the lead role in assisting with the development of the new parking lot that will be located on the south side of the new library. All members of the group, regardless of their position, were more than willing to and often did perform many tra ditional and non-traditional roles. This occurred despite the fact that many times circumstances required them to do things that were often not necessarily related to their status in the organization.
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