Vol. 47 No. 5 oSpctCca/vd Jefferson Hartzler By RABYIA AHMED Staff Reporter RZAIO9@PSU.EDU Retirement is just around the comer. After teaching at Penn State Harrisburg for 40 years, this semester is his last. He was here when Penn State opened the Harrisburg campus. With lots of plans for post retirement, Jefferson Hartzler, associate professor of mathematics said that he’s both happy and sad about retirement. “I’m looking forward to traveling to West Palm Beach, Fla., during the winter,” said Hartzler. Hartzler is also sad about leaving Penn State Harrisburg. “I’ve been teaching here since the beginning,” he said. He has seen the many facelifts the campus has been through since 1966. Before the Olmsted building became the main classroom building, it was an airforce administrative center base. He has seen the dorms being added in 2002. He was there when the Science and Technology Building was added and when the 115,000-square-foot library was opened in 2000. He even saw the Campus Bookstore and the Capital Union Building being built. Teaching is the only job Hartzler ever had. He taught at a pubic school in Indiana where he was a math teacher. When he went to graduate school for his master’s in mathematics at Penn State University, he got an assistantship and realized that he liked teaching college more than he liked teaching high school. Math was always an interesting subject to him. Even as a child, contrary to many people, math was his favorite subject. He enjoys solving practical mathematics problems where he tries to find a formula of some sort. Hartzler also enjoyed chemistry when he was in school, but the labs made him sick. “They gave me constant headaches, so 1 gave up on it,” he said. Student interaction both inside and outside the classroom is something Hartzler really enjoys. Seeing students develop and become good citizens is important to him. He believes that he serves as a mentor for many of them. Several of his students even hold high positions in widely known companies. There are some students who make him proud. “Previous students I’ve had have become the head of Blue Cross Blue and Blue Shield Association,” said Hartzler, with a smile on his face. “Being a professor really is a rewarding profession,” he added. Classes he teaches include calculus, advanced calculus, linear algebra, theory of interest, mathematical modeling and operations research. The least favorite part of his job is committee meetings, which he Please see HARTZLER on page 4 INDEX: w CtZ TALI Comfortable Res-Life is By MATTHEW MAHONEY Assistant Editor MLMSO39@PSU.EDU Conflict resolution. Mediation. Discipline. Organization advising. Academic Assistance. The responsibilities of a Community Assistant are numerous and call upon strong leadership skills, ethics and human compassion. Completion of these tasks can lead to a comfortable living environment, but failure can lead to aggravating chaos. “Just call me ‘O’,” said Osenaga Osagie, “It’s easier to pronounce that way.” Osagie sat at the desk in the Community Center looking over a roster for a Madden Football video game tournament, planned to be held at the Community Center that night. Eager to make living at The Village at Capital College a fun experience, Osagie planned out the event to give students a chance to leave their rooms for the night. “One of our jobs is to also advertise events and work on getting more people to come out,” he said as he continued to talk about ways to reach students and get them involved. Campus involvement isn’t the only In times of need, find comfort with one of Penn State's own counselors By LORENA ROEDEN Staff Reporter LMR23S@PSU.EDU Are you stressed out and need help with time management skills? Are you holding something from past or feeling depressed and need someone to talk too? Counseling services at Penn State Harrisburg can lend a hand Being a college student is a life changing experience where important decisions are shaping your contributions to society. The university recognizes that those pressures can cause many students to become depressed and stressed out. Steven Backels Ph.D. has been the director of counseling services since 1991. Backels received his doctorate at Ball State University in Indiana and said approximately 150 students visit their office each semester. He said anxiety, family problems, depression, schoolwork and relationships are the most common problems students discuss with counselors. Counseling at PSH has been available free to students for more than 20 years and is provided by psychologists and counselors. The office is ready to meet the needs of every individual using a variety of approaches. For example, couple counseling is available for students having problems in their relationships and group appointments are permitted when feasible. Additionally, they follow strict legal and ethical guidelines regarding confidentiality and only in serious circumstances, such as child abuse is confidentiality breached. Although most students’ class and Police Report. Opinion November 20, 2006 The CA building attached to the 8000 building of The Village at Capital College is an example of a >or students can knock on to obtain mediator help in the event of a roommate dispute. Students are first encouraged to resolve disputes themselves. work schedules are hectic, counseling services does a great job of working around your schedule. They are open Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. except Fridays when they close at 5 p.m. Even if you do not feel the need Director of Counseling Steve Backels, Ph.D., and Linda E. Measley, M.S, are both licensed psychologists at Penn State Harrisburg. They are here to offer help to students with personal or academic problems. for an appointment, you can borrow books and audiotapes from their self help library. Materials pertaining to relaxation, depression, alcoholism, "The greater the obstacle, the more the glory in overcoming it." -Jean Baptiste Moliere eating disorders, and anxiety are available for loan. Despite all the services PSH counseling services offers, many students are still reluctant to visit their offices. Environmental engineer senior Justin Dresch, said, “Its hard opening up to someone you don’t know. It would make me feel guilty and worse to bring my problems to someone else.” 21-year-old junior Trevor Mierta believes you cannot force anybody to get the help they need. “People need to first acknowledge they have a problem, and sometimes it takes a friend to convince you, Then it’s up to them to get help and support from qualified counselors.” and listen to thoughts and feelings in a sensitive, non-threatening way. Avoid judging, evaluating and criticizing even if he/she asks your opinion. It is important to respect the individuals’ value system, even if you do not agree with it. Give hope and assure them that things can get better. Throughout this process it is important to recognize your purpose should be to provide enough hope to enable the student to consult a professional, not to solve their problems. Remind the individual that help is available, and seeking it is a sign of strength rather than weakness. To get more information on PSH Counseling Services stop by the Student Assistance Center in Olmsted, W-117, or call 717-948-6025. News 4 - 5 Club News 6 - 7 If you choose to approach someone you are concerned about, or if they reach out to you for help with personal problems, PSH counseling offers services some suggestions. First, talk to them in private when both of you have the time. Give them your undivided attention INSIDE THIS ISSUE Start investing in your I'utuiv. Amish teachings are to forgive but never forget, A fabulous tall season tot Penn State ‘Burg Dick’s Picks DUS offers light at the end of the tunne By WILLIAM POWELL Staff Reporter WMPSOO6@PSU.EDU For many students who enter college, they have a major in mind for potentially determining their careers. Many students, however, do change their majors upon entering college, often because of the interest in other courses or because they do not like what classes they do have to take for their current major. Then there are those select students who enter college with no exact major. These “undeclared” students come in and take all the general education classes that the declared majors take, but spend their time investigating into a possible major. For helping students with this, Penn State Harrisburg has the Division of Undergraduate Studies (located in 216 E Olmsted), or DUS, which Penny Carlson, one of the DUS coordinators, helps Phebe West schedule her classes for the next semester. Carlson has helped many students follow a path until they choose a major and become accepted in that school. at PSH is a very important factor in possibilities,” she said, helping students with not only their “For example, a student may transition into college life, but also express an interest in Business with finding the path to a possible career field Campus Calendar.... 7 8-9 Sports requirement of a CA, as anyone going through the application process to be a CA can verify. The selection process for becoming a CA can be as rigorous as applying for a job. “List your present or prior involvement in extracurricular activities and/ or leadership experiences that demonstrate campus or community involvement.” “List three issues/concems that you think a residential student may experience and describe how as a Residence Life staff member you would address them.” Once attaining the coveted position of a CA, the scrutiny doesn’t end. This time instead of a one-on-one grilling, the ever-noticing eyes of the entire residence population are the source of praise, or ultimate demise. “I’ve seen my CA once,” said Alexandra Pomeroy, Please see RES on page 4 Penny Carlson, one of the coordinators for the DUS, as well as the Campus International Programs Advisor, is just one of many people who see students every day, and discuss their current courses, the plans for the next semester, as well as beyond that with a desired future. Carlson provided some important information on the DUS, what they do and how they do more than that by helping students. “First of all, we make ourselves available to meet with students and we work very hard to keep up to date with new majors, changes in curriculum, and academic policies. Our days are full with student appointments! We assist students in considering how their interests, abilities, and values relate to the many majors at Penn State. We encourage students to explore all majors at Penn State and to open themselves to all Please see DUS on page 4 Entertainment... 10-11 11 Games .Page * ..Page 6 .Page H Page 11
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