February 26, 2007
THON
Continued from page 1
for a lifetime. Augie Bravo, senior,
Information Systems, said, “A dancer
was tired, looked
beaten, when a Four
Diamonds child
had a massager
and massaged [this
dancer] for a while.
The child has no
idea why he’s there
or why he’s tired. It
was so pure.”
Scott said, “Just
hanging out with
good people and
having fim. You
can mess around
and loosen up.”
He then added,
“That and Augie
doing the booty
dance.”
Marin Bendoritis, freshman, Public
Policy, said, “Going to Wal-Mart with
Roo to get gifts for Ariel and Sarver.
It was great seeing Ariel cheer up
Study abroad for new experience
By MARIAM ELHADRI
Staff Reporter
MUEII7@PSU.EDU
Vacationing is a favorite, yet rare
occasion only available to the luckiest
of us. Many of us cannot even find
time for one due to school, work, and
other hindrances. Traveling abroad
can offer some educational and
knowledgeable experiences. That is
why studying abroad has become
so successful in this past generation
during secondary education and is
much recommended.
Now universities all across the
world offer, and many times require
study abroad programs, including
our own Penn State Harrisburg.
The Pennsylvania State University
in total offers study abroad programs
all around the world in about
forty-seven different countries
spanning over six continents.
These can be semester, summer, or
short-term programs.
Penny Carlson, study abroad
adviser for students attending Penn
State Harrisburg, does not plan or
participate in the programs, but
advises students regarding the
various study abroad programs
offered through the university.
She explained that at Penn State
Harrisburg, “the focus has been
more on the development of short
term study abroad programs. For
example, during this spring break, 1
HUM 311 is a course being offered
that includes a Spring Break Trip
to Italy."
Expenses can come into play as
deciding factors for students looking
to study abroad. While Penn State,
a public university, cannot provide
funds to cover expenses for each
student to study abroad, it has many
financial aid programs affiliated with
studying abroad.
Students will pay the same
tuition rates as they would for a
regular semester at the university.
Applications for loans, grants, and
scholarships are also sponsored by
Penn State for students needing
additional help to pay for expenses.
Some grants and scholarships
include the Ardeth and Norman
Frisbey International Student Award,
when she got her tiara or watching
Sarver get excited. I couldn’t take
their pain away, but I could make it a
better experience. I liked being able to
help them.”
San er’s favorite dancer memory
were the slides of strength and having
the kids sign his white arm sleeve
who will be giving one thousand
dollars to three international students
who believe that they meet the stated
eligibility criteria. Also, the 2006-
07 W. LaMarr Kopp International
Achievement Awards provides
grants for an undergraduate student,
graduate student, staff member, and
faculty member. Each is awarded
$l,OOO for leadership and support
for international education, service
to the international community,
and research with a significant
international component.
PSH also offers their own
international student awards to
make international experience
more accessible to students. There
are also separate organizations,
such as Student Fulbright Grant
Program, in cooperation with Penn
State University to offer study
abroad grants.
This Spring semester, PSH is
offering two planned trips to Europe.
One destination is to London,
England. It is a seven-day study tour
from March 10-17, 2007.
Damien Fazzolari plans on attending
a similar London study abroad trip
next spring semester of 2008. He
is not quite sure what courses he is
taking, but his major of Education
and Social Studies does not require a
study abroad trip.
He is greatly looking forward to
seeing Abbey Road Studios, traveling
on weekends to other counties —
specifically Italy to visit family and
Ireland to go to the Guinness Brewery,
and to be exposed to something new.
To pay for this international
experience, Fazzolari is going to
have to take out large loans and pay
mostly out of his own pocket.
Another trip through PSH this
spring 2007 is to Rome, Italy. This
is also another seven-day study tour
from March 9-17, 2007,
Costs included in the trip fees are the
hotel stays, breakfast, transportation
pass, fees for events that are a part
of the program, and required health
insurance. Not included in that fee are
the airfare ticket, lunches, dinners,
and incidental expenses.
PSH students can participate in
the University Park summer study
abroad programs as well, so options
are unlimited.
THE CAPITAL TIMES
Many hearts,
Photo by MARIN BENDORITIS/Capitd Times
that he sported all weekend while
O’Malley greatly enjoyed the line
dance. “It was the best line dance in
all the THON years.”
Sarver danced like a pro throughout
the 46 hours. He always had a smile
on his face and was always so full
of energy. He did have his moments.
“Saturday morning, 6am, when no
one was there was hard. And then
early Sunday morning when I was
throwing a football with Augie and
got delusional. Dustin Holler is not an
80-year-old man.”
O’Malley, on the other hand, had
a much rougher time. The strain on
her feet was far greater than even
O’Malley could have predicted, and
she struggled throughout the better part
of THON simply to stand.
going
so much
Sunday
cr y i
blacked
I just
to end.”
after that.”
Supporters had their own
memories of Sarver and
O’Malley. Holler said,
“When THON first started,
seeing them all decked out
in red. Sarver had his super
socked and Ariel with her
feathers in her hair. They
were ready for anything.”
Craig Dewalt, Overall
THON chair for Penn State
Harrisburg, said, “Watching
a Four Diamonds child teach
Student Dustin Portzline is taking
another route with his study abroad.
He is an Environmental Studies
major and will be headed on a
seventy-five day study tour through
the National Outdoor Leadership
School (NOLS).
There he will be studying Biology,
Environmental Ethics, Group
Leadership, Wilderness Skills, and
Risk Management. He will also be
sea kayaking in the Prince William
Sound, backpacking in the Talkeetna
Range, and glacial mountaineering in
the Alaska Range.
Since this trip is not through
Penn State, Portzline is going to use
college savings, additional Stafford
Loans, and a generous scholarship
from NOLS itself. He is also
raising money on his own through
small fundraisers.
He said, “Other people and
cultures are the greatest source of
knowledge available, and all people
should make a point to get out and
experience them.”
Carlson agrees. She thinks all
students should study abroad. She
stated, “It is a wonderful opportunity
to broaden one’s horizon and to gain a
better understanding of other cultures.
Also, it demonstrates a student’s
commitment to understanding
diversity in today’s global climate."
She explained the benefits of
these programs and said, “Student’s
gain confidence and strengthen their
resumes through such experiences. I
have always felt that to grow, we must
put ourselves in uncomfortable and
challenging situations. Study abroad
provides a wonderful opportunity for
academic and personal growth.”
In a survey of thirty-five students,
all of the students who have gone
on study abroad programs would do
it again, and all students who have
not been on one would like to before
the end of their college education,
regardless of their major. (Not a
scientific study)
This shows how international
relations can be tied into any major
and used as an advantage in the
work place,
If you are interested in studying
abroad in the future and want to learn
about what our school offers, see
Penny Carlson in room C-216.
Sarver to hula hoop to no success. And
w atching Sarver give Ariel a piggyback
to the front of the room to do the line
dance on Sunday morning.”
Dewalt, a Four Diamonds child,
attended two other THONs prior to
this one. He enjoyed this one the most
because he was sick for the other
two and regaled THON 2007 as “a
celebration of hard work.”
Sarver and O’Malley were not
the only dancers PSH sent up to
THON this year. Scott and Matthew
Mahoney, junior, Communications,
took the BJC stage at 9am Saturday
morning to perform “Evolution of
Dance.” They performed the now
famous You Tube video in sync during
All-U hour to much success. Scott said,
“I was glad to entertain everybody and
form of contribution.”
who went to THON from
I away a changed person.
II have memories to last
ime, especially Sarv er and
Both are quick
all '
y o
from Penn State Harrisburg and
th e PhcJo b y supat kanchanasakulc op.ioi Times as an y person will tell you,
t* * '
ca
one ho
bottom of
my heart. If
it wasn’t for
you guys,
I wouldn’t
have made
it through,”
Sarver said.
“I love
each and
every one
of you. I
wouldn’t
have made it
without you
guys. It was
absolutely
wonderful
to look
up in the
stands and
see a whole
group of
people standing
there for you,”
O’Malley added.
As THON
came to a
close, Dewalt
got a chance
Now accepting submissioi
mlk297@psu.edu
to share his
By March 1