Four years at the Delco campus, and loving every minute... Page 3
The 1.
Vol. XXXVI, No. 2
Penn State University, Delaware County
s €
September 21, 2004
PENNSTATE
laware
ounty
or two from fruition
By KATIE NEWS
and JENNIFER RUFO
Of The Lion's Eye
KMNI151@psu.edu, JLR397@psu.edu
It's the third week of school for the Fall 2004 semester.
So why isn't the cafeteria open yet?
Simple: It's still undergoing major renovations.
It may seem as though the planning was off. Or maybe
somewhere along the process of redoing the cafeteria
someone made a mistake and had to push back its grand
opening.
Neither is the case.
Those in charge of the project knew ahead of time the
cafeteria, named the Lion's Pit, would not be open for the
start of the school year. The finishing touches are being
completed. Furniture is being replaced, holes are being
patched up and a unique kind of artwork is being hung on
the walls.
The goal is to have the cafeteria finished this week or
next.
Megan Peterkin, a freshman, was unaware of all the
new changes with the Lion's Pit.
"Really, when is all that happening?" she said.
For those who haven't yet heard what is being done to
the cafeteria you're in for a surprise. The old tables and
chairs have been exchanged for couches, bar tables and
chairs. The tile floors are covered with throw rugs. The
bright, white lights are replaced with dimmed lighting
systems to soften the mood.
The idea was for the Lion's Pit to seem more like a
café, similar to a Starbucks. It will go from a classic cafe-
teria setting to a more sophisticated and relaxing one,
where students can be comfortable all the time.
Near the couches there will be a fireplace to hang out
beside and relax for a while in between classes on those
cold days. The huge hole in the wall is rather
large but is easily explainable. Its pur-
pose is to connect the lounge (once the
Lion's Den) and the dining area (now
the Lion's Pit). The doors in between
are there for when the lounge area
will be closed off for special events.
The most interesting change
to the room can be found on the
Working out Pit-falls
Lion’s Pit still a week
Photo by Katie News
A Lion’s Pit employee sits in the cafeteria, near the hole in the wall that will soon lead to the lounge
area of the Lion’s Pit. The new eatery promises to be a major improvement to the campus.
cafeteria wall. Many cafeterias are decorated with murals
done by previous classes, but the Lion's Pit is not like
many. The wall will be covered in a creatively designed
fabric with tiny holes placed throughout for the light to
shine through. It is one of the many things that will give
the room its edge over the average cafeteria.
Peterkin is excited for the Lion's Pit to open. "Change
is always good," she said, "It keeps things alive and new.
The new cafeteria will be 10 times better than what it is
now and a nice place to come between classes to grab a
bite to eat and hang out with some friends."
In the meantime, along with the aesthetic changes,
Java Joe, famous for his restaurant in Ridley Township,
will create a whole new menu to accommodate different
tastes and budgets.
"I'm reworking the menu with the constructive criti-
cism I've gotten in mind." said Joe, whose last name is
Betzala.
Efficiency is also a gol of Betzala's.
The setup of poles has helped organize traffic flow.
Instead of having a mass of people standing around,
Betzala can filter them through quickly. This method will
cut down on the likelihood of theft by being able to keep
a watchful eye. In the past, students have been able to
sneak by without paying for their food.
Man Behind the Lion
Donor Ralph D’lorio on hand
for dedication of shrine
Page 3
The Lion Is Dedicated................
Briefly Around Campus.............
INSIDE
CTOSSWOI .....cocininiisissinsisssnss
rihaee Page 3 | Editorial.........c..cosunnrmnssnnsnssrsnesesnnnnnsns Page 6
woes Pg 4 | Ask Mama Qu......c..oncisinsismisnarnnens Page 7
SR Page 4 | DiAntonio namedA.D........................ Page 8
brits Page 5 | Baseball rts eresimstinenss PAGE 8