The Daily Collegian UPUA encourages students to know issues By Paul Osolnick COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER A meeting Thursday between the student government president and the Penn State Grassroots Network featured discussion of the import ance of students getting involved with issues that affect the university. University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) President Christian Ragland said he met with Grassroots Network Director Alan Janesch to determine ways in which the two organizations could work to increase student involvement in groups that pro mote interest in university-related issues in the state government. LGBTA leader leaves mark on PSU community By Megan Rogers COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Claire Gonyo has only been working in the LGBTA Resource Center for a little more than two years but some of the students she's worked with say she made a big impact in that time. .Although her time w’as short Gonyo said her job has been full of small moments of successes. As the assistant director of the Penn State LGBTA Resource Center. Gonyo worked to plan the center's activities, like Pride Week and National Coming Out Week. Gonyo said leaving Penn State will be bittersweet. But she's excited to start the next challenge of her life earn ing her Ph.l). in higher adult and lifelong education at Michigan Gonyo was the welcoming face Ragland (sen ior-political sci ence) said the meeting focused on a mutual effort to get students to join groups like the Grassroots Network and take the initiative to contact their local representatives about issues like Penn State’s budget and how the appropria tions affect tuition for students. “We want stu dents to talk to “Watching a person get comfortable in their own skin and being proud of who they are is just so powerful for me.” of the LGBTA Center, Penn State graduate Steve Lucas said. Lucas, Class of 2010, interned with Gonyo for a year and was also the president of Rainbow Roundtable, the club for which Gonyo was an adviser. “What Claire was good at was building bridges across the uni versity that lead to the center," he said. “Claire is an incredibly approachable person.” Gonyo’s colleague Allison Subasic agreed that Gonyo has been a friend and mentor to many. “We’re going to miss Claire, she said. [representatives! and let them know how important the funding is for Penn State." Ragland said. Ragland said the organizations will continue to rally student interest with events like Capitol Day an event organized by the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG) while developing new events that focus on the Grassroots initia tives. Ragland Janesch said he believes it is important to work with student leadership organizations to build interest among students. "One of the reasons I first sought out student leaders was because I wanted to find students committed to Penn State that Janesch Claire Gonyo Assistant Director of the LGBTA Resource Center "She's really made her mark on the university" Gonyo said that 's all part of the job. Each time the center hosts a panel or activity, it's raising awareness for someone in the LGBTA community, Gonyo said and that's the overall mission of her work. Gonyo said awareness and attendence was up at the Spring 2010 Pride Week, making the event a huge success. The respect between Gonyo and the students she works with is mutual. Gonyo said she has been honored to work with so many “phenomena!" students. wanted to make the university bet ter,” Janesch said. Janesch said the Grassroots Network is planning an event dur ing the Parents and Family Weekend in the fall to highlight their major initiatives. Janesch said the event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2 sometime in the afternoon and will target students and their families to hopefully encourage them to get involved. "I wanted to have an event that particular weekend,” Janesch said, “that combined two things: dessert and an academic, educa tional component.” Janesch said the event would provide families with some Mentoring and advising students are the best parts of her job, she said. She said she especially enjoys helping struggling stu dents come to terms with their identity. “Everyone’s story is so unique,” she said. “Watching a person get comfortable in their own skin and being proud of who they are is just so powerful for me.” Gonyo was not only an advocate for the LGBTA community but for all students, Lucas said. Gonyo was involved in several university initiatives like Leader Shape and the commission for LGBT equity. “One thing that Claire’s really brought to Centre County and the university is someone who’s com mitted to student affairs in gener al as well as being an LGBTA advocate,” he said. To e-mail reporter: mers2oo@psu.edu Friday, July 23, 2010 I desserts around 1:30 p.m. and inform the students and parents about topics like the importance of state appropriations and its affect on tuition and the quality of the education. The event would include a panel discussion and speeches from fac ulty members and legislators, Janesch said. Ragland said they talked about the possibility of having state Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, speak at the event. “Grassroots is a good organiza tion to be apart of,” Ragland said. “We want to see more students involved.” To e-mail reporter: prosoo4@psu.edu Claire Gonyo, right, speaks with a student after this year's Pride March.
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