4 I Monday, Aug. 23, 2010
Assembly welcomes
By Megan Rogers
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Penn State’s Class of 2014
kicked off their college careers
Saturday night at the President’s
New Student Convocation,
where administrators and stu
dent leaders welcomed the fresh
men to the university.
The speakers’ main message
to students was to take advan
tage of Penn State’s many oppor
tunities and to have a positive
impact on the school.
Penn State President Graham
Spanier began his welcome
address by throwing out some
Penn State trivia. One of the tid
bits was that, in their first semes
ter, most students only change
their bed sheets four times.
After encouraging students to
take advantage of Penn State’s
many opportunities, Spanier also
discussed some of the universi
ty’s principles, including aca
demic, personal and social
responsibility.
Making good decisions
UPUA distributes handbooks
By Kathleen Loughran
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Distribution of a new student
handbook began Sunday at the
orientation event held for
Commonwealth Campus trans
fer students, student body presi
dent Christian Ragland said.
“The ‘S’ Book” initiated by
former University Park
Undergraduate Association
(UPUA) President Gavin
Keirans is a glossy, 92-page
handbook for all new students,
Ragland (senior-political sci
ence) said.
The tradition of distributing
student handbooks at the univer
sity dates back to the 1890 s, but
the books fell out of print in the
late 19905, UPUA Assembly
Chairwoman Jessica Pelliciotta
said.
Pelliciotta (senior-political sci
ence), along with Lion
Ambassadors President David
Frankenfield, spearheaded the
book’s production over the sum
mer.
Frankenfield (senior-econom
ics) said he was glad distribution
of the handbook has begun.
“Just seeing the work that so
choosing to attend all classes, not
excessively drinking and being
careful on social networking
websites can lead to later
opportunities like studying
abroad or internships, he said.
“We hope you feel like you’re
joining an extended family,”
Spanier said.
Students were welcomed not
only to the Penn State family, but
also to the State College commu
nity. State College Mayor
Elizabeth Goreham invited stu
dents to explore the downtown
area the permanent residents
are friendly and love students’
enthusiasm, she said.
Goreham also had some
advice to dispense to students.
The most important lessons
students learn in their first year
aren’t learned in classrooms, she
said, and include things like
learning to live within a budget,
knowing when to leave a party
and discovering how to be an
independent adult.
Above all, Goreham stressed
that students should register to
many people put into it and we
gave it to them and 30 seconds
later people are reading it and
hopefully learning from it [was
rewarding],” he said. “I just hope
it helps.”
About 800 copies of the hand
book were handed out at
Sunday’s orientation, and details
for distribution to first-year stu
dents are still being nailed down,
Pelliciotta said.
“We’ll definitely have every
thing done within the second
week of school,” she said. “We’re
looking at the different options
we have and making sure each
student gets one in their hands,
so [the book] is not just sitting on
a table and making them come to
us. It’s us coming to them.”
Along with the history and tra
ditions section, the book will also
include letters from the presi
dent of the university, the student
body president and the handbook
committee, Pelliciotta said.
There are also sections on aca
demics, on- and off-campus hous
ing, campus landmarks and
buildings, student involvement,
student services and fight songs,
she said.
Though the exact handbook
LOCAL
students
vote. The advice didn’t come only
from university officials.
University Park
Undergraduate Association
President Christian Ragland
talked about how UPUA allowed
him to give back to the university,
urging students to find their
niche within the community.
“When you’re passionate
about something, you give 110
percent all the time and give
back to the university,” Ragland
(senior-political science) said.
The welcome was well
received by many students.
“It was nice to learn about
what everyone thought and to
get their opinions on everything
and see how much enthusiasm
the president and faculty had,”
James Rohan (freshman-divi
sion of undergraduate studies)
said.
After the event, many students
headed to the HUB-Robeson
Center for the semester’s first
Penn State Late Night.
To e-mail reporter: mers2oo@psu.edu
UPUA’s ‘S’ Book is available to all
incoming first-year students.
production cost has not been
determined, Pelliciotta said it will
be under $15,000 for about 10,000
copies.
Ragland said he has heard “a
lot of positive feedback” from
those who have already received
the book.
“A lot of students really like the
idea that pretty much every
aspect of student life is touched
on, and they like the tradition of
it, too,” he said.
Ragland said publishing the
book is a “growing process."
To e-mail reporter: krtslo6@psu.edu
Students wait in line to buy textbooks at the Penn State bookstore
Freshmen move in,
begin life at college
By Micah Wintrier
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Just a day after moving in to his
room in East Halls, Penn State
freshman Chad Colopy had
already reached his verdict on col
lege: It's glorious.
Colopy (freshman-premedi
cine), who moved in Saturday, said
he is already beginning to feel at
home in his East Halls dorm, call
ing his newfound freedom “awe
some."
Colopy is one of about 8,000 new
students who moved into Penn
State residence halls for the first
time this weekend. Director of
Housing Conal Carr said.
Many of the students lugged
carts piled with boxes, as their
parents maneuvered their
cars into the packed dorm parking
lots.
Downtown, dozens of people
waited their turns in lines at
restaur ants and bookstores, hop
ing to catch a break.
Ru: despite the chaotic appear
ance ol move-in weekend, Penn
Stale par ent Thomas Gall said it
ran like a well-oiled machine.
Gail helped his son Preston Gall
i freshman-division of undergradu
ate studies) move into Pollock
Hails Friday.
Everything was well organ
ized. A very good system was in
place," Gali said. “Security forces
The Daily Collegian
were in place. There was no ani
mosity. It was not us versus
them.'
Gall a resident of Columbus,
Ohio and an Ohio State Buckeyes
fan said he couldn't help but
admit that he likes Happy Valley.
"I love the area up here," Gall
said.
Carr said hundreds of people
have helped in the move-in
process, ranging from police giv
ing directions to lost parents to
faculty conducting college-advis
ing meetings.
And behind the scenes of all of
the hubbub is the Fall Arrival
Committee, which has been prep
ping for the mass exodus of stu
dents to University Park this fall
since March, Carr said.
The committee, which Carr
chairs, includes representatives
from University Police Services,
the Schreyer Honors College,
Housing and Food Services,
Residence Life and Res Com,
among others. Carr said.
Their hard work appears to be
paying off for new' students like
Colopy, who said he's acclimating
well into Penn State.
“It's awesome." Colopy said.
"All the people are friendly and
everyone is in, the same position.
Everyone is looking to meet new
people."
To e-mail reporter: maws43B@psu.edu