THE DAILY COLLEGIAN David Hartmann (senior-finance) speaks to students and investors at the Entreprenuer Showcase by Innoblue at Beaver Stadium. Demo Day hosts local businesses By Micah Wintner COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Penn State Demo Day 2010 gave local business ventures an opportunity to present their ideas to faculty and potential investors. Demo Day was hosted Wednesday night in Beaver Stadium's recruitment lounge by Innoblue, an organization that "envisions a community trans formed by entrepreneurship," according to their website. Innoblue's two Penn State stu dent founders, David Adewumi (senior-Spanish) and Jon Tornetta, made opening remarks. "The passion for starting and launching things is very much alive in the Penn State communi ty" Tornetta junior-chemistry) said. Each business venture had 10 minutes to present their ideas and attract investors' attention. Ideas ranged from electrically propelled bicycles that get 1.000 mpg to a computer-based telemedicine systems. Paul McNamee presented his ideas for a new website to help Penn State students find off-cam pus housing after calling the cur rent sites a "mess." "People won't have to walk around downtown looking at every single apartment and every single realtor. - McNamee (junior industrial engineering) said. Jason Binz and Robin Pritz showcased their product. the "Wall Buddy System." CHRISTMAS TREES One for Here or one to take Home Choose and Cut or Fresh Cut (saws provided) Free hayrides to trees Beautiful Firs, Pines & Spruce -weekends Wreaths and Roping Free Shaker - cleaning and wrapping Binz (graduate-chemical engi neering) said the system is a cheaper and more user-friendly alternative to the SMART and Promethean boards. Pritz (senior-biological engi neering) said Demo Day was the first time they had advertised their product and received posi tive feedback from investors. Innoblue adviser and Professor and Executive in Residence James Gardner said Innoblue has made "very rapid, rapid progress" thanks to it's two force ful and disciplined founders. ..[lnnobluel is the kind of idea... that could do something that Penn State has been missing for some time, - he said. Innoblue hopes to expand its organization and open an office in downtown State College to make its resources more easily avail able to students, Innoblue con sultant Juan Castro said. The organization currently consults with five business ven tures in State College and has already received 10 applications for their services in the spring. Castro (junior-finance and eco nomics) said. Innoblue hosted the event with the Lion Launch Pad a non profit State College program to help students start their own businesses and the Penn State Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship initia tive. To e-mail reporter: maws43B@psu.edu UPUA to initiate trial program The University Park Undergraduate Association plans to initiate a trial run this spring so organizations can use purchasing cards, student body president Christian Ragland. - It's not fair that [the money] is coming out of the [organiza tions'sl pockets," said Ragland (senior-political science). UPLIA Adviser Mary Edgington said the details are still being worked out for the pilot program set to run this spring. The idea is that we're trying to find solutions for online purchas es without students having to use their own credit cards." she said. Ragland said the idea for the purchasing cards originated from the Commonwealth campuses that already have purchasing cards in place. He added that he Collegian names news adviser Though he made his first visit to Penn State on crutches and with a broken foot, Jim Rodenbush is healed and ready to hit the ground running in January when he takes over as The Daily Collegians news athisel - I'm excited about the ()ppm - - Rodenbush tunity to be a Dart of what The Daily Collegian is doin Rodenbush said. "The history. the reputation of the newspaper is outstanding." Rodenbush was named news adviser on Wednesday and will assume the position in the spring 2011 semester, Collegian General Manager Patricia Hartranft said. - His skill in teaching. based on all of his experience in the news paper industry. is going to be ben eficial to the Collegian. Hartranft said. lie had a well-rounded background that made him a stand-out applicant.- As news adviser, Rodenbush is in charge of the newspaper's can didate program and will spend the semester' teaching new By Kathleen Loughran COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER By Zach Geiger ,AP,TER 1 I I eo. I So ,c-5 KNOCK, KNOCK. G LADYS. GLADYS THANKSGIVING. AREN'TYOU? THANK PENN Make your gift today at www.SeniorClassGift.psu.edu PENN STATE 7orever PSUSeniors.com is happy to see another part of his platform on which he ran come to fruition. UPUA Director of Commonwealth Campus Outreach Nick Coleman said he is pleased to be moving forward with establishing a trial program for the cards. think it's a big step in the right direction," Coleman (junior health policy and administration) said. During Wednesday's night meeting, UPUA members also passed Resolution 19-05: Legal Affairs Audit with a vote of 36-0-1. The resolution is a result of recent activity in the Department of Legal Affairs, Internal Development Committee Chairwoman Kelly Terefenko said. According to the resolution, the Director of Internal Affairs with help from the internal devel opment committee will now have to give a presentation about reporters. Hartranft said. His knowledge of journalism. teaching and technology will make Rodenbush a great mentor for future reporters, she said. Editor in Chief Elizabeth Murphy (senior-journalism and women's studies) said Rodenbush's wisdom and experi ence will be an asset. - I was very excited," Murphy said. - We've been without a news adviser for months." Rodenbush currently teaches at Webster University in St. Louis in the Communications and Journalism Department and also serves as the general manager for The Journal, the school's weekly student newspaper. After a visit to Penn State m November. Rodenbush said he was energized and excited about what he saw both in State College and in the newsroom. "I sat in on the editorial meet ing and was blown away by the energy" Rodenbush said. In addition to a lesson on ethics in journalism, Rodenbush also answered questions from the edi tors, reporters and candidates in attendance. Rodenbush was a freelance writer for the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette and previously worked at THURSDAY, DEC. 2, 2010 I 3 "It's a big step in the right direction." Nick Coleman UPUA representative "relevant budgetary procedures and policies" in an effort to better educate the assembly. Ragland said he commends the internal development committee for creating the legislation because it will help to avoid any possible confusion in the future about how money should be prop erly spent. At the meeting, UPUA Vice President Colleen Smith also encouraged assembly members to begin brainstorming new initia tives, since money is left over in UPUAs budget. Christina Gallagher and Jessica Tully contributed to this report. To e-mail reporter: krlslo6@psu.edu the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as a sports copy editor and sports reporter. Rodenbush also taught at the University of Pittsburgh in the English department. He received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Webster University in 1998 and his master's degree from Syracuse University a year later. As news adviser, Rodenbush will bring stability to the news room and provide a "sounding board" of wisdom and experience working in collegiate journalism, Murphy said. "We missed having an adviser this semester," Hartranft said. Rodenbush took over the posi tion from former news adviser John Harvey after his departure in September. Harvey left to take a position as director of student media at Georgia Southern University after serving 12 years as The Daily Collegian's news adviser. Rodenbush said he plans to bring his experience as a journal ist, educator and manager to the newsroom. "My plan is to really dive head first into this," he said. "I'm really excited to get going." To e-mail reporter: zjgsol2@psu.edu
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers