Archive for September, 2009
Iowa’s Coming. Happy Valley Awaits.
Even die-hard fans have had some trouble getting excited about Penn State’s first three opponents, but there will be no such issues this week. The visit this Saturday of Big Ten rival Iowa ticks all the boxes need to get the Nittany Lion faithful amped. The build-up is well underway:
-Paternoville is hopping. My Twitter feed tells me that, as of midnight Monday, the student encampment had registered 110 tents—meaning some 900 students had set up camp and locked in their seat locations for Saturday’s game.
-ESPN has announced its popular College GameDay show will broadcast live from campus, and the students promise to be more ready than ever: There’s a Facebook group encouraging the fans to bring blank white signs to the live GameDay broadcast, while also aiming for the biggest live crowd in the show’s history. I’m not putting either past these kids.
-Did I mention this is one of those “White-Out” games? Maybe you’ve heard about them. They’re pretty awesome. I can’t wait.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Beth Shapiro, Penn State’s Very Own “Genius”
We’d love to take credit for helping Beth Shapiro earn a “Genius Grant,” but we’ve got a feeling the short “Everyday People” profile we ran on Shapiro in our July/August 2008 issue had less to do with this recognition than did her remarkable research.
Shapiro, an assistant professor of biology in the Eberly College of Science, has been named a 2009 MacArthur Fellow for her work studying molecular evolution. She is one of 24 recipients this year of the so-called “genius awards,” given annually to “talented individuals, in a variety of fields, who have shown exceptional creativity, originality, dedication to their creative pursuits, and potential to make important contributions in the future.” The fellowship includes a no-strings-attached $500,000 grant that Shapiro says she plans to put toward further research on evolutionary processes.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
More on Joseph Dado’s Death
Students held a vigil last night in memory of Joseph Dado, the freshman whose body was found earlier in the evening between Hosler and Steidle buildings. Dado left the Fiji fraternity house around 3 a.m. Sunday and was never heard from again. After police searched with helicopters and dogs, he was found around 6:00 last evening by a maintenance worker. Police say it most likely was an accidental fall, though there will be an autopsy and toxicology tests today.
You can read Daily Collegian stories about the incident here, here, and here. Dado’s hometown paper, the Tribune-Review in Pittsburgh, has a story here. The Centre Daily Times‘ story is here (though, annoyingly, you now have to register to read their online stories—it’s free, but it takes a few minutes to sign up).
And the students at the blog onwardstate.com have some pictorial coverage of the events of last evening, as well as an aerial photo showing the buildings involved.
It’s tough to stop thinking about Joe’s parents and his sisters, two of whom are currently Penn State students. Their loss is just hard to fathom.
Tina Hay, editor
Sad News: Joseph Dado’s Body Found
The student blog onwardstate.com reported tonight—and Penn State officials later confirmed—that the body of missing freshman Joseph Dado was found this evening.
Dado, who was last seen leaving the Fiji fraternity around 3 o’clock Sunday morning, apparently fell about 15 feet to his death near a mechanical room outside Hosler Building, at the corner of Burrowes and Pollock roads.
It’s a very sad end to the story. You have to feel for his parents, and for his sister, who is a senior at the University.
Tina Hay, editor
A New Book from Diane Ackerman
Diane Ackerman ’70 has never been a writer defined by genre. Known to many for her poetry, Ackerman’s previous book was the 2007 best-seller The Zookeeper’s Wife, a historical look at a little-known story from World War II. Her latest book, apparently, is about the first thing in the morning. Dawn Light is about just that—and more broadly, this Washington Post review tells us, about learning to seize and appreciate life through the quiet, still moments at each day’s beginning. Sounds like inspiration for everyone I know.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Joseph Dado is Missing
An 18-year-old Penn State freshman is missing, and the concern seems to be spreading throughout the campus by the hour.
Joseph Dado, a native of Latrobe, Pa., lives in East Halls. He was last seen leaving the Fiji fraternity house on campus around 3:00 a.m. Sunday, according to Penn State and media reports. He hasn’t been heard from since, and hasn’t responded to telephone or e-mail messages.
By noon today a state police helicopter was circling the campus, seeming to spend a lot of time hovering in the vicinity of the Fiji house, and as I write this (5 p.m.) the helicopter is still rumbling low overhead. The Collegian reports that police dogs are involved in the search, and that police even checked the utility holes in the roads around Fiji.
Anyone with information about Dado is asked to contact Penn State Police at 814-863-1111, or use the “Silent Witness” program by calling Centre County Crime Stoppers at 877- 99-CRIME (877-992-7463) or visiting www.police.psu.edu/witness.
Tina Hay, editor
How Daryll Clark Spent His Saturday Night
There’s a good article at statecollege.com today about what Daryll Clark did after Saturday’s win over Temple. Basically he drove to Bellefonte and … well, maybe I should just let you read the story. It’s a nicely told tale.
The author is the managing editor of the Web site, Terry Casey, who also is a Penn State journalism student. He was editor of the Collegian last year.
Tina Hay, editor
Joe Paterno Impersonations
A Penn State journalism student by the name of Rachid Haoues put together a short video for ESPN in which defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu, a member of the Blue Band, and a few other students take turns imitating Joe Paterno. It’s pretty funny.
Tina Hay, editor
They’re Happy at Paternoville Tonight
I was on my way out to Wegman’s this evening to pick up a fruit tart for a tailgate tomorrow morning, and I passed by the stadium and Paternoville, the student campout that starts several days before the game.
It’s a clear, pleasant evening with temperatures in the low 70s, and the students were feeling good. Three of them were at the fence, cheering lustily at every car that went by. So I pulled over and took their picture with my iPhone.
From left: Alex Weiner, Cody Miller, and Josh Perreault. Alex told me he’s had about three hours of sleep in the past couple of days.
On my way back from Wegman’s, I passed by the stadium again, just in time to see two or three police vehicles parked along the road, with an officer unloading a police dog from one of the vehicles. I’m hoping that turns out to just be a routine visit.
Kickoff against Temple is noon tomorrow, with the Big Ten Network providing TV coverage.
Tina Hay, editor
Ben Feller on the White House’s Unsung East Room
The Associated Press has an interesting article by Ben Feller ’92 this week. Feller is the AP White House correspondent whom we profiled in our May-June 2009 cover story. In the new article, Ben writes of a part of the White House that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but has seen its share of history: the East Room. Earth, Wind, and Fire has played there—and presidents have lain in state there. Feller’s piece looks at what he calls “the most important all-purpose room in America.”
Tina Hay, editor
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